Warren County, North Carolina- Warren County was recently awarded a $115,000 Industrial Development Fund (Utility Account) grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce to assist in extending water in support of activities by Warren County business, Heritage Mulch. The extension of the county-owned waterline from US Hwy 1 down Collins Road to the work site will allow the company to expand its mulch coloring operations and bring on six new, full-time employees.
In the award letter to the county, Assistant Secretary Kenny Flowers stated, “Everyone involved in the development of this project is to be congratulated. We commend Warren County for its economic development efforts.”
“Our industrial zoned district just three miles from I-85 has great potential and is serving our existing businesses in that area well,” said Vice-Chairman Commissioner Victor Hunt of District 3, who also serves on the Warren County Economic Development Commission Board. “This investment assistance from the state in infrastructure development will result in an existing industry’s expansion, which we know to be just as valuable to our economy as recruiting new businesses.”
The project is scheduled to go to bid in April of 2021; construction is scheduled to start in late summer of 2021.
“Warren County is appreciative of the commitment Heritage Mulch has shown to doing business in our county,” said Charla Duncan, Economic Development Director. “Pursuing an Industrial Development Fund award for the waterline extension, in an effort to see a business expand and jobs created, is indicative of the interest local leaders have for development in Warren County, and a reassurance that local and state agencies want to partner with businesses that are willing to invest in rural NC.”
The $115,000 award is a non-matching grant. A resolution of support was passed by the Board of Commissioners in October 2018 when the project was first introduced, committing matching funds if needed.
“Interim EDC Director, Ms. Duncan, should be commended for her efforts in turning this project around and bringing it to completion,” stated County Manager Vincent Jones. “Supporting a local business that is investing in the County and creating potential job opportunities for Warren County residents is exactly the kind of economic development we need.”
For more information, contact the Warren County Economic Development office at 252-257-3114 or by emailing Charla Duncan at charladuncan@warrencountync.gov.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/warren-county-nc.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-11 23:20:542021-01-11 23:48:22Warren County Receives $115,000 for Waterline Extension to Manson Business
Long-time high school basketball coach and Vance County native Wilton Baskett died Saturday. He was 62.
Baskett retired in March 2020 after 37 years of coaching and teaching, much of that time with Vance County Schools. Baskett was head basketball coach at Northern Vance High School and won his 400th game with the Vance County Vipers last season.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2021 at Jones Chapel Baptist Church in Norlina. A viewing will be from noon to 4 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2021 in the chapel of Davis-Royster Funeral Home in Henderson. He was born in Vance County to Almorine Brandon and the late Nathaniel Baskett. Survivors, in addition to his mother, are children Wilton E. Baskett II and Amy L. Baskett and their mother, Linda R. Perry.
Friends and colleagues remembered Baskett during Monday’s Town Talk. He was a friend and mentor to many throughout his 30-plus years of coaching, including Joseph Sharrow and Chad Wilson, current athletic director and men’s basketball coach, respectively, of Vance County High School. Baskett’s son, Wilton E. Baskett II, joined the program and said his father loved the game of basketball. Just as importantly, he loved that the game could expose young people to much more beyond high school, from playing college ball to being a successful adult.
L-R Wil, Amy, Coach. Family, a father’s day meal at a nearby restaurant. Selfie photo by Amy Baskett
Wilson told Baskett’s son that he would work to carry on Coach Baskett’s legacy on and off the court. “Your dad was way more than just a coach to me,” Wilson said to the younger Baskett. Wilson was a player for Coach Baskett at Northern Vance High School, and said that he was a positive male figure in his life when he needed one. “It’s just been a wonderful blessing on my life,” Wilson said, to have worked with Coach Baskett. “More than anything,” Wilson continued, “for putting faith in me. Wilson graduated from Northern Vance and went on to play at Louisburg College and Livingstone College. Wilson credits Coach Baskett for giving him the confidence to go beyond high school and then to come back to become a coach himself.
Wilson took over as head coach of the Vipers following Baskett’s retirement. He coached at Vance-Granville Community College for three years before returning to his high school alma mater to be a varsity assistant and coach of the JV team.
Now athletic director for Vance County High School, Joseph Sharrow was athletic director for Baskett’s cross-town rival Southern Vance. “I have nothing but respect…for Wilton Baskett and his wonderful family,” Sharrow said. To be able to remember him “as a friend and former colleague is an honor.”
Sharrow recalled when the two high schools played each other in the 2018 conference final. “He must have gotten them in the gym over Christmas because “they went on a tear in January,” Sharrow said of that Northern Vance team. “Little did we know it would be the last time the two schools would play” each other, he said. The following year the two schools were consolidated to create Vance County High School. Sharrow became athletic director and Baskett the men’s basketball coach, a relationship they shared for two years before Baskett retired.
Baskett’s 400th win came as coach of the Vance County Vipers. When he retired in March, he had accumulated 402 wins. Win 400 came in a matchup with East Chapel Hill High School on Feb. 4, 2020.
More story below. Click Play for TownTalk Tribute to Coach Baskett.
Sharrow last spoke with Baskett in November and said his friend and colleague seemed to be enjoying retirement. “It was great to be able to talk with him,” he added. The somewhat unusual relationship between Baskett and Sharrow – first as opponents of inter-county rivals, then as colleagues working together to bring the two schools’ programs together under a single county high school – made for a winning combination. The Vipers won a conference championship in their first year, Sharrow said. Add to that the 400-victory milestone also was great, but Sharrow was quick to add that Baskett wasn’t looking for individual attention. “He (coached) because he loved the kids. He knew he had a gift for making a difference in people’s lives and I think that just says a lot about Coach Baskett.” For everybody else, achieving that 400th win was an enormous milestone, Sharrow continued. “For him, it was just another day at the job. That was the kind of guy he was.”
David Hicks was athletic director at Northern Vance during the time that Baskett was head coach. Wilton had a system for basketball,” Hicks recalled during an interview on Monday. “He had a knack for being able to get guys to buy in to what he wanted to do,” he added. “He was demanding of his players and students in a good way.”
Greg Ackles coached the Southern Vance team that faced Baskett’s squad in that conference final in 2018. Now the coach at Wake Forest High School, Ackles spoke with Trey Snide on Monday’s Sports Talk. Asked about a favorite memory of Coach Baskett, Ackles said: “The best thing was also the most frustrating thing, and that was coaching against him.” As a coach, you have to believe what you do is going to work, he added, saying that Coach Baskett stuck to his philosophy of running a few plays but running them well. To this day, Ackles said that Northern-Southern matchup to claim the conference title is still the best game he’s been a part of as a coach.
More story below. Click Play for SportsTalk Tribute to Coach Baskett.
Was his father tough? “He could see more in you than sometimes you saw in yourself,” Baskett said of his father. “His goal was to bring the best out in you because he saw the best in people. He saw your potential and I think tough meant that you still had work to do…tough was if he expected something out of you or if he expects you to be able to do something. He was tough on you because he knew you were capable…he wanted you to believe in yourself.”
But for all his toughness, Coach Baskett did a lot off the court to help his players continue to play after high school. He helped prepare highlight reels and more, Hicks said.
One “extra” that Baskett did was take a group of young men to Catawba College every summer for basketball camp, Hicks said. “He had kids falling out of the ceiling wanting to go to camp…He would have open gym for try outs and you couldn’t get in. There would be 75 guys in there on all six courts.”
The “Wilton System” paid off over the years. Baskett’s teams won five regular season conference titles, six conference tournament championships. He received conference Coach of the Year honors three times, the most recent being 2018, the year his Northern Vance High Vikings topped rival Southern Vance.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/wilton-baskett_amy_wil.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-11 20:25:372021-01-11 20:26:13Tribute to Coach Wilton Baskett; Friend, Mentor, Father Figure
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COOP.png265504Charlenehttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngCharlene2021-01-11 17:47:242021-01-11 17:47:24Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 01-11-21 – Small Orchards
Granville County Board of Commissioners Chair Sue Hinman is part of a statewide task force established to look at ways to reduce food insecurity in North Carolina. The “Resilience Initiative” was formed to help counties find solutions to the challenges brought on by food insecurity among the state’s residents.
Hinman sees first-hand the effects food insecurity has on Granville County residents. She is the director of Area Congregations in Ministry (ACIM), a food bank located in Oxford. “We have seen a huge increase in the number of people we serve at ACIM since COVID-19,” Hinman said. “So many new faces, either people who have lost jobs completely or lost a job and had to take lower paying jobs” to provide for their families.
The initiative seeks to ensure that the food “ecosystem” across the state is strong. It is a project of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. Hinman said the task force will help bring attention to the real challenges around food insecurity to county commissioners across North Carolina. As a member and co-chair, Hinman said she hopes to raise awareness while increasing accessibility to high-quality, affordable food by anyone who may face food insecurity.
The task force was formed in response to an expected increase in the food insecurity rate, which is predicted to rise from 14 to 19.3 percent. Lost wages and job loss due to COVID-19 have negatively impacted the affordability of basic needs such as food and housing, creating a national and statewide crisis. In North Carolina, the average food insecurity rate is 14 percent, well above the national average of 10 percent, according to information from the Granville County government.
Her experience working with the local food bank was what led to her appointment, Hinman said, adding that she hopes to “find other resources out there and to learn what other people are doing” to combat food insecurity. “I also want to share with other people what we are doing at ACIM, because we’re doing a pretty good job right now,” she said.
The task force has had two virtual meetings so far, and Hinman said the group represents a good cross-section of the state. “Some of the other members have worked with food banks before, and others have not,” she said. So far, they have heard from NC Food Bank representatives and learned about different types of federally funded programs that provide emergency food assistance.
There are a dozen additional appointees from Wake, Randolph, Robeson, Tyrrell, Pitt, Bertie, Nash, Henderson, Wilkes, McDowell, Watauga and Brunswick counties. She was appointed by NCACC President Ronnie Smith. Hinman shares co-chair duties with Wake County Commissioner James West.
The task force will meet through August of 2021 to hear from experts, discuss potential partnerships and share experiences. The recommendations made by this group will serve as a road map for counties to implement plans and adopt solutions that will better meet local and regional needs.
“I am proud to have been selected to help lead this initiative, which I am so passionate about,” Hinman said of her appointment. “I look forward to sharing ideas and partnering with other counties to ensure that we address this serious issue that impacts so many, and on so many levels.”
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/sue-hinman-010821.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-08 21:09:582021-01-08 21:26:04Granville Board Chair Sue Hinman Appointed to Statewide Task Force to Reduce Food Insecurity
The Davis Chapel Park in Henderson is the place to be on January 18 – that’s where members of the professional men’s basketball team the Raleigh Firebirds will come to town to host a 3v3 basketball tournament. The event is from noon to 2 p.m.
Firebirds owner Wade Harris told WIZS host Trey Snide and guest Brandon White during a recent WIZS SportsTalk program that his team is partnering with Davis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church to put on the event. There is no cost to sign up; visit the team’s website Raleighfirebirds.net for more information, or text or phone 919.830.0305 to learn how to enter the tournament. Winners will get 4 season tickets to the Firebirds home games.
“The Firebirds are really all about community service, engaging in the community and finding ways that we can support our youth,” Harris said. “We figured the 3-on-3 tournament would be a nice way to not only introduce the Firebirds to the community, but also to introduce the community to the game of basketball,” he said.
Click Play to Listen to Wade Harris on WIZS SportsTalk…
Although the fan base and sponsorships are in and around Wake County at the moment, Harris said the Firebirds are “here to provide opportunities for young men still chasing that dream of being a professional basketball player. This is really a platform for them to be able to do that, as well as to develop certain aspects of their games, so that they can expand and grow,” he added.
Spectators will probably get a chance to see some of the Firebirds put on an exhibition as well, Harris said.
The Davis Chapel Park, located at the corner of Chestnut and Rock Spring streets, was chosen as the site of this event for a couple of reasons. The church has adopted the park and Harris spoke with the son of the pastor there. “(The park) is a great setting for a tournament like this,” Harris said. “We want to bring even more life to the park itself,” he said, “and if there are some things that we can do to uplift that park and to uplift the people that go and frequent that area, then we want to do that,” he continued.
“Everything happens for a reason…Martin Luther King Day is certainly a good day for us to celebrate in general, but it’s a great day for us to bring the 3-on-3 game to Henderson, North Carolina,” Harris said. Originally set as a New Year’s Eve celebration, the threat of inclement weather forced organizers to reschedule the event.
“It’s a way to bring the community together and identify some needs… and to see how we might be able to support in addressing those needs,“ Harris said.
PUBLIC NOTICE Henderson City Council Scheduled Regular Meeting
Monday, 11 January 2021
6:00 PM
City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave., Henderson, NC 27536
Due to COVID-19 health mandates issued by Governor Cooper, the number of citizens allowed into Council Chambers is limited. However, members of the community are strongly encouraged to provide questions/comments for Council in writing as follows and to listen via Zoom:
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0067_hendersonlogo.png.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-08 20:13:322021-01-08 20:53:16Henderson City Council Regular Meeting Monday, January 11
Below you will find the information for the Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting being held Tuesday, January 12th, via Zoom. Please follow the instructions for registering for the meeting.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Oxford-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-08 19:55:502021-01-08 20:53:31City of Oxford Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Tuesday, January 12
The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular Board meeting on Monday, January 11, 2021 at 6:00pm at the Mary Potter Center of Education, 200 Taylor Street, Oxford, NC 27565. Members of the public are invited to view livestream. To join the livestream meeting, please use the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.
The Board will also meet in Closed Session in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11.
Public comments for this meeting will be accepted in writing by using the link below. Comments entered into this form between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on January 11, 2021, will be distributed to the Board of Education members and the first two minutes of each comment will be read aloud during the meeting. A maximum of 30 minutes in total will be allotted for public comment. https://tinyurl.com/y37evl6z
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Granville-County-Public-Schools.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-08 19:45:212021-01-08 20:53:49Granville County Board of Education Regular Board Meeting Monday, January 11
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. recognizes the service of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, which is being observed Saturday, January 9, 2021. On this date, communities across the country will show their appreciation and support for law enforcement agencies and their personnel in various ways.
“I ask every citizen of the Eastern District to join me in recognizing the tremendous service and sacrifices that our law enforcement officers have made this past year and make every day,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. “Together, with our ongoing partnerships, commitment, and dedication, we will continue to work together to ensure that our citizens, here in the Eastern District of North Carolina, are safe and secure.”
As part of this national day of recognition, citizens across the country are encouraged to share their expressions of gratitude and support for local law enforcement agencies, officers, and public safety personnel within their respective communities. Likewise, citizens and officers alike are encouraged to share their positive experiences and collaborations with each other.
The Eastern District of North Carolina serves the 44 easternmost counties of North Carolina.
###
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0121_United-States-Attorneys-WIZS.jpg.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2021-01-08 19:21:352021-01-08 20:53:59U.S. ATTORNEY RECOGNIZES LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY
