Maria Parham Feb. 27 Lunch And Learn Focuses On Heart Health

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Maria Parham Health Hosts is kicking off the 2025 Lunch and Learn series this month with a focus on heart health.

February is Heart Health month and on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 12 noon, two interventional cardiologists are scheduled to present information with a focus on prevention, early detection and cardiac care.

Dr. Araba Ofosu-Somuah, who will discuss heart and vascular disease with a specific focus on the unique needs of women’s cardiac care. Dr. Benjamin Dao, who will share essential insights on heart and vascular disease,  as well as emphasizing prevention and early detection.

This free event is open to all community residents, and a complimentary lunch will be provided.  Seating is limited, so online registration is required. Secure your spot by visiting MariaParham.com/event/62 today.

For more information or to register, please contact Donna Young, Marketing & Communication coordinator, at 252.436.1408.

 

Chamber Spotlight: Sunrock Industries, Inc.

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– This post sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

Representatives of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce visited Chamber Member Sunrock Industries, Inc. last week to recognize the company with a well-deserved Member Spotlight honor.

The company, with headquarters in Raleigh, recently celebrated 75 years in business and have been located in North Carolina for 40 years. This family-owned business is a leading supplier of construction materials.

As a vertically integrated company, they produce aggregates, hot mix asphalt, ready mixed concrete materials and provide a variety of contracting services.

For more information about the services and products they provide, call Sunrock at 919.747.6400.

During the recent visit by Chamber representatives, owner Bryan Pfohl offered a history on the company over the years and shared details about the many processes and applications for their products.

Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson, along with Board Chair Scott Burwell, board member Beth Townsend and Vanessa Jones, director of Programs, joined Pfohl and Sunrock President Mike Nolan, COO Zach Satterwhite and Hunter King, communications specialist for the special recognition.

S-Line Rail Corridor

TownTalk: Mobility Hub Funding

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The Henderson City Council made its selection Monday for where the Mobility Hub would be located, which in turn sets in motion the next steps for the overall plan to bring passenger rail service back to Henderson.

The Council chose the iconic downtown First National Bank building over the Garnett Street Station, even though – ironically – that building once served as a train depot.

City and NCDOT officials presented both sites to the Council during its Feb. 10 meeting, complete with artist renderings and a list of pros and cons for each potential site.

Ultimately, the Council voted for the bank building, which has been vacant for decades.

It is unclear just how much it will cost to renovate the building in preparation for use as a mobility hub, which is one component included in the $21 million train station project.

If the mobility hub needed to be completed right now, the city would need to foot the bill. According to information from City Public Information Officer Salonia Saxton, however, that mobility hub won’t be needed for several more years – which gives local and NCDOT staff a bit of time to identify funding sources to help defray the cost.

Building construction and renovation, parcel acquisition, site development and a pedestrian railroad overpass are just a few of the facets of the project the city expects to fund, Saxton said.

She said the mobility hub is a supporting facility to the rail station and its platforms and is only a part of the $21 million estimate.

Next up for the site is completion of an environmental study by NCDOT.

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Deon Linshawn Bullock is Wanted in Connection to Donnie Ayscue’s Homicide

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UPDATE 2-13-25

(WIZS write up to follow here soon)

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For Immediate Release – From Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame – Date: January 24, 2025

On Saturday, January 11, 2025, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) received a 911 call at approximately 1:54 a.m. about a gunshot victim at 1300 Walters Street in Henderson, North Carolina. Vance County EMS and VCSO Deputies responded and discovered Donnie Ayscue suffering from a single gunshot wound. Ayscue died as a result of his injuries at his residence.

After an intensive investigation, 19-year-old, Deon Linshawn Bullock was identified as a person of interest.

Deon Linshawn Bullock is wanted in connection to Ayscue’s homicide. Bullock was last seen wearing a grey hoodie with grey joggers on January 24, 2025. See photo below.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Vance County Sheriff’s Office in this active and ongoing homicide investigation.

Contact: Anyone with information on Deon Linshawn Bullock’s whereabouts should contact Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers (252) 492-1925, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office (252) 738-2200, or the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (1-800-334-3000 or sbiwebcontact@ncsbi.gov).

(Original post made to WIZS.com on Jan. 24, 2025)

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VGCC Logo

VGCC, Western Carolina University Partnership Turns Vanguards Into Catamounts

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— Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

More than 300 miles separate Vance-Granville Community College and Western Carolina University—but thanks to a new partnership, the two schools are now much closer than the physical distance that separates them.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, VGCC President Rachel Desmarais, WCU Chancellor Kelli R. Brown and colleagues from both institutions met by video call to sign a memorandum of understanding, guaranteeing admission to WCU for all Vance-Granville graduates who satisfy certain requirements. The agreement will offer a direct pathway for Vanguards to earn their four-year degree at WCU.

“We are pleased to be a participant in the Catamount Connections program offering a direct-entry admission opportunity to qualified VGCC graduates,” said Desmarais. “Western Carolina University offers unique programs of study, and we are excited to offer a pathway to these possibilities.”

Brown is excited Western Carolina can help make higher education more accessible to students in VGCC’s four-county service area.

“WCU continues to make the process of transferring to WCU as smooth as possible for the graduates of all our community college partners across the region and the state,” Brown noted. “This memorandum of understanding is an important tool in providing Vance-Granville Community College graduates with the resources and access to continue their higher education journey.”

Participating students must satisfy the following conditions:

  • Be a currently enrolled student at Vance-Granville Community College in a degree-seeking capacity
  • Submit WCU application for admission and records by WCU deadlines
  • Submit application fee or waiver and fulfill all commitment action steps
  • Be in good standing at VGCC and other institutions attended
  • Demonstrate good citizenship and conduct
  • Earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 at VGCC and a minimum GPA of 2.20 in their most recent term
  • Earn an associates degree from VGCC in a college transfer program or in an applied program for which an articulation agreement exists
  • Enroll at WCU within one academic year (within the next two regular terms [fall/spring semesters]) of completion of the associates degree

VGCC students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university may find more resources at www.vgcc.edu/transfer. For additional information, contact Robinette Fischer, Department Chair of Transition, Student Success, & College Transfer, at 252-738-3255 or fischerr@vgcc.edu.

TownTalk: Council Amends Mayor’s Office Project And Programming Budget

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The Henderson City Council approved a resolution Monday that amends the Projects and Programming Budget to include $5,000 to be used by Mayor Melissa Elliott to pay for training and other programs she attends in her role as mayor.

The vote was 4-1, with Council member Sam Seifert casting the no vote. Voting in favor were Council members Michael Venable, Geraldine Champion, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Tami Walker. Council members Sara Coffey, Garry Daeke and Lamont Noel were absent.

“We’re not asking for more money,” City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry explained during the meeting, “we’re asking for the purpose to be expanded.”

Champion and Thorpe-Cooper both expressed support and said in the meeting that Elliott shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket for the various trainings she attends in her role as mayor.

“I see it as being unfair for her to have to come out of pocket…for training for the city,” Champion said.

Thorpe-Cooper agreed, adding that the trainings are beneficial. “We’re being taught – we’re being trained – so we can better serve. I am all in favor of it.”

Given the fact that the city has instituted a hiring freeze – an indication that revenues are not flowing in as predicted at this point – Seifert said he would prefer that the city consider using “fiscal constraint” at least while the hiring freeze is in effect.

He suggested that the city “keep the scope narrow as it was defined so that we show our part in keeping expenses down…while we’re under a freeze.”

According to the resolution presented to Council on Monday, the $5,000 is “subject to the fiscal controls and standard operating procedures currently in place and administered through the City’s Finance Department.”

The resolution further explains that Elliott has created several ad hoc committees created to help the city’s elected officials better understand the community with its diverse needs and desire for inclusivity, and that there needs to be a “nominal” budget to cover reasonable and justifiable expenses that arise with those committees and other special projects, continuing education, conferences, seminars and other programs.

Any expenditure would require approval by the city manager.

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TownTalk: City Council Removes Daeke As Mayor Pro Tem, Replaces Him With Michael Venable

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The Henderson City Council on Monday voted to remove Council Member Garry Daeke as mayor pro tem and replace him with Council Member Michael Venable.

Daeke was not present at the meeting but told WIZS News Tuesday afternoon that he was not totally surprised by the decision.

“We saw this coming a month or so ago,” Daeke said, referring to the Council’s December meeting when Council member Geraldine Champion inquired about appointing a new mayor pro tem. “I had thought it was going to happen at some point, but I didn’t particularly know it would be last night,” he said.

“Childish shenanigans is what I’d call it,” he said. He said he had no idea why the change was made, in the middle of what normally is a two-year appointment, but said the Council needs to be talking about infrastructure, roads, water system and other matters that will help city residents.

“When you don’t know why it’s being done, you try to figure out what’s the reason behind it,” Daeke mused. “I don’t see any logic behind it – I see emotion or something else.” He described himself as someone who likes to have information before making decisions and not someone who automatically agrees with everything being said. “I like information and like to know both sides of the issue and I like to make my decisions based on informed information,” he said. “And I don’t think that’s appreciated.”

The mayor pro tem’s role is to fill in for the mayor when needed. And Daeke said he had only been called on a couple of times to fill in for Mayor Melissa Elliott, which he did.

“I wasn’t being utilized…for whatever reason,” he said. “You’re only utilized when you’re called to be utilized.”

Monday’s vote was 4-1, with Council Member Sam Seifert casting the no vote on the motion to make Venable the mayor pro tem, which was made by Council Member Geraldine Champion and seconded by Council Member Tami Walker. Champion, Walker, Venable and Council Member Ola Thorpe-Cooper voted in favor of the motion.

In addition to Daeke, also absent were Council Members Sara Coffey and Lamont Noel.

The vote took place after the council returned to the open meeting following a closed session to discuss a lawsuit, but it was not listed on the agenda as an item for discussion. Neither was that portion of the meeting available via livestream as the first part of the meeting; according to City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell, the IT person left the meeting after the council went into closed session.

City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry told WIZS News Tuesday that he was “unaware that the Council would be removing Councilman Daeke yesterday,” and added that he had no other details than what was provided in the meeting.

According to information from the UNC School of Government, councils must choose a mayor pro tem at the organizational meeting, but it also can choose – with or without cause – to “vote to remove the MPT at any time, and appoint a new one.”

There was no discussion following the motion and the second before the vote was called.

WIZS News has reached out to Venable, Champion and Elliott for comment, but have not heard back as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

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S-Line Rail Corridor

The Local Skinny! City Council Chooses Iconic Downtown Bank Building As Site Of Local Mobility Hub

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The Henderson City Council chose Monday night the former First National Bank building to be the site of the mobility hub for the S-Line railway project.

In a unanimous vote, at its regular monthly meeting, the Council selected the historic building located in the middle of downtown Henderson. Council members Sara Coffey, Garry Daeke and Lamont Noel were absent from the meeting.

Assistant City Manager Paylor Spruill and N.C. DOT representatives reviewed progress with the project thus far and said next steps were waiting the final site selection.

The Mobility Hub and Rail Station is a separate project from the actual rail project, which will help connect by rail Raleigh and Richmond.

Henderson is one of the stops along the 85-mile stretch of rail line that will provide commuter and passenger service.

The city’s Land Planning Committee met in November and December to consider the two sites under consideration – the city-owned First National Bank property and the Garnett Street Station.

Renovating a major building in the downtown was seen as a strong catalyst to further confidence by private investment in downtown’s redevelopment, according to information contained in Monday’s agenda package.

The historical significance of the bank building, with covenants in place to preserve the architecture, would likely not attract private investors. But putting the building to use as a public space could be a good way to preserve the building and provide benefits to the community.

Council member Sam Seifert sits on the Land Planning Committee and said choosing the historic building would send “a strong message” about downtown development, adding that the transformed building could become a “statement piece” along the S-Line project.

Staff from the DOT’s Integrity Mobility Division attended Monday’s Council meeting and said although the program is facilitated by DOT, “we want to make sure it’s led by the city of Henderson.”

They want to ensure that the mobility hub provides connectivity to William Street and Garnett Street, giving pedestrians safe options to walk in the area when they come to visit.

With the feasibility study completed, next steps include an environmental study before getting to the design and construction phases. But DOT needed a decision from city leaders before moving on.

Cost estimates are preliminary but could be more than $21 million to bring the old building back from disrepair, due to age and damage and the fact that it has been vacant for so long.

The façade appears ok and in good shape, but the interior needs extensive work.

Also, there are businesses on the William Street side that will be displaced because of the project, so there will need to be money set aside for acquisitions. And because of its historic significance, there need to be extensive coordination with state historic preservation officials.

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