Vance GOP Convention – Plans Growth, Organization, Recruiting

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— Vance Co. GOP Press Release

The Vance County Republican Party held it’s annual state required convention Monday night, March 22, 2021. The meeting held in the South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church’s Family Life Center was the largest county convention held in the party’s history. Following registration, refreshment and social time, Vance County GOP Chairman, Dwight Frazier, welcomed attendees and officially opened the convention with a prayer by David Barnett and the pledge of allegiance. Pastor Frank Sossamon next took the podium and conducted the precinct organizational focus of the meeting. Delegates attending the convention sat at their respective voting precinct tables and were presented with a detailed organizational handbook the party recently developed. The handbook developed by Pastor Sossamon and the party contained data pertinent to each precinct, the list of officers required, and the duties of those officers within a precinct, and much more strategical information on how to organize and strengthen the Vance County Republican population. Regular precinct meetings are planned to help reach goals currently set by the Vance County GOP some of which are to raise the number of registered Republicans, convert voters who are currently registered as Democrat or Unaffiliated, and recruit qualified Republican candidates for ALL locally elected positions.

Dwight Frazier led the business session in which delegates adopted The State GOP Plan of Organization and elected their leadership for 2021-2023. The slate of officers elected are as follows: Vance Co. GOP Chairman – Jimmy Barrier, Vice Chairman- Kevin Osborne, Secretary – Pam Barrier and Treasurer – Jacque Esslinger.

Several guests from the district addressed the convention. Attendees heard from District 1 Chairman, Harvey West; Richard Scott, chairman of Halifax Co. GOP; Thomas Hill, Chairman of Gates Co. GOP and currently seeking an at large seat in District 1; Donna Stewart, currently seeking District 4 seat (part of the Kittrell precinct is in District 4). Also attending the convention was newly elected chair of the Warren Co. GOP, Evelyn Woodson and her vice chairman, David Woodson.

Submitted Photo – L-R Frazier, Whatley, Barrier

Two special guest speakers at Monday night’s convention were Sandy Smith, former and current candidate for the US House of Representatives and Michael Whatley, Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party who recently spoke along with Donald Trump at the 2021 CPAC Convention. Sandy Smith spoke on Republican values and her plans for implementing those values once elected to the office. Mr. Whatley first thanked the Vance Co. GOP for the extraordinary job of getting the Republican vote out in the 2020 election and “protecting the ballot” (ensuring all voting in the county was done legitimately with no irregularities). He spoke of the many accomplishments made by the party in the 2020 election and pointed out vital races throughout the state and country the party needed to win in upcoming elections. Mr. Whatley offered to help Vance County however he could to fortify the party.

Outgoing vice chairman, Robert Herford, surprised Dwight Frazier who themed this year’s convention, “Proud to Be a Republican”, with a special presentation of appreciation from the party for his service as Vance County chairman and his dedication to the party over the past ten years.

Dwight Frazier themed this year’s convention, “Proud to Be a Republican”. To conclude the convention he relinquished the podium to the newly elected chairman, Jimmy Barrier, who made a few remarks and asked attendees for their help. “Alone I am just one single vote. I need you to help me make the votes grow by getting involved. If you or someone you know says they can’t stand to watch the news any more, if you are fed up with politics and politicians, help me fight for a change to make things better. Get involved. I want to hear from every one of you.”

H-V Chamber Logo

TownTalk 03-23-21: H-V Chamber Advances will help with Human Resources

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The newly formed Human Resources Council, a program of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, will have its first meeting on Thursday, Mar. 25 at 1 p.m. There’s still time to register to participate in the virtual meeting, according to Chamber President Michele Burgess.

Burgess said the council, which falls under the chamber’s business growth and development division, will bring together human resources professionals from a variety of businesses and industry to network, problem-solve and share ideas. The council will meet monthly, she said, and will feature guest speakers.

The purpose of the council is “to help our members grow and to help them solve problems that they’re losing sleep over at night,” Burgess told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk. Until the group can gather in person again – which Burgess hopes it will be able to do by the fall – virtual meetings can help connect area human resources professionals to one another. And this, she said, will build relationships as well as a network for sharing ideas and helping solve HR problems.

One of the challenges that businesses, both large and small, face in the Vance County area is finding employees to fill job openings, Burgess said. These days, besides asking for information about COVID-19 related loans and grants, the Chamber fields calls from companies wondering how and where to find good employees. “That’s really how the whole human resources council came to be,” she said. “It really started even before COVID,” she said, adding that she hopes through strengthening relationships with the public school system and VGCC, the talent pool and workforce development can improve for area business and industry.

Thursday’s speaker is Cherrelle Lawrence, dean of corporate learning and professional development at Vance-Granville Community College. The topic is “Investing in Talent.” Lawrence, who also serves as dean of VGCC’s Franklin campus, will kick off the council gathering with an overview of topics related to human resources. “I’m excited for my business members to hear her,” Burgess said. “She is really dynamic and full of energy!”

TownTalk Podcast with Michele Burgess.

The HR Council will serve to inform human resource officers and managers in local businesses about innovative programs including specific training, apprenticeships and internships offered in the community, she said. “We like being involved,” Burgess said of the Chamber, “but we also like to share with our other partners like VGCC’s Small Business Center, local economic development commission and other entities that attract new business.

“We feel like the workforce issue is very important at this particular time,” Burgess continued. “We want to keep our local businesses here and operating (and) workforce pool is key to that,” she said. “We realize (at the Chamber) that we can’t do everything. But getting people employed and helping our industry” is a top priority.

The Chamber’s business growth and development division is co-chaired Chamber members by Brian Williams, account manager at Temperature Control Solutions, and Stephanie Hoyle, broker associate with Century 21 Country Knolls Realty.

To learn more or to register for the Thursday meeting, email michele@hendersonvance.org or call 252.438.8414.

The Local Skinny! March 23; H-V First Responders Doing Benefit

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Past and present individuals who serve various local fire, law enforcement, EMS and volunteer agencies, who form what’s commonly called Henderson Vance First Responders, are planning a 3,000 plate BBQ chicken sale for the local families of Ret. Capt. Mike Davis (HPD) and Master Trooper Brent Montgomery (SHP).

Both served in their respective areas of law enforcement, and both died as a result of covid complications. For a $10 donation, community members at large can enjoy the food, which will be available April 30th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will take place at 210 Industry Drive in Henderson. That’s the physical location the Tri-County Shrine Club uses, nearby to Mako, Servpro and Fred’s Towing.

The fundraising project is the brainchild of a number of current and past first responders according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. He and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame are helping too along with the Tri-County Shrine Club, formerly known as the Henderson Shrine Club.

Sheriff Brame told WIZS News last week, “All the proceeds will go to the families of Captain Mike Davis and Trooper Brent Montgomery. Follow social media where you can make a donation. Henderson Police Department and Vance County Sheriff’s Office have tickets on hand, so please stop by and make your donation.”

Subsequently, Brame has posted on his Facebook page, “The following persons and businesses have tickets; Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson Police Department, Eastside Barber Shoppe, Ray Fields, James Lilley, Sheriff Brame, Chief Barrow, Billy Currin. If you would like to join us in helping get these tickets out please call 432-4307, and I will get you a stack of tickets. God Bless and thank all of you.”

The Local Skinny! Podcast

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

The Local Skinny! March 22; Covid Update

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Thank you for listening to WIZS — Your Community Voice.

“The Local Skinny!” also features Tradio — click here — and the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report — click here.

The latest local data update on Covid-19, as of March 21, indicates right at 13 percent of the population of Vance County and Granville County are fully vaccinated.

In email correspondence that Lisa Harrison, health director at Granville Vance Public Health, sends out at least once per week, she wrote “Vance County — Total Doses Administered: 15,299; First Doses Administered: 9,614; Second Doses Administered: 5,685.  Granville County — Total Doses Administered: 21,036; First Doses Administered: 12,929; Second Doses Administered: 8,107.

“Vance County — Percentage of population at least partially vaccinated: 21.6%. Percentage of population fully vaccinated: 12.8%.

“Granville County — Percentage of population at least partially vaccinated: 21.4%. Percentage of population fully vaccinated: 13.4%.”

Additional links you are encouraged to use are “the NCDHHS COVID-19 Dashboard. Relevant graphs from these dashboards are available on our website at https://gvph.org/covid-19_dashboard/,” Harrison wrote.

For a seventh time overall and for the fifth straight NCAA tournament, seven ACC teams made the field (two remain at of 3-22-21 at 2 p.m.), and Harrison says the NCAA has a good model of safety for players, staff and fans  — https://www.ncaa.org/themes-topics/health-and-safety.

Harrison says the NCAA model is good, and it’s clear.  And Harrison and others around the country say we are at a turning point in the fight against the virus, a fork in the road if you will.

To continue the original basketball/model theme of Harrison’s email to WIZS News, the other type of models, like the ones you would use for forecasting the weather for example, these models being run on covid make one thing clear.  “Get your vaccine when it’s your turn and keep practicing the 3 Ws if we want to get out of this as fast as we can! We need to keep making an effort to flatten any future curves that could happen if we let our guard down too quickly or if we allow these variants to take off unchecked. We’re in this until we’re over the hump – and we don’t want any more upward trends,” Harrison wrote.

She wrote, “GVPH had the opportunity to participate in a pilot project recently to understand better how researchers at UNC, NC State University, and Georgia Tech (all good basketball schools I might add) are able to use systems engineering and simulations to model future scenarios related to the pandemic and our response. Very cool! Even more cool is they want to help us in public health with decision-making and communicating where it’s helpful.”

Presently in North Carolina, the daily percent positive is 4.9 percent.

Covid has claimed a lot of loved ones

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This week beloved North Carolina State Highway Patrolman Brent Montgomery passed away, with his celebration of life service Saturday.

In June of last year, beloved Ret. Capt. Mike Davis of the Henderson Police Department passed away due to covid complications.

Now, Henderson Vance First Responders are planning a 3,000 plate BBQ chicken sale for these two families. For a $10 donation, community members at large can enjoy the food, which will be available April 30th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will take place at 210 Industry Drive in Henderson. That’s the physical location the Tri-County Shrine Club uses, nearby to Mako, Servpro and Fred’s Towing.

In fact, the Tri-County Shrine Club, formerly known as the Henderson Shrine Club, is involved. There was a meeting last week and Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame are helping too. The fundraising project is the brainchild of a number of current and past first responders according to Chief Barrow.

Sheriff Brame also spoke to WIZS News Friday afternoon to reiterate his Facebook post of Thursday night, which we’ve also shared at facebook.com/wizsradio. In the post Brame said, “All the proceeds will go to the families of Captain Mike Davis and Trooper Brent Montgomery. Follow social media where you can make a donation. Henderson Police Department and Vance County Sheriff’s Office have tickets on hand, so please stop by and make your donation. There will be other locations.”

Based on some previous conversations — including a quote from Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell who said last week, of the specific Brent Montgomery fundraiser at the time, that probably 6,000 plates could have been sold if the chicken was available — one would be lead to believe the community wants to do more.

Barrow said Davis always worked, even up to the very end of his life last June. When the pandemic first started, according to Barrow, Davis drove Vance County School buses to make food deliveries to children and families in need. He delivered lunch packages, and now the community can support his family, and Montgomery family, by enjoying some chicken and helping the Henderson Vance First Responders benefit/fundraiser.

And, Sunday is Ret. Capt. Davis’ birthday. Barrow said Davis-Royster Funeral Service has something planned to celebrate, to commemorate how many funeral escorts Capt. Davis ran for the funeral home.

Davis served the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County community for 45 years.

Barrow told WIZS News last June, “We did the last call yesterday (for Capt. Davis) at the graveside service, and that finalizes so many things, but it’s still surreal that he’s gone,” said Barrow. “For those who aren’t familiar with a last call, a 911 communicator calls out for the officer three separate times. After the third call, the officer will be announced as 10-42, or out of service. The responding dispatcher will then thank the person for their service. It’s very solemn and heartfelt.”

For the family and friends and fellow officers of Davis and all service personnel everywhere, including Montgomery’s family, friends and fellow troopers this weekend, the final call is another moment no one ever forgets.

IRS

Tax Day for individuals extended to May 17: Treasury, IRS extend filing and payment deadline

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— press release courtesy of the IRS

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced (this week) that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. The IRS will be providing formal guidance in the coming days.

“This continues to be a tough time for many people, and the IRS wants to continue to do everything possible to help taxpayers navigate the unusual circumstances related to the pandemic, while also working on important tax administration responsibilities,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Even with the new deadline, we urge taxpayers to consider filing as soon as possible, especially those who are owed refunds. Filing electronically with direct deposit is the quickest way to get refunds, and it can help some taxpayers more quickly receive any remaining stimulus payments they may be entitled to.”

Individual taxpayers can also postpone federal income tax payments for the 2020 tax year due on April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021, without penalties and interest, regardless of the amount owed. This postponement applies to individual taxpayers, including individuals who pay self-employment tax. Penalties, interest and additions to tax will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of May 17, 2021. Individual taxpayers will automatically avoid interest and penalties on the taxes paid by May 17.

Individual taxpayers do not need to file any forms or call the IRS to qualify for this automatic federal tax filing and payment relief. Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the May 17 deadline can request a filing extension until Oct. 15 by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using the Free File link on IRS.gov. Filing Form 4868 gives taxpayers until October 15 to file their 2020 tax return but does not grant an extension of time to pay taxes due. Taxpayers should pay their federal income tax due by May 17, 2021, to avoid interest and penalties.

The IRS urges taxpayers who are due a refund to file as soon as possible. Most tax refunds associated with e-filed returns are issued within 21 days.

This relief does not apply to estimated tax payments that are due on April 15, 2021. These payments are still due on April 15. Taxes must be paid as taxpayers earn or receive income during the year, either through withholding or estimated tax payments. In general, estimated tax payments are made quarterly to the IRS by people whose income isn’t subject to income tax withholding, including self-employment income, interest, dividends, alimony or rental income. Most taxpayers automatically have their taxes withheld from their paychecks and submitted to the IRS by their employer.

State tax returns
The federal tax filing deadline postponement to May 17, 2021, only applies to individual federal income returns and tax (including tax on self-employment income) payments otherwise due April 15, 2021, not state tax payments or deposits or payments of any other type of federal tax. Taxpayers also will need to file income tax returns in 42 states plus the District of Columbia. State filing and payment deadlines vary and are not always the same as the federal filing deadline. The IRS urges taxpayers to check with their state tax agencies for those details.