The Local Skinny! Who Will Be The Democratic House 32 Candidate In November

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North Carolina House 32 Representative Bryan Cohn announced Wednesday his candidacy in hopes of appearing on the ballot in November, and Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott re-confirmed her desire to run as well.

Both are seeking the ballot position, and others possibly, after the Democratic nominee, Curtis McRae, announced he would step away due to personal health matters.

“When Curtis made the difficult decision to step aside, I knew our community needed someone ready to step forward,” Cohn said. “While I had not planned to be a candidate this year, my commitment to the people of Granville and Vance counties has never changed,” he said in a press release.

Elliott told WIZS Thursday, for the second time, of her desire, and she said, “I submitted a letter. It’s the committee’s choice.”

Angela Thornton, the Democratic chairperson in Vance County, told WIZS Thursday the committee, composed of three Democratic Leaders from Granville County and two from Vance County, has not yet voted on the name they will send to the NC House Democratic Caucus.  Thornton said, “We are still waiting on paperwork to finalize our vote.  The committee is still meeting and following protocol to ensure all names are turned in for voting.”

On Wednesday, possibly around the same time Cohn issued his statement, the NC House Democratic Caucus issued its own statement in support of Cohn.  In part, that statement said the caucus “is proud to support Representative Bryan Cohn as the Democratic nominee for House District 32…”  The release spoke of his willingness to step forward and “ensures continuity of leadership and gives voters a candidate with the experience, relationships, and knowledge needed to be effective on day one.”

Once a name is chosen for the ballot, that name will appear in November’s election next to the Republican nominee, Frank Sossamon.

Whether the Democrat or the Republican wins, it will for a second election cycle have huge implications for the balance of power in Raleigh.

The name the local committee selects is the name that will appear on the ballot.  The local committee will tell the NC Dem House Caucus.

And, Thornton said, “An announcement from the house caucus will be made.”

Cohn told WIZS, “The official party nomination process has not happened yet.”

WIZS News has reached out to be informed of the ballot decision when it’s made and will provide and update when the information is received.

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The Local Skinny! Curtis McRae Ends House District 32 Campaign

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In light of Curtis McRae’s recent announcement that he is withdrawing from the House District 32 race, Vance and Granville County Democratic leaders are planning meetings this week to discuss possible replacements in the upcoming election.

“Recent personal health challenges have made it clear that I need to focus my time and energy on my health and my family,” McCrae said in a statement on Friday. “I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported this campaign, volunteered, donated, offered encouragement, or simply believed in our vision for the district.”

Vance County Democratic Party Chairperson Angela Thornton told WIZS News Monday that representatives from the two counties that comprise House District 32 will meet this week – most likely several times – to determine a replacement.

“The committee will meet and discuss appointing a replacement for (Mr. McRae),” Thornton said.

“It’s too late in the election cycle for a candidate to say ‘I want to run for this seat,’” Thornton explained. The committee – three representatives from Granville County and two representatives from Vance County – will appoint a replacement and will inform the House Caucus of its decision before an announcement is made.

The counties’ representatives have not met yet, but plan to this week, she said.

The seat is currently held by Democrat Bryan Cohn, who announced that he would not seek re-election. McRae defeated Melissa Elliott in the March primary. The Democratic replacement will face Republican challenger Frank Sossamon, who held the seat before being beaten by Cohn in the last election.

When asked Monday about whether he was reconsidering his decision, Cohn told WIZS Monday that he’s “evaluating that now.” Elliott told WIZS that she has “inquired about the process” of being considered by the local committee for consideration as a replacement candidate.

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Faith In Mental Health Initiative Plans Programs For Vance, Granville Churches

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The Faith in Mental Health initiative has two free events coming up in June to share information with churches about ways to support a faith-informed approach to mental health and addiction programs.

The “Faith-informed Responses to Youth Mental Health and Well Being” takes place on Monday, June 15 from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m. in the Maria Parham Health auditorium, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

It’s open to any church in Vance and Granville counties, said Karl Johnson, program coordinator. There will be a youth panel and presentations from youth-oriented organization, as well as presentations from behavioral health specialists and community leaders.

Food will be provided.

The second event is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at Cornerstone Christian Community Church in Oxford.  This event is an in-person webinar screening featuring Dr.Andrea Clements a professor of psychology at East Tennessee State University and author of The Trauma Informed Church: Walking With Others toward Flourishing.

The presentation will provide participants with a better understanding about caring for those with addiction and mental health struggles through a trauma-informed approach.

Cornerstone Christian Community Church is located at 3237 Knotts Grove Rd., Oxford.

Refreshments will be provided.

Contact Johnson at kjohnson@gvph.org or call him at 616.298.5626.

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – The Ingleside Community

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Most anyone traveling the stretch of N.C. 39 between Henderson and Louisburg probably passes through the unincorporated community of Ingleside with little fanfare, but this general area holds on to some interesting history since it was first established in the decades before the Civil War.

Leave it to local history sleuths Bill Harris and Mark Pace to come up with some tidbits worthy of mention about this northern Franklin County crossroads in the most recent segment of Around Old Granville.

Ingleside was originally known as Macon, Pace said. There was a post office there from 1830-1834, but perhaps to avoid confusion with the other Macon post office in what is now Warren County, the name was changed to Ingleside and remained open until August 1907.

That may have been the reason to change the name, but why was the name Ingleside chosen? Well, there was a home with that name in the vicinity at the time owned by the Littlejohn family from Granville County. It was located about a half mile from the present-day intersection of N.C. 39 and U.S. 401.

It had a similar fate of many other homes of that period – it burned in the 1920’s.

Another home called Monreath is located near Ingleside. This home was built in the late 1770’s and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

There’s also Locust Grove, Harris said, which is a great example of Georgian-style architecture that dates possibly from the 1760’s. Although there’s some speculation that the home has been moved from its original location, not everyone’s on board with that theory. Some point to the discovery of Roman numerals notched on the home’s structural beams as evidence that the house had been disassembled – the numerals would have indicated how the house would be put back together.

“That’s a big house to move, back in the day – and a long ways,” Pace said. Regardless, the home certainly has been around since at least 1790 and was originally owned by Thomas Bell.

“It’s an absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous house,” Harris said.

The property eventually was sold to John Haywood, who served as the state’s treasurer from 1787 until he died in 1827. It was sold to Peter Foster of Gloucester County, VA., one of Harris’s ancestors.

Locust Grove provided room and board to some students of nearby Mt. Welcome Academy in the early 1800’s. According to an 1828 ad, students could stay for $36 a session.

A grandson of Peter Foster was Fenton Garland Foster, an inventor who is credited with a typesetting machine that basically is the forerunner of the typewriter.

Foster had a falling-out with his grandmother, and she kicked him out of the house for not paying rent. He moved to Connecticut and got in on the ground floor with a newish company called Sperry Rand and ended up losing the rights to all his patents.

There are a few more homes in the general area with names that end in Grove – there’s Maple Grove, Elm Grove and Oak Grove, the name of the home where Harris lives.

Oak Grove was built by a son of Peter Foster, Dr. Peter Stapleton Foster. The good doc, born in 1823, built the home in the 1850’s, Harris said. And the house has stayed in the family since its construction.

It is scheduled for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, fingers crossed, by next week, the proud owner stated.

Just down the road from Oak Grove is Traveler’s Rest, a tiny building that, as the name implied, offered respite from the road for stagecoach passengers.

“It’s one of the most iconic structures” in the area, Pace said.

Right near Ingleside is Rocky Ford, where a structure known simply as the “little stone house” or the “little rock house” stands.

They don’t know much about its history, but there are some theories floating around that it could have been a place where people would have taken refuge if they feared trouble from the Native Americans living close. Another theory has it being a mental institution.

It’s left experts and architectural survey professionals stumped, Pace said. “Nobody really knows what it was used for…it’s just an enigma.”

There’s a lot more to learn about Ingleside and the surrounding area – listen back to the complete conversation on Thursday’s Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.

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VGCC Foundation’s $5M ‘Building Futures Campaign’ Well On Its Way To Goal

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The Vance-Granville Community College Foundation’s $5 million fundraising campaign is well on its way, with more than $1 million raised since the campaign kicked off in March.

Building Futures: Empowering Students, Strengthening Communities is a 10-month campaign to raise money to address a funding deficit and ensure the successful completion of two transformational workforce training facilities, namely the Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Applied Technology (CAMAT) and the Transportation Training & Technology Center (TTTC).

The $1,051,000 in philanthropic support demonstrates strong early momentum, donor confidence, and measurable community impact, according to school officials.

Building Futures represents a high-impact workforce development initiative, advancing economic mobility and career pathways for students across Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties.

While state funding and grants have supported both facilities, increased construction costs have created a funding shortfall. The Building Futures fundraising plan seeks to raise $5 million in transformational philanthropic investment to ensure both facilities open fully equipped with modern technology and industry-grade training equipment.

This investment directly supports student success, workforce readiness, and long-term regional economic growth, while strengthening the talent pipeline for high-demand industries.

The Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Applied Technology will serve as a state-of-the-art training center designed to prepare students for high-demand, high-wage careers in welding, mechatronics, electrical systems, and HVAC.

This facility will expand access to quality jobs, industry-recognized credentials, and upward economic mobility, while supporting employers seeking a highly skilled workforce.

The Transportation Training & Technology Center will expand and modernize instruction in CDL-A and B, heavy equipment operations, and diesel and heavy equipment mechanics.

This facility addresses critical workforce shortages while providing hands-on, career-connected learning opportunities that lead directly to employment and family-sustaining wages.

Together, these two facilities represent a transformative investment in community impact, workforce innovation, and economic development. By aligning education with industry demand, VGCC is advancing scalable workforce solutions, employer partnerships, and student-centered outcomes that strengthen communities and regional competitiveness.

The Building Futures initiative reflects a commitment to evidence-based impact, measurable outcomes, and expanding opportunity at scale—key priorities for national philanthropic leaders investing in systemic change.

Individuals, families, corporations, and philanthropic organizations are invited to participate in the Building Futures initiative through a variety of major gift and naming opportunities. Donors may choose to name classrooms, labs, and more.

For more information about supporting workforce training, transformational giving opportunities, philanthropic partnerships, or community impact investments, please contact the VGCC Foundation at foundation@vgcc.edu or 252.738.3264 or visit www.vgcc.edu/building-futures.

Franklin County Hosts 5-County Beef Tour On June 12

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Franklin County is hosting the 2026 5-County BEEF Tour on Tuesday, June 16. Participants will carpool to three innovative beef cattle farms, both large and small, that are participating in the Southeastern US Regenerative Agriculture Project, according to information from Matthew Place of the Franklin County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension.

There will be lots of networking, but also use of new technology for the cattle producer, demonstrations (grazing forages, rainfall simulator), and expert insights designed to help your farm thrive.

Participants will hear about the latest in agricultural tech and management strategies, including:

  • Nutritional Efficiency: Learn how to maximize your herd’s performance while managing costs. Grazing efficiency using the “grazing forage stick”, one free per family.
  • Forage & Drones: See how drone technology is changing the game for pasture management, heat checks, etc. See a live demonstration using the forage rainfall simulator.
  • Virtual Fencing: Explore the future of grazing without the wire.
  • Trade Show during lunch: new Hay Equipment, Seed companies, “No Fence” company, Farm Conservation and more.
  • Lunch speaker: Regenerative Agriculture and Programs Available.

Registration is required and the $30 fee includes lunch. The deadline to register is Friday, June 12.
Register at go.ncsu.edu/2026-5-county-beef-tour

For more information, contact Franklin County Center, 919.496.3344, Agricultural Extension Agent Martha Mobley or the Sampson County Center, 910.592.7161, Agricultural Extension Agent Paul Gonzalez.

The link to the tour brochure is Brochure & Tour Map.

 

 

 

TownTalk: Granville County Tourism Heating Things Up In June

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With summer just around the corner, Granville County’s calendar of events is heating up with a variety of programs, events and exhibits from Butner to Oxford sure to satisfy everyone’s interests.

Granville’s Tourism Director Angela Allen has a whole list of activities for folks to take part in most any time – summer in Granville County, she said, sort of unfolds – there’s something to do just about all the time.

Looking for an easy way to wind down after work with family and friends? Head to downtown Oxford on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in June for Quittin’ Time. Slow down for a minute and stroll downtown, listening to live music, visiting local retail shops and enjoying small plate and specialty beverages from participating restaurants.

Or head down to Creedmoor’s Cedar Creek Gallery any ol’ time to catch the National Teapot Show, which comes every three years to the art gallery/retail space in southern Granville County. The exhibit features teapots created by artisans and craftspeople from all over, from the functional to the sublime.

Find some fresh produce, local meats and more at the Oxford Armory Farmer’s Market in downtown Oxford on Saturday mornings.

That’s just a sample of what’s available across Granville County this season, and Allen has a whole other list of special events that you’ll surely want to take in.

  • Butner Summer Festival this weekend, June 5-6. There’s a barbecued chicken cookoff, live music, vendors, kids’ activities and more.
  • Juneteenth Freedom Day – in Creedmoor on Friday, June 19
  • Juneteenth Freedom Day – Oxford on Saturday, June 20
  • Bee Jubilee and Food Truck Rodeo – Saturday, June 27 at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center on Highway 15 just south of Oxford

See a complete listing of events taking place in Granville County at www.visitgranvillenc.com

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(The text and audio are not a paid ad. Granville Tourism is, however, an advertising client of WIZS.com.)
City of Oxford

City Of Oxford’s New Police Chief Begins Role June 8

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— Information from City of Oxford Communications Specialist Sabrina M. Richards

The City of Oxford has hired Brandon Goins as chief of police.

Goins brings more than 16 years of law enforcement experience focused on leadership, public safety operations and community engagement. He’ll begin his new role on June 8, according to a press statement from the city.

Goins currently is a lieutenant with the Bladensburg Police Department in Prince George’s County, MD.

He has been Watch Commander and Special Operations Division Commander there, and briefly served as Acting Chief of Police. In these positions, he oversaw specialized

enforcement and support units including Criminal Investigations, the Special

Assignment Team (SAT), K-9, Traffic, Quick Response Team, Dispatch, Community

Engagement, Hiring and Recruitment, and personnel assigned to federal task

forces. During his tenure in Bladensburg, Goins helped implement the

department’s plainclothes Special Assignment Team and assisted in the formation

of a tactical response team. These efforts contributed to a reduction in crime

over a three-year period.

Prior to joining the Bladensburg Police Department, Goins served 13 years with the Norfolk Police Department in Virginia. During his career in Norfolk, he worked in several assignments, including the Vice and Narcotics Division as a Detective and Undercover Officer, as well as serving as a Corporal, Sergeant, and Acting Lieutenant in the Gang Suppression Unit.

Throughout his career, Goins conducted undercover investigations involving narcotics, currency counterfeiting, and prostitution for both the Norfolk Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. He also conducted surveillance operations involving murder investigations, gang activity, narcotics, and fugitive apprehension cases utilizing various investigative techniques and technology. Goins has been recognized as a narcotics subject matter expert in both Norfolk General District Court and Norfolk Circuit Court.

“Chief Goins went through a very rigorous and competitive selection process. Oxford was fortunate to have had a group of finalists with proven and accomplished records in law enforcement and significant leadership roles,” said City Manager Brent Taylor. “He is committed not only to bettering himself, but also the department he will lead and the community where he will live. This process included interviews with five different panels,

and Chief Goins consistently demonstrated his experience, leadership, and commitment to community policing. Ultimately, he came through as the best fit for the Oxford community.”

Goins has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Norfolk State University, where he graduated Cum Laude. He has completed executive law enforcement training through the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the

Southern Police Institute. He is currently completing the IACP Chief’s Leadership Certification Program. Throughout his career, Goins has received numerous honors and recognitions, including the Hampton Roads Crime Line Top Cop Award, the Norfolk Police Distinguished Service Medal, a Norfolk Police Commendation Letter, and two nominations for Top Cop from the National Association for Police Organizations.

Granville County Names Wood New Assistant Finance Director

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— Information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Heather Wood has joined Granville County as its new assistant finance director, bringing 20 years of finance experience in the public and private sectors to the role.

Wood has served in multiple roles with Franklin County Public Utilities, including Business Officer since 2019.  She previously served as Head Bookkeeper for the Franklin County Clerk of Superior Court within the North Carolina Court System and has private-sector experience as a Payroll Specialist. In her role as Business Officer, Wood developed significant expertise in public-sector accounting and financial management, overseeing utility billing operations, customer service functions, and accounting processes.

Wood holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a Certified Local Government Finance Officer, with extensive professional experience in local government finance, utility operations, budgeting and financial administration.

“We are so happy to welcome Heather to our team,” said Granville County Finance Director Jennifer Baird. “She has amassed a great deal of experience in many levels of public accounting in addition to her work in the private sector. We know she will be a huge boost to our team and work hard to serve her fellow Granville County coworkers and our citizens who put so much trust in us.”

“I’m honored for the opportunity to serve Granville County and work alongside a talented team dedicated to supporting the community,” Wood said in a statement. “I look forward to contributing to the County’s financial operations and helping advance its goals for effective and efficient government.”

A Franklin County native, Wood currently resides in Franklinton with her husband and two boys. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, supporting community events, and staying engaged in local government initiatives.

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – 250th Anniversary of the USA in Old Granville County Part 2

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With the nation’s approaching 250th birthday as a backdrop, WIZS’s Bill Harris and local historian Mark Pace continue their conversation about people, places and events from right here in the four-county area, “Old Granville County.”

Franklin County’s Regiment of Militia was officially formed in January 1779, in the middle of the Revolutionary War. This group of men, along with the Granville County militia, fought the British troops in battles across the Carolinas in the early 1780’s, including the Siege of Charleston, Camden and Charlotte before giving the Brits a fit at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

Gen. Charles Cornwallis led his troops to major victories, but they met their match at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

Local historian Mark Pace said the British technically won the battle, but suffered such heavy casualties at the hands of the Patriots – led by Gen. Nathaniel Greene – that it was a hollow victory.

Just a year earlier, Cornwallis had spent 16 days in Charlotte trying to suppress the Patriots in that area, Pace said. Most likely members of the local militia were there as well and contributed to Cornwallis’s description of the then-small town as a “hornet’s nest.”

(A couple of hundred years later, the NBA team that called Charlotte home took note of the description and now the Charlotte Hornets play in an arena called The Hive.)

The Granville County militia performed well at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, Pace said on Thursday’s Part 2 of Around Old Granville on TownTalk.

The Continental Line, akin to a national Army, of sorts, Pace explained, got much-needed assistance from states’ militias. North Carolina furnished about 4,000 or so men to the militia, each county calling up recruits or volunteers to join the effort.

Why did the states feel the need to call up militias in the first place?

Well, it’s probably not the only reason, but back in the mid-1750’s, the Colonists were being required to pay all kinds of taxes to the British Crown. But they didn’t have anyone in England to speak on their behalf, which was how the phrase “no taxation without representation” came about.

Two big taxes “that irritated Americans to no end,” Pace said, were the Stamp Act and the Sugar Tax. The Stamp Act taxed printed materials, from wills and deeds to newspapers and playing cards. The Sugar Act is self-explanatory, but it became a thorn in the side of Americans because of what was the most popular drink at the time – rum, which is derived from molasses. And molasses is made from sugarcane juice.

The Granville militia, in the mid-1770’s was under the leadership of Micajah Bullock, who is buried near Bullock’s Church located along U.S. Hwy 15 South near Creedmoor and Col. John Taylor of the Williamsboro vicinity.  Another prominent Granville County resident was Thomas Person, who was a general in the militia. At the time, he was the wealthiest person in the county and he opened up his estate for training purposes during the Revolution.

Pace called Person “the heart and soul of the Revolution in this area.”

During previous “Around Old Granville” segments, Pace and Harris have talked about the significance of Williamsboro, once a prospering center of commerce that today is merely a crossroads that people pass through as they travel N.C. Hwy 39.

The community was named for John Williams, Pace said, whose name can be found among a list of Founding Fathers for this nation.

Williams, along with Robert Burton, John Penn and Benjamin Hawkins, all hailed from the Williamsboro area and were elected to the Continental Congress. Penn signed the Declaration of Independence, but Williams signed the Articles of Confederation. He also became speaker of the N.C. House, and was one of the first N.C. Supreme Court judges.

Sadly, Williams’s home, Montpelier, no longer stands. But it was a hub of activity back then, Pace said.

Montpelier was where N.C. Gov. Burke went when it became  clear he needed to evacuate Hillsborough (then the capital) in advance of Cornwallis’s arrival.

Montpelier is also where Leonard Henderson, for whom Henderson is named, is buried.

In fact, Williamsboro had been considered as the state’s capital, but leaders ultimately chose the more centrally located Raleigh.

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