One Life Flighted After Shooting — Update: Suspect in Custody

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Update 01-05-22 at 4 p.m. —

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow informed WIZS News that “Quintez Alston is in the custody of the Vance County Jail under a $290,000 secured bond.”

The chief indicated that Alston surrendered today and turned himself in.

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Update 12-30-21 including suspect picture —

According to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow, both victims of a Wednesday shooting are in stable condition.

Barrow indicated there was a suspect and said sworn out were “five felony warrants for the arrest of Quintez Deshaun Alston,” age 19.

The chief said the suspect in the case remains at large.

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Original post Wednesday, December 29, 2021 —

Wednesday afternoon about 2:15, Henderson Police and local EMS and fire personnel responded to a shooting incident.

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow told WIZS News that the incident “occurred in the 200s block of Kittrell Street.”

He said, “Two individuals were injured during the incident and transported to local area medical facilities.”

One of the victims was Life Flighted, and that victim was loaded in the helicopter and air born no more than 29 or 30 minutes from the time the incident unfolded.

Chief Barrow did not release the names or types of injuries for safety reasons.

As of this initial news publication, the motive and suspect are still unknown.

Barrow said, “The victims were in a burgundy Honda with two other occupants who were not injured during the incident.”

So, at this point, there are two victims and two additional individuals involved plus the shooter.

The chief said a rear seat passenger fled the car prior to Henderson Police arriving.

Barrow said, “We believe, at this time, the shots were from a residence on Kittrell Street and further investigation into that is ongoing.”

It seems the car was shot at on Kittrell Street and that the car left the scene and went nearby. There was a large police presence shortly after the time of the shooting on a nearby street.

The chief and his officers have a lot to work with, especially that two witnesses were inside the car, one unknown and another unmentioned by name or description.

After providing the fact that the rear passenger fled, the chief said, “Hence, this was probably an intended target not random.”

Kittrell Street in Henderson is only a couple of blocks long, and the incident occurred between the North Chestnut and West Rockspring section, pretty much behind what many would regard as being behind the original Eaton Johnson school building on the auditorium side.

As to the local availability of Life Flight, in Feb 2020, it was announced that Duke Life Flight would open a station at Maria Parham Health in Henderson.

It was announced that the new on-site station would provide residents in Vance County and surrounding areas with direct access to trauma personnel, enhanced response in trauma situations, and improved transfer times for critical patients to a higher level of care.

Maria Parham Health’s emergency room is staffed 24/7 with emergency physicians, nurses, and staff who specialize in responding to emergency care needs. The new Life Flight station enhances the team’s ability to respond to emergency calls and provide critical transfers. The station includes two ground units and one helicopter which actually started being available on-site on January 20, 2020. Crew quarters are located at the hospital, and crews are readily available to respond 24/7.

At the time of the announcement in 2020, Maria Parham CEO Bert Beard said, “We are excited about our enhanced partnership with Duke Health and the increased emergency response this provides our patients in the surrounding areas. By opening a Life Flight station at our hospital, we are strengthening the level of access to care of our patients and making our communities healthier.”

Wednesday the personnel and chopper provided assistance to the victim of a crime. Another day the collaborative effort may provide assistance to a purely medical emergency or accident victim.

Regardless of the beneficiary, the station provides direct access to trauma personnel in the event of an emergency. The opening of the station improves access to local emergency assistance. By providing critical transfers for patients in the surrounding areas, the station frees up local EMS to respond to more regular calls.

TownTalk: The Jail and more Things To Know

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The jail; Closed railroad crossings; Thieves; Hope House; Maria Parham visitation — all “Things to Know” in this latest edition of WIZS TownTalk.

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Sheriff, jail staff working to fix problems noted in state inspection

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear a report about the recent state inspection of the county jail at their meeting Monday, Jan. 10.

Although the biannual inspection contained numerous findings regarding the state of the facility, the director’s report indicates that all deficiencies have either been corrected or are close to being corrected.

Vance County Detention Director Maj. John Shelton prepared a three-page response to the inspection, which was conducted on Dec. 1, 2021 by an inspector from N.C. Health and Human Services.

Most of the findings have to do with the actual jail building and include issues like peeling paint, rusty vents in cells and damaged glass. Sheriff Curtis R. Brame told WIZS News that the county just needs a new detention center.

“The one that serves our county is old, outdated, antiquated and unsafe for both staff and detainees,” Brame said in an email.

The peeling paint and rusty vents are both the result of condensation on exterior walls, Shelton noted in his report. “Over the years, the mildew has been painted over rather that the source being eliminated. That has caused the paint to bubble up and peel away,” the report stated.

Dehumidifiers have been placed throughout the facility and the plan is to install a vent fan to pull moisture out, as well as address any air flow issues. Once the moisture problem has been fixed, the walls will be scraped and re-painted. But that work will have to be contracted out because the jail has no maintenance person and there currently are no “suitable trustees to help,” the report stated.

Staffing shortages are the result of another finding by the state inspector in the supervision category. Regulations state that inmates be observed “at least two times within a 60-minute period on an irregular basis with not more than 40 minutes between rounds.”

A records review during the inspection found that this was not the case on at least one occasion.

The sheriff’s office report said there are not enough detention officers available to make sure each squad is fully staffed. Three squads have only three detention officers and a fourth squad only has two. The authorized staffing level is seven per squad.

“We have been offering paid overtime to detention officers and deputies to fill some of the vacant blocks of time, particularly at night and on the weekends,” Shelton stated in the report. A lieutenant has been put in charge of monitoring the rounds and taking disciplinary action when necessary.

Other issues that were identified are:

  • Inoperable fixtures, but Shelton said that the lights in the female dorm had not been turned on at the switch. “Once those lights were switched on, they worked as designed.” The bulbs that are not working in Segregation Cell 3 will be changed once the bits arrive that are needed to unscrew the bolts of the tamper-proof fixture, the report stated.
  • Perry Glass will install new Lexan to replace the damaged laminated glass in Segregation Cell 1.
  • A missing ceiling tile in a storage area has been replaced.
  • An outside  camera is not working, and Shelton noted that it had been damaged in a storm. The camera vendor has been contacted.
  • Dieticians at Maria Parham Health have been contacted to consult with planning menus for detainees.

NCDHHS Expands Program Helping Families Pay Water Bills

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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program will expand to include all low-income households needing assistance in paying their water bill.

LIHWAP was created in December 2021 after the State of North Carolina was awarded more than $38 million in federal funds to establish a new water assistance program for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, households with a current water/wastewater bill can begin applying for LIHWAP assistance if they meet the eligibility requirements, whether or not their water service has been disconnected. Households that have had their services disconnected or are in jeopardy of having their services disconnected can continue to apply.

 

“Due to the pandemic and its impact on our economy, many households are struggling to maintain their water service,” said Tara Myers, NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Employment, Inclusion and Economic Stability. “LIHWAP will continue to help families in North Carolina keep their water running, a basic human need that’s critical for good sanitation and better health.”

LIHWAP is a temporary emergency program that helps eligible households and families afford water and wastewater services. The program provides a one-time payment for eligible low-income households directly to the utility company. LIHWAP runs through September 2023 or until the funds run out.

Individuals can apply online at epass.nc.gov. Individuals can also apply by printing a paper application from epass.nc.gov and dropping it off at or faxing it to their local county Department of Social Services or by calling their local county Department of Social Services to apply by phone.

To be eligible for LIHWAP, a household must have at least one U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and:

  • Have income equal to or less than 150% of the federal poverty level
  • Have household services that are disconnected, in jeopardy of disconnection or have a current outstanding bill
  • Be responsible for the water bill

Households can apply through Sept. 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted.

For more information on this program and eligibility, visit the LIHWAP website and the link to the website can be found at wizs.com.

The Local Skinny! Vance Eats: Yikky Wingz

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It’s no secret around WIZS that our Trey Snide likes to eat. So when we decided that a new segment of the Local Skinny was to be called “Vance Eats” the natural choice for a host was Trey Snide. Vance Eats had it’s inaugural segment with chicken wings from Yikky Wingz. Owner William Flye supplied Trey with five different types of wings. These included hot lemon pepper, jazzy honey mustard, Yikky buffalo, Yikky gold and garlic parmesan. Fresh carrots, celery and ranch dressing were also a part of the wings plate. “They blew up on social media,” Snide said of Yikky Wingz on the program today. They season and prep each item and, according to the Yikky Wingz Facebook page, the trick to their delicious wings is the secret sauce.

In addition to wings, Yikky Wingz has deep fried pineapple, chicken tenders, gizzards and more. Yikky Wingz is located in the Citgo Service Station at 1208 Andrews Ave. across from Biddie’s Grill. They are open Monday through Saturday 12noon to 8pm.

To check out their entire menu visit their Facebook page. In coming weeks Trey will be sampling many different restaurants around the area both large and small. Vance Eats can be heard as part of the Local Skinny! on WIZS. The Local Skinny airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30am on WIZS 1450AM, 100.1FM and online at wizs.com.

NCDOT Bike Helmet Program Puts Free Helmets On Kids’ Heads

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The goal of the state Department of Transportation’s annual bicycle helmet initiative is to reduce bicycle injuries and deaths. Applications are available now for agencies to get up to 100 free bike helmets for young cyclists.

As part of the initiative, applicants are encouraged to partner with government and non-government agencies to host bike safety events. Examples of partners include police and fire departments, parks and recreation departments, health departments and community centers, as well as churches and other non-governmental organizations.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2022, according to information from NCDOT. Applicants may request 25, 50, 75 or 100 helmets and the groups awarded are scheduled to receive the helmets by April 29, 2022.

The selection process has been revised and is no longer limited to government agencies. Helmets will be awarded and distributed once per calendar year in the spring and awardees will have the remainder of the calendar year to host their safety program and then provide a report within 30 days of the event.

The program was started in 2007 and is overseen by the DOT’s integrated mobility division. Money to fund the program comes from sales of the Share The Road specialty license plate. Since its inception, the initiative has provided thousands of helmets to low-income children – more than 30,000 in the past five years alone. Statistics show that less than half of all children wear a helmet while biking, but wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by almost 90 percent for children involved in bike accidents.

About 20 bicyclists die in biking accidents each year in North Carolina – one in six of those are under the age of 16. The use of bike helmets was found to reduce head injury by 48 percent, serious head injury by 60 percent, traumatic brain injury by 53 percent, face injury by 23 percent and the total number of cyclists killed or seriously injured by 34 percent.

Visit the NCDOT Bicycle Helmet Initiative webpage for more information and to download the application.

TownTalk: McKinley Perkinson Settles In To EDC Position

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Although she said her initial orientation continues, the new Henderson-Vance economic development director reports that she is excited to be a part of the team effort of moving the community and the economy forward.

McKinley Perkinson began her new job in mid-November, and since that time she has been checking in with business and community leaders to get their input and ideas about priorities and goal-setting for the short-term and for the long-term growth that the area could see.

“Everybody has been really welcoming,” Perkinson told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk. And just about everybody says workforce development is a priority, she added.

“Workforce development is a big focus everywhere,” Perkinson said. She said working with key partners like the community college and the Kerr-Tar COG to create trained workers for existing – and prospective – business and industry in the area is vital.

The pandemic may have sidelined plans for a while, but Perkinson is hopeful that she and others can create some momentum and refresh priorities for growth in the city and county. Her orientation includes gathering input from leaders to realign or reshape those priorities, she said.

“The shell building is a project that I’m very excited about,” Perkinson said. “Our county leaders are very interested in exploring” as well, she added. Previous economic development directors Christian Lockamy and Dennis Jarvis had promoted the idea of constructing buildings that could be completed quickly to attract new business and industry to the area.

As the economic development director, Perkinson said she is part networker, part negotiator, part cheerleader and always a recruiter. She wants to be able to understand all the things the community can offer a prospective business. She also said she wants to be able to “connect people to those resources they need, or getting answers to questions they may have.”

In short, she said she wants to have her finger on the pulse of everything that the community has to offer.

In addition, she is focused on retention of employees, business expansion and partnership with key players “to make sure we have a strong economy for the community.” Having a strategic plan that clearly states goals and objectives is one way to achieve that goal.

A marketing plan – that increases the county’s exposure to the burgeoning Triangle area – is another way to promote growth.

Being more intentional in talking about economic development is another important piece to the puzzle. Sometimes, officials have to stay quiet when they’re negotiating with a prospective business or industry interested in locating in the community. But Perkinson said, “there are some things that we can talk about and get people excited about what we’re working on.”

Visit https://vancecountyedc.com to learn more.

 

The Local Skinny! Chamber Of Commerce Looks To 2022

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce continues to work to bind the business community and the community at large together through human resource efforts, economic development efforts and through its own participation.

When an entity like a chamber can boast that only a handful of its board members ever miss meetings, it provides evidence to others outside, who are looking in, that the organization believes in itself.

Upcoming, the H-V Chamber will present its membership meeting and banquet, in person, at Vance-Granville Community College. The latest edition of “Envision Vance” will soon be published. And opportunities continue for businesses and individuals to involve themselves with an evolving, growing and relevant chamber of commerce.

Board Chairman Ronald Bennett told The Local Skinny! broadcast Tuesday at 11 a.m. on WIZS that the theme for the chamber this year is “A Year of Community.” He said, “A community made up of businesses, which is our main focus, but also made up of local city, county government, our educational partners, our healthcare partners, nonprofit organizations, our churches, law enforcement, fire, rescue, EMT, first responders and everyone that makes up our community.”

The priority, he said, is to be relevant to members and to “add value to them to help grow their businesses and organizations and connect with our partners.” The goal is to grow the entire community. He said, “Grow, Connect, Prosper. Three words found in the new Chamber logo that we feel are so important as we move forward.”

Chamber President Michele Burgess praised the board of directors and said she was really proud of the “inclusion and diversity that we share on our Chamber board.” She said, “When our nominating committee gets together, we’re very cognizant of that need, and we want it to reflect our community and our business community … and I am just excited about the degree of leadership that we have.”

Burgess explained how the chamber was growing, especially over the last five years. She said, “We have really built up our chamber, our influence, our leadership, and just our involvement from the board.”

The Chamber will celebrate and have its meeting and banquet at VGCC on January 27. Invitations are out to member businesses by email at this time. The deadline to nominate a citizen for the Citizen of the Year Award has been extended to this Friday, Jan. 7. Call 252.438.8414 or email michele@hendersonvance.org to get a nomination form.

The Chamber will soon celebrate having the latest edition of “Envision Vance” as well. Burgess said, “Our Envision Vance magazine is a tool for recruitment of industry, new business, small business, doctors, lawyers, new teachers.” It also features a business directory and is a great resource.

Bennett pointed out a new feature of the Chamber that Burgess added in 2021 – the human resource council. Bennett said it works with all local businesses. “Everyone has an opportunity to be a part of that and come to the table and talk about what we do to improve our workforce, what we can do through Vance Granville and through our schools to prepare our workforce more as we go into 2022 and beyond. So, you know, the HR council is just a great way to get involved,” Bennett said.

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