TownTalk: Townsville And Its History

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The tri-weekly history show on Thursday’s Town Talk takes listeners to Townsville, in northern Vance County. It has been known as Townesville and, originally, Lynnesville.  L-Y-N-N-E.

That’s Lynne. Rhymes with “fine.”

Bill Harris and Mark Pace discussed the early days of the town, its heyday between post-Civil War period and the Depression, and what the area was like when railroads were the main mode of transportation for people and goods.

There’s a detailed map, drawn in pencil, that a prominent family – Adams – had made, Pace said. A copy is at the North Carolina Room at the Richard Thornton library in Oxford. It shows a prosperous area, with businesses and homes “It’s amazing how much there actually was in Townsville,” Pace said. “It was a really significant place in its heyday (between) 1885 and 1920.

There was a drug store, a box factory, a school, a bank -even a hotel. And a jail.

“It was a happening place,” Pace said. Mostly because of the railroad.

The town originally was called Lynnesville, for the Caroline County, Va. family that moved to the area. Lynne operated a store in town in the 1780’s. And it’s why John Penn, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, moved to Granville County. He married one of Lynne’s daughters.

The town’s name changed to Townesville to honor Edmund G. Townes who gave land on which the train depot was built. The railroad came through in 1855 and in the early 20th century when a spur line was put in between Manson and Townsville, “that’s when Townsville really hit its stride,” Pace said.

The citizens of the tiny town had a bond issue in 1920 and raised $60,000 to buy the rail line. It consisted of one freight car and one passenger car, and it went regularly between Manson and Townsville. The only trouble was there was no place to turn around in Townsville, so it had to chug in reverse all the way back to Manson.

Through the 1920’s the railroad died off, the box factory closed and Townsville became a casualty of the Depression. “Basically, it was part of the general change that was happening in America,” Pace said, of people leaving rural areas in search of jobs in more urban areas.

In 1942, two local gold prospectors from Granville County discovered something almost as good in Townsville Township. They found a rich deposit of tungsten, a hard metal that has a super-high melting temperature. Tungsten was put on the tips of missiles and artillery during World War II to penetrate tank armor.

The Allied forces didn’t have access to tungsten, and within six weeks’ time, there was a gaping open pit in Townsville and tungsten was being brought out to sell to the Army. It was dangerous work when the mining finally went underground, and Pace noted that it was one of the first places in the area that was integrated, Black and White working side by side.

The mine was in operation until 1971.

The Townsville area also produced a man by the name of Thomas Morgan, who eventually went to work for Sperry Corp. He was instrumental in creating a gyroscope used for ship navigation and also in the development of radar. “He was a big, big deal,” Pace said. Morgan, who is buried at Island Creek Baptist Church, had a famous visitor attend his funeral – U.S. Army General Omar Bradley.

Click Play and hear more

 

RR Crossing Repairs

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As the old joke goes, there’s good news and bad news about a few railroad crossings in the area: The good news is that four crossings are being repaired during the next couple of weekends. The bad news is that motorists will be rerouted for a couple of days while the improvements are being made.

Beginning on Friday, Jan. 14 at 6:30 a.m., the crossing at N.C. 39 and Andrews Avenue and the crossing at Welcome Avenue near Saint Matthews St. in the southern part of the city will be closed to traffic. CSX Railroad has scheduled the repairs and routine required maintenance to begin Friday and be completed by sometime Saturday, Jan. 15.

The statement from the city said detour routes would be marked.

The following weekend – Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 – the crossing at J.P. Taylor Road, just off Raleigh Road and the crossing at State Road 1595 near Eastern Minerals, will be closed for repairs and maintenance.

Inclement weather could affect the times and dates.

Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Tweaks Visitor Guidelines In Response To COVID-19 Spike

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Maria Parham Health has announced updated guidelines for visitors to the hospital, effective today, Wednesday, Jan. 5.

A hospital patient who is COVID-19 negative may have one visitor per day during the 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. visiting hours window. The visitor may change each day, but no visitor may stay overnight. Visitors are required to wear an appropriate face mask at all times, except when actively eating or drinking. Gaiter-style face coverings are not acceptable.

The visitor must stay in the patient room and observe all infection prevention protocols including social distancing and frequent hand washing in addition to wearing a face mask.

Things are a bit different for those patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, however.

Those patients may have no visitors, unless it’s an end-of-life situation, according to the hospital’s webpage and social media posts. In such situations, no more than two members of the patient’s immediate family may visit at one time.

Patients entering the hospital through the Emergency Room may have one visitor each day. Visitors may change each day, but they are not permitted to wait in the lobby/waiting area with patients waiting to be seen. Visitors should wait in their cars until the patient is put into a room, but COVID-19 positive patients that come through the ER are not allowed any visitors.

Obstetrical patients in labor or giving birth may have one support person per day, and that person may stay with the patient throughout her labor, but must stay in the patient’s room.

Pediatric patients are allowed two visitors per day and those visitors also  may change each day. Pediatric inpatients are allowed to have one overnight visitor, but, again those visitors must remain in the patient’s room.

Visit mariaparham.com to view the policy in its entirety.

Community Partners Of Hope Has New Community Network Specialist

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The newest staff member at Community Partners of Hope, Inc. of Henderson, may be new to the job, but she certainly is not new to the community. Delthine Watson has lived and worked in Vance County for the past 25 years, and she brings a passion for the local outreach ministry to the newly created position.

Watson, a native of Warren County, is the community network specialist for CPOH. The position is designed to help the organization expand services and outreach to homeless men in the community. Watson said she wants to take things to a new level. “I want to be instrumental in improving my community,” she said in a press release to WIZS News.

CPOH Volunteer Coordinator Jane King said, “Watson has supported our ministry for many years volunteering wherever needed and organizing her church to supply meals on a regular basis. She has a heart for service to go along with her experience in helping people navigate hard times.”

Watson understands the challenges of communities with limited resources, said Pastor Joseph Ratliff of Shiloh Baptist Church. “Yet, she knows local, state, and federal possibilities for additional resources,” Ratliff said.

Pastor Matthew Copple of First Presbyterian Church explains that CPOH’s decision to form this new role speaks loudly about the organization’s priority to expand its reach to the men it serves and the community at large. “Her [Watson’s] voice will remind our leaders and community organizations that a community’s success is defined by how it cares for its most vulnerable members,” said Copple.

Board Chairman Mike Holland has set a bold goal to relocate the emergency shelter to a location that will sustain year-round operation and space for education and job training. Under his leadership, the board of directors – coupled with Watson’s expertise – looks forward to a banner year for CPOH in 2022.

Watson said she dreams of eliminating homelessness altogether, but until that time, there is plenty more work to do by providing hot meals and temporary lodging.

Board member Ron Cava said the board is pleased to have Watson in the new position. Her education and experience in various social services and counseling uniquely qualify her for this position, he said. “We are pleased to have someone of Delthine’s character, experience, and passion for service with the homeless to join our team.” Cava said.

The community ministry serves Henderson by safely sheltering homeless men, providing them warmth, nourishment, guidance, and encouragement. Since its opening 12 years ago, improvements to the shelter and management have increased capacity to move men from chronic homelessness to more hopeful potential for housing. CPOH seasonally operates a men’s homeless shelter November through March, providing service to 60-80 men each season. Its companion service, Hope House, offers temporary residence for up to six men who are transitioning out of homelessness.

In her new role, Watson will work closely with the board of directors and other CPOH staff to provide support, coordination, guidance, and visibility for services offered to homeless men. Through her networking with regional agencies and organizations, CPOH will enhance the potential for each homeless man to find healing, work and housing.

Learn more at www.cp-hope.org.

One Life Flighted After Shooting — Update: Suspect in Custody

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Update 01-05-22 at 4 p.m. —

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow informed WIZS News that “Quintez Alston is in the custody of the Vance County Jail under a $290,000 secured bond.”

The chief indicated that Alston surrendered today and turned himself in.

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Update 12-30-21 including suspect picture —

According to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow, both victims of a Wednesday shooting are in stable condition.

Barrow indicated there was a suspect and said sworn out were “five felony warrants for the arrest of Quintez Deshaun Alston,” age 19.

The chief said the suspect in the case remains at large.

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Original post Wednesday, December 29, 2021 —

Wednesday afternoon about 2:15, Henderson Police and local EMS and fire personnel responded to a shooting incident.

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow told WIZS News that the incident “occurred in the 200s block of Kittrell Street.”

He said, “Two individuals were injured during the incident and transported to local area medical facilities.”

One of the victims was Life Flighted, and that victim was loaded in the helicopter and air born no more than 29 or 30 minutes from the time the incident unfolded.

Chief Barrow did not release the names or types of injuries for safety reasons.

As of this initial news publication, the motive and suspect are still unknown.

Barrow said, “The victims were in a burgundy Honda with two other occupants who were not injured during the incident.”

So, at this point, there are two victims and two additional individuals involved plus the shooter.

The chief said a rear seat passenger fled the car prior to Henderson Police arriving.

Barrow said, “We believe, at this time, the shots were from a residence on Kittrell Street and further investigation into that is ongoing.”

It seems the car was shot at on Kittrell Street and that the car left the scene and went nearby. There was a large police presence shortly after the time of the shooting on a nearby street.

The chief and his officers have a lot to work with, especially that two witnesses were inside the car, one unknown and another unmentioned by name or description.

After providing the fact that the rear passenger fled, the chief said, “Hence, this was probably an intended target not random.”

Kittrell Street in Henderson is only a couple of blocks long, and the incident occurred between the North Chestnut and West Rockspring section, pretty much behind what many would regard as being behind the original Eaton Johnson school building on the auditorium side.

As to the local availability of Life Flight, in Feb 2020, it was announced that Duke Life Flight would open a station at Maria Parham Health in Henderson.

It was announced that the new on-site station would provide residents in Vance County and surrounding areas with direct access to trauma personnel, enhanced response in trauma situations, and improved transfer times for critical patients to a higher level of care.

Maria Parham Health’s emergency room is staffed 24/7 with emergency physicians, nurses, and staff who specialize in responding to emergency care needs. The new Life Flight station enhances the team’s ability to respond to emergency calls and provide critical transfers. The station includes two ground units and one helicopter which actually started being available on-site on January 20, 2020. Crew quarters are located at the hospital, and crews are readily available to respond 24/7.

At the time of the announcement in 2020, Maria Parham CEO Bert Beard said, “We are excited about our enhanced partnership with Duke Health and the increased emergency response this provides our patients in the surrounding areas. By opening a Life Flight station at our hospital, we are strengthening the level of access to care of our patients and making our communities healthier.”

Wednesday the personnel and chopper provided assistance to the victim of a crime. Another day the collaborative effort may provide assistance to a purely medical emergency or accident victim.

Regardless of the beneficiary, the station provides direct access to trauma personnel in the event of an emergency. The opening of the station improves access to local emergency assistance. By providing critical transfers for patients in the surrounding areas, the station frees up local EMS to respond to more regular calls.

TownTalk: The Jail and more Things To Know

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The jail; Closed railroad crossings; Thieves; Hope House; Maria Parham visitation — all “Things to Know” in this latest edition of WIZS TownTalk.

Click Play Below

Vance County Logo

Sheriff, jail staff working to fix problems noted in state inspection

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear a report about the recent state inspection of the county jail at their meeting Monday, Jan. 10.

Although the biannual inspection contained numerous findings regarding the state of the facility, the director’s report indicates that all deficiencies have either been corrected or are close to being corrected.

Vance County Detention Director Maj. John Shelton prepared a three-page response to the inspection, which was conducted on Dec. 1, 2021 by an inspector from N.C. Health and Human Services.

Most of the findings have to do with the actual jail building and include issues like peeling paint, rusty vents in cells and damaged glass. Sheriff Curtis R. Brame told WIZS News that the county just needs a new detention center.

“The one that serves our county is old, outdated, antiquated and unsafe for both staff and detainees,” Brame said in an email.

The peeling paint and rusty vents are both the result of condensation on exterior walls, Shelton noted in his report. “Over the years, the mildew has been painted over rather that the source being eliminated. That has caused the paint to bubble up and peel away,” the report stated.

Dehumidifiers have been placed throughout the facility and the plan is to install a vent fan to pull moisture out, as well as address any air flow issues. Once the moisture problem has been fixed, the walls will be scraped and re-painted. But that work will have to be contracted out because the jail has no maintenance person and there currently are no “suitable trustees to help,” the report stated.

Staffing shortages are the result of another finding by the state inspector in the supervision category. Regulations state that inmates be observed “at least two times within a 60-minute period on an irregular basis with not more than 40 minutes between rounds.”

A records review during the inspection found that this was not the case on at least one occasion.

The sheriff’s office report said there are not enough detention officers available to make sure each squad is fully staffed. Three squads have only three detention officers and a fourth squad only has two. The authorized staffing level is seven per squad.

“We have been offering paid overtime to detention officers and deputies to fill some of the vacant blocks of time, particularly at night and on the weekends,” Shelton stated in the report. A lieutenant has been put in charge of monitoring the rounds and taking disciplinary action when necessary.

Other issues that were identified are:

  • Inoperable fixtures, but Shelton said that the lights in the female dorm had not been turned on at the switch. “Once those lights were switched on, they worked as designed.” The bulbs that are not working in Segregation Cell 3 will be changed once the bits arrive that are needed to unscrew the bolts of the tamper-proof fixture, the report stated.
  • Perry Glass will install new Lexan to replace the damaged laminated glass in Segregation Cell 1.
  • A missing ceiling tile in a storage area has been replaced.
  • An outside  camera is not working, and Shelton noted that it had been damaged in a storm. The camera vendor has been contacted.
  • Dieticians at Maria Parham Health have been contacted to consult with planning menus for detainees.

NCDHHS Expands Program Helping Families Pay Water Bills

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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program will expand to include all low-income households needing assistance in paying their water bill.

LIHWAP was created in December 2021 after the State of North Carolina was awarded more than $38 million in federal funds to establish a new water assistance program for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, households with a current water/wastewater bill can begin applying for LIHWAP assistance if they meet the eligibility requirements, whether or not their water service has been disconnected. Households that have had their services disconnected or are in jeopardy of having their services disconnected can continue to apply.

 

“Due to the pandemic and its impact on our economy, many households are struggling to maintain their water service,” said Tara Myers, NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Employment, Inclusion and Economic Stability. “LIHWAP will continue to help families in North Carolina keep their water running, a basic human need that’s critical for good sanitation and better health.”

LIHWAP is a temporary emergency program that helps eligible households and families afford water and wastewater services. The program provides a one-time payment for eligible low-income households directly to the utility company. LIHWAP runs through September 2023 or until the funds run out.

Individuals can apply online at epass.nc.gov. Individuals can also apply by printing a paper application from epass.nc.gov and dropping it off at or faxing it to their local county Department of Social Services or by calling their local county Department of Social Services to apply by phone.

To be eligible for LIHWAP, a household must have at least one U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and:

  • Have income equal to or less than 150% of the federal poverty level
  • Have household services that are disconnected, in jeopardy of disconnection or have a current outstanding bill
  • Be responsible for the water bill

Households can apply through Sept. 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted.

For more information on this program and eligibility, visit the LIHWAP website and the link to the website can be found at wizs.com.