Courtesy of Senator Angela Bryant: N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources The N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure has organized two how-to-apply classes for the next round of its CDBG infrastructure program. The classes are: 1 p.m. Friday, July 25, Kinston Public Works Building, at 2360 US Highway 258 South, Kinston. 10 a.m., Monday, July 28, Old Rock School’s Waldensian Room, at 400 W. Main St., Valdese. To register for either class, please email grants coordinator Stacey Starkey, stacey.starkey@ncdenr.gov. Final …
Reps. Butterfield, Johnson Launch New State Medicaid Expansion Caucus
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) and Hank Johnson (GA-04), along with more than 30 House colleagues, announced the formation of the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus during a press conference earlier today. Although the caucus will work to amplify all Medicaid-related issues, they will emphasize the need for recalcitrant states to expand Medicaid via floor speeches, op-eds, social media posts, briefings and events. “Expanding Medicaid will ensure access to health care for millions of low-income Americans, said Johnson. …
Thursday Open Line
This is National Drive-Thru Day — noting the popularity of restaurants that take orders by intercom and then pass the food out a window to the customers wanting to keep on the move. The first such service was the idea of Robert Peterson at a Jack in the Box restaurant in San Diego in 1951, serving hamburgers for just 18 cents. At the time, drive-in restaurants were very popular. The serving staff — some even on roller skates — brought …
VGCC South Campus hosts Tax Seminar for Nonprofits
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Revenue, will present a free seminar about sales tax refunds for nonprofit organizations on Tuesday, Sept. 9, from 2 until 4 p.m. at the college’s South Campus (1547 South Campus Drive, Creedmoor). This hands-on workshop is intended to help nonprofits better understand the step-by-step process for requesting a sales and use tax refund. The official term is the “Nonprofit and Governmental Entity Claim for Refund …
VGCC and Chamberlain College of Nursing establish transfer agreement
Vance-Granville Community College and Chamberlain College of Nursing recently formed a partnership that will help graduates of VGCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program transition to complete a bachelor’s degree in Nursing through distance education. The VGCC Board of Trustees officially approved the agreement with Chamberlain at its July 21 meeting. June Dunham, a healthcare development specialist from Chamberlain, visited VGCC’s Main Campus earlier this year to inform students about the new partnership. Through Chamberlain’s “RN to BSN” degree option, a Registered …
Wednesday Open Line
The home front during World War II had to cope with some irritating limitations and scarcities, notably gas rationing and a lack of new cars and tires. But what for many was a real wartime crisis was coffee rationing. Imposed in 1942 because of hoarding and supply concerns, it proved very unpopular. Late this month in 1943, President Roosevelt ended the program because imports had rebounded. Coffee is believed to have been introduced into America by Captain John Smith of …
State Fair tickets go on sale Aug. 1 at ncstatefair.org
RALEIGH – State Fair concert tickets and discounted admission tickets and ride sheets will go on sale at 10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 1, at www.ncstatefair.org. Trace Adkins, Vanilla Ice, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and the Newsboys are just a few of the artists performing in Dorton Arena this year, with concert ticket prices ranging from $5 to $17. Advance admission tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children. These prices reflect a savings of $2 per adult gate …
Work-Based Learning program connects VGCC students with employers
The name is new, but Vance-Granville Community College’s Work-Based Learning program continues a longstanding practice of helping students gain the on-the-job experience they need to complement their classroom studies. The North Carolina Community College System recently changed the name of the Cooperative Education (or “Co-op”) Work Experience program to “Work-Based Learning” (WBL). The transition to the new name is complete as of the fall semester, which begins Aug. 18. VGCC Director of Academic and Career Assessment Linda Fletcher said the …
‘Plus 50’ students receive inspiration and information at VGCC
Local adults, aged 50 and over, recently received encouragement and advice about pursuing higher education at a special Vance-Granville Community College workshop. The event, held July 16 in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus, was entitled “Over 50 and Going Back to School, What a Great Idea!” and was attended by approximately 65 people. The featured speaker was Mike Collins, president of The Perfect Workday Company in Raleigh, who has led numerous seminars at VGCC and across the state. …
Tuesday Open Line
On these scorching hot summer days, with the nation’s average warmest day of the year coming up shortly, most of us welcome ducking in from the heat into a cool office, business, or home. For this relief, we can thank Willis Carrier, who in the depths of winter in 1906 received a patent for what he called an “apparatus for treating air.” His idea has fundamentally changed the way most Americans live, and the Carrier name is still prominent among …
Greg’s Garden for July 21st, 2014 By Mari Miller
Tomato Harvest Starts Our tomato harvest has started. Greg brought in the first of our Roma variety of tomatoes yesterday. It will take about 2-3 weeks to be at peak production enough to start my canning, but it will be so nice to now go to the garden for my fresh tomatoes. My multi-color varieties that will make salsa and salads especially nice, are just now a hint of yellow. I look forward to having them on top of taco …
Legislative Update from Senator Burr
Last Monday, the VA Office of the Inspector General (IG) released a report on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) two-year-old claim initiative. This initiative was purportedly started by the Department to process long-pending claims more quickly. I requested this latest report, along with several other Senators. The IG report confirmed that VA’s ‘fix’ to its backlog process was just smoke and mirrors– another example of VA manipulating the data to make it appear as if veterans are being well …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Committed to Jobs
While the president continues to parade around the country boasting about his work, the House continues to pass bills that will create jobs and get our economy back on track. Yet there is still much more to accomplish, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that last month was the worst June on record for full-time employment growth. Rest assured, however, that the House of Representatives has been hard at work to put Americans back to work. Just this week …
White House Weekly Address: Equipping Workers with Skills Employers Need Now and for the Future
In this week’s address, the President discussed the importance of ensuring that the economic progress we’ve made is shared by all hardworking Americans. Through his opportunity agenda, the President is focused on creating more jobs, educating more kids, and working to make sure hard work pays off with higher wages and better benefits. This week, the President will visit a community college in Los Angeles to highlight the need to equip our workers with the skills employers are looking for …
Monday Open Line
A substantial and recurring feature of national media reporting — on TV, in newspapers and on the Web — is devoted to nutrition and health. There, doctors and public health officials express concerns about obesity, diabetes, and the quality of the diet of many Americans. However, junk food shows no sign of waning in popularity. And every devil has its advocate, as today is National Junk Food Day, celebrating the naughty temptations on offer, including at the more than 216,000 …
Vance County Board of Commissioners Meeting Monday July 21st, 2014
Vance County Board of Commissioners called meeting scheduled for Monday, July 21 at 1:00 p.m. in the Commissioners Meeting Room. Also, the Planning Committee is scheduled to meet Monday morning at 11:45 a.m. to discuss a Neighborhood Stabilization Program matter. This will be in the County Manager’s administrative conference room. This memorandum will serve as notice that Chairperson Deborah F. Brown has called a special meeting for Monday, July 21 at 1:00 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Conference Room, Vance County …
VGCC launches Mechatronics program in August at South Campus
Vance-Granville Community College is introducing a new curriculum program that will provide training needed for highly-skilled jobs in advanced manufacturing. The new program of study is called “Mechatronics Engineering Technology” and, as the name implies, it combines mechanical engineering and electronics. Courses toward this new Associate in Applied Science Degree are set to start in August at VGCC’s South Campus, located between Butner and Creedmoor. VGCC is one of only nine colleges in the state approved to offer this program, …
Changes to High School Equivalency program include reduced testing fees
Vance-Granville Community College is spreading the word about changes in the program that allows area adults to take a set of tests to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma. Recently, the name “High School Equivalency” (HSE) replaced the program’s former name: General Educational Development, or GED ® — a registered trademark of the national testing company, Pearson VUE. To complete the current version of the HSE program, a student must pass four tests, in the subject areas of …
Natural Horsemanship program starting at VGCC Warren Campus
Vance-Granville Community College is introducing a new Horsemanship program, which will be based at the college’s Warren County Campus, and will provide the education and training for an individual to seek employment associated with the horse industry. The Comprehensive Natural Horsemanship Program will consist of four courses offered by VGCC’s Occupational Extension department, with the first course starting Aug. 14 and continuing through Nov. 22. That course, “Horsemanship I: Understanding, Communicating & Bonding with a Horse,” will be a prerequisite …
News and Notes about Vance County Regional Farmer’s Market by Mari Miller
Vance County Regional Farmers MarketMarket hours are 7:30 am to 1:00 pm, Wednesday and Saturdays. What’s at the market – Saturday July 19th Blackberries Cucumbers Muscadine Juice & Salsa Okra… Onions Peas Peppers Squash Tomatoes (Lots) Zucchini Also at the market will be vendors selling crafts and flowers. Master Gardeners Seminar set fr July 19th at the Farmers Market July 19th “Garden Photography for Beginners” @ 10:00am in the Farmers Market Classroom will be taught by Paul McKenzie NC …