It’s often said the kitchen is the heart of the home. But if you ask Edythe Thompson, she may just say that about the kitchen at Henderson’s African American Cultural Museum. The museum has converted the rooms of the former residence into a space filled with exhibits that celebrate achievements of African Americans, from politics to sports, education to the arts, and everything in between.
But food has a way of bringing folks together, she said, and the kitchen is where family and friends gather and where that food is cooked and prepared, with love. Meals and snacks can, in fact, be prepared for groups who make the request, Thompson said.
The museum, located at 1513 Oxford Rd., is filled with memorabilia and artifacts, many of which come from Thompson’s own collection – items she has accumulated over her decades of travel and work with the NAACP and now with ReBuild Communities NC, a tax-exempt non-profit community housing redevelopment organization.
The museum will hold a Juneteenth celebration beginning this Friday, June 15 through Tuesday, June 20. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thompson spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s TownTalk and said everything about the museum is done from the perspective of achievement. “Every room in the house is decorated so that you get the African perspective in daily life,” she said. There is a special exhibit that pays tribute to Dr. Andrea L. Harris, who Thompson said played a key role in her coming to Henderson. Harris grew up in Henderson and went on to become a community activist and organizer. She also was instrumental in establishing the N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development, becoming its president in 1990. She died in 2020.
Although she currently is the primary guide for groups who come to tour the museum, Thompson said other docents are in the process of being trained to share their knowledge to visitors.
Thompson said she’s been a member of the NAACP for more than 30 years, and has served as a branch president as well as on the national board of directors. The museum and its collection give people of a certain age a chance to stroll down Memory Lane as they see artifacts from the Civil Rights Movement era, for example. If they’re like her, they remember back to that time in the country’s history when news headlines talked of protests and segregation, unfair discrimination and equal rights for all.
The museum can serve as a supplement to what schoolchildren learn about Blacks in history – “I’m available to augment the (curriculum) so that it is more inclusive of African American culture,” she said.
Learning what it means to persevere, endure and be tolerant of others are important things to teach children. “We don’t have to stay stuck in the past,” she said. “We can all respect and honor each other – I’m hoping that’s the direction we’re moving in. If we want the future to be different, we have to start with the children.”
Tours may be scheduled by visiting Please call ahead and arrange a time. Book ahead.
www.rebuildcommunitiesnc.org, Thompson said. Because of the size of the museum – about 2,500 square feet – it’s preferred to reserve a time to visit to avoid a crowded situation. The building is sanitized after each tour, to “promote safety as well as education.”
There is no fee to visit to museum, but donations are accepted – and welcomed. There is a donation box at the museum, but others may donate online via the website or other online payment methods.
Although Thompson has been the executive director for 12 years, she is quick to point out that it takes a team of volunteers to keep things running. From teachers who conduct classes to community members who become storytellers, Thompson said the museum is a true collaboration of people who “share the vision and appreciate the mission,” she said with gratitude.
“When you see it, you will realize it’s not something that one person could do,” she said.
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WIZS Radio Local News Audio 06-14-22 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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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The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 06-14-22
/by Bill HarrisThe H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for June 14th, 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.
Company
Select Products
Job Title and Description
Opening for a Logistics Manager – Responsible for managing all aspects of the trucking fleet equipment and drivers and third party carriers to maximize the operation of the Select Products trucking department of this paper tissue converter products company. Looking for local candidates only. Applicant will be responsible for customer and inbound raw materials shipments. Will work to ensure efficient transportation of company products from manufacturing plant to clients or retail locations. Applicant will need to stay up-to-date on trucking/transportation laws and regulations. Working with Select Products HR Department to create job descriptions and recruit qualified drivers as needed to operate and grow the trucking fleet.
How To Apply
Stop by Select Products Company, located at 1133 Poplar Creek Road in Henderson (across from VGCC main campus). Contact Zollie Perry, Human Resources Manager, at Select Products. Or send resume to zollie.perry@selectph.com.
Company
Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments
Job Title and Description
Opening for a Regional Project Manager – Seeking a resourceful, community minded individual for this full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package. This position will provide support and technical assistance to local governments in a 5-county area on issues dealing with housing, broadband, transportation, water and sewer infrastructure and other community/economic development initiatives. Applicant will be writing grants and administering grant support. Lead public meetings related to the project, collect and analyze data, and provide technical assistance to governmental agencies and partners. Salary range is $48,000 – $50,000. Undergraduate degree from accredited college in a related field such as public administration, planning, business administration, or communications and 1-2 years of experience.
How To Apply
Submit resume and cover letter to info@kerrtarcog.org.
Company
Variety Wholesalers (Roses Stores)
Job Title and Description
Opening for a Director of Distribution Center Operations – full time position. Analytical leader on the Senior Management Team. Requires a Bachelor’s Degree or 7+ years of experience in logistics, supply chain, industrial experience. Excellent communications skills required. Knowledge of computer skills, and experience in financial planning (profit and loss) is required.
How To Apply
Send resume to DeLynn Gilmore, Vice President of Human Resources at Variety Wholesalers, DGilmore@vwstores.com
Company
Versatrim
Job Title and Description
Opening for an Accounts Receivable Clerk – Full time. Salary from $14 an hour, with excellent benefits. Qualifications include knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Customer Service Skills. 8-hour day shifts, Monday – Friday. Applicant will assist the accounting department in creating accurate and timely financial records.
How To Apply
Send Resume to Human Resource Manager Brandi Parker at brandi@versatrim.com.
Company
Brewer Cycles
Job Title and Description
Multiple Job Openings – Sales Associate and Parts Associate. Full-Time. Applicant must provide outstanding customer service. Knowledge of power sports vehicles and parts required for sales and service of motorcycles, ATV’s, dirt bikes, go-karts, pressure washers and generators. Ability to work Tuesday – Saturday.
How To Apply
Stop by Brewer Cycles and pick up an application or drop off your resume at 420 Warrenton Road, Henderson NC.
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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Raleigh to Richmond Corridor Grant
/by John C. Rose— information courtesy of NCDOT and NCDOT Now —
The Federal Railroad Administration announced during the week of May 30th more than $368 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants. Of this, nearly $58 million will go to the development of the Raleigh to Richmond corridor.
The grant will support surveys and preliminary engineering for the corridor.
This grant, the largest awarded in this funding cycle, will improve transportation access for underserved and rural communities while shortening travel times between the two cities.
“We want to make sure that we can get people from one place to the next,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “To their jobs, to their schools, to their healthcare. And we know as we move into this clean energy economy, as we fight climate change every single day, that passenger rail is going to be key in getting us from one place to the next.”
Harold Sherman Adult Day Center Open House Set For June 22
/by WIZS StaffCaregivers and family members who want to learn more about the Harold Sherman Adult Day Center in Granville County can attend an open house later this month in Oxford.
The open house will be held Wednesday, June 22 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 1038-B College St., Oxford.
The Harold Sherman Adult Day Center provides services for residents of Granville, Vance and Warren counties, according to information from its director, Gail Barnes-Hall. Granville Health System established the adult day center in 1998 to meet the needs of disabled adults and their caregivers.
The purpose of the open house is to provide families and caregivers in the community with information about the adult day services program, Barnes-Hall said in a written statement. During the open house, caregivers will have an opportunity to tour the facility, speak with staff and discuss available funding options.
To register for this event, please email Barnes-Hall at ghall@granvillemedical.com. You may also contact the center directly at 919.690.3273.
The open house will feature informational discussions with staff who will share an overview of the services provided by the center, including:
For more information about HSADC visit www.ghsHospital.org/HSADC or call 919.690.3273.
Suspect Arrested for Voluntary Manslaughter Related to May Homicide
/by WIZS Staff— press release information from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame
On or about the 9th day of June 2022, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office arrested 31-year-old Marcus C Burt for Voluntary Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
Marcus Burt is being held in custody, pending his ability to secure a bond in the amount of $100,000.
Shinnell Burt, age 31, the wife of Marcus Burt, was arrested and charged with Obstruction of Justice. Ms. Burt posted $25,000 bond and was released from custody.
These charges are related to the May 29th homicide of Terry Shearin off of Regina Lane in the Williamsboro Community.
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate this incident. Anyone with information regarding this matter is urged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 06-13-22 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
TownTalk: African American Cultural Museum Educates And Enlightens
/by Laura GabelIt’s often said the kitchen is the heart of the home. But if you ask Edythe Thompson, she may just say that about the kitchen at Henderson’s African American Cultural Museum. The museum has converted the rooms of the former residence into a space filled with exhibits that celebrate achievements of African Americans, from politics to sports, education to the arts, and everything in between.
But food has a way of bringing folks together, she said, and the kitchen is where family and friends gather and where that food is cooked and prepared, with love. Meals and snacks can, in fact, be prepared for groups who make the request, Thompson said.
The museum, located at 1513 Oxford Rd., is filled with memorabilia and artifacts, many of which come from Thompson’s own collection – items she has accumulated over her decades of travel and work with the NAACP and now with ReBuild Communities NC, a tax-exempt non-profit community housing redevelopment organization.
The museum will hold a Juneteenth celebration beginning this Friday, June 15 through Tuesday, June 20. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thompson spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s TownTalk and said everything about the museum is done from the perspective of achievement. “Every room in the house is decorated so that you get the African perspective in daily life,” she said. There is a special exhibit that pays tribute to Dr. Andrea L. Harris, who Thompson said played a key role in her coming to Henderson. Harris grew up in Henderson and went on to become a community activist and organizer. She also was instrumental in establishing the N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development, becoming its president in 1990. She died in 2020.
Although she currently is the primary guide for groups who come to tour the museum, Thompson said other docents are in the process of being trained to share their knowledge to visitors.
Thompson said she’s been a member of the NAACP for more than 30 years, and has served as a branch president as well as on the national board of directors. The museum and its collection give people of a certain age a chance to stroll down Memory Lane as they see artifacts from the Civil Rights Movement era, for example. If they’re like her, they remember back to that time in the country’s history when news headlines talked of protests and segregation, unfair discrimination and equal rights for all.
The museum can serve as a supplement to what schoolchildren learn about Blacks in history – “I’m available to augment the (curriculum) so that it is more inclusive of African American culture,” she said.
Learning what it means to persevere, endure and be tolerant of others are important things to teach children. “We don’t have to stay stuck in the past,” she said. “We can all respect and honor each other – I’m hoping that’s the direction we’re moving in. If we want the future to be different, we have to start with the children.”
Tours may be scheduled by visiting Please call ahead and arrange a time. Book ahead.
www.rebuildcommunitiesnc.org, Thompson said. Because of the size of the museum – about 2,500 square feet – it’s preferred to reserve a time to visit to avoid a crowded situation. The building is sanitized after each tour, to “promote safety as well as education.”
There is no fee to visit to museum, but donations are accepted – and welcomed. There is a donation box at the museum, but others may donate online via the website or other online payment methods.
Although Thompson has been the executive director for 12 years, she is quick to point out that it takes a team of volunteers to keep things running. From teachers who conduct classes to community members who become storytellers, Thompson said the museum is a true collaboration of people who “share the vision and appreciate the mission,” she said with gratitude.
“When you see it, you will realize it’s not something that one person could do,” she said.
CLICK PLAY!
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Japanese Beetles
/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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GCPS Plans “Watch” Event July 12 To See Images From Webb Telescope
/by WIZS StaffThe Webb telescope is set to send never-before-seen images of space back to Earth soon, and the scientific community – as well as folks on the ground in Granville County – are waiting and wondering what the giant telescope will reveal.
Planning for the design and successful launch of the James E. Webb Telescope has been years in the making, but now that it’s almost time for the instrument to send back full-color images of what it “sees,” scientists and others who have been closely monitoring its function can’t be exactly sure when they’ll be able to release those photos.
But Granville County Public Schools STEAM Coordinator Amy Rice is working with those experts to provide a special “watch” party at J.F. Webb High School on July 12. She knows the day, but the time is a little uncertain.
J.F. Webb is named for the father of James E. Webb, for whom the telescope is named. What better spot to host a watch party? Webb, the father, was a former schools superintendent in Granville County; his son, in 1961, became administrator of the newly formed NASA.
Rice told WIZS News that the event in Oxford on July 12 will include a virtual panel discussion during which time experts will discuss various aspects of the Webb mission. The panel discussion will begin at 6 p.m.
“Once NASA lets us know the time of the photo release, we will announce what time we will start live streaming the release of the photos,” Rice said in an email. On site will also be a group of science interns from nearby Shaw University to lead STEM-related interactive sessions for younger children that will be related to the work of the space telescope.
Interested in coming to the July 12 event? Please check https://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/ for updates on times for the photo release.
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