Latest news with #CentralCarolinaCommunityCollege
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Marshall's tour highlights Sanford businesses, RISE program
North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall spent Wednesday touring area businesses and then participating in a Small Business Roundtable at Central Carolina Community College. Marshall came to town to discuss the Rural RISE NC initiative, which helps put resources into the hands of business creators early on. As she walked downtown, she stopped at several of the businesses to talk about the successes and challenges with their owners. Many of the business owners she spoke with are graduates of the Sanford Area Growth Alliance's RISE program, which is done in partnership with CCCC's Small Business Center. Marshall's entrance to the city was marked with a lunch at Mrs. Lacy's Magnolia House and a chance to meet with owner Faye Shultz. The walking tour included a visit to High Cotton Couture and a short discussion of the business with owner Maggie Cranford, who opened the business after completing the first cohort of the local RISE program. From there, it was on to Family Grounds Coffee and meeting with owner David Heimbecker and a lesson in how to make one of the signature coffees. Marshall's next stop was a brief visit to the Sanford Antique Mall, which is considered the largest in the Sandhills. There she talked with owner/operators Jane Bane and Jenks Youngblood, who told Marshall about the 75 dealer spaces and more than 18,000 square feet of antiques and collectibles at the business. Across the street, Marshall had the chance to visit the historic Sanford Depot and check on the progress of renovations. In 2022, Sanford City Council committed $703,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act to renovate the building. The North Carolina General Assembly then earmarked $500,000 in State Capital Infrastructure Funds, and another $100,000 has been raised through private donations. Marshall also got a chance to see the construction going on at the Pilgrim's Sanford Agricultural Marketplace and then had the chance to tour the Temple Theatre, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. From there, it was on to the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, where area business owners and representatives of local government entities had the chance to hear her speak about the Rural RISE NC Initiative and share their experiences and ask questions. Before she spoke, CCCC President Lisa Chapman, Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon and Lee County Commission Chair Kirk Smith spoke briefly. 'I met lots of great people while we were walking around,' Marshall said as she thanked Chapman for hosting the panel. 'We got to see some great businesses earlier today.' Marshall is no stranger to Sanford and Lee County, having represented the area in the North Carolina Legislature. She spoke about the RISE program and the business climate for those who are opening small businesses. 'Since 2020, we've called this the new era of entrepreneurship,' she said. 'Our entrepreneurial spirit is why North Carolina has been ranked best in the country. Not everyone is sharing in that good news across North Carolina.' Marshall said a survey of businesses had more than 4,000 answers and by the end of 2021, had led to the development of a new program. 'We called it Rural RISE,' she said. 'It's not a copycat. This RISE stands for Resources for Innovators, Startups and Entrepreneurs. We started with one county. Our test pilot was in Western North Carolina. We then branched out to 14 counties, and now, we have 93 counties enrolled in this database.' Marshall said all of the 78 counties deemed rural by the state are in the database and have items available to business creators. Marshall said when she became Secretary of State in 1997, there were about 30,000 new businesses created in North Carolina. 'Fast forward to 2021, it was 178,000 new businesses that were formed that year,' Marshall said. 'There has been some moderation over the past three years, but it still equates to 63% growth since 2019. In 2021, new business creation outpaced every other year on record. They have doubled from 2017. In 2024, there were more than 162,000 new business creations in this state.' Marshall noted that all 100 North Carolina counties have noted double-digit growth over the past several years. 'What is really awesome is that some of the most rapid growth came in more economically distressed Tier 1 counties,' she said. 'For example, Scotland County grew by 138%. Berties County grew by 123%. Of the 13 counties that grew by more than 100%, 10 of them were Tier 1 — our poorest counties.' Marshall said that Lee County grew by 68%, which is higher than the statewide average of 63%. Marshall also noted that since taking office in 1997, her agency has filed paperwork for more than 2 million businesses. 'That is 2 million dreams, countless jobs created, expectations for the community and incredible growth for the North Carolina economy of the past couple of decades. These are dreams that build families and communities.' Marshall said that in an effort to get resources to people that needed them, her office launched Rural RISE. She said her offices serves as the primary communications channel to new businesses. 'We're the very first to know,' Marshall said. 'We know the entrepreneur that woke up this morning and said, 'Today's the day I'm going to do it.' Then they want to file today. All of you who have been through the RISE program know that isn't the first step. There's a whole lot of planning and thinking that go into it.' For more about the program, visit
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
CCSO's newest detention officers graduate from training program
PITTSBORO — Five Chatham County Sheriff's Office detention officers have officially graduated from the North Carolina Detention Officer Certification Course (DOCC), held at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro. The graduating officers are Miranda Brown, Shamekia Butler, Andrea Espinoza, Kenneth Manship, and Joshua Otero. The five-week course, required by the N.C. Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Commission, provides essential training in legal procedures, ethics, medical care, communication, and other topics critical to ensuring the safety and professionalism of detention officers. Officers from Orange, Lee, and Harnett counties joined the Chatham County graduates in completing the program. Among the graduates, Miranda Brown earned special recognition for achieving the highest score on the state certification exam—an impressive 96 percent. 'These officers have demonstrated dedication and perseverance in completing a rigorous program designed to prepare them for the challenges of working in a detention environment,' said Captain Jessica Norton, who attended the graduation ceremony. 'Their hard work reflects positively on our agency and our commitment to maintaining high standards.' The graduates received their certificates on Tuesday, April 29, from Central Carolina Community College's DOCC Program Director Doug Stuart, who leads the program in partnership with local sheriff's offices. The DOCC curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including subject control techniques, first aid and CPR, patrol and security functions, mental health awareness, and stress management. It also emphasizes strong ethical decision-making, professional communication, and accurate documentation through notetaking and report writing. Interested in a career that makes a difference? Contact Recruiter Deonna Overton at 919-200-1751 to learn more about joining the Chatham County Sheriff's Office team.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hearing on five-year CIP scheduled for commissioners' meeting
A public hearing on the Capital Improvement Plan is scheduled for Monday at the Lee County Board of Commissioners meeting. The plan provides a blueprint of building projects and their estimated cost over the next five years or through fiscal year 2029-30. The projects include continuing renovation work at the E. Eugene Moore Manufacturing and Biotech Solutions Center at Central Carolina Community College, building needs for the Lee County Schools including the addition of an auditorium and additional classrooms at Southern Lee High School, a new middle school, the rebuilding of the Lee County High School stadium and renovations of other facilities. Four new projects were presented for the upcoming fiscal year, but at least one was pushed back until 2030. That was for renovations to Warren Williams Preschool at a projected cost of $4.6 million. Other requests included construction of a new 16,000 square-foot facility and modular tower to be used for training of emergency personnel including fire departments and law enforcement with a projected cost of $7 million. The county would be responsible for providing $1 million, Minter has said. A third request was for renovation of the asphalt training track. Both were requested by Central Carolina Community College. The fourth request is to complete renovation of and reconstruction of the O.T. Sloan Park bath house and pool. The anticipated cost is estimated at $12,477,664. The meeting at the Dennis Wicker Civic Center begins at 6 p.m.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County's 5-year CIP presented to Lee commissioners
County Manager Lisa Minter presented an updated capital improvement plan on Monday that is a blueprint for projects slated in the next five years. Beginning this year, the cost estimates will include only what the county is committed to providing, Minter said. She hopes the remainder will be paid with state and federal funds. Four new requests were submitted this year, she said. One is renovations to the Warren Williams Preschool at a cost of $4,673,965. The project is ineligible for state lottery funds, Minter said. Several projects were pushed back from the requested fiscal year including the work for Warren Williams Preschool. 'We pushed several projects back at least one year and moved to 2030 the renovations plans at Warren Williams,' Minter said. 'We have several projects and we pushed it out because this is a new project and didn't need to be put ahead of others.' Central Carolina Community College submitted requests related to the training center for emergency services and law enforcement. One is for construction of a new 16,000 square-foot training facility and another is construction of a modular tower for firefighter training, Minter said. The total cost of the two items was put at $7 million with $1 million coming from the county, she said. The third is the renovation of the asphalt training track. 'The driving track is in disrepair with cracks and heavily degraded areas in the turn. The project involves full-depth reclamation and asphalt resurfacing,' Minter said. The cost of that project is estimated at $1,340,922. The fourth request is to complete renovation and reconstruction of the O.T. Sloan Park pool bath house and the pool. The anticipated cost is estimated at $12,477,664. Projects that are already in the Capital Improvement Plan include renovations to several schools as well as an auditorium for Southern Lee High School.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Job fair coming March 19
The Central Carolina Community College Career Expo Job Fair will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center, 1801 Nash St., Sanford. The job fair is open to the general public, including CCCC students and alumni. Felicia Gilmore, career center coordinator, said there will be a variety of employers represented at the event. 'Our job seekers can expect to speak with employers about current job openings and receive more information about possible career opportunities,' Gilmore said. There is no charge for those attending the CCCC Career Expo Job Fair. However, participants are reminded to bring résumés and dress professionally for the event to make that favorable impression from first glance. Earlier in the day, the Career Expo Information Session will be held from 10 a.m. — noon at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center. Middle and high school students will have the opportunity to explore different career options and future opportunities at this event. Those with questions can contact Gilmore at careercenter@ or 919-718-7283. The CCCC Career Center offers the following services: career and internship advising, online career assessment, career exploration, résumé writing, interviewing etiquette, on-campus interviews, and a career resource library. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday. To schedule an appointment or for more information, people can contact the Career Center at 919-718-7283.
