If you’ve driven around downtown Oxford recently, perhaps you’ve noticed the street decorations and banners that have been installed, creating a festive atmosphere to usher in the 19th annual N.C. Hot Sauce Contest and Festival.
Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen said this is the second year that the hot sauce festival will be a two-day affair, with evening music and other activities kicking off on Friday, Sept. 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13 is a full day of all-things-hot-sauce, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.
“Things are getting hot and spicy in downtown Oxford,” she said.
More than 300 vendors will be set up throughout downtown to share samples of their sauces, rubs, jams, jellies and more that they’ve created with peppers. “It’s a foodie paradise,” Allen said.
Some vendors have participated 15 years or more, and they’ll set up their tents and tables alongside others who may be new or nearly new to the experience. They come from all over the state and elsewhere to share their creations with pepper enthusiasts who like a little – or a lot – of kick in their salsas and sauces.
Peppers may take center stage for the host sauce festival, but pumpkins are also a favorite for fall.
In addition to Cedar Creek Gallery’s glass pumpkin patch in the front gallery on exhibit through October, there are a couple of harvest festivals that will be popping up across the county for folks to get their fall “fix.”
- Sept. 14 – Carlee Farms Harvest Festival, hosted by Kissing Booth boutique. More than 25 vendors will have fashion, homemade crafts, seasonal décor and treats available
- Sept. 27 – Harvey Hills Farm’s Harvest Days each weekend through Oct. 26. Festive vendor market featuring fall produce, décor, pumpkins and mums
- Sept. 27 – Indian Branch Farm hosting Roots and Rows from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with more than 65 vendors featuring fashion, home décor, seasonal treats and more
Allen said farm festivals provide authentic experiences for people to meet farmers and craftspeople responsible for things we eat and things we put in our homes.
“It’s really awesome to go into these festivals and meet the people that actually make these things,” she said.
But it’s not all hot sauce and fall festivals in Granville County, she said. The city of Oxford has recently renamed the auditorium located in City Hall, and “The Ox” is set to host a varied lineup of live entertainment and performances through fall and into December.
The Granville Arts Council is bringing Red Bird Theater back, this time for a production of the play Revolution, on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m
Then, on Sept. 10, it’s “The Bad Moms of Comedy,” with a 7:30 performance.
Beach music fans will be happy to know that The Drifters are set to perform on Nov. 1 and then there are a couple of Christmas shows scheduled – Dec. 1 it’s Celtic Angels and Dec. 14 Nashville Nöel.
Check out https://visitgranvillenc.com/ to learn about all the events taking place across Granville County.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 09-03-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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Community Partners Of Hope To Launch ‘Freedom B.R.I.D.G.E.’ With Opioid Settlement Funds;
/by WIZS StaffCommunity Partners of Hope has been awarded $140,000 from the City of Henderson’s opioid settlement fund and soon will begin a new ministry called “Freedom B.R.I.D.G.E” that will include a community resource center.
B.R.I.D.G.E. stands for Building, Recovery, Intervention, Development for Growth and Empowerment and CPOH board co-chair Jane King said the nonprofit organization is accepting applications for a program director for the new ministry, which will connect individuals affected by opioid use disorder with the support they need to heal and thrive.
The program will use a comprehensive support system ranging from classes and counseling to prevention programs, recovery services and programs for families and friends of clients as well.
The part-time director will report to the CPOH board and will work 12 noon to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Find the application at www.cp-hope.org/freedombridge.
SportsTalk: Vance County vs. South Granville Recap
/by Scout HughesScout Hughes and Doc Ayscue recap the weekend starting with Vance County football game vs. South Granville. The guys go over other high schools in the area, as well as the college games from the Labor Day Weekend.
High School Games from Week 2:
College Games from Week 1:
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TownTalk: Granville County Spicing Things Up For September
/by WIZS StaffIf you’ve driven around downtown Oxford recently, perhaps you’ve noticed the street decorations and banners that have been installed, creating a festive atmosphere to usher in the 19th annual N.C. Hot Sauce Contest and Festival.
Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen said this is the second year that the hot sauce festival will be a two-day affair, with evening music and other activities kicking off on Friday, Sept. 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13 is a full day of all-things-hot-sauce, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.
“Things are getting hot and spicy in downtown Oxford,” she said.
More than 300 vendors will be set up throughout downtown to share samples of their sauces, rubs, jams, jellies and more that they’ve created with peppers. “It’s a foodie paradise,” Allen said.
Some vendors have participated 15 years or more, and they’ll set up their tents and tables alongside others who may be new or nearly new to the experience. They come from all over the state and elsewhere to share their creations with pepper enthusiasts who like a little – or a lot – of kick in their salsas and sauces.
Peppers may take center stage for the host sauce festival, but pumpkins are also a favorite for fall.
In addition to Cedar Creek Gallery’s glass pumpkin patch in the front gallery on exhibit through October, there are a couple of harvest festivals that will be popping up across the county for folks to get their fall “fix.”
Allen said farm festivals provide authentic experiences for people to meet farmers and craftspeople responsible for things we eat and things we put in our homes.
“It’s really awesome to go into these festivals and meet the people that actually make these things,” she said.
But it’s not all hot sauce and fall festivals in Granville County, she said. The city of Oxford has recently renamed the auditorium located in City Hall, and “The Ox” is set to host a varied lineup of live entertainment and performances through fall and into December.
The Granville Arts Council is bringing Red Bird Theater back, this time for a production of the play Revolution, on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m
Then, on Sept. 10, it’s “The Bad Moms of Comedy,” with a 7:30 performance.
Beach music fans will be happy to know that The Drifters are set to perform on Nov. 1 and then there are a couple of Christmas shows scheduled – Dec. 1 it’s Celtic Angels and Dec. 14 Nashville Nöel.
Check out https://visitgranvillenc.com/ to learn about all the events taking place across Granville County.
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The Local Skinny! Spectacular Specials in September at Perry Memorial Library
/by WIZS StaffJust as we’re getting a taste of cooler weather, Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters said fall programming is heating up big-time at Perry Memorial Library.
The long-popular Mother Goose Story Time launches its familiar half-hour programming on Thursdays, followed by a community play time.
Peters told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! Henderson enjoys a long history with the story time, so when she arrived on the scene a few years ago, it was a no-brainer that the program would continue.
It’s a really nice way to build that community for kids who don’t have a daily preschool experience, she explained. And she’s noticed that it’s a nice way for moms to connect and make new friends, too.
Thursdays are jam-packed with activities for children of all ages – including a 3:30 p.m. story time for children in grades K-3. This program is designed for “families on the go,” Peters said.
“They come in but they don’t have a lot of time,” she said. Still building literacy, the kids hear one book, play for a bit with some bubbles, and then skedaddle.
Some may head off to the Lego program at 4 p.m. or watch their older siblings go to Teen Time in the Maker Space.
Fun Fridays happen on first Fridays of the month and come in a close second to the Thursday whirlwind programming. The 10:30 a.m. Baby Rave for infants 0-2 is a continuation of a fun summer program that parents wanted to keep around.
Then from 11:30 to 12 noon, ages 3-5 can enjoy Parachute Play. The Fun Fridays are scheduled for Sept. 5, Oct. 3 and Nov. 7.
And Home School Social Hour begins at 1 p.m. There’s no registration for this program, Peters said, which provides an opportunity for different home school groups of all sizes to come in and share some time together.
The Life Skills program for teens kicks off a three-month program on the second Tuesday of the month with a “Money Matters For Teens” The sessions are Sept. 11, Oct. 9 and Nov. 13 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Get the kids in their pj’s and to the library for Pajama Story Time this fall, too. The first one is tonight at 6:30 p.m., and future story times are Oct. 7 and Nov. 4.
Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/home to learn about all the programs and activities at the library.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 09-02-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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Cooperative Extension with Wykia Macon: Smart Food Storage for Hurricane Season
/by WIZS StaffDr. Wykia Macon, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
We talk about storing food during hurricane season.
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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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Why Soil Test
/by WIZS StaffWayne Rowland, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
Soil testing can improve your plants growth.
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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SportsTalk: Vance County Prepares for South Granville
/by Scout HughesUPDATE – FINAL SCORE
South Granville 33
Vance County 6
RECAP TUESDAY ON SPORTSTALK
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The Vance County Vipers head to Creedmoor Friday to take on the South Granville Vikings in a non-conference matchup, and Head Coach Aaron Elliott hopes his team can add another win to 1-0 start to the season.
Elliott told WIZS’s Scout Hughes and George Hoyle Thursday that the team had a good week of practice following a close call with the Warren County Eagles in the season opener last week.
“We worked on the little things,” Elliott said, pointing out that small mistakes like missed blocks and mishandled snaps added up during last week’s game.
Elliott and Vikings Head Coach Mike Hobgood go way back and have a long history of playing against each other.
“They’ve got a lot of speed,” Elliott said of this year’s Vikings team, with a good quarterback.
But mostly, Elliott said it’s the Vikings’ physicality that they’ll bring to the field.
“He does a good job coaching those guys up,” Elliott said. “Hopefully we’ve prepared our kids to be more physical – we know that’s what we’ll see from South Granville.” The Vipers spoiled the Viking Homecoming, taking a 12-7 victory, so he expects Hobgood and team to be looking for a little revenge.
Elliott said he’d make a couple of adjustments on special teams and said he’d had the punt unit working on clean snaps and catches.
He’d like to see the offensive output increase from last week’s sub-100 yard performance.
“Defensively, we did a fair job, but we gave up 135 yards rushing. We’ve got to be able to stop the run, control the pass. If we can force them to do things they’re uncomfortable doing, we’ll be in good shape,” he said.
He said each year, his teams have improved their record on the road, which he’s happy about.
“This game is pretty important,” he said. “Each week, it gets harder and harder. Getting a win this week will get us ready for Jordan…it only gets harder from here on out,” he said of this season’s schedule.
Vance County travels to South Granville for Week 2 of the 2025 season on Friday, August 29th and you can hear all the action on WIZS 1450AM, 100.1FM, and online at wizs.com with pregame starting at 6:50 p.m. and kickoff thereafter at 7:00 p.m.
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YMCA Executive Director Paul Ross Leaving After 11 Years
/by WIZS Staff— information courtesy of the Henderson Family YMCA
The Henderson Family YMCA on Thursday announced the resignation of Paul Ross as Chief Executive Officer, effective this fall. After 11 years of dedicated service to the YMCA, Ross has accepted the position of Executive Director with the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation.
During his tenure, Ross guided the YMCA through growth, expanded community programming, and strengthened partnerships. Under his leadership, the YMCA has deepened its impact across Vance County and the surrounding region, furthering its mission to build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
“Paul’s vision and leadership have positioned the Henderson Family YMCA for a bright future,” said Vanessa Jones, Chair of the YMCA Board of Directors. “He has led with dedication, strengthening our programs, expanding partnerships, and ensuring the Y remained a cornerstone of health and wellness in this community. While we will certainly miss his leadership here, we celebrate his transition to Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, where he will continue to advance the same goals of improving health and quality of life across our region.”
Jones also highlighted the alignment between the two organizations: “The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, which focuses on improving health and wellness across our region, has already committed support for the YMCA’s upcoming campus expansion and renovation. This project will enhance our facilities, expand services, and ensure the YMCA remains a vital hub for the community for generations to come. The collaboration between our organizations highlights the shared mission we pursue.”
The YMCA Board of Directors has begun the process of planning for a smooth transition in leadership. In the meantime, staff and volunteers remain committed to delivering the high-quality programs and services the community expects and deserves.