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Grooms Charged with First Degree Murder, Sentenced to Life Without Parole

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-Press Release, Office of District Attorney Mike Waters

Warrenton, NC – Warren County Criminal Superior Trial Court was held during the week of April 30, 2018. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Henry W. Hight, Jr. presided over the term. The State of North Carolina was represented by District Attorney Mike Waters and Assistant District Attorney Onica Fuller.

Much of the week was devoted to the murder trial of Kadeem Grooms, who, along with Marquis Davis, Montrell Davis and Darren Alston, was charged with First Degree Murder, five counts of Attempted Murder, two counts of Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle and one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with the Intent to Kill.

The acts occurred in the early morning hours of August 9, 2015, when six men from Oxford traveled to the Connect 25 nightclub in Warren County. As the six men were leaving Connect 25, they were fired upon. Michael Pressley, a passenger in one of the vehicles, was shot and died as a result of his wounds.

A Warren County jury deliberated approximately 70 minutes before returning guilty verdicts on all counts. Judge Hight sentenced Mr. Grooms to life in prison without parole for the First Degree Murder conviction, plus 70 years for the other offenses. Darren Alston and Montrell Davis had previously plead in the matter. Marquis Davis is scheduled for trial during the September trial term of Warren County Superior Court and is innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This matter was investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Upcoming I-85 Closures for May

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

I-85 Monday (5/7/18) – I-85 northbound traffic will be shifted on a median crossover just north of US-1. I-85 traffic will be in a two-way one-lane pattern from just north of US 1 until northbound traffic crosses back to the northbound lanes just north of Manson Road.

The following ramps will be closed this entire phase (will be reopened this fall):

(I-85 northbound off-ramp at Flemingtown), reference TMP-65 for Detour

(I-85 northbound on-ramp at Flemingtown), reference TMP-66 for Detour

(I-85 northbound on-ramp at Manson), reference TMP-68 for Detour

This shift will build the last northbound section of I-85, scheduled to be completed by mid-November 2018.

Wednesday/Thursday (05/09/18 to 05/10/18) – Flemingtown Road will be shut down for two days starting on Wednesday, May 9 for the I-85 northbound bridge demo. I-85 southbound will not be impacted because the I-85 southbound off-ramp to Flemingtown and southbound on-ramp from Flemingtown will be open to traffic. I-85 northbound ramps will already be closed, so no additional impacts.

Flemingtown road traffic will be detoured from US 158 to Jacksontown to Jackson-Royster Road and the same detour route will be used in the opposite direction for traffic trying to get from Flemingtown Road to US 158.

For real-time travel information at any time, visit DriveNC.gov, or follow NCDOT on Twitter.

WIZS Celebrates 63 Years On the Air!

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On this first day of May 63 years ago, what is now known as WIZS signed on to the airwaves in a full-time capacity for the first time. The station has been on the air continuously ever since bringing the community local news, sports, music and entertainment.

The Rose family, who purchased the radio station from legislator and Oxford native Stan Fox in 1989, are the fourth owners of the station and are very honored to serve the community.

“We are very thankful to be here in the community and to be able to continue a passion that my dad, John D. Rose, III had,” said WIZS Owner/Operator John Charles Rose. “He was fascinated by the radio and the notion that you could talk in one place and someone could hear you in another.”

In speaking of his father, who has been deceased ten years, Rose said,  “I miss him very much. It’s unbelievable that much time has gone by.”

John D. Rose, III was just 10 years old in 1955 when Harold V. Harrell, a tv and radio repairman from Oxford, started the station under the call letters WHVH. Lawrence Brandon, the owner of WWCO in Connecticut purchased the station from Harrell a few years later. The call letters were changed to WIZS around 1959, shortly after the station was sold to Stan Fox and his business partners Irv Fox and Seymour Dworsky.

In celebration of WIZS’ 50th anniversary in 2005, The Daily Dispatch in Henderson printed a publication in honor of the station that included a more detailed history and special memories from local citizens and businesses.

Today, WIZS is still in business, thanks in part to the focus on bringing concise, local news to the community. Recent changes to the programming structure were made with this in mind. Exciting things are happening at WIZS, including a new Beach Music Blast segment. Stay tuned…

Munn Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of First Degree Murder

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-Press Release, Office of District Attorney Michael D. Waters

On Monday, April 30, 2018, during a session of Warren County Criminal Superior Trial Court, Kevin Burton Munn entered pleas of guilty in two counts of First Degree Murder. One count of First Degree Murder in the death of Vance County businessman James Thomas “Tommy” Ellington, Jr., and one count of First Degree Murder in the death of Lake Gaston resident Nancy Bowling Alford.

As part of his agreement, Mr. Munn will cooperate with authorities as to the investigation of other individuals involved in these cases, in exchange for two consecutive life sentences. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Henry W. Hight, Jr. continued sentencing in this matter.

Below are statements from the Ellington and Alford families:

“The Ellington family continues to be grateful for the dedication of local and state law enforcement working in conjunction with the DA’s office to pursue justice in Tommy’s murder case. While today’s events will not replace the void we all feel with Tommy’s loss, our prayer is that it will aid the healing process for family and friends, as well as bring more peace of mind to the community. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time.” – The Ellington Family

“The events of March 9, 2018, changed our family forever. We will forever be grateful to all of the law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly to apprehend the men responsible and who continue still to work in the investigation process. We are also very thankful to the Office of the District Attorney for their dedication to this case. We know that all of these people have put us on the path toward justice and pray daily for their continued resolve to bring safety to the communities they serve.” – The Alford Family

WIZS Beach Music Blast Debut

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Starting (tomorrow) May 1, 2018, the WIZS Beach Music Blast program will air M-F from 12 noon until 1 p.m.

May 1, 2018 is also the 63rd birthday of WIZS Henderson, which first came on the air May 1, 1955 as WHVH.

The WIZS Beach Music Blast debuted today from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on WIZS 1450 AM in the Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin County area.  For upcoming shows, you can also listen anywhere on wizs.com.  Click on Listen Live.

Click here for a video about our new show.

Trey Snide (Host) and Mr. Pat Christie — first ever interview on the Beach Music Blast

Appearing as guests today were: Terri Gore, the original Carolina Girl, Craig Woolard of The Embers and Julian Fowler of KHP Music along with the show’s very first guest and guest host of the day Pat Christie.

The new WIZS program schedule for Monday through Friday will be:

11 a.m. – TownTalk

11:30 a.m. – Tradio

12 noon – Midday Local News

12:04 p.m. – WIZS Beach Music Blast

1 p.m. – Sports Mayhem

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market Reg. Season Begins Sat. April 28

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 — submitted by Tracy Madigan, Market Manager

The Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market’s regular market season begins Saturday, April 28, 2018!

Come out, shop and visit the market at 210 Southpark Drive in Henderson. Each week the farmers will be adding more produce.

The Saturday Market features plants for the garden including vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Local crafts for your enjoyment.

In season, locally grown spring produce; hot house tomatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, kale and lettuce plus strawberries (weather permitting)!

Our beef and pork vendors will have meat for sale. Worth the trip!

Plus estate wine, canned goods and baked goods.

Beginning April 28, the Farmers Market will be open Saturdays only from 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. from April 28 – May 12.

Beginning May 16, the Farmers Market will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Special Event: Our Master Gardeners will be in attendance this week providing gardening advice.

Social Media: For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Contacts:

Market Manager: Tracy Madigan @ 252-598-0814

Extension Agent: Paul McKenzie @ 252-438-8188

**VCRFM accepts and welcomes SNAP/EBT**

(This is not a paid advertisement)

 

 

Warren County Logo

Local Foods Celebration & Forums in Warrenton/Lake Gaston

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Are you one of the early birds at the farmers market or someone who pulls over to support the many roadside farm stands scattered across Warren County? Are you a proponent of local foods and supporting family farms and local businesses? If you answered yes, then the Warren County Local Foods Celebration and Public Forums are the events for you!

These events are being hosted by the Warren County Local Foods Promotion Council on two dates: Tuesday, May 15, 2018, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Warren County Senior Center and Thursday, May 31, 2018, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Buck Spring Park. The purpose of these Forums is to show how Warren County citizens can get involved with the LFPC, to spread the knowledge of local food and farm leaders, and to collect ideas from the public about what kind of local food system they would like to see in Warren County. Refreshments will be provided along with live music and door prizes. 

The Forums are free and open to the public but attendance is limited! Please RSVP by calling 252-257-0205 or register online at https://go.ncsu.edu/warrenfoodforum. If you cannot attend but would like to stay connected through our email listserv, please email paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

The Warren County Senior Center is located at 435 W Franklin St, Warrenton, NC; Buck Spring Park is located at 217 Nathaniel Macon Dr, Warrenton, NC.

Photo provided and taken by Paul McKenzie, NC Cooperative Extension Agent

Health Sciences Dean Honored For Leadership At VGCC

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-VGCC Press Release

Angela M. Thomas, dean of health sciences at Vance-Granville Community College, was recently honored with the President’s Leadership Award from Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of the college.

The honor is one of three Glen Raven Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Awards presented to VGCC employees during each academic year. The others, the Faculty Member of the Year and Staff Member of the Year awards, are presented in the fall semester. Glen Raven, Inc., the manufacturer with a site in Norlina, is a longtime VGCC partner. The company’s support includes sponsoring the annual stipends to recognize outstanding VGCC instructors and staff members and endowing many scholarships for students.

President Williams praised Thomas for her dedication and commitment. “Under the leadership of Dean Thomas, our Health Sciences division has continued to demonstrate excellence in preparing students for successful careers, while also growing with the addition of three new credential offerings, including the associate degree in Histotechnology, as well as new partnerships with four-year universities,” she said. The president added that Thomas had directly led two departments during the past year, along with her duties as dean. In one case, she obtained a certification outside of her discipline (Radiography) in order to take on such a responsibility.

In accepting the award, Thomas gave credit to her Health Sciences team and thanked them for their support of her efforts to provide leadership and to assist them with their growth.  

A resident of Hillsborough, Thomas graduated with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Radiologic Technology from Pitt Community College and a bachelor of arts in Forensic Science from Guilford College, before completing a master’s degree in Health Care Management from Ashworth College. Thomas continues to work as a radiologic technologist at UNC Hospitals.

She started her association with VGCC in 1997 as a part-time Radiography instructor, later becoming the program’s full-time clinical coordinator and then head of the program. Thomas was named VGCC’s Faculty Member of the Year in 2011. As dean of health sciences since 2013, she leads a division that includes the Histotechnology, Nursing, Human Services Technology, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technology and Radiography programs. Thomas is a graduate of the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program and completed the Executive Leadership Program through the College of Education at N.C. State University.

                                                                                                                                       Angela Thomas holds her plaque for the leadership award. (VGCC photo) 

                                                                               

BIG DAY in Warren County 4-28-18

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

— by Craig Hahn

April 28th is Going to be a BIG DAY Here in Warren County!
9 Events For You To Enjoy

As I’m sure you’re no doubt aware, there aren’t too many weeks here in Warren County where we can honestly say, “There’s nothing to do!” Well, just a preview, that on Saturday 28 April, this will be even more true than ever! Allow me to briefly plan a full day for you and your family…

First…start your day at the corner of Macon & Bragg Streets in the BB&T parking lot for the Warren Growers Association Warren County Farmers Market. This local market runs from mid-April thru mid-October with local fruits, vegetables, eggs, baked goods, preserves, herbs, flowers, dog biscuits, mushrooms and plenty of handmade crafts. They’ll be open from 8am until Noon to start your day.

Then…just a ½ block stroll to Main Street to watch the start of the Run Warrenton 5K Race in front of the Historic Warren County Courthouse. The Town of Warrenton, in association with Cedric King, is hosting the 6th Annual Run Warrenton 5K. This USATF Certified 5K run is through downtown Warrenton. Proceeds will support Achilles International and college scholarships for deserving students. Find out more at runwarrenton.itsyourrace.com.

Then…shortly after the final runners cross the finish line you can spend some time on the grounds of our Historic Warren County Courthouse for Spring Fest 2018. Presented by the Warrenton Revitalization Committee and sponsored by Duke Energy & Maria Parham Health, this year’s event features your favorite crafts, artisans, exhibits, fresh local vegetables, food and more! Live entertainment features the TranZition Band and GrassStreet Bluegrass Band. To stay up to date on Spring Fest and other downtown Warrenton events, like them on Facebook at Warrenton Festivals. Festivities continue from 10am until 4pm.

Then…when you need a short break from funnel cakes and delicious BBQ, head two short blocks away to the Warren County Memorial Library for the Annual Warrenton Archaeology Day from 10am until 3pm. See Native American artifacts, tools and weapons and learn about the prehistory of the region spanning over 12,000 years into the past. Free Admission for all!

Then…to explore a little more recent collection of archaeological treasure in downtown Warrenton, join the The Jacob Holt House Foundation for their first-ever “Building Warrenton: A Vacant Properties Tour.” See 9 vacant properties just waiting for the right person and a little TLC to bring even more life to downtown Warrenton.

Then…need a little time away in the country? Head north on Main Street for the day-long Warren County Junior Firefighters’ Competition at the Warren County Recreation Complex on the Highway 158 bypass. Kicking off at 8:30 with events all day until 5:00pm, see dozens of teams of Jr. Firefighters from across the country competing in firefighting skills contests. Duke LifeFlight helicopter is scheduled to make an appearance at 11:30am.

Then…back to town and a visit to the newly renovated Old Cotton Gin at the corner of Hall and Franklin Streets in downtown Warrenton. Anne & Tommy will be open from 10am until 4pm so that you can tour this new event facility and see their mini-museum inside.

Then…a short trip back to Main Street and the Main Street Kitchen at 108 South Main Street for Working Landscape’s learning event. The front of the cafe will be open that day for the duration of Springfest from 10am – 4pm with a variety of self-guided activities for kids to enjoy. There will be a community garden art project, a “book nook” with lots of books about food, plants, and farming to read, and a “Do You Know What’s In Season?” activity. There will also be a small healthy snack for kids to take with them.

And finally…to wrap up your day, buy your tickets now for the annual Inez Volunteer Fire Department Dinner & Auction at 6:00pm at the Warren County Armory Community Center. Tickets are just $50 per person and include a delicious Prime Rib dinner, open bar, DJ and dancing, a silent/live auction and the chance to help support the wonderful volunteers from Inez VFD who keep us safe 365 days a year. For tickets, see any Inez VFD member or call Linda McSwain at (919) 210-2968.

How’s that for an action-packed day! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at multiple events on 28 April!

(Not a paid advertisement.)

It’s Warren County Map Time!

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-Courtesy of Chamber Connections, the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County’s weekly newsletter

It’s Warren County Map Time Again! Two Years Since Our Last Update!

It’s hard to believe, but it was two years ago this month that we began compiling our first new Warren County map in several years…and now, it’s time to update those maps! These new maps will be released in early summer for our residents and visitors to Warren County.

As before, the support for this map will come from our great sponsoring businesses. This week, I’ll be contacting previous and new sponsors along with our representative from SouthEast Map Solutions. Once published, we’ll have more than 5,000 maps to distribute promoting our wonderful county.

We plan to include the following features in this year’s map: detailed street maps of Warrenton, Norlina & Macon – detailed road map of all roads within Warren County – update locations of more than 40 sites in the Preservation Warrenton Driving Tour of the County – update locations of the 50+ homes and businesses in the Preservation Warrenton Walking Tour of Warrenton as well as the African American Walking Tour of Warrenton – include 16 additional Rosenwald Schools identified since the last map – designation of the Haliwa-Saponi official State of NC area within Warren County.

If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor, we have a limited number of ad positions available. Each sponsor receives a minimum of 50 maps for distribution in addition to the on-map ad. Please email info@warren-chamber.org or call 252-257-2657 if you’d like to be included in this countywide project.

(This is not a paid advertisement)