TownTalk: Public Safety Expo This Saturday

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There will be a lot of action on the lot of the former Boyd auto dealership on U.S. 158 bypass in Henderson as law enforcement agencies from across Henderson and Vance County converge to take part in a Public Safety Expo this coming Saturday, Sept. 30.

Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright said the expo will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include representatives from a wide variety of agencies that promote and protect public safety.

“It promotes a positive atmosphere for all public safety coming together,” Wright said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. “We come together in emergency situations so coming together outside of that…promotes positivity through the county,” he said.

Kids can take part in a bike rodeo through Safe Kids. And there will be a bike helmet giveaway while supplies last. Two bicycles will be raffled off as well.

Those in attendance can enjoy free hotdogs, chips and drinks while they last and the Kona Ice truck is scheduled to join the festivities, too.

“We’re trying to promote something positive here in Vance County, along with the City of Henderson, and partnering with all these agencies,” Wright explained. “It’s an all-around activity for kids and adults.”

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Rebuilding Hope Chicken Plate Fundraiser Friday, Sept. 29

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Make plans now to pick up a “Friend-Raiser” chicken plate on Friday, Sept. 29 at Rebuilding Hope on Raleigh Road.

Last Saturday’s torrential rainfall destroyed the signs that were supposed to advertise the event, but Randolph Wilson, executive director at Rebuilding Hope wants to make sure the community knows to come out between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. – just in case the new signs don’t arrive in time.

The plate is filled with half a barbecued chicken, potatoes, green beans, bread, dessert and that delicious sauce that Rebuliding Hope fundraiser plates have become known for.

Plates are $10 each – patrons can eat-in and drive-thru is available. Five or more plates can be delivered – call 252.438.5132 to place a delivery order.

 

 

Vance-Granville Community Band Set To Play Sept. 30 At Granville Senior Center In Oxford

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Join the Granville County Senior Services in Oxford for a special concert on Saturday afternoon featuring the Vance-Granville Community Band.

The hour-long concert will begin at 4 p.m. and will feature a election of waltzes, marches and medleys of popular and classical music reminiscent of the Boston Pops Orchestra.

The concert is free and open to the public; stay afterward for light refreshments.

For more information, call the Senior Center at 919.693.1930.

Warren Planning, Code Enforcement Makes Plan To Accommodate Walk-Ins, Appointments

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The Warren County Planning and Code Enforcement Department has announced a revision of its hours of operation, designed to provide customers with timely service. The department is open Monday – Friday, from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Walk-ins are welcome between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., but 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. is reserved for appointments only.

To learn more, contact Shantiel Wright, senior administrative assistant, at 252.257.1305.  The planning and code enforcement office is located at 542 W. Ridgeway St., Warrenton.

 

Unused Seatbelt Leads To Arrest Of Suspect On Other Charges

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From the Office of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

On Friday, Sept. 22 the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted a traffic stop on Hwy 39 near Vanco Mill Road.

The traffic stop was a result of the driver not wearing his seatbelt. During the traffic stop, an open container of alcohol was seen in plain view in the passenger seat of the vehicle.

A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a quantity of cocaine.

The operator of the vehicle was identified as Ronnie Dane Grissom, age 72, of 88 Country Lake Dr.

Grissom was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and an open container of alcohol. Grissom was taken before the magistrate and given a $30,000 unsecured bond and an initial court date of Oct. 2.

TownTalk: GOP Chair Barrier Discusses Local Elections

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This TownTalk segment is part of continuing coverage of the upcoming nonpartisan municipal elections on Oct. 10 in Henderson. Early voting is underway and continues through Oct. 7.

Of the 17 candidates on the ballot for the Henderson municipal elections, only one is a registered Republican, but county Republican leaders had a chance to sit down with a number of the candidates recently and formed their own list of endorsements.

Jimmy Barrier, chair of the Vance County GOP, spoke on Monday’s TownTalk to share that list of candidates and to discuss the process of choosing which candidates to support.

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According to party guidelines, Barrier said local GOP groups like his are obliged to support Republican candidates. In this case, Ward 3 at-large candidate Michelle Horner Wood is the lone registered Republican on the ballot in the nonpartisan elections.

In addition to Wood, Barrier said his group made the following endorsements:

  • Mayor – Greg Etheridge
  • Ward 1 – Symia Crews
  • Ward 2 – Sam Seifert

Barrier said none of the candidates running for the Ward 4 at-large seat attended the recent gathering.

“We attempted to contact all of the candidates,” he said, “to find out if anybody would come out and talk to the Republicans only.” The candidates answered a series of questions before a panel of local GOP members. Barrier was the moderator and asked the same questions of each candidate.

“I asked fair questions, honest questions,” Barrier said, rather than having candidates speak in a debate format. “If you didn’t come talk to us, we weren’t going to endorse you,” he added.

Barrier said the candidates responded to questions they may face as a member of the City Council – how to spend money, zoning, things like that.

One question was “Would you ever make Henderson a “sanctuary city?” he said.

“We must come together in Henderson as one,” Barrier said, adding that it’s crucial to choose the best candidates for the job.

“We need good, solid businesspeople in office to get us above and beyond where we’re at now,” he said.

The Local Skinny! Shop With A Cop Now Underway

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, along with the Henderson Police Department and Vance County Sheriff’s Office, has added a couple of twists to the traditional fundraiser that pairs children in the community with law enforcement officers to go on a holiday shopping spree.

This year’s event has expanded to include first responders, firefighters, animal control and the N.C. State Highway Patrol to be a part of the Shop with a Cop and Friends event close to Christmas.

But the fun leading up to the Dec. 19 shopping event has already started, and this is the time for the community to participate, according to Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson.

“We’re all about putting community and businesses together,” Wilkerson said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! By including additional agencies, Wilkerson said she, Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame felt it could be a more inclusive event – “so inclusive that nobody is left out,” she said.

For the next couple of months, the community is invited to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win cash prizes.

But this isn’t an ordinary raffle – it’s called an envelope raffle. “There will be 180 tickets for sale,” Wilkerson explained. “The ticket number is the price you pay for the ticket; however, the ticket number will determine one of four drawings that ticket will be in,” she continued.

Here’s how it works: Say you want to buy ticket #50. You pay $50 for that ticket. BUT, you will be entered in a chance to win cash prizes according to the ticket you purchase. The breakdown is as follows:  Contributors giving between $1 and $40 will be entered to win $200. Contributors in the $41-$80 range are entered for a chance at $500. Those contributing between $81 and $120 will be entered to win $1,000.  And those purchasing tickets 121-180 are entered for a chance for the grand prize of $2,000.

The winners will be announced during a reception on Nov. 14 at Henderson Country Club, Wilkerson said. Anyone who purchases tickets in the 100-180 range get in free; admission for anyone else who would like to attend is $20.

The Nov. 14 reception is a time to celebrate, Wilkerson said. “We just want it to be really fun and (get) geared up for that shopping experience.” The goal is to have at least $5,000 for the children to spend during their shopping trip.

The raffle is a fun way to raise money for the shopping spree, but sponsors also play a role. Wilkerson said sponsors have already donated several thousand dollars.

It’s all for the culminating activity that pairs deserving children with representatives from the various law enforcement and first responder groups, who will go shopping at the Henderson Walmart on Dec. 19.

“We love this fundraiser,” said Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

It’s a great thing to see the excitement of those children’s faces,” Brame told WIZS News Monday. “We’re looking forward to having a great day,” he said, “seeing the smiles on a lot of children’s faces.”

Tickets can be purchased from the Chamber Office, the police department, and the Vance County Sheriff’s office.

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Pine Bark Beetles

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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.

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Paws for Granville is Sept. 30th!

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The Granville County Humane Society is sponsoring Paws for Granville Sept 30 as a fun way for the community to help dogs and cats in the area.

This free event that will be held Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Granville County Expo Center on US Hwy 15 just south of Oxford, according to Angela Gooch, a Humane Society volunteer helping to spread the word about the upcoming fundraiser.

Gooch talked with WIZS’s Bill Harris on a recent segment of The Local Skinny! and said it’s been a tough year not only for The Granville County Humane Society but for shelters all over the state.

“It’s been a very difficult year with all the surrenders and sick animals that have come in,” Gooch said.

Paws for Granville is one of two fundraisers sponsored by the local humane society each year to help pay for local spay/neuter programs.

There will be a truck on site to accept donations of dog and cat food to stock the pet pantry, which is used to help low-income clients provide food for their pets.

80 plus vendors are scheduled to bring an array of handcrafted items, from jewelry to fishing lures, Gooch said. Participants can enjoy browsing among the vendor booths from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

And, as always with these events, there will be food trucks. Next Level Kennels, one of the main sponsors for the event, will have its mobile grooming van on site so Fluffy and Rover can look their best!

All across the area, animal shelters report being at capacity, and Gooch said rescue groups and foster agencies are working hard to get adoptable animals into homes.

In Granville County alone, the shelter has spent $15,000 to spay and neuter dogs and cats.

Gooch said that, typically, there are more cats that get turned in to shelters, but that has not been the case in Granville County lately.

“Dogs have been coming in great, great numbers,” she said, adding that “rescues are full and (they) have no place to go.”

Volunteers are needed for the event and the Granville Co. Humane Society is always looking for families to help with fostering animals.

“It is a labor of love and it takes a lot of time and patience,” Gooch said of her work and the work of other rescuers and fosters.

To learn more, call 919.691.9114, follow the group on Facebook, email hsgcncinfo@gmail.com or visit www.hsgc.nc.org.