TownTalk: Commissioners Will Continue Jail Discussion At Special Called Meeting Feb. 10 At 4 P.M.

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners will hold a special called meeting on Monday, Feb. 10 to focus on short-term and long-term steps concerning conditions at the county detention center.

Sheriff Curtis Brame and Maj. William Mitchell spoke to commissioners at their regular monthly meeting Monday night and emphasized the need to reach some decision about addressing the needs at the jail and to develop a plan of action.

After a lengthy discussion of needs – ranging from repairs to extra space to how and where to house current detainees while repairs are taking place, Board Chair Carolyn Faines said she’d like to schedule a special called meeting to focus on next steps for the jail. That special called meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room, according to information received Tuesday morning from County Manager C. Renee Perry.

Following its most recent inspection in December, state inspectors have extended until Feb. 21 the deadline for Brame and staff to address 88 deficiencies outlined in the inspection report.

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“We have a serious problem at our detention center,” Brame told commissioners.

Mitchell said he’s been working on the jail situation for just the past two weeks, and implored commissioners to “pic a direction that we’re going to go in – sooner rather than later.”

Brame and Mitchell said they’ve been in contact with District Attorney Mike Waters, and are developing a plan that targets the “depopulation” of about 20 detainees over the next few weeks.

The idea is to identify low-level offenders currently in jail and either get their bonds reduced or get a plea entered and get them out of jail.

Monday’s census was 161 detainees – 20 or 22 over capacity.

Whether the county decides to make costly repairs to the 50+ year old jail or to build a new one, Mitchell said there’s no two ways about it: “We’re going to have to empty the facility.”

That will mean making arrangements with nearby jails who are willing to house the detainees – for a price. Mitchell said he believes it’ll cost roughly about $70 per detainee per day, but Vance County would still be responsible for all associated costs – from bed frames to canteen items.

“The more we can get out through adjudication,” he said, “it’ll be cheaper on the citizens of Vance County.”

With figures of $5 million for repairs to $40 million-plus for a new jail, commissioners have a lot to think about.

Repairs do not include any expansion of the current facility, and building a new jail could take several years, in County Manager C. Renee Perry’s estimation.

Commissioner Dan Brummitt said the county can’t afford to house inmates elsewhere for five years while a new jail is being built. “We’ve got to make repairs now,” he said.

Perry suggested that the county re-engage with Moseley Architects, a Raleigh firm that has worked with the county in 2022 to provide estimates.

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TownTalk: Vance County Commissioners Meeting – County Water

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County residents who are trying to decide whether to tap into the countywide water system have an incentive: Vance County commissioners have set the signup fee at $125 and have extended the reduced rate to be effective for the duration of construction of Phase 1B.

As Commissioner Tommy Hester explained it, “We’re trying to get as many customers as we possibly can, and the easier we can make it for those customers, the more chance you have for people to come sign up, and so I would like to see us for us to go with …125 no matter what side of the road it’s on for the length of the time of construction.”

Commissioner Dan Brummitt made a motion to do just that, and included all taps throughout the county, not just in the area covered in Phase 1B that includes the Kittrell area.

Special Projects Coordinator Frankie Nobles provided an update to commissioners during the Water Board portion of the Feb. 3 meeting.

He said there was an uptick in signups – 13 additional signups on Feb. 3 alone.

The county will need to schedule a couple of community meetings, Nobles said. Commissioners requested that County Manager C. Renee Perry handle scheduling those meetings in locations in the general Kittrell area.

There are signup forms at the county website www.vancecounty.org.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library For February

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People are quick to blame social media for many of society’s ills lately, but Melody Peters, Youth Services Librarian at Perry Memorial Library, gives it credit for a growing interest in crafting. So she’s riding that wave and launching a monthly gathering for young people to learn the art of crochet.

“It is a ‘thing,’” Peters said of the renewed interest in the art of crochet, “and a lot of people are doing it.” The first class is Feb. 18 and will continue monthly.

Sticking with a retro theme, the First Friday program continues this Friday, Feb. 7. Participants will make lava lamps, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

With materials that include baby oil and Alka-Seltzer tablets, Peters said the craft project /STEM activity will come together.

Pre-schoolers will gather at 10:30 a.m. for the activity, and then a mixed-age group of homeschoolers will convene at 1 p.m. to create their lava lamps.

Mental Health Monday is a a new program that Peters is kicking off on Feb. 17 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. It’s a teacher workday, and students are out of school, so she’s offering a special day for teens – ages 12-20 – to take part in a variety of activities including art therapy, “food for your mood” cooking and some time with animals from the local shelter.

The program is designed to help teens focus on “different ways to boost your mood and feel good,” Peters said.

Later in the month, there will be different scavenger hunts that spotlight Black History Month, she said.

And Vance County Commissioner Valencia Perry will be a special guest for Kids Connect on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.

Visit perrylibrary.org for a complete listing of programs, events and services.

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NC Community Foundation Scholarship Info

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The North Carolina Community Foundation administers nearly 140 college scholarships totaling close to $1.8 million. Most of the applications are open until Mar. 3 for students looking for ways to help pay for college.

There is no cost to apply and students can apply online using NCCF’s Universal Scholarships Application, which matches student information with criteria for about 130 scholarships for which they may be eligible.

There are a dozen or so other NCCF scholarships that have separate applications with different due dates. Students should review the criteria for those and follow instructions on how to apply.

All scholarships are established through endowment funds at NCCF with criteria determined by the donor. In 2024, NCCF awarded almost $1.5 million in scholarships to 360 students.

Visit nccommunityfoundation.org/Scholarships for detailed application instructions.

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Cooperative Extension with Micah Sharpe: 4-H Events Happening in the Spring

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On Vance County Cooperative Extension with Micah Sharpe:

The Dinah Gore 4-H Healthy Food Challenge is happening in March. Vance County will take on other teams from other counties in the State. This is a perfect opportunity for kids to showcase their culinary skills.

There will be a Game of Drones Competition in April! Kids have been working on their drones using block code.

Family STEM Night will happen on March 20th at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market from 6pm-8pm. It’s going to be an interactive hands-on evening full of STEM activities for the whole family.

Calling All Teachers! The 4-H Science Embryology Program sign-ups are now open. It’s an opportunity for your students to learn about the life-cycle of chicks. Spot are limited.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension Offices are located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536.

For any questions or to reach out to Micah Sharpe you can contact (252) 438-8188 or mosharpe@ncsu.edu

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VCHS Band Director Jaron Cox To Take Conductor Role In 3rd Annual Community Youth Honor Band

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— information courtesy of Vance County Schools and Vance-Granville Community College

More than 100 of the region’s best young musicians will show off their skills at the 3rd annual Community Youth Honor Band Concert, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 7 at the VGCC Civic Center.

The concert, which is free and open to the public. begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Campus Civic Center in Henderson. All family, friends and community members are encouraged to come support these talented students and the schools they represent.

Jaron Cox, a founding member of the honor band event, will lead the intermediate group – the Green Honor Band. Cox is the band director at Vance County High School. VGCC music instructor Brian D. Miller will lead the advanced group, according to information from VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.

Middle and high school students representing schools throughout VGCC’s four-county service area were nominated by their respective band directors for their musical talent and passion. They will gather for the first time to rehearse on Thursday, Feb. 6, reconvene Friday morning, and present a concert that evening.

The student musicians will learn new songs especially for this event. Music selections had not yet been finalized at the time of publication, but event organizers offered a preview of what songs attendees might hear: “Ballad for Peace,” “The Barber of Seville,” “Ready the Castle” (JaRod Hall), and “Shadow Fire” (Randall D. Standridge), among others.

Cox said he is honored to lead this talented group of students. “The opportunity to conduct the Green Honor Band is a privilege,” said Cox. “This concert brings together young musicians from across the region to showcase their talents, and I look forward to helping them create a memorable performance.”

The Community Youth Honor Band includes middle and high school students from Granville, Vance, Warren and Franklin counties. It offers a special opportunity for students to collaborate with peers from other schools and perform in a large concert band. The preparation begins the day prior to the performance, with students rehearsing intensively for the big event.

Last year’s concert featured 95 students—45 from middle schools and 50 from high schools—performing before an audience of more than 300 in the VGCC Civic Center. This year promises to be another exciting display of musical growth and community spirit.

Cox also expressed gratitude for the continued support of the event by Betsy Henderson, VGCC Department Chair of Fine Arts and Humanities, Dr. Thomas Koinis, MD, FAAFP, VGCC Community Band member, and Tiffany Stone of Hill’s Music, aas well as Miller, who also is director of the Community Band.

This event was planned by a committee comprised of VGCC representatives, area band directors and school administrators, local business owners, and other community members. To learn more about the band or Fine Arts programs at Vance-Granville, contact department chair Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu or 252.738.3371.

TownTalk: The Mission Of Rebuilding Hope, Inc.

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For Tom Wille, the message and mission of Rebuilding Hope is simple: The book of Acts calls upon Christians to be the witness in Jerusalem, and to spread the Gospel message.

“Here we are, working in our Jerusalem,” Wille said on Monday’s TownTalk.

As co-director for the past couple of years, Wille said he has witnessed acts of good service to residents in Vance County and beyond. When Rebuilding Hope teams venture out to repair a roof or build a ramp, he said, it changes people’s lives. Ramps make daily living easier to get people in and out of their homes, but that simple act of constructing a ramp also shows them the love of Christ, Wille said.

In 2024, teams installed 205 ramps in homes across five counties. Add to that 16 roofs and a bunch of deck and porch repairs, and Rebuilding Hope is really showing up for their neighbors in need.

“Most of us are retired from our secular jobs,” Wille said. “We’re just out here working in the name of Christ.” From recruiting new volunteers and managing construction teams to making sure materials are ordered and delivered on time, Wille said he and founder and co-director Randolph Wilson try to keep things humming along.

There are several local companies that send out teams to volunteer regularly to help with projects, but there’s always room for more, Wille said. Churches that want to form teams to help others in their congregations are welcome to participate, too.

“Their constituents have needs,” he said. Churches can form volunteer teams and Rebuilding Hope can supply the lumber, a tool trailer and whatever else may be needed to help the church serve its own members in need.

“It’s a wonderful thing when a local church serves its own congregation because they’re seeing how the family of Christ should work,” he said.

The office, located at 414 Raleigh Rd., is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 252.438.5132 or visit rebuildinghopeinc.org to learn more.

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TownTalk: Commissioners Hold Retreat

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UPDATED: 2 p.m. February 4

The Vance County Board of Commissioners and county staff spent Friday, Jan. 31 at a planning retreat to discuss a wide range of issues, ranging from conditions and maintenance needs at the county detention center and creation of a possible emergency services complex to changing the property tax revaluation cycle and next steps in filling the District 3 vacancy.

Instead of holding a special called meeting to discuss the potential appointees, the commissioners opted to use the scheduled Feb. 17 work session to possibly choose the person who will fill the District 3 seat, previously held by Sean Alston. The work session is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said although five individuals had submitted their names for consideration, only four remain in contention:

  • Joseph Doyle Carpunky
  • Charisse Fain
  • Jeanette B. Floyd
  • Charles Turrentine, Jr.

Former District 3 Commissioner Gordon Wilder had submitted his name for consideration, but he is not affiliated with the Democratic Party. To be considered, individuals must be affiliated with the same party as the person who vacated the seat. Sean Alston, a Democrat, resigned his seat in January.

The retreat took place in the commissioners’ meeting room, and the first agenda item was capital improvements – specifically the jail, EMS/Fire Main Station, EMS substation and the commissioners meeting room.

Among those speaking to commissioners were Sheriff Curtis Brame and Major William Mitchell, who shared information needed maintenance and repairs and answered questions about existing conditions at a facility that was described as having a “history of neglect.”

Brame and Mitchell had plenty of examples about conditions at the jail, from broken doors to antiquated monitoring systems.

Jail staff got a quote of $85,000 to rehang brand-new heavy steel doors on big, heavy steel hinges that inmates managed to dismantle in less than a minute.

“It took less than 30 seconds – they wedged broom handles behind the hinges until they were sprung,” Mitchell explained. This is not a repair job that the current maintenance staff can complete without help, he continued.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said she intended to ask commissioners to consider a plan for jail maintenance at their February meeting, scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3.

Commissioners also discussed a second possible site for an EMS substation in the northern part of the county. Perry said she would provide information at the Feb. 3 meeting for commissioners to consider. The board previously had agreed to pursue another tract, but a couple of commissioners expressed concern about the slope of the property. This second tract is 6.5 acres and significantly flatter, according to Frankie Nobles, special projects coordinator.

After a lunch break, the commissioners discussed pros and cons of the current tax revaluation cycle.

Vance County is one of 30 counties across the state that uses an eight-year cycle.

Warren County uses the 8-year cycle; Franklin and Granville counties are on 6-year cycles; Halifax, Lee and Person counties are on 4-year cycles.

Commissioners expressed concern about the cost of more frequent revaluations and the financial feasibility of using in-house staff to complete the reval process instead of hiring outside contractors.

As for progress being made in using the close to $2 million in opioid settlement funds that the county has received so far, commissioners would like to reconvene a meeting of community stakeholders, from county leaders to mental health experts, public health staff, DSS, law enforcement and others to gather input about how to spend the money.

So far, the county has disbursed zero dollars, according to Special Projects Coordinator Frankie Nobles.

Perry said she would work to convene a meeting of stakeholders in March.

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(Original version posted February 3, 2025)

NC SBI

The Local Skinny! Missing Woman’s Remains Found

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— courtesy of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page

“The Warren County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the State Bureau of Investigations, and with the assistance of the Youngsville Rescue Dive Team, executed searches in Vance County on 1/30/2025. During the search, possible human remains were discovered. The remains were sent to the NC Medical Examiner’s Office, where they have been identified as the remains of Dana Leigh Mustian. Her disappearance and death are continuing to be investigated. No other information will be released at this time. We would like to thank Sheriff Curtis Brame and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.”

— courtesy of the NC State Bureau of Investigation

“In January 2024, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) regarding a missing person case from 2023. Dana Leigh Mustian was last seen on November 30, 2023, on Dorothy Drive in Warrenton, NC. On January 30, 2025, the Warren County Sheriff’s office, the Henderson Police Department, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, the Youngsville Rescue and EMS Dive Team, and the SBI executed searches in Vance County. While conducting a search in a pond near Henderson, possible human remains were discovered. The remains were sent to the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office for identification. Those remains were identified as those of Dana Leigh Mustian. Her family has been notified, and the investigation continues. No further details are available at this time.”

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