Tour Italy with the BCCC Foundation

The Beaufort County Community College Foundation and the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring a 10-day trip to Italy that will include some of the country’s most beautiful and historic sites.

The fully-escorted tour, Reflections of Italy, is scheduled for April 25 to May 4, 2016 and is offered by Collette through New Trends in Travel, a local travel agency. A special presentation about the trip is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, in Building 10 on BCCC’s campus. Those interested in attending the presentation are asked to reserve a place by contacting the Chamber office at 252-946-9168 or by email at rmckeithan@wbcchamber.com.

“We are pleased to offer this opportunity to travel with Collette, a reputable company in the travel industry,” says Robin McKeithan of the Chamber of Commerce. “This will be our third trip. Last spring 16 people traveled to Ireland and had a wonderful time, and we will be doing a domestic “Canyon Country” trip in October. We’d like to invite everyone to the informational meeting on Sept. 1 at BCCC – you are under no obligation to book the trip if you attend the meeting.”

The cost of the trip is $4,759 per person based on double occupancy at hotels in Rome, Perugia, Florence, Venice and Milan. The package includes bus transportation to and from Raleigh-Durham International Airport; round-trip airfare, air taxes and fees; eight breakfasts, one lunch and five dinners during the trip; and hotel transfers.

A deposit of $250 per person is required at the time of registration. The final payment will be due by Feb. 25, 2016. The recommended cancellation waiver and insurance is an additional $260 per person. With the insurance, travelers may cancel for any reason up until the day of departure.

The itinerary includes an overnight flight, two nights at the Hotel Dei Borgia in Rome, one night at the Sangallo Palace Hotel in Perugia, two nights at the Starhotels Michelangelo in Florence, two nights at the Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal in Venice, and one night at the Crowne Plaza Milan in Malpensa.

Travelers will have the chance to tour Rome, “The Eternal City,” including visits to the Piazza Venezia, the Arch of Constantine, the Piazza Navona and the Colosseum; visit Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis; see Tuscany’s scenic hillsides; tour the Academy Gallery, home of Michelangelo’s “David”; learn about winemaking; tour Venice by boat; and take in the sights of Milan.

Optional trip experiences available for additional charges include a tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica; a Tuscan feast; a tour of Rome by night; and a Venetian Serenaded Gondola cruise.

For a complete itinerary or a tour brochure contact Serena Sullivan, BCCC Foundation Director, at 252-940-6326 or by email at Serena.Sullivan@BeaufortCCC.edu; or Robin McKeithan at 252-946-9168 or rmckeithan@wbcchamber.com. The trip deposit may be made by check or credit card. Deposit checks should be made payable to Collette and sent to New Trends in Travel, Attn: Donna Burgin, 105 Thames Lane, Chocowinity, NC 27817. To pay by credit card, contact Burgin at 252-975-1304 or 252-945-7403.

District Attorney approves new Defensive Driving class

Got a traffic ticket? Want to get it reduced?

Beaufort County Community College’s Division of Continuing Education now offers a revamped Defensive Driving course based on the Health and Safety Council of North Carolina’s DDC-4 program, developed in collaboration with District Attorney Seth Edwards.

Motorists who have received tickets for excessive speed or other violations may be able to get their tickets reduced or dismissed after completing this 4-hour course. For the convenience of students, the single-session class is offered on Monday evenings and Saturdays throughout the year. Currently scheduled dates include Aug. 22, Aug. 31, Sept. 19, Oct. 5, Oct. 24,Nov. 2, Nov. 21 and Dec. 7.

“This is for situations of excessive speed where people will not be given a reduction without taking a driving class,” Edwards says.

The class covers topics such as the stages, causes and prevention of collisions; how to reduce collision risk with defensive driving; how distractions affect driving ability; the definition of impairment; the impact of weather, road and traffic conditions; and how to identify and minimize aggressive driving activities. It is designed to motivate participants to change their behind-the-wheel behaviors and attitudes, resulting in more responsible drivers.

This Defensive Driving class can also benefit businesses that employ drivers by demonstrating their commitment to safety for employees, their families and the public while also lowering worker’s compensation insurance costs, decreasing fleet premiums, reducing liability exposure and creating a culture of safety.

The registration fee for the course is $60. Students may register by calling 252-940-6375 or in person in room 802 of Building 8 on the BCCC campus. BCCC accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Checks payable to Beaufort County Community College may be mailed to the attention of Eva Peartree, 5337 U.S. Highway 264 East, Washington, NC 27889.

For more information contact Clay Carter at 252-940-6357 or Clay.Carter@BeaufortCCC.edu.

ECHS students arrive for first day of class

Tuesday, Aug. 4 was the first day of class of the 2015-2016 school year for students enrolled at Beaufort County Early College High School.

ECHS, located on the campus of Beaufort County Community College, is designed to prepare students for college in a personalized environment, and students have the opportunity to receive both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree from the college during the five-year program. After graduation, students may enter the workforce with applicable job skills or transfer to a four-year college or university.

The school, which opened in 2008, is a partnership between BCCC and Beaufort County Schools. There are 242 students enrolled in ECHS for the 2015-2016 school year, says ECHS Data Manager Deborah Price, including 64 freshmen. As the students arrived on campus Tuesday, they were greeted by ECHS and BCCC teachers and officials.

Board Members sworn in, honored

During the meeting of the BCCC Board of Trustees on Tuesday, Aug. 4, two members were sworn in to begin new terms on the board.

Russell Smith, who was appointed by the Beaufort County Board of Education; and James Gaynor, who was appointed by the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners, will each serve a four-year term.

Smith, who had served a previous term, was recognized with a plaque for three years of service as chairman, a position he held from July 1, 2012 until June 30, 2015. The Board of Trustees presented Frank “Bo” Lewis with a plaque for his 20 years of service on the board, from 1995-2015, and recognized Julian Goff for his two years on the board.