This is Flag Day — marking the date in 1777 when John Adams proposed the stars and stripes as the official flag of the United States. By the War of 1812, the national flag had accumulated 15 stars and 15 red and white stripes. It was the sight of that flag still flying — o’er the ramparts of Fort McHenry in Baltimore — after an overnight bombardment that inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem, which became the words …
Vance County Board of Commissioners Special Called Meeting – June 17, 2013
This memorandum will serve as notice that Chairman Thomas S. Hester, Jr. has called a special meeting for Monday, June 17 at 6:00 p.m. in the Commissioners’Conference Room, Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC. The purpose of the special meeting is to address the following: 1. Southern Vance High School Chiller Replacement2. Other items as needed Download the full agenda here: 20130617_vcboc_agenda_packet
Gov. McCrory proclaims June N.C. Wine & Grape Month
Gov. Pat McCrory has proclaimed June North Carolina Wine & Grape Month. North Carolina currently has 118 wineries with 400 commercial grape growers, creating an industry economic impact of $1.28 billion. Read the proclamation here.
FOX’s Sleepy Hollow starts filming in Wilmington in July
20th Century Fox Television is bringing the TV series Sleepy Hollow, a modern-day retelling of Washington Irving’s classic story, to Wilmington. Filming is expected to start in late July and go through December. The pilot for Sleepy Hollow shot earlier this year in the Charlotte region, including the cities of Charlotte, Gastonia and Salisbury. Early estimates showed that the pilot had an estimated in-state direct spend of $8 million. This will mark the second series from 20th Century Fox Television …
Tributes continue for whirligig folk artist Vollis Simpson
Tributes and media coverage abounded with the passing of Vollis Simpson, whose giant whirligigs attracted art lovers and curiosity seekers from all over the world to a pasture on his Lucama farm. The New York Times reported the news as did the Associated Press, whose article was picked up by media across the country, from the Denver Post to the Miami Herald, plus CBS and NBC News. Simpson died May 31 at age 94. “He took his work ethic and …
The Lost Colony receives Tony honor
Outdoor drama The Lost Colony is taking pride in its Tony Award. The recognition – the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre – is given each year to individuals or organizations who have made major contributions to American theatre, but aren’t eligible for regular Tony Awards. The prize honoring The Lost Colony came during a cocktail party Saturday in New York, before the regular awards were presented Sunday night. The country’s longest-running symphonic outdoor drama has been in production every …
Attorney General Roy Cooper: Watch out for summer job scams
Students across North Carolina are getting out of school for the summer and many are looking to land a summer job. Unfortunately, scammers use the lure of employment and potential earnings to try to rip off eager job seekers. Here are ways to tell a phony job offer from a legitimate opportunity: Be skeptical of high earnings claims. Jobs that promise big money for simple tasks or say you’ll earn thousands of dollars a week by working from home are …
North Carolina Weekend
For the week of June 13 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, kayak along the Alligator River and Duck. Take in a production of The Lost Colony. Experience a bit of history via the Watergate Exhibit at N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Step back in time at the Henderson County Heritage Museum in Hendersonville. And get back to nature and learn a little something, too, with Dana’s Outdoor Edventures in Danbury. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina …
Final season of Eastbound and Down underway in Wilmington region
Filming is underway in the Wilmington region for the fourth and final season of HBO’s hit series Eastbound and Down. According to the N.C. Film Office, the series, based or partially filmed in North Carolina during its previous three seasons, has had a direct in-state spend in excess of $21.5 million while providing more than 3,500 job opportunities to date, including approximately 125 well-paying crew positions each season for the state’s highly-skilled film professionals. The series is expected to film …
Destination America helps celebrate 20th anniversary of Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival
Next week, June 14-15 marks the 20th anniversary of the Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival in Tryon. This year, it includes a visit from Destination America‘s show “BBQ Pitmasters,” which will be filming an upcoming segment for the show. There’s also music, including Donna the Buffalo, TownMountain and Big Daddy Love, a craft show and carnival
Thursday Open Line
With summer almost here, children will be urging their parents to take them to the nearest amusement park. The highlight of these parks are ever more thrilling roller coasters, which trace their roots back to 15th century ice slides in Russia. In the U.S., the first roller coaster opened 129 years ago this month at Coney Island, New York. It was built by LaMarcus Thompson, and was called the “Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway.” The ride lasted a minute at a …
Henderson Budget Work Sessions Cancelled
PUBLIC NOTICE CANCELLATION All remaining Henderson City Council Budget Work Sessions (June 13, June 17, and June 18) have been CANCELLED
Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (City Council June 10th, 2013)
A plethora of public hearings The first of the public hearings was the final opportunity to praise or denounce the councils work on the draft consensus budget for the coming fiscal year. I expected to observe harmonic resonance as taxpayers discussed the necessary needs of the citizens and mandates of regulatory authorities. Sadly not one presenter shared my vision of the intent of the opening topic of public hearing. First to speak was Mr. Sam Watkins, the only presenter not …
N.C. Main Street pre-application workshops scheduled
The N.C. Main Street Center has announced plans for a new community selection round. Pre-application workshops have been scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon in Morganton on June 26 and Clayton on June 27. Workshop attendance is mandatory for representatives from any community planning to submit a Main Street application in 2013, and participants must register for the workshop of their choice by June 21. N.C. Main Street is a program of the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Office of Urban Development, which …
Vance County NC Cooperative Extension: High moisture wheat, tobacco fertility
HIGH MOISTURE WHEAT, WHEN TO HARVEST? From Randy Weisz – Small Grain Specialist @ NCSU Wheat grain moisture levels around the state are being reported in the 16 to 22% range. While we usually wait until wheat is closer to 15% to harvest, the prolonged exposure to high humidity and rain, combined with lodging, is resulting in grain sprouting in the head. If growers have the capacity to dry grain they need to be getting this crop out of the field. Here is …
Leisure and hospitality lead statewide employment growth
The Leisure and Hospitality Services sector is leading the state in total non-farm industry employment growth in North Carolina, according to recent data from the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division. Total North Carolina non-farm employment (seasonally adjusted) increased 0.2 percent from March to April and 1.8 percent from April 2012 to April 2013. Since April 2012, Leisure and Hospitality Services has added the largest number of jobs (23,700; 5.7 percent), followed by Professional and Business Services …
Lenovo announces official opening of U.S. computer manufacturing line in Whitsett
Lenovo, the world’s second-largest PC vendor, hosted a grand opening ceremony on June 5 in Whitsett. The event was attended by Governor Pat McCrory and other prominent local dignitaries. This North Carolina location is the company’s first personal computer production facility to be located in the United States. With the return of PC manufacturing to the U.S., the company is adding 115 new manufacturing jobs in North Carolina and is on track to fully ramp up production by the end …
Governor McCrory proclaims June Solar Energy Month in North Carolina
Governor Pat McCrory announced on June 4 that he has proclaimed June as Solar Energy Month in North Carolina, stressing the role the growing industry is playing in creating jobs and helping make our state and nation energy independent. “North Carolina is home to one of the fastest growing solar industries in our nation,” said McCrory. “It is important that we recognize the impact the solar industry is making in our state, not only in terms of being another valuable …
Wednesday Open Line
It used to be that cars were fairly simple to repair, but they often broke down. Modern automobiles have become very reliable. They’ve also gotten extremely complicated — with ABS brakes, traction control, navigation systems, and even self-parking systems. That means there are more things to go wrong and more knowledge needed to repair problems. That’s why this is National Automotive Service Professionals Week. The goal is to recognize mechanics across the country for their role in keeping America’s millions …
Vance County NC Cooperative Extension Updates
DIAGNOSING INSECT/DISEASE PROBLEMSSamples may be sent to the NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic ($20 charge). Contact us for details on submitting a sample. In most cases, we will come to the farm in 24 hours or less to assist with sample collection. We are also happy to arrange delivery to the Clinic. In some cases the fee may be waived. DIAGNOSING NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES Two services are available from NCDA&CS to diagnose nutritional deficiencies: Plant Tissue Sampling ($5) and Problem …