United Way Allocates $31,500 in Local Grants

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The United Way of Vance County awarded $31,500 in grant allocations to seven local agencies Wednesday.

Local advocate Tommy Haithcock sent a picture of those in attendance at the United Way office at 715 S. Garnett Street in Henderson. Haithcock presently serves as the president of United Way, and Desiree Brooks is first vice president.

The pair told WIZS News the receiving organizations are:

Community Partners of Hope, Inc.

Franklin, Granville, Vance Smart Start

Life Line Outreach, Inc.

Vance County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council

Acts of Vance County, Inc.

Legacy Human Services, Inc.

Harold Sherman Adult Day Center

It is an annual grant cycle.  However, 2020 was special.  Haithcock told WIZS News, “Last year we received money from United Way International to give away for covid relief.  We gave it away too, but we only gave away what we had raised once.”

The United Way assists local, non-profit agencies that seek to provide assistance to disadvantaged citizens in Vance and Warren counties in the areas of basic needs, health and education.

Granville Schools Announce More Leadership Changes As Streamlining, Consolidation Efforts Continue

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The Granville County Board of Education approved more leadership changes at a called meeting on Tuesday, June 29, further consolidating programs and services at the district level as it continues to focus on efficiency and making best use of resources.

The board also announced that Kevin Ferrell will be the new principal at South Granville High School. Ferrell began his education career at the Creedmoor school in 1994 as a social studies teacher. He returns to the district after serving nine years as an assistant principal in Wake County.

Two assistant principals also were named at the meeting. Shana Harris will serve at Butner-Stem Elementary and Sophelia McMannen will be at SGHS, according to information from Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent for the district and public information officer.

In addition to these school-based changes, the board also approved staffing changes to the district’s leadership structure. “The changes made represent significant reduction in staff and reassignment of duties which will increase efficiencies, reduce costs and better strategically position the district for the future,” Winborne stated.

The board approved the changes, which includes elimination of one assistant superintendent position, as well as reducing from 16 to 12 director-level positions, all based at the district offices. The curriculum & instructions and student services departments underwent a restructure as part of the process and additional district-based positions were shifted to school-based positions, Winborne stated. The district will use grant funding to pay for school-based positions, he added.

The following changes in personnel and roles were approved:

  • Lauren Curtis – Senior Director of Student Services (Central Services)
  • Anikko Gorham – Senior Director of Exceptional Children’s Program (Central Services)
  • Shelby Hunt – Grants Manager and Special Projects Manager (Central Services)
  • Michele Robinson – Northern Regional Lead (based at CG Credle ES)
  • Tonya Thomas – Southern Regional Lead (based at SGHS)
  • Pauletta Thompson – Senior Director of Federal Programs and Strategic innovation (Central Services)
  • Felisha Whitaker – Director of Elementary Education (Central Services)
  • Angie Salisbury – Director of Career and Technical Education and Secondary Education

In the press release, Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean stated, “Just as our board is taking on the difficult task of school reorganization, so too must we streamline staffing in our central services.  These changes will also eliminate our reliance on state and local dollars. We must capture efficiencies and reduce staffing while maintaining quality support and excellent services for our students and staff.”

The Local Skinny! Home and Garden Show

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Thank you for listening to WIZS Radio. Your Community Voice!!

The Local Skinny! broadcast for June 30, 2021.

Each Wednesday, the Local Skinny! features Vance County Cooperative Extension Agents Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie for the Home and Garden Show.

Home and Garden Audio

Town Talk: Rebuilding Hope’s SOS Project Works On Home Repairs While Spreading Gospel

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Rebuilding Hope Ministry continues to fulfill its mission of helping people in the community with construction projects like roof replacement and building wheelchair ramps. The Servants on Site program sends out church groups to make repairs, also to spread the Gospel and to live their faith through works.

Robbie Parham, promotion director for Servants on Site project, and Dr. Randy Mann, lead pastor of Central Baptist Church in Henderson, were guests on Wednesday’s Town Talk and gave John C. Rose an update on how the SOS project has re-tooled itself to keep working in the community while honoring COVID-19 safety protocols.

In years past, the SOS program was a one-week blitz that sent hundreds of volunteers from local churches and those from as far away as Alabama into the community to perform home repair tasks for residents. This year’s 10th edition of SOS is a little different, however, Parham said. Instead of one week, the program is stretched over a 10-week period, which allows for church groups to do the work needed but without the customary corporate worship and dormitory-style sleeping arrangements.

“We’ve partnered with Rebuilding Hope from the very beginning of that ministry,” Mann said.

Rebuilding Hope’s mission to work alongside local churches to make a positive difference in the community is what makes it “beyond easy” to be a partner.

He has traveled the world on mission trips, but Mann said it has been rewarding to provide mission work close to home with the SOS project. He used a favorite quote to illustrate his point: “The light that shines farthest shines brightest at home.”

Mann said it was gratifying for him to see members of his congregation, from young children to senior adults, participating in the SOS project. The youngest were able to help clean up the lunch site and the 80-somethings pitched in, too, he said.

TownTalk 6-30-21 Audio; More Below

This is Mann’s first year to actually participate on-site. “I worked every day on a roof,” he explained. One thing he could see from that vantage point was the intergenerational communication that went on. “I recognized the breadth of participation from our church,” he said. As they worked side by side serving others, he said, there was a lot of spiritual development taking place as well.

The Central Baptist team just completed two roofing projects and will go out again in a couple of weeks. One resident reported to Mann that she could “literally lay on my bed at night and see the stars.” Thanks to the Central Baptist team, the roof was torn off, rotten wooden sub-roof replaced and new shingles put back on.

Through the SOS project, Mann said his church members “go and meet the practical needs in our community. But our greatest need is to share the Gospel while we do it.”

Parham said SOS has the manpower lined up to continue replacing the 11 roofs that have been identified in the area, as well as more wheelchair ramps. Although many of the church groups come from the local five-county area – Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren and Person – he said a group from the western NC town of Franklin and another group from Georgia will lend a hand for SOS, too.

One dream that Parham hopes becomes a reality for Rebuilding Hope is completion of a bunkhouse in the upstairs of the building. The ministry occupies the former Coca-Cola Bottling Co. on Raleigh Road. Once that happens, groups can spend the night and worship on site. That way, Rebuilding Hope could sustain projects like SOS over the entire year, hosting groups for weekend or half-week mission work.

NC State Board of Elections

New Members Appointed to County Boards of Elections

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More election news as The State Board of Elections on Tuesday appointed four members to all 100 county boards of elections.  As the press release on the matter said, this is “the latest class of elections officials working to administer and safeguard elections.”

Executive Director of the State Board, Karen Brinson Bell, said in the release, “We are happy to welcome new members to North Carolina’s elections team.  Together, we will continue to ensure that our elections are accessible, safe, and secure, and that every eligible vote counts.”

State chairs of the Democratic and Republican parties recommended three registered voters in each county, and the State Board appointed two of the three for each party.

Republicans Catherine Clodfelter and Susan Floyd were appointed for Vance County as were Democrats James Baines and Lee Faulkner.

The Republican column in Granville County shows Kay Wiggins and Donna Parham appointed along with Sharyn Alvarez and Elizabeth Torres-Evans appointed in the Democrat column.

For Warren County, Republicans Betty Mazor and Dominic Taranto plus Democrats James Roberts and Henry Durham were appointed.

Franklin County appointees included Republicans Harry Barrick and Angela Pearce and Democrats Mary Gill and Barry Gupton.

The appointments are contingent on the nominee having a proper application and agreeing not to engage in prohibited political speech while on the board.

State statute requires that every two years the State Board must appoint four members, two from each leading party to the county boards with the Governor appointing  the fifth member.

These new appointed nominees have terms that expire in July of 2023.

NC Governor Logo

State Evictions Moratorium Ends July 1

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– press release courtesy of Gov. Roy Cooper –

Republican Council of State Members Revoke State Evictions Protections Effective July 1
Majority of Council of State Decline to Concur with Extension of State Evictions Order; CDC Evictions Moratorium and HOPE Program Rental Assistance Remain in Place

The state evictions moratorium will end July 1 after Republican members of the Council of State rejected a one-month extension, which would have aligned with the national CDC evictions moratorium through July 31.

“It’s disappointing to see Council of State Members revoke eviction protections for people still struggling to stay in their homes,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Many North Carolinians still need help and we will work to make sure landlords abide by the CDC evictions moratorium and that tenants can access rent and utility assistance from counties and the state HOPE program.”

Under the Emergency Management Act, the Governor has requested the concurrence of the Council of State for each extension of the eviction moratorium. On Monday, the Governor requested that the Council of State approve extending the moratorium through July, in line with the CDC evictions moratorium. The extension would have also given tenants notice that the moratorium would be lifted at the end of July.

A majority of Council of State members rejected this extension, with their votes falling along party lines. Attorney General Josh Stein, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, and State Auditor Beth Wood supported an extension. Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, State Treasurer Dale Folwell, Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson, Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler, Commissioner of Insurance Mike Causey, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt opposed extending the moratorium.

The CDC evictions moratorium went into effect on September 4, 2020 protecting certain residents, based on income, from being evicted for an inability to pay rent. The CDC indicated that the current 30-day extension is intended to be the final extension of the order. In order to qualify for protection, tenants must attest to meeting the CDC Order’s income and eligibility requirements.

The state evictions order aligned with the CDC Order and implemented important notice requirements for landlords before they could initiate a residential evictions action. The state order required that landlords provide their tenants with a copy of the declaration form they are required to fill out to receive protections under the CDC Order. Without this requirement, many North Carolinians may be unaware of the protections available to them under the federal evictions moratorium and evicted unnecessarily.

The state executive order also specified procedures that must take place once a tenant has provided a landlord with a signed declaration attesting that the tenant qualifies for protection and protected tenants who had been awarded state rental assistance from eviction while payment on awards was processed.

Last fall, Governor Cooper created the HOPE Program using federal funds to provide rent and utility assistance to people struggling during the pandemic providing $132 million in assistance to landlords and utilities on behalf of more than 37,000 tenants.

The HOPE Program opened a new eligibility period this spring and is currently accepting applicants. Several counties are also delivering Emergency Rental Assistance through local programs, and their information may be found at the HOPE website. The state evictions moratorium had protected HOPE awardees from eviction. The Council of State decision means that people awarded HOPE funds may be at risk of eviction until checks are processed, an average currently of about 14 days. As of June 28, the HOPE Program had awarded $66 million to 19,000 households since May 17.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR RENTERS

Some North Carolina renters retain protection against evictions based upon the CDC moratorium. Renters who:

  • Received a federal stimulus check in 2020 or 2021, or
  • Were not required to report income to the IRS in 2020, or
  • Earn less than $99,000 ($198,000 filing jointly) per year, and
  • Cannot make rent payments due to lost income,

may provide a signed declaration to their landlord that protects them from eviction while the federal moratorium remains in effect. The declaration form may be found here.

Renters with questions may get help from an expert by contacting (800) 569-4287 or going online to get contact information for a North Carolina HUD-approved housing counselor, here.

Complete details about the HOPE Program or a local Emergency Rental Assistance program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits and an online application, are available at www.hope.nc.gov. Applicants who cannot access the website may also call (888) 9ASK-HOPE or (888) 927-5467.

Applicants who wish to apply for free legal help may call Legal Aid of North Carolina at (866) 219-5262 or apply online here.

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie 06-29-21 – What Works in the Lawn and Garden

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

NC Forest Service

Forest Service Annual Tree Seedling Sale Begins July 1

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Beginning Thursday, July 1, the N.C. Forest Service will take orders for tree seedlings as part of its annual sale. The nursery and tree improvement program produces millions of quality native and genetically improved seedlings for nearly 50 tree species and understory plants, according to a press release.

“Trees and forests are an important part of addressing water quality, carbon sequestration and climate resiliency concerns,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. The nursery and tree improvement program ensures that landowners and other public and private entities have access to native trees and understory plants. “I would encourage anyone interested to buy their seedlings, early,” Troxler said.

Hardwood and conifer seedlings are sold in lots as small as 10 to larger lots of 100, but the nursery also will process larger orders in the hundreds or even thousands.

Genetically improved species of loblolly, long-leaf, short-leaf and white pines are available and new additions include Nordmann and Trojan firs, Canaan fir, Colorado blue spruce and red spruce.

The seedlings will be available for distribution beginning in December and continuing through mid-April.

Visit www.ncforestservice.org to find a link to the catalog; phone 1.888.NCTREES or visit www.buynctrees.com to place an order. Printed catalogs are available at all local forest services offices.

Henderson Police Department

Town Talk: Police Chief Barrow Discusses Trends In Gun-Related Violence

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The headlines in newspapers and online news sources across the nation seem to proclaim daily the latest incidents of a shooting or other gun-related crime; and the city of Henderson, unfortunately, is not bucking that trend.

Guns and gun violence are hot topics of conversation these days, from the locals at the barbershop to politicians in Washington, DC. Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow said Tuesday that he and his officers continue to work hard to keep the city safe through use of quality training and programs like a new federal grant that will help expedite processing evidence.

Barrow was on Town Talk and told John C. Rose about a grant from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that will help the local police force in its evidence collection. Information about shell casings and other evidence will be sent to a nationwide database for analysis and any possible matches with crimes in other areas, he explained.

“We have a great working relationship with ATF,” Barrow said. “We’ve processed 250, 275 people since I was hired as police chief through ATF.” He added that of those, 95 of those cases involved guns and drugs, which is how those cases are assigned to federal court.

Barrow said he supports a person’s Second Amendment rights to bear arms, but so often, those are the responsible gun owners – the ones who follow procedure to purchase or carry a weapon.

“I’m less worried about the guns I can see than I am the guns I can’t see,” Barrow said. He added that the recent nationwide increase in gun purchases has fueled a manufacturing frenzy. “I think we’d be astonished to know how many firearms are being manufactured on a daily basis and sold.”

But his assessment is that there is a preponderance of irresponsible gun owners, which creates a back channel for criminals and criminal activities.

For instance, he said, when you want to buy narcotics, but you don’t have cash, then you find something of value to trade for – like a gun.

Drug deals and drive-by shootings are just two activities that people in the community have become more aware of in recent times; Barrow called the incidence of drive-by shootings in North Carolina “alarming.”

“I don’t want to reach a point where it’s not alarming, where it’s the norm. I don’t want it to be the norm here,” he added. Barrow said his office gets ‘shots fired’ calls daily. Sometimes it turns out to be actual gunfire, he said, and sometimes it’s something as innocent as roofers using a nailgun at a nearby home.

Barrow said a police officer’s presence in the community is important to respond to all calls for help, but just as important is to have the right person in uniform representing the police department. “We want to make sure we put the right officer,” Barrow emphasized, adding that his officers have sometimes had to “work short.” “I refuse to put the wrong officer on the street. Making sure the right person is here and answering calls is important to me and to the agency,” he said.

For complete details and audio click play.