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VGCC’s Edmonds Elected To Chair Triangle NC IDEA Foundation

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– information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College has announced Dr. Jerry Edmonds III, Vice President of Workforce and Community Engagement, is the newly elected chair for Triangle 501(c)(3) NC IDEA.

NC IDEA is a Durham-based, independent private foundation committed to equitably empowering North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential. Through a powerful combination of competitive grants and programs and a network of strategic partners, the organization supports the state’s most ambitious entrepreneurs as they transform their communities. Edmonds served on the organization’s board for two years prior to his election as chair; he has also been part of its North  Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council (NC BEC) since its formation in 2020.

“NC IDEA is fortunate to have a visionary board comprised of accomplished business leaders with the  bold ambition to empower North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential,” said Thom Ruhe, president and CEO of NC IDEA. “Our directors are distinguished members of the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Ruhe stated.

Before entering the higher education field, Edmonds held a variety of executive leadership positions for major corporations and has received numerous awards in areas including training, recruitment, marketing and leadership. He brought those perspectives to his roles as dean of Workforce and Economic Development and Small Business Center Director at Halifax Community College before joining VGCC’s executive team in 2019.

In  2018, Edmonds launched Willow Creek Tennis Retreat, LLC and the Edmonds Tennis and Education  Foundation, dedicated to utilizing the game of tennis to provide academic and athletic opportunities for  under-resourced youth throughout rural North Carolina.

Edmonds is joined on the NC IDEA Board by three newly elected members and six returning board  members, including past VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams.

Learn more about NC IDEA and its vision to empower the state’s entrepreneurs at https://ncidea.org/

 

 

 

 

“Pop The Hood” – Brakes

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— For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

It’s important that our vehicles go when we step on the gas, but it’s just as important that they stop when we apply the brakes.

Drivers who hear a scraping or grinding sound when braking should take heed: It could mean your brakes need some attention. Ignoring it could only make the problem worse, so Michael Puckett, manager of Advance Auto Parts on Raleigh Road, recommends getting it checked out.

Those sounds could mean the brake pads or shoes need replacing or the rotors need turning.

“It could be the brake pads have gone down to the metal,” Puckett explained, adding that if the rotors have been damaged beyond the point of being turned, they’ll need replacing.

If the vehicle pulls to the right or left, it could be a sign that the brake calipers need work.

A lot of times the configuration is brake shoes on the back with pads on the front, but if you don’t know exactly what you need, the team at Advance Auto can help. With just a little information about your vehicle, or the VIN, customers can find exactly the right parts for their project.

Many parts manufacturers are making brake pads and shoes from ceramic these days, which can mean they last longer.

The staff at Advance Auto keeps safety first, Puckett said, and will help educate customers about specific parts for specific needs. If you use your truck for towing, you may need a certain type of brake pad or shoe.

Once your vehicle repair has been made, it’s important to do a road test to make sure the problem has been resolved. Steps to ensure safety during a repair and afterward are what Advance Auto is all about.

Visit https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ to learn about the complete line of parts and services available at Advance Auto Parts.

The information contained in this post and its associated audio is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value only and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville

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The name Blacknall may be a familiar name in the area – there’s Blacknall Cemetery in Henderson, a historic home in Durham called Blacknall House and another cemetery in Kittrell. These are all vestiges of a once-prominent family whose members have played a role throughout the history of what is now Vance, Franklin and Warren counties.

WIZS’s Bill Harris and North Carolina Room Specialist Mark Pace took a look Thursday at the Blacknall family history, filled with some triumphs but rife with tragedy as well.

“They were very well read, very literate people,” Pace said, adding that in those days, such prominent families felt “a certain moral and civic duty to make the world a better place – they were soldiers and writers, movers and shakers in the community.”

There was Col. Charles Blackwell, who raised a regiment in Franklin County to fight in the Civil War. He died in 1864 after being wounded in the battle at Winchester, VA.

He was captured not once, but twice, during his military service, Pace said. He was part of a prisoner exchange deal after being taken to the Old Capitol prison near Washington.

One of Col. Blacknall’s children was Oscar William Blacknall, who was born in Kittrell, apparently under a dark cloud.

His success as a businessman allowed him to pursue literary interests and more, Pace noted.

In 1888 he established Continental Plant Company, a nursery business known especially for strawberries.

But Oscar may be best remembered for the Kittrell Hotel, Pace said. It was the first summer resort in North Carolina, established in 1858. If stayed in business throughout the Civil War, closing in 1873.

It catered to Southerners, who came to enjoy the hotel’s amenities – including a ballroom, billiard room, bowling alley and, of course, the water from Kittrell Springs.

During the Civil War, the hotel was used as a hospital. The Confederate soldiers buried in Kittrell died at Kittrell Hotel.

Blacknall’s wife was also his double first cousin – he married his uncle’s daughter. Of their seven children, one died as an infant, two committed suicide, the oldest died of tuberculosis and daughter Kate died at Blacknall’s own hand.

Seems he got up from the midday meal on Saturday, July 6, 1918, shot his wife first, then took aim at his 24-year-old daughter before taking his own life.

Thomas Blacknall was from another branch of the Blacknall family. He owned a slave, also named Thomas, who became the patriarch of the African American branch of Blacknalls. The white Blacknall held in such high regard the Black Blacknall that he allowed him to sell his wares (he was a blacksmith and bellmaker), allowing him to eventually buy his and his children’s freedom.

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Library Closed Monday, June 19; Juneteenth Celebration Downtown Saturday, June 17

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Monday is June 19 and Perry Memorial Library will be closed that day in observance of Juneteenth, when enslaved people in Texas received word of their emancipation.

The Civil War had ended, the Emancipation Proclamation issued and Union troops traveled widely throughout the Confederacy spreading the word that slavery was over and enslaved people were free.

But that news didn’t make it to Texas until June 19, 1865 – hence the name Juneteenth.

The Juneteenth festival will take place in Henderson in the area around the county courthouse on Saturday between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.  Enjoy all the activities, from live music to food trucks, children’s events and vendors of all types.

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Vance County Adopts Budget; Fire Study Coming

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners adopted the upcoming fiscal year 23-24 budget Wednesday afternoon. The special called meeting led to a 6 to 1 vote to adopt the budget as presented by the county manager.

Immediately after the budget was approved, the board adopted a motion which freezes the four empty, full time Vance County Fire Department positions and stops funding of any new capital expenses. That motion carried 5 to 2.

After about 90 minutes of meeting time and some heated discussion, it’s clear that a fire study is coming. And unlike some meetings that see motions, seconds, discussion and votes on topics, several sequences were gone through like that. In the process, two motions and seconds were withdrawn and another voted down.

In the short term with the likelihood that the study will take up to 90 days to complete once started, some commissioners and citizens may draw the conclusion that a reasonable compromise was reached.

From the angle of the fire service, which has been closely discussed publicly and by the citizenry in the last 35 to 40 days, there is a general maintaining at this point of the status quo. With the budget in place, a freeze in place, and the study coming, the board, with a great deal of county staff help, has preserved its option to act on the study, including amending the budget.

After the meeting, Finance Director Katherine Bigelow said, “What is being approved is freezing the four vacant Vance County Fire Department positions and their capital expenses consisting of turnout gear and fire boots, for example,” as she went over some items with WIZS.

Interim County Manager Scott Elliott said, “At the July 10 meeting, staff will bring forth the proposed scope of the work to be conducted by the fire study and seek board approval and for execution of a contract,” as he spoke to WIZS.

The roughly $57.5 million budget calls for no increase in the property tax, holding at 89 cents per $100 valuation, as well as appropriating more than $1.8 million from the fund balance to plug a gap between expected expenses and expected revenues. The proposed budget is 4.5 percent more than the 2022-23 budget.

The budget does increase part time firefighter pay to $15 per hour from $14. The $16 amount was part of the public safety committee recommendation and that recommendation was not included in the budget.

The “reorganization” of the Vance County Fire Department is not occurring at this time.

Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright remains the Vance County Fire Marshall at this time.

N.C. First Lady Kristin Cooper Stops In For A Visit On 100-County Tour

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North Carolina First Lady Kristin Cooper paid a visit to downtown Henderson today as part of her statewide tour to visit all 100 counties.

Cooper toured McGregor Hall with Director Mark Hopper and other local officials before heading to George’s for lunch and then stopping by Sadie’s Coffee Corner, Nella Roo’s Boutique and the Vance County Arts Council before departing by mid-afternoon.

“This place is absolutely amazing,” Cooper told members of the media following the tour of McGregor Hall. “I didn’t expect to see something like this…y’all should be real proud of it.”

Cooper made her way across the state not so much by geography, but in alphabetical order. “This is my 98th county,” she noted.

She said she’s had a wonderful reception everywhere she’s visited, and as a self-professed “city girl,” has learned a lot about what North Carolina has to offer.

“It’s amazing to see the pride of place that people have,” she continued. “Even cities that are struggling…have enormous pride in their community” and are willing to sacrifice to make it better.

Throughout her tour, she’s ridden ferries, climbed mountains, walked in forests and on sand dunes. And now, having completed her tour in this community, she can add McGregor Hall and downtown Henderson to the list.

Vance County’s issues surrounding public education, health care and attracting medical professionals and educators to rural areas are not unique, unfortunately, she said.

Cooper encourages individuals to get out and find destinations in the state that may be unfamiliar.
“There may be something great just around the corner from you,” she said.

TownTalk: Study Scheduled To Measure McGregor Hall’s Economic Impact

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An economic impact study conducted locally in 2019 showed that McGregor Hall brought in close to $3 million in direct revenue to the city and county – researchers conducting that study looked at receipts from restaurants, hotels and retail to come up with this figure, said Mark Hopper, McGregor Hall executive director.

Hopper said the downtown venue is a big tourism magnet that attracts people from across the state and the Southeast to attend performances, competitions and more. By late summer, a second economic impact study will be underway to measure the extent to which McGregor Hall is bringing money to the area. Hopper predicts that it could be twice the amount from just four years ago.

“We have come back with a big roar in the past year,” Hopper said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. “We’ve added a lot of rental events (and) bringing in a lot of people from outside the area – people who spend money for food, lodging and more.

Known as a spot for performances and concerts, McGregor Hall also has become a popular spot for dance competitions.

“Next year, we have 15 straight weekends of dance competitions,” Hopper said. The various events hosted at McGregor Hall serve to infuse the local economy with additional revenue, which is its main purpose.

“We are first and foremost an economic endeavor,” Hopper said. “Even before the arts.” The arts just happen to be the way McGregor Hall contributes to the local economy.

The economic impact study is a good way to measure in concrete ways how the venue is achieving its mission.

The research is expected to be conducted in late August or early September, and Hopper said he hopes to have results by the end of September. N.C. State’s Municipal Research Lab and Tom White will come back to do the second study for about half the cost of the first one, since much of the foundational work has been done already.

Measuring a venue’s economic impact is relatively easy compared to measuring the impact theater and performing arts has on the people who participate and enjoy them. Researchers can study a store’s receipts and compare them with days or weekends that competitions or events were held at McGregor Hall.

But Hopper said he can only provide anecdotal evidence of the way McGregor Hall performances have affected the lives of patrons and artists who come to the venue.

It’s not hyperbole that “theater can change lives. And save lives,” he said. So many people have found a community within the walls of McGregor Hall.

That community “starts with the way we work with people,” he added.

More than 50 children – half of whom have no experience with theater – met for the first time Tuesday to begin working on Seussical Jr., a production of a two-week long theater camp.

In just over a week, that same group of youngsters will take the stage at McGregor Hall for the opening performance.

Children from different schools, neighborhoods and backgrounds come together for the grand sum of $50 for the two-week camp, Hopper said.

“Children desperately crave communities,” he noted. We can provide a healthy community, or they’ll create their own. We’re creating community for them in the best way possible.”

That’s an impact that surely will pay its own kind of dividends.