Fire at Former J.P. Taylor Company Location on J.P. Taylor Road

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Revised and posted at 2:15 p.m. Friday

About 10:30 this morning, a fire broke out on J.P. Taylor Rd. at the location that was once J.P. Taylor Company.

The vicinity of 800 J.P. Taylor Road is now a scrap or salvage yard.

The Rev. Ricky Easter of Victory Baptist Church was across the street, and he told WIZS, “It didn’t appear to be all that much to it,” in reference to the amount of smoke. He said no flames were visible that he saw from his vantage point.

After clearing the scene, Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright told WIZS, “It was several scrap cars burning, and with assistance from Bearpond and Ladder 18, Cokesbury and Watkins and Vance County Rescue, we were able to mitigate the fire quickly.”

Also, Easter said firefighters arrived quickly, and the overall timeline suggests that the fire did not burn all that long.

It’s been nearly 14 years since the building at that same location, that still read J.P. Taylor across the top but was then being used as a storage facility for a different company, was totally destroyed by fire.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Health Department Gets Award For Efforts To Promote Breastfeeding To WIC Clients

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Granville Vance Public Health is one of eight agencies across the state to receive recognition for its efforts to promote a strong breastfeeding program among clients who participate in a federal assistance program for women and young children.

The health department received the USDA Breastfeeding Gold Award of Excellence, according to information from the health department.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known familiarly as WIC, is a program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of  Agriculture that provides healthcare and nutrition to low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women and to children under the age of five.

GVPH’s WIC program was selected for its strong commitment to the implementation and maintenance of their Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program program, as well as the effectiveness of the office’s peer counselor program and the extent to which the agency has partnered with other entities to build a supportive breastfeeding environment for women participating in WIC.

“We are pleased to have our GVPH BFPC program recognized with the Gold Award,” stated GVPH WIC Director Lauren Faulkner. “This program has increased participation through referrals received from our WIC nutritionists, taking this program from eight participants in October 2021 to 108 participants in June 2023.”

Currently, the health department has two certified lactation counselors and two designated breastfeeding  experts, with a goal of having all nutrition staff in both clinics become designated breastfeeding to manage complicated breastfeeding issues.

Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits. It lowers a baby’s risk of various illnesses, including ear infections, asthma and respiratory infections. It helps moms recover much faster from childbirth, and it reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and certain breast and ovarian cancers.

Henderson Police Make Drug Arrest At Local Motel

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–press release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow

On August 15, 2023, officers of the Henderson Police Department served a narcotics search warrant for a room at the Budget Host Inn, located at 1727 N. Garnett St.

During the service of the warrant, officers seized approximately 100 dosage units of heroin, 6.8 grams of marijuana, “crack” cocaine, drug manufacturing equipment, and $1,754.25 in U.S. currency. Tecory Hester, 43, who police said is a resident of the Budget Host Inn, was the focus of the investigation. Hester was arrested on the scene.

Hester was charged with one count of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver heroin, felony possession of cocaine, simple possession of Schedule VI, possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of maintaining a dwelling place for a controlled substance.

Hester received a $50,000 secured bond, which he posted prior to being transported to the Vance County Detention Center.

 

 

 

Vance County Logo

Interim County Manager Explains Details Of Fire Study Process

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Vance County Interim County Manager Scott Elliott has a unique vantage point as plans for the county’s fire services study makes their way from start to finish.

In his role as county manager, he’s responsible for providing guidance and support to county commissioners – the board voted to conduct the study – while making sure that the paid fire personnel are doing their job – he’s their boss, after all.

Elliott spoke to WIZS News Wednesday afternoon and acknowledged the fire services study has been the topic of some discussion in the community.

“It’s an issue that people are passionate about and have feelings about,” Elliott said.

Commissioners had discussion – rather heated at times – during their meeting last week, about whether the public safety committee should have oversight of the fire study.

Elliott recommended that this should be a matter for the full board, but most commissioners did not see it that way – the vote was 4-3 to have the public safety committee, the fire commission oversee the project, with Elliott’s input.

“They’re the decision makers at the end of the day,” he said, “We have to respect that.”

He said, however, that he and county staff have the responsibility of guiding the commission and leading them along the right path.

The path to a completed fire study is expected to take consultants AP Triton about four months to complete.

Elliott said he asked Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright to direct any questions from the media to the county manager’s office instead of fielding the inquiries himself. That way, Elliott said, Wright can “focus on providing fire services he currently has on his plate.”

“Until we have results of fire study, we thought it’d be better … to not have county staff taking positions on things when we don’t know what the outcome of the study will be,” Elliott noted. Even once the recommendations are submitted to the full board, Elliott said there’s no way to know now if commissioners will implement them.

There are a lot of questions swirling around about what the fire services study will bring forth, but Elliott said he’s confident that it will be a comprehensive study of the existing system – including the Golden Belt Fire District and all the volunteer districts across the county.

“It shouldn’t be a complicated study or analysis,” he said. “They’re to give us their professional analysis of our system…and how to make it better.”

Community Partners of Hope

Church-Turned Men’s Shelter Inching Toward Reality

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The word “sanctuary” is defined as a sacred place. In church terms, it’s the area near the altar. The term is also used to mean “refuge” or “haven.” As the vision to transform a former church property into a men’s shelter gains momentum, area supporters may find a way to have a sacred space continue to provide a safe place for men in need.

Community Partners of Hope and others united to make the men’s shelter a reality are on a crusade to raise $350,000 to make the former City Road Methodist Church property into a year-round men’s shelter.

Jane King told WIZS News that Community Partners of Hope is making progress in the fundraising, with commitments and pledges coming in for construction and furnishings budgets.

“This is such an exciting project and I am sure we will eventually reach our goal,” King stated.

With strong community support from individuals and from churches, King said the contributions are mounting, but such campaigns rarely move quickly.

They’ve sent mailers to Chamber members and emails to supporters requesting donations.

“We’ve also been making face-to-face appeals to those in the community who we think have the wherewithal and community spirit to give generously,” King added.  She said The City of Henderson has pledged $50,000 and there’s another $50,000 donation ready to be pledged once the first $300,000 comes in.

Union Chapel Church of Kittrell is partnering with Tony’s Automotive to hold a “Cruise In” on Sept. 9 to benefit the project. Last year’s event netted $2,400, she said. This year’s proceeds will be matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor, she added.

Visit  https://sites.google.com/site/cpohope1/donations/financial-donations   to make a donation. There’s also a

GoFundMe page https://gofund.me/2a3be200https://gofund.me/2a3be200.

Visit www.cp-hope.org to learn more.

 

 

 

Rep. Sossamon Selected For Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort

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Rep. Frank Sossamon is among a group of individuals that form the Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort, a group that brings together leaders work on making positive impacts on education across the state.

In a press statement, Sossamon said it was an honor to be selected. “Education is the cornerstone of our society, and I am committed to exploring innovative solutions that will empower our students to reach their full potential. By collaborating with like-minded individuals, I am confident that we can create meaningful change that will positively impact our educational system,” he stated.

The Elevate NC program provides a platform for Sossamon and the others in the cohort “to engage in constructive dialogue, share insights, and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals who are equally passionate about the future of education,” the statement read.  The cohort will have interactive sessions, workshops and discussions to address pressing educational challenges, allowing the members to work together to identify actionable strategies that can be implemented at the state and local levels

Learn more at : https://hunt-institute.org/news/the-hunt-institute-announces-third-cohort-of-elevatenc/

Latest on the Vance County Fire Study

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Fire Service Study Clears Hurdle

It took about a half hour of discussion – some of it contentious at times – as well as various motions and amendments to motions, but the Vance County Board of Commissioners formally approved on Monday, August 7, 2023 the selection of a consulting agency to conduct a fire services study.

And although the board did ultimately accept giving the job to AP Triton as had been recommended by county staff, the board voted 4-3 that the public safety committee and the fire services commission, along with input from Acting County Manager Scott Elliott, would oversee the project.

That decision went against Elliott’s recommendation to the board, however.

The study is expected to take four months to complete and is going to cost more than $48,000. He said he would recommend that the study results come back to the full board for consideration.

Click Play to Hear TownTalk from 8-16-23 Containing Meeting Audio

Commissioner Dan Brummitt made the original motion that included awarding AP Triton the project “subject to project oversight” by the two groups.

During the ensuing discussion, several board members voiced objections.

Commissioner Tommy Hester said the full board called for the study and it should be the full board making decisions regarding the study.

Commissioner Archie Taylor said the study should provide “a neutral, honest look” at the fire service in the county.

Brummitt maintained that “significant misinformation” surrounding the county fire services had been bandied about in recent months and wants to ensure that the process of the study remain neutral.

Commissioner Leo Kelly said he would prefer to follow Elliott’s recommendation that the full board use its regular work sessions to monitor the study as it is being conducted.

As the discussion among the board members escalated over the course of 15 minutes, Chairwoman Yolanda Feimster declared a five-minute break and then left the commissioners’ conference room. Upon her return, she declared the meeting back in session, with a motion on the floor.

The board then voted to amend Brummitt’s original motion to simply approve awarding the study to AP Triton.

When that motion passed without opposition, Brummitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Carolyn Faines, that the public safety committee, fire services commission and the county manager provide project oversight of the study.

During discussion, Taylor again questioned the rationale, and Elliott interjected that in speaking with the AP Triton representatives, he was assured that they would “be making an independent analysis” of county services, and that the study would not be driven by a subgroup of the full board.

The motion passed 4-3.

(Text originally published August 8, 2023)

CLICK PLAY!

 

City of Henderson Logo

Mayoral Candidates Down To Four – For Now

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Four candidates are currently in the race for Henderson mayor following a decision from the local elections board to remove one name from the ballot and a second mayoral candidate faces a similar challenge to his residency.

Wallace Cheek was removed from the list of candidates, according to Vance County Elections Board Director Melody Vaughan. Vaughan told WIZS News Tuesday that mayoral candidate Greg Etheridge also faces a hearing on Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. to determine his residency and eligibility to run for mayor.

“Mr. Etheridge will have to prove his residency to the board,” Vaughan explained. “They will make their decision the day of the hearing.”

Cheek’s eligibility to run for mayor had been challenged, and a hearing was set to review the matter before the Aug. 1 elections board meeting. Vaughan said neither the challenger nor Cheek was present for that hearing, which was scheduled to take place at 4 p.m.  before the board meeting.

As part of the process, Vaughan said three certified letters were sent to Cheek, and two that were delivered to the address within the city limits were returned as undeliverable.

Cheek was notified by certified mail of the board decision, along with information regarding the appeals process to the state board of elections. In addition, she said a letter also was hand delivered by the sheriff.

As part of the hearing process, Vaughan said she must hire a court reporter to be present, along with the county attorney, chairs of both parties. The hearing is open to the public.