Manganese Outbreak

Kerr Lake Regional Water Plant Reports Manganese Outbreak, Says Water is Safe

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, City of Henderson

The Kerr Lake Regional Water Plant had a Manganese outbreak from the lake that was more than the current treatment process could control.

The outbreak has cleared at the plant, but some customers may see dingy water depending on the usage in their area. The water is safe to use.

If you have questions, please call Christy M. Lipscomb, Director/ORC Kerr Lake Regional Water Plant at (252) 438-2141 or email clipscomb@ci.henderson.nc.us.

Local News Audio

WIZS Local News 06/26/20 Noon

/by

WIZS Local News; 8am, 12 Noon, 5pm; M-F

Your Community Voice

  • Henderson Police enforcement of face coverings
  • Vance Commissioners called meeting, including monument considerations
  • Soil and Water Conservation
  • Families Living Violent Free

Henderson Police Department

Henderson Police Department Addresses Public Face Covering Requirement

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

In response to the announcement earlier this week that NC’s Safer at Home Phase 2 will be extended for three more weeks, and face coverings are now required in public places, the Henderson Police Department addressed local enforcement of the order via Facebook.

HPD’s statement reads:

“As always, I strongly encourage everyone to take safeguards to protect themselves, their families, friends, neighbors, and all others. As of 5 p.m. today (Friday, June 26, 2020) EXECUTIVE ORDER 147 takes effect. I urge everyone to read EXECUTIVE ORDER 147 (click here) for its content and in its entirety.

There are no provisions to charge a person for simply failing to wear a face covering in public. The enforcement section of this document only pertains to varying businesses, certain government, and transportation settings. Violations under this order can be issued only to businesses or organizations that fail to enforce the face covering requirement.

Law enforcement personnel are not authorized to criminally enforce the “face covering” requirements of this Executive Order against individual workers, customers, or patrons. The “Exceptions” section of the order makes it difficult to enforce the face covering requirements of the Governor’s order based on the way the order is worded and the numerous exceptions listed.

Vance County Logo

Vance Co. Commissioners Call Special Meeting to Discuss Confederate Monument

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst., County of Vance

Vance County Board of Commissioners Chairman Gordon Wilder has called a special meeting for Tuesday, June 30, 2020, at 5 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Conference Room, Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.

Please note there will be no public comment session during this special meeting.

The purpose of the meeting is to: 

  1. Enter into closed session for attorney-client privileged matter
  2. Confederate monument
  3. Other items as necessary
Illegal Dumping Arrest

VCSO: Two Arrested in Illegal Trash Dumping Incidents

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release and photos, Vance County Sheriff’s Office

Vance County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division responded to 240 Spring Valley Road, Henderson, North Carolina in reference to illegal dumping of trash. During the investigation, the Criminal Investigative Division responded to the scene and noticed a truckload of trash had been dumped.

On June 23, 2020, another littering complaint led the Vance County Sheriff’s Office to the dead-end of Spring Valley Lake Rd on U.S Corp property. Evidence revealed the trash found at this location came from the same source that was located at 240 Spring Valley Rd.

Detectives were able to ascertain where the trash was coming from and identified the subjects that were responsible for the illegal dumping of the trash.

Warrants were obtained for Tyree Nathaniel Elam (B/M – DOB 04/18/1994) and Quante Kim’juan Hargrove (B/M – DOB: 02/16/1996) for Commercial Littering.

Both subjects were taken before the magistrate and given a written promise to appear in Vance County District Court for the above-listed charges on July 23, 2020. The U.S Corp of Engineer and Vance County Code Enforcement were notified.

According to the arrest record, Quante Hargrove also had three outstanding warrants out of Granville County, an Order for Arrest for Probation Violation with a $25,000 secured bond, Order for Arrest for Shoplifting Concealment Goods with a $500 secured bond and a Warrant for Arrest for Uttering Forged Endorsement with a $1,000 secured bond. Hargrove was also served with a Criminal Summons for Injury to Personal Property out of Granville County.

This investigation is continuing.

Tyree Nathaniel Elam

Quante Kim’juan Hargrove

Anne Tanner Berry Scholarship

New VGCC Scholarship Endowed in Memory of Anne Tanner Berry

/by

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release and photo, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund board member Marshall Tanner and his wife, Martha, recently established a new scholarship at the college in memory of their daughter. 

VGCC will award the Anne Tanner Berry Memorial Academic Achievement Scholarship to a student in a medical field, with a preference for second-year students who are older than the “traditional” college age. VGCC Health Sciences programs include Nursing, Histotechnology, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technology and Radiography.

“When Anne was in her twenties, she was diagnosed with diabetes, a diagnosis that changed her life and shortened it,” Marshall Tanner said. She passed away in 2018 at the age of 54. “Over the years, Anne was blessed to have many loving and caring healthcare professionals at her side through one health crisis after another,” Tanner continued. “Along with her husband, Tim, and her sisters, Cecelia, Lea and Beverly, we know Anne would be pleased that from this memorial scholarship, many others may join the ranks of Healthcare Heroes.”

Anne Tanner Berry

Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund board member Marshall Tanner and wife, Martha, recently established a new scholarship at the college in memory of their daughter, Anne Tanner Berry (pictured above – photo courtesy Anne’s family).

An alumna of Middle Tennessee State University and Oglethorpe University, Anne enjoyed a successful professional career in property management in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia. She was considered a leader and teacher in all her positions and was a regional vice president of her last employer. She had the ability to train and assist other employees to meet and exceed their goals and was recognized with several awards for her management skills and leadership talents.

“Anne had a very outgoing personality; she never met anyone who did not have a positive first impression of her,” her father recalled. “Her ability to interact in a warm, caring way enabled her to develop and maintain life-long friendships with many people.”

Marshall Tanner spent his career in the manufacturing sector, retiring in 2010 as a Vice President of Bridgestone Bandag. He moved to Oxford in 1991 to manage the local Bandag plant and has been active in the community ever since. Bridgestone Bandag is a longtime corporate supporter of VGCC, and Tanner has played in many VGCC Endowment Fund golf tournaments over the years. He joined the college’s Endowment Fund board of directors in 2017.  

“I became involved with supporting VGCC many years ago. I saw that the college provided an accessible educational outlet to local people who did not want to go away to a university but instead start their higher education right here,” Tanner said. “Playing in the VGCC golf tournament was a positive way to promote the college while raising money to provide more scholarships to help people get the job training that they needed. The recent addition of truck driver training is a prime example. Vance-Granville is a wonderful school, led by people who are thinking long-term about what our community will need in the future.” 

“We are honored that the Tanners would remember Anne in such a meaningful way, by supporting hard-working VGCC students who are pursuing careers of service in healthcare,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the community college president. 

“Martha and Marshall Tanner are outstanding citizens and strong supporters of Vance-Granville,” added VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson. “This new scholarship serves as a fitting tribute to their beloved Anne, and will help students in her name for years to come.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,700 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Local COVID-19 Update: Increase in Total Cases, Related Deaths

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health and the Warren County Health Department

As of June 24, 2020, there are 773 known COVID-19 cases in Granville County, 483 cases in Vance County, 155 cases in Warren County and 56,174 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

Granville County:

There are three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in Granville County: Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, Murdoch Development Center in Butner, NC, and Central Regional Hospital in Butner, NC.

Of the cases in Granville County, 402 are associated with the prisons, five are associated with Murdoch, and two are associated with Central Regional Hospital.

Of the 402 cases in the prison system, 89 have been released from isolation and two individuals with Murdoch have been released from isolation.

Of the 364 community-based cases in Granville County, 196 have been released from isolation and four are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 19 deaths in Granville County, 17 of whom were with the Bureau of Prisons and one with Central Regional Hospital.

Vance County:

There are two active outbreaks at congregate living facilities in Vance County: Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC, and Senior Citizens Home in Henderson, NC.

There was also an outbreak at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC that is no longer active.

Of the cases in Vance County, 111 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities including 43 cases associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home and 10 associated with Senior Citizens Home.

Of the 111 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 42 have been released from isolation.

Of the 372 community-based cases in Vance County, 171 have been released from isolation.

Ten individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 36 deaths in Vance County, 14 of whom were associated with Pelican Health and 10 of whom were associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Warren County:

There are 155 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases with no known results currently pending. Of the known positive cases, 127 are considered recovered.

One individual in Warren County is hospitalized.

There have been a total of five deaths in Warren County.

Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen announced on Wednesday that North Carolina will remain in Safer at Home Phase 2 for at least three more weeks – until July 17, 2020.

Governor Cooper also announced that face coverings must be worn when people are in public places as officials seek to stabilize concerning trends of increasing viral spread. Growing evidence shows that cloth face coverings, when worn consistently, can decrease the spread of COVID-19, especially among people who are not yet showing symptoms of the virus.

For more information about the extension of Phase 2 and these new measures, see the NC Staying Ahead of the Curve web page (click here)

GVPH updates its website daily at approximately 5 p.m. with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.

GVPH also emails updates about COVID-19 in Granville and Vance counties each evening. You can sign up to receive these emails at www.gvph.org/covid-19.

NC Governor Logo

NC Extends Safer at Home Phase 2, Adds Statewide Requirement for Face Coverings

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen today announced that North Carolina will remain in Safer at Home Phase 2 for three more weeks. Cooper also announced that face coverings must be worn when people are in public places as officials seek to stabilize concerning trends of increasing viral spread.

Cooper and Cohen were joined by Dennis Taylor, President of the North Carolina Nurses Association and Eugene A. Woods, President and CEO of Atrium Health.

“North Carolina is relying on the data and the science to lift restrictions responsibly, and right now our increasing numbers show we need to hit the pause button while we work to stabilize our trends,” said Governor Cooper. “We need to all work together so we can protect our families and neighbors, restore our economy, and get people back to work and our children back to school.”

“I know North Carolinians are strong, resilient and care deeply about our communities. We pride ourselves on helping our neighbors. The best way we can do that now is by taking the simple action of wearing a face covering that covers your nose and mouth. If we each do our part, we can get back to the people and places we love,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, NCDHHS Secretary.

Growing evidence shows that cloth face coverings, when worn consistently, can decrease the spread of COVID-19, especially among people who are not yet showing symptoms of the virus. Until now, face coverings had been strongly recommended. Under today’s executive order, people must wear face coverings when in public places where physical distancing is not possible.

In addition, certain businesses must have employees and customers wear face coverings, including retail businesses, restaurants, personal care and grooming; employees of child care centers and camps; state government agencies under the Governor’s Cabinet; workers and riders of transportation; and workers in construction/trades, manufacturing, agriculture, meat processing and healthcare and long-term care settings.

“Wearing a face covering is an easy thing to do that can make a huge impact for all of us. A major spike in cases would be catastrophic to the system, and without your cooperation, nurses and our fellow healthcare providers will have a harder time caring for sick patients for weeks and months to come,” said Dennis Taylor, a nurse, and President of the North Carolina Nurses Association.

“As the leader of the state’s largest health system, I am pro-health and also 100 percent pro-business. In fact, the two are inextricably connected and I’m very proud of the way business leaders and health experts are working together to keep our economy strong,” said Eugene A. Woods, President and CEO of Atrium Health. “Medical science says to reduce the spread of COVID-19 masking works, and my sincere hope is that all the people of North Carolina can join forces to make wearing a mask not something we feel we have to do – but something that we want to do to keep each other, our neighbors, our children and our loved ones healthy and safe”

Based on the metrics laid out in April by Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen, North Carolina is evaluating a combination of the data from the following categories that shows the indicators moving in the wrong direction, causing officials to implement today’s pause in Phase 2.

Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is increasing.

Trajectory of Lab-Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of lab-confirmed cases starting to level, but is still increasing.

Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive remains elevated.

Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations are increasing, though we have capacity in our healthcare system.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to be able to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread. These areas include:

Laboratory Testing

  • North Carolina is averaging more than 17,000 tests a day for the past week and there are more than 500 sites listed online plus additional pop-up sites.
  • North Carolina labs and labs around the country are seeing supply shortages for laboratory chemicals needed to process tests.

Tracing Capability

  • There are over 1,500 full-time and part-time staff supporting contact tracing efforts at the local health department level, including the 309 Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative contact tracers. These new hires reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, and 44% are bilingual.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • Our personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are stable.
Vance County Logo

Vance County Water Committee to Discuss Capacity Fee Revision

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Executive Assistant/Clerk to Board, Vance County Board of Commissioners

Vance County’s Water Committee (Brummitt, Taylor, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Monday, June 29, 2020, at 3:30 p.m. to discuss a capacity fee revision.

The meeting will be held in the Commissioners’ Conference Room, 122 Young Street in Henderson.

Local News Audio

WIZS Local News 06/24/20 Noon

/by

WIZS – Your Community Voice

Local News on 1450 AM / 100.1 FM; Weekdays 8am, 12 Noon, 5pm

  • Covid-19 Numbers
  • Free Covid Testing at Shiloh Baptist Church
  • Smart Start
  • Reach Out and Read
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library