Question: What was the largest town in Granville County in 1880?
Answer: Henderson.
It’s not a trick question, but unless you’re a local history buff, you may not know that for about 135 years, a good part of Vance County was, well, in Granville County, as were Warren and Franklin counties.
Present-day Granville County residents are preparing to celebrate the county’s 275th anniversary with a day-long event at Granville Athletic Park. About two years in the making, the celebration has something for everyone, according to planning committee members Mark Pace and Chair Sue Hinman. They joined county tourism director Angela Allen on Thursday’s Town Talk to talk about the exciting details with John C. Rose and Bill Harris.
“This is truly a celebration,” Allen said, of the county’s history, its progress, its resources – all the great things that make Granville County what it is today.
The GAP will be filled to overflowing with activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the whole family to enjoy. Balloons and clowns and games and music, to name a few, Hinman said. At 9 a.m., there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open Phase III of the GAP, which contains new tennis courts and an inclusive playground.
Hinman, chair of the county commissioners board, said she is excited to be a part of the celebration and to be able to spread the word about the county’s 275th anniversary.
Allen said the park will be filled to overflowing with everything from live music to bouncy houses for the kids. Visit www.granvillecounty.org/275th to find a complete schedule of events.
At the sports pavilion, attendees will find a variety of resources where they can learn about the cities, towns and communities in the county.
Also available is a book written and compiled by local author Lewis Bowling. Looking Back: 275 years of Granville County History will be available for purchase, and Bowling will be on hand to sign copies, Pace said.
Of the hundreds of books that have been written about Granville and the surrounding areas, this is a “complete narrative history,” Pace said. “And this is the first one of Granville County,” he added. Among the 300 pages of the coffee-table style book are many never-before published photographs that capture Granville County’s past.
At 10 a.m., an opening ceremony will kick off the event, with presentation of colors and remarks from local dignitaries. After that, Allen said it’s time to enjoy live music in the amphitheater, food from a variety of vendors and even visit an outdoor classroom space where folks can learn about such things as the history of tobacco in the area as well as where the walking trails in the county can be found.
The Granville-Vance Health District will be on hand for COVID-19 testing as well as COVID-19 vaccines, Allen said.
The committee was formed and began planning before the pandemic, and Pace said, to be honest, there were times during the planning process when the group didn’t know whether the celebration would be able to take place at all. Allen said the committee members come from across the county and all municipalities are represented.
“It’s a great mix of community pieces,” she said. “We wanted to make this as inclusive as we possibly could.” The celebration represents the thought that went into the planning process.
Until the original county was carved up into the four counties we know today, Allen said she has learned through planning for this event that Granville County was truly a hub for the state. She said it is great to be able to “live, work and play in a community that already has a reputation of bringing people together.”
Today, about 60,000 people call Granville County home. Back in the late 1780’s, when it was just more than 40 years old, there were about 6,500 residents, and one of those residents was John Penn, North Carolina’s only signer of the Declaration of Independence. Penn died in 1788, but chances are slim to none that he ever ate a funnel cake or enjoyed a sno-cone. Visitors to the GAP next Saturday, however, could glimpse such an anachronistic sight – sort of.
Mark Pace will portray Penn during the event, sharing stories and insight from a time more than 200 years ago. And who knows? Maybe he’ll wander over to the sno-cone stand to see which flavor he prefers.
For complete details and audio click play.
Police Department One Step Closer To Body-Worn Cameras, If Grant Comes Through
/by Laura GabelThe Henderson City Council has given the go-ahead for a couple of requests for grant funding to equip police officers with body cams and law enforcement cruisers with additional cameras.
At its July 12 meeting, council members approved grant proposals that Police Chief Marcus Barrow and staff have prepared. “Our officers have been asking for them for several years,” Barrow told WIZS News Thursday. He said if the application is approved, it will provide half the money needed to equip the officers with body-worn cameras. “We are seeking a grant that has a 50 percent match. The match funds would come from asset forfeiture funds or state treasury funds, which both are only used by law enforcement,” he added.
Barrow said his department does have some in-car cameras now, but so far, no body cams. “The cost to outfit an agency our size has been prohibitive in the past and we felt that this was an opportunity to seize assistance,” he said. The cost lies mainly with data storage, not in the camera itself, he explained, adding that many law enforcement agencies are faced with a similar challenge. All data should be kept for at least 90 days, he said, but tagged information may need to be kept forever.
If the department does get the grant funding for $48,958, the chief said it would set into motion additional regulations and policies for the department to follow. “I am sure there will be some growing pains associated with the use of body cameras,” Barrow said, “but we will educate and train the use to be muscle memory for the officers and use corrective action for any misuse.”
City Manager Terrell Blackmon said since the police department is an accredited department through the Commission for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), “Chief Barrow has taken the time to develop standards for our officers based on best practices from around the country and from our accrediting agency.”
“I’ve always stood by my position that we would not introduce this product unless and until we could afford to properly apply it,” Barrow added.
The second grant for $21,599 is for purchase of three WatchGuard Video Camera systems and does not require matching local funds and would be shared with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, according to information from the city council agenda. The city would get almost $13,000 and the county would get just over $8,600.
TownTalk: Granville County Celebrates 275 Years
/by Laura GabelQuestion: What was the largest town in Granville County in 1880?
Answer: Henderson.
It’s not a trick question, but unless you’re a local history buff, you may not know that for about 135 years, a good part of Vance County was, well, in Granville County, as were Warren and Franklin counties.
Present-day Granville County residents are preparing to celebrate the county’s 275th anniversary with a day-long event at Granville Athletic Park. About two years in the making, the celebration has something for everyone, according to planning committee members Mark Pace and Chair Sue Hinman. They joined county tourism director Angela Allen on Thursday’s Town Talk to talk about the exciting details with John C. Rose and Bill Harris.
“This is truly a celebration,” Allen said, of the county’s history, its progress, its resources – all the great things that make Granville County what it is today.
The GAP will be filled to overflowing with activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the whole family to enjoy. Balloons and clowns and games and music, to name a few, Hinman said. At 9 a.m., there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open Phase III of the GAP, which contains new tennis courts and an inclusive playground.
Hinman, chair of the county commissioners board, said she is excited to be a part of the celebration and to be able to spread the word about the county’s 275th anniversary.
Allen said the park will be filled to overflowing with everything from live music to bouncy houses for the kids. Visit www.granvillecounty.org/275th to find a complete schedule of events.
At the sports pavilion, attendees will find a variety of resources where they can learn about the cities, towns and communities in the county.
Also available is a book written and compiled by local author Lewis Bowling. Looking Back: 275 years of Granville County History will be available for purchase, and Bowling will be on hand to sign copies, Pace said.
Of the hundreds of books that have been written about Granville and the surrounding areas, this is a “complete narrative history,” Pace said. “And this is the first one of Granville County,” he added. Among the 300 pages of the coffee-table style book are many never-before published photographs that capture Granville County’s past.
At 10 a.m., an opening ceremony will kick off the event, with presentation of colors and remarks from local dignitaries. After that, Allen said it’s time to enjoy live music in the amphitheater, food from a variety of vendors and even visit an outdoor classroom space where folks can learn about such things as the history of tobacco in the area as well as where the walking trails in the county can be found.
The Granville-Vance Health District will be on hand for COVID-19 testing as well as COVID-19 vaccines, Allen said.
The committee was formed and began planning before the pandemic, and Pace said, to be honest, there were times during the planning process when the group didn’t know whether the celebration would be able to take place at all. Allen said the committee members come from across the county and all municipalities are represented.
“It’s a great mix of community pieces,” she said. “We wanted to make this as inclusive as we possibly could.” The celebration represents the thought that went into the planning process.
Until the original county was carved up into the four counties we know today, Allen said she has learned through planning for this event that Granville County was truly a hub for the state. She said it is great to be able to “live, work and play in a community that already has a reputation of bringing people together.”
Today, about 60,000 people call Granville County home. Back in the late 1780’s, when it was just more than 40 years old, there were about 6,500 residents, and one of those residents was John Penn, North Carolina’s only signer of the Declaration of Independence. Penn died in 1788, but chances are slim to none that he ever ate a funnel cake or enjoyed a sno-cone. Visitors to the GAP next Saturday, however, could glimpse such an anachronistic sight – sort of.
Mark Pace will portray Penn during the event, sharing stories and insight from a time more than 200 years ago. And who knows? Maybe he’ll wander over to the sno-cone stand to see which flavor he prefers.
For complete details and audio click play.
WIZS Local News Audio 7-15-21 Noon
/by Bill HarrisThank you for listening to WIZS Radio, Your Community Voice!
CITY INVITES COMMUNITY INPUT ON ELMWOOD DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT PLAN ON JULY 22nd
/by Bill HarrisThe recently reestablished Henderson Redevelopment Commission is holding its first public listening session on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in order to learn about community priorities and goals for redevelopment in this greater Orange Street area neighborhood. The session is open to all and participants can attend in-person or join by Zoom or phone. The listening session will be facilitated by staff of the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative (DFI).
DFI has also released an online survey for anyone interested in commenting on a set of proposed redevelopment goals for the area. The survey, along with additional information about the Redevelopment Commission’s efforts, including a boundary of the proposed Elmwood District redevelopment area, are available at ci.henderson.nc.us/URA.
Comments shared through the online survey and during the listening session will help to inform the direction of a redevelopment plan currently being drafted by the Redevelopment Commission, with support from UNC DFI. The plan is intended to guide future City activities in the proposed Elmwood District URA including efforts to attract new private investment and address the neighborhood’s housing, public health and safety needs. To attend in person, you are invited to Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckinridge St., Farm Bureau Room. The meeting will take place from 6-7:30pm.
Join by Zoom: https://unc.zoom.us/j/96903327572
Or you may join by phone (toll free) at: (855) 880-1246 Meeting ID: 969 0332 7572
The online survey and updates on the Redevelopment Commission are available at ci.henderson.nc.us/URA
Shell Building Project Continues Forward For Industrial Park
/by Laura GabelPlans are moving along for construction of “shell” buildings at the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park to entice prospective businesses and industries to locate here, according to Henderson-Vance Economic Development Director Christian Lockamy.
Lockamy told WIZS News Wednesday that he briefed the Economic Development Commission Board at the July meeting, the first in-person meeting in over a year.
“They seemed to receive it well and ultimately voted unanimously to move it forward,” Lockamy said. Next steps include conducting research on potential construction partners and investigating financial models, building specs and, of course, cost.
The plan is to convene the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park Commission later in the summer to give the same presentation and work through some of the specifics left to be ironed out. Once he meets with that group, he said the proposal will go back to the commissioners as a formal recommendation. At that time, Lockamy said the process can move forward as a Request for Proposals is issued.
As part of the planning, the City of Henderson will be a co-applicant with the county on the Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant application for completion of sewer utilities and roads at the park. Similarly, the N.C. Department of Transportation will be a co-applicant because it will be responsible for future road maintenance.
Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon said, at the June Henderson City Council meeting, this is merely a formality required by the EDA.
“We should know if we are successful in obtaining the EDA grant later in the summer,” Lockamy explained. Having co-applicants sponsor the overall effort and providing additional information in the grant application hopefully will “tighten up the request and ensure all documentation is in place.”
The Local Skinny! Home and Garden Show
/by John C. RoseThank you for listening to WIZS Radio. Your Community Voice!!
Each Wednesday WIZS Radio features the Home and Garden Show during The Local Skinny! time slot from 11:30 a.m. until 11:55 a.m.
Vance County Cooperative Extension agents Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie regularly announce the Home and Garden Show.
Repair Café NC Information Event Coming To Oxford July 15
/by Laura GabelAn organization called Repair Café NC is having an informational meeting for Granville County residents on Thursday evening at Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.
Repair Café NC has numerous programs across the state, and it’s a way to connect people who have broken household items with others in the community who can fix them. The local organizers are Oxford resident Tom Fick and Teresa Baker, the county’s recycling coordinator.
Sometimes a simple repair is all it takes to keep an item working – and keeping it out of the landfill.
According to the group’s website, Repair Café “brings together people to share skills and solve problems. Valuable practical knowledge is getting passed on. Things are being used for longer and don’t have to be thrown away.”
The event is from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Tobacco Wood Brewing Co., located at 117 Wall St., Oxford.
To register, visit www.repaircafenc.org.
Town Talk: Local Furniture Store Celebrates 20 Years In Business
/by Laura GabelDowntown Henderson has been home to a number of furniture companies over the years, and Britt Sams, owner of Sams Furniture & Mattress Center, has been counted among that number now for the past two decades.
The furniture and mattress store at 515 S. Garnett St. is celebrating 20 years of business this year, and Sams spoke with John C. Rose on Town Talk Wednesday about loyal customers, downtown revitalization and how he made a career in the furniture business.
And he used his “indoor” voice, not his trademark “on-air” voice that listeners are used to hearing describe the sales and special discounts on radio commercials.
In 1986, Sams began at Star Furniture and worked his way up from sales and the warehouse to doing most of the advertising for 29 stores. “I believe that you have to continuously get the word out,” Sams said, because “not everybody listens at the same time and not everybody buys at the same time.”
When Star closed in 2000, Sams decided to stretch his entrepreneurial wings and start his own business. The former Penny Furniture Co. building was available, and Sams said “when I saw the store at 515 was available…we all just made it click and made a go at it.”
Now, 20 years later, Sams reflects on his years of doing business on Garnett Street. He said local merchants and retailers are working hard to bring shoppers to visit – and spend – downtown. Sadie’s Coffee Corner has drawn a lot of traffic and interest to the area, he said, and the local Chamber of Commerce and downtown development group are big supporters of downtown revitalization efforts.
The downtown area has been good, he said, “but now more than ever it has the potential to grow” as others look at downtown Henderson to open businesses. One such property is located just behind Sams’ store in the former Falkner Coal Yard. There’s a lot of work going on back there, he said, and plans are to make the space a restaurant and brewery.
Downtown development and revitalization go a long way to bring customers to local shops and stores to spend money. But Sams said his store enjoys a lot of repeat business because of the “top of the game” service he offers. He said his showroom floors are full and he can deliver in 1-2 days, not months from the time the sale is made.
“Small- town furniture stores still provide the best service,” Sams said. “It’s that friendliness that we give back to our customers (that) makes people come back to us.”
(For full details click play. This is not a paid ad.)
WIZS Radio Local News 7-14-21 Noon
/by John C. RoseThank you for listening to WIZS Radio. Your Community Voice!!
WIZS Radio Local News Audio at Noon on 7-14-21
Sweet Delights Owner To Show Off Baking Skills – At Warren County Library
/by Laura GabelVisitors to the Warren County Public Library on July 30 around 11 a.m. or so may just be able to enjoy a sweet treat in addition to checking out or returning books. A local entrepreneur will host a live baking demonstration and will discuss how her she uses her baking talents to help young local students with educational opportunities.
Denise Allen, the owner and baker of Sweet Delights Cookies in Norlina, will share the story behind the creation of her business while encouraging upcoming entrepreneurs with tips, ideas, and strategies for starting a business. The program will be held in the library’s community room.
Sweet Delights was created to provide an opportunity for Allen’s granddaughter to attend college, according to information from Warren County officials.
That vision expanded to the idea that she could provide not just for her granddaughter, but for other children in Warren County as well. She bakes cookies with the goal of assisting educational opportunities within her community. She hopes to encourage, inspire, and most of all help as many at-risk children as she can.
“We are delighted to present this program. I am confident that participants will walk away with an unforgettable, mouth-watering experience. This event will be informational and entertaining,” said Library Director Cheryl Reddish.
The library provides access to other programs. Pick up a calendar at the library or visit the library’s website www.wcmlibrary.org for details. All library programs are free. For more information, phone 252.257.4990. The library is located at 119 S. Front St., Warrenton, NC 27589.