It’s a well-used analogy, but one appropriate for the situation that Henderson and the surrounding community finds itself in, according to City Manager Terrell Blackmon: The seeds for growth and improvement have been planted, and now the area is beginning to see those seeds sprout. But some onlookers may not be convinced until the flowers bloom.
Blackmon was a guest on Monday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose and he said he was among a group of local city and business leaders to come together to late last week to discuss ways to cultivate and nurture those tender sprouts as they continue to grow.
“They’ve been in progress,” he said. “It just doesn’t happen immediately…you have to plant seeds and allow them to grow.”
Blackmon used the analogy to describe the various projects that the city is a part of, as well as the 4-point strategic plan endorsed by the City Council at its 2022 planning retreat.
The meeting was one way for business leaders to hear about progress being made to make Henderson and the surrounding area more inviting – from its physical appearance to attract new residents, to the regional water expansion necessary to provide the infrastructure needed to attract new industry.
They gathered at Clearview Church in Henderson and speakers included Mayor Eddie Ellington, Ronald Bennett, president of the local Chamber of Commerce, Greg Etheridge, president of the local Rotary Club, Tony Mills with Henderson Police Department and Brian Boyd, who acted as facilitator for the meeting, which lasted about an hour.
“I was sitting in a room with a group of people that have a vested interest in this community,” Blackmon said of the gathering, a follow-up action from the recent letter presented to the City Council from concerned business about the negative image of the city.
That letter, Blackmon said, underscored some concerns that the city already was in process of addressing, but it also served to heighten expectations and showed that the business community was interested in improvements that were being done around the city.
Blackmon provided an update on progress being made in the council’s four priorities of its strategic plan – improving the image of the city, recruitment and retention of employees, safe, affordable housing and revitalization and redevelopment.
“They see that the city is growing and they want to make sure we’re doing it in a way that improves the overall appearance of the community,” Blackmon said of those who attended the meeting.
Projects like the regional water expansion and housing codes are just a couple of current projects. “Those things don’t sound real sexy, but the provide the infrastructure for the growth that we’re about to see happen in the community,” Blackmon said.
In his remarks to the group, Mayor Ellington said he is most interested in his hometown being the best it can be.
“I’m happy to see this traction and momentum,” Ellington said in a follow-up interview with WIZS News on Monday. “The only way to get better is to address them,” he said of concerns from the community, “admit it, and hit them head-on.”
Ellington said one concern he has is code enforcement in housing. The city council’s recent adoption of revised minimum housing code will surely help in a couple of areas of the city’s strategic plan priorities.
Ellington said staff shortages across city departments – from police officers to street maintenance crews – makes a tough situation even more difficult.
Code enforcement is not an easy job, but Ellington said it’s a key component in making progress. “That’s what’s so desperately needed,” he said, adding that he advocates beefing up the code enforcement staff to be able to adequately address violations across the city.
Blackmon said he is pleased to see that business leaders seem to be more interested in what’s happening in the city and are attending council meetings. “I’m very appreciative of seeing involvement” at council meetings.
“It shows me that they care about this community,” Blackmon added.
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Home And Garden Show
/by Bill Harris— On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
Paul McKenzie of the Vance Co. Extension Service is joined by Warren County Livestock Extension Agent Matthew Place.
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TownTalk: Coming Together To Improve The Community
/by Laura GabelThe Henderson Police Department’s Tony Mills wears a couple of hats – he’s a detective but he also serves as a liaison with state and federal law enforcement agencies to make sure those strong partnerships are in place among the different entities.
But Mills also is from Henderson, and he calls Henderson home, which just strengthens his resolve to make the city he serves even better.
Mills was one of the speakers at last week’s gathering of business and community leaders sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, and he spoke Tuesday with John C. Rose on Town Talk.
In reflecting on his remarks during the Aug. 26 meeting held at Clearview Church, Mills was optimistic.
“I’m as excited as I’ve ever been, being a resident of Henderson, and calling Henderson home, and being an employee for the city of Henderson and working for the Henderson Police Department…seeing this group wanting to come together with the city and work with the city council,” Mills said he has plenty of hope for the Henderson’s future.
Having business leaders come together to voice concerns as well as offer support and suggestions may be just what the community needs to stay on the path toward progress. Having the business and private sectors working in concert with law enforcement is a positive step.
“The Henderson Police Department is a small department,” Mills readily acknowledged. But that doesn’t cloud his opinion of its capabilities. “I will put the Henderson Police Department and its men and women that serve the citizens of Henderson against any police department in the continental United States. That’s their work ethic, that’s their drive to make their community a better place,” he said.
As a liaison with agencies at the state and federal levels, Mills has the opportunity to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the local district attorney’s office and Drug Enforcement Agency, among others.
“It takes all of us to work together,” he said, to reach those desirable outcomes of getting the bad guys off the streets and making communities safer.
But once an arrest is made, the wheels of justice sometimes turn slowly. State courts and federal courts may view similar crimes in different ways, he said. “You may get more time in state court for just selling heroin,” he noted. “But throw a gun into the mix, and you’re going to get more time in the federal system.”
Routinely, these external partners meet with local law enforcement to discuss the best way to proceed with prosecution. “We come up with a solution and send it up the avenue that’s going to make the community a better place,” he said.
Being a team player with these other law enforcement partners pays dividends for local departments like Henderson’s, Mills said, because they often have resources that just aren’t available or realistic for smaller forces.
Through collaboration, however, smaller departments often can have a bigger impact when it comes to getting bad guys off the streets – which is one thing that is important to business leaders and private citizens. And business leaders and private citizens are a part of the collaboration effort, he said.
“I wish I didn’t have to tell them that we need their help,” Mills said. “I wish we could get it done by ourselves, but we can’t…everybody needs to do their part.”
If you observe something that just doesn’t look right, or makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck, he said, you need to report it. Even those seemingly insignificant things could be a missing piece of the puzzle that law enforcement officers have been investigating for a while.
Author Of Military Thrillers To Teach Class At Granville Senior Center
/by WIZS StaffGranville County’s Creative Lifelong Learning program is planning a free class for the community that will focus on the craft and business of writing and publishing.
The class will be led by North Carolina native and author Tom Young, who will share his story about the inspiration for his novels. The class will be held Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Granville County Senior Center, 107 Lanier St. in Oxford, and will begin at 1:30 p.m.
The CLL course is free and is open to the public, according to information from Terry Hobgood, the county’s public information officer. CLL membership is not required.
Young is best known for his military thrillers set in modern-day conflicts, in addition to historical novels set in World War II. Young served with the Air National Guard in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has flown combat missions to Kosovo and Bosnia as well as Latin America, the Far East, and the Horn of Africa. Young also worked as a flight engineer on the C-130 Hercules and the C-5 Galaxy, logging nearly 5,000 hours. He has flown to nearly 40 countries and has received several military honors.
Young has received the Air Force Combat Action Medal, three Air Medals, and three Aerial Achievement Medals. He currently works as an airline pilot based at Reagan National Airport and holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
For more information, please contact Granville County Senior Center at 919.693.1930 or visit the Granville County website: https://www.granvillecounty.org/residents/senior-services/center-lifelong-learning/.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 08-30-22 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 08-30-22
/by Bill HarrisThe H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for August 30, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email Michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.
Business Name – Perry Memorial Library
Job Opening – Library Assistant Opening. Seeking candidate to perform clerical and paraprofessional support duties at public library in downtown Henderson on Breckenridge Street. Requires good computer skills, part-time (19 hours/week), some nights and weekends, $12 an hour.
How To Apply – Apply online at www.vancecounty.org, use Job Postings tab at top of page.
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Business Name – Franklin-Granville-Vance Smart Start
Job Opening – Open position for a Program and Contracts Coordinator/Evaluator. Applicants needed to monitor contract compliance and program efficiencies of all Smart Start funded programs. The successful candidate will also serve as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director. A Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Human Service related field is required. Requires experience in programs serving young children and families. With prior experience in program evaluation, statistics, data analysis, and training groups in self-evaluation.
How To Apply – Submit cover letter, resume, and FGV Smart Start, PO Box 142, Henderson NC 26536 or email whunt@fgvsmartstart.org. Applications can be downloaded from website www.fgvpartnership.org.
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Business Name – Versatrim
Job Opening – Customer Service Representative. To provide information in response to inquiries about products and services, and to handle and resolve complaints. Must be an enthusiastic individual who can listen to customer service issues and thenoffier a uniques and innovative solution to each problem. Must be 18 years old+ Monday – Friday, 9 am to 6 pm.
How To Apply – Apply online at https://versatrim.com/customer-service-rep.html.
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Business Name – Carter Bank in Henderson
Job Opening – Financial Services Representative. Engages and connects with customers, gathering customer information to acquire new relationships and grow/retain existing relationships while providing exceptional customer service to help resolve any questions or issues related to customer accounts or bank products and services. Full-time.
How To Apply – Apply online at https://www.cbtcares.com, under careers tab at top of home page.
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Business Name – ServPro (Franklin, Vance and Granville County)
Job Opening – Administrative Assistant. Full-time. Monday – Friday. 8 am – 5 pm. Perform all office administrative tasks related to customer calls, job management and tracking, scheduling of jobs and customer satisfaction activities. Perform basic accounting duties relating to accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and banking. Perform general office duties such as drafting correspondence, filing and creating reports.
How To Apply – Stop by the ServPro office in Henderson, at 260 Industry Drive to submit application or apply online at www.indeed.com.
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Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS. Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast. This is not a paid ad.
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Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What works in the Garden
/by Bill HarrisListen 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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NC DMV Accepting Applications To Operate Granville County Office
/by WIZS StaffLooking for a career change? The state’s Division of Motor Vehicles is accepting applications for a commissioned contractor to operate the license plate agency in Granville County.
Penny Ellington has operated the license plate agency in Oxford since 2009, but the agency will close on Nov. 17 when the contract ends, according to information from the NC DMV office in Rocky Mount.
Completed applications should be returned no later than Sept. 27. The applications (Form MVR-93 or Form MVR-93AA) can be found on the Connect NCDOT website. Interested applicants may call 919.615.8105 to learn more.
In North Carolina, NCDMV oversees the 127 license plate agencies across the state, but the agencies are managed by private businesses or local governments.
The division’s policy is to open applications to operate a license plate agency after the expiration or end of a contract, or when the need arises for a new or additional agency in a certain county.
Three nearby license plate agencies offer service Monday through Friday:
In addition, services such as property tax payments and registration renewals can be completed online at www.MyNCDMV.gov.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 08-29-22 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
TownTalk: Blackmon And Ellington Attend Chamber Business Meeting
/by Laura GabelIt’s a well-used analogy, but one appropriate for the situation that Henderson and the surrounding community finds itself in, according to City Manager Terrell Blackmon: The seeds for growth and improvement have been planted, and now the area is beginning to see those seeds sprout. But some onlookers may not be convinced until the flowers bloom.
Blackmon was a guest on Monday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose and he said he was among a group of local city and business leaders to come together to late last week to discuss ways to cultivate and nurture those tender sprouts as they continue to grow.
“They’ve been in progress,” he said. “It just doesn’t happen immediately…you have to plant seeds and allow them to grow.”
Blackmon used the analogy to describe the various projects that the city is a part of, as well as the 4-point strategic plan endorsed by the City Council at its 2022 planning retreat.
The meeting was one way for business leaders to hear about progress being made to make Henderson and the surrounding area more inviting – from its physical appearance to attract new residents, to the regional water expansion necessary to provide the infrastructure needed to attract new industry.
They gathered at Clearview Church in Henderson and speakers included Mayor Eddie Ellington, Ronald Bennett, president of the local Chamber of Commerce, Greg Etheridge, president of the local Rotary Club, Tony Mills with Henderson Police Department and Brian Boyd, who acted as facilitator for the meeting, which lasted about an hour.
“I was sitting in a room with a group of people that have a vested interest in this community,” Blackmon said of the gathering, a follow-up action from the recent letter presented to the City Council from concerned business about the negative image of the city.
That letter, Blackmon said, underscored some concerns that the city already was in process of addressing, but it also served to heighten expectations and showed that the business community was interested in improvements that were being done around the city.
Blackmon provided an update on progress being made in the council’s four priorities of its strategic plan – improving the image of the city, recruitment and retention of employees, safe, affordable housing and revitalization and redevelopment.
“They see that the city is growing and they want to make sure we’re doing it in a way that improves the overall appearance of the community,” Blackmon said of those who attended the meeting.
Projects like the regional water expansion and housing codes are just a couple of current projects. “Those things don’t sound real sexy, but the provide the infrastructure for the growth that we’re about to see happen in the community,” Blackmon said.
In his remarks to the group, Mayor Ellington said he is most interested in his hometown being the best it can be.
“I’m happy to see this traction and momentum,” Ellington said in a follow-up interview with WIZS News on Monday. “The only way to get better is to address them,” he said of concerns from the community, “admit it, and hit them head-on.”
Ellington said one concern he has is code enforcement in housing. The city council’s recent adoption of revised minimum housing code will surely help in a couple of areas of the city’s strategic plan priorities.
Ellington said staff shortages across city departments – from police officers to street maintenance crews – makes a tough situation even more difficult.
Code enforcement is not an easy job, but Ellington said it’s a key component in making progress. “That’s what’s so desperately needed,” he said, adding that he advocates beefing up the code enforcement staff to be able to adequately address violations across the city.
Blackmon said he is pleased to see that business leaders seem to be more interested in what’s happening in the city and are attending council meetings. “I’m very appreciative of seeing involvement” at council meetings.
“It shows me that they care about this community,” Blackmon added.
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The Local Skinny! Ellington, City Leaders Assess Needs During Ride-Around
/by Laura GabelA contingent of city officials completed a ride-around through a couple of the city’s wards to view for themselves some of the concerns that residents have with the state of some properties in their neighborhoods.
Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington told John C. Rose on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! that he was among those who hopped in cars and cruised some of the city’s streets in Wards 3 and 4. Code enforcement, he said, must be “at the forefront of our mission.”
Ride-arounds are just one way for city officials to get firsthand accounts of how properties are being maintained – or not maintained, as the case may be.
“I’ve been through these wards myself,” Ellington said, “to see what people are faced with. Just to see it firsthand, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said.
The mayor recalled a recent chat he had with a resident, who invited him off her porch to take a short walk.
“We walked down the street and around the corner,” he said, and what he saw was not good.
“A lot of it was gut-wrenching and disappointing,” he said of pockets of neighborhoods that are not maintained properly.
Some folks have beautiful yards and porches, yet “two houses down, they’re falling in, cars in the yard, abandoned.” City residents don’t deserve that kind of inattention, he said.
Others who participated in the ride-around included City Manager Terrell Blackmon, Police Chief Marcus Barrow, Recreation and Parks Director Kendrick Vann and City Attorney Rix Edwards.
The next ride-around will cover Wards 1 and 2, he said. It’s a good way for the city’s residents to be assured that their concerns are being heard and addressed.
“I just want the residents to keep the faith. We’re moving and we’re looking forward to a bright future,” Ellington said.
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