Henderson’s CommUnity Clean Up Day Friday, Apr. 26

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The city of Henderson will sponsor a CommUnity Clean Up Day Friday, April 26 – churches, businesses and other groups are invited to take part and spruce up different areas of the city where litter may collect and create an eyesore.

The day’s event is held in conjunction with the NC DOT’s Spring Litter Sweep, a statewide effort to clean up along roadsides.

To learn more and to get the materials needed to help in the CommUnity Clean Up Day, contact Cindy Norwood, executive assistant to City Manager Terrell Blackmon at 252.430.5700.

Haley Rawles New Director At Vance County Board Of Elections

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The Vance County Board of Elections has selected Haley Rawles to become its new director. Rawles, former deputy director in Granville County, started her new job today, Thursday, Apr. 4.

“I’m super excited to be here in Vance,” Rawles told WIZS News earlier today in a telephone interview.

In a recent interview, Board Chair James Baines said the county had made its selection, but was awaiting final approval from Raleigh to begin the transition.

Former director Jennifer Cocklin will stay on another week, Rawles said.

Once they get that approval, the candidate can go before Clerk of Superior Court Henry Gupton and take the oath of office. Rawles said she expects to be sworn in next week.

“We plan to do our best for the citizens of Vance County,” Baines said.

The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Catalytic Converters

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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

Ask a mechanic about your vehicle’s catalytic converter and you’re likely to hear about how it reduces pollution and toxic gases that come from the engine.

An environmentalist may tell you how essential this little piece of metal is to protect the air we breathe.

Ask an unscrupulous so-and-so and you’ll likely hear that they’re super easy to steal, strip of its precious metals and make some serious money, all at the vehicle owners’ expense.

This relatively small, but essential, piece of equipment has attracted thieves looking to make a fast buck. The National Insurance Crime Bureau says claims of catalytic converter thefts have increased by nearly 300 percent since 2020.

Vehicles can run without a catalytic converter, but legally, they’re supposed to have one. If you notice that your vehicle makes a very loud sound when you start it, you may want to check to see that the catalytic converter is there – if not, that 18-inch gap in your exhaust system where the converter used to be is the reason for the noise.

So, what’s a car owner to do? There are several suggestions to keep your vehicle safe:

  • Always park in your garage or a brightly-lit area, ideally in view of a security camera. At home, put in a motion sensor light that covers your driveway.
  • Install an anti-theft device that makes it impossible to cut off your catalytic converter. Several manufacturers sell shields, cables or plates that are bolted onto your car to cover the component.
  • Spray paint the catalytic converter a bright color with high-temperature exhaust manifold paint, which should alert a recycler that it could be stolen property.
  • Etch your license plate or vehicle identification number on the converter so it’s easier to track if stolen.

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value only and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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Gas Leak Near M.R. Williams

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FINAL UPDATE 12:57 PM Thursday, Apr. 4

According to Dominion Energy NC and its media relations department, the gas leak is no longer an issue of public safety, and the matter is now complete.

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UPDATE 11:45 AM Thursday, Apr. 4

From Dominion Energy NC: “Dominion Energy responded to a gas leak this morning at 235 Raleigh Road in Henderson that was caused by excavation activity striking and damaging a gas line. The natural gas leak was secured at 11:18 a.m. and Dominion Energy crews are now working on the gas line repair.”

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UPDATE 11:40 AM Thursday, Apr. 4

Raleigh Road is back open, according to Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

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UPDATE 11:25 AM Thursday, Apr. 4, 2024

From Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow – There is a gas leak on Raleigh Rd in front of MR Williams. Raleigh Rd at that location is shut down for an unknown time period.

TownTalk: NC Should Have Good Weather To View April 8 Eclipse

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As a meteorologist, Jonathan Blaes is a scientist well-versed in the vagaries of weather, especially in North Carolina and especially in the springtime. But next week, he just may divert his attention – for a few minutes, anyway – to observe a celestial event that has nothing to do with storms, or clouds or rain or anything else weather-related.

It’s the solar eclipse that will have his attention on Monday afternoon, which he called “a remarkable and really ‘far out’ kind of thing.”

The official forecast from Blaes, meteorologist-in-chief at the National Weather Service in Raleigh:  observers in North Carolina won’t see the most dramatic show when the eclipse occurs roughly at 3:15 p.m., but they will have clear skies and fair temps to make viewing more pleasant.

“It’s certainly going to be a neat event,” he said on Thursday’s TownTalk, “but be careful.”

Although the sun will seem a little bit less powerful during the eclipse because the moon is in the way, its harmful UV rays can still cause damage, so please do NOT look skyward during the eclipse.

Blaes offered an alternative to the traditional pinhole cameras and special glasses for those who want to experience the eclipse in a safe manner: Go for a walk in a wooded area.

“As you walk underneath the trees, you’ll see a crescent shape of the sun on the ground,” he said. It’s Mother Nature’s version of that pinhole camera – the leaves of the trees will create miniature eclipse sun images, he said. “It’s one of the neatest things I’ve ever experienced.”

As a scientist, Blaes said he’s experienced a lot of what Mother Nature throws at North Carolina over the course of a year – springtime storms and rotations aloft that can create tornadoes are just a couple of types of weather that keep him and others at the National Weather Service on their toes.

He said this spring, folks in this area can expect conditions this spring to be “a little bit warmer and a little bit wetter” than normal. Sure, anyone can predict that, but Blaes and his team have analyzed tremendous amounts of data to come up with such a simple-sounding pronouncement.

“Being a meteorologist is fun,” Blaes said. “It is challenging – every day is a puzzle.” The surge in data from satellite images and other sources produces more information than humans can manage, he said, so he and his team rely on statistics and AI – all of which contribute to improved weather forecasts.

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VCSO: One Shot Fired, Not by Law Enforcement, In Search Warrant Execution, No One Injured

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UPDATE: 4:24 PM Wednesday, April 3

— Press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

A Vance County man was arrested Wednesday a shot was fired from inside a home on St. Matthew’s Street. There was no exchange of gunfire and no injuries were reported, according to information from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

Vance County Sheriff’s Office, along with members of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office, were executing a search warrant at 2215 St. Matthew’s St. earlier Wednesday when a gunshot was fired from inside the residence in the direction of law enforcement officers at the front door, Brame stated.

After making entry into the residence, a single male was located and detained. The male was identified as 46-year-old Samer Othman, a resident of 2215 St. Matthew’s St.

Othman was arrested and charged with 10 counts of assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm.

Othman received a $750,000 bond and has a court date of April 26.

No residents or law enforcement officers were injured during this incident.

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at 252.738.2200, Henderson -Vance Crime Stoppers at 252.492.1925 or use the P3 app.

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UPDATE 9:30 AM Wednesday, April 3

WIZS News spoke to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.  He said during the execution of a search warrant on St. Matthews Street this morning that one shot was fired, not by a law enforcement officer, and that no one is injured and no one was hit by the shot.

More details to follow.

TownTalk: Community Info Series To Focus On Dementia

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It’s something that many of us worry about as we get older and can’t remember things like we once did, but Michael Patterson, a family caregiver specialist for Kerr-Tar COG Agency on Aging breaks down what falls in the “normal forgetfulness” category and what does not.

Patterson was a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk and previewed some of the information that he will share at the monthly community form series sponsored by the Hon. Charlie Baskerville.

The program “Dementia Friends,” which will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 9, is designed to promote awareness about what dementia is and how it affects caregivers and their families who care for those in the grips of dementia.

“When it comes to individuals caring for those with dementia, (I) stress this is a journey,” Patterson said, “a chronic condition.” It’s not like caring for someone with flu – follow doctor’s orders and you’ll be good as new in a week or so.

Some people can live for decades with dementia, and others’ lives are cut short. Whatever the scenario, caregivers carry a heavy load and experience a different relationship with their loved one.

“I work with caregivers to understand that this is a journey,” Patterson said. Self-care is important, he emphasized. What caregivers need to understand is that they are not alone.

A couple of his favorite resources include the Dementia Alliance of NC and Duke Dementia Family Support. Both provide education and support group opportunities; the Duke group offers respite vouchers, as does the KTCOG Agency on Aging.

“Dementia is a brain disease,” Patterson said, but its onset can be triggered by numerous factors, including genetics or other health conditions like hypertension or high cholesterol.

So when your doctor or health care team encourages you to eat right, take your meds and live a healthy lifestyle, a secondary effect could be lowering your risk for any of the types of dementia.

“Dementia is the umbrella and then under it are the other subcategories,” Patterson explained, adding that many people equate dementia with Alzheimer’s.

Granted, Alzheimer’s accounts for between 60 percent and 80 percent of most dementia cases, but it’s not the only type of dementia that researchers have identified.

Now that Baby Boomers are reaching the age of 65-70, this generation of adults that accounts for a larger percentage of the overall population may skew the prevalence for dementia diagnoses.

But, Patterson said, “just because you are getting older, doesn’t mean you’re going to get dementia.”

Memory loss is a normal part of aging, as our mental and physical abilities change over time.

It’s when that memory loss has an adverse impact on your daily living that dementia may be coming into play.

Can’t find your car keys? Normal aging. Can’t remember what the car key is used for? Not normal aging.

If you get in your car to go home but forget how to “get” home, that also could be more than normal aging.

Learn more at the April 9 program, which will be held at Baskerville Funeral Home, 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson.

Contact Patterson at 252.436.2040, extension 6072.

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TownTalk: Jayden Watkins Part of 2024 Disney Dreamers Academy

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Henderson’s own Jayden Watkins is set to board a plane Wednesday and head to Orlando, FL to participate in the Walt Disney World Dreamers Academy.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that almost wasn’t, but Watkins said, “God worked everything out.”

You see, his mom had accidentally thrown away the packet of information that Watkins was supposed to fill out to officially be accepted into the program. So there he was, on Christmas Day, searching for a way to get in touch with the folks at the Dreamers Academy and get his hands on the information before the deadline passed.

There’s a saying that goes, “Pray for rain, but keep on hoeing,” and that’s what Watkins did. He hunted and searched online and in emails, but he put his trust in God to “make it happen.”

And it did.

The four-day mentorship program brings together 100 high school students from all across the U.S. who demonstrate compassion, intellectual curiosity, courage, optimism and a positive outlook.

Watkins, who will turn 16 later this month, said it’s an opportunity to meet entrepreneurs, recording artists and others who will share advice about how “to take our dreams and turn them into reality.”

While he’s in The Magic Kingdom, Watkins said he’d be producing an inspirational video that will be released on social media platforms. “I’ll be on a TV show and a couple of other programs that will reach millions,” he told WIZS co-hosts Bill Harris and Steve Lewis on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

The Henderson Collegiate student said the application process was like applying to college, but even more selective. This year’s participants were chosen from among thousands of applicants. Watkins said he simply told his story in the application. “I was authentic…I shared my dreams, my aspirations,” he said.

Actions speak louder than words, another timeless adage that couldn’t be more appropriate when talking about Watkins. In his short time on this Earth, he has become a licensed minister, an author, podcaster, CEO of a non-profit and part-time employee right here at WIZS.

One has to apply actions in order to make your dreams a reality, he said.

If all these accomplishments have elevated Watkins into something more than your typical teenager, he seems unfazed.

“I remember how important it is to be humble,” he said. “All of my talents, all of my gifts, come from God.”

While he’s off in Orlando, his 7-day Bible Study will be released. It’s called “Distance for Warfare” and it can be found beginning this Thursday on the YouVersion Bible app.

His “Empowered Teen Bible Study” was featured recently on CBS 17 for its work in the community, and Watkins said it provides a unique opportunity for teens, who meet monthly for Bible study and to give back to the community.

The group assembles “Blessing Bags” filled with toiletry items, socks and gloves, non-perishable food items and more that are taken to local shelters.

Upwards of 40 teens put the bags together, and Watkins said he’s always grateful for sponsors – groups and individuals – to provide the items for the Blessing Bags.

It may not be the traditional way that churches sponsor youth groups, but that’s ok. Watkins says it’s important to “change the method and keep the message” of helping others in the community.

Whenever he feels like he needs to step back and take a breath from all his work – when he just wants to be a normal teenager for a little while, “I remind myself of my purpose.”

He’s learning the importance of balance in his life – school, family, work, church, community service, entrepreneur all come together to create a busy schedule, no doubt.

But, Watkins said, “This is not only something I like to do, this is something I love to do.”