The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood Engine Additives

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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

Yeah, yeah. We know…you meant to put that stuff in the gas tank to keep moisture from forming when you put the mowers, boats, jet skis and weed trimmers away for the season.

Now “the season” is here again, and what product or products will serve you and your equipment the best? The grass won’t stop growing just because the mower’s on the fritz, and you’re ready to trailer your watercraft back up to the lake for some weekend fun.

Choosing the right product from shelves and shelves full of cans, bottles and containers can be a daunting task. But if you stop by any Advance Auto Parts location – including the ones in Henderson on Raleigh Road and just off Dabney Drive, you’re sure to get expert help to figure out the right product for you.

There’s no “magic bullet” or one-size-fits-all approach, but with a bit of information about the issue, the Advance staff can help troubleshoot the problem and get you and your gear humming again in no time.

You’ll walk out with the right product for your needs, and the peace of mind that comes from consulting with folks who know what they’re talking about.

It’s important to pair the right product to your vehicle – and to address the particular problem it may have. Between the name-brand products on the shelves and the knowledgeable staff behind the counter, you can be reassured that you’re getting the best bang for your buck at Advance.

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value only and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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Martha Gayle – ‘When Jesus Calls’ Author In Henderson Saturday For Book Signing Event

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Book signing Saturday; 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.; Sadie’s Coffee Corner.

If you know your Bible stories, you may remember the one about sisters Mary and Martha and how they behaved when Jesus came to visit. Martha was the one who worked hard to get everything ready and Mary was the one who just sat at Jesus’s feet, listening. When Martha got upset because she was getting no help from her sister, Jesus said Mary had made the better decision. It’s a classic story about priorities and remembering to spend time with God.

Martha Gayle, whose first book titled When Jesus Calls was recently published, said she truly believes she got the right name – for years, her corporate career had her constantly going and doing. But the main character in her work of fiction is Mary, and she said she’s trying each and every day to be more like that person in the Bible.

“It was a very personal experience…an amazing journey,” Martha Gayle, who grew up in Henderson, said on Thursday’s TownTalk. Martha Gayle (her pen name) will be at Sadie’s Coffee Corner on Saturday, Apr. 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a book signing.

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“The Martha in the Bible was always worrying about everything,” she said, adding that she tries to be hospitable to others. “I love serving others…I’m always the one planning.”

“Mary forgot about all of that – she was at Jesus’s feet – she wanted Jesus more than anything else.” Her book guides readers “that we all need to rest at Jesus’s feet every day.”

Although it is a work of fiction, Martha Gayle said she drew upon her own life experiences to create the story. As the plot unfolds, the author has sprinkled in more than 40 Scripture verses that the character takes comfort in. And Martha Gayle hopes her readers will take comfort in them, too.

She said she was called to leave her corporate career to become a stay-at-home wife and mother, and ultimately to write her first book. She’s working on a second one now, and she said it’s almost completed.

Martha Gayle dedicated When Jesus Calls to her father, Norman, who was his daughter’s “biggest cheerleader.”

Other friends and acquaintances from her growing up years in Henderson are proving to be cheerleaders, also, as she reads posts on social media about her literary efforts.

“I haven’t lived there in many years, but to know (friends) still feel this way … it’s so appreciated and so humbling.”

Martha Gayle said she tries very hard to live a transparent and honest life – “in a way pleasing to God. God has a perfect plan for our life,” she said. Her goal is simple: “I want people to read it and come to Jesus.”

Like Mary.

Visit www.marthagayle.com to learn more.

Sheriff Brame: Five Arrested Tuesday In 3 Counties As Part Of ‘Operation Downrange’

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Five people in three counties suspected of being part of a drug trafficking organization were arrested Tuesday on a range of drug charges to culminate a months-long investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.

In a press release issued Wednesday, Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame provided details of Operation Downrange.  In addition to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, the following agencies proved instrumental in the success of this joint investigation, Brame said: Henderson Police Department, NCSBI, DEA, Wake Forest Police Department, Granville County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Probation Office in Raleigh.

Downrange focused primarily upon the trafficking of kilogram quantities of cocaine hydrochloride by a drug trafficking organization which had established itself within Vance County, Brame stated. The investigation began in August 2023 and its conclusion, Brame said, represents the culmination of thousands of hours of surveillance and other related missions.  It is believed that this organization was directly responsible for the distribution of more than 100 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride during the course of this investigation.

In the early morning hours of April 16, 2024, numerous search warrants were executed simultaneously in Vance, Wake and Granville counties.

Law enforcement officers had search warrants for 93 Gupton Lane Extension, 383 Ross Ave., 1804 Old Epsom Rd., The Red Roof Inn, 11 Kyle Lane, and a storage unit facility located on Raleigh Road, all Henderson addresses. Additional warrants were served at 102 Dundee Place in Stem and at Lakeside Terrace Court Apartments, Wake Forest.

As a result of this investigation the following arrests were made:

  • Homero Carachure-Garcia – Conspiracy to Traffic 1000 grams of Cocaine Hydrochloride; Currently housed in the Vance County Jail, (Federal Hold)
  • Selena Morales – Conspiracy to Traffic 1000 grams of Cocaine Hydrochloride; Currently housed in the Vance County Jail under a $40,000 bond
  • Elmer Carachure-Garcia – Conspiracy to Traffic 1000 grams of Cocaine Hydrochloride; Traffic in Cocaine by Possession (850 grams); PWIMSD Cocaine; PWIMSD Marijuana; Felony Maintaining a Vehicle; Felony Maintaining a Dwelling; Currently housed in the Vance County Jail under a $140,300 bond
  • Richard Hope Jr. – Possession of Firearm by a Felon; PWIMSD Marijuana; Felony Possession of Marijuana; Felony Maintaining a Dwelling; Bond was posted in the amount of $90,000
  • Derravin Myers – Conspiracy to Traffic 1000 grams of Cocaine Hydrochloride; PWMISD Marijuana; Felony Possession of Marijuana; Felony Maintaining a Dwelling; At that time of arrest, Myers was already out on bond related to a March 13, 2024 incident during which he was found to be in possession of a kilogram of cocaine hydrochloride. He is currently housed in the Granville County Jail without privilege of bond.

Brame said additional arrests are anticipated.

Brame stated that the Vance County Sheriff’s Office extends “our most sincere thanks to all of our partner agencies that provided both their time and resources in an effort to rid our communities of illegal drugs as well as those who would poison our children and families by distributing these substances on our streets.”

The Local Skinny! Sossamon Keynote Speaker At VGCC Graduation

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N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon will deliver the keynote address at the 55th annual commencement ceremony at Vance-Granville Community College on May 10.

Sossamon, in his first term as a legislator in the N.C. House of Representatives, represents District 32, covering Vance and most of Granville County. He is a member of several House committees, including Education K-12, Appropriations, Appropriations Education, Transportation, and Commerce, as well as an interim member of the House Select Committee on Substance Abuse and the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee.

During his 35-year career as pastor of South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church, Sossamon also became active in other areas of the community, according to a press statement from VGCC. He started the Chaplain Program at Maria Parham Health and served on the Ethics Council at the hospital; he also served as chaplain for the Vance County Sheriff Department for 24 years. He has been on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council for Vance County for 35 years. Rep. Sossamon has been an active member of local Crime Stoppers groups for over three decades, serving as president of both the Henderson/Vance and Granville County chapters. He has initiated numerous local community task forces in an effort to better the community.

During his freshman term, Sossamon has spearheaded efforts for a $11.5 million allocation to VGCC to construct a new center for advanced manufacturing. More recently, he played a key role in launching VGCC’s Funeral Service Education partnership with Fayetteville Tech, advocating for the program to support locally owned businesses.

The VGCC commencement will be held on the main campus in Henderson and the event is free and open to the public.

Vance-Granville Community College’s 2024 commencement will honor several hundred students who completed graduation requirements over the last year. The ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 10, on the grounds of the College’s Main Campus in Henderson. All members of the community are invited to attend.

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Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Centering Pregnancy Program at Granville Vance Public Health

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If you are pregnant or know someone who is, the local health department offers a program for expectant mothers to get support from health professionals as well as from others who will be giving birth soon.

“Centering pregnancy” has been around since the 1990’s, and it’s a way for those in the low- to moderate-risk pregnancy categories to learn ways to reduce risk factors like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, among other things.

Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison says the centering pregnancy model is “exciting work,” where women come together and learn in a group setting. Women who participate in the program get one-on-one time with health care professionals, but they also join in small-group sessions where they can ask questions and learn from each other.

“It empowers women to be actively involved in their own health care decision-making,”Harrison said in an earlier interview with WIZS.

The Centering pregnancy program does not take the place of prenatal care that women receive elsewhere, and Harrison said it’s designed to complement the care that women receive from their own providers.

Given the health disparities that exist, especially among underserved populations, Harrison said this program offered by the health department is just one intervention to address maternal and infant mortality.

“It’s a way to set mom and baby up for the best outcomes,” she said.

In addition to the small group sessions during pregnancy, GVPH nurses also make home visits once mom and her newborn are home from the hospital. This service offers support to make sure mom and baby have the resources they need, and can connect them to additional resources to help them survive and thrive.

To learn more, visit https://www.gvph.org/clinic/maternal-health-clinic/.

Check for additional details about Centering Pregnancy and a full list of programs at www.gvph.org.

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Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Building A Culture Of Winning At Vance Co. High School

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Vance County High School Athletic Director Philip Weil has been on the job for less than a year but he is working to change the culture at the high school.  Weil and Head Football Coach Aaron Elliott were guests on Tuesday’s SportsTalk. Weil, who came from Las Vegas, Nevada, said he had goals for his first year.  “I wanted to bring new ideas and new projects to the school.  We still have more to accomplish,” Weil said.  Part of what he is attempting to do is build a culture of winning. “It takes a commitment to excellence to build a winning program,” Weil said.

Where does that start?  “It all starts with Coach Aaron Elliott,” Weil added.  Coach Elliot’s Viper squad won the conference championship last season and has the program on solid footing.  That winning culture has already filtered down form Elliott to the women’s basketball and softball teams as they have found success on the court and the field this season.

Weil also said that women’s flag football, coached by Elliott, will begin this May. “It’s probably going to be the next sanctioned sport,” Coach Elliott added.  Sixty-five young women are ready to hit the field for tryouts with the first game scheduled for May 23rd against Southern Durham.  The flag football program is a collaboration between Durham County Schools and the Carolina Panthers.  Durham County reached out to Vance County to become involved in the league.  The 7 on 7 league will likely play four to five games this year with a full season expected in January of 2025.

Elliott is also busy with his usual duties as he prepares the Vipers for the spring football game on Friday, May 3rd at 8pm at Viper Stadium.

When Weil was asked where he sees Vance County High School athletics in five years, he had two word answer: “State titles.”

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