News 10/25/19
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
Demolition of Former ACTS Building Paves Way for New Green Space
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
-Information courtesy the Citizens Aligned to Take Back Henderson, NC Facebook page
BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW TO SIGN UP FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE 8×12 STORAGE BUILDING FROM BUILDER’S DISCOUNT CENTER!
The removal of this old house at 305 S. Chestnut Street in Henderson, the former ACTS location, that was owned by First Baptist Church is going to lead to what will be a beautiful green space. It will complement an area that has been so improved in recent years with the addition of McGregor Hall, the new Henderson Police Station and what will soon be the new Breckenridge Pavilion. Thank you, First Baptist Church!
A crew removes the old house at 305 S. Chestnut Street, the former ACTS location, owned by First Baptist Church. The resulting space will be utilized as a green space for the community (Photo courtesy Citizens Aligned to Take Back Henderson, NC)
The following message is from Ronald Cava, Senior Minister, First Baptist Church, Henderson, N.C.:
“The structure was a blessing to many people throughout the years. It was home to many ministers of FBC, then later was used in conjunction with the Baptist Children’s Homes of NC to temporarily house children whose families were in crisis. Untold meals and other good deeds were then served up for decades by ACTS. Unfortunately, the years took a toll on the building. The foundation and other critical aspects of the structure were compromised beyond repair. Removing the building was the right thing to do and new green space will contribute to the resurgence of downtown Henderson as a safe, beautiful, and healthy place to live, work, and worship”.
Citizens Aligned to Take Back Henderson, NC is a group founded in 2015 by Hope Hoyle Howard and fellow members Tommy Haithcock and Heidi Owen with the goal of bringing positive change to the community.
Today, over 4,000 people follow the group’s Facebook page which includes posts designed to bring attention to areas in the community that need work and to help educate the community on the positive aspects of the area.
Town Talk 10/24/19: Williams, Domestic Violence Survivor, Shares Personal Story
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
As part of WIZS’ commitment to bringing awareness to the prevalence and far-reaching effects of domestic violence, local organizations and individuals have appeared on-air weekly in October.
On Thursday’s Town Talk segment, domestic violence survivor Valerie Williams shared her very personal story and discussed her upcoming participation as the honorary guest at a local domestic violence awareness event.
On a February afternoon in 1996, Williams said her life changed forever in a violent, 20-minute attack. Arriving home on her lunch break from work, Williams said she found herself at the end of a .38 Smith and Wesson with her husband threatening to kill her.
Williams’ husband then shot her three times – once in the head and twice in the right arm – before turning the gun on himself. Williams survived the incident, eventually regained use of her arm and is alive today to tell her story and empower other victims.
Through it all, Williams said she had a difficult time reconciling herself as a victim of domestic violence because her husband was not previously abusive; however, one time of domestic violence was one too many.
The CEO & Founder of LOVESMART, Williams is now a passionate speaker, advocate and author of five self-published books.
Williams looks forward to sharing both her story and the insight she has gained at a “Think Community” domestic violence awareness event to be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 26 at Clearview Church in Henderson.
Along with Williams, who will serve as honorary guest, the event will feature keynote speaker Patrice Andrews, chief of police, with the Town of Morrisville, NC.
The event is hosted by the Vance County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with Pastor Abidan Shah of Clearview Church and is sponsored by Cardinal Innovations Healthcare of Henderson.
The church is located at 3485 Hwy 158 Bus. (Oxford Road) in Henderson. The public is welcome to attend.
To hear the interview with Williams in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.
Basketball Season Kickoff Clinic Scheduled for Oct. 26 CANCELED
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Basketball Season Kickoff Clinic sponsored by “Soul-Out” Ministry, Henderson Optimist Club, Boyd Honda of Henderson, Alamance Academy, LLC and the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department originally scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 2019, has been canceled.
We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for continually supporting the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department.
News 10/24/19
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
Town Talk 10/23/19: Local Participants Needed for UNC-Sponsored Well Survey
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
Dr. Frank Stillo, research manager for the MacDonald Gibson Research Group at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Drew Griggs, a junior chemistry major at UNC, were on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to invite local residents to participate in a private well survey.
Stillo, who recently received his Ph.D. in public health from UNC, has been studying disparities in drinking water since early 2014.
He is particularly interested in how lead exposure involving residents with private wells affects children under the age of 7 in predominantly African-American communities. Lead is a neurotoxin, and young children are especially sensitive to the damage overexposure can cause to their still-developing brains, Stillo explained.
Griggs, son of Greg and Melanie Griggs of Henderson, attended a lead exposure seminar this summer held by the Gibson Research Group and said he was motivated to apply for a position as part of Stillo’s survey team.
The study group is seeking 300 households who use private well water and have a child under the age of seven living in the home.
Participants will receive the benefit of a well water test, dust testing, lead blood testing for their child provided by a licensed UNC phlebotomist, a consultation on ways to mediate lead issues if discovered and a $75 cash gift card – all free of charge.
In a small Wake County study of 29 cohorts completed a few years back, Stillo said a research team found that 28% of participating households with a well had elevated levels of lead in their drinking water. In running a variety of tests, Stillo said the team concluded that the majority of lead issues arose from plumbing structures inside the home.
“When you have water that is stagnant in your plumbing system and it doesn’t have a chance to get treated like those on the public water system, it will leach the lead out of the different metals in your system. When I had the same problem, I reached out to 24 Hour Emergency Plumbing Services near me and asked them to fix the plumbing,” said Stillo.
Factors such as the age of the house, age of plumbing materials and components of piping and connectors, also affect the level of lead exposure.
“Another reason well water has higher levels of lead is that residents with wells are stewards of their own water systems, whereas people on the public system have someone with technical expertise looking after their best interests,” Stillo said. “People on a public system are constantly having their water tested. Many on private wells don’t know to test their well water or what to test for and often don’t understand the effects of contaminants.”
Griggs said he is excited to be a part of this drinking water survey that can bring awareness to his hometown and took the first step in informing the community by reaching out to WIZS for an on-air interview.
“There are a lot of different ways to serve people; I’m really fortunate to have found an outlet to do so at UNC, especially one that can help a small, underserved community like Henderson.”
To learn more about the survey, please visit https://gillingswellwater.web.unc.edu/, email gillingswellwater@unc.edu or call (919) 843-5786.
To hear the interview with Stillo and Griggs in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.
Vance Co. DSS, Senior Center to Occupy Former EJMS by 2021
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW TO SIGN UP FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE 8×12 STORAGE BUILDING FROM BUILDER’S DISCOUNT CENTER!
Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen provided WIZS with the following summary of the Vance County Properties Committee meeting held Tuesday, October 22, 2019:
Related to the former Eaton Johnson Middle School, the Vance County School System will convey the school and property to the County for $1.
In a separate, unrelated agreement, the County is agreeing to utilize school capital funds, lottery funds if necessary, and any future school bonds to provide $8.3 million in capital funding for several facility usage redesigns, preventative maintenance items, school safety and technology initiatives in the school system over the next five years.
During the meeting, commissioners met and reviewed budget and timeframes related to a renovation at Eaton Johnson in order to move the Vance County Department of Social Services and the Senior Center to the property.
The projected timeframe for the move of these departments to the former Eaton Johnson is March 2021.
Reminder: Maria Parham to Offer Free Clinical Breast Exams – Oct. 24
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
-Information courtesy Maria Parham Health
To celebrate October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, FREE clinical breast exams will be offered at Maria Parham Health on Thursday, October 24, 2019, from 5 until 7 p.m.
Join Maria Parham for:
- Free clinical breast exams
- Breast cancer resources
- Follow up resources
- Prevention education
- Wellness information
For more information, please call (252) 436-1605 or visit mariaparham.com
Early detection saves lives!
Calling All Thespians! McGregor Hall to Hold ‘Into the Woods’ Auditions
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
-Information courtesy McGregor Hall
Stephen Sondheim’s Masterpiece “Into the Woods” is coming to McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in early 2020 and will be directed by Mark Hopper.
Here is your chance to be a part of every musical theatre thespian’s dream show in a state-of-the-art theater with a live professional orchestra!
Auditions will be held onstage at McGregor Hall, 201 Breckenridge Street in Henderson. You may choose to audition on either Saturday, November 9 at 10 a.m. or Sunday, November 10 at 7 p.m. You may be asked to attend an additional callback audition on Tuesday, November 12, at 7 p.m.
A list of characters and vocal ranges is available by CLICKING HERE.
Rehearsals will begin in late December. Performances will be held on January 31 (daytime school field trip show) and February 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 2020.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND FOR AN AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM
SHP Identifies Trooper Struck In Vance County Crash
— NCSHP Press Release
RALEIGH – The Highway Patrol continues to investigate a crash involving a state trooper who was hit by a vehicle on US 1 in Vance County. On Tuesday, October 22 at approximately 7:59 p.m., a 2012 Buick traveled off the roadway and struck the trooper from behind as he was conducting a traffic stop.
As a result of the crash, Trooper Craig I. Hundley, a 12-year veteran, assigned to Troop C, District 4 (Franklin County) was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
“Once again, we are reminded of the dangers our brave men and women face each day while keeping our communities safe”, said Colonel Glenn M. McNeill, Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol. “While I am very thankful for the overwhelming amount of support already received, I encourage everyone to continually uplift Trooper Hundley and his family as he begins the recovery process.”
The driver of the Buick, Justin O’Brien Venable, 32, of Henderson, has been charged with felony hit-and-run, felony violation of the move over law, DWI, careless and reckless driving and possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage. Mr. Venable was transported to the Vance County Jail and placed under a $35,000 secured bond.
###