A statewide open burning ban is currently in effect, and the N.C. Forest Service has cancelled all burning permits until further notice because of the increased risk of wildfires.
The ban prohibits all open burning in all 100 counties, even if a permit previously had been issued. New permits will not be granted until the ban is lifted. Anyone who violates the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 in court costs and anyone responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire, according to information from the N.C. Forest Service.
Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban.
Although the burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling, local fire marshals have the authority to suspend permits for those fires as well. Earlier Friday, WIZS News received information from Warren County Fire Marshal Greg Henry and Franklin County Fire Marshal Trey Evans stating that all burn permits issued for open burns within 100 feet of a residence also are suspended for as long as the state burning ban is in effect.
“It is spring wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing wildfire activity increase due to dry conditions,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “With these ongoing conditions, a statewide burn ban is necessary to reduce the risk of wildfires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state. It is imperative that folks adhere to this burn ban until further notice.”
The N.C. Forest Service will continue to monitor conditions.
Contact your county’s fire marshal or N.C. Forest Service ranger for more information
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is open burning?
A: Open burning includes burning leaves, branches or other plant material. In all cases, burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other nonvegetative material is illegal.
Q: May I still use my grill or barbecue?
A: Yes, if no other local ordinances prohibit their use.
Q: How should I report a wildfire?
A: Call 911 to report a wildfire.
Q: How should I report a person who intentionally starts a wildfire?
A: Call 911 to report a wildfire.
Q: My local fire marshal has also issued a burn ban for my county. What does this mean?
A: The burn ban issued by the N.C. Forest service does not apply to a fire within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Local government agencies have jurisdiction over open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The N.C. Forest Service has advised county fire marshals of the burning ban and has asked for their consideration of also implementing a burning ban. If a fire within a 100-foot area of a dwelling escapes containment, a North Carolina forest ranger may take reasonable steps to extinguish or control it. The person responsible for setting the fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.
Q: Are there other instances which impact open burning?
A: Local ordinances and air quality regulations may impact open burning. For instance, outdoor burning is prohibited in areas covered by Code Orange or Code Red air quality forecasts. Learn more about air quality forecasts at https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-qualityoutreach-education/air-quality-forecasts.
Q: Can I have a campfire when I go camping?
A: Campfires would be considered open burning and are not exempt from the burn ban. During a burn ban, portable gas stoves or grills are alternate methods for cooking food while camping.
Q: What can I do to protect my house against the risk of wildfire?
A: Learn about wildfire risk assessments and preparedness and prevention plans on the N.C. Forest Service website at https://www.ncforestservice.gov/fire_control/fc_wui.htm or https://www.resistwildfirenc.org/.
TownTalk: World FlingGolf Tournament Coming to Kerr Lake Country Club
/by WIZS StaffFlingGolf is a “thing,” and it’s coming to Henderson this weekend.
Exactly what, you may ask, is this thing called fling?
Well, picture, if you will, a lacrosse stick – you know, it’s a long stick with a little basket or cup on one end of it.
Now picture a group of folks, those modified lacrosse sticks in hand, on a golf course. And instead of teeing up the ball in the tee box, the golf ball is nestled in that little cup and gets flung instead of whacked with a driver down the fairway.
Sound interesting? That’s what Johnathan Norton thought when he first started reading about FlingGolf five or so years ago.
It’s been around for a decade or more, but it’s just been in the past few years that the word’s gotten out about this novel sport. And now Henderson has landed the first stop on a national fling golf tour.
Johnathan and his father David Norton were guests on Monday’s TownTalk to talk about the North Carolina Open set for Mar. 29 and 30 at Kerr Lake Country Club. There’s an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start both days, and spectators are welcome. So far, more than 40 people have registered for the tournament, which kicks off the 2025 New Swarm Tour, a 10-tournament series that takes players up and down the East Coast, as well as West Virginia, Missouri and California.
“A lot of the top players will be here,” Johnathan said, including one who lives in Durham, who Johnathan said is the world’s longest flinger with flings of 240 or 250 yards.
According to David, one of the advantages to playing FlingGolf is that no alterations to the golf course are necessary. “You play it just like golf. You just play it like that and have fun with it,” he said.
And players don’t need much equipment, Johnathan said. “One fling stick, one golf ball and you’re good to go.”
Tournament rules state that players have to use the same stick all the way from the tee “fling” to the hole for the entire round; everyday players can choose from among different sticks if they’d like, more like traditional golfers do during a round.
The strategy is quite similar to traditional golf, too, the local FlingGolfers agree. And just like golf clubs, fling sticks are made of different composite materials to accommodate players’ skills and needs.
So when golfers need to “fling” around a dog leg right, they can put a little English on that fling stick and send that ball, hopefully, in the right direction. Ditto with sandtraps and other hazards, same as regular golf.
“There are some people on the tour who are really good at it – I’m still learning,” he said, but “it’s definitely possible…shot-shaping definitely comes into play.”
Visit https://flinggolf.com/pages/wlf to register for the tournament.
Click Play!
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 03-24-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Click Play!
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Organic Gardens
/by WIZS StaffOn the Vance County Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland:
How the Organic Garden can be grown to provide healthy vegetables for your family.
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
Click Play!
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 03-21-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Rebuilding Hope, Inc. Men’s Breakfast Thursdays At 7 AM
/by WIZS StaffRebuilding Hope Co-director Tom Wille invites men in the community to a weekly breakfast and devotion time to discuss and reflect a bit on God’s word and how it applies to our daily lives.
“If you are looking for a community to serve in, a community to grown in, a community to be encouraged by, then come hang out with us,” Wille wrote in a recent Rebuilding Hope newsletter.
Come at 7 a.m. on Thursdays for a biscuit – a full breakfast on the first Thursday of the month – and then stay for a devotion and prayer time for various needs across the community.
Volunteers do the cooking and lead the devotion, Wille said.
“We learn as men about things like 1 Timothy 3:2-5 how these attributes can positively affect us and those around us. Proverbs 27:17 shows how we can encourage each other through positive relationships,” he said.
There’s time for prayer – prayer for individual needs, as well as needs for the ministry and for the larger community. Prayers are offered for other ministries that serve their communities in particular ways, from food and shelter to worship and counseling
“While our main focus is to point people to Jesus through maintenance construction, we also understand the need to support each other and the other groups in our area that point people to Christ through their focus of ministry,” Wille said. “Each of these places is important.”
If you’d like to support Rebuilding Hope, Inc. with a financial contribution, there’s an online link to make a secure payment. Visit www.rebuildinghopeinc.org and click on the Donate button at the top of the page. There’s an option to donate to General Ministry for daily operations, SOS (Servants on Site) to pay registration fees or to contribute to the summer mission camp and Memorial to make a gift in remembrance of someone.
41st Annual VGCC Golf Tournament Set To Tee Off May 5,6
/by WIZS StaffThe 41st annual Vance-Granville Community College Foundation’s Golf Tournament for Scholarships is set for Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 at the Henderson Country Club.
The four-member team Super Ball tournament begins with lunch and registration at 11:30 a.m. and shotgun start at 1 p.m., according to information from Sheri Jones, The VGCC Foundation’s associate director.
Find registration forms and sponsorship information here:
The VGCC Foundation Golf Tournament – Vance Granville Community College.
The golf tournament is one of VGCC’S primary fundraisers for The Foundation. Money raised will be used for scholarships to help eligible students with the cost of tuition and books, as well as emergency grants.
The golf tournament provides resources for the College to remove barriers in order to enhance and expand its efforts to address need-based aid for students and promote equitable outcomes for all learners.
Sponsors, please note that payment must be received to guarantee your sponsorship. Please make checks payable to The VGCC Foundation. Online payments can be made at The VGCC Foundation Online Gifts Page.
For more information, contact foundation@vgcc.edu.
N.C. Forest Service: Statewide Open Burning Ban In Effect Until Further Notice
/by WIZS StaffA statewide open burning ban is currently in effect, and the N.C. Forest Service has cancelled all burning permits until further notice because of the increased risk of wildfires.
The ban prohibits all open burning in all 100 counties, even if a permit previously had been issued. New permits will not be granted until the ban is lifted. Anyone who violates the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 in court costs and anyone responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire, according to information from the N.C. Forest Service.
Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban.
Although the burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling, local fire marshals have the authority to suspend permits for those fires as well. Earlier Friday, WIZS News received information from Warren County Fire Marshal Greg Henry and Franklin County Fire Marshal Trey Evans stating that all burn permits issued for open burns within 100 feet of a residence also are suspended for as long as the state burning ban is in effect.
“It is spring wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing wildfire activity increase due to dry conditions,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “With these ongoing conditions, a statewide burn ban is necessary to reduce the risk of wildfires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state. It is imperative that folks adhere to this burn ban until further notice.”
The N.C. Forest Service will continue to monitor conditions.
Contact your county’s fire marshal or N.C. Forest Service ranger for more information
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is open burning?
A: Open burning includes burning leaves, branches or other plant material. In all cases, burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other nonvegetative material is illegal.
Q: May I still use my grill or barbecue?
A: Yes, if no other local ordinances prohibit their use.
Q: How should I report a wildfire?
A: Call 911 to report a wildfire.
Q: How should I report a person who intentionally starts a wildfire?
A: Call 911 to report a wildfire.
Q: My local fire marshal has also issued a burn ban for my county. What does this mean?
A: The burn ban issued by the N.C. Forest service does not apply to a fire within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Local government agencies have jurisdiction over open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The N.C. Forest Service has advised county fire marshals of the burning ban and has asked for their consideration of also implementing a burning ban. If a fire within a 100-foot area of a dwelling escapes containment, a North Carolina forest ranger may take reasonable steps to extinguish or control it. The person responsible for setting the fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.
Q: Are there other instances which impact open burning?
A: Local ordinances and air quality regulations may impact open burning. For instance, outdoor burning is prohibited in areas covered by Code Orange or Code Red air quality forecasts. Learn more about air quality forecasts at https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-qualityoutreach-education/air-quality-forecasts.
Q: Can I have a campfire when I go camping?
A: Campfires would be considered open burning and are not exempt from the burn ban. During a burn ban, portable gas stoves or grills are alternate methods for cooking food while camping.
Q: What can I do to protect my house against the risk of wildfire?
A: Learn about wildfire risk assessments and preparedness and prevention plans on the N.C. Forest Service website at https://www.ncforestservice.gov/fire_control/fc_wui.htm or https://www.resistwildfirenc.org/.
2025 Duke RAM Clinic Provides 305 Patients With Free Dental, Vision, Medical Care
/by WIZS StaffThis year’s Duke Remote Area Medical pop-up clinic served 305 patients in what amounts to more than $200,000 in free dental, medical and vision care.
This is the fourth year for the clinic, which set up shop most recently on Mar. 1-2 at Vance Charter School.
Over the course of two days, Duke RAM Co-Presidents Anvi Charvu and Lara Kendall said the patients had a total of 476 encounters with health care professionals – each patient could have more than one service if they needed it.
Since it first came to Henderson, the Duke RAM clinic has provided medical, dental and vision care to 1,020 patients that is valued at more than $926,000.
In this most recent clinic, more than 80 percent of the patients were seeking care from Duke RAM for the first time. Eight patients traveled more than 100 miles. The Duke RAM clinic does not ask for proof of insurance or other documentation in order to receive care.
A few statistics from the 2025 clinic’s 305 patients:
A total of 383 volunteers came together to provide a wide range of services. Doctors, optometrists and dentists, hygienists, nurses and other volunteers gave of their time to make the clinic a success.
A few facts from the 2025 clinic:
Numerous groups also provided support and organizers expressed gratitude for all the help they provided:
“We are so grateful for our Durham and Henderson partners who support our clinic efforts with such a strong sense of service. Our clinic could not be possible without such support,” the co-presidents stated in a written report shared with WIZS News.
SportsTalk: NCAA First Round Matchup Predictions from WIZS
/by Scout HughesSportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and George Hoyle talk about the first-round games in the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournament. The guys also spoke on NC State’s hire of Will Wade. That and much more on SportsTalk!
Our WIZS SportsTalk Tournament Challenge is now closed. Best of luck to all who entered!
Click Play!
TownTalk: Spring Activities Are Bustin’ Out All Over Granville County
/by WIZS StaffGranville County is cultivating a variety of springtime activities, with some first-time events sprinkled in amongst others that have become perennial favorites.
County Tourism Director Angela Allen said that, once again, there’s something for everyone in the offerings over the next few weeks and beyond.
Allen shared details about some of the events but recommended a visit to the www.visitgranvillenc.com website for a full listing of what’s coming up in Granville County.
One unique event is The Viking Experience, which has blossomed since its inception four short years ago, Allen said.
Each year, the event has grown – from basically a backyard event when COVID-19 restrictions affected gatherings to a two-weekend event expected to bring folks from across the state and the country, Allen said on Thursday’s TownTalk.
The first weekend is Mar. 22 and 23; the second weekend is Mar. 29 and 30. The “experience” outgrew two other area venues and the mother/daughter duo from the Creedmoor area ended up buying 15 acres that will serve as the host site for this year’s activities.
Those activities include interacting with re-enactors in period dress, as well as music, games and all types of vendors who will be on hand for both weekends.
“You can truly escape into a whole other world,” Allen said. She said folks really get into the whole “other world” where history meets fantasy, but those not into the “culture” who just are curious about what the Viking experience is all about, come on out and take a look.
“They have their own community,” Allen said. “The could have chosen anywhere in North Carolina but they wanted to start at home…this is a way of life for them.”
Visit https://www.thevikingexperiencenc.com/ to find schedules of events and more.
The Bunny Hop Bash is a brand-new event this season, Allen said. It will take place at Clement Farms Saturday, Mar. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This is a family-friendly event – “a wonderful collaboration” between a wedding venue and a couple of local businesses.
Modeled after the wildly popular “Jingle Bell Bash,” Allen said Saturday’s event will take advantage of the milder weather and will have carriage rides, a bouncy house, talented local vendors and, of course, a big ol’ Easter Egg hunt and a visit from the Easter Bunny.
Check out https://visitgranvillenc.com/whats-happening/ to find a link to tickets.
Allen has become somewhat synonymous with Granville tourism, having been in the role for a decade. She said she’s witnessed a healthy collaboration grow out of relationships that sometimes get started at local events.
All the networking before and after events allow vendors to learn from – and support – others. It also shows visitors that this area north of the Triangle region is a great place to live and to visit.
“We are all here to lift each other up,” she said.
Other upcoming events and activities include:
For a complete listing of events coming up in Granville County, go to https://visitgranvillenc.com/
CLICK PLAY!