Warren County has unveiled an exciting new initiative to help residents understand and engage with local government: The Peoples Academy.

The Peoples Academy is a new and exciting citizen education program designed to provide residents and business owners in Warren County with an in-depth understanding of how local government works and how they can get involved in their community.

The free, 8-week academy offers a series of interactive sessions, guided tours, and discussions that will cover a wide range of topics, including local government structure, public safety, recreation, economic development, and much more. You’ll have the chance to meet local officials, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the important decisions being made in your own backyard.

Why Join Peoples Academy?

* Gain Valuable Knowledge: Learn how local government operates and understand how decisions impact your community.
* Get Involved: Become a more informed and active participant in shaping the future of Warren County.
* Build Connections: Network with fellow citizens and public officials who share a passion for positive change.
* Hands-On Experience: Attend behind-the-scenes tours and see the systems in action.

How It Works: The Peoples Academy is a free program, open to all who live or work in Warren County. Upon completion, graduates will receive a certificate and be encouraged to stay involved through various volunteer opportunities and leadership roles within the community.

Sign up now for the upcoming session and become a part of Warren County’s first-ever Peoples Academy!

Register here for Peoples Academy.

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NeoSoul Festival 2025 is bringing soulful vibes to Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard in Norlina, North Carolina, on Saturday, April 26th. Headlining the event is the legendary Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter, Angie Stone.

Stone rose to fame in the late 1970s with the groundbreaking hip-hop trio, The Sequence and later as part of the R&B trio, Vertical Hold. Her solo debut, Black Diamond (1999), went gold and featured the hit “No More Rain (In This Cloud).” Two years later, she followed with Mahogany Soul, which included the timeless track “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” and continued to solidify her status with albums like Stone Love (2004) and The Art of Love & War (2007), her first number-one album on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

With three Grammy nominations, two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, and the 2021 Soul Music Icon Award from the Black Music Honors, Angie Stone’s influence on neosoul is undeniable.

The festival will also feature live DJ sets, local vendors, and food trucks, promising an unforgettable day of music, culture, and community.

Tickets for NeoSoul Festival 2025 start at $45 and can be purchased at Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard’s website (https://sevenspringsvineyards.com).

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Join the Warren County Senior Center for an educational outing to Kim’s Vineyard and Winery on Thursday, January 23, 2025. This experience will include a tour of the vineyard and a lecture on the science of winemaking, as well as the challenges of maintaining a vineyard to produce the perfect grape.

The group will depart from the Senior Center at 11:00 AM and return by 2:00 PM. Best of all, the outing is completely free, including transportation and lunch.

While visiting Kim’s Vineyard and Winery, guests will have the opportunity to purchase a variety of homegrown canned vegetables and fruits at their own expense.

Kim’s Vineyard and Winery is a treasured gem in Warren County, established in 1995 by Cheryl and Walter Royster. What began as a hobby for Mr. Royster—planting a few rows of grapes to test his green thumb—has grown into a thriving operation.

By 2004, the Roysters expanded their passion project to include a winery.

Today, the vineyard spans over five acres of land, with the winery adding another two acres. This family-operated business offers a welcoming, community-focused atmosphere and boasts a selection of more than 18 different types of wine, ensuring there’s something to suit every palate.

Don’t miss this chance to explore a unique part of Warren County’s agricultural and cultural heritage. Seating for this outing is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot early.

For more information or to sign up, contact the Warren County Senior Center at (252) 257-3111.

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Warren County has been selected as one of fourteen teams in the state to participate in “Our State, Our Homes”, the fifth and final project of the Carolina Across 100 Initiative through the University of North Carolina and NC Impact.

Participating communities will emerge from the eighteen-month program with a data-driven understanding of housing issues in their local contexts, high-impact tools to facilitate community conversations around housing needs, detailed understanding of local partners and assets, and increased knowledge and capacity to implement innovative strategies for improving housing affordability. In addition, teams will receive coaching, technical assistance with innovation projects and opportunities to build relationships with peer communities as well as national, state, and campus-based housing experts across the state.

Rose Ponton, Community Development Manager with Warren County Community and Economic Development, will serve as county staff lead on the initiative.

“Affordable and workforce housing are critical to the future of Warren County,” said Rose Ponton, Community Development Manager for Warren County. “By collaborating with UNC’s Carolina Across 100 Initiative and leveraging our local partnerships, we are taking proactive steps to address these challenges and build a stronger community.”

In 2024, the North Carolina Housing Coalition reports that 32% of Warren County households are considered cost-burdened by housing costs (2,248 households in the county). Warren County ranks #42 in the state in housing evictions (with #1 being the highest). The coalition reports that 24% of homeowners and 54% of renters had difficulty affording their homes in 2024.

“Warren County Community and Economic Development has launched a new focus on housing for the county organization in the last year,” stated Community and Economic Development Director, Charla Duncan.

“Selection for the Our State, Our Homes initiative is our second win in this recent focus, coming on the heels of being awarded a $950,000 CDBG grant for housing renovations.”

“These initiatives aren’t going to be magic wands for us and our housing challenges, but we are eager to start laying some important foundations for the future of our existing and future residents,” stated Duncan.

Warren County is partnering with local organizations Working Landscapes and Warren Ministries United to drive this initiative forward. This core working group will attend several in-person forums over the next year and a half to strengthen efforts by integrating local expertise, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and implementing innovative housing strategies to provide accessible housing options, enhance quality of life, and support economic growth. All associated costs are covered by the initiative.

In addition to work done directly with the Carolina Across 100 staff and other working groups selected from across the state, Warren County will engage stakeholders from across the community to identify priorities, explore innovative solutions, and work to develop actionable strategies. Residents, community leaders, and organizations with a vested interest in affordable and workforce housing in the county are encouraged to get involved.

To learn more about the Our State, Our Homes project, visit https://carolinaacross100.unc.edu/program5/.

To stay informed about upcoming stakeholder engagement events or to share your insights, please contact Rose Ponton with Community and Economic Development by sending an email to roseponton@warrencountync.gov.

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The North Carolina Arts Council is pleased to announce the opening of its grant application period for the fiscal year 2025–2026. Starting January 6, 2025, arts organizations and artists across the state are invited to apply for funding to support projects that enhance the cultural landscape of North Carolina.

All applications must be submitted electronically by the deadline (Monday, March 3, 2025) unless otherwise specified in the grant guidelines. It’s important to note that applications will undergo a preliminary review by Arts Council staff; incomplete submissions or those not meeting evaluation criteria will not be considered for funding.

Funding Period:
For most grants, the funded activities should occur between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Applicants should be aware that award notifications may be delayed until the state budget is approved.

Eligibility Requirements:
To qualify for funding, organizations must:
* Be a nonprofit in good standing with the state of North Carolina or have applied for nonprofit status using a fiscal agent.
* Have been producing quality arts programs for at least two consecutive years.
* Have prior-year organizational cash operating expenses of at least $20,000.

Additionally, all applicants are required to have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, which can be obtained through Sam.gov.

Grant Categories:

The Arts Council offers a variety of grant opportunities, including:
* Grants for Organizations: Supporting arts organizations in delivering programs that engage audiences and reflect their communities.
* Grants for Artists: Providing project grants to individual artists to pursue projects that further their artistic and professional development.

Applicants are encouraged to review the specific guidelines and eligibility criteria for each grant category to determine the best fit for their projects.

Application Assistance:
Prospective applicants are encouraged to begin the application process early to ensure all materials are completed and submitted by the March 3 deadline.

For more information and to access the online application portal, visit the North Carolina Arts Council’s official website.

The North Carolina Arts Council is dedicated to supporting the state’s vibrant arts community and looks forward to funding projects that contribute to the cultural enrichment of North Carolina.

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North Carolina Humanities’ award-winning statewide book club, North Carolina Reads, is returning for its fourth year starting next month (February 2025). North Carolina Reads annually features five books that explore issues of racial, social, and gender equity and the history and culture of North Carolina.

From February – June 2025, NC Humanities will host free, virtual, monthly book club discussion events where participants will hear from guest speakers, including book authors and topic experts. Libraries, community groups, and individuals across North Carolina are encouraged to read along with NC Humanities, attend North Carolina Reads book club discussion events, and then host their own local book discussions to further conversation, camaraderie, and community.

In 2025, North Carolina Reads Will Feature:

February 2025: The American Queen by Vanessa Miller

Fiction. In 1869 a kingdom rose in the South. And Louella was its queen. When the honorable Reverend William finally listens to Louella’s pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people out of their plantation, Louella begins to feel hope. Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness–and fight for the freedom and dignity of all. Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 – 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom in Appalachia as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. | Bookshop | Amazon

March 2025: On the Swamp: Fighting for Indigenous Environmental Justice by Ryan Emanuel

Nonfiction. Environmental scientist Ryan E. Emanuel, a member of the Lumbee tribe, shares stories from North Carolina about Indigenous survival and resilience in the face of radical environmental changes. Addressing issues from the loss of wetlands to the arrival of gas pipelines, these stories connect the dots between historic patterns of Indigenous oppression and present-day efforts to promote environmental justice and Indigenous rights on the swamp. Emanuel’s scientific insight and deeply personal connections to his home blend together in a book that is both a heartfelt and an analytical call to acknowledge and protect sacred places. | Bookshop | Amazon

April 2025: Hungry Roots: How Food Communicates Appalachia’s Search for Resilience by Ashli Quesinberry Stokes and Wendy Atkins-Sayre

Nonfiction. Depictions of Appalachian food culture and practices often romanticize people in the region as good, simple, and, often, white. These stereotypes are harmful to the actual people they are meant to describe as well as to those they exclude. In Hungry Roots: How Food Communicates Appalachia’s Search for Resilience, Ashli Quesinberry Stokes and Wendy Atkins-Sayre tell a more complicated story. The authors embark on a cultural tour through food and drinking establishments to investigate regional resilience in and through the plurality of traditions and communities that form the foodways of Southern Appalachia. | Bookshop | Amazon

May 2025: The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church

Fiction. It’s the 1960s in North Carolina and Lorraine Delford has it all – an upstanding family, a perfect boyfriend, and an idyllic home complete with a white picket fence. Yet every time she looks through her father’s telescope, she dreams of leaving it all behind to go to space. But when this darling girl-next-door gets pregnant, she’s forced to learn firsthand the realities that keep women grounded. To hide their daughter’s secret shame, the Delfords send Lorraine to a maternity home for wayward girls. But this is no safe haven – it’s a house with dark secrets and suffocating rules. And as Lorraine begins to piece together a new vision for her life, she must decide if she has the power to fight for the future she wants or if she must submit to the rules of a society she once admired. | Bookshop | Amazon

June 2025: Doc Watson: A Life in Music by Eddie Huffman

Nonfiction. A musician’s musician, Doc grew up on a subsistence farm in the North Carolina mountains during the Depression, soaking up traditional music and learning to play guitar even though he was blind. Rising to fame in the 1960s as part of the burgeoning folk revival scene, Doc became the face of traditional music for many listeners, racking up multiple Grammys and releasing dozens of albums over the course of his long career. Eddie Huffman tells the story of Doc’s life and legacy, drawing on extensive interviews and hundreds of hours of archival research. Full of fascinating stories—from Doc’s first banjo made from his grandmother’s cat to the founding of MerleFest—this promises to be the definitive biography of the man and how he came to be synonymous with roots music in America and shows how his influence is still felt in music today. | Bookshop | Amazon

Source: NC Humanities

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The public is invited to learn more about Sledge Institute’s innovative approach to education, including project-based learning, place-based education, global education, competency-based education, post-secondary readiness, and all-inclusive wellness for every student. The info session will take on Tuesday, January 21, from 5:30pm-6:30pm at the Warren County Memorial Library in Warrenton, NC.

Parents and prospective students will have an opportunity to meet the team, ask questions, and explore how the Sledge Institute can support your child’s success. Families will also be able to apply on-site for the 2025-2026 academic year.

For more information about the Sledge Institute, visit their website at SledgeInstitute.org.

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Join the Warren County Senior Center as they thrift shop on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at InJoy Thrift Stores in Rocky Mount, NC. They will depart the Senior Center at 9:30am and return by 2:00pm. There is no cost for transportation, but reservations must be made in advance. Seniors are responsible for the cost of their purchases and lunch at Gardner’s Restaurant.

The InJoy Thrift Stores are operated on Christian principles, by Christian people, from area churches
providing great merchandise donated locally and sold at great prices. Profits support and fund Christian
based ministries in your community and throughout the world.

Limited seating. For more information, contact the Warren County Senior Center at (252) 257-3111.

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The City of Henderson is pleased to announce the appointment of Hassan T. Kingsberry, Esq. as the new City Manager, effective January 13th, 2024. A majority of the Henderson City Council chose Mr. Kingsberry to lead the city into its next chapter of growth and success.

Mr. Kingsberry brings nearly a decade of experience in municipal government and a proven track record of delivering results that benefit local governments, residents, and businesses. He also has provided legal counsel and practiced law for almost two decades as well as served as an educator in the Kerr-Tar region.

Mayor Melissa Elliott confidently welcomed Hassan Kingsberry as the new City Manager, declaring, “Exciting developments are on the horizon for the City of Henderson!”

Councilwoman Geraldine Champion expressed her enthusiasm for the appointment: “Throughout the selection process, Mr. Kingsberry’s resume was impressive, and while many other candidates were strong, his qualifications particularly aligned with what the City of Henderson needs in a city manager. We are confident in his ability to lead Henderson toward a brighter future.”

Council Members Ola Thorpe-Cooper, Michael Venable and Tami Walker emphasized the importance of collaboration under Hassan Kingsberry’s leadership: “We’re excited to work alongside Mr. Kingsberry to serve our residents and make Henderson a city where everyone can thrive.”

Hassan Kingsberry also shared his excitement about joining the Henderson team: “As one who grew up on 520 Whitten Avenue, I am honored to serve as City Manager for the City of Henderson. I look forward to collaborating with the City Council, staff, and community to achieve our shared goals and create opportunities for peace, prosperity, and progress.”

As City Manager, Hassan Kingsberry will oversee the day-to-day operations of Henderson’s government, manage its budget, and work closely with the City Council to implement strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life for all Henderson residents.

Prior to his recent appointment, Kingsberry stepped in as Interim City Attorney for Henderson on Dec. 5 of this year. Before, he served as the Town Attorney for Wake Forest, NC and was the County Attorney for Warren County, 2017-2022.

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Duke Energy Foundation is pleased to inform you that it hereby awards Warren County Emergency Services the Duke Energy Foundation Disaster Relief, Rebuilding, and Readiness Grant Program Year 2024 award in the amount of $25,000 as part of their commitment to support disaster readiness and recovery across North Carolina.
 
Duke Energy Foundation: Disaster Relief, Rebuilding, and Readiness Grant Program
Period of Performance: 12/11/2024 to 12/31/2025
Total Amount of Award: $25,000

If you are interested in any additional information about this project, please contact Chris Tucker by calling (252) 257-1191 or email christucker@warrencountync.gov.

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