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Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.
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“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.
Press Release courtesy Sheriff Curtis Brame —
On February 10, 2021, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team executed a search warrant at 385 Julian Smith Road Lot 3, Henderson, North Carolina 27537.
Arrested at the scene were Tevin Lee Daye, Age 28 and Janeika Shadia Speed, Age 24, for Possession With Intent to Manufacture Sell and Deliver Heroin, Possession With Intent to Manufacture Sell and Deliver Cocaine and Possession With Intent to Manufacture Sell and Deliver Marijuana.
Daye’s bond was set at $90,000.00 and Speed’s bond was set at $75,000.00. They are scheduled to appear in Vance County District Court on March 15, 2021.
This investigation is continuing.
Press Release –
A Henderson man was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
According to court documents and other evidence, Jerome Cozart, 31, engaged in a shootout with another individual at a convenience store on East Andrews Avenue in Henderson. Video surveillance shows the two men in a verbal altercation, when Cozart retrieves a handgun and shoots toward the other man who returned fire. A Henderson Police Department officer was nearby on routine patrol and immediately responded to the scene, placing Cozart into custody. No one was injured.
Cozart had prior convictions for Common Law Robbery, Breaking or Entering and Terrorizing or Injuring, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Henderson Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-293-M.
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Press Release –
A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week, charging a Cameron man with Bribery, Conspiracy to Introduce Contraband into a Prison, and Introducing Contraband.
“Contraband in prisons is one of the greatest threats to both inmates and correctional officers,” stated Acting United States Attorney G. Norman Acker, III. “This indictment seeks to hold a correctional officer who allegedly violated the trust of his peers by conspiring with inmates to introduce contraband to the prison. My office will always prosecute those who endanger lives and disrupt the good order and discipline within our correctional institutions.”
“When correctional officers smuggle contraband into prisons, they jeopardize the safety of the very institutions they are charged with protecting. The OIG is committed to investigating this type of behavior,” said Russell Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office.
According to the indictment, Casey Covington, 45, a correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, conspired with three inmates to smuggle cell phones into the prison. Covington is also accused of accepting bribes in exchange for smuggling in the cell phones and other contraband, including marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol.
According to the indictment, inmates Christopher Lee Davis, 36, Antonio Demond Byers, 40, and Robert Henry Huitt, 32, were also each charged with conspiring with Covington and possessing cell phones in prison.
If convicted, Covington faces 15 years in prison, and Davis, Byers, and Huitt each face up to 1 year in prison.
G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Each Wednesday “The Local Skinny!” is the Home and Garden Show, which features co-hosts Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie of the Vance County Cooperative Extension service.
Vance County COOP agents and staff can be reached throughout the week locally at 438-8188.
As you will hear in today’s podcast below, listener calls at 492-5594 with questions or comments pertaining to your home and garden are more than welcome.
Listen each Wednesday throughout the year at 11:30 a.m.
For today’s TownTalk Audio Click Play.
WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM
“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.
“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.
Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.
(IRS Press Release mentioned at the end of TownTalk)
WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service reminds first-time filers and those who usually don’t have a federal filing requirement to consider filing a 2020 tax return. They may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, a new refundable credit, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the COVID-related Tax Relief Act.
Most individuals eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit have already received the full amount in two rounds of payments, known as Economic Impact Payments. All legally permitted first and second Economic Impact Payments have been issued.
Individuals who were eligible but did not receive the first or second Economic Impact Payment or received less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 federal tax return, even if they do not usually file a tax return. The IRS offers free options to prepare and file a return.
Taxpayers who received the full amounts of both Economic Impact Payments won’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit or include any information about the payments on their 2020 tax return because the IRS already issued their Recovery Rebate Credit in advance as Economic Impact Payments.
People who didn’t get an Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return, even if they don’t usually file.
The first Economic Impact Payment was based on an individual’s 2019 tax year information or 2018 if the 2019 tax return information was not available. The second Economic Impact Payment was based on an individual’s 2019 tax year information. The Recovery Rebate Credit is similar except that the eligibility and the amount are based on 2020 information on the tax return. The Recovery Rebate Credit is reduced by any Economic Impact Payments issued.
People who were not eligible for either or both of the Economic Impact Payments may still be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit since it’s based on their 2020 tax return information. Those with lower income in 2020 or who were claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return in 2018 or 2019, but who cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return in 2020, may now be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit.
People eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit based on their 2020 tax information must file a 2020 federal tax return. For more information about the Recovery Rebate Credit, see Frequently Asked Questions at IRS.gov.
To avoid refund delays, file a complete and accurate tax return. The best way to file a complete and accurate 2020 tax return is to file electronically. The tax software will ask questions about income, credits and deductions and help taxpayers figure their Recovery Rebate Credit. The Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR instructions includes a worksheet that can also help.
Individuals will need to know the amount of their Economic Impact Payments to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. Those who don’t have their Economic Impact Payment notices can view the amounts of their first and second Economic Impact Payments through their individual online account. For married filing joint individuals, each spouse will need to log into his or her own account.
The Recovery Rebate Credit will be included in any tax refund. It will not be issued separately. For those due a refund (which would include the Recovery Rebate Credit), combining electronic filing with direct deposit is the safest and fastest way to get their refund.
Taxpayers with incomes of $72,000 or less, an use brand-name software to prepare and file their federal tax returns electronically for free with IRS Free File. IRS Free File is a great option for people who are only filing a tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. Free File Fillable Forms is the only IRS Free File option available for most taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is greater than $72,000.
Taxpayers who have no taxable income but are filing a return to receive the Recovery Rebate Credit should look for several of the Free File products that have no minimum income for eligibility. Simply go to IRS.gov/Free File, select “Choose an IRS Free File Offer” and then select “Browse All Offers” to find a Free File product with no minimum income as part of its offer.
MilTax, Military OneSource’s tax service, provides online software for eligible individuals to electronically file a federal return and up to three state returns for free.
First-time filers and those who usually don’t have a filing requirement may also qualify for free assistance from IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs in their community. These programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.
In addition to VITA, the TCE program offers free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors.
This year, some VITA/TCE sites are not operating at full capacity and others are not opening. Check the VITA/TCE locator tool to search for nearby available sites.
IRS.gov has online resources to answer tax questions immediately. The Interactive Tax Assistant is a tool that provides answers to several tax-law questions specific to a taxpayer’s individual circumstances.
Visit IRS.gov/filing for details about IRS Free File, Free File Fillable Forms, free VITA or TCE tax preparation sites in the local community or finding a trusted tax professional.
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.
— NCDHHS Press Release —
North Carolina has another tested, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to protect against virus-related hospitalization and death. The federal government authorized the distribution of Johnson & Johnson’s (Janssen) one-shot vaccine and more than 80,000 doses are expected to arrive in the state this week, beginning on Wednesday.
“A third COVID-19 vaccine means North Carolina can get more people vaccinated sooner, which will save lives and slow the spread,” said North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.
Like the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines currently in use, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine protects against virus-related hospitalization and death. There are possible temporary reactions, such as a sore arm, fever, headache or feeling tired and achy for a day or two. All of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized were built upon decades of previous work on similar vaccines.
This increased supply will help to ensure the equitable distribution and access to COVID-19 vaccines in every community in the state. The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is a single-dose shot and does not require extreme cold storage. As a result, it can be more easily shipped, stored and administered, factors that will help to increase the number of vaccination sites and make them more accessible.
“COVID-19 vaccines and the continued use of the 3 Ws are the most effective ways to help North Carolina stop the spread of COVID-19, get us back in control of our lives and back to the people and places we love,” said Secretary Cohen.
Visit YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov for accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccines. To slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives, continue to practice the 3 Ws – wear a mask, wait six feet apart and wash your hands.
Construction projects often face challenges to completion, and chief among those challenges are weather and money. The site of the former Eaton Johnson Middle School has experienced both lately, but County Manager Jordan McMillen said Tuesday he anticipates that by early summer, the renovations to convert the former school should be complete.
The county commissioners approved a change order that adds almost $38,000 to the construction project to transform the Eaton Johnson campus to the new home for the Department of Social Services and the Senior Center, McMillen said in a written statement to WIZS.
Commissioners approved the addition of $37,019.39 to the project cost, he said, to cover costs to make sure the building and ceiling are supported properly to meet building code. These items were discovered during the demolition phase of the project, he added.
The prolonged wet weather and winter ice storms have slowed the project by three or four weeks, but McMillen said work should be able to get back on track for a June or July move-in date for the two agencies.
“This schedule will be refined as we work through the final stages of construction and as we work to move approximately 110 DSS employees, phone equipment, storage cabinets and other items to the new facility,” McMillen said.
The project will bring the Department of Social Services offices under one roof, he added. “Our $4.5 million investment in this facility not only puts a vacant school into reuse, but allows us to look towards the future,” McMillen said. The new senior center more than doubles the current square footage, – from 9,000 to 21,000 square feet – and “will lend itself to serving more seniors in the future and will address concerns we have heard in the past with limited parking downtown for the seniors,” he added.
Granville County observes its 275th anniversary in 2021 and part of the celebration includes the publication of a coffee table commemorative book for sale to the public.
The county’s 275th anniversary planning committee contracted with local author Lewis Bowling to compile information to showcase the history and development of this area. Pre-sale orders are being taken through April 30, said county public information officer Lynn Allred. The price is $49.95, but all pre-sales get a $5 discount.
“I have been gathering new material and have had a good response from folks willing to share their photos and their stories with me,” Bowling said. “I appreciate the community’s help and support.”
Bowling’s book, scheduled for publication by July, will follow Granville County’s journey from its founding until present day, and includes a narrative and photos not yet seen by the public.
Lewis Bowling
Established by an act of the General Assembly of the Colony of North Carolina in 1746, Granville was formed from a portion of Edgecombe County in the northernmost part of the province. Since there was no western border, the County of Granville extended all the way to the Mississippi River. The first settlers here were attracted to the area by the availability of land at a fair price. An early trading path helped make Granville one of the gateways across the Virginia border, according to the press release from the county.
“In all of our 275 years, there has not been a comprehensive book written about Granville County that could serve as a stand-alone work like this,” said the Thornton Library’s North Carolina Room Specialist Mark Pace.
Bowling has already published several books that feature the history of the area, including commemorative works for the City of Oxford’s bicentennial celebration in 2016 and for Camp Butner’s 75th anniversary in 2017.
Order forms are available online at www.granvillecounty.org/275th or through the Granville County Government Administration Office at 141 Williamsboro Street in Oxford. Contact Patrice Wilkerson at 919-603-1308 or at patrice.wilkerson@granvillecounty.org for more details.
