The Vance County Board of Commissioners should seek legislative approval for a local referendum on a sales tax increase to support school construction.
Funding sought for prison alternatives
An alternative-sentencing program is asking for Vance County to restore funding for its efforts to break the cycle of revolving-door justice.
Vance jobless rate back above 10%
Vance County’s unemployment rate drifted higher in February but remained below last year’s level and stayed out of the top five in the state.
Library construction leads way to future
County Commissioner Tommy Hester, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Embassy Square Foundation Executive Director Kathy Powell, Mayor Clem Seifert and state Treasurer Richard Moore prepare for the placement of the first steel beam toward the end of the construction celebration ceremony. It was a gray day, an April Fools’ Day, and it was a beautiful day for all involved with Embassy Square.
Fun facts from the Embassy celebration
The Rev. Joseph Ratliffe and Bennett Perry join the beauty quens and, far left, Kathy Powell in celebrating Friday. A few interesting tidbits from Friday’s ceremony:
For the children, by the children
Mini Majestic Miss Kerr Lake Sterling Adams, left, and Tiny Miss Kerr Lake Lawson Adams help bring youth to the Embassy Square construction ceremony Friday. Much of the talk at the Embassy Square construction celebration Friday was about children, and more than a few children were in the crowd of several hundred people to hear the message of Henderson’s future.
Opinion: A great day in Henderson
When even the weather cooperates on April Fools’ Day, you know you’re doing something right.
Coalition solves Aycock transport problem, but …
KARTS is willing to expand its bus route to the Aycock Recreation Complex this summer to help kids who need something to do, the Vance County Coalition Against Violence heard Thursday night.
Will citizen board support or scrutinize police?
Two of the Vance County Coalition Against Violence’s efforts to reach out to the Police Department could be merged, but first the coalition has to decide exactly what it wants from a citizen group working with Chief Glen Allen.
Opinion: Who cares what Site Selection says?
It’s time at last for Henderson to stop embarrassing itself by touting the annual rankings of small towns in Site Selection magazine.
Amid confusion, civil penalties
Confusion has prevented Henderson from collecting any money in civil penalties for code violations since the City Council authorized such fines last May. Now two council members say they will have to revisit the ordinance to clarify the intent and streamline the process.
City and county workers let the love flow
Beryle Lewis, a social worker for the foster care office at the Vance County Department of Social Services, donates a pint of blood at the Henderson Operations & Service Center on Wednesday afternoon. She tries to give every two months but said this donation was her first in four months. Rick Norwood didn’t get quite the turnout he hoped for Wednesday, but Vance County’s Red Cross director got something special during the blood drive at the Henderson Operations & Service …
Opinion: Slow road sets right example
With one speed hump painted yellow, a three-man city crew paints the second on Granite Street on Thursday. The humps ensure that a green light at Garnett Street won’t entice drivers to race down the road. There’s no getting around the need to go slow on Granite Street now.
Record cocaine haul after I-85 traffic stop
A traffic stop Tuesday on Interstate 85 resulted in the largest cocaine seizure in Vance County history, Henderson Police Chief Glen Allen reported in a news release Wednesday.
Teenager held under $50,000 bond
A 16-year-old was arrested early Wednesday on a charge of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, part of a brief outbreak of crime at the fringes of the Old West End neighborhood.
No miracles likely in Vance budget
Vance County’s department heads have until the third week of April to complete their budget request documents, and County Manager Jerry Ayscue said it’s clear from the outset that this will be another tough budget year.
School system interested in saving armory
The old National Guard armory on Dabney Drive is not an ideal building for use by the school system, but the dual purpose of saving the structure and meeting a need for schoolchildren is enticing, Superintendent Norm Shearin said in an interview last week.
Opinion: Higher sales tax adds up
An 8 percent sales tax is not a concept that thrills us, and we were caught off-guard when we heard of Board of Education Chairman Tommy Riddle’s idea to use that tax to finance the school system’s serious facility needs.
No second phase for HUD aid
Special federal aid for what ails Henderson has come to an abrupt end, although the city can look to the federal government for help in winning state support.