Entries by Laura Gabel

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Drug Stores

Today’s pharmacies just don’t have the same feel as those “drug stores” from days gone by. Nowadays, it’s all business, filling prescriptions and answering questions at a special window marked “consultation.” That’s not all bad, by the way. We can thank a fellow originally from New Bern who moved to Oxford back in 1884 for […]

Goalkeeper Peralta Among 2024 WFU Sports Hall Of Fame Inductees

  Back in the mid 1970’s, when José Peralta was in middle school at what was then Vance Academy, soccer hadn’t yet gotten a toehold in the area. But by the time Peralta and some of his Spartan teammates made their mark on the soccer field as Vance Senior High School Vikings, all that was […]

TownTalk: Dan Brummitt On Economic Development 101

Economic development often is the engine that spurs communities forward as it provides new job opportunities and contributes to the tax base. Sometimes, though, a community needs to have a little “skin in the game” to attract new businesses. On the campus of the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park is one such example of the kind of […]

TownTalk: Garry Daeke Discusses City Council Retreat

Henderson Mayor pro tem Garry Daeke reflected on the City Council’s annual planning retreat, which took place Monday. Six of the eight council members were in attendance, as well as Mayor Melissa Elliott and city staff. Daeke was a guest on Tuesday’s TownTalk, and praised Elliott for the comfortable atmosphere of the retreat. “She had […]

TownTalk: Vance County Government Vacancies

Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry has wasted no time in posting job descriptions for several county positions that are either currently vacant or will be vacant in the next few weeks. Perry is responsible for hiring a new budget and finance director – the previous director was terminated on Feb. 9 – and a […]

Vance County Manager Sees Growing Vacancies As “An Opportunity”

According to the Vance County website, there are 22 departments within county government, from administration to tax administration. Of those 22, County Manager C. Renee Perry reports that four departments face vacancies in the director role after one director was fired and three more turned in resignations. That’s a lot of vacancies, but Perry, now […]

TownTalk: County Commissioner Candidate Archie Taylor

Vance County Commissioner Archie B. Taylor, Jr. is seeking re-election to his District 2 seat and said he’s interested in helping the county continue to attract economic development, work on public transportation, reduce crime, support education and get a new jail built. An interview with Taylor aired on Monday’s TownTalk segment as part of WIZS’s […]

TownTalk: County Commissioner Candidate Valencia Perry

Valencia Perry grew up in Vance County and said she is running for county commissioner so she can be a part of a “powerful team” that uses money wisely to help people. “Spending money takes research and takes knowledge,” Perry said during a recorded interview on Monday’s TownTalk. “I want to be a part of […]

WIZS Continuing Coverage For Local Elections

With early voting now underway for the upcoming March primary elections, WIZS continues to provide comprehensive coverage to give listeners information about candidates in local contests. On Monday, Feb. 19, hear from the two candidates vying for the District 2 seat on the Vance County Board of Commissioners. Democratic incumbent Archie B.Taylor, Jr. faces opposition […]

TownTalk: Linda Cobb, Board of Education Candidate

Vance County Board of Education member Linda Cobb, seeking re-election to the District 5 seat, said the school district faces challenges common in many districts, and applauds leaders for their innovative efforts to provide a quality education experience for students and teachers. Cobb was first appointed in 2019 to fill an unexpired term on the […]