Micah Sharpe, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
Makayla Macon, a student at Vance County Middle School, talks with 4-H Agent Micah Sharpe to speak about her experiences and the activities that she has done at 4-H.
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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— Information courtesy of Warren County Schools
Warren County Schools has appointed principals at Warren County High School and Northside Elementary School.
Dr. Lionel Kato and Dr. Tobias Hocutt, Sr. bring experience and a passion for helping students succeed with their collaborative approach to leadership, according to a press release from Crystal Myrick, director of Community Engagement and Communications for Warren County Schools.
With more than 25 years of experience in public education, Kato brings seasoned leadership and a proven track record of excellence to Warren County High School. His career began in 1999 as a high school social studies teacher at his alma mater, New Bern High School, before becoming a middle school math in Jones County.
Kato has served in school administration at every level, including four years as a middle school principal and three and a half years as a high school principal in Brunswick, Greene, and Pitt counties.
He was named North Carolina Media Administrator of the Year in 2011 and Pitt County Schools Principal of the Year in 2013. He later served in district leadership roles with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, such as Instructional Superintendent, Area Superintendent, and Chief Officer. In 2022 he completed the NC Aspiring Superintendents Program and received the Dr. Sam Houston, Jr. Leadership Award from the N.C. School Superintendents’ Association.
Before joining Warren County Schools, Kato was the assistant director for Student Support Services with Danville Public Schools in Virginia. A proud U.S. Navy veteran, he holds degrees from Fayetteville State University, East Carolina University, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
“I am excited about returning to North Carolina and joining the Eagles family,” Dr. Kato said. “Together, we will keep our eyes on the sky and soar to new heights.”
Dr. Tobias Hocutt Sr. brings nearly 16 years of experience in education, beginning his career in support roles as a custodian and bus driver. His journey into teaching began at Archer Lodge Middle School where he taught Social Studies for six years and was recognized as Outstanding First-Year Teacher in 2015. He also received the Johnston County Public Schools Leading WithThe Heart Award in 2017.
After earning his masters in School Administration from Barton College, Hocutt served as assistant principal at Cleveland High School in Clayton, and later as assistant principal at Four Oaks Middle School. He was named Johnston County Public Schools 2023–2024 Assistant Principal of the Year. In 2023, he earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Carolina University.
“We are excited and proud to welcome Dr. Lionel Kato and Dr.Tobias Hocutt Sr. to Warren County Schools,” said Warren Schools Superintendent Dr. Carol Montague-Davis. “Their extensive leadership experience and unwavering commitment to student success align perfectly with our district’s mission and values. With a shared vision for growth, equity, and academic excellence, we are confident they will make a significant and positive impact on our students, staff, and the broader community, helping to drive our schools forward.”
For more information, visit https://www.warrenk12nc.org/
Pink With A Passion is hosting a fish plate fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 11 on the campus of Warren County Middle School as part of its mission to raise awareness and providing financial support for people who need help as they battle the disease.
“Hopefully, one day we won’t have to talk about breast cancer – or cancer of any kind,” said Elaine Tunstall-Smith, a member of Pink With A Passion, a nonprofit based in Warren County founded by breast cancer survivor Amena Wilson.
The fundraiser runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Plates are $12 and include fish, buttered parsley potatoes, green beans and hushpuppies. Dessert and beverage vendors will be on hand at the site, located at 118 Campus Dr., Warrenton.
In addition to the fish plate fundraiser, the “Pink Out for Hope: Cancer Awareness Benefit” will have Pink With A Passion T-Shirts for sale – $20 for short sleeve and $25 for long sleeve, as well as cancer awareness literature and a voter registration table.
The day is a chance to celebrate survivors, honor loved ones, and support awareness in the community. And, of course, a great opportunity to wear pink!
Pink With A Passion is thriving, Tunstall-Smith said, thanks to support from the community, and from family members and friends of individuals who honor and remember their loved ones who have battled – or battle – breast cancer.
“Any efforts we can do to help people be more aware of what’s available,” she said, is what the organization is all about. Early detection through screenings and education provide valuable information that work together to increase awareness of the disease.
The group hosts a walk in the spring and had a “Rainbow” luncheon in June for survivors of all types of cancers.
At that luncheon, speakers shared stories of encouragement and support to those gathered as a way to give hope to those survivors.
“It’s important to celebrate so that hope stays alive for those who are currently fighting a battle,” she said.
Donations from the fundraiser are used to host the events and workshops, support groups to encourage strength and hope to connect with people who are in the struggle.
“Every dollar that we make we try to use to help save lives and support survivors,” Tunstall-Smith said. The group has helped fund transportation, medications and prosthetics.
It’s a way to “just hand somebody a dollar and a smile to remind them that they’re not in the battle alone.”
To learn more, contact founder and president Amena Wilson at 252.213.5735 or Elaine White at 443.983.4742 or visit www.pinkwithapassion.org
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The 90-day contract extension between the county and the Vance County Lifesaving and Rescue Squad Inc. officially ends tomorrow – Sept. 30.
According to Rescue Squad Chief Doyle Carpunky, the rescue squad’s offer to continue responding to calls at no cost to the county has been declined, but it is unclear whether the rescue squad will continue to be dispatched.
So what’s going to happen if the rescue squad gets dispatched on Oct. 1? Carpunky said he hasn’t had clarification from the county but told WIZS this morning that “we’re going to respond to the citizens of our community like we’ve always done.”
Requests from the rescue squad board president and the county fire association to meet with county staff and the county’s Public Safety Committee have been declined.
In an email to Rescue Squad Board President Bill Rainey, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry stated that the rescue squad would be dispatched upon requests from volunteer fire departments or other partnering agencies. “We appreciate the Rescue Squad’s continuing operations in the County and the County’s 911 center has no problem dispatching upon request,” Perry stated in the email.
Perry told WIZS earlier Monday that the county commissioners will consider an updated operations plan at its November meeting and that the rescue squad will be dispatched upon request only, “not automatically since we don’t have a contract in place.”
Carpunky said the county is rewriting the mutual plan with no input from fire departments or from the rescue squad.
In response to an email from Rescue Squad President Bill Rainey requesting that the rescue squad continue to be dispatched to calls at no cost to the county, Perry listed several reasons why the county is not willing to accept that offer. The email, which Carpunky shared with WIZS, reads as follows:
I have received your request for a contract with no funding and automatic dispatch and I have the below concerns and these are reasons why we will not move forward with the request.
Staff will move forward with reviewing the current mutual aid agreement as well as ensuring that the Rescue Squad is dispatched upon request from other VFD or other partnering agencies. We appreciate the Rescue Squad’s continuing operations in the County and the County’s 911 center has no problem dispatching upon request.”
Perry said she had advised commissioners on the information contained in the email and said concerns should be shared with Assistant County Manager Jeremy Jones.
According to minutes from a Sept. 18 special called meeting of the Vance Fire Association, “Assistant Chief Rainey stated Vance Rescue was willing to contract directly with each department, and they had a contract which was distributed to all departments present to look over and would be mailed to the departments not present. As of 10/01/2025 Vance Rescue will be a volunteer department.
“It was stated the County would not be sending a contract and 911 will not be automatically dispatching Rescue after 09/30/2025. Concerns were expressed about filling this void by individual departments.”
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– information courtesy of Maria Parham Health Public Information Officer Donna Young
The community is invited to come out and take a look at the newly renovated and updated Radiation Oncology Suite at Maria Parham Hospital on Thursday, Oct. 9.
The re-opening celebration will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the MPH Cancer Center, according to information from MPH Public Information Officer Donna Young.
Attendees should enter through the hospital’s Cancer Center entrance.
After several months of renovation and equipment upgrades, the department is now home to a new, state-of-the-art linear accelerator – LINAC for short – an advanced piece of medical technology that delivers external beam radiation therapy with precision and care. This powerful machine uses high-frequency electromagnetic fields to create a high-energy beam of electrons, or X-rays, to target and treat cancerous tumors, all while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. LINAC is able to rotate around the patient and utilize advanced imaging, which provides the highest standard in modern radiation treatment.
With this new addition, Maria Parham will also have the new capability to do stereotactic body radiation therapy, known as SBRT in the medical field. SBRT is a type of external beam radiation therapy that delivers high doses of radiation to a tumor in fewer sessions (typically 1-5), compared to conventional radiation therapy which may require weeks of treatment. It uses advanced imaging and targeting technologies to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
In addition to showcasing the upgraded facility and technology, the event will also serve as an opportunity for guests to meet Dr. Ryan Fecteau, MD, PhD, Maria Parham Health’s new Radiation Oncologist.
“We are incredibly proud to offer this advanced technology to our patients and to continue raising the bar for cancer care in our region,” said Kimberly Smith, director of The Cancer Center at Maria Parham Health. “This event is not only a celebration of innovation but of our ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality care close to home.”
Invision Diagnostics is bringing its Mammogram Bus to Aycock Rec Center on Saturday, Nov. 1 and now is the time to schedule a free mammogram. Phone 877.318.1349 to schedule an appointment. Sisters Speak Life founder Freddie Harris said six women had signed up as of Friday, Sept. 26. Sign up before Oct. 17 – they need a minimum of 15 scheduled appointments, or the bus will have to be cancelled, Harris said.
Sisters Speak Life is creating a video to help promote that Nov. 1 event. If you’re a breast cancer survivor, please send a headshot photo, along with the year you were diagnosed and a one-word description of yourself to be included in the video. In addition to the mammogram bus, there will be health-related resources for participants to learn about available services in the area.
When Harris was diagnosed with cancer, she said she found inspiration from people – family, friends and even strangers – who surrounded her with love and support.
She encourages people to come together, reach out and help each other. “It made a difference for me and I think it can make a difference for someone else.”
Join Sisters Speak Life at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 1 as participants tie pink ribbons on trees along Breckenridge Street to kick off the Pink Out campaign. Return at 5:30 p.m. for another community gathering at McGregor Hall as part of the Pink Out effort. Ribbons and t-shirts are available, too.
Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/sistersspeaklife or https://sistersspeaklife.org/
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Wayne Rowland, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
Fire resistant landscaping can protect your home from wildfires.
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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– information courtesy of Vance County Schools
Vance County Schools kicks off its 2025-26 Student Spotlight program with three students who have been recognized for their hard work, leadership and the positive impact they have in their school communities.
Destiny Timberlake from Vance County Early College, Joseph Vida from E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy and Kimberly Isidro from Vance County High School are the first honorees for this year’s program, because they embody qualities such as kindness, dedication and a strong commitment to personal growth and service to others.
The Student Spotlight program is sponsored by Vance County Schools in partnership with the Vance County Public Schools Foundation.
Destiny Timberlake, 11th Grader, Vance County Early College
Destiny Timberlake is the 2025-2026 Student Spotlight at Vance County Early College. Destiny stands out for her ability to balance high school and college-level coursework, while also excelling as a student-athlete, and dedicated employee outside of school. She is admired for her leadership, maturity, and the way she uplifts those around her with encouragement and kindness.
Destiny is active in the National Honor Society, BETA Club, and she leads on the court as point guard and captain of the basketball team. She also is involved in music with her church. Her favorite subject is English, which she values for its real-world applications, especially in business. Her future goals include playing Division I basketball at the University of South Carolina, competing in the WNBA, and later pursuing a career as a luxury real estate agent.
Outside of academics and athletics, Destiny enjoys basketball, working, and spending time with her family, especially gathering around meals. She names her mother, Renita, as her greatest role model for her strength and sacrifices, and she hopes to repay that love and support. Inspired by Michelle Obama’s Becoming, Destiny believes in building success through perseverance. She sums up her outlook with the advice: “Walk by faith and not by sight… no matter what it looks like right now, it will always be better in the future.”
Her favorite part of being at VCEC is the opportunity to lead and set an example for her peers. She credits the school with teaching her how to balance responsibilities and manage time—skills that will help her succeed in every step of her journey.
Joseph Vida, 5th Grader, E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy
Joseph Vida, a 5th grader at E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy, was selected for his diligence, curiosity, and commitment to excellence. Teachers describe him as respectful, responsible, and well-mannered, serving as a positive role model for his classmates. He is an active member of the Robotics Club, Men in Action, the Junior BETA Club, as well as an AIG student, consistently demonstrating the values and expectations of his school community.
Joseph’s favorite subjects are math and English Language Arts, which he enjoys because they allow him to keep learning new skills. Outside of school, he likes playing with his siblings, spending time outdoors, and reading chapter books—especially science fiction, with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban being a favorite.
When asked about who inspires him most, Joseph immediately points to his parents, who always support and encourage him. Recently, he has enjoyed learning about Indigenous peoples in social studies and strengthening his math skills with multiplication and division. If he could have any superpower, Joseph would choose flying so he could get to places quickly.
His advice to other students is: “Always try your best and never give up.” Joseph’s favorite part of being a student at E.M. Rollins is learning new and exciting things while being part of a supportive school community. He says what keeps him motivated to come to school every day is the chance to “learn more things and get better at them.” If given one wish, Joseph would travel back to the Philippines to visit family and friends. Joseph’s determination, curiosity, and resilience make him a shining example of what it means to be a Student Spotlight at E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy.
Kimberly Isidro, 9th Grader, Vance County High School
Kimberly Isidro, a 9th grader, is the Vance County High School Student Spotlight honoree. Nominated by VCHS Assistant Principal Mcshell Edmonds, Kimberly has already begun to make her mark at VCHS. Edmonds shared, “Although Kimberly is new to VCHS, she has already established herself as a leader. She demonstrates responsibility by staying on top of her assignments, shows a willingness to assist her peers, and brings a positive presence that brightens every room she enters.”
Kimberly has also been invited to join the 9th-grade Student Council, reflecting her leadership skills. Her favorite subject is math, where she enjoys learning new skills like solving inequalities. Kimberly plans to join the girls’ soccer team in the spring and also enjoys expressing her creativity through art, including submitting pieces for Arts Alive. Outside of school, she loves playing soccer, drawing, spending time with family, and watching horror movies. Kimberly admires her mom as her greatest role model, inspired by her strength and independence. Kimberly dreams of becoming a dentist, with nursing as a second option, because she is passionate about helping others. She also tutored a friend in math, helping them prepare for the end-of-course test and achieve a passing score.
Her favorite thing about VCHS is participating in fun activities and being part of a supportive community. If given a superpower, she would control time to relive childhood moments, and she dreams of traveling to Hawaii to explore new experiences. Her advice to others: “Don’t skip classes, always turn in your work early, don’t get in trouble, and respect your teachers.”
Kimberly’s leadership, determination, and kind spirit make her a shining example of the values and excellence at Vance County High School.
These students are exemplary representatives of Vance County Schools and the Student Spotlight program. They embody the values of kindness, dedication, and a commitment to learning, serving as an inspiration to their peers and a source of pride for their school communities and the district as a whole.
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