January, 2020 - WIZS

Ragland Resigns; Vance Co. High School Searches For New Football Coach

January 14, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, Vance County High School Athletic Department

Vance County High School is searching for a new football coach for next fall following Darry Ragland’s resignation on Monday, January 13. He has resigned as the Head Varsity Football Coach but will continue teaching at Vance County High School.

Ragland became the first head football coach in Vance County High School’s brief history after the consolidation of Northern Vance and Southern Vance High Schools in 2018. He posted a record of 13-10 with one playoff appearance in two seasons with the Vipers. This past season, Vance County was 9-3 and 5-2 in Big 8 3A Conference play.

For 20 years, Ragland has been involved with Vance County Schools’ football programs. Prior to his position as head football coach at Vance County High School, Ragland was the head football coach of Southern Vance High School for one season, where he posted a record of 6-5. He has also been an assistant football coach at Henderson Middle School, Northern Vance High School, and Southern Vance High School.

Ragland served as offensive coordinator for the Raiders in 2006 when Southern Vance lost in the NCHSAA 2AA State Championship game to Shelby, 27-24

“I want to thank Coach Ragland for everything he has done for our school and community,” said Athletic Director Joe Sharrow. “He is a well-respected and important member of our Vance County family who has positively impacted the lives of a countless number of our student-athletes. We will miss his dedication to Vance County football and wish him the best of luck.”

Vance County High School will begin looking for a new head football coach immediately. Interested candidates should send a resume and letter of interest to Athletic Director Joe Sharrow (jsharrow@vcs.k12.nc.us) and Principal Rey Horner (rhorner@vcs.k12.nc.us).

Oxford PD Making Arrests, Obtaining Warrants, Searching For Suspects

January 14, 2020/by John C. Rose

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The Oxford Police Department worked two incidents where three people were shot on January 11 and January 12. In addition, arrests have been made in a homicide case from December 31, 2019, and in the aftermath of an altercation on December 9, 2019, where a suspect fired multiple shots at a motor vehicle. Both of the December incidents involve 16-year-old suspects.

According to information obtained from the Oxford Police Department:

January 12, 2020, the OPD responded to Granville Medical Center for two persons who had been shot. Officers talked with both victims – Jerome Bumpass, 20 years old, and Lakeem Lyons, 27 years old and determined that the incident took place on Hicks Mill Rd. Both victims were transported out to other medical facilities for treatment. Neither had life-threatening injuries. No suspects have been identified in this case.

January 11, 2020, the OPD responded to Speedway on MLK Blvd. in reference to a shooting victim. The victim, Matthew Jones, 33 years old, reported that he had been shot in the leg by Leo McCoy, 31 years of age. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Warrants have been obtained for McCoy, however, he had not been located as of this publication. Oxford Police Chief Alvin Coley told WIZS News the warrants for McCoy were for “assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.”

The homicide victim from December 31, 2019, was identified as Ms. Sharday Thorpe, age 34, of 306 Lanier St. An arrest warrant was obtained for 1^st Degree Murder and the suspect was taken into custody. However, the suspect is 16 years old and the name cannot be released. This is an active investigation and a motive cannot be released.

December 9, 2019, at or near the intersection of Leak and Wilmington Avenues, an altercation occurred where a suspect fired multiple shots at a motor vehicle. The suspect in this case is 16 years old and has been taken into custody. No additional information can be released.

Chief Coley said he believes the crimes are unrelated. He said, “However, I can’t say for sure if all of our recent crimes were all random. However, it does appear that in some cases individuals were purposely shot or shot at for unknown reasons.”

Oxford Mayor Jackie Sergent said, “As you might imagine, the City and Police Department are working hard to address the recent incidents, and we feel secure that they will prevail in their efforts to restore the peace.”

Coley said, “As always, each act of crime is a public safety concern, and we will continue to work towards the apprehension of the perpetrator(s).”

Town Talk 01/14/20: City’s Fire Study Finds ‘More Personnel Needed Now’

January 14, 2020/by Kelly Bondurant

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Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Cordell discussed current activities involving the fire department including the City’s recently completed fire study, the annual smoke detector campaign and the upcoming county-wide campaign to be held in partnership with the American Red Cross.

Following up on a news story aired last week on WIZS 1450 AM/ 100.1 FM and posted online at WIZS.com, Cordell said years of talks with the Henderson City Council and City Manager Frank Frazier resulted in the budgeting of a fire study conducted and recently completed by outside company Management Solutions for Emergency Services.

According to Cordell, the study was completed prior to the Christmas holidays and results were presented at the Henderson City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting held January 8.

The biggest takeaway from the study is the recommendation for the construction and operation of a third fire station in the western part of Henderson, with a suggested location of the Dabney Drive and 158 Bypass area.

Henderson is currently served by two fire stations located approximately one mile apart: Station #1 at 211 Dabney Drive and the historic Station #2 at 205 N. Garnett Street in downtown Henderson.

While just the first step in what would most likely be a lengthy process if pursued, Cordell said the study indicated what is needed now, prior to another station being built, is additional personnel.

“We currently have 30 firefighters assigned to shifts and four in administrative positions for a total of 34 certified firefighters. The staffing level has been the same since Station #1 was built on Dabney Drive in 1974. The study advised that we are in need of 12 additional personnel now to be fully staffed on fire engines and fully staffed on ladder truck response.”

Currently, the fire department responds to calls with two fire engines and either a ladder truck or rescue vehicle, depending on the situation, Cordell explained.

Smoke Detector Campaigns

Cordell reported that the City’s current annual smoke detector campaign, which begins anew each November, was 75% completed by the end of December.

“We finished the campaign for three-fourths of the city right before Christmas,” said Cordell. “Now we have the last 25% of the city to reach, so will start working on that again very soon.”

Started in 2009 after a Vance County family lost several of their children to a house fire, firefighters go door-to-door each year offering residents a free home inspection that includes checking for fire hazards, replacing old/broken smoke alarms and replacing batteries on working units.

To assist those in the county, the Henderson Fire Department, in partnership with the American Red Cross, will team up with NC Central University, Vance County’s fire departments and other community volunteers and organizations on Monday, January 20, 2020, for a “county-wide fire inspection canvassing event.”

Tune in live to WIZS Town Talk this Wednesday at 11 a.m. for more information on the county-wide event.

With questions regarding your smoke detector, fire safety or to schedule a time for a free home inspection, please call the Henderson Fire Department at (252) 430-1877.

To hear the interview with Cordell in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Reavis Takes Reins at Granville County Emergency Services

January 14, 2020/by WIZS Staff

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County Government announces that Jason Reavis has been hired as Director of Granville County Emergency Services.

Reavis has more than 20 years’ experience in the emergency services field, with his most recent position being Assistant Director of Emergency Operations in Vance County. In that role, he helped supervise all functions associated with Emergency Management and 911, including emergency planning, response, recovery and mitigation.

Granville County Government announces that Jason Reavis has been hired as Director of Granville County Emergency Services. His first day of work was Dec. 1, 2019. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

Along with planning and executing numerous exercises in preparation for natural and manmade disasters, Reavis has helped build and strengthen relationships with area governments, departments and agencies to manage effective planning and implementation of emergency response strategies.

The new Emergency Services Director, who is stepping in after the Dec. 31 retirement of former Emergency Services Director Doug Logan, is a certified N.C. Executive Emergency Manager, an International Emergency Medical Dispatcher, and an International Emergency Fire Dispatcher, among many other distinctions.

Various supervisory and instructional roles in his extensive career have helped prepare him to fill the position of Emergency Services Director, as well as experience as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter.

At the Fall Conference of the North Carolina Emergency Management Association, Reavis was recognized with the 2019 Vance E. Kee Award, which is presented annually to the local emergency management staff person who has demonstrated outstanding achievement through promoting emergency management among other county and state agencies and elected officials.

A graduate of Vance-Granville Community College, Reavis holds an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration. He is married and has five children.

His first day of work was Dec. 1, 2019.

Vance Co., City of Henderson Intergovernmental Committees to Meet Jan. 28

January 14, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Executive Assistant/Clerk to Board, Vance County Board of Commissioners

Vance County’s Intergovernmental Committee (Taylor, Feimster, Kelly) is scheduled to meet with the City’s Intergovernmental Committee on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at 2:30 p.m.

The meeting will be held in the Administrative Conference Room of the Vance County Administration Building located at 122 Young Street in Henderson. Topics to be discussed include, but are not limited to:

– Review of Joint Programs

– McGregor Hall funding request

– Downtown Wi-Fi

GCPS Receives ‘Clean’ Financial Audit Report

January 14, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

At their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, January 6, 2020, the Granville County Board of Education received the official financial audit for the 2018-2019 fiscal year from the firm of Anderson, Smith and Wike, PLLC.

Partner Dale Smith summarized the 72-page report to the Board, commenting, “these reports are the cleanest reports that a governmental entity can receive in an audit of its financial statement.” Board Chairman David Richardson responded to the audit results, stating, “The Board is pleased with the results of this year’s audit. In striving to be transparent and accountable for the funds entrusted to us, this process affirms our staff and procedures while showing the public our financial standing.”

Mr. Smith walked Board members through various highlights of the report, including an overview of the budget, as well as the status of fund balance, or the district’s savings or “rainy day” fund.

The total budget of governmental activities for the district during the 2018-2019 fiscal year was $90,991,833. Regarding fund balance, Mr. Smith explained, “The total fund balance on June 30, 2019, was $6,229,570, which as a percentage of total governmental expenditures represents 7.26%.”

Mr. Smith further explained the importance of the Board to continue monitoring the fund balance to ensure the district remained in sound financial standing. He noted that while there is no required threshold for the percentage of fund balance that the district should maintain, other governmental entities such as towns, cities and municipalities use 8% as a general target for their savings.

Mr. Smith concluded his presentation by stating, “Over the past three years, the district has not had any major compliance issues. The state puts a lot of restrictions on how the money is to be spent, so all of your directors and the finance department are responsible for ensuring the funds are spent in the proper manner, and they have done an excellent job in spending those funds the way they were supposed to be. It says a lot about the folks you have in charge that there are no findings with this audit. We audit over 50 districts across the state, and there is not anyone doing as great a job as Ms. Day and her team. Y’all have a top-notch finance department.”

The Board uses a third party independent auditing firm to review financial records as a measure of accountability and certification as required by state law. This helps ensure that the district remains a good steward of taxpayer dollars.

Superintendent McLean also commented on the findings, saying, “I am very proud to see the high quality work of our finance team and staff from across the district confirmed by this independent report. This is fundamental to our primary goal of educating students and I commend them for a job well done.”

Board Continues Work to Improve 911 Communications Across State

January 14, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, NC DIT

The North Carolina 911 Board is providing North Carolina residents with technological improvements to 911 communications across the state through the Next Generation 911 (NG911) initiative. These advancements, which include the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet), ensure that N.C. residents can access 911 services regardless of location or the communication technology they use.

Transitioning 911 to the ESInet enables digital information such as cell phone calls, text messages, pictures and video to be routed to the appropriate 911 call center, or Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), across a closed, private network via location-based call routing capabilities.

To support the implementation of NG911 services, in 2019, North Carolina was awarded a $3.9 million federal grant by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). In addition, the N.C. 911 Board awarded $10.5 million in grants from the state’s 911 Fund to support the migration to ESInet, new PSAPs, and radio and dispatch upgrades.

“We are excited to be on target with 25 percent of the PSAPs having migrated to the ESInet, and the majority of those also took advantage of the hosted call handling solution that is part of the overall NG911 initiative for the state,” said Pokey Harris, executive director of the North Carolina 911 Board. “We appreciate those PSAPs that were willing to be among the first to migrate to ESInet and are excited that North Carolina is leading the way for NG911, being touted as an innovator.”

A total of 32 PSAPs in North Carolina have migrated to the ESInet, with 31 of those occurring in 2019. All 127 PSAPs across the state are required to complete the transition to the ESInet by July 1, 2021. A map of PSAPs and their migration status is available here.

With more 911 centers coming online, in September 2019, the board celebrated the opening of the Network Monitoring and Assistance Center (NMAC), which will play an important role in making sure services run smoothly across the state.

According to Harris, technicians at the NMAC will monitor the ESInet to immediately troubleshoot network issues and help behind the scenes to provide seamless 911 coverage, so 911 telecommunicators can focus on helping North Carolina residents get the assistance they need as quickly as possible.

Technicians also can quickly reroute emergency calls to other 911 centers as they identify increased trends in emergency calls – particularly in cases such as severe weather or major events that draw large volumes of people to a particular area. During Hurricane Dorian, technicians at the NMAC were prepared to assist in rerouting calls from the coast to counties farther inland, however, it was not necessary.

“Residents and visitors to the state are the true beneficiaries of the NG911 efforts that will ultimately improve 911 service delivery,” said Harris.

The N.C. 911 Board is a 17-member board that is responsible for policies and procedures for wireline and wireless 911 communications in the state and administers the state’s 911 Fund used to support equipment purchases for the 127 public safety answering points (911 centers) in the state. The board is housed with the N.C. Department of Information Technology.

For more information, visit https://it.nc.gov/about/boards-commissions/nc-911-board.

WIZS Note: Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance Emergency Operations, reports that his department successfully transitioned to the ESI Net (Next Generation 911) in September 2019, and operations have been running smoothly in the ensuing months.