2/9/06 Kan



Emily Bunch Nicholson

Media Report

Draft

April 21, 2020

Part I Introduction

This report reviews electronically available news stories on Emily Bunch Nicholson, candidate for the NC House.

The Table of Contents in Part II of the report is a useful guide to the entire report and can be used as a stand-alone summary. In one section, it surveys the bulk of the news file, through the headlines we have assigned to each item.

Part III, the Greatest Hits section, identifies key points taken from available media articles.

Parts IV, The News File, contain edited copies of the most relevant electronically available stories.

We hope you find this useful.

Part II Table of Contents

Part I Introduction 2

Part II Table of Contents 2

Part III Nicholson – Highlights / Greatest Hits 3

Biography 3

Job as Economic Development Coordinator 3

House Candidate 6

Part IV Nicholson – The News File, 2013-20 7

2013 7

FEB 2013 Grandfather Obituary 7

2015 8

JUN 2015 Profile of Her as Economic Development Coordinator 8

AUG 2015 Work Ready Program 10

2016 12

FEB 2016 Board Awarding Grants to Local Businesses 12

2017 13

AUG 2017 Grants to Help Workers, Employers 13

2018 14

APR 2018 Overview of Board’s Work 14

MAY 2018 Grandmother Obituary 16

AUG 2018 Profile of Her and Her Work 17

2019 19

SEP 2019 Remarks on Future of High School 19

DEC 2019 Files to Run for House Seat 19

2020 20

JAN 2020 Facebook Page Bio Summary 20

MAR 2020 Says State Quickly Mobilizing to Deal With Jobless Benefits Inquiries 21

APR 2020 Grant Funds for Community College Students 22

Part III Nicholson – Highlights / Greatest Hits

Biography

• Nicholson is an Edenton native. Her father, Richard Bunch, was the executive director of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce for 26 years. Nicholson graduated from John A. Holmes High School in 2005, and from N.C. State University in 2008 with a degree in political science. She went on to earn a master’s from East Carolina United in adult education and taught at Bertie High School until 2011 through the Teach for America program. (Perquimans Weekly, 6/17/15)

• Originally from Tyner, Nicholson earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University and her master’s degree in adult education from East Carolina University. While a student at NCSU, Nicholson was awarded the Kay Yow Spirit of the Community Award. Nicholson participated in Teach For America and taught high school civics and world history in the Bertie County Schools for two years. Last year Nicholson was named the Albemarle Commission’s Employee of the Year. Nicholson enjoys spending time with her husband, Mason, and their children, Emma Maye and Millie Jean. (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 8/18/18)

Job as Economic Development Coordinator

In 2015, Nicholson was appointed economic development coordinator for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board. She has held this position since then. There have been several articles about the nature of her work and the Board’s work.

• The new economic development coordinator for a regional workforce board hopes the area can encourage more young workers to stay in the region and attract those that have left to come back. Emily Nicholson, 27, was hired in March as the business services and economic development coordinator for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board. The board operates under the auspices of the Hertford-based Albemarle Commission and covers a 10-county area……..

• For workers already here, the workforce board does have a program to let inexperienced workers a chance to get their foot in the door through on-the-job training. She said the program isn’t new. “We just haven’t promoted it,” she said.

• Nicholson explained the process using a fictional person named “Sally.” “Let’s say an employer wanted to hire Sally but she only has 70 percent of the skills she needed for the job.” Some employers would pass her by because it takes time and money to provide on-the-job training. What the program does is reimburse the employee half of the salary Sally would earn during that training period.

• The employer must pay the employee $9 and hour or more and the job has to be full-time. But for up to six months, the employer would be reimbursed for half of that salary.

• The program is only good for potential employees who have a skills gap. Employers can’t apply for the program after an employee is hired. But the employer is also free to terminate the employee at any time during the process if it doesn’t work out. (Perquimans Weekly, 6/17/15)

This feature from 2018 looked at the Board and Nicholson again explained how they work and bring help.

• An official who helps oversee three NCWorks career centers in the Albemarle region said businesses looking to hire today want applicants with basic soft skills.

• “They want people who are going to show up to work on time and do what they ask them to do,” said Emily Nicholson, the business services representative for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board.

• The board, which serves a 10-county area, is part of the Hertford-based Albemarle Commission, which focuses on economic and rural development and quality-of-life matters.

• Generally, soft skills in the workplace can include an employee’s ability to be a team player, to be confident, to be creative, to effectively communicate, to be flexible, to solve problems and to take feedback. Soft skills differ from what’s called hard skills, which involve the specific knowledge one needs to do a job.

• At the end of the day, Nicholson said, “What I hear employers say the most is they can train them on the hard skills or they can send them back to school for the certifications, but what they really need that they can’t train them in is those soft skills. And that’s what people get fired for more than hired for. So, that’s unfortunate,” she said.

• Nicholson said she and her team believe the root causes are a combination of both a breakdown in families and in education. She said in addition to employees lacking the ability to show up for work on time, she and her team hear from business owners and operators about the need to have employees communicate in a professional manner.

• An example of how not to communicate with a supervisor, she said, is when an employee talks to that supervisor the same way one texts a friend in the coded jargon one can use via a cell phone.

• To help correct the situation, Nicholson said the Workforce Development Board, in partnership with College of The Albemarle, offers basic soft skills courses to help perspective employees – and they don’t have to be COA students.

• The program, which is called “Working Smart,” was developed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Partners. The program is 16 lessons taught in multiple sessions.

• Nicholson also said people who come to the career centers are encouraged in one-on-one advising to address the soft skills area even before going for an interview.

• She also said the board goes, free of charge, to employers and educates their incumbent workforce about soft skills for free to help on both ends of the spectrum.

• She also said the Workforce Development Board has a partnership with high schools to train more high school skills in this curriculum.

• “I would say it’s definitely something that could be enhanced in our high school or maybe even middle school. I would start before high school – and that’s certainly something that could be addressed in a home atmosphere as well,” he said.

• NCWorks career centers in the past were more commonly known as state unemployment offices.

• The three NCWorks career centers in the Albemarle are located: on McArthur Drive in Elizabeth City, which is a full-time operation and is open Mondays through Fridays; at College of The Albemarle’s Edenton-Chowan Campus, which is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and off Croatan Highway in Dare County, which is open Mondays through Fridays.

• Nicholson said all Albemarle area NCWorks locations provide listings of jobs available throughout the region. She said lists also can be found on-line, and career advisors are available on site or via computer at home. (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 4/23/18)

The Daily Advance had another profile of her and her work in August 2018.

• Emily Nicholson has a very rewarding job: She gets to help people who need a job find one, and people who need job-seekers find them. As assistant director of the Northeastern Workforce Development Board, an agency under the Hertford-based Albemarle Commission, Nicholson works with both employers and those seeking employment in 10 northeastern North Carolina counties.

• Last year Nicholson secured a $250,000 N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions grant for the NWDB and two partner agencies in the Northeast Prosperity Zone, Turning Points and Region Q. A part of the grant funded three mobile career adviser positions to work with job-seekers and employers. Another part allowed 50 people in each of the 20 counties in the prosperity zone to pursue what’s known as a Career Readiness Credential.

• “We realized some people couldn’t afford this $36 assessment on their own, so the grant pays for it if you visit the career center and go through the registration process,” Nicholson wrote in a text.

• According to Nicholson, people seeking the Career Readiness Credential take a three-part assessment — on workplace documents, applied math and graphic literacy — measuring their ability to perform the basic functions of a job. The test is offered at College of The Albemarle and other community colleges.

• “It’s very motivating when we hear of success stories,” said Nicholson, describing the positive feedback the NWDB receives. “Our career advisers have such a strong passion for what they do.”

• Nicholson said she’s also working with emerging job-seekers in high schools to help them realize local opportunities for jobs. “We do have many well-paying positions without creating a mound of student debt,” said Nicholson.

• Nicholson said the NWDB provides help creating resumes, practicing interview skills and registering for jobs at the government website, . (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 8/18/18)

House Candidate

Nicholson has not spoken in media outlets on the specific issues. This is from her Facebook page explaining her candidacy.

• I’m Emily Nicholson, a native of Edenton, NC and a 2020 candidate for the NC House of Representatives for District 1. I’m also a wife of my college sweetheart, Mason, whom I met at NC State University and a mom of three beautiful daughters: Emma Maye, Millie Jean and Maisie Bree (ages 7, 3 and 5 months). I was blessed to have been raised by two parents who exemplified the value of a strong work ethic and keeping God at the forefront of every facet of life. Therefore, leading a Christ-centered life is of the supreme importance for me as I teach my girls how to navigate through this complex world using their faith as a compass.

• I’m a former high school and community college educator and have served 10 counties of Northeastern NC for the past five years as the Assistant Director for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board. It’s through the experiences I’ve gained in this role that I’m convinced that this region deserves more. We deserve a progressive set of eyes, ears and hands working to identify the issues and create innovative solutions for our citizens, especially those that lack the resources to be equitably heard. Raising three children in this region means that I have a lot at stake in ensuring that they grow up with the same opportunities afforded to children in more prosperous areas of our state.

• It’s unfortunate to see the same recurring problems today that I witnessed as a youth in Northeastern NC years ago, which continue to hinder our progress in terms of economic development, rural health, school improvement and so much more. These issues do not require partisan-based answers but they do require the earnest dedication from our elected officials to lead efforts, from start to finish, in resolving them. This is why I chose to file for this seat; we deserve representation that follows through with proposals and exhausts every measure necessary to advance the progress and prosperity of Northeastern NC. I look forward to this campaign journey and I welcome your thoughts on the issues that we need to tackle in District 1. Facebook Bio Page (1/8/20)

Part IV Nicholson – The News File, 2013-20

2013

FEB 2013 Grandfather Obituary

Isaac Joseph Harrell Sr., 83, of 1233 Macedonia Road, passed away to be with his Lord on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, from Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie.

Mr. Harrell was born in Chowan County and was the son of the late Benjamin Joseph and Fannie Oliver Harrell. A retired insurance agent, he was a member and deacon of Macedonia Baptist Church, also enjoyed membership in the Advance Ruritan Club, and was an Army veteran of the Korean War. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his seven brothers, Henry, Moses, Cecil, Lindsey, Haywood, Johnnie, and Alton Harrell.

Surviving are his wife of nearly 62 years, Doris Jean Nixon Harrell; four daughters, Joy Chappell and husband, Dennis, of Hobbsville, Jean Bunch and husband, Richard, of Tyner, and Jan Layton and husband, Mike, and Jill Williams and husband, Steve, all of Edenton; a son, Isaac Harrell Jr. and wife, Lucille, of Elizabeth City; nine grandchildren, Bill and Joseph Harrell, Heath Chappell, Matthew Bunch, Emily Nicholson, Chris and A.J. Layton, and John and Sarah Williams; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Thursday at 11 a.m. in Macedonia Baptist Church by the Rev. Bob Young and A.J. Layton. A private burial followed in the Nixon Family Cemetery, with Miller Funeral Home & Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, Edenton, handling arrangements. Friends may join the family at the residence. (Chowan Herald, 2/27/13)

2015

JUN 2015 Profile of Her as Economic Development Coordinator

The new economic development coordinator for a regional workforce board hopes the area can encourage more young workers to stay in the region and attract those that have left to come back.

Emily Nicholson, 27, was hired in March as the business services and economic development coordinator for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board. The board operates under the auspices of the Hertford-based Albemarle Commission and covers a 10-county area.

She’s not a stranger to the region. She’s an Edenton native. Her father, Richard Bunch, was the executive director of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce for 26 years. Nicholson graduated from John A. Holmes High School in 2005, and from N.C. State University in 2008 with a degree in political science. She went on to earn a master’s from East Carolina United in adult education and taught at Bertie High School until 2011 through the Teach for America program.

“I guess that’s why I’m so passionate about working with schools and keeping it local,” Nicholson said.

Given her age and education in a way Nicholson is bucking a trend by returning to the region. Stats show the number of young adults is down when compared with younger and older counterparts.

She hopes area schools can get to students early to try and determine what kind of career pathway they want to pursue.

“By 12th grade, its too late,” she said.

She’s also a believer that students don’t need a four-year degree to find a good paying job.

“It’s been drilled in everybody’s head that a four-year education is what’s best for you,” she said. “A four-year education isn’t for everybody but that’s not what everybody has been preaching. A two-year degree in some case can pay just as much and sometimes more.”

Nicholson said she’d like to see future local job openings filled by local people. That in the end will benefit employers as well.

“When businesses are looking to locate, it’s not water and sewer lines that are important,” she said. “It’s a capable workforce.”

And sooner or later, jobs are going to be there.

Across the region the percentage of jobs held by workers between age 25 and 55 fell from 65.2 percent to 62 percent between 2007 and 2012. Over the same period jobs held by people 55 or older jumped from 19.3 percent to 24 percent.

Nicholson doesn’t believe the trends will continue and sooner or later many of the older workers will retire.

“The younger population doesn’t come close to filling that inevitable gap,” she said.

So she’d like to work with schools across the region to make sure new graduates are ready to fill those jobs and attract some workers back to the area.

Nicholson said while some locals drive as far as Virginia to work, “they don’t move to Virginia,” If jobs open up locally, some of those workers will come back and because they are local they’re far more likely to stick with a local company.

“Nobody can deny that having an employee living and working in the same community they live in is a good thing. You may find somebody from Greenville to come and work here, but there will come a time when they’re ready to raise a family and they’ll want to move back to Greenville. That creates a retention problem. If you hire somebody local, the likelihood is they will stay.

“Young people will eventually come back if they find a job strong enough to support a family because their support system will be here.”

For workers already here, the workforce board does have a program to let inexperienced workers a chance to get their foot in the door through on-the-job training.

She said the program isn’t new.

“We just haven’t promoted it,” she said.

Nicholson explained the process using a fictional person named “Sally.”

“Let’s say an employer wanted to hire Sally but she only has 70 percent of the skills she needed for the job.”

Some employers would pass her by because it takes time and money to provide on-the-job training.

What the program does is reimburse the employee half of the salary Sally would earn during that training period.

The employer must pay the employee $9 and hour or more and the job has to be full-time. But for up to six months, the employer would be reimbursed for half of that salary.

The program is only good for potential employees who have a skills gap. Employers can’t apply for the program after an employee is hired. But the employer is also free to terminate the employee at any time during the process if it doesn’t work out. (Perquimans Weekly, 6/17/15)

AUG 2015 Work Ready Program

The Northeastern Workforce Development Board is seeking Pasquotank County businesses’ recognition to make the county a “Certified Work Ready Community.”

At the invitation of Mayor Joe Peel, officials with the 10-county economic development agency presented the program to the Elizabeth City City Council earlier this week, along with a recently started Working Smart program focusing on interpersonal skills.

Peel said both programs aim to certify job seekers as good hires, and he’s been working to promote them to businesses.

Workforce Development business representative Emily Nicholson told council that the Work Ready program is a “strong economic development tool” offered through national test-maker ACT and recognizes communities with strong high school graduation rates and business recognition of a National Career Readiness Certificate that ACT offers.

In effect, Work Ready status means ACT’s recognition for communities and businesses committed to fostering workforces with ACT-certified career readiness. Nicholson told council the Workforce Development Board hopes to make Pasquotank the first of the 10 counties it serves to achieve Work Ready status, a status she said strengthens business recruiting and has even saved other states millions of dollars.

Nicholson said Pasquotank is ideal for the program because of strong and improving graduation rates in its high schools where students already take the career readiness test for free. The missing piece for Work Ready status, she said, is that ACT wants at least 48 of Pasquotank’s businesses to support the program. That support can simply be businesses advising ACT they recognize the value of the career readiness certificate in their hiring process, she said.

Nicholson said Workforce Development is early in the process of recruiting businesses to join the program. The board formed an ACT-required steering committee last week, she said.

The steering committee includes representatives from the Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools, College of The Albemarle and others, Nicholson said. Workforce Development isn’t on a deadline to recruit all 48 businesses, she added, but it won’t receive Work Ready status without them.

As to the value of the career readiness certificate, Nicholson said it provides employers a nationally recognized benchmark of job applicants’ critical thinking and learning skills. Program participants are tested and ranked in three areas: finding information, learning from information, and applying math skills. Encouraging job seekers to take the test, Nicholson said it’s not a test someone can fail, and it can be retaken as many times as possible to improve the test-taker’s rankings. COA offers the test for each of the three areas for $10, she said, adding anyone interested should call COA’s testing center at 335-0821, ext. 2253.

Workforce Development youth manager Lora Aples also reported to council on the Working Smart program that the agency started offering this spring. Modeled after a successful program in Charlotte, Aples said the program offers free courses on “soft skills” to help people conduct themselves professionally and better communicate on the job.

She said people can take lessons in five different modules: self-awareness, self-management, employer expectations, communication skills and problem-solving.

Peel said he strongly supports the initiative, noting he’s helped recruit more than 25 businesses to support the program. Participating businesses guarantee that a job applicant who completes all five modules will get a job interview, he said.

For more information on either program, call Nicholson or Aples at 426-5753, extensions 233 and 259, respectively. (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 8/28/15)

2016

FEB 2016 Board Awarding Grants to Local Businesses

The Northeastern Workforce Development Board this month awarded nearly $40,000 to five local businesses through the state’s Incumbent Worker Grant. These grants will benefit Vidant Chowan Hospital in Chowan County; B&M Contractors, Arts of the Albemarle and Food Bank of the Albemarle, all in Pasquotank County; and Gates Custom Milling in Gates County.

Each business will use their grant funds for trainings that will address employees’ skills gaps, resulting in increased company stability and competitiveness.

North Carolina’s Incumbent Worker Grant is a competitive training grant through which qualifying businesses can increase the knowledge, certificat ions, and/or general skills of its employees.

There are typically two submission rounds per year. For-profit or nonprofit businesses can take advantage of the $10,000 that is offered through this grant. The NWDB oversees this grant for businesses in the counties of Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington.

Drafts for the next submission round must be submitted by March 7.

For more information on how your company can benefit from Incumbent Worker funding through NWDB, please contact Emily Nicholson, Business Services Representative at (252) 426-5753 ext 233 or by email at enicholson@. (Chowan Herald, 2/24/16)

2017

AUG 2017 Grants to Help Workers, Employers

The Albemarle Commission and two other workforce agencies will share in a $250,000 grant designed to help people find jobs and help businesses find workers.

In all, the grant is aimed at a 17-county area of northeastern North Carolina. The Hertford-based Albemarle Commission, which covers 10 counties.

Emily Nicholson of the Albemarle Commission’s Northeast Workforce Development Board said the grant will allow the hiring of three mobile career advisors. The advisors will be able to help those seeking jobs and employers with the resources available through the NWDB and the NC Works career centers.

“They’ll be on the road, going to wherever a job seeker might be as well as helping employers,” Nicholson said.

The grant runs through December 2018 and comes from the NC Division of Workforce Solutions, a department within the Commerce Department.

Also sharing in the grant is the Region Q Workforce Investment Consortium, a public-private partnership based in Washington and the Turning Point Workforce Development Board based in Rocky Mount.

Region Q, administers a five county system of workforce development programs in Beaufort, Bertie, Hertford, Martin and Pitt counties.

Turning Point covers area around I-95.

Nicolson said in a way, the new grant dove-tails with one the Pettigrew Regional Library system received. That $32,000 grant will be used to help train the staff at all four libraries in the system how to use the NC Works system.

The concepts revolve around one theme, which is to access job seekers and employers by building traditional and electronic outreach methods, leveraging the relationships with partner agencies and erasing barriers that disparage the most needful individuals of the workforce.

This “A.B.L.E.” theme focuses on enhancing the abilities of career centers across the most rural regions of NC so that job-seekers and employers are more aware of the resources available to them through NWDB.

“We’re very excited about expanding the outreach of our career centers,” she said. Applications are being accepted for three Mobile Career Advisor positions. For more information, contact Nicholson at NWDB at 426-5753, Ext. 233 or by e-mailing enicholson@. (Perquimans Weekly, 8/9/17)

2018

APR 2018 Overview of Board’s Work

An official who helps oversee three NCWorks career centers in the Albemarle region said businesses looking to hire today want applicants with basic soft skills.

“They want people who are going to show up to work on time and do what they ask them to do,” said Emily Nicholson, the business services representative for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board.

The board, which serves a 10-county area, is part of the Hertford-based Albemarle Commission, which focuses on economic and rural development and quality-of-life matters.

Generally, soft skills in the workplace can include an employee’s ability to be a team player, to be confident, to be creative, to effectively communicate, to be flexible, to solve problems and to take feedback. Soft skills differ from what’s called hard skills, which involve the specific knowledge one needs to do a job.

At the end of the day, Nicholson said, “What I hear employers say the most is they can train them on the hard skills or they can send them back to school for the certifications, but what they really need that they can’t train them in is those soft skills.”

“And that’s what people get fired for more than hired for. So, that’s unfortunate,” she said.

Nicholson said she and her team believe the root causes are a combination of both a breakdown in families and in education.

She said in addition to employees lacking the ability to show up for work on time, she and her team hear from business owners and operators about the need to have employees communicate in a professional manner.

An example of how not to communicate with a supervisor, she said, is when an employee talks to that supervisor the same way one texts a friend in the coded jargon one can use via a cell phone.

To help correct the situation, Nicholson said the Workforce Development Board, in partnership with College of The Albemarle, offers basic soft skills courses to help perspective employees – and they don’t have to be COA students.

The program, which is called “Working Smart,” was developed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Partners. The program is 16 lessons taught in multiple sessions.

Nicholson also said people who come to the career centers are encouraged in one-on-one advising to address the soft skills area even before going for an interview.

She also said the board goes, free of charge, to employers and educates their incumbent workforce about soft skills for free to help on both ends of the spectrum.

She also said the Workforce Development Board has a partnership with high schools to train more high school skills in this curriculum.

“I would say it’s definitely something that could be enhanced in our high school or maybe even middle school. I would start before high school – and that’s certainly something that could be addressed in a home atmosphere as well,” he said.

NCWorks career centers in the past were more commonly known as state unemployment offices.

The three NCWorks career centers in the Albemarle are located: on McArthur Drive in Elizabeth City, which is a full-time operation and is open Mondays through Fridays; at College of The Albemarle’s Edenton-Chowan Campus, which is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and off Croatan Highway in Dare County, which is open Mondays through Fridays.

Nicholson said all Albemarle area NCWorks locations provide listings of jobs available throughout the region. She said lists also can be found on-line, and career advisors are available on site or via computer at home.

The website – – allows jobs to be searched by county, by zip code, by specific occupation and by pay range.

Nicholson’s data for the Albemarle region showed that, of the types of current job openings, 67.3 percent were for regular positions, followed by 29.2 percent for seasonal positions and 3.5 percent for temporary positions.

Of the salaries offered in that same time period, Nicholson’s data showed of the posted minimum salaries, they varied. Slightly more than 800 postings were for jobs with pay of anywhere from $15,000-$25,000 a year. 

Approximately 200 postings were for jobs with pay of anywhere from $25,000-$30,000 a year. Nearly 200 postings were for jobs with pay of less than $10,000 a year.

As for the industry trends of job openings in the region, Nicholson’s data showed approximately 350 were scientific and technical services positions and showed more than 300 were for positions in the arts, entertainment and recreation.

Her data also showed that nearly 200 postings were for jobs in administration, administrative support, waste management and remediation of the environment.

Nicholson was asked whether there’s any way employers on their end can tell if the people looking for the jobs are qualified for them. When a business posts a job opening via NCWorks, she said, the NCWorks career center can screen the applicants for basic qualifications.

Nicholson was asked whether the Workforce Development Board has been been able to detect in Elizabeth City and in the Albemarle region what job-seekers are trying to find.

“I think longevity is a big issue, more so in our Dare County area. People are looking for jobs that are going to sustain them throughout the year,” she said.

She noted eligible weekly unemployment benefits have narrowed to approximately 12-13 weeks of the year. As a result, she said, people living in the beach areas can no longer depend on those payments to offset their cost of living in the off-season.

In the Elizabeth City area, Nicholson believes the situation is more about finding work that’s going to support a family.

In fact, she said, the Workforce Development Board doesn’t permit job training for any position whose pay won’t support a family of one. She said the labor market information for the 10-county service area shows this to be a minimum wage of $10.90 an hour.

“So, we really encourage our employers to offer what we call a livable wage, because without a livable wage, you’re going to get employees that are constantly searching for something that is going to provide that livable wage,” she said.

Asked whether employers are complying with the board’s suggestion, she said there are instances of high-wage jobs in the region, especially given the presence of a retiring workforce and the resulting opening of management positions.

“Of course you’re still going to have your basic positions that are not going to offer that,” she said. (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 4/23/18)

MAY 2018 Grandmother Obituary

EDENTON -Doris Jean Nixon Harrell, 86, of 1233 Macedonia Road, passed away on Friday, May 4, 2018, in her home.

Mrs. Harrell was born in Chowan County on December 18, 1931, and was the last surviving of 14 children born to the late John Thomas and Dicie Roberta Perry Nixon. A homemaker, faithful wife, and loving mother, she was known throughout the community and surrounding area for her homemade cakes. Raised in the fellowship of Rocky Hock Baptist Church, early in her marriage and after moving to the Macedonia community, she became a member of Macedonia Baptist Church, where she had been active in the W.M.U. and the Adult Choir. Other enjoyments included her membership in the Advance Home Extension Club, and the time spent with her family.

In addition to her parents and siblings, she was preceded in death by her husband, Isaac Joseph Harrell, Sr. in 2013, after nearly 62 years of marriage.

Surviving are four daughters, Joy Chappell and husband, Dennis, of Hobbsville, Jean Bunch and husband, Richard, of Tyner, and Jan Layton and husband, Mike, and Jill Williams, and husband, Steve, all of Edenton; a son, Isaac Harrell, Jr. and wife, Lucille, of Elizabeth City; nine grandchildren, Bill and Joseph Harrell, Heath Chappell, Matthew Bunch, Emily Nicholson, Chris and A.J. Layton, and John and Sarah Williams; and 15 great-grand-children.

Funeral services were held Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in Macedonia Baptist Church and were be conducted by her pastor, The Rev. Bob Young, assisted by her grandson, A.J. Layton. A private burial followed in the Nixon Family Cemetery. Friends were invited to join the family in the fellowship hall of the church immediately following the service, or all other times at the residence. (Chowan Herald, 5/9/18)

AUG 2018 Profile of Her and Her Work

Emily Nicholson has a very rewarding job: She gets to help people who need a job find one, and people who need job-seekers find them.

As assistant director of the Northeastern Workforce Development Board, an agency under the Hertford-based Albemarle Commission, Nicholson works with both employers and those seeking employment in 10 northeastern North Carolina counties.

Last year Nicholson secured a $250,000 N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions grant for the NWDB and two partner agencies in the Northeast Prosperity Zone, Turning Points and Region Q. A part of the grant funded three mobile career adviser positions to work with job-seekers and employers. Another part allowed 50 people in each of the 20 counties in the prosperity zone to pursue what’s known as a Career Readiness Credential.

“We realized some people couldn’t afford this $36 assessment on their own, so the grant pays for it if you visit the career center and go through the registration process,” Nicholson wrote in a text.

According to Nicholson, people seeking the Career Readiness Credential take a three-part assessment — on workplace documents, applied math and graphic literacy — measuring their ability to perform the basic functions of a job. The test is offered at College of The Albemarle and other community colleges.

“It’s very motivating when we hear of success stories,” said Nicholson, describing the positive feedback the NWDB receives. “Our career advisers have such a strong passion for what they do.”

Nicholson said she’s also working with emerging job-seekers in high schools to help them realize local opportunities for jobs.

“We do have many well-paying positions without creating a mound of student debt,” said Nicholson.

Nicholson said the NWDB provides help creating resumes, practicing interview skills and registering for jobs at the government website, .

Another resource available for all job-seekers, Nicholson said, is Traitify, a two-minute visual personality assessment available at https://​nencpathways..

Nicholson said grants are available to local businesses to use training workers they already have as well as providing on-the-job training for prospective employees.

Originally from Tyner, Nicholson earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University and her master’s degree in adult education from East Carolina University. While a student at NCSU, Nicholson was awarded the Kay Yow Spirit of the Community Award.

Nicholson participated in Teach For America and taught high school civics and world history in the Bertie County Schools for two years.

Last year Nicholson was named the Albemarle Commission’s Employee of the Year.

Nicholson enjoys spending time with her husband, Mason, and their children, Emma Maye and Millie Jean.

“I’m motivated by my girls and hope that they will have more opportunities in northeastern North Carolina when they grow up,” she wrote in a text. “I’m lucky to have found a job I love, so I hope the same for them and all of the folks we seek to help through our system and partnerships.” (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 8/18/18)

2019

SEP 2019 Remarks on Future of High School

The following excerpts are from speeches about the future of John A. Holmes High School that were made Thursday at the Northern Chowan Recreation Center…..

I read with much interest an undated archived document titled “History of Education in Chowan County.” This 30-page document is a historical perspective of education including school facilities in Chowan County from the 1700s to the 1990s.’ We have come a long way since the 36 community schools. ... Woven throughout this history are words like collaborative spirit, quality scholars, program development, resources and networking.

Board of Education, Board of Commissioners and the public — we are at a crossroads as to what the next chapter in the document will read. Whatever happens, we need to ensure that these same words are re.ected in this document for future readings. If collaboration, citizenship, better educational facilities were the expectations during the revolutionary war, world wars, Great Depression – then we too can have that same tone and overarching theme today.

I am hopeful that we, the public, can have the same kind of energy that has been shown during the two forums on the renovation versus replacement conversation. We will need to be totally behind and support our decision makers when it comes to “show us the money” conversation. Let’s not let this topic be a divisive one — one that can divide us — but rather one that we can continue to have great pride in.

Emily Nicholson, a proud Edentonian who works for the Northeast Workforce Development Board. (Chowan Herald, 9/25/19)

DEC 2019 Files to Run for House Seat

All four of the region’s legislative seats will be contested in next year’s general election, thanks to last-day filers on Friday.

Tess Judge, a Democrat from Dare County, filed to run against state Sen. Bob Steinburg, R-Chow-an, in the 1st Senate District in the November 2020 election.

Emily Bunch Nicholson, a Democrat from Chowan, filed to run against state Rep. Ed Goodwin, R-Chowan, in the 1st House District in next year’s general election. (Chowan Herald, 12/25/19)

2020

JAN 2020 Facebook Page Bio Summary

I’m Emily Nicholson, a native of Edenton, NC and a 2020 candidate for the NC House of Representatives for District 1. I’m also a wife of my college sweetheart, Mason, whom I met at NC State University and a mom of three beautiful daughters: Emma Maye, Millie Jean and Maisie Bree (ages 7, 3 and 5 months). I was blessed to have been raised by two parents who exemplified the value of a strong work ethic and keeping God at the forefront of every facet of life. Therefore, leading a Christ-centered life is of the supreme importance for me as I teach my girls how to navigate through this complex world using their faith as a compass.

I’m a former high school and community college educator and have served 10 counties of Northeastern NC for the past five years as the Assistant Director for the Northeastern Workforce Development Board. It’s through the experiences I’ve gained in this role that I’m convinced that this region deserves more. We deserve a progressive set of eyes, ears and hands working to identify the issues and create innovative solutions for our citizens, especially those that lack the resources to be equitably heard. Raising three children in this region means that I have a lot at stake in ensuring that they grow up with the same opportunities afforded to children in more prosperous areas of our state.

It’s unfortunate to see the same recurring problems today that I witnessed as a youth in Northeastern NC years ago, which continue to hinder our progress in terms of economic development, rural health, school improvement and so much more. These issues do not require partisan-based answers but they do require the earnest dedication from our elected officials to lead efforts, from start to finish, in resolving them. This is why I chose to file for this seat; we deserve representation that follows through with proposals and exhausts every measure necessary to advance the progress and prosperity of Northeastern NC. I look forward to this campaign journey and I welcome your thoughts on the issues that we need to tackle in District 1. Facebook Bio Page (1/8/20)

MAR 2020 Says State Quickly Mobilizing to Deal With Jobless Benefits Inquiries

Melissa Berry was frustrated.

As of 3 p.m. Thursday, she said she had been trying since 7 p.m. on Tuesday to apply online for unemployment benefits.

So far she hadn't been able to get through.

"I'm right now not having any luck at all," Berry said.

A waitress at City Grille in Elizabeth City, Berry has not been able to work since 5 p.m. Tuesday following the state-mandated shutdown of dine-in service at restaurants.

Berry said she started trying to apply online for unemployment benefits Tuesday morning but had made minimal progress on her online application because of a sluggish online system.

"I have been trying it — this is my third day," she said.

Berry said she has been able to save the information she is able to enter into the system, but keeps getting kicked out and isn't able to log back in — sometimes for hours.

Officials acknowledge there has been an overwhelming increase in calls and online activity through the NC Works system and the N.C. Division of Employment Security.

"There has definitely been an influx to the Career Center with unemployment insurance needs," said David Whitmer, regional director of NC Works.

According to The Associated Press, the state Division of Employment Security said the number of claims in which people blamed COVID-19 for their layoffs or for reduced hours surpassed 4,700 by Wednesday morning.

Whitmer explained that the NC Works Career Center provides information to people about how to apply for unemployment benefits. However, people submit an application for benefits through the N.C. Division of Employment Security.

Emily Nicholson, assistant director of NC Works for the region, said the increase in phone calls and internet visits by potential applicants is not surprising given the increased eligibility for unemployment benefits that went into effect this week.

"The extra call volume is expected and the website is going to be at capacity at times," she said. "But we are impressed at the quick mobilization of our state in making these resources available."

Whitmer said he understands people might get frustrated trying to access phone or online services.

"But the state is working minute by minute to make more streamlined services available," he said. (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 3/21/20)

APR 2020 Grant Funds for Community College Students

In July of 2018, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the Finish Line Grants program to help community college students who face unforeseen financial emergencies complete their training and stay on track to complete their degree or credential in the face of unexpected events that might otherwise cause them to drop out.

The Northeastern Workforce Development Board (NWDB) is proud to have partnered with The College of the Albemarle and Beaufort County Community College to provide Finish Line Grants throughout the NWDB 10 county region. On Monday, March 30, 2020, the NWDB was awarded an additional $25,000 in Finish Line Grant funds to use throughout the region.

Since September of 2019 the NWDB has helped 27 students with financial emergencies such as utility bills, groceries, rent, car repairs and uniforms.

Emily Nicholson, the Northeastern Workforce Development Board Interim Director stated, "helping our students is more important now than ever before. This pandemic is a challenge for all of us and NWDB is here to help those students facing a premature end to their academic and career pursuits due to this health crisis. A finish line grant can provide the relief that students desperately need in order to enter the workforce and lead a self-sufficient life."

To qualify for a Finish Line Grant, students must have completed 50 percent of their degree or credential. Community college students may receive a maximum of $1,000 per semester by contacting their community colleges' financial aid office or their local NCWorks Career Center to apply. (Elizabeth City Daily Advance, 4/16/20)[pic][pic][pic]

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