WIZS Celebrates 63 Years On the Air!
On this first day of May 63 years ago, what is now known as WIZS signed on to the airwaves in a full-time capacity for the first time. The station has been on the air continuously ever since bringing the community local news, sports, music and entertainment.
The Rose family, who purchased the radio station from legislator and Oxford native Stan Fox in 1989, are the fourth owners of the station and are very honored to serve the community.
“We are very thankful to be here in the community and to be able to continue a passion that my dad, John D. Rose, III had,” said WIZS Owner/Operator John Charles Rose. “He was fascinated by the radio and the notion that you could talk in one place and someone could hear you in another.”
In speaking of his father, who has been deceased ten years, Rose said, “I miss him very much. It’s unbelievable that much time has gone by.”
John D. Rose, III was just 10 years old in 1955 when Harold V. Harrell, a tv and radio repairman from Oxford, started the station under the call letters WHVH. Lawrence Brandon, the owner of WWCO in Connecticut purchased the station from Harrell a few years later. The call letters were changed to WIZS around 1959, shortly after the station was sold to Stan Fox and his business partners Irv Fox and Seymour Dworsky.
In celebration of WIZS’ 50th anniversary in 2005, The Daily Dispatch in Henderson printed a publication in honor of the station that included a more detailed history and special memories from local citizens and businesses.
Today, WIZS is still in business, thanks in part to the focus on bringing concise, local news to the community. Recent changes to the programming structure were made with this in mind. Exciting things are happening at WIZS, including a new Beach Music Blast segment. Stay tuned…
Constructing Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) – Pilot Program in Vance Co.
Vance County is the first recipient of a pilot program titled Constructing Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) aimed at helping local youth ages 16 – 24 earn their high school equivalency diploma while receiving hands-on job training in the construction industry.
Offered in part through the Triangle Literacy Council based out of Durham, NC, Jason Williams, program manager, was recently on air to discuss the P2P program.
“Those who participate in this program will get a national certification and learn soft skills such as interviewing techniques,” said Williams. “This program is aimed at helping young people get back on the right track, complete their education and gain job skills.”
According to Williams, participants receive $50 per week to take education classes to help them with their literacy and math skills, with the ultimate goal being to earn their high school equivalency diploma.
Through the P2P program, participants take education classes to help earn their high school equivalency diploma while constructing low-income housing through partnerships with local organizations such as the Kerr-Tar Workforce Development Board.
“This is a six-month, full-time program with 15 participants at a time,” said Williams. “It runs four days a week with two days dedicated to the education component and two days spent on the construction site.”
Upon successful completion of the program, participants earn a construction certificate that makes them “highly employable” and receive assistance in securing a job.
According to P2P’s brochure, participants can earn up to $200/month while attending the program, and all P2P graduates will receive a laptop upon completion of the program.
To qualify, an applicant must be between the ages of 16 and 24, not have completed a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma, or, if diploma has been earned, need help improving literacy and math skills and have an interest in learning the construction trade.
There is a one-week pre-selection screening program, including physical exercise, life skills, testing, training program and orientation.
More information about the P2P program, including an application, can be found at the Triangle Literacy Council’s website at www.triangleliteracy.org/p2p. With additional questions, please call Williams directly at (252) 204-2967.
Vance-Granville Community Band To Perform Spring Concert On May 7
Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Variety will be the key as the Vance-Granville Community Band, under the direction of Brian D. Miller, performs its annual Spring Concert on Monday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. in McGregor Hall in Henderson.
Show tunes, marches and some classics are on the program in the McGregor location at 201 Breckenridge Street. The downtown venue has become the local home of the Vance-Granville Community Band, and the band is proud to represent the multi-county area served by Vance-Granville Community College, noted Miller.
Admission is free.
The concert will feature the famous “Entry of the Gladiators March” and Sousa’s “King Cotton March.” Miller has also programmed the rarely-heard “Tar Heel March,” a march written for the University of North Carolina in 1927.
“No concert is ever complete without a Sousa March,” Miller explained, “but in this concert, we are featuring some other great marches as well. Audiences love marches because they are traditional and are the original music written for band.”
Miller is now in his third year as director of the VGCC band. Under his direction, the Vance-Granville Band has grown numerically as well as musically and has a solid reputation in the four-county area for its musicianship, noted Betsy Henderson, VGCC’s department chair for Humanities and Fine Arts.
In addition to the marches, patrons will hear the sentimental waltz song, “Melody of Love,” which Miller describes as “good old-fashioned turn-of-the-century band music.” Band member Bob Salzmann will conduct two of his own transcriptions for band, “God’s Amazing Grace” and “Ashokan Farewell.” Associate director Tracie Winstead will conduct a medley of music from “Sing” as well as an arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s famous “1812 Overture.” The Vance-Granville Woodwind Quartet will perform on the concert as well. 
Rounding out the concert will be selections from the hit musical “Annie,” and two solo features accompanied by band: Vocalist Raynah Adams will sing “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and trombone soloist Tim Evans will perform “On The Road To Mandalay.” The grand finale of the concert will be the rarely-heard “Trieste Overture” by Pietro Diero. Miller comments that “this grand overture is a classic! It has all the features of the old-fashioned band overtures once performed by Sousa and Fillmore.”
Miller taught band at Louisburg High School for 20 years and, during his tenure, the band became well-known in the state for its performance of traditional band music including classical transcriptions and Sousa marches. In addition to his duties at Vance-Granville as band director and music instructor, Miller teaches band and humanities at Crosscreek Charter School in Louisburg, is the organist for Louisburg Baptist Church, plays piano often for evening services at North Henderson Baptist Church, and is the organist for Louisburg College.
“There is such a great variety of music at this concert,” Miller said. “We want a big audience. We indeed are delighted to share these musical offerings with our community and want our friends and patrons in our service area to enjoy the work of the fine musicians in the Vance-Granville Community Band.”
Granville Central High School Holds Military Fair
-Information courtesy Dawn Hicks, GCHS Counselor
A military fair was recently held at Granville Central High School located in Stem, NC on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Representatives from various branches of the military were present to provide information and answer questions.
All grade levels were invited to attend. The fair provided students the opportunity to learn about the military, and if interested, which branch would be the best fit for them.
Picture courtesy of Dr. Stan Winborne, Public Information Officer, Granville Co. Public Schools