West End Baptist

Sheriff Brame to Speak at Local Community Watch Meeting Jan. 17

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West End Community Watch will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, January 17, at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting will take place in the fellowship hall of West End Baptist Church on Dabney Drive.

The speaker will be Sheriff Curtis Brame of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.

Claire Catherwood, who submitted this information to WIZS said in her email, “Brame will introduce the group to new equipment now being used by the sheriffs’ office.”

Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of area of residence.

HPD Officer Shot Person Near 1425 E. Andrews Avenue Wednesday Night

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HPD Press Release Information:

On Wednesday, January 4 at approximately 8:00 p.m., officers of the Henderson Police Department engaged a person with outstanding warrants at 1425 E. Andrews Avenue. The person encountered brandished a weapon in the officers’ direction and a single shot was fired by our officer, striking the person in the abdomen.

The person initially fled on foot, running across Andrews Avenue, but was quickly detained and provided medical assistance for their injury. The person was then transported by ambulance to an area medical center for further care.

As in all officer involved shootings, the district attorney and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (NCSBI) were immediately contacted and the NCSBI is currently on scene investigating the incident.

No other information is available at this time.

Marcus W. Barrow
Chief of Police
Henderson Police Department

TownTalk: Update On ARPA Funds

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The American Rescue Plan is infusing money – lots of money – into communities across the nation, one of the federal government’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the waves of economic havoc it has created over the past several years.

Marley Spencer, a regional project manager who works with Kerr-Tar COG, is someone who can help figure out how to best use the money allocated to various municipalities across the five-county region.

According to Spencer, Vance County is getting roughly $8.5 million in ARPA money; Granville County is set to receive $11.7 million and Franklin County is getting about $13.5 million of the $1.9 trillion – with a T – in ARPA funds.

She discussed with John C. Rose on Wednesday’s TownTalk some of the short-range and long-range planning that is involved in putting the money to use.

Spencer lends her expertise and training to help local governments to assess their needs, identify assets and infrastructure and then help them execute their plans for the ARPA funds, helping them “connect the dots and stretch those resources,” Spencer said.

The four main categories that municipalities can choose from are revenue replacement, negative COVID impact, premium pay for essential workers and infrastructure project – defined as water and sewer and broadband.

With those categories in mind, she said, municipalities have until December 2024 to designate where they want their share of ARPA funds to go; they have two years to spend the money – it all has to be spent by December 2026.

Simply put, ARPA funds can help municipalities “free up funds that they can use on other things to enhance the community,” Spencer explained.

Down the road, money from the ARPA-funded  Rural Transformation Grant also will be available to “enhance communities, revitalize downtowns and strengthen neighborhoods.”

 

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Tyquaveon Williams, 20, of Abbott Road Arrested on Drug-Related Charges

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VCSO Press Release Information —

On Dec. 28, 2022 the Vance County Sheriff’s Office executed a traffic stop in the Gillburg Community.

Upon initial approach and contact with the driver, the detective was confronted with circumstances which led to probable cause to search the vehicle and its occupant.

The driver was identified as Tyquaveon Williams, 20, of Abbott Road. Williams was operating a white in color, 2016 Honda Accord four door at the time of the encounter and was driving with a suspended license.

Additional units with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene to assist. A search of the vehicle was conducted revealing in excess of seven bricks of heroin, over 350 dosage units, a small amount of marijuana, brass knuckles and cash. Williams was taken into custody and transported to the Sheriff’s Office.

As a result of the traffic stop, Williams was charged with two (2) counts of trafficking heroin, felony maintaining a vehicle, carry a concealed weapon and simple possession of marijuana.

Tyquaveon Williams posted a $75,000 bond and was released from custody.

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County Commissioners May Decide To Sell City Its Share Of 114 Vacant Properties For City To Redevelop

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The city’s land planning committee and the county’s properties committee held a meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss the disposition of 114 jointly owned properties within the city limits.

The group decided to allow the plan to sell the land to the city to move forward, and that is the recommendation that will go before the full board of county commissioners at its Jan. 9 meeting.

If the board approves the recommendation, the city would buy out the county’s interest in the properties – all are vacant tracts and all are tax foreclosures dating back to 2007, said County Manager Jordan McMillen. The city has a 43 percent interest in the properties and the county holds a 57 percent interest.

The meeting lasted about 90 minutes, with both groups asking questions and sharing opinions about possible future redevelopment of the properties, which McMillen said totals about 26 acres when added all together.

“If it all went back on the tax books today,” McMillen told WIZS News after the meeting’s conclusion, it would add about $4,800 tax dollars to the city and county coffers.

County commissioners Dan Brummitt, Yolanda Feimster, Leo Kelly and Archie Taylor were present for the joint meeting representing the county’s properties committee; Melissa Elliott and  Jason Spriggs represented the city of Henderson’s land planning committee.

“I don’t mind transparency or accountability because I feel confident with what I’m doing,” said

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon, who explained the general plan to the group.

Blackmon said the city is ready to ramp up the redevelopment efforts as other projects to piggyback on progress being made with the West End Urban Redevelopment Area and a similar effort getting underway in the Flint Hill community.

In outlining the overall efforts taking shape within the city, he said there are developers knocking on the door to begin projects. When planning for the West End URA, the UNC School of Government reported that the city was 3,000 housing units short of where it needed to be. The city needs housing that is diverse, safe and affordable, Blackmon said. And as the city ramped up code enforcements over the past few years, the result was more torn down houses than houses that were preserved.

By all accounts, both groups supported the idea of having the city move forward with purchase of the properties, but Commissioner Brummitt said it’s time to “pick a project and move – make it happen.”

In comments to the joint group, Brummitt and Taylor both expressed concern that there has been much talk over the years about redevelopment, but little action.

We “continue to talk and talk about it, but we’re not taking any steps,” Brummitt said.

“We have developers on deck that are ready to move,” said Council member Elliott.

Blackmon said the redevelopment would most certainly need to be a mixture of single-family and multi-family structures, as well as a combination of renters and homeowners.

In response to some discussion about neighborhood safety, Brummitt said home ownership would be beneficial. “If you own that property, you’re more committed to it,” he said. Blackmon also commented that home ownership is one way to stabilize neighborhoods.

Elliott said a key component to the redevelopment efforts is educating the community about home ownership.

“If you can pay $1,200 to rent a house, you can pay $1,200 to buy a house,” she said, noting numerous programs available for first-time homebuyers.

Blackmon reminded the group that municipalities don’t build homes, but they can help plan for the types of housing that get built.

“When the municipality owns the dirt, we have some flexibility” in the type of housing we’d like to see in the community.

He used the term “workforce housing” to describe affordable housing options, including those for city employees and others who may choose to live in the same community where they work.

Whether it’s single-family or multi-family housing, the city must be aware of what the community can afford to spend. And developers that build in existing neighborhoods have the opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents who already live there – or who may choose to move there.

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Sandra Wilkerson Begins New Leadership Role As President Of Henderson-Vance Chamber

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Sandra Wilkerson has officially begun her new role as president of the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce. Wilkerson succeeds outgoing president Michele Burgess, who announced her retirement in the fall.

Wilkerson has been the Chamber’s director of programs for the past four years.

“I am excited to step into this leadership role for our community and look forward to working with the board and all of our current team members who make our chamber as strong and vibrant as it is,” she said in a press statement announcing her selection.

“We are excited to have Sandra step into this leadership role to continue the positive momentum within our Chamber as well as the community,” incoming board chairman Bert Long said in the press statement. “Sandra has made it clear that she hopes to foster collaboration and provide a pathway to business for all in our community,” Long said.

VGCC Logo

VGCC’s Aviation Program Cleared For Takeoff With FAA Initiative

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Vance-Granville Community College has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to participate in a collegiate training initiative for unmanned aircraft systems – also known as drones.

The college’s aviation program will participate in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Collegiate Training Initiative program, or the UAS-CTI.

“I’m happy for VGCC to have been recognized by the FAA as UAS-CTI partner,” says James Brown Jr., customized training irector at VGCC’s South Campus in Creedmoor. “First and foremost, it means that the FAA thinks we’re doing the right things to promote safe and responsible drone piloting. North Carolina was ‘First in Flight’ and remains on the leading edge of drone technology.”

The FAA program recognizes institutions that prepare students for careers in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones. In order to qualify, schools must provide curriculum covering various aspects of UAS training, including hands-on flight practice, maintenance, uses, applications, privacy concerns, safety and federal policies concerning UAS.

If you ask Brown, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the future of UAS programming at VGCC.

“This is a big step that will see VGCC expand its offerings in the unmanned aviation space, including entrepreneurialism, youth summer camps, extracurricular activities, university partnerships and the expansion of UAV technology for consumer, industrial and agricultural use. This partnership with the FAA will ensure that VGCC stays aligned with the UAS industry going forward.”

Vance-Granville’s aviation program currently consists of unmanned flight programs available to both hobbyists and commercial drone pilots. Hands-on flight training takes place at various VGCC campus locations based on demand. To learn more, view the class schedule or register, visit https://www.vgcc.edu/coned/aviation/