I Voted Sticker

Vance Co. Board of Elections to Conduct Hand-Eye Ballot Recount

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

The Vance County Board of Elections will conduct a statewide hand-eye recount for all the ballots in three percent (3%) of the precincts casting ballots. The recount will start on Thursday, December 10, 2020, at 8:30 a.m.

If the recount is not finished on Thursday, December 10, the recount will continue on Friday, December 11 starting at 8:30 a.m.

The recount will take place at the Vance County Board of Elections office located at 300 S. Garnett Street, Henderson, NC. The recount is open to the public; however, space is limited.

In an effort to continue social distancing practices during the COVID–19 pandemic, please RSVP your interest in attending the meeting by email to fgill@vancecounty.org.

Vance County Logo

Town Talk 12/03/20: How to Apply for Winter Heating Assistance in Vance Co.

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Jamila Green, supervisor for Work First and Emergency Services with the Vance County Department of Social Services (DSS), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Green addressed the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ (NCDHHS) announcement that it will issue automated payments to thousands of eligible households, including local residents, to assist with winter heating expenses via the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).

To be eligible for the LIEAP program, a household must:

  • Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
  • Have income equal to or less than 130% of the federal poverty limit
  • Have resources, such as saving and checking accounts and cash on hand, at or below $2,250
  • Be responsible for their heating cost

The automated payments began December 1, 2020, and will be issued through March 31, 2021. Payments are designed to help eligible seniors and people with disabilities access winter heating in a safe manner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a recent press release issued by the NCDHHS, eligible households may qualify to receive an automated payment for the 2020-2021 LIEAP season if a member of the household 1) is age 60 or older or a person with a disability receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services, 2) currently receives Food and Nutrition Services and 3) received LIEAP during the 2019-2020 season. These households were notified of eligibility in November and do not need to apply for this benefit.

Any household with a person age 60 or older or with a disability receiving DAAS services who did not receive notice of an automated payment is encouraged to submit a paper application for LIEAP assistance.

In Vance County, LIEAP applications may be mailed or dropped off at the local DSS office – 350 Ruin Creek Road, Henderson, NC 27536 – or applicants may contact Vance County DSS by phone at (252) 492-5001.

Please visit Vance County DSS online at https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/social-services/ for additional information.

To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Maria Parham Health

‘No Visitor Policy’ in Place at MPH Until Further Notice

/by

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Maria Parham Health has released a statement announcing that A NO VISITOR policy will be in place at the Henderson and Franklin Emergency Departments beginning at 5 p.m. on December 3, 2020.

Visitors will not be allowed in the waiting area or permitted in the Emergency Department patient care areas. All visitors will be requested to provide a cell phone number for contact and will be required to wait in their cars.

The only visitor exceptions are as follows:

  • Power of Attorney representatives
  • Patients nearing end of life may have 2 visitors
  • Children 16 years and younger may have 2 visitors

These restrictions will remain in place until further notice.

Health for the Holidays

Town Talk 12/03/20: ‘Health for the Holidays’ COVID Testing, Suicide Prevention Event

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Charlene Thompson, community health worker with Gang Free, Inc., appeared on the second segment of WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Thompson discussed Gang Free’s “Health for the Holidays” community event to include free COVID-19 testing, crisis intervention and suicide prevention on Saturday, December 5, 2020, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

In addition, Thompson said gift bags with masks and hand sanitizer, art supplies and food boxes will be distributed to participants.

Testing and services will be held at the City of Henderson Operations Center located at 900 S. Beckford Drive in Henderson.

To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-3-20 Court resumes; Covid; Gang Free; Mobile Homes; Salvation Army; Exams; Food Truck

/by

Stories include:

– Vance Co. Court resumes

– Latest Covid19 figures

– Gang Free Health for the Holidays event

– Abandoned Mobile Home Program

– Salvation Army

– Vance Co. Schools exams

– Food Truck Festival.

For full details and audio click play

 

NC State Board of Elections

Counties Complete Recount in Supreme Court Race; Newby Leads by 401 Votes

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

All 100 North Carolina counties have completed the statewide recount in the North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice contest.

After the machine recount, Republican Paul Newby leads Democrat Cheri Beasley by 401 votes out of nearly 5.4 million cast in that race.

“The recount showed minor differences from canvassed vote totals, but did not change the outcome of the contest,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We appreciate the hard work of the county boards of elections throughout the recount process.”

When the recount was requested, the margin between the candidates stood at 406 votes, favoring Newby. Several counties subsequently recanvassed, at which point the margin was 416 votes, favoring Newby.

After the recount, the margin is now 401 votes, favoring Newby.

Minor differences are expected with any recount, as different machines may read stray marks differently.

Pursuant to state law, within 24 hours, Beasley, as the second-place candidate, may demand a hand-to-eye recount in a random sample of 3% of voting sites in each county. The State Board will hold a drawing to determine the random samples.

If the results of a hand-to-eye recount differ from the previous results within those precincts to the extent that extrapolating the amount of the change to the entire state (based on the proportion of ballots recounted to the total votes cast for that office) would result in the reversing of the results, then a statewide hand-to-eye recount of all ballots would be conducted.

Meanwhile, both Supreme Court candidates have filed a total of more than 100 election protests that are either scheduled for consideration by the county boards of elections or have already been heard at the county level and appealed to the State Board. The State Board plans to hear the appeals once the county boards have completed the proceedings.

Here are the protests: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=Requests/2020/2020 General Protest Filings/

Here are the appeals: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=Requests/2020/2020 General Protest Filings/

For 2020 election results, go here: NCSBE Contest Results.

For recount results, go here: 2020 Statewide Recount Results.

Ballot Count Changes by County

County Beasley Newby
ALAMANCE +14 +15
ALEXANDER 0 0
ALLEGHANY 0 0
ANSON +1 +1
ASHE 0 -2
AVERY +1 -3
BEAUFORT +1 -6
BERTIE -2 0
BLADEN 0 0
BRUNSWICK -2 0
BUNCOMBE +2 +2
BURKE +1 +2
CABARRUS -3 -2
CALDWELL -3 -3
CAMDEN +2 +2
CARTERET +1 -1
CASWELL 0 +4
CATAWBA -21 -22
CHATHAM +1 +5
CHEROKEE 0 0
CHOWAN 0 0
CLAY 0 -1
CLEVELAND 0 0
COLUMBUS -2 0
CRAVEN 0 -6
CUMBERLAND -4 0
CURRITUCK 0 0
DARE 0 +1
DAVIDSON +9 +5
DAVIE -1 0
DUPLIN +2 +1
DURHAM -3 +1
EDGECOMBE -3 0
FORSYTH +30 -26
FRANKLIN 0 0
GASTON -1 -2
GATES 0 +1
GRAHAM 0 0
GRANVILLE -1 -1
GREENE 0 0
GUILFORD +2 +5
HALIFAX -2 +3
HARNETT +3 -2
HAYWOOD +1 -4
HENDERSON 0 -2
HERTFORD 0 0
HOKE -5 -3
HYDE 0 +1
IREDELL -3 -2
JACKSON 0 0
JOHNSTON -6 +4
JONES +1 -1
LEE -2 -2
LENOIR -4 -1
LINCOLN -1 0
MACON -3 -2
MADISON -1 0
MARTIN +6 0
MCDOWELL 0 -1
MECKLENBURG -8 -1
MITCHELL -1 0
MONTGOMERY 0 -2
MOORE 0 +5
NASH +2 0
NEW HANOVER 0 0
NORTHAMPTON 0 0
ONSLOW -3 -2
ORANGE -2 -3
PAMLICO +1 0
PASQUOTANK -2 0
PENDER +2 0
PERQUIMANS +7 +8
PERSON +7 +9
PITT 0 -3
POLK 0 0
RANDOLPH -2 -2
RICHMOND 0 0
ROBESON 0 0
ROCKINGHAM -3 -1
ROWAN -6 -5
RUTHERFORD +6 +13
SAMPSON -1 -1
SCOTLAND 0 +1
STANLY +2 -1
STOKES 0 0
SURRY 0 0
SWAIN -2 -2
TRANSYLVANIA -1 +2
TYRRELL 0 0
UNION +1 -1
VANCE -1 0
WAKE -13 -6
WARREN -1 +1
WASHINGTON -1 0
WATAUGA -2 +5
WAYNE -1 +2
WILKES +1 -5
WILSON -5 -7
YADKIN +1 +3
YANCEY 0 0
Grand Total -20 -35

Values in each column represent [County’s Recount # minus County’s Final Canvass #].

Note: Some counties recanvassed after November 13.

Aycock Rec Center

Aycock Rec. Center Offers Limited-Time Free Indoor Track Usage 

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Henderson Vance Recreation and Parks Department

For a limited time, walkers will be welcome free of charge at the indoor Aycock Rec Center track. The Aycock Rec Center is located at 307 Carey Chapel Rd in Henderson.

This offer is good Monday – Friday from 6 until 8 p.m. in 30-minute increments. Limit of five people per block of time.

Walkers must wear a mask and sign in at the front desk.

VGCC Graduates Second Class from Truck Driver Training Program, Prepares for a Third

/by

Vance-Granville Community College recently celebrated the graduation of the second class in the short history of its Truck Driver Training, or CDL, program.

The program includes a combination of classroom instruction, range driving and road driving. With the end of training, students have successfully completed their DOT exams, making them eligible for their “Class A” Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL-A) and fully employable as truck drivers.

Students in the second graduating class of the VGCC CDL program pose on the college campus.

Kyle Burwell, Director of Occupational Extension for VGCC, said that college officials were “thrilled” to see the 15-member second class of students complete the program. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have to keep our enrollment numbers at a minimum, but even with pandemic delays, we still had 15 successful students,” Burwell said. “We continue to appreciate all of the efforts of our lead partner school, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, which provides the DOT examiner-certified instructors for the program.  To date, we have a 100% pass rate with our Truck Driver Training Program.”

One of the recent graduates, Antwoine Huntley of Durham, reflected that “the truck driver training program at Vance-Granville Community College was just simply excellent. I learned so much, and the instructors were wonderful and knowledgeable about everything we needed to know to help us be successful and get our CDL-A licenses.”

“I would recommend this program for recent high school graduates just starting out or those seeking a career change,” added graduate Leslie Starner of Franklinton. “It is an accredited school with knowledgeable, personable, seasoned educators who themselves have been long-distance truck drivers. There is such a range of resources from the instructors that can help prepare people for success, from start to finish. In addition, the tuition costs are much more reasonable than other private trucking schools in the area and across the region.”

VGCC is scheduled to offer another such nine-week class in early 2021, starting with a mandatory orientation session on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 10 a.m.

The program, certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), is considered essential to meeting the needs of many companies who need drivers to move goods across the country. Local employers have shown strong support for VGCC’s program and have spoken to students about job opportunities.

To enroll in the program, students must be at least 18 years old, have a valid North Carolina driver’s license, and be able to read and speak English well enough to take instructions from highway signs, to converse with officials, and to complete the required reports.

For more information on the Truck Driver Training Program, please visit www.vgcc.edu/cdl/ or contact Kyle Burwell, Director of Occupational Extension, at 252-738-3276 or burwellk@vgcc.edu.

Vance County Courthouse

Vance County Court Sessions Resume Monday, Dec. 7

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Court sessions at the Vance County Courthouse will resume on Monday, December 7, 2020, after several canceled days due to a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases.

According to the Hon. Henry L. Gupton, the Courthouse will continue to follow all the guidelines that are in place, such as regular cleaning throughout the day, to ensure the safety of staff and the public.

Abandoned Mobile Home Program

Abandoned Mobile Home Program to Enhance Beauty, Safety of Vance Co.

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Vance County Government

Vance County is looking for applicants to participate in this year’s state grant-funded abandoned mobile home program. The program identifies abandoned mobile homes across the county that pose aesthetic, health and safety hazards. This is a voluntary program on behalf of the homeowner and is meant to enhance the beauty, safety and appearance of Vance County.

Homeowners are only required to pay $250 for singlewides and/or $500 for doublewides for the removal and proper disposal of the abandoned mobile home.

Vance County is finishing up this grant round with only a few applications to be accepted. However, due to the popularity of this program and the potential for future funding, applicants are encouraged to apply.

For those interested in applying, please contact Jason Falls at (252) 738-2090.