Incumbents Only Filers in Kittrell and Middleburg

/by

All the filers for the upcoming November 2 elections in Kittrell and Middleburg are incumbents, and they all filed this week.

When the filing period closed at noon today (Friday), the filing list included:

  • Jerry Joyner – Mayor of Kittrell
  • Susan Pulley – Town Commissioner of Kittrell
  • Mary Jo Floyd – Town Commissioner of Kittrell
  • Robert Baylor Tunstall – Town Commissioner of Kittrell

The Middleburg list included:

  • Ray Bullock – Mayor of Middleburg
  • Annie Fudge – Town Council of Middleburg
  • Mamie Turner – Town Council of Middleburg
  • Ruth Nance Town – Town Council of Middleburg

Based on the information at hand, there would appear to be no contests.  However, keep in mind Ray Bullock won as a write-in candidate in 2019 over someone who filed.  Write ins can be a factor in such small precincts.  Kittrell is and Middleburg is a complete precinct in and of itself.

In these respective municipalities within Vance County, a voter makes one choice for mayor and choses three from the list of names, or writes in a name, for commissioner/council person.  Tunstall was elected in 2019 by write in as only Pulley and Floyd had filed that year.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

4 Locals and 2 Out-of-Towners Arrested and Charged by VCSO

/by

– press release –

Sheriff Curtis R. Brame announces the following arrests by the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.  Six Suspects arrested and charged:

Trevor Medlin
199 Woodland Rd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Age: 29
Charge: Possession of Heroin
Court Date: 07-26-2021 (Vance County District Court)
Bond: $5,000.00

Keiontre Maurice Ragland
322 Huff Lane
Henderson, NC 27537
Age: 20

Charges: Maintain a Dwelling Place for Keeping Control Substance
Felony Possession of Marijuana
Felony Possession of “Schedule 1 Controlled Substance
(Psilocybin Mushrooms)
Court Date: 07-26-2021 (Vance County District Court)
Bond: $50,000.00

Ta’le Jefferson
233 Gillburg Rd
Henderson, NC 27537
Age: 20

Charges: Carrying a Conceal Weapon
Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia
Possession of Marijuana up to ½ Ounce
Court Date: 09-16-2021 (Vance County District Court)
Bond: $1,000.00

Adam Blake Howard
519 Gillburg Rd Lot #2
Henderson, NC 27537
Age: 27

Charges: Possession of Heroin
Court Date: 07-12-2021 (Vance County District Court)
Bond: $10,000.00

Michael Ray Creech
3138 South Center Church Rd
Thurmond, NC 28683
Age: 52

Charges: Possession of Heroin
Court Date: 07-26-2021 (Vance County District Court)
Bond: $15,000.00

Tyquan D. Elam
8678 NC-HWY 39 North
Henderson, NC 27537
Age: 25

Charges: Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance (Percocet)
Court Date: 07-26-2021 (Vance County District Court)
Bond: $5,000.00

Police Department One Step Closer To Body-Worn Cameras, If Grant Comes Through

/by

The Henderson City Council has given the go-ahead for a couple of requests for grant funding to equip police officers with body cams and law enforcement cruisers with additional cameras.

At its July 12 meeting, council members approved grant proposals that Police Chief Marcus Barrow and staff have prepared. “Our officers have been asking for them for several years,” Barrow told WIZS News Thursday. He said if the application is approved, it will provide half the money needed to equip the officers with body-worn cameras. “We are seeking a grant that has a 50 percent match. The match funds would come from asset forfeiture funds or state treasury funds, which both are only used by law enforcement,” he added.

Barrow said his department does have some in-car cameras now, but so far, no body cams. “The cost to outfit an agency our size has been prohibitive in the past and we felt that this was an opportunity to seize assistance,” he said. The cost lies mainly with data storage, not in the camera itself, he explained, adding that many law enforcement agencies are faced with a similar challenge. All data should be kept for at least 90 days, he said, but tagged information may need to be kept forever.

If the department does get the grant funding for $48,958, the chief said it would set into motion additional regulations and policies for the department to follow. “I am sure there will be some growing pains associated with the use of body cameras,” Barrow said, “but we will educate and train the use to be muscle memory for the officers and use corrective action for any misuse.”

City Manager Terrell Blackmon said since the police department is an accredited department through the Commission for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), “Chief Barrow has taken the time to develop standards for our officers based on best practices from around the country and from our accrediting agency.”

“I’ve always stood by my position that we would not introduce this product unless and until we could afford to properly apply it,” Barrow added.

The second grant for $21,599 is for purchase of three WatchGuard Video Camera systems and does not require matching local funds and would be shared with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, according to information from the city council agenda. The city would get almost $13,000 and the county would get just over $8,600.

City of Henderson Logo

CITY INVITES COMMUNITY INPUT ON ELMWOOD DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT PLAN ON JULY 22nd

/by

The recently reestablished Henderson Redevelopment Commission is holding its first public listening session on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in order to learn about community priorities and goals for redevelopment in this greater Orange Street area neighborhood. The session is open to all and participants can attend in-person or join by Zoom or phone. The listening session will be facilitated by staff of the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative (DFI).

DFI has also released an online survey for anyone interested in commenting on a set of proposed redevelopment goals for the area. The survey, along with additional information about the Redevelopment Commission’s efforts, including a boundary of the proposed Elmwood District redevelopment area, are available at ci.henderson.nc.us/URA.   

Comments shared through the online survey and during the listening session will help to inform the direction of a redevelopment plan currently being drafted by the Redevelopment Commission, with support from UNC DFI. The plan is intended to guide future City activities in the proposed Elmwood District URA including efforts to attract new private investment and address the neighborhood’s housing, public health and safety needs. To attend in person, you are invited to Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckinridge St., Farm Bureau Room. The meeting will take place from 6-7:30pm.

Join by Zoom: https://unc.zoom.us/j/96903327572

Or you may join by phone (toll free) at: (855) 880-1246 Meeting ID: 969 0332 7572

The online survey and updates on the Redevelopment Commission are available at ci.henderson.nc.us/URA

H-V Industrial Park Phase III

Shell Building Project Continues Forward For Industrial Park

/by

Plans are moving along for construction of “shell” buildings at the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park to entice prospective businesses and industries to locate here, according to Henderson-Vance Economic Development Director Christian Lockamy.

Lockamy told WIZS News Wednesday that he briefed the Economic Development Commission Board at the July meeting, the first in-person meeting in over a year.

“They seemed to receive it well and ultimately voted unanimously to move it forward,” Lockamy said. Next steps include conducting research on potential construction partners and investigating financial models, building specs and, of course, cost.

The plan is to convene the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park Commission later in the summer to give the same presentation and work through some of the specifics left to be ironed out. Once he meets with that group, he said the proposal will go back to the commissioners as a formal recommendation. At that time, Lockamy said the process can move forward as a Request for Proposals is issued.

As part of the planning, the City of Henderson will be a co-applicant with the county on the Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant application for completion of sewer utilities and roads at the park. Similarly, the N.C. Department of Transportation will be a co-applicant because it will be responsible for future road maintenance.

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon said, at the June Henderson City Council meeting, this is merely a formality required by the EDA.

“We should know if we are successful in obtaining the EDA grant later in the summer,” Lockamy explained. Having co-applicants sponsor the overall effort and providing additional information in the grant application hopefully will “tighten up the request and ensure all documentation is in place.”

The Local Skinny! Home and Garden Show

/by

Thank you for listening to WIZS Radio. Your Community Voice!!

Each Wednesday WIZS Radio features the Home and Garden Show during The Local Skinny! time slot from 11:30 a.m. until 11:55 a.m.

Vance County Cooperative Extension agents Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie regularly announce the Home and Garden Show.

Town Talk: Local Furniture Store Celebrates 20 Years In Business

/by

Downtown Henderson has been home to a number of furniture companies over the years, and Britt Sams, owner of Sams Furniture & Mattress Center, has been counted among that number now for the past two decades.

The furniture and mattress store at 515 S. Garnett St. is celebrating 20 years of business this year, and Sams spoke with John C. Rose on Town Talk Wednesday about loyal customers, downtown revitalization and how he made a career in the furniture business.

And he used his “indoor” voice, not his trademark “on-air” voice that listeners are used to hearing describe the sales and special discounts on radio commercials.

In 1986, Sams began at Star Furniture and worked his way up from sales and the warehouse to doing most of the advertising for 29 stores. “I believe that you have to continuously get the word out,” Sams said, because “not everybody listens at the same time and not everybody buys at the same time.”

When Star closed in 2000, Sams decided to stretch his entrepreneurial wings and start his own business. The former Penny Furniture Co. building was available, and Sams said “when I saw the store at 515 was available…we all just made it click and made a go at it.”

Now, 20 years later, Sams reflects on his years of doing business on Garnett Street. He said local merchants and retailers are working hard to bring shoppers to visit – and spend – downtown. Sadie’s Coffee Corner has drawn a lot of traffic and interest to the area, he said, and the local Chamber of Commerce and downtown development group are big supporters of downtown revitalization efforts.

The downtown area has been good, he said, “but now more than ever it has the potential to grow” as others look at downtown Henderson to open businesses. One such property is located just behind Sams’ store in the former Falkner Coal Yard. There’s a lot of work going on back there, he said, and plans are to make the space a restaurant and brewery.

Downtown development and revitalization go a long way to bring customers to local shops and stores to spend money. But Sams said his store enjoys a lot of repeat business because of the “top of the game” service he offers. He said his showroom floors are full and he can deliver in 1-2 days, not months from the time the sale is made.

“Small- town furniture stores still provide the best service,” Sams said. “It’s that friendliness that we give back to our customers (that) makes people come back to us.”

(For full details click play.  This is not a paid ad.)