Downtown Henderson

Town Talk 11/05/19: Downtown Henderson Continues on Path to Main Street Status

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Kathy Walters, director of the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission (DDC), was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the progress being made on reestablishing Henderson and the downtown area to North Carolina Main Street status.

Returning to the DDC in September after previously serving as director in the 90s, Walters said the most important thing downtown can do is to “strategically position ourselves for methodical, careful movement towards the revitalization of this area.”

For the past several years, the DDC director’s position has been funded on a part-time, contract-only basis, an arrangement that prevented Downtown Henderson, in part, from being reinstated in the Main Street Program.

“We are extremely delighted and fortunate to have Kathy on full-time with the DDC again,” said Board Chair Benny Finch in a prior interview with WIZS. “She’s had about 10 years of experience working with the City and she’s very familiar with Downtown Henderson and the Main Street Program.”

A part of the Main Street Program from the mid-1980s until approximately 2010, a lapse in the completion of requirements cost the downtown area the coveted distinction.

“It is requiring a great deal of work from the Board, myself and the City,” Walters said of the reinstatement process. “The main thing is that we are organized, dedicated and working on the Main Street approach.”

One of the more time-consuming tasks, according to Walters, is the Main Street requirement that the City submit an inventory of each building in downtown, including photographs from all sides and an account of the building’s history/purpose.

The benefits, including technical assistance with building restoration and access to grant money, are well worth all of the efforts and are a great starting point for revitalization, according to Walters.

While the assistance the Main Street Program can offer would go a long way to attracting new businesses to downtown and helping existing businesses renovate, Walters said the growth of the area ultimately comes down to the “sustainability of the business and support of the community.”

To hear Walters’ interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 11/04/19: VGCC President Talks Reorganization, Power of Partnerships

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of Vance-Granville Community College, joined WIZS on Monday’s edition of Town Talk to discuss college reorganization, expanded community outreach and enrollment growth.

The recent hiring of Jerry Edmonds as VGCC’s Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Engagement aligns with Desmarais’ mission, as she stated in a previous Town Talk interview, to “leverage the gifts and talents that our people have here in the college to create more short-term workforce training to support our existing companies and to be a recruitment tool for economic development.”

“We did some reorganization in the college to make sure what has been traditionally considered  corporate and continuing education, or non-credit training, was no longer the back door of our college,” said Desmarais. “We believe that needs to be front and center; we need two front doors.”

Edmonds’ background includes his most recent tenures as the Dean of Workforce and Economic Development and Small Business Center Director at Halifax Community College, along with prior leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson and IBM.

His familiarity with Henderson’s economic scene is also a plus, according to Desmarais. “Jerry’s parents moved here in the 80s and kept their family home here. Jerry owns a home in Henderson and is very familiar with local business and industry.”

Desmarais said Edmonds has hit the ground running in his new position by helping the college expand the Business Agriculture program operated through the VGCC Small Business Center.

As part of that expansion, VGCC will be offering CDL-A training for big rig truck driving beginning February 2020. This is part of a series of nine-week programs “designed to get people employed quickly,” according to Desmarais.

In addition to offering more programs at the college, VGCC is also expanding its community outreach endeavors. “VGCC is trying to get out more,” Desmarais said. We’re not expecting people to always come here. We are taking a critical look at how we can also be part of the community. It is something I believe in very passionately.”

Desmarais believes VGCC’s presence at various community events over the spring and summer  led, in part, to the college’s 3.75% increase in enrollment for the fall semester. Such an increase is significant when viewing figures that show a steady decline of enrollment over the past six years, she explained.

A focus on providing tuition-free college classes to local high school students also helped provide an enrollment boost this semester.

“We’ve been very intentional with our K-12 programs. We don’t just educate adults; we also partner with our school systems to offer education to high school students. That’s usually done through Early Colleges – we have one in each of our four counties. We also offer general Career and College Promise classes to any high school student whether they be in public school, charter school, home school or private school. These are wonderful opportunities for high school students to take college classes tuition-free,” said Desmarais.

The college has also been focusing on increasing marketing efforts for its basic law enforcement program, increasing the capacities in the health programs and streamlining the financial aid and admissions process for students.

In looking forward to the 2020 Spring Semester, Desmarais said the college will be expanding hours of operation to better fit the schedules of working students.

In addition to the recent inclusion of office hours on Tuesday evenings, the college will soon open at least one Saturday each month and will include additional sections of evening and weekend classes.

Desmarais also announced that VGCC, in partnership with KARTS serving Vance, Warren, Granville and Franklin counties, will be tackling one of the largest barriers to higher education in the local area – lack of transportation.

“Beginning this spring, we are going to be offering vouchers that the college will be paying for out of grant funds and existing endowment funds. If we run out, we’ll be asking for more people to consider giving to our endowment funds,” said Desmarais. “It’s about partnerships; it’s about leveraging our assets along with other assets in the community.”

Desmarais wants to ensure that lack of transportation and/or funding is no longer an obstacle for those wishing to receive higher education or job training. To ensure funding, in particular, was no longer an obstacle, the college created a “VanGuarantee” program as a way to assist students with money not covered by financial aid.

“If someone wants to come to Vance-Granville, we are going to find a way for them to come whether it is through federal financial aid or scholarship money from our endowment,” Desmarais said. “The VanGuarantee is that we are going to get you here!”

To learn more about the VanGuarantee or Vance-Granville Community College’s programs, please visit the website by clicking here.

To hear Desmarais’ interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 11/01/19

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Town Talk 10/30/19: Tourism Director Talks Halloween Fun in Granville

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss Halloween happenings in the area.

“We are going out of October and heading into November with a bang,” Allen said. Halloween events include:

  • Downtown Oxford’s Spooktacular Candy Stroll trick-or-treat event Friday, November 1, 2019, from 3:30 – 5 p.m. Trick-or-treat was moved from its original date of Thursday, October 31 due to rainy weather forecasts.
  • Downtown Creedmoor Trick-or-Treating will be held Thursday, October 31 from 6 until 8 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Creedmoor Police Department and downtown merchants.
  • Covenant Life Church will hold Trunk-or-Treat at Butner Athletic Park from 6 until 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 31. The park is located at 1105 West B Street in Butner, NC. This event is open to the public.
  • The Granville Haunt Farm will be open on Halloween from dusk until 9:30 p.m. Activities include a corn maze, haunted trail, zombie paintball and an escape room. This weekend is the last weekend of the season. The farm is located at 4534 US-15 in Oxford, NC.

These are just a few of the many Halloween activities taking place in Granville County. With inclement weather forecasted, it is recommended that you check to see if events have been rescheduled or canceled before heading out tomorrow.

For more information on Granville County events, please visit www.visitgranvillenc.com.

To hear Allen’s interview in its entirety, including information on upcoming November events, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Town Talk 10/29/19: Infinite Possibilities Offers Local Help to Domestic Violence Victims

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, WIZS has featured advocacy groups and individuals on Town Talk each Tuesday in October.

To complete the series, Erin Carter, Victim’s Advocate with Infinite Possibilities, Inc., was on Tuesday’s edition of the public affairs presentation to discuss her work with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

“We support those who seek help with domestic violence situations from start to finish,” Carter said. “We accept walk-ins and offer appointments, work on safety planning, complete a danger assessment, discuss their current and any prior abusive situations, assess their needs and refer them to a lawyer if necessary.”

Carter explained the organization works with other domestic violence groups to provide shelter services for individuals and their children who need to be removed from a dangerous home situation.

Children are especially vulnerable in domestic violence situations and will often show signs of emotional or mental trauma in the way they interact with others or how they perform at school, said Carter.

While it is fairly well-known that domestic violence has a detrimental impact on children, Carter said what is not as commonly discussed is the frequency of abuse occurring among church-going families.

“The biggest myth, one that many people believe, is that domestic violence doesn’t happen in the churches, but it does; that’s one of the biggest places you find domestic violence,” said Carter.

Carter explained that her involvement as an advocate has shown that domestic violence victims involved in a religious organization are often ashamed to come forward with abuse allegations. “It’s something that just isn’t talked about in the church, isn’t addressed,” said Carter.

To help combat this stigma, Infinite Possibilities sends letters and information to parishioners every October offering advice on how to speak to their congregation on domestic violence, along with available resources for victims.

If you or someone you know is involved in a domestic violence situation, trained, compassionate, local people are available to help you 24/7. “The biggest tip I can give is to be vocal and speak up. Many times victims suffer in silence because they feel ashamed or uncomfortable,” Carter said.

With office hours available Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and a 24/7 crisis hotline, Infinite Possibilities offers victims a way to “quietly step away instead of making the dangerous move of confronting the abuser themselves,” said Carter.

Infinite Possibilities is located at 314 S. Garnett St. in Henderson and is also available by phone during office hours at (252) 431-1926. The 24/7 hotline is available by calling (252) 425-2492. Assistance is available in English and Spanish.

To hear the interview with Carter in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/28/19: Praise Dancing Part of ‘Preacher Girl’s’ Spiritual Mission

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Youth Pastor Vanessa “Preacher Girl” Mitchell, founder of Preacher Girl Ministry and the owner of I Dance Praise Academy, was on Monday’s segment of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss her involvement with the community and her youth praise dance team.

Started in 2016, the I Dance Praise Academy has grown from its initial enrollment of three girls to 80 young ladies ages 4-18 from Vance County and surrounding areas.

Participants are taught the biblical aspect of praise dancing, according to Mitchell, and perform at churches and events earning various color belts based on their skill level.

Dancers will attend the 3rd Annual Benefit Concert and Level Up Program on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at 5 p.m. at Dabney Elementary School, located at 150 Lanning Rd. in Henderson.

Tickets are available for $7 in advance or $10 at the door.

The concert preshow will feature Mr. Pipkins the Puppeteer, along with Devin Paylor & The Instruments of Praise Choir for the half-time entertainment.

Vendors include Elder Shirley Gray (Gray Baby Jewels) with Paparazzi and food vendor Fred Robertson.

For more information, please visit the I Dance Praise Academy Facebook page by clicking here.

To hear the interview with Mitchell in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/25/19

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Town Talk 10/24/19: Williams, Domestic Violence Survivor, Shares Personal Story

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

As part of WIZS’ commitment to bringing awareness to the prevalence and far-reaching effects of domestic violence, local organizations and individuals have appeared on-air weekly in October.

On Thursday’s Town Talk segment, domestic violence survivor Valerie Williams shared her very personal story and discussed her upcoming participation as the honorary guest at a local domestic violence awareness event.

On a February afternoon in 1996, Williams said her life changed forever in a violent, 20-minute attack. Arriving home on her lunch break from work, Williams said she found herself at the end of a .38 Smith and Wesson with her husband threatening to kill her.

Williams’ husband then shot her three times – once in the head and twice in the right arm – before turning the gun on himself. Williams survived the incident, eventually regained use of her arm and is alive today to tell her story and empower other victims.

Through it all, Williams said she had a difficult time reconciling herself as a victim of domestic violence because her husband was not previously abusive; however, one time of domestic violence was one too many.

The CEO & Founder of LOVESMART, Williams is now a passionate speaker, advocate and author of five self-published books.

Williams looks forward to sharing both her story and the insight she has gained at a “Think Community” domestic violence awareness event to be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 26 at Clearview Church in Henderson.

Along with Williams, who will serve as honorary guest, the event will feature keynote speaker Patrice Andrews, chief of police, with the Town of Morrisville, NC.

The event is hosted by the Vance County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with Pastor Abidan Shah of Clearview Church and is sponsored by Cardinal Innovations Healthcare of Henderson.

The church is located at 3485 Hwy 158 Bus. (Oxford Road) in Henderson. The public is welcome to attend.

To hear the interview with Williams in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/23/19: Local Participants Needed for UNC-Sponsored Well Survey

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Dr. Frank Stillo, research manager for the MacDonald Gibson Research Group at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Drew Griggs, a junior chemistry major at UNC, were on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to invite local residents to participate in a private well survey.

Stillo, who recently received his Ph.D. in public health from UNC, has been studying disparities in drinking water since early 2014.

He is particularly interested in how lead exposure involving residents with private wells affects children under the age of 7 in predominantly African-American communities. Lead is a neurotoxin, and young children are especially sensitive to the damage overexposure can cause to their still-developing brains, Stillo explained.

Griggs, son of Greg and Melanie Griggs of Henderson, attended a lead exposure seminar this summer held by the Gibson Research Group and said he was motivated to apply for a position as part of Stillo’s survey team.

The study group is seeking 300 households who use private well water and have a child under the age of seven living in the home.

Participants will receive the benefit of a well water test, dust testing, lead blood testing for their child provided by a licensed UNC phlebotomist, a consultation on ways to mediate lead issues if discovered and a $75 cash gift card – all free of charge.

In a small Wake County study of 29 cohorts completed a few years back, Stillo said a research team found that 28% of participating households with a well had elevated levels of lead in their drinking water. In running a variety of tests, Stillo said the team concluded that the majority of lead issues arose from plumbing structures inside the home.

“When you have water that is stagnant in your plumbing system and it doesn’t have a chance to get treated like those on the public water system, it will leach the lead out of the different metals in your system. When I had the same problem, I reached out to 24 Hour Emergency Plumbing Services near me and asked them to fix the plumbing,” said Stillo.

Factors such as the age of the house, age of plumbing materials and components of piping and connectors, also affect the level of lead exposure.

“Another reason well water has higher levels of lead is that residents with wells are stewards of their own water systems, whereas people on the public system have someone with technical expertise looking after their best interests,” Stillo said. “People on a public system are constantly having their water tested. Many on private wells don’t know to test their well water or what to test for and often don’t understand the effects of contaminants.”

Griggs said he is excited to be a part of this drinking water survey that can bring awareness to his hometown and took the first step in informing the community by reaching out to WIZS for an on-air interview.

“There are a lot of different ways to serve people; I’m really fortunate to have found an outlet to do so at UNC, especially one that can help a small, underserved community like Henderson.”

To learn more about the survey, please visit https://gillingswellwater.web.unc.edu/, email gillingswellwater@unc.edu or call (919) 843-5786.

To hear the interview with Stillo and Griggs in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Town Talk 10/22/19: Hicks Teaches Students to Use ‘I Power’ to Combat Bullying

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Teresa Hicks, counselor at Carver Elementary School, was on Tuesday’s edition of Town Talk to continue WIZS’ weekly series in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. WIZS has featured local organizations involved in various aspects of domestic violence each Tuesday in October.

The focus of this week’s segment was on younger victims of domestic violence – elementary school children – and how exposure to violent situations increases the risks of bullying.

To combat bullying and to work on students’ self-esteem, Hicks developed a strategy she coined “I Power.” “I Power is a way to make a situation that could be negative, better,” Hicks explained. “It gives students a voice and allows them to advocate for themselves. I tell them to speak up and practice using your voice.”

The key is for students to become comfortable expressing their opinions and feelings in a respectful manner. Hicks said, “This can be as simple as saying ‘I like strawberry ice cream’ when someone else says they don’t like strawberry ice cream.”

Expressing their opinions on seemingly simple matters can give students the confidence needed to stand up for themselves in more serious situations, according to Hicks.

Hicks said she tells her K-5 students, who are often interested in superheroes, that “you can be a superhero too; use your own I Power.”

To hear the interview with Hicks in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.