Pete Burgess

New VGCC Scholarship Honors Pete Burgess

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Vance County chapter of the North Carolina Farm Bureau recently presented a gift to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund to create a new scholarship in honor of Talmadge R. “Pete” Burgess, Sr.

Now retired and living with his wife, Sylvia, in Durham, Pete Burgess was for decades a Vance County farmer and community leader. He was instrumental in establishing the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, which opened in 2014.

Pete Burgess

The Vance County chapter of the North Carolina Farm Bureau recently presented a gift to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund to create a new scholarship in honor of Talmadge R. “Pete” Burgess, Sr., pictured above. (Photo courtesy VGCC)

After growing up on a Vance County farm, Burgess went to N.C. State University to study agricultural engineering on an ROTC scholarship, and then served in the United States Army. He worked as a safety engineer in the insurance industry for several years but returned to Vance County in 1968 to run a farm that had been in his wife’s family. At “Burgess Farms,” he grew tobacco, grain, hay and sweet corn, among other crops.

An active community volunteer, Burgess served as a board member of the county and state Farm Bureau organizations, president and board member of the Epsom Lions Club, board member of the Epsom Volunteer Fire Department, member of the Vance County Planning Board and board member for the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. For his contributions to the county and, in particular, for his leading role in securing the land and funding for the regional farmers market, Burgess was honored by the Vance County Commissioners with the “Community Hero” award.

“We are proud to establish this scholarship to express our appreciation to Pete Burgess for his many years of service to the Farm Bureau, the farming community and Vance County as a whole,” said Thomas Shaw, president of the Vance County Farm Bureau, which Burgess once led. “A great storyteller and advocate, Pete has been instrumental in supporting and bringing together many local partners for the benefit of us all, including our local schools, the Cooperative Extension service, the Perry Memorial Library and the regional Farmers Market.”

The new gift continues a tradition of the organization’s generous support for education. Years ago, the Vance County Farm Bureau endowed an academic achievement scholarship at VGCC, which supports a student each year.

“Throughout his life, Pete Burgess has demonstrated an interest not only in agriculture but in giving back and supporting his community, so this scholarship is a fitting way to honor his service,” said Eddie Ferguson, VGCC’s endowment fund director. “We are grateful to the Vance County Farm Bureau for continuing to support Vance-Granville students through this new scholarship.”

“At Vance-Granville, our students are the Vanguards, which means they are ‘leaders,’ and Pete Burgess is the definition of a leader,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the president of VGCC. “Thanks to the Vance County Farm Bureau, we can look forward to awarding the Pete Burgess scholarship to future leaders who can follow in his footsteps.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,700 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education.

The Vance County Farm Bureau is encouraging friends of Pete Burgess to make donations to the Endowment Fund to help endow this scholarship at the Presidential Merit Award level. For more information or to make a contribution, call Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409.

Contributions to the scholarship fund can also be mailed to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund, at P.O. Box 917, Henderson, NC 27536.

Crossroads Christian School

Crossroads Christian School’s Haley Patterson, Hope Macklin, Justice Simmons

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On Friday, Dec. 11, three seniors from Crossroads Christian School, Haley Patterson, Hope Macklin, and Justice Simmons, discussed their senior season in women’s basketball and about the leadership role for female athletics.

Each Friday on WIZS SportsTalk, host Trey Snide presents the weekly Coach’s Corner segment.

Click here for the latest show audio.

Simmons said some of the new rules are weird, but “I’m pretty grateful that I still get to play basketball.”  Macklin more or less agreed and said, “It’s not the ideal situation…a lot of other schools in our area are just done with sports completely.”  Patterson said, “I feel like it’s not the situation we wanted to be in, but it still gives us an opportunity as seniors to have our last basketball season with all the girls.”

Click the Logo to Hear the Show Audio

On the positive said, they indicate they have grown closer together and that there has been less pressure with no fans around.

As leaders, the hardest part for these players has been the inability to socialize out of school and the lack of drive because of the overall situation and, of course, wearing a mask while playing and practicing.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-14-20 Economic Development news; Hospital visitation; courts cancelled

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Stories include:

– Local economic development gains momentum

– Maria Parham Hospital restricts visitors due to Covid19

– Some court proceedings cancelled due to Covid19

For full details and audio click play.

 

SaM Child Advocacy Center

Town Talk 12/14/20: Cara Gill Of S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center

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Cara Boyd Gill, founder and director of S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center in Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center is a 24-hour, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves children who are victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse and witnesses to violent crimes in Vance and surrounding counties.

Opening its doors in 2016, the center provides a safe, child-friendly environment for children who are alleged victims of abuse and their non-offending family members to receive child forensic interviews by trained staff.

For full details and audio, click play…

Victims and their non-offending family members can receive advocacy and support services, referrals to appropriate support services within the community, crisis intervention and medical treatment referrals if needed. All services are provided at no cost to the child or their families.

Gill, who worked for Child Protective Services in Alamance County upon graduating from college, said it was her experience with child investigations and the child advocacy center in Alamance that sparked her interest in offering similar services in Vance County.

“Upon leaving Alamance County – because Henderson is my hometown, and I decided I wanted to come back home – I began talking to our local law enforcement, social services, and our District Attorney’s office to see how they handled cases of child abuse and neglect,” explained Gill. “At the time, they did not have a child advocacy center here, and they would send kids to Duke or UNC with a two or three-month wait, which is not ideal for these kids.”

Gill continued, “A child advocacy center is not a stand-alone center; I also have to have social services, law enforcement, the DA’s office, a mental health provider and a medical provider. In talking with these entities, we began brainstorming how this could happen. The result was we opened in 2016, and here we are in 2020 still expanding.”

For more information on S.a.M., please visit the center’s Facebook page by clicking here.

Local Economic Development into the New Year

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Local Economic Development will continue to be a topic of conversation and action into the new year.

From news of a new Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission director, to Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington saying on TownTalk recently that economic development was key, to Mako Medical Laboratories and their continued growth, to incentive programs, it all adds up.

Last week, the Vance County commissioners approved the second half of a grant from Duke Energy for Select Products/Select Tissue, which is coming to Vance County soon across Poplar Creek Road from Vance-Granville Community College.  The money helps Vance County match a state grant, essentially making the deal possible.

An August 5, 2020 press release from the NC Department of Commerce starts off saying, “Select Products Holdings, LLC, a manufacturer of tissue products, will invest $4 million and create 73 jobs in Vance County, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today.  The decision marks a major expansion for the company as it increases operations to meet growing demand.”

Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News, “Duke Energy previously provided the county with $50,000 from their Carolinas Investment Fund which was essential as a part of the overall package to land Select Products/Select Tissue in Vance County.  The county previously allocated the first $25,000 of that to serve as match funding to a $500,000 building reuse grant from the NC Department of Commerce for the same project.  On Monday evening (12-7-20) our board allocated the second half of those funds and approved an amendment to our local incentive agreement with Select Tissue that will allow us to disburse the additional funds to the company.”

McMillen said in the coming year the County has a lot to look forward to and be excited for.

He said, “I had a chance to visit Mako Medical here in Henderson.  They are bursting at the seams with employees.  That’s become a location where the single most number of lab tests are completed daily across the United States,” as it pertains to Covid.

McMillen said the primary concern for Select Products in coming here was whether the workforce would meet their needs.  He said the CEO of Select products indicated there had been a tremendous response for workers, with over 700 resumes submitted.  “All these interactions and hearing this input is what excites me.  It gives me validation that the County’s positive momentum is continuing forward, and that we do have a bright future here in Vance County.  This is my home.  This is where I live, and it’s an honor to serve as the County Manager,” McMillen said.

Chick-fil-A Henderson

Chick-fil-A Henderson Reopening Postponed to January

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Chick-fil-A Henderson

Chick-fil-A Henderson announced via its Facebook page that the restaurant’s reopening date has been pushed back to early January 2021. The restaurant has been closed since October 15 for remodeling. (Click here for more on the remodeling project.)

The update reads:

If you have been down Dabney Drive near our store, I’m sure you’ve noticed the progress that’s been made on our remodel. Unfortunately, it was not enough to meet our targeted reopening date. Unforeseen circumstances arose which caused a delay.

Our remodel is scheduled to be finished around New Year’s, and we are planning on reopening the first week of January.

Thank you for your patronage throughout the years and we look forward to serving you soon!

(This is not a paid advertisement)

City of Henderson Logo

Henderson’s Sanitation Schedule for Christmas, New Year’s Holiday

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-Information courtesy the City of Henderson

Henderson’s sanitation schedule for the upcoming Christmas and New Year holiday will be as follows:

Green For Life (GFL), formerly Waste Industries, will be CLOSED Friday, December 25, and will collect Friday customers on Saturday, December 26.

GFL will be CLOSED on Friday, January 1, and will collect Friday Customers on Saturday, January 2.

GFL will also send out calls to let customers know the schedule change.

Christmas Week – Recycle Week

Monday, December 21  – Monday and Tuesday Route

Tuesday, December 22– Wednesday and Thursday Route

Wednesday, December 23 – Friday Route

Thursday, December 24– Holiday No Work

Friday, December 25– Holiday No Work

GFL (Waste Industries) will be CLOSED on Friday, December 25 and will collect Friday customers on Saturday, December 26.

New Year’s Week – Non-Recycle Week (Yard Debris Only)

Monday, December 28  – Holiday No Work

Tuesday, December 29 – Monday and Tuesday Route

Wednesday, December 30 – Wednesday and Thursday Route

Thursday, December 31 – Friday Route

Friday, January 1 – Holiday No Work

New Visitor Restrictions at Maria Parham

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

New visitor restrictions at Maria Parham Health go into effect Monday, December 14, 2020.

No visitor policies will be in place.  The policies, along with what is allowed, are outlined below.

Vance County Courthouse

Chief Justice Announces Postponement of Many Court Proceedings for 30 Days

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First, the local news WIZS has learned from the Clerk of Court in Vance County, the Hon. Henry L. Gupton.  This information from Gupton replaces all other local information for Vance County you may have read or heard.  Updated 12-11-2020 at 4:45pm.

Gupton said, “After talking with our judges per notification we have received from (the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts) in Raleigh, beginning on Monday, December 14th and continuing for 30 days, all of our District Court Sessions have been cancelled.

“However, we will be conducting 96-hr, 48-hr hearings and any other statutory cases that need to be heard. All defendants will be notified in reference to a new court date. Also we have Superior Court scheduled for next week beginning on Monday. However Monday is cancelled. We are going to leave Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday open right now to determine if we will proceed with those days. We do have our Grand Jury scheduled to convene on Wednesday. That will go on as scheduled. Also, we will be holding our Small Claims Court session as scheduled.”

Second now for the wider area, a press release from the North Carolina Judicial Branch as the Chief Justice has announced postponement of many court proceedings for 30 days.

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley announced today that North Carolina Courts will postpone non-essential, in-person court proceedings for 30 days, beginning Monday, December 14.

“In light of the recent surge of new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina and in our courts, this pause is necessary to protect the health and safety of our court personnel and the public,” said Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. “Throughout the pandemic, we have moved an unprecedented amount of court work online, including hearings. Those efforts will allow us to limit in-person proceedings for the next few weeks while making sure our courts stay available to serve the public.”

In recent weeks, the number of North Carolina counties categorized as “red” or “orange” by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has more than doubled. More than 80 counties are experiencing substantial or critical community spread of COVID-19. This recent surge in COVID-19 cases, percent positivity, and hospitalizations has strained court operations. Since the onset of the pandemic, Judicial Branch officials and employees have reported 291 confirmed positive cases, and over half of North Carolina’s county courthouses have been partially or completely closed due to COVID-19. Eleven of the courthouse closures have occurred in this week alone.

Community spread of COVID-19 is expected to peak through the winter, and it is imperative that court operations remain as limited as possible through the next 30 days. Fortunately, court operations are typically reduced through the end of the calendar year even under normal conditions. With few jury trials scheduled and courts conducting many proceedings remotely, the impact on court dockets should be minimal.

“I am gravely concerned with the recent surge in positive cases, but with this new directive, I am confident that potential exposures will be significantly reduced if we work together to adhere to health and safety guidelines,” said the Chief Justice.

The Chief Justice is expected to enter an order in the coming days to renew existing Emergency Directives and implement the Emergency Directive announced today.

In addition to today’s announcement, Chief Justice Beasley called a meeting of the Judicial Branch COVID-19 Task Force to discuss emergency directives and policy changes related to the COVID-19 health emergency. The Task Force will meet from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. on December 15, 2020. The media and the public are invited to attend the online meeting via Webex.

To view a list of previous orders from the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court of North Carolina, please visit the continuously updated Coronavirus (COVID-19) announcement page. The public is encouraged to visit NCcourts.gov to find answers to frequently asked questions before calling the local courthouse.  Announcements from local counties about changes to court operations can be found on the county page as well as the closings and advisories page. The public may also visit the Judicial Branch Facebook page and Twitter account to access information related to the coronavirus health concern.

NCHSAA

NCHSAA Conference Realignment Draft Unprecedented

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The first NCHSAA conference realignment draft features an unprecedented number of division splits.

WIZS SportsTalk hosts Trey Snide and Ron Noel covered the first draft of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association conference realignment Thursday, Dec 10th at 1pm.

You can listen back by clicking play here…

And be sure to listen to the show live M-F at one o’clock.

Before discussing the realignment, George Marshall, athletic director and head men’s basketball coach at Henderson Collegiate, appeared on the show.  He said the basketball practices have gone well and players are following all safety protocols.  As you know, he said, “In all practices and games, students are required to wear masks.”

Marshall said the team was trying to get back to levels attained last year.  He said the senior class last year was huge in that they were the school’s second graduating class and in what they meant to the younger players.

As for the class of 2021, Marshall said, “(The) class has taken some big steps with leadership, and we feel really confident about the juniors as well.”

With an unprecedented number of split conferences in the first NCHSAA draft of conference realignment, Henderson Collegiate and Vance Charter find themselves in conference 11 which also includes Eno River, Oxford Prep, Roxboro Community and Voyager Academy.

Most conferences are finding their member institutions to be close by, when it comes to driving distances.

Vance County is in conference 17 with Bunn, Louisburg, Nash Central, Franklinton (3A), Northern Nash (3A), Rocky Mount (3A) and Southern Nash (3A).

As for Granville County Schools, they’re in conference 18 which features Granville Central, South Granville, J.F. Webb, Bartlett Yancey, Durham School of the Arts (3A), Person (3A) and Southern Durham (3A)

Warren County will be more to the east, in conference 9 which also includes KIPP Pride, Northampton County, NW Halifax, Rocky Mount Prep, SE Halifax and Weldon.

Schools have until January 8th to request changes, and a second draft will come out mid-January for the NCHSAA.

For a list of all conferences, click here.