The Local Skinny! Groundbreaking at Epsom Park

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Franklin County Parks and Recreation Director K.P. Kilpatrick has been in his role just since April of this year, but he’s already been able to check one big item off the to-do list: witness the groundbreaking of Epsom Park.

The park will be located on the site of the former Epsom School, and plans have been in place for a while – almost 20 years, in fact – to construct a park for residents to enjoy, whether they live in Franklin County or Vance County.

County officials and community leaders joined Kilpatrick at the recent groundbreaking  for Phase 1 of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in fall of 2025.

It includes a walking loop, sand volleyball court, playground, multipurpose field and a picnic shelter, as well as a spot for cornhole.

“We’re happy to get it started,” Kilpatrick told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The 7.62 acre property practically straddles the Franklin/Vance County line, and will be the fourth park that Franklin County is responsible for.

It’ll be a place where the community can come for recreation as well as athletic events and other organized programs, Kilpatrick said. There could be a movie night at the park, for example, volleyball and cornhole tournaments in addition to the more traditional types of sports played on the multipurpose field.

Kilpatrick envisions Epsom Park as a place for “great leisure opportunities” and a “great place to create memories.”

 

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Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market is closed for the season.
  • We encourage you to buy a North Carolina Christmas Tree this year for the Holidays.
  • “Do You Want to be a Beekeeper?” Workshop, will take place on January 13th, at 6pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers Association will meet on January 13th, at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Beginning Beekeepers School will start January 18th, starting at 9AM. For more information contact the Vance County Cooperative Extension at (252) 438-8188.
  • Soil samples are in peak season now.
  • Now is a good time to take inventory of your seeds. That way you will know what vegetable seeds to order, try ordering a new variety of seeds for the 2025 growing season.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Dec. 21 Make-And-Take Program At Perry Library

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They’re making snow at Perry Memorial Library Saturday, Dec. 21!

Well, not snow, exactly. More like snowflakes.

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said there’s going to be plenty of fun in the process, too, during the make-and-take craft activities that people of all ages are sure to enjoy.

The library will have a variety of age-appropriate activities available during the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. snowflake-themed program.

You can make huge paper bag snowflakes – just glue several layers together and then cut to create that unique snowflake pattern.

Teens will enjoy a bead and pipe cleaner craft to create their own version of a snowflake, too, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Saturday also is the Winter Solstice, which marks the longest night of the year. After Saturday, the days will increasingly grow longer.

The library will take a little break for the Christmas holiday and will be closed Dec. 24-26, Peters said. The library will be open New Year’s Eve day, but will be closed New Year’s Day.

Peters said the library will open 2025 with a bang – literally – on Jan. 2 with Mother Goose Story Time at 11 a.m. for kiddos 0-5. The theme will be “make a little noise,” she said.

Then winter programming continues full-steam ahead, with First Fridays. This program for  area preschools kicks off Jan. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. It gives preschoolers a chance to experience the library and enjoy STEM activities, Peters said. The January program features chemical reactions and baking soda volcanoes.

There’s a new club starting up this year for anime enthusiasts, she said.

The group will meet on the last Thursday of the month – beginning on Jan. 30 – from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“It’s a very popular section” of the library, Peters said. “We have a couple of staff members who are really into it themselves – they read it, they watch it, they wear it…they appreciate it.”

For the uninitiated, anime – pronounced A nih may – is a form of animation that originated in Japan. The club is for young people in middle school and high school. Space is limited, and registration is required, Peters said. Email her at

mpeters@perrylibrary.org to get signed up.

Visit www.perrylibrary.org to learn about all the programs the library offers.

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The Local Skinny! Friday Car Chase

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Friday, Dec. 13 proved unlucky for one teenaged motorist who led law enforcement officers on a 30-plus mile chase through Vance and Franklin counties, ending in a crash in Henderson near Chavasse Avenue and Raleigh Road.

The driver, 19-year-old Eli-Javron Williams of Roberts Avenue in Vance County, faces a slew of charges, including two felony charges for fleeing to elude and hit-and-run, according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

Barrow said officers from the Henderson Police Department observed a silver 2013 Honda Accord driving erratically on Harriett Street about 3:15 p.m.

In a statement to WIZS, Barrow said, “When the officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver accelerated and refused to pull over.
The vehicle fled the area, prompting the officers to initiate a pursuit. The chase covered nearly 35 miles, extending to the city limits of
Franklinton, NC, before returning to Henderson.”
During the pursuit, the fleeing vehicle collided with a 2005 Toyota Scion while trying to turn onto Chavasse Avenue from Raleigh Road. The
occupants of the Toyota Scion were assessed by EMS at the scene. After the collision, the occupants of the pursued vehicle exited their disabled car and attempted to escape on foot. Officers quickly apprehended the driver and a 17-year-old passenger after a brief foot chase. A third individual, who remains unidentified, was not
apprehended, and no information about that person is available at this time.
The unnamed passenger who was apprehended was charged with resisting, delaying, and obstructing an officer. He was released to his mother at the police
department.

In addition to the two felony charges, Williams faces charged of careless and reckless driving, injury to personal property and multiple traffic violations.  He was given a $40,000 secured bond.

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First Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church of Henderson – Tag Sale Shop

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What: The Tag Sale Shop sponsored by the United Women in Faith (UWF) of First United Methodist Church. The tag sale fills 7 rooms and 3 hallways in the church education building with vintage/antique furniture, cookware, flowerpots, rugs and accessories – brass, china, glassware, toys, framed prints, and linens. Furniture includes beds, sofas, easy chairs, side chairs, dining tables and chairs, tv tables, coffee and end tables and cupboards/china cabinets. Many Christmas items are available: themed dishware, pillows, ornaments, angels, linens and decorative items and gifts.

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays through December 19th. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: First United Methodist Church, 114 Church Street, Henderson, NC

Why: Shop for others or yourself while donating to the mission ministries of UWF. These ministries reach our local community through the work of ACTS, Boys & Girls Club, children’s programs at the “Y”, supplemental weekend food packs for 25 Pinkston St. Elementary students each week during the school year, 16 Sunday soup kitchens, a clothing closet, school partnership projects with Dabney and Pinkston St. Elementary Schools, and the men’s and women’s shelters and the church’s Good Neighbor Ministry which assists local families.

Beyond county borders funds are given to the Methodist Children’s Home and Methodist Retirement Home, AGAPE Christmas gifts for children and youth in Armenia, and worldwide hunger and disaster relief. This year the disaster relief includes hurricane devastation in western North Carolina.

Call: 432-2997 for more information.

Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market’s last open day for 2024 will be this Saturday, December 14th, from 8am-1pm.
  • We encourage you to buy a North Carolina Christmas Tree this year for the Holidays.
  • If you have a cut live Christmas tree, check that live reservoir. Make sure it has an ample water supply. You do not want that tree to dry out. Do not put your tree next to a heating source or a fireplace.
  • Take a visit to our local plant nursery. Check out our other Christmas plants for the Holidays.
  • Remember to use personal protective equipment when doing landscaping. Eye and ear protection. Even sunscreen. Use a good pair of gloves.
  • Leaf collection season is upon us. Compost your leaves. Don’t burn them.
  • Now is a good time to take inventory of your seeds. That way you will know what vegetable seeds to order, try ordering a new variety of seeds for the 2025 growing season.

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The Local Skinny! Council Approves UDO To Update Zoning, Development Ordinances

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UPDATED: Dec. 9, 2024 – 11 PM

The Henderson City Council adopted a unified development ordinance – UDO – which updates a number of zoning and subdivision ordinances, many of which have been in place since the 1970’s.

City staff and planners have spent the last year working with Insight Planning Consultants to develop the UDO. The price tag for the contract with the consultants is $99,000, which included the UDO the comprehensive plan adopted in July 2022.

The UDO is designed to be a comprehensive document that brings together the full complement of, in this case, city regulations regarding zoning and subdivisions as one way to bring consistency to regulations with regard to property development, design guidelines, sign regulations among others.

In a 4-3 vote, Council members decided to end a decades-long agreement with the county to provide building code services. City Manager Terrell Blackmon explained that the termination should take place Dec. 31, 2024, meaning the services would end in June 2025.

Blackmon said currently, the county collects the fees, and the next six months would be used to determine whether the city can undertake code enforcement on its own, or whether it could contract the services of another provider.

Blackmon also said the city could choose to renegotiate with the county to provide services.

Fees would generate revenue to help offset the costs of having city personnel do the work that now is being done by the county.

Council members Garry Daeke, Lamont Noel and Sam Seifert voted against the move.

During the discussion before the vote was taken, Mayor Melissa Elliott called the current situation “antiquated” and said the city “shouldn’t stay in a chokehold with the county.”

In other business before the Council:

  • Finance Director Joey Fuqua and auditor Alan Thompson shared information about the annual audit, which included no findings – good news for the city’s accounting of funds. In fact, Blackmon remarked that in addition to having no findings, the city managed to put about $4.7 million in fund balance.
  • A recommendation passed to place 2 all-way stops on West Young Avenue, following a traffic study to look into safety and visibility concerns. The signs will go up at the High Street and McBorne Street intersections.

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Original Update Dec. 9, 2024 – 12 Noon

The Henderson City Council will meet at 6 p.m. tonight for its regular monthly meeting. There will be a public hearing to receive comments about the unified development ordinance – UDO – before the Council considers whether to adopt a plan that updates to a number of zoning and subdivision ordinances, many of which have been in place since the 1970’s.

City staff and planners have spent the last year working with Insight Planning Consultants to develop the UDO. The price tag for the contract with the consultants is $99,000, and included the UDO the comprehensive plan which was adopted in July 2022.

The UDO is designed to be a comprehensive document that brings together the full complement of, in this case, city regulations regarding zoning and subdivisions as one way to bring consistency to regulations with regard to property development, design guidelines, sign regulations among others.

Attend the meeting in person or view via livestream at https://henderson.nc.gov/. Click on City Council Meeting on the right side of the page to find the link.

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Vance County Logo

The Local Skinny! Vance County Commissioners Give Bonuses To All County Employees

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All Vance County employees will get a one-time bonus in next week’s pay period – $500 for all part-time staff and $1,000 for full-time staff. The approximately $280,000 will come from the fund balance.

The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved a recommendation from the Human Resources Committee presented by Assistant County Manager Jeremy Jones at their regular monthly meeting on Monday.

County Manager C. Renee Perry recommended that the board cease paying exempt employees overtime pay when they volunteer to take extra shifts because of staffing shortages; rather, they will get comp time for the additional hours worked.

Perry told the board that is what is spelled out in the county’s personnel policy, but that policy hasn’t been followed for several years.

This comes amidst a countywide salary study, the results of which are not yet available. “I believe that when the study is done, it will fix itself,” she said of the overtime issue and the pay scale for employees.

As part of internal control procedures, Perry said she reviews employee timesheets and can see the hours that staff turn in. “Now that we’re catching it, we need to go with the personnel policy,” she told commissioners. My recommendation is to stop the straight time pay,” she said. “Consistency is key.”

Money to fund the overtime had been available from lapsed salaries and from funds allocated for positions that have not been filled, but Perry said not all departments have those extra funds.

“It’s not fair to pay one group and not another,” she said.

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Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Saturdays 8am-1pm.

  • “So You Want to be a Beekeeper” Workshop, will take place on December 9th, at 6pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.

  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers Association will meet on December 9th, at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.

  • Leaf collection season is upon us. Compost your leaves. Don’t burn them.

  • Now is a good time to start ordering your vegetable seeds, especially a new variety for the 2025 growing season.

  • Remember to use personal protective equipment when doing chores in the fall. Eye and ear protection. Even sunscreen. Use a good pair of gloves.

  • We encourage you to buy a North Carolina Christmas Tree this year for the Holidays.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Perry Memorial Library Gears Up For Christmas

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If you see kids filing in to Perry Memorial Library Wednesday evening in their pj’s and slippers, don’t be alarmed. They’re just following instructions from Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters – it’s Pajama Storytime at the library!

With temperatures more in line with what it’s supposed to feel like in early December, the kiddos may want to choose footie pajamas to keep their toes toasty warm for the half-hour program, which begins at 6:30 p.m.

Can’t make it to the Wednesday Story Time? Then head out to the Vance County Regional Farmers Market Saturday morning for a cookie-themed story time and program.

The library is pulling out all the stops for Saturday afternoon’s Christmas Parade in downtown Henderson, Peters said.

‘We have a float this year!” she exclaimed, to extend the library’s centennial celebration into the holiday season. It’s a professional float called “The Peppermint Princess,” she said.

“I thought we should celebrate (the 100th anniversary)  a little bit more,” Peters said, and a professional float is sure to be a hit along the parade route.

A part of the library will be transformed into a movie theater at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in response to demands to bring back a favorite Christmas flick, The Polar Express.

“People love to watch the big movie on the big screen,” she said. Pajamas optional, and there will be hot chocolate and cookies for refreshments.

The final make-and-take workshop of 2024 will take place on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be something for all ages to create, Peters said. Teen volunteers will be stationed beside a festive holiday backdrop to snap photos of the whole family.

Find time to make some holiday reading selections before the library closes Dec. 24-26 for the Christmas holiday.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to see a complete schedule of events and programs.

 

 

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