Friday, October 30th. A technological breakthrough that has led to remarkable changes in American and global society occurred 46 years ago today … or yesterday, depending on your point of reference. While Americans in the Eastern and Central time zones entered October 30, 1969, it was around 10:30 p.m. Pacific time on October 29 that the first connection was made on what would become the Internet. The first two computers linked were at UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute — …
Henderson, NC Halloween 2015
Come to Downtown Henderson, NC Friday, October 30th, 2015 for Trick or Treat at the local businesses on and around Garnett Street. Trick or Treating starts at 4:30pm and ends at 6:00pm. Participating businesses will have an orange sign on their outside window. Children age two to twelve can treat from the corner of the Fire station to the House of Toyz on Garnett Street. While in Downtown, step over one street to Wyche Street which is between Garnett Street …
Vance County Tax Reval Ad Hoc Committee November 4th, 2015
Please note that the County’s Tax Reval Ad Hoc Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, November 4 at 9:00 a.m. in the administrative conference room. The purpose is to receive and begin reviewing the Schedule of Values for the 2016 property revaluation. Tax Reval Ad Hoc Committee members are Commissioners Brummitt, Brown and Garrison. All commissioners are invited to attend.
North Carolina Weekend
For the week of Oct. 29 on North Carolina Weekend, it’s all aboard for the Seaboard Festival in Hamlet. Get in tune with the Dulcimer Shop in Blowing Rock. Tempt your taste buds at Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham. Enjoy a stay at River’s Edge Treehouse Resort in Robbinsville. And discover all things BBQ at GrillBillies Barbecue Store in Raleigh. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has made …
NC’s 4th Grade NAEP Reading Scores Climb in 2015
North Carolina fourth grade students’ performance on the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading topped the national average and increased four points from 2013 and 14 points from 1992 while scores in 4th grade math held steady according to The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). At the 8th grade level, reading scores fell below the national average and dropped from 265 in 2013 to 261 in 2015. The state’s math scores in 8th grade also decreased from …
Thursday Open Line
“Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.” That anonymous quotation overlooks the condition of plenty of Americans, who still venerate cats. For such folks, and also the former deities, today is National Cat Day. For the less observant, there’s always the Internet, which cats seem to dominate. There are about 74 million such honored animals in the U.S., slightly outnumbering dogs, their supposed rivals. Tributes to domestic cats are made through some of …
North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority Approves Nearly $4 Million in Funding
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 14 grants or loans on October 22, totaling $3,828,262. The requests include commitments to create a total of 272 new jobs. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)/loan approved: Town of Denton (Davidson County): A $400,000 loan to support the reuse of a vacant building that will house Lionshead Specialty Tire and Wheel. The company, a manufacturer of specialty tires, will create 20 jobs. The building has been vacant for the past year. The …
Senator Richard Burr: President Obama vetoes military funding
Last week, in a public ceremony, President Obama vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that funds our military. President Obama vetos military funding I am very disappointed in the president’s decision to veto this popular bipartisan bill. President Obama’s veto not only threatens the military readiness and security of our nation, but also represents a stunning rejection of the longstanding tradition of casting partisan politics aside to prioritize and protect the brave men and women in uniform who …
Aycock Elementary Group Visits Kanki
Approximately 80 students, school staff members and parents from Aycock Elementary School ate dinner at the Kanki Japanese restaurant at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, on September 24, as part of their trip to attend a men’s soccer game between N.C. State University and Gardner Webb University. They are all seen in the accompanying photo as they pose for photos outside of the restaurant. The trip proved to be a great experience for students and their families members who attended, …
N.C. Transportation Recognizes Adopt-A-Highway Groups for Years of Service
RALEIGH – Cleaning up trash is a necessary chore – and an expensive one. That’s why the N.C. Department of Transportation appreciates the efforts of the thousands of volunteers who commit to clearing litter along the state’s roadways. This week, NCDOT recognized 76 Adopt-A-Highway groups from Division 5 (Durham, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren Counties) for their dedicated service to the program. Religious groups, families, community organizations and businesses across North Carolina team up to clear litter and …
Fidelity Investments Expansion to Create 600 Jobs in Durham County
Governor Pat McCrory, North Carolina Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) announced today (Oct. 27) that Fidelity Investments® will add 600 jobs during three years and invest a minimum of $8 million across its Triangle facilities, including its Durham County campus. “Fidelity investments is an innovative company that has chosen to expand in the place and state where innovation thrives,” Governor McCrory said. “Fidelity has demonstrated to the business world that …
Wednesday Open Line
One of the nation’s enduring symbols, the Statue of Liberty, was dedicated on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor on this date in 1886. A gift from France, the statue’s full name is “Liberty Enlightening the World,” and is the work of sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. France also was the country of origin of a bit under 12,000 of the 334,000 immigrants arriving that year. The statue was the first glimpse of America for more than 20 million immigrants who …
Senator Richard Burr: President Obama vetoes military funding
Last week, in a public ceremony, President Obama vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that funds our military. President Obama vetos military funding I am very disappointed in the president’s decision to veto this popular bipartisan bill. President Obama’s veto not only threatens the military readiness and security of our nation, but also represents a stunning rejection of the longstanding tradition of casting partisan politics aside to prioritize and protect the brave men and women in uniform who …
Butterfield Announces Historic $10 million Infrastructure Grant for City of Wilson
Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today announced that the City of Wilson will receive a $10 million U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) award through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) VII grant program. This grant is critic al to the revitalization of and economic development in downtown Wilson, North Carolina. This is the first TIGER grant ever received by the City of Wilson. The grant will help fund upgrades to U.S. Highway 301 and connect education and training facilities …
Scammers pretend to be DOJ
Some North Carolina consumers have reported getting calls from people pretending to be with the North Carolina Department of Justice who demand that they pay a $1,000 fine for unpaid taxes or face immediate arrest. The calls even appear to come from NCDOJ’s main office number, (919) 716-6400. But the fines aren’t real, and the callers are scammers who have figured out how to manipulate Caller ID technology to make it look like they’re calling from our office. Scammers often …
Vance County Board of Education Upcoming Committee Meeting Dates
Vance County Board of Education Committee Meeting Dates: * Building & Grounds, Thursday, Oct. 29th, 10:00 am * Curriculum Committee, Thursday, Oct. 29th, 11:00 am * Personnel Committee, Tuesday, November 3rd, 8:30 am Note: All meetings are held in the Superintendent’s Conference Room.
Tuesday Open Line
The scene this week in 1945 at Gimbel’s department store in New York City was shopping chaos. Big ads in the city papers had heralded the first sale in the U.S. of a new writing instrument. One that was guaranteed to write for two years without refilling — the ballpoint pen. By the end of the day, the store had sold its entire stock of 10,000 at $12.50 each. The idea of the ballpoint pen was first patented in 1888 …
Vance County Planning / Environmental Committee Meeting October 28th, 2015
Please note that the County’s Planning/Environmental Committee (Wilder, Garrison, Taylor) is scheduled to meet Wednesday, October 28th at 4:00 p.m. in the administrative conference room. The purpose is to discuss an Address Points Mapping Project. All commissioners are invited to attend.
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Standing with our Servicemen and Women
Photo of the Week: During my visit to Fort Bragg last Friday, I had the chance to eat lunch with some of the Green Berets who have benefitted from top-notch performance and rehab facilities on site. It is such an honor to be seated at a table with these men who train day in and day out to protect us. Weekly Update: After months of hard work and bipartisan collaboration among members of the House and Senate, an agreement …
Monday Open Line
Doing laundry was a wearying, time-consuming chore for many centuries. The industrial revolution and American inventiveness attacked the ancient chore on this date in 1858, when Hamilton Smith patented a rotary washing machine. It was hand-driven, with a crank turning a perforated shell within a wooden tub. This was scarcely a labor saving invention. People continued to use the tub and washboard, even after the first electric washer came along in 1908. A few years later, the agitator-type machine appeared …