Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
This segment gives tips on how to control Japanese Beetles before reminding listeners that the Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays.
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Update June 15, 2026 at 9:59 p.m. from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow
Update on June 13th Homicide Investigation:
As a result of the ongoing investigation into the shooting that occurred near the intersection of Rose Street and South William Street, Michael Edwards Mitchell Jr., 25, has been arrested and charged with the following offenses:
First-Degree Murder
Possession with Intent to Manufacture, Sell, or Deliver Marijuana
Maintaining a Vehicle, Dwelling, or Place for Controlled Substances
Felony Negligent Child Abuse
Mitchell was brought before a magistrate and ordered held without bond pending future court proceedings.
This case remains under active investigation, and additional charges may be forthcoming. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925.
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Original information from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow June 14, 2026 at 9:12 a.m.
The Henderson Police Department is investigating a shooting near the intersection of Rose Street and South William Street that left one person deceased and injured two others.
A few minutes before midnight, on June 13th, Officers responded to the area following reports of a gunshot victim and located 15-year-old Manny Escobedo suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite life-saving efforts by emergency personnel, Escobedo later succumbed to his injuries at an area medical facility.
Investigators later learned that Michael Edwards Mitchell, 25, and a small child had arrived at a local emergency department with non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the same incident.
Through the investigation, detectives have determined that Mitchell traveled to the area to meet with Escobedo. During that encounter, an exchange of gunfire occurred, resulting in the injuries sustained and causing damage to Mitchell’s vehicle.
This investigation remains active and ongoing as investigators continue to process evidence and conduct witness interviews. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925
At the regular June meeting of The Henderson City Council, the local airport manager and board chair, Amanda Welsh and David Thomas respectively, presented economic impact information, answered questions and updated the council in advance of the final FY27 City Budget.
A loss of funding or lower funding would have its biggest impact on the airport’s ability to go after grants and larger funding sources because of required matching funds like percentage matches, according to Steve Welsh, who also spoke. He’s an instructor and father-in-law to Amanda Welsh.
As presently written, Henderson will provide just over $33,000 in the FY27 budget, and the airport receives appropriations from Oxford as well as Vance County and Granville County.
Thomas asked the council to consider the airport’s proposal and to continue to support it. His appearance follows a recent council budget work session discussion about savings to the budget by cutting funding to the Henderson-Oxford airport.
Amanda Welsh said, “Supporting the Henderson-Oxford Airport, supports this town of Henderson and those in it. End of story. Period.”
Thomas said, “One of the greatest values lies not in the planes based here today but in the business jobs, in the investments, it can attract over the next 5 to 10 to 20 years.”
He said in response to a question from Councilperson Kenia Gomez-Jimenez, “Henderson is the first name on the airport. And if the funding is not appropriated for the airport, then I lose my position as representative for the City of Henderson. By losing that, we lose the name of Henderson on the airport.”
Thomas said it could be viewed negatively by those looking to invest here, and “they look at that and say, well, ‘what happened to the name Henderson Oxford Airport? Henderson would not support the airport.’ So the industry, in my opinion, is going to look at it and say, ‘well, we don’t need to come to Henderson if they can’t support their own airport.’ … We’ve got one of the better airports around.”
Following a question from Mayor Pro Tem Tami Walker, Amanda Welsh said, “…if you just remember the return on investment, I know that it is tempting and necessary sometimes to look at budgets and say cut, cut, cut. You cutting could just be unfortunate for the City overall.”
Steve Welsh said a $1 million project really only costs the four contributors $100,000. He said, “So to the extent that you cut it back, the airport would obviously still exist, but the ability to go after some of those grants where it’s a 90-10 (percent split) or a 5-95 (percentage split) or an 80-20 or something like that, where somebody brings the 80 and we have to come up with a 20, we would not be able to make the updates as quick.”
(The story continues below this audio. Click Play for more information and the TownTalk broadcast.)
The Henderson City Council seemed to indicate it would like regular updates from the Henderson-Oxford Airport in addition to the airport’s annual report to the council and notification of any airport board meetings the council’s representative may attend.
Councilperson Sam Seifert said, “…it’s good for our community. It’s good for business. And it’s good for economic development. We may not see it right now, but it will pay dividends down the road. … What Henderson provides is really a nominal amount, but it demonstrates support of a resource here in town that you just can’t measure the impact it has now and what it could have in the future.”
Thomas said, “From 2022 to today’s date, we have done $12,326,000 worth of updates, repairs, and replacements in the airport.”
Also about the big money and upgrades, recall back to March when WIZS reported as follows:
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Wayne Rowland, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
Composting can be easy to do and it will improve your soil.
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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Public Notice — from the City of Henderson
The Henderson City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The purpose of this meeting is to consider and discuss the adoption of the FY 27 budget and to enter into closed session pursuant to NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(6) a Personnel Matter.
The meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall in Council Chambers, 134 Rose Avenue. This meeting is open to the public.
(The text of this public notice was originally published on WIZS.com and broadcast on WIZS Radio on June 12, 2026.)
(If you would like to learn more click play for the 6-15-26 “The Local Skinny!” broadcast and continue reading below.)
— from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame
On June 11, 2026, at approximately 9:47 a.m., deputies with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office responded to 51 Lynnbank Estates Road in Kittrell, North Carolina, in reference to a report of two gunshot victims.
Upon arrival, deputies located 38-year-old Michael Faulkner of Franklinton, North Carolina, and 26-year-old Ayanna Williams of Kittrell, both suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Faulkner was pronounced deceased at the scene. Williams was transported to Maria Parham Health, where she received treatment for her injuries.
Deputies detained 23-year-old Amari Williams at the scene as a suspect in the shooting. Investigators with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division responded and assumed the investigation.
As a result of the investigation, Amari Williams was charged with one count of First-Degree Murder and one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury. Williams was transported to the Vance County Detention Center and is being held without bond.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Crime Scene Unit is assisting the Vance County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 738-2200 or Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at (252) 492-1925. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the P3 Tips mobile application.
Who: Brick Power Team
What: Fish Plate Fundraiser
When: June 22nd from 4-7 p.m.
Where: 220 Seafood Restaurant, 1812 N. Garnett St., Henderson, NC
Why: To help the “Night to Shine” program associated with North Henderson Baptist Church for children with special needs.
Additional Details: Trout Plates are $11. Each plate includes trout, fries, slaw & hushpuppies. Pickup only. Tickets will be available or can be purchased at 220 Seafood the day of the event. Contact Harry Orr for more information at (252) 432-4196 or horr2553@yahoo.com.
Orr said he went to North Henderson Baptist and observed some of the work North Henderson does with special needs children. He said to be a church of any size “that would take the time to do this, it means a whole lot. And they just put it on my heart to help them out.”
Orr told WIZS about the children having a good time and feeling like part of the community and feeling like part of the world and enjoying things. “And that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
When he joined his church, Freedom Life Church, Orr said, “We established the weightlifting team. We started to use that and using events for fundraisers, the money we raised, (to) go ahead (to) try to make a difference in people’s lives that need help.”
He said the Brick Power Team has a vision to help others.
Orr told WIZS this fundraiser also will be connected with what is raised during another event later, a bench press event in September for the “Night to Shine” for special needs children and others in the North Henderson Baptist Church program.
Please enjoy more of the interview with Orr by clicking play!
North Carolina House 32 Representative Bryan Cohn announced Wednesday his candidacy in hopes of appearing on the ballot in November, and Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott re-confirmed her desire to run as well.
Both are seeking the ballot position, and others possibly, after the Democratic nominee, Curtis McRae, announced he would step away due to personal health matters.
“When Curtis made the difficult decision to step aside, I knew our community needed someone ready to step forward,” Cohn said. “While I had not planned to be a candidate this year, my commitment to the people of Granville and Vance counties has never changed,” he said in a press release.
Elliott told WIZS Thursday, for the second time, of her desire, and she said, “I submitted a letter. It’s the committee’s choice.”
Angela Thornton, the Democratic chairperson in Vance County, told WIZS Thursday the committee, composed of three Democratic Leaders from Granville County and two from Vance County, has not yet voted on the name they will send to the NC House Democratic Caucus. Thornton said, “We are still waiting on paperwork to finalize our vote. The committee is still meeting and following protocol to ensure all names are turned in for voting.”
On Wednesday, possibly around the same time Cohn issued his statement, the NC House Democratic Caucus issued its own statement in support of Cohn. In part, that statement said the caucus “is proud to support Representative Bryan Cohn as the Democratic nominee for House District 32…” The release spoke of his willingness to step forward and “ensures continuity of leadership and gives voters a candidate with the experience, relationships, and knowledge needed to be effective on day one.”
Once a name is chosen for the ballot, that name will appear in November’s election next to the Republican nominee, Frank Sossamon.
Whether the Democrat or the Republican wins, it will for a second election cycle have huge implications for the balance of power in Raleigh.
The name the local committee selects is the name that will appear on the ballot. The local committee will tell the NC Dem House Caucus.
And, Thornton said, “An announcement from the house caucus will be made.”
Cohn told WIZS, “The official party nomination process has not happened yet.”
WIZS News has reached out to be informed of the ballot decision when it’s made and will provide and update when the information is received.
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