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. 
  • The Handcrafted Holiday Market is coming up at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. Saturday, November 16th from 8am-2pm. 
  • Take your soil samples to the Vance County Cooperative Extension. Do it as soon as possible. 
  • You need to have your frost protection measures ready. 
  • Go through your cleanup orchard. Clean up those leaves and limbs. 
  • Remember to use personal protective equipment when doing chores in the fall. 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. 
  • Winterize any of your sprayers. Garden hose and other sprayers that have water in them. Let the water out so that it will not freeze and damage that equipment. 

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

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The Local Skinny! Vance County Jail Update

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Six months into his new job, Maj. Johnny Hawkins provided an update to Vance County commissioners at their Nov. 4 meeting about the staff, programs and physical plant of the county’s detention center.

Hawkins began working at the jail in April, and retired with 30 years of service with the N.C. Department of Adult Corrections – two of those years were spent as chief of the Durham County Detention Center.

Hawkins said, “Some of the things that I want us to accomplish with this conversation tonight is the desire to rebrand the image of the Vance County Detention Center and the professionals that work there.”

On a daily basis, the jail exceeds its capacity of inmates and employs just half – 41 out of 82 – of the positions available.

He spoke of the seven percent pay increase and thanked the commissioners and said, “but we must do more.” He cited the example that two staff members were on night watch the evening of the meeting and said in reality two people were overseeing 190 inmates – 37 of whom are in jail on murder charges.

“I have done enough research to understand that the elephant in the room is certainly,” Hawkins said, “the desire and the need for a new detention center.”

Gradual improvements he has seen at the existing jail don’t change the fact that the facility faces continued staff shortages and outdated equipment – not to mention difficulty getting the outside vendors to complete services because they fear for their safety, he said.

And while a decent chunk of this information has been fairly well documented, what’s new in the story is the presentation Hawkins made about both improvements and desired improvements in the form of equipment, systems, policies and use of a comprehensive approach to how the jail functions.

“We’re trying to upgrade our security profile and systems … the geo management system or the round tracking system. What that does is allow us to be more efficient at our obligations with our two rounds every hour,” Hawkins said.

In addition, upgrades to surveillance and the access control system are needed to cut down on contraband and upgrades need to be made to fire and exhaust systems. Then there’s the perimeter security system and the data management system, the latter of which Hawkins said “will help us with training, help us develop policies, help us with personnel oversight and information so that we can have better processes in place so that we can effectively manage not only our personnel, our resources, but also update our policy so that staff can have direct access.”

Hawkins is looking at having a social worker, a peer support specialist, an additional maintenance technician, religious services program, vocational training – and a classroom space to hold the religious and vocational meetings.  And psychological services and community engagement programs may be on the horizon.

He thanked the commissioners again and asked them to do more.  The implication being that to rebrand it was going to require more.

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Sheriff Curtis Brame: One Arrest In Nov. 2 Incident Of Suspect Firing Into An Occupied Home

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-press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

 

WIZS News received the following information Sunday evening from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame:

On November 2, 2024, deputies with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office responded to an investigation call for service on Hunting Trail Lane, resulting in Vance County Sheriff’s Office personnel being alerted to a disorderly subject on Flat Rock Lane firing rounds inside of a residence with juveniles inside of same. Following an investigation, shots were fired at deputies when attempting to execute their duty. Vance County Sheriff’s Office personnel and personnel with the Henderson Police Department surrounded the residence, leading to the suspect, Shamon Keshawn Yancey (DOB: 06/24/1986), surrendering after several callouts were made.

Two juveniles and an injured adult were rescued without incident.

Yancey was arrested without incident and charged with the following:

– 3 Counts of Felony Assault on Law Enforcement Officer with a Deadly Weapon

– 3 Counts of Felony Second Degree Kidnapping

– 1 Count of Felony Possession of a Firearm by Felon

– 1 Count of Felony Larceny of a Firearm

– 1 Count of Felony Assault Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury

 

Yancey was confined to the Vance County Detention Center without bond.

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

The Local Skinny! Register For HVRPD Winter Cheerleading, Basketball Camp

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The Henderson Vance Recreation and Parks Department has a couple of registrations underway for youth interested in cheerleading and basketball and Director Kendrick Vann said those programs, along with many others, go a long way to encourage young people as they grow, hone their abilities and make new friends.

Vann said parents can register online via FaceBook or Instagram or in person at Aycock Rec Center. There are QR codes on all the printed flyers to make the registration process easy, he said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The 2024 Winter Cheerleading registration is underway now through Sunday, Nov. 24. Registration fee is $40. The program is for young people ages 4-12.

And the preseason basketball camp will be held on Saturdays beginning on Saturday, Nov. 16 and continuing on Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.

The basketball camp is free for youth between the ages of 7 and 12 as of Jan. 1, 2025, but participants must be registered in the 2024 league. The camp will take place at Aycock Rec Center, 305 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson.

For some youth, this may be their first experience with organized programs, and Vann said coaches and staff do a great job of including all participants.

“We will find a place for everybody to participate in this program, regardless of ability,” he said.

The cheerleading program will practice at Aycock Rec Center and will have a chance to perform for games during the week and on Saturday.

The basketball camp will hold three sessions, all of which take place before the season begins in early January.

The camp will go over “all the skills and drills,” Vann said, giving the players a chance to be in a structured environment before getting placed on a team. Javis Harvey is a new rec program supervisor and played D-1 ball at East Tennessee State University. Harvey will help with the camp and the volunteer coaches.

“The department is doing a great job of balancing out the teams through the draft process,’ Vann continued. Another new staff member, Joshua Jones, is a program specialist and Vann said he’s happy with the strength of the department’s staff these days.

In just a few weeks, Vann will celebrate 10 years as HVRPD director, and he said he is proud of the work he and staff do for the community’s youth.

“Everything’s coming together,” he said, of collaborations with high school athletic departments and other community partners. “I truly love the progress we’re making right now.”

Chances are, middle- and high school sports teams are peppered with players who got their start with a rec league team, which Vann said gets young people “prepared not only for sports, but for life.”

The increased confidence and friendships that are developed in rec league programs are important, he said. “It’s our top priority.”

Contact Recreation and Parks Director Kendrick Vann at  kendrickvann@henderson.nc.gov

or call 252.431.6093.

 

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The Local Skinny! Showtime At McGregor

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Auditions for the upcoming “Showtime at McGregor Hall” will be held this Saturday, Nov. 9 – it’s time to show up and show off those talents and let them shine!

Connie Ragland Productions and the nonprofit “Reclaiming Our Youth” are teaming up to sponsor the showcase, a program which Connie Ragland described as similar to the famous “Showtime at the Apollo,” the long-running variety show that features up-and-coming talent live from the famed Apollo Theater in New York City.

The in-person auditions will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at The Church of the Holy Innocents, 210 S. Chestnut St. across from Perry Memorial Library. The show will take place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. at McGregor Hall.

It’s a way to provide local entertainment to the community, Ragland said on Wednesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

“This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to shine, build confidence, and share their gifts with the community,” Ragland stated.

And don’t let that word “audition” scare you off, she said. The auditions are just a way to get an idea of what type of musical accompaniment participants may need.

“Chances are, we’re not turning anyone away,” she said. The auditions will give organizers an idea of how best to line up the various performances to make the show its very best.

“Get in the show,” Ragland said. “You will not regret it!”

There is no fee to register to take part in the showcase, but each performer must have a completed registration form on file. You can either bring the completed form to the audition or fill one out the day of the audition.

Tickets for the show are $15 for youth under 18 and $20 for adults.

Proceeds will be used to defray the cost of the show, as well as to benefit local youth ministries, including Empowered, a youth ministry that local teenager, evangelist and podcaster Jayden Watkins formed about a year ago.

“I really hope we receive a diverse group of individuals – youth and adults” who want to perform in the talent showcase.

“My goal is to promote unity,” Ragland added. “I don’t want anyone to feel like it’s not for them…come out and help support this cause – everyone is welcome.”

Contact Ragland by email at connierag@gmail.com or call her at 252.590.0303 to learn more. Find the registration form at https://bit.ly/3CeUXHD.

Although the audition is mandatory, Ragland said she is open to receiving video clips from participants who have difficulty with making the in-person audition.

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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. 
  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers Association will meet November 11, at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. 
  • The Handcrafted Holiday Market is coming up at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. Saturday, November 16th from 8am-2pm. 
  • Leaf collection season is upon us. Compost your leaves. Don’t burn them. 
  • Do not let any weeds seed out in your garden. 
  • We are in dry conditions right now. Not a whole lot of rain is expected. 
  • Take your soil samples to the Vance County Cooperative Extension. 

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! Events At Perry Memorial Library For November

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It’s DiNo-vember at Perry Memorial Library and Youth Services Director Melody Peters said this month’s activities will embrace all things dinosaurs.

“We’ve got some great activities,” Peters said – who doesn’t love a good dinosaur? From the ferocious T-Rex and raptors with razor-sharp teeth to the mild-mannered stegosaurus, dinosaurs fuel children’s imaginations.

Peters said it’s the first time since she’s been here that she’s used the theme.

Thursday’s Mother Goose story time at 11 a.m. will have a dino theme this month, and the Story Walk outside the library will, too.

Then there’s Pajama Story Time at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12 and Family Story Time on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3:30 p.m.

But wait! There’s more!

Peters said she’s excited to announce that children can participate in a special “adopt a dino” activity. What’s the catch? Well, you have to read a book to the stuffed dinosaur (non-readers can get some help from a family member) and then that plush animal can find its way home with you, she said.

Peters said she must give credit where credit is due for the idea of “DiNo”-vember. The idea originated, she said, from some very creative parents whose young child was not sleeping at night. They created lifelike dinosaur scenes throughout the house, which gave the children something to do and distract them long enough for them to settle down and get back to sleep.

“It just shows you what families with young kids (do), get creative to solve problems,” Peters said.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/home to learn about all the programs and services the library offers.

 

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The Local Skinny! Baskerville Community Info Series

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The second Tuesday of the month community information series meeting is coming up at Baskerville Funeral Home.

Charlie Baskerville, Jr. told WIZS the upcoming presentation titled “Wills and Powers of Attorney” will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the chapel of Baskerville Funeral Home, 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson.

The presentation is free of charge and open to the public. Baskerville said, “We look forward to your participation in this important discussion.”

According to information about the event provided to WIZS, Legal Aid of North Carolina will present information about last will and testaments, living wills, financial power of attorney and healthcare power of attorney.

 

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Chamber’s “State Of Transportation” Luncheon Program Details Dabney Drive, S-Line Projects

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The Dabney Drive facelift from Coble Boulevard to Garnett Street is on the state’s to-do list, with right-of-way acquisitions set to begin in about a year and contracts to be let for bid by summer 2027.

It’s among several projects on the 2024-2033 NCDOT State Transportation Improvement Project – STIP – as Division 5 Engineer Brandon Jones explained during the “State of Transportation” program hosted Wednesday by the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce.

Locals may simply call it the Dabney Drive project, but at NCDOT, it’s known as U-5890.

The project includes making Dabney Drive a one-way road, creating  sidewalks and bike paths and a peanut-shaped roundabout near Dabney and Garnett, Jones said during his presentation.

Also on that list are two bridge projects – Bridge 89, or Nutbush Bridge, and Bridge 38, at U.S. 1 North over the CSX rail line. Contracts for the bridge projects are scheduled to be let in July 2028 and January 2030, respectively.

The Dabney Drive project is going to be a “great improvement,” Jones said, not only benefitting drivers, but for bicyclists and pedestrians. Dabney Drive will feature a six-foot-wide sidewalk and Corbitt Road, which will handle westbound traffic to Dabney Drive’s eastbound traffic, will include a 10-foot-wide multi-use path.

The 10-year STIP gets updated every couple of years, and Jones said there are three “buckets” of money that projects must fall under: state mobility projects, regional impact projects and division needs projects. The state projects get 40 percent of the funds, with regional and division projects each getting 30 percent.

“Every bucket has to be balanced in the STIP – that’s what creates differences in scheduling,” Jones explained.

With only 25 percent coming from federal dollars, Jones said the state relies on the motor fuel tax to help fund road projects.

But that tax is going down,” he said, because vehicles are becoming more fuel efficient – and generating less revenue.

“It’s a good thing for the environment, but has a negative impact on the potential revenue we receive to keep our transportation system expanded and maintained.”

Road projects can seem like they take a long time to complete, but Jones reminded the audience that all pre-construction design can easily take years. It’s not like the city can just close Dabney Drive while it’s being worked on – NCDOT crews are “always having to build new, shift traffic, tear out old and repeat that pattern for awhile,” he said.

The other major transportation-related news for Henderson and Vance County is the much-anticipated S-Line passenger rail line. When the North Carolina portion is completed, it will help connect Atlanta to the D.C. area, Jones said.

Henderson is set to be one of the stops along the S-Line as it makes its way north into Raleigh and then Wake Forest before chugging through Franklin County into Henderson and Norlina.

Jones said the estimate to get the stretch from Raleigh to Wake Forest alone will cost $1 billion. It’ll take another billion to complete the link from Wake Forest to Henderson.

The state is buying the existing rail line from CSX, but there will be a lot to do to be ready for high-speed passenger rail service.

“You can’t just take care of the rail,” Jones said, “you’ve got to take care of the at-grade intersections…(and) grade separate them,”

Alexander Avenue is one local street that will need this attention as the S-Line makes progress. An underpass or tunnel at Peachtree Road and closing off Chavasse Avenue are also planned.

The Alexander Avenue project is one of three projects that have cleared one hurdle to be considered in future STIP funding, Jones said. The other two are making intersection improvements at Raleigh Road and Belmont Drive and a citywide signal system in Henderson. If they don’t make “committed” status in the next five years, they’ll have to compete again to get on the STIP list.

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.
  • Vermiculture and Vermicomposting with Earthworms Workshop taking place on Monday, November 4th, starting at 6:30pm, led by Wayne Rowland. It will be at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers Association will meet November 11, at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Handcrafted Holiday Market is coming up at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. Saturday, November 16th from 8am-2pm.
  • It is now too late to plant your Tall Fescue grass.
  • Do not let any weeds seed out in your garden.
  • It’s not too late to control fire ants. They are still around. So be aware of them!

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

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