30th Annual Letter Carriers Food Drive – Sat, May 14

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— submitted by Rob Barker, president of local branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers

Saturday, May 14, 2022 is the 30th Annual Letter Carriers Food Drive.

Please place non-perishable food in or by your mailbox and we will collect it and deliver it to local food banks. All food collected in this county will stay in this county and will be distributed to ACTS, Lifeline, The Salvation Army, ARC and Hope House.

In Warren County which is part of our unit, it will be distributed to Loaves and Fishes and the Senior Center.

This is a nationwide food collection drive and your help is greatly appreciated.

We were unable to have it the last two years due to COVID so there is definitely a need for food everywhere.

In 2019, the last year we had it, we collected almost 14,000 pounds.

Northeast Piedmont Chorale; McGregor Hall; May 1; FREE CONCERT

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The Northeast Piedmont Chorale will perform at McGregor Hall on Sunday, May 1 at 3 p.m. The concert is free and Chorale President Judy Miller invites the public to attend.

“We are thrilled to be bringing music back after two long years of not being able to sing or perform together,” Miller said in a press statement. The chorale will perform in Raleigh at 7:30 p.m. on Apr. 29 at New Hope Baptist Church, 4301 Louisburg Rd.

The season’s theme, ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is,’ traces the history of our country from its founding to the present and sends a message of hope in these turbulent times, Miller said.

The program opens with “America, the Beautiful.” It follows the history of our country through songs like “Song of the Tall Ship” and “They’re Coming to America” that tell the story of immigrants headed to America to find a new home. The program continues with “Shenandoah” and “Cindy” which highlight the adventurous spirit of the early settlers. Other songs like “The Gettysburg Address” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” reflect the feelings of a country split apart by the Civil War. The program ends with a message of hope and healing for all nations. Henderson’s own Cindy Edwards is director of the chorale. “We believe in the healing power of music and the arts. Song is a transformative medium for both our chorale and our audiences,” Edwards said. “Our members are looking forward to bringing a moving and beautiful evening of music to our audiences.”

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale (NPC) is a non-profit, non-sectarian volunteer organization whose mission is to perform fine choral music for residents of the Northeast Piedmont area of North Carolina at no charge. Members of the chorale come from Durham, Garner, Henderson, Kittrell, Louisburg, Middlesex, Oxford, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Youngsville, and Zebulon. The Chorale performs for hundreds of community residents each season. It relies on the generous support of corporate and individual contributors, local arts councils, member dues, fundraising activities, concert contributions, and the public to continue performing free concerts.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Celebrates Line Workers

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— information from Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

Duke Energy and utilities nationwide celebrated “front-line heroes” on Monday, honoring those who keep the power flowing to homes and businesses every day.

Evans wrote in an email sent to WIZS that more than 3,200 line workers are part of the Duke Energy team in the Carolinas, “and we need more.”

She said, “The energy industry estimates 800 entry level line workers are required per year for the next five years in North Carolina alone.”

See more at duke-energy.com.

“We are actively looking for diverse, new talent. We are partnering with Nash Community College to help train for these positions,” Evans said.

But for now Evans said, “Please join us as we salute all of the utility line workers, who are constantly going the extra mile to provide reliable electric service to customers.”

(Duke Energy is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid ad.)

TownTalk: Alston And Wilder Discuss Candidacy For County Commissioner

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Sean Alston is challenging incumbent Gordon Wilder in the race for Vance County Commissioner in District 3 and their conversations with John C. Rose aired on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

Early voting begins Apr. 28 for the May 17 primary election. Alston and Wilder talked about issues affecting the county, including community centers with after-school programs for young people and the continued need to bring jobs to the county.

Sean Alston
Alston, a Democrat, said he would expect the community to hold him accountable. “I want the people in my district…to know that they do, and will have, a voice” in county government.

He said he wants to offer the community as a whole, not just the district 3 that he would represent, that he will strive for more transparency in government. “The people just want to be heard, the people just want to be updated. I can’t guarantee or promise anything,” he said, “but I will be accountable and available.”

His platform focuses on civic participation, building up the community, transparency, accountability and community involvement.

“I feel like I can do what the people need and I feel like I can do what needs to be done,” Alston said. “At the end of the day, it comes down to accountability. I am not going to tell you one thing and do another – I will represent the voice for change.”

Alston is a local businessman and also offers his time as a coach at Vance County High School. Coaching, he said, allows him to interact with parents, youth and with teachers, and he said it’s helped him understand more about what the community needs in terms of support. Teachers need better pay, he said, and parents need a safe place for their children to be when they’re not at school.

“In order to help this county, this community, it has to start with the youth in some form or fashion,” Alston said. After-school programs located in the community that provide meals and homework help would be a good start. Teachers, he said, could get some extra pay to spend a couple of hours after school and children would have a safe place to be while parents are working second- or third-shift jobs.

People in the community, working on the same team as the school system and public safety, can help to support the youth and keep them off the streets and out of trouble, he said. “I just want to be on the team,” Alston said.

Gordon Wilder

Wilder, a Democrat, is seeking his fourth term as commissioner. “I decided to run again because I feel like we have a good board that works together. I feel we’re moving forward and I wanted to be a part of that progress.”

He said jobs is a key issue for Vance County – retaining employees and attracting new businesses and industry to the area are vital to the county’s economic health.

Companies looking to locate here may be attracted by the county-wide zoning plan or the improvements and extensions to the water system, he said. The industrial park shell building concept may also attract prospective employers.

“We need to get jobs to our county and retain those jobs and give our citizens a chance to work and improve themselves,” Wilder said. “Jobs are key,” he said. When people have opportunities for employment, they can improve their own situations as well as contribute to the county’s economic well-being. “We all win,” he said.

Local jobs means workers may be more likely to stay in the county, raise their families locally and spend money in the local economy – a real win-win situation, he said.

Wilder, a retired educator in Vance County Schools, has spent almost 50 years in Vance County serving in various capacities with the Vance County and Epsom fire departments and in his church.

“Those who have called me know that I listen and I want to help…I generally can meet their needs, answer their questions,” he said.

Wilder mentioned the recent renovations to the former Eaton Johnson campus, now home to the Department of Social Services and Senior Center, as an investment in the county’s infrastructure; improvements to the Dennis Building downtown, courthouse and county administrative offices also have come about as part of a capital improvement plan.

“I believe my experience sets me apart,” Wilder said. “All I want to do is seve the county and to move the county forward.”

 

 

TownTalk: Patrick Bailey And Jonathan Collier Discuss Candidacy For Sheriff

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The Republican candidates whose names will be on the May 17 primary election for Sheriff of Vance County spoke on Tuesday’s Town Talk in WIZS’s continuing coverage of local races and the candidates vying for office.

Patrick Bailey and Jonathan Collier spoke with John C. Rose and their remarks were recorded for presentation. Increased drug activity, crime rates and increased training for sheriff’s office staff are a few of the issues that both candidates spoke about.

Patrick Bailey

Bailey, who has worked with the Henderson Police Department as well as in business management, said he has the skills needed to be the county’s head law enforcement officer. The sheriff oversees and administers staff and programs, and makes sure that the office is functioning “accurately and appropriately within the laws of the state of North Carolina. You really need to be on top of it before something happens and you’re in a position where you don’t want to be,” he said.

Bailey said in conversations with people across the county’s 12 townships, he has heard stories of drug deals “yet they see no enforcement action being taken…to try and curtail that in any way.” He described the opioid epidemic in Vance County  as “astronomical.”

The drug issue must be addressed and sheriff’s officers need additional training to be able to combat the problem. Bailey said he wants to reinstate the drug interdiction program and put officers on I-85, U.S. 1 and N.C. Hwy. 39, all of which he said are major points of access into the county. This will allow officers to get the drugs before they can hit the street and be distributed.
“We need to try to focus on the drug dealers and put them out of business,” he said. Putting officers in place to combat problem areas begins with adequate training so officers know how to accurately and responsibly handle various situations and avoid inappropriate behaviors that get them in trouble.

It stands to reason that increased drug arrests means more people who will be serving time at the detention facility, which Bailey said needs much improvement. Granville and Warren counties both have new detention facilities and Bailey said the Vance jail is antiquated and out-of-date. “Once I get elected as sheriff of Vance County, I’ve going to have to work with the county commissioners… and see where the money is being spent,” he said.

Bailey said he would have an open-door policy as sheriff. “I feel like we need to have the policy more open to the citizens of the county to let them know that they can talk to the sheriff about any issue in the county.”

Jonathan Collier

Collier said his experience working with both Vance County and Granville County sheriff’s offices, as well as the Henderson Police Department will serve him in the role of sheriff.

“The first order of business is to ensure that we have individuals that are properly trained and properly educated on the general statutes and federal law – that is going to be the first step,” Collier said. Making sure officers are trained properly and are “doing the job that the county of Vance and its citizens are paying them to do.”

Collier said he is hearing from people in the community who don’t feel safe, whether in their own homes or at the corner convenience store. “It’s a problem when those individuals don’t feel safe,” he said, adding that it is the job of the sheriff’s office to ensure their safety.

The youth in the community need support, too, he said. “We need to figure out a way to get in front of our youth and start mentoring our youth and teenagers,” Collier said. Having positive role models to help keep youth on the right path will help them avoid run-ins with the law and participating in criminal activity.

In his work with narcotics and with firearms-related offenses Collier said he believes that law enforcement officers must exercise effective communication skills as they work and interact in the community.

“It’s paramount,” he said. “If you don’t have it,” you’re most likely going to fail when working in a team function.” He said as a law enforcement officer, it was important to have conversations with individuals to understand and try to get in front of the problems presented in society and said he considers himself a teacher and a mentor, not just someone who enforces the law.

As for the condition of the county detention center, Collier said he has heard that it is outdated and of problems keeping it fully staffed.

Collier, who is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, said he appreciates and relies on utilizing the chain of command. He will use that policy to help the flow of the sheriff’s department, he said. And will make sure it’s followed. He also said he would make it a priority to bring accreditation to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, having in place policies and procedures help guide and inform officers when they are on duty or off duty and to help him address any issues that may arise with the ranks.

Collier said he will listen to community concerns, too.
“If an issue is brought forward to me, it will be addressed,” he said. He said he enjoys a “great working relationship” with local agencies and those in surrounding jurisdictions, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office. Those relationships will continue if he is elected sheriff as he works to make the county safer for its citizens.

 

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Pedestrian Hit by Vehicle at Biscuitville

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— HPD Chief Marcus Barrow press release

On Monday, April 18, 2022, at approximately 11:45 AM, officers with the Henderson Police Department responded to Biscuitville, 1537 Dabney Drive Henderson, NC in reference to a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. Upon arrival, it was determined that the driver of the vehicle that was involved in the collision had fled the scene.

The collision involved a 69-year-old male who was walking towards the business. The suspect vehicle came from around the corner of the building and struck the male. The male was transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Through the ongoing investigation conducted by the responding officer, the driver was identified as Desiree Downey, 26, of Durham, NC. Ms. Downey was arrested on April 19, 2022, and was charged with felony hit and run. She received a $3,500 secured bond pending a court hearing on April 21, 2022.

The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for April 19, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

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Name of the Company: Jersey Mike’s Subs – Coming Soon to Henderson! 

Jobs Available: Hiring now for all positions.  Sub Shop is in shopping center off Beckford Drive in Henderson, NC, beside Postal Plus and movie theaters.

Method of Contact: Apply online at www.jerseymikes.com.  Under the careers tab at the top of the home page, put in Henderson NC 27536.

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Name of the Company: Belk Department Store

Jobs Available Several open positions.  Sales Associate and Beauty Associate.  Experience in retail helpful.  Full and part-time.  Positions provide competitive pay, flexible scheduling associate discount.

Method of Contact: Apply online at www.belkcareers.com.  Belk Store is located at 305 North Cooper Drive in Henderson, NC.

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Name of the Company:  Vance County Public Schools

Jobs Available Teachers, Head Football Coach, Elementary Principal, School Counselor, School Psychologist.

Method of Contact: Apply online to www.vcs.k12.nc.us – Under programs and services tab at top of page, click on job opportunities tab.  Or call Human Resource Office at 252-492-2127.

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Name of the Company:  Variety Wholesalers (Roses Stores) Corporate Office, located on Garnett Street in Henderson, NC

Jobs Available: Job Openings (multiple positions) for immediate hire.  Human Resource Coordinator, Payroll Specialist, Accounts Payable Clerk, Associate Buyer, Merchandise Analyst, Various Merchandise Department Buyers.

Method of Contact:  Send resume to poverton@vwstores.com or apply at www.indeed.com.

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Name of the Company Hoyle’s Tire and Axle

Jobs Available:  General Laborer, full-time work, day-shift 6:30 am – 3 pm.  Overtime available.  Benefits.

Method of Contact: Apply in person at business, located at 175 Bearpond Road in Henderson, NC.

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Name of the Company:  First Baptist Church, Henderson, NC

Jobs Available:  Administrative Support Coordinator.  Provide organizational and administrative assistance to church staff, maintain schedules for the use of the building, special events, and assist with printing and distribution of church publications.  Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Publisher, Exel.  Excellent verbal and written skills, interpersonal skills, recordkeeping skills, marketing on social medial.  High School diploma and 2 year college degree preferred. 9-5, Monday to Thursday, 9-noon on Friday.

Method of Contact:  Send resume to Ron Cava, Senior Minister at First Baptist Church. roncava@fbchenderson.net

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Name of the Company:  Versatrim, located at 101 Eastern Minerals Road, Henderson, NC.

Jobs Available:  Electrician. Maintenance Mechanic. Warehouse Department Leads.  Full-time work.

Method of Contact:  Apply online at Indeed.com or on the Versatrim.com websites.

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Name of the Company:  Kerr Lake Country Club

Jobs Available: Pro Shop Attendants.  Part-time.  Flexible hours for weekdays and weekends.  Must be 18 years old +.

Method of Contact:  Apply by calling Pro Shop Manager Robin Lascallette at 252-492-1895 or email robin@kerrlakecountryclub.com.

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Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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TownTalk: Noel, Purvis, Burnette Discuss Ward 2 Candidacy

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Two challengers – Lamont Noel and Dr. William R. Purvis – will face incumbent William Burnette for the Ward 2 at large seat of the Henderson City Council. All three candidates spoke recently with John C. Rose as part of WIZS’s coverage of the upcoming May 17 primary election; their recorded interviews aired on Monday’s Town Talk.

Economic development, combatting crime, increased salaries for city employees and beautification are among issues that the candidates discussed and shared ways they would work with city staff and fellow council members if elected.

Lamont Noel

Noel said he wants what’s best for the citizens of Henderson. “My ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Henderson,” he said. “We have to find a way to make the city of Henderson more appealing and attractive” so businesses will want to locate here, he said.

Noel said he has been serving the community in numerous ways long before he decided to toss his hat into the ring and run for office. He has a long partnership with Vance County Schools,  and has created community gardens for the public to enjoy. He also worked with Police Chief Marcus Barrow a few years ago to co-author a city ordinance and has been on the city’s redevelopment commission for more than a year.

“I’m not just becoming visible because I’m running for office,” he said.

Noel said he would work with city department heads to figure out how to get additional resources to the sanitation department to clean up empty lots that have become unsightly dumping grounds. Private property owners must be held accountable, he said.

“We have to figure out a way to clean up this town – it cannot be that hard,” Noel said.

Improving pay for police officers and other city employees may be one way to increase the retention rate, he said.

Henderson’s residents need more choices for affordable housing, he said. Although there are more options for lower income housing, the city needs “safe and decent housing for…people of all incomes.”

Henderson, he said, is the largest city between Raleigh and Petersburg, VA. That puts the city in a unique position to be ready for economic growth. “We have to invest in this city,” Noel said. “If we don’t, we’re going to have some problems.”

As he contemplates working as a member of the city council, Noel said he would work hard to be a voice for all citizens.

His vote is only one of eight, but it is a vote that he looks forward to making.

Dr. William Earl Purvis

Purvis hold a doctorate degree in ministry and his study of transformational leadership has served him well in his ministry and in his career working in the probation and parole field with formerly incarcerated individuals as they re-enter society.

“I want to be a voice for the people,” Purvis said, and added that lowering crime, improving the city’s image and creating new initiatives are just a few issues he would tackle as a member of the city council.

“We need to wake our downtown up,” Purvis said. Promoting downtown businesses and making downtown more user-friendly would be a plus as the proposed passenger and commuter rail planned for the city would bring additional visitors downtown.

Having so many shuttered storefronts in the the downtown area make the city look bad, he said. The community needs to find ways to support local business owners and enhance their efforts to revitalize the downtown district.

One way would be to attract or create festivals to come to the downtown area – whether it’s a motorcycle rally, Christian events or parades, Purvis said more events for diverse groups held downtown would help.

He said he looks forward to working with other members of the city council to bring positive change to Henderson. “I’m only one person,” he said, but it is important to reach out to people where they are to make change happen.

One tactic he said he would employ involves collecting information from city residents before voting on issues before the council.

“I will call a town hall meeting…and sit down with citizens…and we’ll have a parking lot discussion,” Purvis said. “I will voice what the people come to agreement with – this city belongs to all of us who live here. He said he would use citizen input to guide his voting.

Purvis cited youth development as an important need. A focus on young people’s mental health needs, as well as education and access to recreation as ways to invest in the youth of the city.

“I am a community leader,” he said. “I want to lead the community and get the people organized. If they live in Henderson, North Carolina, it’s my job to activate their voice.”

Purvis said he would bring experience as a team builder to his role as a council member. He said he believes in holding others accountable for their actions, but he also believes in giving second chances. “We need to stand together,” he said, to bring unity to Henderson.

William Burnette

The incumbent Burnette is completing his first term as a council member, and he said the council has laid some good groundwork for a number of projects to make a positive change within the city.

The West End URA is one project that has tremendous potential, but Burnette hopes for much more. “We don’t have enough single-family housing under $150,000,” he said. “We need that very badly in Henderson.”

In addition to affordable housing, jobs is another big-ticket issue. Henderson, once home to textile and other manufacturing facilities, has seen a rise in distribution facilities.

“We need jobs,” Burnette said. “We need somebody to come in here and employ 150 to 200 (people)- we don’t have that right now.”

The industrial park shell building project is one way the city can attract new industry. Having an attractive, unfinished structure just waiting to be modified to meet the needs of a specific business or industry, is a big plus.

Another plus for the city and its residents is a higher retention rate of police officers. “We have stepped up, as a council, about pay,” Burnette said. The chronic challenge seems to be that the city invests in training of new officers, only to have them leave for better-paying agencies nearby.

Burnette said the Chief Barrow has “really stepped up to bring that info” to the council. “We are completely behind that…we just can’t keep losing officers to other agencies.”  But it’s not just police officers, he said – it’s all city employees. “Retention is a big thing with me,” Burnette added.

He gives credit to City Manager Terrell Blackmon for his role in offering guidance to the council. As a result, he said, the last four years have seen no increase in taxes by the city. “That’s a tribute to the council,” he said, and to Blackmon. “He’s doing a super job for the city of Henderson.”

Burnette said he’s enjoyed his term on the city council and would like four more years to continue helping to bring projects along. Projects like the water improvements, the splash park and downtown redevelopment.

“I’d like to continue to be a part of that,” he said. “I take pride in Henderson…I just think it’s a great place to live.”

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Lamont Noel begins at 0:25; William Earl Purvis begins at 16:40 and William Burnette begins at 33:40.