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County Commissioners Called To Special Meeting Monday, Dec. 30

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Update December 30, 2024 at 12:30 p.m.

Vance County Board of Commissioners Chair Sean A. Alston, Sr. is resigning to become a magistrate in Warren County.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said last week that Alston had called for a special called meeting for 10 a.m. today with the purpose stated as reorganization. No details were given when the meeting was announced.

Alston said he will step away from the commission tomorrow and will be sworn in as a magistrate on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

“It was a pleasure to be on this board for two years – I don’t want to go,” he said during the meeting. In an interview after the meeting, Alston told WIZS News that he had applied for a job as a magistrate before he became a county commissioner; as someone who has been self-employed, he said the opportunity to have state benefits and retirement was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

He said he had “to disconnect” himself from politics before taking the magistrate position.

The board nominated Commissioner Carolyn Faines to be the new board chair, and in her first act as chair she asked to table the election of a vice chair until the regular board meeting on Jan. 6.

Commissioner Tommy Hester, however, asked to make a nomination during the special called meeting. Hester nominated Leo Kelly to be vice-chair. Although properly moved and seconded, the full board couldn’t agree when to elect the vice chair. That’s when county attorney Jonathan Care said the two motions on the floor needed to be acted upon. Although not unanimous, the board voted to table the election of the vice chair until its Jan. 6 meeting by approving the second motion on the table.

The next step is to appoint a qualified individual to assume Alston’s seat on the commission. The new commissioner should be from the same political and the same district as Alston.

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Update December 27, 2024 at 3:45 p.m.

Sean A. Alston, Sr., chair of the Vance County board of commissioners, has scheduled a special called meeting of the board for Monday, Dec. 30 at 10 a.m.

According to information from Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry, the purpose of the meeting is for a reorganization of the board and other items as needed.

The meeting will be held in the commissioners’ conference room in the Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young St.

Perry said the commissioners are meeting to address some recent changes.

TownTalk: Apollo Style Talent Show From Connie Ragland Productions

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When the lights go down inside McGregor Hall Saturday afternoon, all the hard work of the musicians and other performers will be put to the test – it’s showtime.

Connie Ragland Productions and Reclaiming Our Youth presents “Showtime at McGregor Hall,” a talent show modeled after Showtime at the Apollo in New York’s Harlem Theater. The curtain rises at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 on what Connie Ragland bills as a showcase of creativity, communication and celebration.

Tickets are on sale at etix.com and at the McGregor Hall box office – get them early, because the price goes up on the day of the show. Youth tickets are $15 and adult tickets are $20.

As Jayden Watkins puts it in a video he produced to promote the show, the audience will experience an “unforgettable night of talent and inspiration.”

Ragland said 10 acts will take the stage during the show. Auditions were held a month or so ago, at which time the performers were selected to compete. Four youth and six adults are included in the competition. Each act will have five minutes to perform and the audience will vote on each category with applause. A cash prize will be awarded to the winning youth and adult performer.

“There are many, many talents that are being displayed,” Ragland said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

A DJ will keep the audience engaged between acts during the 2-hour show, making them “feel good and get them in the right spirit for Christmas,” Ragland said.

The show is for the whole community, she said, adding that she strives to represent all ages, cultures and backgrounds. “It’s for everyone,” she said. She would like to dispel the misconception that the show is just for one race or one generation.

“Entertainment is entertainment,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who’s providing the entertainment. We’re talking about building a better community, we’re trying to make Henderson better…we need to just start coming together and not being so separate with everything.”

To learn more, contact Ragland at 252.590.0303. or email her at connierag@gmail.com.

Purchase tickets at the McGregor Hall website, www.mcgregorhall.org, and click on Buy Tickets on the right side of the page.

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Sossamon Requests Hand-To-Eye Recount In District 32 Contest

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From the N.C. State Board of Elections

After the initial machine recount, Republican candidate Frank Sossamon trails Democratic candidate Bryan Cohn by 228 votes, 21,215 to 20,987. State law permits a candidate to request a sample hand-to-eye recount within 24 hours after the initial recount. Sossamon requested the recount.

The State Board conducted a random drawing at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2 to determine the Election Day precincts or early voting sites that will be recounted by hand in Granville and Vance counties.

The Vance County Board of Elections will conduct its hand recount starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Henry A. Dennis Building, 300 S. Garnett St.

The Granville County Board of Elections will conduct its hand recount in the sample of precincts starting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Granville County Board of Elections, 208 Wall St., Oxford.

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The Local Skinny! Workforce and Continuing Education Open House at VGCC

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Vance-Granville Community College is hosting a Workforce and Continuing Education Open House at the Henderson campus on Saturday, Nov. 16.

School representatives will be on hand from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help prospective students learn more about the programs available across the four campuses.

Whether pursuing opportunities after high school or looking for a career change, VGCC may have just what you’re looking for.

According to the VGCC website, Continuing Education classes are designed for adults looking to enhance their job skills, update their knowledge or pursue personal interests.

Learn about the diverse program that VGCC offers, including Commercial Driver’s License, Healthcare, Public Safety, Welding and Business, just to name a few. Faculty members will be on hand to share additional program information and participants can attend break-out sessions about specific fields and certifications they may be interested in pursuing.

And to top it all off, you can get help with registration, financial aid and setting up your student account – all on the same day.

The Open House will be held in Building 7 at the Main Campus, located at 200 Community College Rd., Henderson.

Visit www.vgcc.edu and click on Latest News and Upcoming Events tabs to learn more.

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Chamber Hosts Business After Hours Nov. 14 At ACIM Food Bank

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Stop by Area Congregations in Ministry tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 14 on the way home from work or errands for a Business After Hours, sponsored by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce.

ACIM is located at 634 Roxboro Rd. The event will be from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to meet ACIM’s new executive director, chat with board members, and mingle with some of their dedicated volunteers. Light refreshments will be provided as attendees take a tour of the facility and gain insight into the work that goes on within the walls of the food bank warehouse.

To show support for ACIM, the Chamber staff encourages each guest to bring a non-perishable food item to help keep the ACIM shelves stocked. Your generous contributions will make a difference in ACIM’s mission to relieve hunger in Granville County.

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Vance-Granville Remote Day Friday

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— from Vance-Granville Community College

Due to the inclement weather, Friday will be a remote work, remote learning day at VGCC.

All Vance County Public School Campuses Closed Friday (9-27-24)

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— from Vance County Schools

“Due to the forecast of high winds and potential power outages, all VCS campuses will be closed on Friday, September 27th. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”

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As well, the Tiny House open house event for Sept. 27 is canceled at Vance County High School. (Original Story Link)

Gateway CDC To Host Community Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 24 To Discuss Local Issues

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Gateway Community Development Corp. will sponsor a community town hall event at its 314 Garnett St. location Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Topics for discussion include key issue that affect residents’ daily lives – public schools, community safety and the rising cost of living, according to information from Gateway CDC.

Local leaders, educators and law enforcement officials will be on hand to share updates, answer questions and gather input from residents.

Gateway representatives call this gathering an opportunity to have an open dialogue on how to improve schools, strengthen neighborhood safety and address the economic challenges that many families face.

“Come share your thoughts, hear from experts, and help shape the future of our community,” Gateway stated in information received at WIZS News. Light refreshments will be served.

Register to attend at https://www.mobilize.us/cohnfornc/event/695434/.

Local Leaders Planning Town Hall Meeting In Henderson Tuesday, Sept. 3

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Downtown Henderson is the backdrop for a community meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3 and Charles J. “C.J.” Turrentine Jr. wants to spread the word to encourage attendance.

“We’re going to do a Town Hall meeting in Henderson – something that’s never been done before,” Turrentine told WIZS News.

“I’m encouraging…my generation and a lot of the Black community to come out,” he said, adding that the gathering is free and open to all, regardless of party affiliation.

The community meeting will be held at Southern Charm, 200 S. Garnett St. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The meeting, he said, is designed “to break the barrier of Republican and Democrat, black and white.”

State Rep. Frank Sossamon is scheduled to take part in a question-and-answer session. According to a flyer publicizing the meeting, participants can place written questions in an issue box for Sossamon and others to answer.

“It’s going to be a great time for our community,” Turrentine said.

Medical Arts To Host Truentity Seminar For Senior Adults Thursday, Aug. 29; RSVP To Attend

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Medical Arts Pharmacy is the location Thursday for an hourlong event called “Healthy Aging Days,” designed to help senior adults live their healthiest lives.

Representatives of Truentity Health, a Raleigh-based company dedicated to transforming community pharmacies into modern clinical hubs, will share information aimed at seniors on topics including essential health practices, chronic disease management, nutrition and the benefits of a growing trend in health care – remote patient monitoring.

The event begins at 10 a.m. at Medical Arts Pharmacy, 253 Ruin Creek Rd. Sales and Marketing Manager Cara Kirby encourages those interested in attending to RSVP at 252.492.3404.

The session is designed to empower the aging population with the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their health, according to information from Mike Desai, co-founder and CEO of Truentity.

Staff from the Henderson Family YMCA also will be on hand to offer exercise routines tailored explicitly for seniors, focusing on a holistic approach to healthy aging.
This free community event underscores Medical Arts’ commitment to enhance the well-being of residents in Henderson and surrounding areas.

According to information on its website, a mission of Truentity Health is to “revolutionize community-based healthcare by transforming independent pharmacies into dynamic clinical hubs in just 14 days. Recognizing that Medicare patients visit their pharmacists six times more often than their doctors, we leverage these frequent interactions to create powerful clinical connections.”

Remote patient monitoring piggybacks off the recent popularity of telehealth meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically used to monitor patients with chronic conditions like cardiac disease, diabetes and asthma, healthcare providers are using digital medical devices to collect data about blood pressure, pulse rate and blood glucose, among others. The data is electronically transferred to providers for quicker care management when the need arises without coming into a medical office or hospital.

Visit https://truentity.health/ to learn more about its programs and services.