TownTalk: Henderson Police Department Update

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Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow calls himself an “old-school” police officer, but that doesn’t transfer to the officers in his department – he wants the younger officers to bring their technological skills with them – from flying drones to using AI to streamline inter-office guidelines.

“I think we’re probably a step ahead of everybody in the region,” Barrow said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. Besides using facial recognition software to help solve crimes, the city of Henderson also has more FLOC cameras in use than nearby municipalities.

“We’re the smallest agency in the United States to have a NIVEN entry site,” Barrow continued. NIVEN analyzes shell casings to aid in police investigations.

And there are the drones, a tool that he said will most likely continue to grow, based on what he hears at conferences and reads in professional publications.

Mixing in the use of the latest technology means that the department is constantly learning and adapting to new concepts and equipment while maintaining high expectations for police performance.

Each year, the police department must be reaccredited through CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. There’s a site visit every four years now, and March 2025 marks the eighth time the police department has received its reaccreditation certificate.

“We’ve been working on accreditation since I got here in 1998,” Barrow said. There are 461 standards to meet.

The CALEA standards include every facet of police work, from swearing in of officers to how arrestees are processed to how documents and other material is stored electronically.

Barrow said Capt. Chris Ball informed him recently that there soon will be two more added to the list – one involving how the department uses AI in its daily duties.

AI can be a very useful tool, but Barrow said he, like others in law enforcement, want to see how the courts system accepts the use of AI.

He said one of the first questions a judge may ask an officer providing testimony is whether his report is in his own words. Of course, an AI-generated report may not satisfy that question, so Barrow said he’d like to see AI used to make something better, not as a replacement for an officer-generated report.

Take policy manuals, for example, he said. A policy manual could be cranked into an AI program and it could quickly spot inconsistencies and redundancies.

That’s using technology in a way that makes things better.

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TownTalk: Festive Events Coming To Vance County

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The Henderson Christmas Parade is set for Saturday, Dec. 6 and Dr. Alice Sallins with the Vance County Arts Council reminds those still who still need to turn in their registrations to participate do so by this Saturday, Nov. 22.

The registration document, along with parade rules, can be found at

https://vanceartscouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christmas-Parade-2025-Rules-and-Regulations-2.pdf

“We’re looking for a good turnout,” Sallins said on TownTalk. So far, there are more than 100 entries, and she said there are a half dozen or more new businesses and schools that are planning to join the parade this year.

The parade begins at 2:30 p.m., so spectators should grab a good vantage point along the parade route. All entries in the parade should be lined up by 1:30 p.m. or so – no later than 2:15 p.m., she said.

If you’re looking for a little holiday cheer before the Christmas parade, look no further than Nov. 29 – a mere two days after Thanksgiving – for the 10th annual Tidings of Comfort and Joy performance at McGregor Hall.

The doors open at 3:30 p.m. for the 4 p.m. performance, and Sallins said there will be a good mix of returning groups and newcomers to help folks get into the holiday spirit.

“We want to get you in the mood to celebrate” the season, she said.  The arts council wanted to bring a free event to the community “that would bring a bit of joy” to those who were sad during the Christmas season.

In addition to Clearview’s Dr. Abidan Shah sharing the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke, there will be music from Evelyn Couch, Tia “Catillia” Cheek, Jimmy & the Sound Barriers and Eugene Taylor & Jimmy Williamson, among others.

Get more information at https://vanceartscouncil.com/.

 

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TownTalk: G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Getting Ready for Pre-Thanksgiving Community Feeding

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As G.R.A.C.E. Ministries prepares for its 8th annual pre-Thanksgiving community feeding this Saturday, Nov. 22, organizers say that folks can show up at the church or any of several locations throughout the city and county to get plates for themselves or to share with others.

Bobby West said this year’s goal is to serve up and distribute 2,000 plates of food, which will be lovingly served with a side of caring and prayers.

And what Thanksgiving meal would be complete without a slice of cake? When planning to serve 2,000, that’s a lot of cakes. They’ve gotten commitments for 85 so far, and West predicts that they could use another 15 or so.

“Sometimes, just a little meal means a lot,” West said on Monday’s TownTalk.

That food doesn’t plate itself, however, and West said volunteers are welcome to join the small army of volunteers who will gather at the church, located at 215 Crozier St., to start work by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.

More than half the plates – about 1,400 – will be delivered to the following locations:

  • Raleigh Road Baptist Church
  • West End Baptist Church on Dabney Drive
  • Auto Brite Car Wash across from Belk and Walmart
  • 506 E. Andrews Ave. near the standpipe
  • Delight in Manson
  • Little Hotel in Norlina

Individuals who come to G.R.A.C.E. Ministries for a meal can choose to dine in or take it to-go.

The meal preparation and distribution is a way for people “to reach out and love on their neighbors,” West said. “We need a whole lot more of that right now.”

To learn more, contact West at 252.432.7124.

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Henderson Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign 2025

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The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign got off to a good start in Vance County on Friday morning, with local dignitaries and members of the community on hand to get the holiday season officially underway.

Maj. Staci Gainey welcomed those gathered in front of Belk in Henderson to set the tone for the weeks ahead that lead up to Christmas. She, along with husband, Maj. Jonathan Gainey joined the local Salvation Army as Corps Officers in June.

“This moment marks the beginning of weeks filled with generosity, community spirit, and lives changed because people chose to give,” Staci Gainey said.

She thanked local businesses and community leaders for welcoming the volunteers who ring the bell by the iconic red kettles to accept donations from shoppers and others who pass by.

She also thanked those volunteers who ring the bell, calling them the “heartbeat” of the annual campaign. “Rain or shine, warm or cold, you show up with a smile, a cheerful greeting, and that familiar bell that reminds people what this Christmas season
is really about giving hope,” she said.

“May this be our best year yet,” Gainey added.

The Salvation Army provides food and other support throughout the year to those who need it, but it’s those red kettles and the tinkling bells in the hands of caring volunteers that stand out as a symbol of hope and of caring in the community.

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(The above text and audio originally posted November 14, 2025)

Vance County Food Drive Donations Accepted Nov. 13-20 For Nov. 21 Distribution

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Vance County is sponsoring a food drive beginning Thursday, Nov. 13 and continuing through Nov. 20. The food distribution will take place on Friday, Nov. 21.

It’s a chance to come together as a community to make a positive impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity.

Donations of canned goods and other shelf-stable food items can be brought to the Vance County Courthouse parking lot, 156 Church St.

The distribution will take place from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Nov. 21, or as long as supplies last.

County Manager C. Renee Perry stated, “In light of the current issues surrounding SNAP benefits, we are coordinating a county-wide food drive. Your generosity helps support local families in need and reflects the spirit of service that defines Vance County Government.”

The point of contact is Willie Kearney, Emergency Management Specialist. To learn more or to volunteer to pack the food bags, contact Kearney by phone – 919.702.5520, email at wkearney@vancecounty.org or on social media @Willie Kearney.

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TownTalk: Gate City Seahawks Earn Way to East Wake Super Bowl

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The Seahawks are in the Super Bowl!

No, not those Seahawks. And not that Super Bowl.

It’s our own local Seahawks team – the 8U Gate City Seahawks with the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Dept. – who will travel to Benson on Saturday, Nov. 15 to face the Strong Center Cardinals of Fuquay-Varina in the East Wake Football League Super Bowl.

And for Michael Faulkner, the 8U head coach, Saturday’s game marks the culmination of months of practice and a great 9-1 season.

The championship game begins at 1 p.m. at West Johnston High School in Benson, but there’s a flag game at 10 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony, then a “fifth quarter” game at 12:30 p.m.

Faulkner – “Coach Mike” to his players – said this team is not only talented, but also hard-working.

“Saturday is only a display of what you do all week,” Faulkner said he reminds the players. They spend about an hour playing a game during the regular season,  but put in a couple of hours at practice.

He said he reminds them that if they train hard, they get great results.

And, “if you don’t like something, put in the work to change it.”

Coach Mike said he played rec ball when he was a kid, but all the games were local. This 8U team travels other counties for conference play – Johnston, Wake, Durham and Granville, just to name a few.

“Not only are they displaying that we’re disciplined and hard-working,” Faulkner said. The Seahawks are proving that they’re a team that can compete against other U8 teams in what he called a “very competitive” league.

The team’s only loss this season was to a Durham team, and Saturday’s opponent is 10-0.

He said he tells the team, “We celebrate wins and we learn from losses.”

For Coach Mike, it’s important that he teach the kids about handling adversity and maintaining their composure – on and off the football field.

“I’m working hands-on with the kids every day,” he said. “I see a lot of will, determination –  they’re hard working. I like to teach kids and set goals and achievements in life so you have something to work towards.”

Some of these 8-year-old Seahawks will be tomorrow’s players at the middle school, or even go on to play JV or varsity at the high school level.

“Henderson is a special place with a special group of kids, very talented,” Faulkner said. When they put their minds to what they want to do, there’s nothing they can’t achieve.

Good luck to the Gate City Seahawks on Saturday!

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TownTalk: Economic Impact Of Vance County Tourism

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The duo that IS Vance County Tourism – Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson – are still riding high after another successful car show in downtown Henderson, but they’re not spending too much time looking in the rear-view mirror. They’ve got some other fish to fry, figuratively speaking.

That’d be the gigantic catfish, that 8-foot, 11-inch 750-pound behemoth that became the newest addition to last year’s New Year’s Eve activities at Satterwhite Point on Kerr Lake.

He’s also set to make a pre-NYE appearance at the upcoming Christmas parade on Dec. 6, said Hester.  Look for him on a Fred’s Towing vehicle.

“Fred’s is a huge community supporter,” Hester said on Wednesday’s TownTalk segment. The Foggs and the late Charles Bowman were among the small army of folks who adorned the giant fish with lights just days before it made its debut to usher in 2025.

Those volunteers, Dickerson said, are invaluable to the events that are planned and carried out each year in Vance County. Take putting the light on that catfish, for example. Stringing lights on that giant fish was no small task, but volunteers never let Hester and Dickerson down – they’re always ready to help.

The community showed up for the inaugural Catfish Drop, and this year, Hester said, she hopes it’ll be even bigger and better.

The fish drops a few hours earlier than midnight – at 7 p.m. – which gives families a chance to enjoy an afternoon filled with activities, vendors, music and food.

The Mike Davis Experience will perform, bringing his one-man show to Satterwhite Point.

“It’s just going to be an afternoon, early evening event of fun for everybody,” Hester said.

Kerr Lake is just one of the “jewels” in Vance County that Hester and Dickerson promote.

Another “jewel” is McGregor Hall, which brings folks from all over to attend plays, performances and competitions throughout the year.

According to state statistics from 2023, tourism spending in Vance County totaled about $70 million.

Whether it’s attending a car show, participating in a fishing tournament or dance competition, people are coming into Vance County and spending money. “Just think of what we could do if we had the capability of housing more events,” Hester said.

Hotels and motels generate occupancy tax revenues – to the tune of more than $500,000.

“Just think of what we could do if we had more hotels,” Hester mused. “We’ve got everything it takes to blow this county out of the water.”

A single fisherman who comes into town for a fishing tournament spends an average of $189, Hester said. Now imagine what a McGregor Hall dance competition involves: one young dancer translates into a family and friends who attend the competition will spend money on food, lodging, gas and the practically obligatory trip to Walmart.

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TownTalk: Fall in Full Swing with Granville County Tourism

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Granville County is squeezing a lot into an already-busy time of year, but Granville Tourism Authority Director Angela Allen encourages the community to jump in and embrace the seasons – you can walk, trot, run, eat, shop, march and drive your way through the various programs and events that will take place in the next few weeks as the holidays approach.

Downtown Oxford retailers are preparing for Christmas with a Holiday Open House Saturday, Nov. 15. You’ll see festive storefronts dotting the downtown district, who want to entice folks to shop local this season.

“Here in Granville County, we’re welcoming the season,” Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

Get all the tastes of Thanksgiving a week early at Thorndale Oaks on Nov. 18. Make reservations by calling 919.603.3701. The cost is $32.95 for adults and $19.95 for children.

The City of Oxford has refurbished its auditorium and rebranded it the OX Theater. Located within the municipal building at 300 Williamsboro St., the theater will host Shana Tucker on Thursday, Nov. 20 for “An Evening of Sade,” The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tucker is a cellist and a vocalist and, along with a band and backup singers, will entertain the audience with the smooth, sultry sounds of the singer popular in the mid-1980’s and 1990’s.

Burn some calories in advance of that Thanksgiving meal with the 20th annual Turkey Trot to benefit Area Congregations in Ministry, the local food bank. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. for the 9 a.m. event, which sends walkers and runners along a 2-mile path from Oxford United Methodist Church down College Street to the Masonic Home for Children and back.

Four cans of food or a monetary donation to ACIM gets you in – make plans to join in the fun to support the food bank mission of feeding hungry people in Granville County.

Once Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror, it’s full-steam ahead to all things Christmas, and Allen reeled off an impressive list of events that begin before all the leftovers are gone.

“I’m excited for the holiday season,” Allen said, “because that’s when I feel our community really sines and comes together – we’re creating community and memories.”

Find out all the details at https://visitgranvillenc.com/, but here’s a partial list of what’s happening in Granville County:

  • Granville Christmas Farm – opens Friday, Nov. 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Get tickets at https://www.granvillechristmasfarm.com/. The farm will open daily the week before Christmas through New Year’s Eve.
  • Corn Hill Farm – a local tree farm that will have a special Christmas Connection on Friday, Nov. 28, complete with arts and crafts for the kids, vendors, food and Santa from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visit https://cornhillfarms.com/
  • Back to the OX Theater for Celtic Angels on Dec. 1. The show starts at 7 p.m. Then it’s Nashville Noel on Dec. 14. Visit https://www.oxfordnc.org/ to purchase tickets.
  • The Lighting of the Greens and Parade in Oxford is Friday, Dec. 5 beginning at 4 p.m. The parade begins at 7 p.m. The City of Oxford also will have its tree lighting on Dec. 5.
  • Parade season continues with parades in Creedmoor and Butner on Saturday, Dec. 6 – Creedmoor in the morning and Butner in the afternoon.
  • Christmas Buffet Dinner at Thorndale Oaks on Saturday, Dec. 6. It’s a full buffet, $58.95 Children 12 and under: $24.95 Children 5 and under are free. Call 919.603.3701 or 919.725.5201 to reserve your table.

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Kerr-Tar Family Caregiver Conference November 13

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People who provide care to family members or loved ones with chronic conditions like dementia can face relentless challenges, running the gamut from finances to time management.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, in partnership with Dementia Alliance, will offer resources and services to caregivers that may prove useful in overcoming some of the challenges that go along with caring for family members with long-term health issues.

The conference is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be held at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, according to Michael Patterson, KTCOG family caregiver specialist. Registration is $10 for family caregivers and $25 for professional caregivers.

Professional caregivers can receive 1.5 continuing education credit. Register at www.dementianc.org/2025henderson. Patterson said walk-up registrations also will be taken the day of the conference.

“This is a great opportunity for our caregivers to receive resources, services and skills they need to support their caregiver journey,” Patterson said on Monday’s TownTalk.

The guest speakers include Michael Lewis, chief behavioral officer and senior financial advisor at Family Legacy Financial Solution, Dr. Delon Canterbury, a pharmacist consultant at GeriatRx, Inc. and Lisa Levine, executive director at Dementia Alliance.

Patterson said the half-day conference will give participants a chance to hear from experts that he said may be outside the traditional box of resources as they gain knowledge and make connections with local resources and services.

A caregiver’s main concern is on the safety, health and well-being of the care recipient, Patterson acknowledged, but finding support for that care provider is also very important, according to feedback he’s gotten as he networks throughout the KTCOG service area.

“Finances is a big challenge for our family caregivers,” Patterson said, so the session on financial resources is an important topic. The majority of those caregivers are providing that care for free – and it’s something that they may choose to do for their loved ones, but it can have an impact, he said, affecting personal and work lives.

Canterbury’s session will focus on how to be an advocate for loved ones when it comes to medications they are taking. The concept of “de-prescribing” focuses on reviewing medicines, understanding particular side effects and making sure a patient isn’t being over-prescribed.

The final session of the conference will turn to a lighter side of caregiving, highlighting the importance of self-care with a segment called Laughter Yoga.

Caregiving can be an emotional journey, Patterson said, and caregivers must balance, as best they can, caring for their loved one as they care for themselves.

It’s important to “bring joy to yourself and to those around you,” he said.

Once a family member has gotten a diagnosis of dementia or other long-term health condition, it’s also important to be proactive in setting up a process for care.

“The longer you wait, the more stressful it can be to try to find resources,” Patterson said.

To learn more, contact Patterson at 252.436.2040 ext. 6072 or by email at mpatterson@kerrtarcog.org

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(Original post just above made Oct. 27, 2025)

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Who: Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments

What: Kerr-Tar Family Caregiver Conference

When: Thursday, November 13 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Where: Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center

Additional Details: Dementia Alliance of NC. Hear from Director of Dementia Alliance, Lisa Levine, and from Pharmacist Consultant, Dr. DeLon Canterbury. Learn practical skills for engaging and supporting those living with dementia, and how to care for yourself in the process. A Family Caregiver Ticket is $10 – For those caring for someone living with dementia, neighbors, friends, students, clergy and anyone else who would like to attend. Limited scholarships available. Professional Caregiver Tickets are $25. Breakfast and refreshments will be provided. To learn more about how to sign up, please reach out to Michael Patterson at (252) 436-2040 ext. 6072 or email mpatteron@kerrtarcog.org.

(Original post just above made Oct. 23, 2025)

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Sassafras Fork Township

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OK, local history buffs, here’s a question for you:

What do the Declaration of Independence, inventor of a Space-Age portable stereo and the poet Langston Hughes all have in common?

Ready for the answer?

Sassafras Fork township.

Northern Granville County residents may be more familiar with Sassafras Fork than others, but back in the 1760’s, Sassafras Fork encompassed the general area now known as Bullock, Grassy Creek, Gela, Stovall and Soudan, just across the NC/VA border.

WIZS’s Bill Harris and local historian Mark Pace talked about what that area used to look like in the recurring TownTalk segment “Around Old Granville.”

Now, here’s how those three seemingly unrelated items intersect in northern Granville County:

The town of Stovall recently held a Harvest Festival, featuring a celebration of one of its famous residents, John Penn. Penn was one of the state’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence and he moved from Virginia to North Carolina in part because there were too many lawyers where he was from in Virginia, but also because his wife’s family lived near Sassafras Fork.

Now, about that Space-Age portable radio…

Pratt Winston, who died in 2024, was an entrepreneur and inventor. He created the iconic Weltron radio product line, which sold all over the world into the late 70’s.

Winston’s home, Rose Hill, originally was part of the Speed holdings, still stands.

Pace said it’s probably the oldest brick home in the area, having been built around 1834. The two-story Greek Revival-style home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Ready to make the connection between Sassafras Fork and Langston Hughes?

“Shaw School was so well known back in the 1940’s and ‘50’s, Pace said, that it was able to attract numerous speakers of some renown.

The poet Langston Hughes, of Harlem Renaissance fame, visited the school in 1953 for a poetry reading, Pace said.

At the time of Hughes’s visit, Stovall was enjoying a population of close to 500, but over time, that number dwindled.

The 2010 Census reported just more than 400 people living in Stovall, and that number dropped to 324 in the 2020 count.

But Stovall once boasted a booming economy for the times – with a funeral home, doctors, a bank, factories, lumber mill, hotel, numerous churches and a railway station. There were close to 800 people living in Stovall in the 1920’s, Pace said.

A man named John Stovall gave land to have the rail depot put on his land, which is what prompted the name change from Sassafras Fork to Stovall, he said.

 

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