Henderson Man Sentenced In Drug Trafficking Case

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— from U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley, Jr.

A Henderson man was sentenced to 117 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Kortez Travon Williams, age 26, pled guilty to the charges on Sept. 23, 2024, according to information from U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley, Jr.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to conduct multiple controlled purchases of narcotics from Williams. Two days after selling the CI marijuana, Williams sold the CI approximately 400 dosage units of a substance containing fentanyl. One week later, Williams sold the CI almost 500 dosage units of a substance containing fentanyl. During all three controlled purchases, Williams had a firearm with him and visible. Following the controlled purchases, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence, during which they recovered approximately 7,095 dosage units, a firearm, and $12,736.

Williams was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Henderson Police Department, and the Vance County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

One Man In Hospital With Gunshot Wound Following Incident At Gillburg Convenience Store

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— information from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

A 22-year-old Henderson man was shot outside a convenience store in Gillburg on Tuesday afternoon.

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame identified the victim as Kemarreus Jones. In a press release issued Wednesday afternoon, Brame said Jones was transported to Duke Hospital and reported that he is in stable condition.

No other details about his injuries have been released.

At 4:40 p.m., sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a shots fired call at the Best Bet Convenient Store, located at 4765 NC 39 Highway South.

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation’s Division/ Narcotics Division responded to the scene to conduct an investigation into the incident. It was discovered that two vehicles, each being occupied by multiple people, had a verbal encounter which turned into shots being fired.

At the time of the press release, this case remains under investigation; however Brame stated there is no ongoing threat to the general public.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at 252.738.2200 or Henderson-Vance Crime stoppers at 252.492.1925. Cash rewards are available for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the people involved in this incident and information can be anonymous.

TownTalk: Guardian ad Litem Program Provides Advocates To Children In Court System

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Eight hours a month doesn’t sound like much, but it could make all the difference in the life of a child.

Eight hours is what most Guardian ad Litem volunteers can expect to spend in their advocacy role for young people who are involved in the court system because of abuse or neglect.

Ruth Griffin, recruitment and retention lead for the statewide GAL program based in Raleigh, said there are roughly 3,200 volunteers in North Carolina, but there’s always a need for more.

In Vance County, for example, there are 77 children in care, but 21 do not have an advocate, Griffin said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Of 23 in Granville County, three are without advocates at this time.

“We have some awesome, awesome volunteers who are active in other cases,” Griffin said, “but we want more folks from the community to step up and to speak up for these kids in court – our goal being that every child should have an advocate.”

There is some training involved with becoming a guardian ad litem volunteer, and the winter training sessions begin Tuesday, Jan. 21. The virtual sessions will be held on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Feb. 25. Apply at volunteerforgal.org.

As Griffin explained, it is a district court judge who begins the process of involving the Guardian ad Litem program when there’s a case of abuse or neglect of a child. A local advocate will be assigned and that person begins gathering information from adults in the child’s life – parents, teachers, physicians, etc. With support from an attorney and from GAL staff, the advocate creates a report with recommendations for what’s best for the child going forward.

For some children, their GAL advocate is the only constant in their lives. Social workers change, foster homes change, but a GAL advocate can remain with a child to provide emotional support as the case moves through the courts.

Advocates can visit with the children in familiar settings like their foster home or school, said Sarah Sattelberg, an advocacy specialist who works in the Raleigh office. “You’re never meeting them alone,” Sattelberg said.

Griffin said most of the cases that are referred to GAL involve neglect, but every case and every child is different. Some could be “situations that the average person just can’t imagine,” she said. “Oftentimes, we are meeting these kids at their worst moment.” The goal is to advocate for the best interests of the child as he or she moves through the court system.

Aside from the specific training that all advocates must complete, there’s no special background or expertise needed to become an advocate.

“You just have to have a heart to care,” Griffin said. “If you have that, you can begin to change a child’s life.”

Samantha Branch is the local contact for the Judicial District 11, which includes, Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties. Below are the addresses and phone numbers for the offices in the WIZS listening area:

Vance County
156 Church St., Henderson, NC 27536
252.430.5121

Granville County
147 Williamsboro St., Oxford, NC 27565
919.690.4921

Warren County
113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
919.497.4244

Franklin County
113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
919.497.4244

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VCS On 1-Hr. Delay For Wednesday, Jan. 15; Tuesday’s Info Sessions Postponed

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Vance County Schools will operate on a one-hour delay on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

While remnants of last weekend’s snow and ice largely have gone away, VCS chief communications officer Aarika Sandlin said Tuesday that the delay

will allow buses to operate during daylight hours, ensuring the safety of students and staff.

But other events scheduled for Tuesday afternoon and evening have been postponed, and Sandlin said announcements will be forthcoming regarding new dates for the PK/K registration sessions, as well as the Innovative Schools information sessions.

The application process for parents to register their children for one of the five Innovative Schools continues through Feb. 7.

There also will be a virtual session scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, during which principals of the five innovative schools will be available to answer questions and to share additional information about their programs. Find the link on the VCS website in the top right corner

The application is available on the VCS website, too. Visit  www.vcs.k12.nc.us  and click on Innovative Schools at the top of the page.

Children must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025 to be eligible for kindergarten enrollment.

The district’s PK program provides children with foundational learning experiences that set the stage for long-term academic success. Children must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025 to be eligible for Pre-K enrollment.

Find the PK and K applications by visiting www.vcs.k12.nc.us and clicking Enroll in the upper right corner. The district will hold open registrations at individual elementary schools on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Virtual info sessions for PK and K will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 22 and Thursday, Jan. 23. Times will be announced at a later date, but the Wednesday session will be held during the day and the Thursday session will be held in the evening.

TownTalk: Man Dies In Weekend House Fire On Reservoir Street

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A local man died in a house fire on Reservoir Street Sunday afternoon.

Henderson Fire Chief Tim Twisdale said firefighters were dispatched to 1418 Reservoir St. at 4:37 p.m. When they arrived, Twisdale said the whole left side of the house was engulfed in flames, and the remainder of the structure was filled with smoke.

Twisdale identified the victim as Robert J. Faucette, Jr., 63. County tax records list Faucette as the homeowner.

“We don’t know exactly how long it was burning prior to our arrival,” Twisdale told WIZS News Tuesday, “but it had gotten a good head of steam” by the time trucks arrived on the scene.

In fact, Twisdale said, firefighters reported seeing “a heavy column of smoke visible from a good distance away” as they made their way to the fire call.

One firefighter suffered burns to his ears, Twisdale said.

Officials have been in contact with the man’s sister, who is next-of-kin, and the medical examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Twisdale said the home did not appear to have a working smoke alarm.

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The Local Skinny! Kingsberry Takes Oaths Of Office For Dual City Manager, Attorney Roles

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Hassan T. Kingsberry took the oath of office – twice – during Monday evening’s Henderson City Council meeting as he officially assumed the dual role of city manager and city attorney.

The Hon. Henry Banks administered the oaths of office – that of city attorney first, and city manager second.

The room was filled with family, friends and others who had come to witness the ceremony. Kingsberry was selected in early December to be interim city attorney following the retirement of D. Rix Edwards. However, when Terrell Blackmon announced in mid-December that he, too, was leaving his job as city manager, the City Council voted in a split decision to have Kingsberry take on both jobs – full-time city manager and part-time city attorney.

In remarks before he administered the oath of office, Banks said he was “overwhelmed” to see so many people in the audience interested in local government, adding it gave him a “sense of joy and pride.”

Banks continued, he told Kingsberry that his “primary duty will be to provide leadership…but perhaps the most important thing (is) to present to this Council unassailable advice” as its members make decisions.

“Mr. Kingsberry has impeccable professional integrity,” Banks said. “He’s a man of faith and we can’t overlook that.”

In remarks following the ceremony, Kingsberry thanked members of his extended family for being present for the occasion. “I thank God for this moment,” he said. “The other thing I would say is, it is our time.”

He said he is a transparent and honest person and someone who will stand up to critics of Henderson. “…when people ask you about Henderson, and people always say ‘you’re from Henderson…you’re from Warren’…they say, it’s rough. I said, ‘Don’t talk too much, because I’m from there.’ You represent your town.”

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The Local Skinny! Bryan Cohn Sworn In NC House 32

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Bryan Cohn was sworn in last week to begin his term as District 32 representative in the N.C. House, which includes Vance and Granville counties.

Cohn edged out incumbent Frank Sossamon by a final total of 228 votes in one of several close races in the Nov. 5 general election.

Following appeals and challenges, the N.C. State Board of Elections certified the results on Jan. 6.

Although he officially took office Jan. 8 during a swearing-in event that was part of the legislature’s opening day activities, Cohn told WIZS News Monday that a ceremonial swearing-in will take place at McGregor Hall in Henderson Sunday, Jan. 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve the people of District 32 in the North Carolina House of Representatives,” Cohn said in a press statement. “This community has placed its trust in me, and I am committed to working tirelessly on behalf of all residents to ensure our district’s voice is heard and our needs are met.”

“The electoral process demonstrated the resilience of our democracy, and I am proud to represent a district that values fairness and integrity,” Cohn added. “Now it is time to focus on what matters most—working together to create a brighter future for all North Carolinians.”

As the new representative for District 32, Cohn’s legislative priorities include expanding access to affordable healthcare, investing in public education, supporting small businesses, and protecting the natural resources of the Kerr Lake region.

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TownTalk: H-V Chamber Vision, Partnerships, 2025 Commitment

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Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson is looking forward to the day when the trains will again rumble down the tracks near downtown Henderson. The city’s history is closely linked to rail service that has all but dried up over the past few decades, but with talk of the S-Line passenger rail that will run through Henderson, there’s a buzz around town about what it could mean for the city.

This year’s annual Chamber banquet theme, in fact, is “All Aboard the Chamber Express,” which Wilkerson said embraces the idea of this county’s ties to the railroad – past, present and future.

“We know that Vance County really started with the train coming through,” Wilkerson said on Monday’s TownTalk. “We’re looking forward to the train coming back.”

As 2025 gets underway, Wilkerson has announced this year’s leadership team on the board:

Chair of the board of directors is Scott Burwell with Kennametal, Inc. Joining Burwell as first vice chair is Dr. Abidan Shah of Clearview Church; second vice chair is Mike Jones of MGM Products, Inc; treasurer is Desiree Brooks, with the Kerr-Tar Council of Government; Duke Energy’s Elizabeth Townsend will serve as secretary. Margier White is immediate past chair.

There are five new members to the board:

  • Nichole Turner – Flex Desk 360
  • Sam Seifert – Maria Parham Health
  • Cara Gill – S.A.M. Advocacy Center
  • Kevin Wade – Farm Bureau Insurance
  • Richard Davis – A.R. Perry, Inc.

Wilkerson said the board members come from varied business backgrounds to form a cohesive group that works to make the community better. Each year, the board chair selects a theme to guide the Chamber’s efforts and help inform decisions. Wilkerson said Burwell has chosen “year of commitment” to reinforce the idea that working together is critical for a community’s growth and health.

Leadership Vance is one program the Chamber offers to those who live and work in Vance County. The deadline to submit an application for the 2025 Leadership Vance class is Jan. 24, and Wilkerson said there is space for 18 participants. Contact the Chamber office at 252.438.8414 to learn more about Leadership Vance or about the benefits of joining the Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

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