Vance County NC

Vance County Getting New Voting Machines

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of new voting machines at its March 1 meeting, and County Manager Jordan McMillen said local election officials are already making plans to have new machines in place for the fall 2021 elections.

McMillen recommended purchase of the new DS200 machines at a cost of $263,064. The county would be responsible for close to $150,000 of the total cost, he stated, which will come from the county’s fund balance. A $21,800 trade-in allowance, $30,461 from the City of Henderson (the city funds 17 percent of elections expenses) and $83,876 from HAVA (Help America Vote Act) offset the overall cost by more than $136,000. The HAVA funds must be spent by June 30. On top of those offsets, McMillen said he expected to be able to save about $25,000 in equipment maintenance once the new machines are installed.

McMillen told WIZS News that elections officials have begun the process of evaluating replacement voting machines.

The current M100 machines have outlived their 10-year life expectancy by four years, according to McMillen. In the 2020 election, he said, the machines had “challenges with sensors, batteries and tabulators.”

Christian Lockamy

TownTalk 03-08-21; New EDC director “impressed” with Vance

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Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission Director Christian Lockamy has been on the job for less than two months, but he said in that short period of time he sees “a strong economic development program…with a tremendous amount of potential” for good things to come.

Since his Jan. 19, 2021 start date, Lockamy said he’s been “very impressed” with people he’s met and things he’s seen, adding that the focus is on the right areas to support economic development.” He spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk and said he looks forward to what the future holds for the area.

He noted that industries looking for areas to establish or relocate often are attracted by what’s already in place. “Industry reps are not pioneers,” he said. They don’t want to go and be, in a lot of cases, the first person in an industrial park,” he said. “They like to locate where other industrial companies” are already located.

With the addition of such businesses like Raleigh-based Mako Medical Laboratories, Lockamy said the Henderson area is poised to continue to attract more industry. “They’re looking for a place to go and conduct their business” and educational institutions nearby to fill out their workforce. “If we do what we’re supposed to be doing, for economic development and really go after sites and buildings…we’ll be able to land more companies,” he explained.

Lockamy worked for 2 ½ years in the Elizabeth City/Pasquotank Economic Development Commission before coming to Henderson, and he said he is proud of the work there to develop the Tanglewood  industrial site project by building upon proximity to rail and interstate infrastructure, as well as creating a public-private partnership to further the project.

“Shovel-ready” sites and buildings are the key to attracting new business and industry to an area, he said.  “Those are the types of things that change a community forever.”

During his time in Elizabeth City, he helped create a strategic plan, led efforts to launch a new economic development website and was instrumental in securing a large industrial site and certifying two industrial parks, according to information released when his hiring in Vance County was announced.

Experience using GIS (geographic information systems) comes in handy, too, Lockamy explained, when it comes to helping counties land new businesses and industry. The GIS provides data that can help identify sites for future economic development.

For complete details and audio click play.

His time working with GIS for the city of Greenville gave him the chance to help city planners and decision makers, understand and make necessary changes to ordinances – all based on objective data from GIS. “It became instrumental when I got into economic development,” he said of GIS, and he began using GIS and research skills to understand the economic development climate, he added. GIS data can be used to analyze the demographics within a certain radius of a prospective site where a business may be looking to locate.

Besides attracting new industry, Lockamy said he looks forward to working with a new downtown director – once that person is in place. “I believe we have a lot of potential downtown,” he said, adding that Garnett Street has many old buildings that can be brought back to life. He said his experience working in Greenville with various mixed-use development projects as an asset he can use to provide support for the downtown development director. “I can work with them and provide support for them, not only with expertise but also in-kind services as well,” Lockamy said.  “It’s great working together with those types of relationships,” he said. “Anything I can do to help I certainly will.”

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 03/08/21 – Ornamentals

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 2 PM Monday – Thursday.

VGCC Logo

“The Local Skinny!” March 8; VGCC Celebrates Women’s History Month

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March is Women’s History Month and Vance-Granville Community College has put together a series of programs and resources that are just a click of the mouse away for anyone who would like to participate and learn more.

Natasha Thompson, a history instructor at VGCC, spoke with John C. Rose Monday – International Women’s Day – on The Local Skinny about the various virtual events that will take place in March to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of women.

The theme “No Limits, No Obstacles, No Ceilings: Fighting for a Future of Limitless Potential” is adapted from a speech delivered by then-President Barack Obama in honor of Women’s History Month, Thompson said.

The virtual sessions begin at noon on Mar. 11, Mar. 18 and Mar. 24 and are open to the public; it is not necessary to be a VGCC student, she added. The programs promote women’s history, as well as current conditions and how women can move into the future, she noted.

The Mar. 11 topic is how to stay healthy while maintaining a busy lifestyle. An agent with Warren County Cooperative Extension will lead this program. A panel discussion is scheduled for Mar. 18 and will include VGCC faculty, staff and other community leaders. The panel will discuss historical factors that have limited women in the past, as well as “big-picture” changes and ways current and future VGCC students can work to continue to overcome barriers, Thompson said.

The final topic on Mar. 24 is titled “Minority Women’s Guide to Financial Confidence.” Faith Bynum, a certified public accountant in Raleigh, will lead this workshop on overcoming financial stigmas for minority women.

Visit vgcc.edu to find the links to register for the virtual workshops. Also on the website is a LibGuide, a compilation of additional online events, books and other resources to learn more about Women’s History Month.

(Audio with Natasha Thompson begins at the 8:30 mark of the file)

Local News Audio

WIZS Local News 3-08-21 Noon

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WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM

Click Play for today’s Local News Audio.

PRESENTED IN PART BY OUR SPONSOR DRAKE DENTISTRY

Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.

“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.

“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

 

H-V Emergency Operations

Severe Weather Preparedness Week 2021

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— press release from Brian Short, director Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations

With pandemic lock downs and a cold, wet winter, most of us are looking forward to spring and warmer weather. However, with spring comes the threat of severe thunderstorms with potential lightning, tornadoes and flash flooding – all of which can develop so rapidly that an advance warning may be impossible.

A great activity to take on while still indoors awaiting the arrival of spring is to get prepared by updating your family emergency plan and supply kit so you are ready should severe weather strike.

To encourage planning and preparation for severe weather, March 7-13, 2021 is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in North Carolina and serves as a reminder to all, the importance of planning for unexpected thunderstorms and tornadoes that could impact our state.

Government agencies, businesses and schools are encouraged participate in the annual statewide tornado drill Wednesday, March 10th, at 9:30 a.m. While exercising social distancing and mask wearing we encourage everyone to practice their severe weather safety plan and seek shelter on the lowest floor of your building and away from windows. Practicing now will allow you to respond quickly when severe weather heads your way.

All residents should take this opportunity to practice what to do in the event that a severe thunderstorm or tornado takes place. Tornadoes and flash floods can develop at a moment’s notice; take time now to prepare and keep you and your loved ones safe.

Keep your home a safe haven this severe weather season and use the following safety tips:

Make Preparation a Priority

When it comes to severe weather, preparation is critical. The ability to recognize threatening conditions, develop a plan and act could help save your life. Thunderstorms include a variety of weather conditions such as tornadoes, straight-line winds, flash floods and hail; this assortment proves the importance of being ready for anything, anytime, anywhere.

North Carolina experiences on average 40 to 50 thunderstorm days per year, but about 10 percent are severe – producing hail at least an inch in diameter, winds of 58 mph or produces a tornado. Lightning is also a danger linked with severe storms and it can strike as far as 10 miles away from the rain area in a thunderstorm. If the sky looks threatening, residents should take shelter immediately and remember, if thunder roars, go indoors! Tornadoes form from powerful thunderstorms and appear as funnel-shaped clouds that reach from a thunderstorm to the ground with winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Although thunderstorms affect a smaller area than a hurricane or winter storm, if a tornado is produced, damage paths could be more than one-mile-wide and 50 miles long.

Safety Tips

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the National Weather Service have teamed to encourage residents to plan and prepare. Due to the variety of severe weather that can take place during spring season, emergency officials recommend the following safety tips:

  • Develop a family emergency plan so each member knows what to do, where to go and who to call during an emergency.
  • Know where the nearest safe room is, such as a basement or interior room away from windows.
  • Know the terms: WATCH means severe weather is possible. WARNING means severe weather is occurring; take shelter immediately.
  • Assemble an emergency supply kit for use at home or in your vehicle. Make sure to include a 3-day supply of non-perishable food and bottled water.
  • If driving, leave your vehicle immediately to seek shelter in a safe structure. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your vehicle and do not stop under an overpass or bridge.
  • If there is no shelter available, take cover in a low-lying flat area.

Make sure you know where to go when disaster strikes.

  • Home – Go to the basement, under stairs or in a bathroom or closet.
  • Work – Go to the basement, if available. If not, stairwells, bathrooms and closets are options too.
  • School – Seek shelter in inside hallways, small closets and bathrooms. Do not retreat to mobile classrooms, gymnasiums, auditoriums and other rooms with a large expanse of roof. Bus drivers should be alert for bad weather on their routes.
  • Outside – Find the closest sturdy shelter or seek shelter in a ditch or low-lying area, and cover your head with your hands. DO NOT get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Watch out for flying debris.
  • In a car – Do not try to outrun a tornado in a car. Pull over, and seek shelter in a building.

Find more information on tornadoes, severe storms and emergency preparedness by visiting the ReadyNC website, www.ReadyNC.org.

Vance County, take time now to prepare; it could make all the difference.

Click this link and print the Family Emergency Plan – https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/FamEmePlan_2012.pdf

Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Baseball, Softball, T-Ball 2021 Interest Meeting

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— submitted by Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Program Superintendent

Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks will be having  a Zoom interest meeting to discuss the possibility of playing Baseball /Softball/T-Ball this Spring. The meeting will be at 7:00PM on Thursday, March 11, 2021 via Zoom. We will discuss safety precautions, practice and game  scheduling.   Anyone that is interested in coaching/volunteering, parents of returning players or potential players are encouraged to attend. If you have questions/concerns you would like addressed during the meeting,  please email them to dpitt@ci.henderson.nc.us by 3:00pm on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/91794198718?pwd=QnpTWUUvajNyWDVRdzhOUmxyRHhCZz09

Meeting ID: 917 9419 8718

Passcode: 354528

Virtual Hiring Event Tuesday, March 9th at 11 a.m.

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Virtual hiring events are becoming a thing.

Desiree Brooks, business services manager of the Workforce Development Board of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments told WIZS News about another virtual hiring event for Hollander Sleep Products.

It will take place Tuesday, March 9th at 11:00 am.

Brooks said in an email, “They still have job openings for scanners, cycle counters, and forklift operators.”

Register anytime at events.kerrtarworks.com.

(This is not a paid ad.)

Public meeting set to discuss Tar Pamlico Basin flooding

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a three-year feasibility study on the Tar Pamlico River Basin with a series of public involvement meetings to gather community input. The first of six events will take place virtually for the Franklin County/Louisburg area on Mar. 22, 2021, according to information from Franklin County Cooperative Extension Director Charles Mitchell.

Each of the meetings will consist of a 30-minute presentation followed by a question-and-answer session, according to a written statement from the Corps’ Pittsburgh district. The meetings are organized by geographic region and will be held from Mar. 22-31. More information about the study and how to access the meetings can be found on the district’s website: www.lrp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Programs-Project-Management/Tar-Pamlico-Feasibility-Study/.

The Corps’ Pittsburgh district, in collaboration with N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, is doing the study to develop flood risk-management alternatives for the river basin. The $3 million study began in April 2020.

Each meeting is 1.5 hours from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Access the WebEx platform at https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=m00ce03770c09508b30d3a7d9f851d5d5, To join by phone, attendees can call 1-844-800-2712 and use the access code 199-053-6905.

The study is being made in conjunction with federal disaster funding that North Carolina received following recent hurricanes, namely Hurricane Florence in 2019 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

The study, scheduled to be completed in April 2023, will produce recommendations to reduce flood risks and damage caused by flooding – from structures like floodwalls and levees to natural and nature-based measures like wetland and floodplain storage.

In response to recent flooding that occurred as a result of Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2019), North Carolina received funding through the 2019 Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief (H.R. 2157) for a feasibility study to assess and recommend actions that reduce flood risk and increase resiliency within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin.

The Tar River Basin begins in the piedmont of North Carolina and extends 215 miles southeast through the Coastal Plan and flows to the Pamlico Sound estuary.  The basin covers about 6,100 square miles.  The study encompasses all or part of 13 counties, including Franklin County. In addition to Louisburg, the study focuses on the other five major population centers in the basin:  Rocky Mount, Greenville, Tarboro, Princeville and Washington, NC. Although much of Washington is situated downstream, it also is affected by river flooding.

Many communities within the basin have experienced major recurring flood events over the past 25 years associated with Hurricanes Fran (1996), Floyd (1999), Matthew (2016)—each of which ranking among the most destructive storms in state history and representing among the top four floods of record for major population centers within the basin.  Recurring flooding within the basin results in considerable economic damages to homes, businesses, industry, and public infrastructure.  For example, Hurricane Matthew is estimated to have caused over $110M in damage to residential, non-residential, and public structures.  Inundation of structures and roadways (i.e., reduced access to critical services and recovery aid, inundation of occupied vehicles) also results in increased life safety risks both during and following flood events.

The public can submit comments via email to lrp.plan.enviro@usace.army.mil or through the electronic comment form at www.lrp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning-Programs-Project-Management/Tar-Pamlico-Feasibility-Study/. Comments can also be submitted by mail to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District Planning and Environmental Branch, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Comments must be submitted or postmarked no later than April 23.

(Credit for the graphic to Planning & Environmental Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District)

Coach's Corner Logo

SportsTalk 03-05-21 Scotty Richardson, Andreas Prince and Player of the Week

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“He’s really been the heart and soul of the team,” Crossroads Christian Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach Scotty Richardson said of Andreas Prince when both appeared on Sports Talk on Friday. Prince is the first player from the school to be named to receive 1A All State honors.  The school, which has only had a basketball program for four years, has made it to the Elite Eight the last two seasons.  Prince was part of the reason for the team’s success. In addition to the All State honors, Prince was named to the All Tournament and All Conference teams. He averaged 21 points over the season. “It’s definitely a great honor. It means a lot to me and my family,” Prince said.  Prince singled out Coach Richardson as making an impact on him both on and off the court.

Richardson said at the end of last season graduating players cost his team 65 points, the average of what the graduation players scored per game last season. And despite the season being interrupted by Covid 19 and having only three weeks of practice, the team was still strong this season. This year Crossroads Christian will lose three seniors to graduation. Richardson said, “The cupboard is not bare,” since the team will return four starters next season.

In the second half of SportsTalk, two county athletes received Player of the Week Honors. Alyssa Bullock, a 7th Grade basketball player at Vance Charter School, is averaging 20 points per game. Additionally, Bullock is averaging four steals, four rebounds and 5 assists per game and put up 27 points in this week’s contest with East Wake.

The second player of the week is Tyron Lyons of the Vance Co. Vipers.  In last week’s 42-6 loss to Chapel Hill, Lyons contributed one solo tackle and three assists.

Player of the Week honors are announced every Friday on the Coach’s Corner segment of SportsTalk with Trey Snide.

For full details and complete audio click play.