State of Region – When Will Triangle Overflows Get to Vance

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Economists analyze data and then make projections about things that matter to individuals, governments and other organizations. They do research, make evaluations and help make sense of money, taxes and how much things cost.

N.C. State University professor emeritus Dr. Mike Walden shed some light on prospective growth in Vance County and surrounding areas on Wednesday during a ‘State of the Region’ event sponsored by the Kerr-Tar COG and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.

There were no big surprises or ‘aha’ moments in Walden’s remarks to those who’d gathered for the lunchtime program at Henderson Country Club, but Walden’s observations served to rekindle some enthusiasm about what’s possible when it comes to economic growth.

Vance and Warren counties have taken a backseat to Granville and Franklin counties as growth from the Triangle area overflows outside the Raleigh-Durham metro area.

“The counties that have lagged the most were Vance and Warren. Franklin and Granville look better.”

Walden pointed out that Vance County has all the things that attract economic growth – great people, the community college, proximity to the interstate, among others.

And yet, Vance and Warren counties are “one row back” from that inevitable growth – the first wave is hitting Granville and Franklin first, he said. It boils down to one simple, yet immutable thing: Geography.

Walden noted that Vance County is not part of Gov. Josh Stein’s new program to expand internet access, but Granville, Warren and Franklin counties are. He said if he were a Vance County leader, he’d definitely check into that and find out why.

Vance County lags behind the state in households with internet access, for example. About 64 percent of households in the county have high speed internet, compared to 91 percent for the state, he said.

Internet accessibility will continue to be important for businesses looking to locate in the area, but also for residential growth to accommodate employees who may be looking to work remotely.

“I think that there are some positives for you for the future,” Walden said. “The biggest thing that will improve the economic outlook for your future,” he said, is that Vance County is in the path of growth.

Let developers know that Vance County is re-energized, he said, and geared up to work with businesses interested in coming to this part of North Carolina.

Hopefully, the takeaway from his remarks, Walden said, is optimism.

“The growth is going to come,” he said.

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Veterans And Military Families Health And Resource Fair Coming To VGCC Civic Center Nov. 1

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UPDATE OCT 23:

The upcoming health and resource fair for military veterans and their families is going to be bigger this time around because organizers have cast a wider net to include those in Vance, Warren, Franklin, Person counties along with Granville County.

“It’s so important for us to bring these resources to the veterans and to their families,” said co-chair Lyn Breisacher of the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee. She and fellow co-chair Anne Williams have planned the event, which will take place at Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The space will be full of vendors and agencies eager to share resources and information to help veterans and their families with all types of services, from educational opportunities and financial services to employment, housing and social services.

Representatives from the Veterans Administration will be there to answer questions about claims, benefits and other services.  Additionally, Walgreens will be offering free flu vaccines to all attendees, including any VGCC student who wants to get the vaccine. Refreshments will be available, too, along with door prizes. Thomas Grill will have its food truck on site, and veterans will receive a discount on their food purchase, Breisacher said.

Veterans should bring their military ID or DD-214, especially if they intend to check on the status of a claim or to start a claim with the VA at their mobile unit, which will be set up to help vets and families, she said.

Individuals can talk to a real person, “one on one, face to face,” Breisacher said, instead of exchanging emails and making phone calls to try to get information about services and claims.

“This makes it a whole lot easier and adds a personal touch,” she said.

The resource and health fair kicks off a month-long national observance of military veterans and families, and Breisacher said it’s just one way to show support for veterans.

Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and many organizations and municipalities plan ceremonies on that day – 11-11 at 11 a.m. – to honor those who have served in the military.

“We want to salute them the whole month,” she said. Operation Green Light is another way communities can show support, she noted. Replace your porch light or other outdoor light with a green light bulb and let it shine during November.

The Committee welcomes all the veterans in our area to take advantage of this event.

Contact Lyn Breisacher at 919.693.8947 or Anne Williams at 919.892.5471 to learn more.

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UPDATE OCT 14:

November is just a few short weeks away, and the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee is gearing up to celebrate Veterans and Military Families Appreciation Month with an event on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

The committee is hosting a Veterans Health and Resource Fair, open to all area veterans.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there will be a variety of exhibitors on hand to provide information about all types of services of interest to veterans, from educational opportunities and financial services to employment, housing and social services.

Representatives from the Veterans Administration will be there to answer questions about claims, benefits and other services.

additionally, Walgreens will be offering free flu vaccines to all attendees.  Refreshments will be available, too, along with door prizes.

The Committee is looking forward to welcoming all the veterans in our area to take advantage of this event.  Also, if you’re an agency or organization who has resources available for these veterans and you haven’t been contacted by one of our committee members, please contact Lyn Breisacher at 919.693.8947 or Anne Williams at 919.892.5471.

TownTalk: Vance County Jail Could Find New Home On Brodie Road

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners is entertaining the idea of putting a new detention facility on a 10-acre tract of land at the corner of Brodie and Old County Home roads, right beside the county’s animal shelter.

During their Monday work session, commissioners discussed the idea and agreed by consensus to approve County Manager C. Renee Perry submitting a letter of support on the board’s behalf to endorse putting a new jail on the land, which is currently owned by the state of North Carolina.

Commissioner Tommy Hester has been in contact with state legislators to get things moving; Hester did not attend the work session but told WIZS News that he was eager to get the project underway before his current term on the board is up; his term expires in December 2026 and he said he does not intend to run again.

This particular tract of land, which already has water and sewer, was given to the county by Nannie Crowder, a familiar name to many in Vance County. Crowder owned parcels all around the county, and the former H. Leslie Perry librarian left this property to the county to build a school on.

Since that didn’t happen, the property reverted to the state. County leaders believe that if they can get the property at no or little cost from the state, it would be a terrific cost-saving move.

Hester has letters of endorsement from Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson, Sheriff Curtis Brame and from Perry on behalf of commissioners to sweeten the pot for those in the legislature to act in the county’s favor.

The next regular commissioners’ meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Wrapping Up October at Perry Memorial Library

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It’s not too soon for trick-or-treaters to be plotting their routes for maximum candy collection on Oct. 31. With Halloween just over a week away, Perry Memorial Library Youth Services Director Melody Peters has a couple of great suggestions: Stop by the Vance County Regional Farmers Market for Spooky Story Time at 3 p.m. and then head downtown to see what the business and retail community has in store between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The library is teaming up with the local 4-H program to host the story time at the farmers market. It’ll last about an hour and is for children of all ages, she said.

But this won’t be the only option for Halloween celebration at the library, Peters said. She’s hosting a “Not So Spooky” Family Story Time at 3 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 26. Enjoy a story and then a craft afterward.

Peters hopes the weather cooperates for the last Wednesday of the month’s Community Read-In. What started back in the summer has continued, she said. It’s a simple way to encourage more reading among all ages, adults and children alike.

The read-in will take place – weather permitting – on the grassy area outside the library near the police station on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Bring a book or other print reading material, a blanket or a lawn chair to participate.

“It’s a very simple, but very powerful” demonstration of the power of reading. The group has grown from a handful in the beginning to dozens, and Peters said she hopes the growth continues.

Another multi-age opportunity comes Tuesday, Oct. 28 when the Charlie Cart gets wheeled in for a free cooking class to learn how to cook sweet potato fries.

Space is limited but there’s still time to register for participants ages 13 and up, Peters said. The class is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visit the library website to sign up for the cooking class.

To learn about all the program and services the library offers, visit www.perrylibrary.org

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TownTalk: ‘Young Voices for Change’ with Jayden Watkins

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Young people these days face unique challenges that parents and grandparents couldn’t have imagined encountering when they were that age – from mental health to drug abuse, lack of opportunities and gang involvement – just to name a few.

The nonprofit organization Higher Is Waiting, founded by minister and author Jayden Watkins – himself a teenager – is hosting an event on Sunday, Oct. 26 that Watkins said will have teens and young adults doing all the talking and the adults in the room listening.

It’s called “Young Voices For Change,” and it takes place at 3 p.m. in the Farm Bureau room of Perry Memorial Library on Breckenridge Street in Henderson.

Watkins said it will be a youth-led event, but all ages are invited. welcome and encouraged to attend.

Teens and young adults will share their stories, ideas and solutions for building stronger, safer communities, he said, while local elected and appointed officials – along with mentors – listen, engage and respond.

“We youth need support,” Watkins said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. He hopes the room is packed on Sunday – a full house will go a long way to demonstrate the community’s interest in hearing and learning about what young people are worrying about and thinking about, as well as finding solutions to those problems.

A series of speakers is scheduled to speak for a few minutes on a challenge that youth face in the community, as well as offer a possible solution. Following the speakers, a panel discussion will take place, giving members of the audience a chance to ask questions of the youth on the panel.

Watkins said he’s been to conferences and other events where youth are at the center of the conversation, but there are no youth involved in the program.

“You need to hear directly from youth,” Watkins said, so they can be a part of the problem-solving process.

“Together, we’ll witness the next generation lead the conversation toward hope, healing, and progress,” Watkins said. “Don’t miss this event as the next generation creates change by first using their voices.”

Watkins has been using his own voice in a number of ways for a number of years – as a minister, an author, founder of a nonprofit – and this year, as Student Body President his senior year at Henderson Collegiate.

When he established Higher Is Waiting, senior year seemed a long way off. With high school graduation looming, Watkins has been thinking about how the various programs he’s involved with will be sustained.

“The Lord hasn’t led me to that person yet,” he said of a successor. His involvement in planning youth events will continue, he said.

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YMCA

Exciting Times Ahead; Henderson Family YMCA Growing

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With a goal of $120,000, the Henderson Family YMCA’s annual campaign is underway, and sights are set on a new wellness facility and improvements to outdoor facilities for youth and adult programs.

Tommy Marrow chairs the 2025 Campaign; he’s also vice chair of the YMCA board of directors. In a letter announcing the campaign, Marrow stated the goal is “ambitious,” but also achievable with the support of people in the community who believe in the Y’s mission to provide programs for the community.

“With over 5,000 individuals engaged in our programs and using our facilities, we are thrilled to see our YMCA thriving and our programs operating at full capacity once again,” Marrow said.

H.G. Reynolds, Inc. is set to begin construction in late fall, with completion expected by late 2026.

A new wellness facility will include a full basketball gym, an upper-level walking track, updated weight and cardio areas, and a studio room for classes like Silver Sneakers, step, yoga and more.

The outdoor improvements will include a retractable-dome pool suitable for swim meets, as well as a new playground, multi-purpose sports field and an updated outdoor track.

The YMCA hopes to secure long-term funding through a USDA Rural Development Loan and Grant, along with support from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation and Henderson-Vance Healthcare, Inc.

Funding from the annual campaign helps the local Y plug the gap between what membership and program fees bring in and what it actually costs to run all the programs the Y offers.

A donation of $100, for example, provides three swim lessons at the Y. A donation of $250 provides one month of after school care, and mentoring for a child. And a $582 gift translates into a year’s adult membership with full access to fitness, pool, Y amenities and staff assistance.

Learn more at hendersonymca.org.

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Cooperative Extension with Michael Ellington: The Changing Colors of Leaves

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Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:

This segment looks at the changing colors of leaves in the fall and what affects them.

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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The Local Skinny! Seahawks Night at Vance County Football Game

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The Gate City Seahawks took the field Friday night to be recognized during Seahawks Night at Viper Stadium, but also as future Jaguars and Vipers, and to get an idea of what it’s like to play under the Friday Night lights.

Henderson Vance Recreation and Parks Director Kendrick Vann said the young people are learning what it’s like to be part of a team and all the positive aspects of collaboration, teamwork and partnerships.

It’s been seven years since the local youth league teams have been part of a competitive league, and Vann told WIZS’s Scout Hughes and David “Doc” Ayscue that from where he sits, “good things are happening in football” in Vance County.

The youth league teams are coed, Vann said, and teams vary by age group – a few dozen kids are in flag football, for ages 4-6. And the teams for older youth are both 7-0 this season.

The Seahawks play home games at Vance County Middle School, but travel to Durham, Clayton, Wendell, Franklinton and elsewhere for contests.

But it’s not just about the games, Vann said. There’s an emphasis on doing service projects in the community, including participating in the citywide cleanup efforts in Henderson and making sure that the kids “dress for success” when banquet time rolls around.

Vann said the team walks out on the field together and exercises together. “We try to do a good job to form a program,” he said.

The coaching staffs at the middle school and the high school also are developing partnerships with the Seahawks – after all, they are the future Jaguars and the future Vipers.

“Vance County has a lot of great athletes,” Vann said. “There is true talent here in Vance County,” he said.

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