One of the consistently well-received events in Vance County occurs from 4 to 7 p.m.: the Henderson-Vance Night Out Against Crime. Expect to see between 1,000 and 1,500 people head to L.B. Yancey Elementary School to eat free hot dogs, receive free T-shirts, drink free sodas, see a helicopter and other public safety displays, and generally get the message that law enforcement officers are people too. State Rep. Michael Wray is due to deliver the keynote speech at the eighth …
Harper won’t be partnership’s vice chairwoman
One consequence of Lynn Harper’s decision to run for the City Council is that she is withdrawing from consideration for the vice chairmanship of the Henderson-Vance Economic Partnership.
Harper launches council campaign against Rainey
Lynn Harper is challenging Mike Rainey for the Ward 2 at-large seat on the City Council.
Up-and-down year for Vance on ABCs
The two public schools in the Vance County system that have drawn sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind accountability program are among the schools that showed the most improvement under the state ABCs of Public Education ratings, according to data released by the state Department of Public Instruction on Thursday.
Pick of the weekend: No sales tax
It’s the most wonderful holiday of the year: the state sales tax holiday! From now until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, you can stock up on school supplies and clothes without paying that annoying 7 percent tax. We’ll never quite understand the exemption list — baby blankets, garter belts and wedding attire are exempt, but no computer peripherals except cheap printers are — but, hey, if you ignore the heat and the lack of Santa Claus or the baby Jesus, the sales …
Electoral excitement emerges in Middleburg
Middleburg was the last of Vance County’s three municipalities to produce candidates for the fall elections, but the town is making up for lost time. Everyone on the Middleburg ballot has competition after town Commissioner Ray Bullock filed today to challenge Mayor Vivian Edwards’ bid for re-election and Annie Fudge created a four-way race for the three commissioner seats. Vance Elections Director Faye Gill said Middleburg has only about 95 registered voters; six of them are now on the ballot. …
Modified Weed and Seed area gains cleanup support
The Clean Up Henderson Committee joined the growing list of community organizations endorsing the local Weed and Seed application Wednesday morning, hours before the steering committee for that program decided to expand the targeted zone at the NAACP’s request.
Henderson youths lead Louisburg to World Series
Stephen Crumpler pitches Louisburg past Hope Mills in the opening game of the state tournament in Leland. Cody Matthews prepares for action at shortstop. (Photo courtesy of Dixon Crumpler) The girls on the Henderson-Vance 12-and-under All-Star softball team aren’t the only local diamond stars who advanced to a World Series last weekend.
Pick of the day: A lesson from Raleigh
Our local elected officials get plenty of criticism for their budget work, but at least they always pass their budgets on time. That’s because state law, as well as common sense, dictates that cities, counties and school systems have an annual spending plan in place before the July 1 start of the fiscal year. No such luck with the General Assembly, which today is likely to pass its third continuing resolution to keep the state government running because the House …
The calm before a possible final filing rush
A day after three filers ensured at least one candidate for every seat on Vance County’s municipal ballots and at least five contested races in Henderson, the county Board of Elections enjoyed a day of quiet today. No one wandered to the back of the first floor of the Henry Dennis Building to jump into politics. On Tuesday, Henderson Mayor Clem Seifert filed for re-election (he’s unopposed so far), Sara Coffey signed up for a second crack at Henderson Ward …
Consolidated city government looks feasible
The plan to consolidate the Henderson government in the Operations & Service Center looks promising enough to keep moving the project forward after a presentation by contractor Energy Systems Group on Tuesday.
Stop signs recommended for Roanoke Avenue
The Henderson City Council’s Public Safety Committee plans to recommend the addition of two or three sets of stop signs along Roanoke Avenue as a traffic-calming measure, Police Chief Glen Allen said Tuesday.
City police cruise through CALEA review
The Henderson Police Department won its second three-year accreditation and began working toward its 2008 renewal at the summer conference of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies last week in Boston.
Pick of the day: Chairmen take a break
There’s nothing unusual about the Clean Up Henderson Committee and the Vance Organization to Implement Community Excellence meeting on the same morning, as they will at 8 at the police station and at 10:30 at the Aycock Recreation Complex, respectively. And there’s nothing unusual on their agendas: The cleanup committee will receive reports from the Public Works, Police and Code Compliance departments and discuss the housing task force; VOICE will talk about the Weed and Seed application. What is unusual …
Coffey poses challenge to Alston
Bail bondsman and private investigator Sara Coffey filed to run for the 1st Ward at-large City Council seat this morning, presenting a challenge to incumbent Bernard Alston for the second consecutive election. Two years ago, Coffey and fellow Old West End resident Anthony Young ran against Alston, who became the mayor pro tem after his victory. Coffey’s entry ensures contests for at least five of the eight council seats in Henderson: incumbent Mary Emma Evans against Glean Henderson Jr. for …
Seifert files for re-election
The candidate filing period won’t go into overtime for this fall’s Henderson elections. Mayor Clem Seifert filed to run for re-election this morning, filling the last empty spot on the municipal ballot three days before Friday’s noon deadline. “Had I known what I know now two years ago, I would not have run for mayor,” Seifert told WIZS-AM (1450), referring mostly to personal issues such as his wife’s death from cancer. He also mentioned that he has struggled with the …
12-and-under softball team best in Southeast
The Henderson-Vance 12-and-under softball team basks in the glory of a regional championship and a ticket to the World Series in Cherry Hill, N.J. Seated are Julia Sumner, left, and Kirstin Currin. In the second row, from the left, are Hailey Sedigh, Tori Burwell, Lauren Dunn, Brooke Pulley, Bailey Hughes and Jordan Garrett. In the back row, from the left, are head coach David Pulley, Allison Perry, Lindsey Carrol, assistant coach Scott Burwell, Jessica Rowland, Natalie Reavis, assistant coach Randy …
Vance pushes ahead with digital mapping
The Vance County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $186,000 digital mapping contract during the board’s monthly meeting at the old courthouse Monday night.
Planning Board OKs division of lots
The Henderson Planning Board held a brief meeting Monday afternoon to approve a subdivision involving 22.38 acres in the Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction off Parham Road.
Pick of the day: Moving toward a move
Representatives of contractor Energy Systems Group will hold a work session with Henderson officials this morning at 9 at the Operations & Service Center, whose fate will be the main topic. ESG is trying to figure out whether the city can save enough through energy-efficient renovations to pay for the conversion of the Operations Center into the new City Hall. The city would sell the Municipal Building. City Manager Eric Williams last week said the numbers were looking better on …