In its very title, the Data-To-Action workshop that took place earlier this month clearly states the mission: We have a lot of data – now, what do we do about it?
Over the course of a day and a half, close to 20 participants from a cross-section of the community shared stories, analyzed data and listened to different perspectives, all in an effort to do something about the rising rates of violence in Henderson and Vance County.
Several of the participants came to the WIZS studios Thursday to share some takeaways from that workshop and to talk about what the future holds as the newly formed nonprofit Pathways 2 Peace continues to gather momentum.
Charles Turrentine, Jr., P2P’s founder, along with Dispatch editor Gary Band and local business owners Tasha Fritz and Roy Brown, Jr., said the workshop was a way to hear from a variety of people and to try to get to the root of problems that lead to violence and violent crimes.
The workshop took place at Vance-Granville Community College on June 6 and 7 and was led by facilitators who guided participants through activities that ultimately produced three root causes that contribute to violence and violent crime in the area, Turrentine said: poverty, broken homes and absenteeism.
“Poverty and broken-down families intertwine with substance abuse, feeding the cycle,” he said.
These factors may be easily identifiable, but what actions to take to reverse the trends is what P2P is focusing on now.
As part of the workshop, the group produced an action plan – concrete ways to address the problems.
As far as a timeframe goes, Turrentine was quick to respond. “The timeframe is now,” he said, mentioning an upcoming Community Read-In, a collaboration with Perry Memorial Library that will take place on June 25.
But P2P has plans to do more, from providing mentorship opportunities and peer support for people struggling to hosting other listening sessions to hear what people want and need.
“That’s where Pathways 2 Peace can help,” Turrentine said. “We’re changing the narrative,” he said, connecting agencies and resources with the people who need them. “We’re not in silos, we’re inviting people to come out,” he said.
“We want to change the mindset,” Turrentine said. A feeling of embarrassment may have a hand in people not asking for help, he said. “It’s ok to need help if you want to do better.”
Ultimately, P2P hopes to have a physical location where people can just walk in and ask for help in finding resources, Fritz said.
Fritz is a creative professional and leads The Savvy Sisters, LLC, a local faith-led company that specializes in branding, marketing and design.
For the past 14 years, she has been working with small businesses to build websites, create logos and more.
She said she had intended to attend the workshop for a few hours, mainly because she had committed to being there.
“I went, I showed up with the attitude of ‘Let’s see what this is all about,’” Fritz said. “Once I got there…it became that much more interesting to me. The facilitators brought everything together, she said. “It turned out to be an extremely powerful session.”
From her perspective, Fritz said it’s a matter of pushing people to believe in themselves. “If we want better, we have to do better…uplift instead of tearing each other down.”
As owner of 2 Kings One City Media Co., Brown said he attended the workshop not just as a member of the business community, but as someone who has seen firsthand some of the struggles people face. Through his work offering peer support, Brown said he believes some of the problems “can be nipped in the bud” if people’s needs can be identified and addressed so they can get their lives back on track.
Connecting people to existing resources is a critical component to addressing those needs, everything from finding clothing or household items when money is tight to accessing mental health agencies or substance abuse treatment programs.
Turrentine said he wants people to be able to access resources when they need them to help them get to their destinations – it’s a temporary support that isn’t designed for long-term dependence.
“The system is not designed to be an enabler,” he said, rather, it’s “designed to help you get off the system.”
Band said he witnessed “energy, enthusiasm and engagement” during the workshop, and participants seemed to be laser-focused on the issues that are negatively affecting the city and county.
The community doesn’t necessarily need more programs, he said, but more connections.
“If we can recognize where those resources exist,” Band said, and be able to approach and engage people, the work will pay dividends.
There’s a new website that is offering just such a listing of resources called Connect to Henderson. Agencies and organizations can submit information about the services and programs they provide. The website is https://www.connect-to-henderson.com/
Turrentine said P2P is developing a board now that will create a solid foundation of like-minded people willing to work to improve those three key root causes that were identified: poverty, broken families and absenteeism.
It’s going to take strong leadership – and funding – to make sure P2P is sustainable.
“We want to sustain ourselves,” he said. “While we’re doing the business, we’re doing the work. We’re going to still continue to do the work.”
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 06-23-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Soil Samples
/by WIZS StaffWayne Rowland, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
This segment talks about how to properly take good soil samples, and who to send the sample to once you collect it.
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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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 06-20-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
TownTalk: Pathways 2 Peace Workshop Takes Aim At Root Causes Of Violence, Violent Crime
/by Laura GabelIn its very title, the Data-To-Action workshop that took place earlier this month clearly states the mission: We have a lot of data – now, what do we do about it?
Over the course of a day and a half, close to 20 participants from a cross-section of the community shared stories, analyzed data and listened to different perspectives, all in an effort to do something about the rising rates of violence in Henderson and Vance County.
Several of the participants came to the WIZS studios Thursday to share some takeaways from that workshop and to talk about what the future holds as the newly formed nonprofit Pathways 2 Peace continues to gather momentum.
Charles Turrentine, Jr., P2P’s founder, along with Dispatch editor Gary Band and local business owners Tasha Fritz and Roy Brown, Jr., said the workshop was a way to hear from a variety of people and to try to get to the root of problems that lead to violence and violent crimes.
The workshop took place at Vance-Granville Community College on June 6 and 7 and was led by facilitators who guided participants through activities that ultimately produced three root causes that contribute to violence and violent crime in the area, Turrentine said: poverty, broken homes and absenteeism.
“Poverty and broken-down families intertwine with substance abuse, feeding the cycle,” he said.
These factors may be easily identifiable, but what actions to take to reverse the trends is what P2P is focusing on now.
As part of the workshop, the group produced an action plan – concrete ways to address the problems.
As far as a timeframe goes, Turrentine was quick to respond. “The timeframe is now,” he said, mentioning an upcoming Community Read-In, a collaboration with Perry Memorial Library that will take place on June 25.
But P2P has plans to do more, from providing mentorship opportunities and peer support for people struggling to hosting other listening sessions to hear what people want and need.
“That’s where Pathways 2 Peace can help,” Turrentine said. “We’re changing the narrative,” he said, connecting agencies and resources with the people who need them. “We’re not in silos, we’re inviting people to come out,” he said.
“We want to change the mindset,” Turrentine said. A feeling of embarrassment may have a hand in people not asking for help, he said. “It’s ok to need help if you want to do better.”
Ultimately, P2P hopes to have a physical location where people can just walk in and ask for help in finding resources, Fritz said.
Fritz is a creative professional and leads The Savvy Sisters, LLC, a local faith-led company that specializes in branding, marketing and design.
For the past 14 years, she has been working with small businesses to build websites, create logos and more.
She said she had intended to attend the workshop for a few hours, mainly because she had committed to being there.
“I went, I showed up with the attitude of ‘Let’s see what this is all about,’” Fritz said. “Once I got there…it became that much more interesting to me. The facilitators brought everything together, she said. “It turned out to be an extremely powerful session.”
From her perspective, Fritz said it’s a matter of pushing people to believe in themselves. “If we want better, we have to do better…uplift instead of tearing each other down.”
As owner of 2 Kings One City Media Co., Brown said he attended the workshop not just as a member of the business community, but as someone who has seen firsthand some of the struggles people face. Through his work offering peer support, Brown said he believes some of the problems “can be nipped in the bud” if people’s needs can be identified and addressed so they can get their lives back on track.
Connecting people to existing resources is a critical component to addressing those needs, everything from finding clothing or household items when money is tight to accessing mental health agencies or substance abuse treatment programs.
Turrentine said he wants people to be able to access resources when they need them to help them get to their destinations – it’s a temporary support that isn’t designed for long-term dependence.
“The system is not designed to be an enabler,” he said, rather, it’s “designed to help you get off the system.”
Band said he witnessed “energy, enthusiasm and engagement” during the workshop, and participants seemed to be laser-focused on the issues that are negatively affecting the city and county.
The community doesn’t necessarily need more programs, he said, but more connections.
“If we can recognize where those resources exist,” Band said, and be able to approach and engage people, the work will pay dividends.
There’s a new website that is offering just such a listing of resources called Connect to Henderson. Agencies and organizations can submit information about the services and programs they provide. The website is https://www.connect-to-henderson.com/
Turrentine said P2P is developing a board now that will create a solid foundation of like-minded people willing to work to improve those three key root causes that were identified: poverty, broken families and absenteeism.
It’s going to take strong leadership – and funding – to make sure P2P is sustainable.
“We want to sustain ourselves,” he said. “While we’re doing the business, we’re doing the work. We’re going to still continue to do the work.”
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Tar River Land Conservancy: Picture Branch Nature Preserve Adds 2.6 Miles Of Hiking Trails In Southern Granville County
/by WIZS Staff— Information courtesy of Tar River Land Conservancy
Tar River Land Conservancy and the Granville County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, June 13 to open the newest nature preserve in Granville County. The Picture Branch Nature Preserve offers visitors 2.6 miles of hiking trails to explore near Stem and Butner.
Local officials participating in the ribbon cutting event included Stem Mayor Casey Dover, Butner Mayor Dr. Linda Jordon, Granville County Commissioners Mark Griffin and Tim Karan, Stem Commissioner Dave Pavlus and Stovall Commissioner Doug Lunsford.
The Picture Branch Nature Preserve is located at 89 Richmond Run in Stem. Trails are open to visitors year-round during daylight hours. Maps are available at the trailhead parking area. The trails wind through pine and hardwood woodland along scenic Picture Branch, across several streams and past an old cemetery.
“The opening of the Picture Branch Nature Preserve marks another milestone for land conservation in Granville County,” said TRLC Executive Director Derek Halberg. “Thanks to hundreds of hours of volunteer service and generous financial support from donors, we can open these new trails for the whole community to enjoy. We encourage folks to explore the new trails, and to reap the many benefits of walking in the woods!”
In addition to offering hiking trails, the 95-acre nature preserve helps protect streams for water quality and safeguards habitat for North Carolina’s wildlife. TRLC acquired the preserve in two transactions. Funding from the N.C. Attorney General’s Environmental Enhancement Grant program and City of Raleigh’s Watershed Protection Program allowed TRLC to purchase 94.6 acres in December 2019. The Environmental Enhancement Grant program began after an agreement between the Attorney General’s Office and Smithfield Foods in 2000. Under that agreement, Smithfield provides $2 million to the state every year to be distributed among environmental projects across North Carolina.
Stem Mayor Casey Dover said the new trails are the result of positive partnerships, calling them “a wonderful new addition…that highlights what’s possible when great partnerships come together. Thanks to the Tar River Land Conservancy and everyone involved, Stem now has an incredible outdoor space for families, hikers and nature lovers to enjoy. This is a big win for our community, and just the beginning of what we can accomplish together.”
Forestar USA Real Estate Group, a division of national homebuilder D.R. Horton, transferred an additional 0.35 acres to TRLC in May 2025. The Picture Branch Nature Preserve adjoins the Mangum Farms subdivision, located off Old NC 75 in Stem, where D.R. Horton will begin constructing and selling new homes this summer. Neighborhood residents will have walkable access to the Picture Branch Nature Preserve trails.
The trails, footbridges and benches were constructed by 90 volunteers who contributed more than 950 hours of service at the nature preserve. TRLC received generous grants and in-kind donations for the trail project from Town of Stem, Town of Butner, Granville County, City of Creedmoor, the Jandy Ammons Foundation, Universal Leaf North America and Sunrock.
With the opening of the Picture Branch Nature Preserve, TRLC offers 14.8 miles of hiking trails on five nature preserves near Butner, Creedmoor and Stem.
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 06-19-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Vance County Schools’ Certified, Classified Staff Could Benefit In FY 2025-26 County Budget
/by Laura GabelWhen the Vance County Board of Commissioners convenes next week to adopt the FY 2025-26 budget, teachers and classified staff in Vance County Schools will be among those listening closely to learn whether they will be getting a bigger supplement or – in the case of classified staff, a bump in pay.
The commissioners discussed increasing the amount the school district gets from the county for this purpose at a budget work session on Monday, June 16.
It will add about $1.2 million to the total county budget, which stands now at more than $66 million.
VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett said local funding provides vital support for areas not covered by federal or state sources. Teacher supplements is one such area.
Bennett told WIZS News that certified teaching staff currently get a supplement of $2,500 – that amount hasn’t gone up since at least 1999 – that’s 25 years.
In its funding request to commissioners, the Vance County Board of Education had asked that the supplement be doubled, and that classified staff get a 10 percent salary supplement.
Commissioners discussed providing $1,000 for certified staff and a 2 percent increase for classified staff.
“This supplement is funded through local appropriations and is included in the annual budget approved by the Vance County Board of Commissioners,” Bennett said. “Though the amount of teachers has decreased with fewer students in the district, expenses have increased in many areas, most notably insurance rates, state-mandated pay raises for locally funded positions, and increased payments to charter schools,” she stated.
Bennett acknowledged the collaboration between the school district and county leaders with regard to educator compensation, calling it “an encouraging step in the right direction.”
She said she and school leaders “remain hopeful that additional support will be appropriated, inclusive of our classified staff.”
Local supplements help attract and retain teacher talent, Bennett said. School districts in larger counties can offer larger supplements, making it difficult for smaller districts to keep teachers.
Bennett said that once the county has approved its budget, 30 percent of the money appropriated to Vance County Schools is distributed to charter schools. “Currently, there are 21 charter schools who receive funding from these appropriations for 2,113 students,” Bennett said.
Data from 2023-24 shows Vance County ranks 101st among the state’s 115 Local Education Agencies In North Carolina for local per-pupil expenditure, with $1,748.12 per pupil.
Granville County ranks 33rd at $2,918.94 per pupil, Warren County ranks 21st at $3,405.61 per pupil and Franklin County is 52nd at $2,531.59 per pupil.
This information comes from the N.C. Public Schools Statistical Profile, found in the following link: http://apps.schools.nc.gov/ords/f?p=145:34:::NO:::
TownTalk: Keeping Teen Drivers Safe
/by Laura GabelTeens are four times as likely to be in a car crash and three times as likely to die in a crash, according to information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on crash testing and safety tests on vehicles, and rates them according to those results. The IIHS is fully funded by the automobile insurance industry and provides information to policy makers and departments of transportation about how to make roadways safer.
Joe Young, IIHS director of Media Relations, cited four main – and familiar – factors that contribute to car crashes: distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and failure to use seatbelts.
Now that most schools are out for the summer, there’s a greater likelihood that more teen drivers are on the road, and they’ve got friends or family as passengers.
“Looking nationwide, we see about 30 extra teens dying each month in crashes” during the summer, Young said.
“In North Carolina, we do see crash deaths are a little bit above (the national) average,” he said.
They may be driving to places they’re less familiar with – like the beach or other vacation spot, Young said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day has become known as the 100 deadliest days of the year, Young said, for the simple fact that more cars are on the road, and some of those cars are being driven by inexperienced drivers. Throw in one or more of those four factors and it all adds up to be a more dangerous driving environment, Young said.
And while awareness plays a role in reducing car crashes, Young recommends several additional tangible steps for parents and teens to take. Here are a few things to consider:
“Our reminder to parents is to get to know the laws in your state, but feel free to make your own rules,” Young said.
“And set a good example” for teen drivers. “They’re always watching.”
Visit www.iihs.org to find a list of cars for drivers of all ages based on safety considerations. Download a teen driver contract template as well.
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Vance County Sheriff: Two Arrested On Drugs Charges
/by WIZS Staff– Press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame
On Thursday, June 12, 2025 members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office VICE/Narcotics Unit and the HPD Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at 2006 Julia Ave., Henderson, NC 27537 following a month’s long investigation into crack cocaine sales from the residence.
Investigators located and seized Crack Cocaine, Marijuana, a stolen ATV and other items of drug manufacturing equipment from the residence. Reuben Cooper was arrested and charged with Possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver SCH II, Felony Possession of Cocaine, Maintaining a Dwelling for Selling Controlled Substance, Possession of stolen property and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Ruby Cooper was charged with Possession of stolen property and Maintaining a Dwelling for Selling Controlled Substances.
Reuben Cooper was given a $120,000 secured bond and Ruby Cooper was given a bond of $60,000.
Both were placed in the Vance County Jail.
Vance County Man Arrested On Drug, Weapon Charges
/by WIZS Staff— Press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame
On or about the 16th day of June, 2025, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Henderson Police Department Narcotics and Vice Unit and the NCSBI, executed a Search Warrant for illegal drugs in the Williamsboro community at 141 Cardinal Lane, Henderson N.C. 27537.
The execution was the result of a multi-agency investigation regarding illegal drug sales from suspects located within the above residence.
At the time of service of the search warrant, investigators found the home to be occupied by Obryant Keith Clark, age 49 of that address.
During the search, investigators located certain quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Additionally, one firearm and various items of drug paraphernalia was located.
Clark faces the following charges made as a result of the investigation:
A secured bond of $50,000 was set by a magistrate.