Update 4-14-25 at 11;30 p.m.
In a special called meeting held Monday afternoon, the Vance County Board of Commissioners took steps to move forward with repairs to the existing jail and construction of a new detention center, but are still wrestling with issues of having too many detainees and too few staff – both of which fall far below state expectations to rectify the problems.
Commissioners approved a proposal from County Manager C. Renee Perry to pay current staff $50 an hour on top of their regular hourly rate in an effort to get them to work additional hours at the jail and help close scheduling gaps – at least for the next two pay periods.
Three additional people per 12-hour shift would be needed to comply with the state’s mandate for staffing, which would result in about $69,000 in extra pay and benefits per month. There’s money already in the budget, so no budget amendment would be needed at this time.
Perry also recommended that the minimum salary for detention officers be bumped up one pay grade, effective immediately, from about $40,000 to about $42,000.
This move helps to make Vance County more competitive with surrounding counties, but Perry said it will affect more staff pay because when you shift one grade you have to shift the entire detention series.
The problems at the detention center aren’t new, and they aren’t a surprise to county leaders. But finding solutions has proven to be complicated, and long-term solutions are elusive.
As of Monday, the county has failed to meet not one, but two, deadlines to comply with state mandates – to significantly reduce the number of detainees in the detention center and to address staffing shortages.
Perry said the county received a second letter from the state on Friday, Apr. 11 stating that the sheriff’s office must submit by 5 p.m. on Monday a list of 20 additional staff members who would be filling in those staffing gaps.
Maj. William Mitchell, interim administrator jail, frankly informed commissioners that creating and submitting that list isn’t quite as simple as writing 20 names on a piece of paper.
“It is physically impossible to have that done by 5 o’clock,” Mitchell said.
And although the sheriff’s office has made headway in whittling down the number of detainees – 77 have been moved to six counties across the state with another 10 scheduled to be moved soon – it still is far from the maximum of 20.
There were 81 detainees in the jail as of Friday, Apr. 11 – down from 178, Mitchell noted. As of Monday, the number had crept up to 87.
Mitchell introduced Maj. Kevin Staton as the new detention center administrator, effective next Monday and mentioned several other additions to staff rosters. Again, it’s a step toward filling the 30 or so vacancies, but there’s still a long way to go.
“Staffing is still a huge issue,” Mitchell told commissioners. “If we can’t get COs (correction officers) to come in on their days off, I don’t know what the next step is going to be.”
With three staff recently dismissed and an additional resignation late last week, the jail is short between 24 and 26 staffers. Sheriff Curtis Brame said his office needs between 8 and 10 additional officers to be fully staffed.
The Apr. 1 letter spelled out five areas of corrective action, including the depopulation of the jail, staffing deficiencies, supervision schedules, contraband and repairs.
Mitchell reported to commissioners that C Dorm is now empty and county staff have already taken a look to see what repairs can be made as a stopgap measure until the more comprehensive repairs using the “design/build” model can be implemented.
Although Perry assured commissioners that the county would continue to tackle repairs on the lengthy “to-do” list, she does not want to make repairs that ultimately would need to be done again.
“I just don’t want to spend a lot of money on things that may not be done correctly,” or not in accordance with recommendations from the design/build team, she said.
****************************************
Original Update 4-11-25 at 5:30 p.m.
With the state’s deadline now passed to drastically depopulate the Vance County Detention Center, Sheriff Curtis Brame said he and his office continue to look for places for the detainees to be relocated, but it hasn’t been an easy task.
Insufficient staffing and serious deficiencies in the physical facility prompted the state to issue the corrective action that included moving out more than 100 detainees to other facilities.
As of Friday morning – one day past the Apr. 10 deadline to reduce the jail population from more than 140 to 20 – Brame told WIZS News that there were fewer than 90 individuals still housed at the detention center.
Brame said he is working with other sheriffs to relocate more detainees, but other jails also face at-capacity or over-capacity censuses.
It’s not as simple as moving detainees from one place to another, he said. Detainees haven’t been convicted of crimes; they are in custody awaiting trial and cannot be housed in exactly the same space with individuals who have been convicted of crimes.
The Vance County Board of Commissioners will have a special called meeting on Monday, Apr. 14 at 4 p.m. to discuss matters concerning the jail. Included on the notice from Board Chair Carolyn Faines are three items:
- new detention center construction and renovation recommendations
- detention center deficiencies
- emergency pay policy
The meeting will be held in the commissioners’ conference room of the Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young St.
County Board Special Called Meeting To Discuss Lingering Jail Issues
/by WIZS StaffUpdate 4-14-25 at 11;30 p.m.
In a special called meeting held Monday afternoon, the Vance County Board of Commissioners took steps to move forward with repairs to the existing jail and construction of a new detention center, but are still wrestling with issues of having too many detainees and too few staff – both of which fall far below state expectations to rectify the problems.
Commissioners approved a proposal from County Manager C. Renee Perry to pay current staff $50 an hour on top of their regular hourly rate in an effort to get them to work additional hours at the jail and help close scheduling gaps – at least for the next two pay periods.
Three additional people per 12-hour shift would be needed to comply with the state’s mandate for staffing, which would result in about $69,000 in extra pay and benefits per month. There’s money already in the budget, so no budget amendment would be needed at this time.
Perry also recommended that the minimum salary for detention officers be bumped up one pay grade, effective immediately, from about $40,000 to about $42,000.
This move helps to make Vance County more competitive with surrounding counties, but Perry said it will affect more staff pay because when you shift one grade you have to shift the entire detention series.
The problems at the detention center aren’t new, and they aren’t a surprise to county leaders. But finding solutions has proven to be complicated, and long-term solutions are elusive.
As of Monday, the county has failed to meet not one, but two, deadlines to comply with state mandates – to significantly reduce the number of detainees in the detention center and to address staffing shortages.
Perry said the county received a second letter from the state on Friday, Apr. 11 stating that the sheriff’s office must submit by 5 p.m. on Monday a list of 20 additional staff members who would be filling in those staffing gaps.
Maj. William Mitchell, interim administrator jail, frankly informed commissioners that creating and submitting that list isn’t quite as simple as writing 20 names on a piece of paper.
“It is physically impossible to have that done by 5 o’clock,” Mitchell said.
And although the sheriff’s office has made headway in whittling down the number of detainees – 77 have been moved to six counties across the state with another 10 scheduled to be moved soon – it still is far from the maximum of 20.
There were 81 detainees in the jail as of Friday, Apr. 11 – down from 178, Mitchell noted. As of Monday, the number had crept up to 87.
Mitchell introduced Maj. Kevin Staton as the new detention center administrator, effective next Monday and mentioned several other additions to staff rosters. Again, it’s a step toward filling the 30 or so vacancies, but there’s still a long way to go.
“Staffing is still a huge issue,” Mitchell told commissioners. “If we can’t get COs (correction officers) to come in on their days off, I don’t know what the next step is going to be.”
With three staff recently dismissed and an additional resignation late last week, the jail is short between 24 and 26 staffers. Sheriff Curtis Brame said his office needs between 8 and 10 additional officers to be fully staffed.
The Apr. 1 letter spelled out five areas of corrective action, including the depopulation of the jail, staffing deficiencies, supervision schedules, contraband and repairs.
Mitchell reported to commissioners that C Dorm is now empty and county staff have already taken a look to see what repairs can be made as a stopgap measure until the more comprehensive repairs using the “design/build” model can be implemented.
Although Perry assured commissioners that the county would continue to tackle repairs on the lengthy “to-do” list, she does not want to make repairs that ultimately would need to be done again.
“I just don’t want to spend a lot of money on things that may not be done correctly,” or not in accordance with recommendations from the design/build team, she said.
****************************************
Original Update 4-11-25 at 5:30 p.m.
With the state’s deadline now passed to drastically depopulate the Vance County Detention Center, Sheriff Curtis Brame said he and his office continue to look for places for the detainees to be relocated, but it hasn’t been an easy task.
Insufficient staffing and serious deficiencies in the physical facility prompted the state to issue the corrective action that included moving out more than 100 detainees to other facilities.
As of Friday morning – one day past the Apr. 10 deadline to reduce the jail population from more than 140 to 20 – Brame told WIZS News that there were fewer than 90 individuals still housed at the detention center.
Brame said he is working with other sheriffs to relocate more detainees, but other jails also face at-capacity or over-capacity censuses.
It’s not as simple as moving detainees from one place to another, he said. Detainees haven’t been convicted of crimes; they are in custody awaiting trial and cannot be housed in exactly the same space with individuals who have been convicted of crimes.
The Vance County Board of Commissioners will have a special called meeting on Monday, Apr. 14 at 4 p.m. to discuss matters concerning the jail. Included on the notice from Board Chair Carolyn Faines are three items:
The meeting will be held in the commissioners’ conference room of the Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young St.
The Local Skinny! Tasker Fleming on MerleFest 2025
/by WIZS StaffThe campus of Wilkes Community College once again transforms into a sprawling concert venue later this month when MerleFest 2025 cranks up for four days of pure musical fun.
MerleFest 2025 begins Thursday, Apr. 24 and continues through Sunday, Apr. 27.
Tasker Fleming, host of the Front Porch Bluegrass Show that airs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays on WIZS said that folks who attend MerleFest will surely get their money’s worth – different musical groups will take to stages large and small, indoors and out, during the course of each day.
One local group, The Barefoot Movement, is scheduled for four performances on Friday, Apr. 25. They’re just one of the dozens of performers – from Bonnie Raitt and the Avett Brothers to Asleep at the Wheel and Peter Rowan – included in this year’s lineup.
singers, players and pickers
And if the musical variety weren’t enough, there will be vendors galore selling all kinds of items from food to musical instruments for the thousands of attendees expected.
When Fleming attended the music festival a couple of years ago, he said one thing that struck him was the relaxed atmosphere that existed between the musicians and the audience.
“When they get off the stage, they hang around and talk to you,” he said. “You won’t get that at a normal concert.”
Visit https://merlefest.org/ to learn more.
CLICK PLAY!
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 04-14-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Click Play!
TownTalk: Willard Haithcock Membership Scholarship
/by Laura GabelWillard Haithcock wasn’t a gregarious person, according to his son Heath. He was quiet and soft-spoken, to tell you the truth. But he loved a good routine, you could count on him being at the Henderson Family YMCA at pretty much the same time every day of the week.
“You could set your watch by him,” he said of his dad, whom he described as the quintessential family man who provided for his wife and children
When Haithcock died in 2021, it made perfect sense to his family to establish scholarships in his memory to give others a chance to enjoy the benefits of the Y that he himself had enjoyed so much.
“My dad was not one to draw attention to himself,” Heath said on Monday’s TownTalk. But as the family considered how to best honor their loved one, a scholarship to the YMCA was what leapt to their minds.
“We wanted his life to stand for something,” Heath said, admitting that if his Dad could weigh in on the matter, he’d most likely call the idea the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard.
His dad instilled in him to treat others the way he wanted to be treated. He taught by example – Willard treated everybody equally, his son said.
“That’s what the Y does,” Heath said. And the family chose to create one scholarship for an individual membership and one for a family membership, he said, because “they YMCA is all about inclusion.”
“He really wasn’t that into fitness,” Heath said. But those daily visits to the YMCA gave his father an outlet to reduce stress, get in a little physical activity and embrace a side of his personality that he may not have demonstrated in his business life.
“It became part of his routine…he was very regimented and routine-oriented,” he said.
He became a mainstay at the Y and Heath said the Y became one of the joys of his Dad’s life.
Sadly, Willard didn’t get to enjoy the benefits of retirement for very long. He died just a couple of years after he sold his business.
“It’s a shame he couldn’t have spent more time doing what he enjoyed,” Heath said.
There is no doubt that he would have stuck to his routine and been a 7-day a week YMCA gym rat.
“It was great that he had that venue and that outlet…to be his true self,” Heath said.
The deadline to submit an application for the scholarships is coming up this Sunday, Apr. 20. Find the application at https://www.hendersonymca.org/.
CLICK PLAY!
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Mini Gardens
/by WIZS StaffOn the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report from Wayne Rowland:
Mini gardens can be grown in limited space and will help provide fresh vegetables for your family.
The Vance-Warren Beekeepers Association meeting will be on Monday, April 14, 2025 at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536
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!
NC Taxpayers Have Until May 1 To File Taxes
/by WIZS StaffTaxpayers in North Carolina have a slight reprieve this year – the deadline to file state and federal taxes has been extended to May 1, giving individuals and businesses an extra couple of weeks to file.
Because of the devastation created by Hurricane Helen and Tropical Storm Debby last year, the Internal Revenue Service extended the deadline to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
Following the disaster declaration issued by FEMA, individuals and households that reside or have a business in the entire state qualify for tax relief.
Affected taxpayers with returns and payments with due dates postponed until Feb. 3, 2025, due to Tropical Storm Debby in North Carolina (NC-2024-07) will also now have until May 1, 2025, to file and/or pay.
The declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after Sept. 25, 2024, and before May 1, 2025, are granted additional time to file through May 1, 2025. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until May 1, 2025, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.
The May 1, 2025, filing deadline applies to:
The May 1, 2025, deadline also applies to any payment normally due during this period, including the quarterly estimated tax payments due on Jan. 15 and April 15, 2025. The May 1, 2025, deadline also applies to the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Oct. 31, 2024, and Jan. 31, and April 30, 2025. In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Sept. 25, 2024, and before Oct. 10, 2024, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by Oct. 10, 2024.
If an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original filing, payment or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the telephone number on the notice to have the IRS abate the penalty.
The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies filing and payment relief. But affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area should call the IRS disaster hotline at 866.562.5227 to request this tax relief. Tax preparers located in the disaster area with clients located outside the disaster area can choose to use the Bulk requests from practitioners for disaster relief option, described on www.IRS.gov.
Henderson Teen Missing For Three Weeks
/by WIZS StaffLocal law enforcement officials are looking for a Henderson teen, missing now for three weeks.
Maria Guadalupe “Lupita” Dominguez-Galvez, 17, left her home with someone driving a black Ford Explorer the evening of Thursday, Mar. 27, according to family members.
WIZS News spoke with a family member early Friday afternoon who said they still haven’t heard anything from Lupita. HendFact, a local Latino advocacy group, is among other groups supporting the family as the search continues to locate the teen.
In a press release issued Friday afternoon, Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame said the family had reported her missing on Mar. 28. Family members said she left her home between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division received the case and are actively investigating. Maria has been entered into the various National Databases for Missing Persons/Children. Law enforcement resources are being utilized, and Federal Agencies have been contacted to assist.
At this time, there is no information indicating that Maria left involuntarily. Also, there are no suspects, associates, or vehicles known to law enforcement that attributed or are associated with Maria leaving her residence, according to the press release.
She is a sophomore at Vance County High School, local media outlets report.
Sheriff’s Office Maj. William Mitchell told the Dispatch there is no indication the child has been harmed and local LEOs do have some information on her whereabouts and “negative tendencies.” According to investigators, Dominguez-Galvez left a note for her family before exiting her home without her cell phone.
Anyone with information about the teen’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at 252.738.2200.
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 04-11-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Click Play!
Variety Wholesalers Launches First Wave Of Big Lots! Reopenings
/by WIZS StaffHenderson-based Variety Wholesalers is opening – or re-opening – on Thursday nine Big Lots! stores following a strategic acquisition of 219 of the retail stores across the South.
Variety Wholesalers, a leading discount retailer known for its “treasure hunt shopping experience, closeouts and unbeatable bargains,” plans to open more stores in the eastern market throughout May and June, according to information provided by the company.
The Big Lots! stores have been remodeled and will feature a large selection of closeout deals and new merchandise categories, including electronics and apparel.
Included in this first wave of re-openings is a store in Asheboro; the other stores are located in Roanoke, VA, Mount Sterling, KY, Metairie, LA, Tupelo, MS, Pearl, MS, Clarksville, TN, Gallatin, TN and Dickson, TN.
‘We’re thrilled to bring the Big Lots! brand back to life by offering more deals than ever, lots of famous brands and a new apparel department for the entire family,” said Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers. “We’re opening stores quickly so we can serve the community. We know the stores won’t be perfect to start, but each week we’ll add more new products as we build towards the grand opening celebration in the fall. Every time a customer visits Big Lots! we want them to find something new and exciting!”
Variety Wholesalers will reopen the remaining acquired locations in subsequent waves, with approximately 55 stores in the second wave opening on Thursday, May 1. The remaining stores will open through early June and lead up to a grand opening celebration that will take place across all stores this fall. BigLots.com and Big Lots! social media channels will feature more news and updates on store announcements.
Variety Wholesalers’ acquisition of Big Lots! stores marks a significant expansion for the company, further solidifying its position as a leading discount retailer. The company’s portfolio includes well-known brands such as Roses, Roses Express and Maxway.
In addition to the initial nine locations, Variety Wholesalers plans to reopen Big Lots! stores in North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia, among other states.
Variety Wholesalers is committed to providing customers with a wide selection of merchandise, including apparel, famous brands, home décor, health and beauty items, closeouts, seasonal products and more all at unbeatable prices.
The Local Skinny! County Attorney Explains ‘Design/Build’ Concept For Jail Repairs
/by WIZS StaffThe Vance County Board of Commissioners have approved a pathway for county staff to proceed with a “design/build” process to make necessary repairs to the jail as it weighs further options for construction of a new detention center.
County Attorney Jonathan Care explained to commissioners at their Monday meeting why he recommends this “new” approach be used for the repairs and expressed the need to move quickly, based on a letter from the state citing, among other things, the poor physical condition of the jail.
Care spelled out options for the short-term repairs needed at the existing jail while pursuing design and construction options for a brand-new jail; the consensus at Monday’s meeting was to use the design/build process for the repairs. Care told commissioners staff could have everything in place by the next meeting, if not sooner, to put that plan in motion.
One of the main components of the design/build approach, he explained, has both the construction side and the design side collaborating on the project instead of hiring an architect to design and then a construction team to build.
“I think that is the absolute best way to move forward,” Care said, “and that is my recommendation to move forward with repairs to our current facility.”
The design/build approach begins with a request for qualification – an RFQ – instead of a request for proposals – an RFP, which often results in awarding projects to the company who submits the lowest bid.
He said the design/build process won’t be the cheapest way, but it should result in fewer change orders during construction and fewer issues that inevitably pop up.
With the repairs, however, “time is as much of a factor as cost is.”
A jail is not something that should be pieced out and parceled, Care said.
“We need to know, down the road, that we’re going to have a facility that isn’t such a unicorn that we’re reliant on one person” to come in and make needed repairs, he said, referencing the problem with broken doors at the jail.
“I can tell you, unfortunately, we’ve experienced some of that in our current facility with updating, remodeling and building…that isn’t working for us, and it’s costing us dearly now.”
CLICK PLAY!