WIZS Radio Local News Audio 08-21-23 Noon
Click Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Dabney Road Multi-Use Project Closer To Final Approval
The Henderson City Council has unanimously approved a rezoning request for a 123-acre tract along Dabney Road, and the next step for the developer is to have the zoning board of adjustment approve a special use permit.
The project was previously being called Berry Village but now seems to be carrying the name Dabney Village.
The development is described as a mixture of single-family homes, townhouse, apartments, as well as up to 250,000 square feet of commercial/retail development.
The Planning Board met on June 20, 2023, and unanimously voted to approve the conditional zoning request. Now, the City Council has made the final decision to approve the proposed rezoning request and it’s on to the board of adjustment.
“As this project pertains to development and growth, it would be a boost to the city’s tax base,” City Manager Terrell Blackmon stated in June to WIZS News, “but more importantly it shows that Henderson is a viable destination for future housing and retail growth and we expect to see more developers choosing Henderson and Vance County for additional development opportunities.”
The 123 acres is located along Dabney Road, and at least two full access entrances would be along Dabney Road, where it meets Ruin Creek Road and then at Allen Road. A limited access point is planned for Dabney Road just across from Blessed Hope Baptist Church.
This is the general area where city leaders have proposed constructing a new fire department. The tract would have city services, including water and sewer.
The commercial and retail space, as well as the apartment units, will be located along Dabney Road, with townhomes in several different areas of the site map and the single-family homes will take up a total of just more than 31 acres.
Buy State Fair Tickets Now And Save
Daydreaming about the cooler days of autumn, when colorful leaves are beginning to fall to the ground and that little nip in the air has you reaching for your sweater?
Well, those cooler October days are also when folks make plans to attend the North Carolina State Fair – so quit your daydreaming and purchase advance tickets and wristbands now to save a little money!
Advance sales will run through Oct. 12 and are $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 6-12. Unlimited ride wristbands are $30 each and can be purchased online. Wristbands are for one day only and vouchers can be redeemed at the Ride Ticket Plazas once the Fair begins. They are not valid for the State Fair Flyer or the State Fair SkyGazer.
“Advance sale tickets are the best prices you will see all year for the State Fair,” said Kent Yelverton, State Fair manager. “Prices increase once the Fair begins, so buy your tickets now especially if you’re bringing a big group.”
This year, ride ticket credits will be placed on a chipped card which will be presented at each ride and will automatically debit the ticket count for that ride. Ride ticket credits will carry over year-to-year.
“Like many other big state fairs, we have decided to make the switch to ride ticket cards for our guests to use,” Yelverton said. “This new system is easy to use and ensures that everyone spends less time in lines and more time enjoying their time at the Fair.”
Other special themed ticket packages offered include:
- Dizzy Pass – One gate admission ticket and one unlimited ride wristband for $38
- Kegs & Cork Pass – One gate admission ticket, one NC Public House beer + wine ticket for $17
- State Fair Flyer Package – Two gate admission tickets and two round-trip State Fair Flyer tickets for $34
- State Fair SkyGazer – One gate admission ticket and one State Fair SkyGazer ticket for $14
The 2023 N.C. State Fair will run Oct. 12-22 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The fair offers an experience unique to North Carolina and is an unparalleled value with free entertainment, thrilling rides and games, thousands of animals, endless family activities, competitions, vendors and creative deep-fried delights. For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org or connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @ncstatefair.org.
Fire at Former J.P. Taylor Company Location on J.P. Taylor Road
Revised and posted at 2:15 p.m. Friday
About 10:30 this morning, a fire broke out on J.P. Taylor Rd. at the location that was once J.P. Taylor Company.
The vicinity of 800 J.P. Taylor Road is now a scrap or salvage yard.
The Rev. Ricky Easter of Victory Baptist Church was across the street, and he told WIZS, “It didn’t appear to be all that much to it,” in reference to the amount of smoke. He said no flames were visible that he saw from his vantage point.
After clearing the scene, Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright told WIZS, “It was several scrap cars burning, and with assistance from Bearpond and Ladder 18, Cokesbury and Watkins and Vance County Rescue, we were able to mitigate the fire quickly.”
Also, Easter said firefighters arrived quickly, and the overall timeline suggests that the fire did not burn all that long.
It’s been nearly 14 years since the building at that same location, that still read J.P. Taylor across the top but was then being used as a storage facility for a different company, was totally destroyed by fire.
Health Department Gets Award For Efforts To Promote Breastfeeding To WIC Clients
Granville Vance Public Health is one of eight agencies across the state to receive recognition for its efforts to promote a strong breastfeeding program among clients who participate in a federal assistance program for women and young children.
The health department received the USDA Breastfeeding Gold Award of Excellence, according to information from the health department.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known familiarly as WIC, is a program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides healthcare and nutrition to low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women and to children under the age of five.
GVPH’s WIC program was selected for its strong commitment to the implementation and maintenance of their Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program program, as well as the effectiveness of the office’s peer counselor program and the extent to which the agency has partnered with other entities to build a supportive breastfeeding environment for women participating in WIC.
“We are pleased to have our GVPH BFPC program recognized with the Gold Award,” stated GVPH WIC Director Lauren Faulkner. “This program has increased participation through referrals received from our WIC nutritionists, taking this program from eight participants in October 2021 to 108 participants in June 2023.”
Currently, the health department has two certified lactation counselors and two designated breastfeeding experts, with a goal of having all nutrition staff in both clinics become designated breastfeeding to manage complicated breastfeeding issues.
Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits. It lowers a baby’s risk of various illnesses, including ear infections, asthma and respiratory infections. It helps moms recover much faster from childbirth, and it reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and certain breast and ovarian cancers.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 08-17-23 Noon
Click Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Henderson Police Make Drug Arrest At Local Motel
–press release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow
On August 15, 2023, officers of the Henderson Police Department served a narcotics search warrant for a room at the Budget Host Inn, located at 1727 N. Garnett St.
During the service of the warrant, officers seized approximately 100 dosage units of heroin, 6.8 grams of marijuana, “crack” cocaine, drug manufacturing equipment, and $1,754.25 in U.S. currency. Tecory Hester, 43, who police said is a resident of the Budget Host Inn, was the focus of the investigation. Hester was arrested on the scene.
Hester was charged with one count of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver heroin, felony possession of cocaine, simple possession of Schedule VI, possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of maintaining a dwelling place for a controlled substance.
Hester received a $50,000 secured bond, which he posted prior to being transported to the Vance County Detention Center.
Interim County Manager Explains Details Of Fire Study Process
Vance County Interim County Manager Scott Elliott has a unique vantage point as plans for the county’s fire services study makes their way from start to finish.
In his role as county manager, he’s responsible for providing guidance and support to county commissioners – the board voted to conduct the study – while making sure that the paid fire personnel are doing their job – he’s their boss, after all.
Elliott spoke to WIZS News Wednesday afternoon and acknowledged the fire services study has been the topic of some discussion in the community.
“It’s an issue that people are passionate about and have feelings about,” Elliott said.
Commissioners had discussion – rather heated at times – during their meeting last week, about whether the public safety committee should have oversight of the fire study.
Elliott recommended that this should be a matter for the full board, but most commissioners did not see it that way – the vote was 4-3 to have the public safety committee, the fire commission oversee the project, with Elliott’s input.
“They’re the decision makers at the end of the day,” he said, “We have to respect that.”
He said, however, that he and county staff have the responsibility of guiding the commission and leading them along the right path.
The path to a completed fire study is expected to take consultants AP Triton about four months to complete.
Elliott said he asked Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright to direct any questions from the media to the county manager’s office instead of fielding the inquiries himself. That way, Elliott said, Wright can “focus on providing fire services he currently has on his plate.”
“Until we have results of fire study, we thought it’d be better … to not have county staff taking positions on things when we don’t know what the outcome of the study will be,” Elliott noted. Even once the recommendations are submitted to the full board, Elliott said there’s no way to know now if commissioners will implement them.
There are a lot of questions swirling around about what the fire services study will bring forth, but Elliott said he’s confident that it will be a comprehensive study of the existing system – including the Golden Belt Fire District and all the volunteer districts across the county.
“It shouldn’t be a complicated study or analysis,” he said. “They’re to give us their professional analysis of our system…and how to make it better.”
Church-Turned Men’s Shelter Inching Toward Reality
The word “sanctuary” is defined as a sacred place. In church terms, it’s the area near the altar. The term is also used to mean “refuge” or “haven.” As the vision to transform a former church property into a men’s shelter gains momentum, area supporters may find a way to have a sacred space continue to provide a safe place for men in need.
Community Partners of Hope and others united to make the men’s shelter a reality are on a crusade to raise $350,000 to make the former City Road Methodist Church property into a year-round men’s shelter.
Jane King told WIZS News that Community Partners of Hope is making progress in the fundraising, with commitments and pledges coming in for construction and furnishings budgets.
“This is such an exciting project and I am sure we will eventually reach our goal,” King stated.
With strong community support from individuals and from churches, King said the contributions are mounting, but such campaigns rarely move quickly.
They’ve sent mailers to Chamber members and emails to supporters requesting donations.
“We’ve also been making face-to-face appeals to those in the community who we think have the wherewithal and community spirit to give generously,” King added. She said The City of Henderson has pledged $50,000 and there’s another $50,000 donation ready to be pledged once the first $300,000 comes in.
Union Chapel Church of Kittrell is partnering with Tony’s Automotive to hold a “Cruise In” on Sept. 9 to benefit the project. Last year’s event netted $2,400, she said. This year’s proceeds will be matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor, she added.
Visit https://sites.google.com/site/cpohope1/donations/financial-donations to make a donation. There’s also a
GoFundMe page https://gofund.me/2a3be200https://gofund.me/2a3be200.
Visit www.cp-hope.org to learn more.
Rep. Sossamon Selected For Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort
Rep. Frank Sossamon is among a group of individuals that form the Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort, a group that brings together leaders work on making positive impacts on education across the state.
In a press statement, Sossamon said it was an honor to be selected. “Education is the cornerstone of our society, and I am committed to exploring innovative solutions that will empower our students to reach their full potential. By collaborating with like-minded individuals, I am confident that we can create meaningful change that will positively impact our educational system,” he stated.
The Elevate NC program provides a platform for Sossamon and the others in the cohort “to engage in constructive dialogue, share insights, and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals who are equally passionate about the future of education,” the statement read. The cohort will have interactive sessions, workshops and discussions to address pressing educational challenges, allowing the members to work together to identify actionable strategies that can be implemented at the state and local levels
Learn more at : https://hunt-institute.org/news/the-hunt-institute-announces-third-cohort-of-elevatenc/