Public Service Announcements

Read and Send In Public Service and Event Announcements

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CLICK HERE To Send Your Public Service and Event Announcements to WIZS RADIO 1450AM / 100.1FM

Or email johncharles@wizs.com

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Who: Baskerville Funeral Home

What: Community Information Series featuring Community Partners of Hope. The Presenter will be Darryl Jones, the Shelter Program Manager

When: Tuesday, August 12th, 2025 from 6pm-7pm

Where: Baskerville Funeral Home Chapel, 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson, NC 27536

Fee: No fee

Contact: Baskerville Funeral Home for more information

Phone/email: (252) 430-6824

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Who: Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers

What: Annual Golf Tournament

When: Thursday August 14th; Check-in and lunch catered by Chick-Fil-A from 11:30am-12:30pm; Shotgun start at 1:00pm

Where: Kerr Lake Country Club

Why: You can be a Hole or Team Sponsor to support Crime Stoppers, an all-volunteer organization that supports law enforcement in keeping our Henderson and Vance County community safe for everyone. This annual golf tournament is the primary fundraiser for Crime Stoppers. Contributions are also tax deductible.

Fee: $100 to sponsor a hole, $200 to sponsor a team of 4 golfers; Please make your check payable to Crimestoppers and mail to P.O. Box 1348, Henderson, NC 27536.

Contact: Danny Wright

Phone/email: (252)-432-1141 or email dannyw@vance.net

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What: Rainbow Tea Event

When: August 16th, 2025 at 2:00pm

Where: Ashley Grove Baptist Church – 2425 Nutbush Road Henderson NC 27537

Fee: $10 Donation

Contact: Deanna Steed

Phone/email: 252-767-2565 or ashleygrovebaptist@gmail.com

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Who: Big Ruin Creek Baptist Church

What: Homecoming. The worship leader will be Rev Ann Jones, associate ministry of the Big Ruin Creek Missionary Baptist Church. The combine choir will be singing. We are inviting all and everyone to come members and those that were members and also friends to come and let’s praise the Lord together and have a great fellowship.

When: August 17, 2025 at 11 AM

Where: Big Ruin Creek Baptist Church on 16 Big Ruin Creek Lane, Henderson NC

Contact: Dorothy Wimbush

Phone/email: (252) 425-7366 or dorothy_wim49@yahoo.com

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Who: Big Ruin Creek Baptist Church

What: Musical Celebration Benefit Program. The program is for Sam Williams who sang with the Safeway Travelers. The worship leader will be Pastor David Bullock. Guests appearing on the program will be – Andrew Hawley soloist, The Jaycox Sisters and Company, The Visionaries, The Gospel Disciples, The Gospel Harmoneers, and Legend 252. It will be a healing and rejoicing service. Come join us to celebrate how God brought Sam out of the hospital and be ready to sing God’s praises.

When: September 21st @ 3 PM

Where: Big Ruin Creek Baptist Church on 16 big Ruin Creek Lane

Contact: Dorothy Wimbush

Phone/email: (252) 425-7366 or dorothy_wim49@yahoo.com

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Who: The Central Children’s Home

What: Cross Country Festival. There will be a total of 14 events contested throughout the day including the Central Children’s Home run walk (Women 6 km, Men 8 km) four Youth division races, the Granville Invitational, featuring High School and Middle School events and for the first time the festival will have competitive collegiate divisions for men and women.

When: September 27th, 2025

Where: 211 W. Antioch Drive, Oxford, North Carolina 27565

Why: Proceeds from the Cross-Country Festival will benefit in part the Central Children’s Home of North Carolina, and the Durham Striders Youth Association.

Fee: $25 to register to run or walk in the Men’s 8km or the Women’s 6km

Contact: Chris Crowder

Phone/email: cchxcfestinfo@yahoo.com or visit their website at https://www.centralchildrenshomecrosscountryfestival.org/ to register and find out more

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Who: First United Methodist Church of Henderson

What: Tag Sale

When: Every Tuesday and Thursday from 11AM-1PM. Please enter through the Church Office entrance, and a volunteer will guide you through several rooms of the Tag Sale.

Where: First United Methodist Church of Henderson, 114 Church St, Henderson, NC 27536

Why: All proceeds from the Tag Sale ministry go to support the missions of the United Women in Faith. These missions include the following: Hand-in-Hand, Soup Kitchen, Pinkston Street Elementary Weekend Packs, Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS), the Boys & Girls Club, Lifeline, Community Partners of Hope, Good Neighbor Fund, YMCA Children’s Programs, NC Conference Missions, Methodist Home for Children, and United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

Contact: FUMC of Henderson for more information or Tom Church if a shopping time beyond these hours is needed.

Phone/email: FUMC – (252) 438-8791. Tom Church – (252) 432-3845 or tchurch219@gmail.com

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Who: The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department

What: Beginner Yoga, instructed by Beryle Lewis. Classes are based on basic yoga techniques to inspire physical, mental, and spiritual peace from within through balance, stretching, and breathing.

When: On Thursday Nights, from 6:15pm-7pm

Where: Aycock Recreation Center, 307 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson, NC

Fee: The cost is $1 for Members and $2 for Non-Members

Registration link: You can register by going to hvrpd.recdesk.com or stopping by the Aycock Rec Center

Contact: The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department for more information

Phone/email:  (252) 492-9400

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Who: Vance County Housing Authority at Lincoln Height Apartments

What: Accepting applications for two and three bedroom apartments. Applicants will need to bring original birth certificates and original social security cards for everyone on the application. They must also bring a photo ID for everyone over 18. Applications must be completed in the office.

When: Applications are accepted on Tuesdays, 9:00 am until 3:00 pm

Where: 224 Lincoln St, Henderson, NC 27536

Contact: Lincoln Height Apartments for more information

Phone/email: (252) 438-6127

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(NO LISTINGS ON THIS PAGE ARE PAID POSTINGS. EACH ENTITY IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED IN EACH LISTING. However, Vance County Tourism does have an ad presently on WIZS Radio about the same Independence Day Celebration at Kerr Lake.)

N.C. State Fair Accepting Applications For ‘Farm Family Of The Day’ Program

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Do you know a farm family deserving of recognition? The N.C. State Fair is accepting applications for the Farm Family of the Day program, sponsored by Tractor Supply Company.

Nominations and applications are being accepted through Sept. 5.

If you are a proud N.C. farmer who works hard to contribute to our state’s No. 1 industry, and loves both farming and the N.C. State Fair, your family could be one of the 11 lucky ones selected to represent the industry at the fair.

The Farm Family of the Day program is returning for its fifth year to recognize and celebrate more of the state’s rich agricultural heritage and the farm families that are behind our $111.1 billion agriculture and agribusiness industry.

Families recognized as Farm Family of the Day honorees will receive an N.C. State Fair gift basket, including fair tickets to use on any day of their choice during the 2025 N.C. State Fair, ride passes and additional swag from both Tractor Supply Company and the N.C. State Fair.

Families will be chosen by both nomination and application forms. Applications can be found online at https://www.ncagr.gov/public-affairs/tractor-supply-farm-family-day-app…or nomination forms can be found online at https://www.ncagr.gov/public-affairs/tractor-supply-farm-family-day-nomination-form/download?attachment.

 

“The State Fair’s earliest beginnings sought to elevate the understanding of new agricultural practices and technology. Helping people make the connection between farming and the food that they enjoy is one of our top missions at the N.C. State Fair each year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Thanks to Tractor Supply Company, we can help tell the story of our farmers because they are out there every day working to grow the food, fiber and fuel that we need to survive.”

 

The 2025 N.C. State Fair will run Oct. 16-26 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The fair offers an experience unique to North Carolina for all who attend, and is an unparalleled value with free entertainment, thrilling rides and games, thousands of animals, endless family activities, competitions, vendors and creative deep-fried delights. For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org.

 

American Red Cross Blood Drives In August

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August is National Wellness Month, and the American Red Cross is encouraging people to prioritize their personal health and well-being while helping to save lives with a blood or platelet donation.

Donors of all blood types – especially those with type O positive or B negative blood – are asked to make an appointment now to prevent a further drop in donor turnout.

This month, the Red Cross will provide free A1C screening – a test commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes – for all donors who make a successful blood, platelet or plasma donation. Fasting is not required for this test, and donors will be able to view their confidential results one to two weeks after their donation in the Blood Donor App or their donor account at RedCrossBlood.org. Donors will receive one A1C test result in a 12-month period.

Schedule a time to give now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. Those who come to give Aug. 1-28, 2025, will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. For details on both offers, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Test.

Upcoming blood drives in the area:

Granville

Butner

8/20/2025: 12 noon – 4:30 p.m., Butner Town Hall, 415 Central Ave.

 

Oxford

8/23/2025: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Richard Thornton Library, 210 Main St.

8/28/2025: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ernest F. Hart American Legion Post 90, 914 Williamsboro St.

Franklin

Youngsville

8/18/2025: 12 noon – 5 p.m., Youngsville Fire Department, 803 Wheaton Ave.

Vance County Logo

Commissioners Give Nod To Continuing Joint City, County Code Enforcement Agreement, Nix Matching Funds For Splash Park

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved by consensus Monday a request from City Manager Hassan T. Kingsberry to continue the county’s joint building code enforcement agreement with the city.

Although the Henderson City Council had voted to come out of that agreement at its December 2024 meeting, Kingsberry said he has recommended to the council that the existing agreement remain in effect.

“I have the support of the majority of my council,” Kingsberry said.

City Clerk Tracey Kimbrell told WIZS News Thursday the Council voted on June 30 to extend the current contract for two months, until Aug. 31. The Council has not made a formal vote on the matter; rather, the agreement to re-enter the joint agreement with the county was reached by consensus.

Commissioner Tommy Hester said, “I think that is an exceptionally good idea” and

was prepared to make a motion to continue the agreement, but at the recommendation of County Attorney Jonathan Care, the board offered instead a consensus for approval.

Care said he would recommend that county staff go and negotiate and bring back an actual agreement that both parties approve of.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said she would bring an agreement to the September meeting.

In the meantime, because the current agreement expires Aug. 31, Hester made a motion for a 30-day extension. That motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Commissioner Yolanda Feimster was absent from the meeting.

“We need to work with the city any way we can to bring economic development to this community,” Hester said.

Perry said the budget for the department had stayed in place because she didn’t know what the city would decide to do. “We budgeted for a full department, as we have done historically,” she said.

In other action during the meeting, commissioners voted to deny contributing to a matching grant request for funding the Montgomery/William Street splash park.

During her report, Perry reminded commissioners that during an April 2025 work session, Recreation and Parks Department Director Kendrick Vann and the city manager had requested matching funds of $495,000 from the county for the park.

“The match is now $864,982,” Perry said. “I have concerns with the match just because I don’t feel that we’re in a financial position to come up with that type of cash right now.”

“I think my main concern is, this board didn’t know anything about this grant,” she said.

Dan Brummitt made the motion to deny the county match. It was seconded and passed unanimously.

Items to Buy and Sell

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CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US YOUR ITEMS

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS ~ YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE

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Tuesday, August 5

  • Willing to babysit any ages and I am free for any day and any times I will come to you price negotiable. Contact (252) 767-2369 or ethomerson913@gmail.com.
  • Looking for a portable PA  system with a microphone. Call (252) 572-4050.

The Local Skinny! Gov. Stein Signs ‘Mini-Budget’ Supporting Medicaid

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Gov. Josh Stein signed a “mini budget” on Wednesday that state lawmakers passed that includes some stopgap spending measures, one of which includes supporting Medicaid.

N.C. District 32 Rep. Bryan Cohn has stated the importance of informing his constituents how the recently passed federal legislation – the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” – will affect and impact local health care.

“Regardless of political positions, the factual consequences of this bill are significant and concerning, especially for residents relying on Medicaid,” Cohn said in a press statement.

“Granville and Vance counties have approximately 41,000 residents enrolled in Medicaid, with over 6,800 gaining coverage through recent Medicaid expansion,” Cohn said. “The reduction in federal funds directly threatens this expansion, potentially leaving thousands of local residents uninsured.”

According to Cohn, North Carolina faces nearly $40 billion in federal Medicaid cuts over the next decade. This funding currently supports essential healthcare services, especially through State Directed Payments that are critical for maintaining rural hospitals and health centers.

Cohn said local hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and urgent care facilities rely on Medicaid reimbursements to operate. “With substantial funding cuts, our providers may be forced to reduce services, lay off staff, or in some cases, close entirely. This will inevitably affect healthcare accessibility and quality across our community,” he said.

Additionally, as major employers and economic drivers in Granville and Vance counties, Cohn said healthcare facilities could see funding reductions that could spell broader economic repercussions, potentially impacting local jobs and economic stability.

The mini budget includes $600 million to support both the Medicaid rebase and the Medicaid Oversight Fund, according to a statement from the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services. “However, this appropriation equates to a shortfall of $319 million for the Medicaid rebase. Despite careful efforts by NCDHHS to avoid disruptions to service, fully funding the rebase is necessary to maintain the current level of care across the state. To remain within budget, NCDHHS now has two options to address a shortfall from an insufficient rebase; reduce optional services and/or reduce provider rates,” according to the NCDHHS statement.

The bill introduces new eligibility conditions, including work requirements slated to begin in late 2026. This could complicate healthcare access for many residents already facing economic hardships, Cohn noted.

“While the political debates surrounding this legislation will continue, our community must understand the tangible impacts these changes will bring. I encourage residents and community leaders to engage actively in dialogue and preparations to manage and mitigate these upcoming challenges,” Cohn said.

Upon signing the bill, Stein made the following statement: “This Band-Aid budget fails to invest in our teachers and students, fails to keep families safe, fails to value hardworking state employees, and fails to fully fund health care. With federal cuts on the horizon, the legislature’s forced $319 million cut to Medicaid will be particularly painful. Despite these serious reservations, I am signing this bill into law because it keeps the lights on.

“We have so much going for us here in North Carolina, but we cannot just rest on our laurels, do the bare minimum, and expect to continue to thrive. The General Assembly needs to get serious about investing in the people who make this state great.”

Here’s a statement from NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai:

“More than three million people in North Carolina depend on Medicaid for comprehensive care that is life-changing and in many cases lifesaving. Underfunding NC Medicaid now after years of building a nationally recognized program that delivers real outcomes for the people we serve is a serious setback. The forced cuts from the budget shortfall threaten care for those who need it most and include some of North Carolina’s most vulnerable populations.

Over time, the combination of underfunding, the loss of key initiatives like the Healthy Opportunities Pilots, and administrative budget shortfalls risks a fundamental erosion of the NC Medicaid program.

Despite these challenges, the mission of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services remains unchanged – we will continue to work to improve the health and well-being of all North Carolinians. We will continue the essential work that NCDHHS does every day with determination, compassion, and a focus on the people we serve.”

 

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State Auditor Discloses Details Of DMV Audit As Long Wait Times, Lines Continue Across State

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— information courtesy of the N.C. Office of the State Auditor

 

The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor has released two audits of North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles. The reports – including a performance audit and information systems audit – were conducted to examine the current operational challenges affecting the most forward-facing agency in state government.

“I pledged to audit the DMV to get to the root cause of its failure, and the reports dealing with licensing procedures and information systems are now complete,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek. “Our audit team has worked hard to find opportunities where the DMV can course correct and effectively serve North Carolina citizens.”

OSA’s performance audit shows the DMV experience for both customers and employees has gotten worse over the years, and that the relationship between the DMV and the N.C. Department of Transportation is a contributing factor.

Customer service has been declining, with wait times on the rise:

  • Average DMV wait times stand at 1 hour and 15 minutes, up 15.5 percent since 2019.
  • Data shows nearly 14 percent of visits exceeded 2.5 hours in fiscal year 2025, up about 79 percent since 2019.

Employees are struggling with workload and burnout:

  • Only 47 percent of DMV workers believed the DMV fostered open communication.
  • 43 percent expressed negative views of prior leadership support.
  • Employees cited low salary, burnout, security concerns, lack of support and inadequate training.
  • Average salaries are below $50,000 for examiners in both rural and urban areas.

Staffing levels are unsustainable:

  • North Carolina’s population has grown by 2.5 million (29 percent) in the last 20 years, but driver license examiner positions have only increased by 52 positions (10 percent).
  • Only 505 of the 710 driver license examiner positions are filled, roughly 160 vacancies remain.
  • In Harnett County, there is only one examiner serving over 56,000 residents.

To address the structural challenges identified in the performance audit, and ensure DMV can deliver timely, effective, and citizen-centered services, OSA makes five recommendations:

  • Policymakers should consider establishing DMV as an autonomous agency or authority with direct control over its budget, strategic planning and operations.
  • DMV leadership should adopt a comprehensive strategic plan independent of DOT.
  • DMV should conduct an in-depth staffing analysis to inform a multi-year, phased staffing plan that addresses examiner shortages and ensures service equity statewide.
  • DMV should build and maintain a centralized performance dashboard to track and report key service metrics.
  • DMV should partner with an industry expert to develop and implement evidence-based improvements to customer experience and service delivery.

The findings in the performance audit point toward a dysfunctional relationship between DMV and DOT. There are four systemic challenges stemming from the DMV’s governance structure as a division of DOT, including limited strategic input, restricted budget autonomy, insufficient performance data and exclusion from key process modernization initiatives.

Examples include:

  • DMV generates 30 percent of DOT’s overall revenue, but accounts for only 2.8 percent of DOT’s expenditures.
  • Of the 45 performance milestones in the DOT strategic plan for the 2023-2025 biennium, only two directly pertained to DMV operations.
  • Only 31 percent of DMV’s staffing requests were included in DOT’s budget requests.
  • DOT left out DMV customer satisfaction data in its performance report.
  • DMV was excluded from planning and procurement phases of improvement efforts led by DOT.

“It’s time to solve the DMV problem. North Carolina has the will and the tools to make our DMV better. Our audit lays out some concrete steps to begin the process to fix the DMV,” Boliek said.

Each recommendation includes specific timelines for impacted parties to follow. OSA will be following up on each recommendation to ensure progress is being made.

In addition to the performance audit, OSA conducted an information systems audit of DMV. The information systems audit found that since 2014, the DMV and Department of Information Technology – Transportation initiated 46 projects that resulted in a cost of approximately $42 million. However, even with all the projects, IT modernization efforts have not produced meaningful customer service improvements, and the current DMV mainframe systems are outdated and overdue for replacement.

OSA made four recommendations for the DMV and DIT-T to take to improve operations.

The audit process for the DMV involved on-site visits to multiple locations, interviews with DMV and DOT personnel, and a thorough review of current strategic plans, general statutes and employee engagement surveys. OSA analyzed key data, including budget expansion requests, wait times, transaction volumes, ZIP code transaction data, service time data, and dwell time data, to assess operational efficiency and service delivery.

Auditors and specialists also engaged external experts from the Institute for Transportation Research and Education, the Bryan School of Business and Economics at UNC-Greensboro, and the UNC School of Government.

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Cooperative Extension with Jamon Glover: Bedtime Problems pt. 3

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Jamon Glover, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:

We continue our series on working with children with bedtime problems. This time we talk about how to keep your child in the bed after they have already been put to bed.

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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Local Man Faces Drug Charges; Cocaine, Marijuana, Guns, Cash Among Items Seized During Search Warrant

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— from the office of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office VICE/Narcotics Unit, the NC State Bureau of Investigation and the Henderson Police Department Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at 125 Harrison Ave., Henderson, after an extensive joint investigation into cocaine trafficking at the residence.

Investigators located and seized cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy), and marijuana, firearms, U.S. currency and other items of drug manufacturing equipment from the residence.

Baldwin Lemuel Bates, Jr., 44, was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine, trafficking MDMA, manufacture cocaine, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver marijuana, felony possession of marijuana, and possession of firearm by felon, two counts of possession of stolen firearm, and two counts of maintaining a dwelling for selling controlled substances (x2).

Bates was given a $780,000 secured bond pending a court hearing in Vance County court.