The issue foremost on Americans’ minds this week was taxes. Each year, tax day serves as a harsh reminder of our broken tax code and the punitive nature of our tax system. In fact, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study recently found that Americans spend $107 billion a year just to make sure they are in compliance with the tax code and IRS rules. The process of filling out tax returns is simply too complicated and acts as a tax …
World’s Largest Home Furnishings Company Expands in N.C. to Meet Global Needs
RALEIGH—Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Ashley Furniture, a manufacturer and distributor of home furnishings, will locate a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Davie County. Ashley Furniture expects to create 550 new jobs over the next five years and invest $80 million in land, buildings, machinery and equipment. The announcement was made possible in part by a state Job Development Investment Grant and a One North Carolina Fund award. “North Carolina continues to attract manufacturers that are drawn to …
Monday Open Lines
President Obama believes that we should be doing everything we can to put higher education within reach for every American – because at a time when the unemployment rate for Americans with at least a college degree is about half the national average, it’s never been more important. He is calling on Congress to act before student loan interest rates double for more than 7.4 million students, adding an average of $1,000 to their debt. Congress has a chance to …
Henderson City Council Meeting April 23rd
The Henderson City Council will hold a Short Regular Meeting on Monday, 23 April 2012 at 6:00 PM with a Work Session to immediately follow at City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave., Henderson, NC 27536. Download the full agenda packet here: 20120423_coh_agenda_packet (105 pages) RECOGNITIONS/PRESENTATIONSa) Leadership Vance Class of 2012 (Rachel Hedrick)b) Week of the Young Child Presentation (Carolyn Paylor)c) Comprehensive Transportation Plan (Mike Ciriello) PUBLIC HEARING a) Consideration of CM 12-06, CDBG Infrastructure Hook-Up Grant. PUBLIC COMMENT …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers
This week in Congress our focus continued to be on JOBS. In this newsletter you will find information about the Small Business Tax Cut Act we passed this week. You will also find an excerpt from my op-ed on the economic impact of golf in North Carolina and H.R. 2718 – The Disaster Tax Act of 2011. I continue to monitor the status of the proposed I-95 toll which would be a job killer for businesses up and down the …
Henderson City Council Called Special Closed Seeion
NOTICE – SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, April 24, 2011 6:00 p.m. Notice is hereby given that the Mayor has called a Special Closed Session Meeting will be held by the Henderson City Council on Tuesday, April 24, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers in City Hall located at 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson, North Carolina. The purpose of the meeting is to convene in closed session pursuant to G.S. §143-318.11(a)(3) for Attorney-Client Privilege Matters. The …
Richard Brand: Oh, My, Things Fall Apart
On Easter Sunday in the New York Times the columnist Ross Douthat had a column entitled “Divided by God.” He suggest that in the 1960’s there was a religious core center that acted as one of the bonds that held society together. We were all primarily mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics. Now the country as a whole is much more religiously fluid, with more church-switching, more start-up sects, more do-it-yourself forms of faith. We are more and more a nation that is …
VGCC Cultural Fair spotlights global and local diversity
Vance-Granville Community College took time to celebrate diversity on April 4, when the college’s annual Cultural Fair provided opportunities to explore a world of food, fun and entertainment. The VGCC Global Awareness Committee stages the event each year in the college’s Civic Center to expose students, faculty and staff to a variety of cultures from around the country and around the world. Students Katina Harris of Warrenton and Cody Trivette of Oxford served as emcees for the event. Booths displayed …
VGCC to offer Zumba class at Main Campus
Zumba, the Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that has quickly become popular throughout the region and around the world, is coming to Vance-Granville Community College. A Zumba class is scheduled to be held in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 until 7 p.m., May 21 through June 27. Salonia House of Oxford will serve as the instructor for the class. A member of the worldwide Zumba Instructor Network, House is …
Upcoming Vance County School Committee Meetings
Vance County Board of Education Committee Meeting Dates: Building & Grounds, Thursday, April 26th, 8:30 am Curriculum, Thursday, April 26th, 9:30 am Policy, Tuesday, May 1st, 5:30 pm Community Relations, May 1st, 6:00 pm Personnel, Tuesday, May 8th, 8:30 am Note: All meetings are held in the Superintendent’s Conference room.
Trail To Top of Chimney Rock Reopens
Chimney Rock Park reopened the Outcroppings Trail last weekend, after a four-month closure. During this time, there has been no access to the iconic Chimney Rock, said Chimney Rock’s Public Relations & Events Manager Matt Popowski. The rebuilt trail offers stunning new views of the park, increased capacity and improved comfort with more places to rest. The reopening of the Outcroppings trail, which leads from the upper parking lot to the Chimney stairs, permanently restores hiking access to the Chimney, the …
Watch out for fracking surprises when buying property
Some North Carolina homebuyers have been surprised to learn that the mineral rights to their own backyards don’t belong to them, according to public comments and recent news reports. “Split estates” – where the mineral rights are reserved by the seller or assigned to a third party — are relatively rare in North Carolina but common in some Western states like Texas and Colorado. The issue has come up in North Carolina as the state debates whether or not to …
Nature Research Center opens in Raleigh Friday
The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences new Nature Research Center is scheduled to open in Raleigh this Friday. The NRC is the expansion wing of the Museum, and the project is an 80,000-square-foot marvel that’s been in the works for more than a decade in downtown Raleigh. It’s expected to add another 200,000 visitors to the 700,000 that already visit the museum every year. Nature never sleeps, so the Nature Research Center will open its doors to the public for …
Distinctive Educational Programs Help Produce N.C.’s Skilled Workforce
Higher education institutions in North Carolina offer unique programs that complement evolving workforce needs of the state’s business and industry. The state’s universities produce skilled graduates each year and the community college system is recognized nationally for its customized workforce training programs. L–R: Prof. Hans-Peter Mengele, CEO, Karlsruhe Chamber of Industry and Commerce and CPCC President Dr. Tony Zeiss. Photo courtesy of CPCC. Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in Charlotte signed an articulation agreement on April 18 with IHK-Karlsruhe, a …
Butterfield Applauds Increase of National Emergency Grant Funds to Assist Dislocated Workers
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today announced an increase in National Emergency Grant (NEG) funding to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment and Training in the amount of $375,200. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded the additional grant funds to aid in continuing temporary jobs for dislocated workers assisting with clean-up and recovery efforts from Hurricane Irene. “These funds are essential not only to the rebuilding process, but also in providing jobs for …
North Carolina and Facebook Celebrate Grand Opening of Data Center
Facebook’s Forest City Data Center celebrated its grand opening in Rutherford County yesterday after completing the site’s first building and beginning to serve user traffic from the facility. Facebook’s Vice President of Site Operations Tom Furlong and Data Center Manager George Henry joined N.C. Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll, members of the legislative delegation, Rutherford County Commission Chair Julius Owens, Forest City Mayor Dennis Tarlton and more than 300 “friends” for a celebration at the facility. “Our Forest City data center …
Friday / Weekend Open Lines
Yesterday was National Hanging Out Day. No it’s not a special day for friends to hang out together for a few beers — although that could also happen — but the idea is to educate people about saving energy. The goal is to get people to hang their clothes out to dry and not use electric or gas-powered clothes dryers to do the job. Those who advocate using clotheslines point out that the practice saves energy, makes clothes smell better …
International Whistlers Convention 2012
The International Whistlers Convention (IWC) is scheduled for April 18-22, 2012 in Louisburg, North Carolina, USA, the world’s whistling capital. Among the supporters are Louisburg College (founded in 1779), the Town of Louisburg, and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. It has been customary for the Governor of the State of North Carolina to sign a declaration declaring the week of the IWC as “Happy Whistlers Week,” for citizens and visitors to honor the art of whistling and to participate …
Ron Hargrove Arrested for Cocaine Charges
On Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Officers of the Henderson Police Department responded to the area of Lehman Street in South Henderson in response to a suspicious subject. Officers located a male individual. A warrant check revealed there were outstanding warrants for the individual. Ron Hargrove, 36, 750 Boddie Street, Henderson was taken into custody. Through further investigation, officers located a large quantity of cocaine. Hargrove has been charged with Simple Possession of Marijuana, Possession With the Intent to Manufacture, …