100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools
Granville County Schools held and sponsored the annual District Spelling Bee for Granville County on the evening of March 14, 2020, at Tar River Elementary School.
Ten elementary schools from around the county, both public and charter, had School Spelling Bees during the first semester of the 2019-20 school year. Each school had talented and dedicated staff that worked diligently to organize their Bee and award a top speller for their school. The District Bee allows those top spellers the chance to compete to win the trophy as best speller of the year for Granville County.
District Spelling Bee winner, Joel Jose, and GCPS Superintendent Alisa McLean (GCPS photo)
The ten winners, just by chance evenly divided between fourth and fifth grades, and their parents met at Tar River for a rehearsal the day before the contest. Amy Lue, Moderator, reviewed the rules and procedures with these sharp students and their families; then Dana King, Word Master, lead them through some practice words at the microphone.
“Holding a practice helps the children understand how the Spelling Bee works and gives them the confidence to perform on stage. This allows their nerves to be for spelling and not on how they need to comport themselves during the event,” commented Mrs. Lue, who was the organizer of the event.
Each contestant received a special t-shirt, provided by Granville County Schools, to wear the next night and keep as a memento of their experience. To prepare, the students studied the official Scripps National Spelling Bee word list of more than 4,000 words for several weeks ahead of the District Bee.
The students buzzed with excitement as they gathered on stage with Mrs. Lue the next night, while their families and teachers found seats in the multi-purpose room. Before the curtain rose, the judges were seated in front of the stage: Mrs. Cathy Frizzle, community volunteer, and Dr. Michael Myrick, and Dr. Stan Winborne, both from Granville County Schools, and Dana King, retired Media Coordinator, as the Word Master. Then Dr. Tonya Thomas welcomed the audience and introduced the spellers.
Contestants were:
Cayden Middleton – fifth-grader from Butner-Stem Elementary
Joel Jiljo Jose – fourth-grader from C. G. Credle School
Belen Elizarraras – fifth-grader from Creedmoor Elementary
Payton Gary – fifth-grader from Falls Lake Academy Charter School
Jordan Hershberger – fourth-grader from Granville Academy
Aubrey Canada – fourth-grader from Mt. Energy Elementary
Jasper Luffman – fourth-grader from Stovall-Shaw Elementary
Morgan Congleton – fifth-grader from Tar River Elementary
Dacari Burrell- fourth-grader from West Oxford Elementary
Bree Blackley – fifth-grader from Wilton Elementary
District Spelling Bee participants pose for a picture with Granville County Schools leaders and staff. (GCPS photo)
Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean greeted everyone for this annual event, praising them for already being school winners. Mrs. Lue reviewed the rules and explained that contestants would stay on stage for a practice round of spelling before the first round of the Bee began.
Each contestant approached the microphone center stage, the words were pronounced first, and the Word Master gave a definition, the part of speech, and a sentence before the student had a chance to spell. After the practice round, all ten contestants sat up straight and listened carefully as the official first round of the Bee began.
In Round One, two students missed their words, leaving the stage at the end of the round to sit with their families in the audience. No one missed a word in the second round, so all eight contestants were still in the competition. Two more students missed their words in Round Three, as the words became a little more difficult. One student missed in Round 4, and another missed in Round 5.
One student missed a word in each of the next two rounds, leaving Jasper Luffman, from Stovall-Shaw, and Joel Jose, from C. G. Credle, last on stage. Jasper missed his word, and Joel got his correct in Round 8. Then Joel was up for a word in Round 9 and correctly spelled, “culinary,” to win the District Bee. This was his second win, as he was also Granville County Schools’ District Bee Winner in 2019 when he was in the third grade.
All contestants returned to the stage to receive certificates and medals awarded by Dr. McLean and Dr. Thomas. Joel was called back up to receive the trophy, then participants and officials posed for photographs. The evening ended with a reception in the Professional Development Room, with cupcakes and juice provided by Superintendent McLean.
Our winner, Joel, is the son of Jiljo Jose and Sema Jose. He is a current fourth-grader at C.G. Credle Elementary School. He had a large group of family and school supporters in the audience that cheered loudly for him when he won.
Sherrie Burns, principal, and the staff at C.G. Credle were very excited and proud to have the winner for the second year in a row.
Unfortunately, with the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Spelling Bee, which was to be held the last week of May in Maryland was first postponed, then the decision was made to cancel for the first time since World War II.
GCPS winner, Joel, had registered for this event to proudly represent our county for the second time. He will be recognized by the Scripps Spelling Bee organization for his accomplishment in reaching the next level. He will also receive the prizes that would have been awarded to him at the event.
GCPS is proud of Joel and of all the students that competed in our District Bee. We want to thank Granville County Schools for being the sponsor for the Granville County District Bee and providing this opportunity to all Granville County elementary students.
‘Veteran’ Granville Speller Wins District Bee Again
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools
Granville County Schools held and sponsored the annual District Spelling Bee for Granville County on the evening of March 14, 2020, at Tar River Elementary School.
Ten elementary schools from around the county, both public and charter, had School Spelling Bees during the first semester of the 2019-20 school year. Each school had talented and dedicated staff that worked diligently to organize their Bee and award a top speller for their school. The District Bee allows those top spellers the chance to compete to win the trophy as best speller of the year for Granville County.
District Spelling Bee winner, Joel Jose, and GCPS Superintendent Alisa McLean (GCPS photo)
The ten winners, just by chance evenly divided between fourth and fifth grades, and their parents met at Tar River for a rehearsal the day before the contest. Amy Lue, Moderator, reviewed the rules and procedures with these sharp students and their families; then Dana King, Word Master, lead them through some practice words at the microphone.
“Holding a practice helps the children understand how the Spelling Bee works and gives them the confidence to perform on stage. This allows their nerves to be for spelling and not on how they need to comport themselves during the event,” commented Mrs. Lue, who was the organizer of the event.
Each contestant received a special t-shirt, provided by Granville County Schools, to wear the next night and keep as a memento of their experience. To prepare, the students studied the official Scripps National Spelling Bee word list of more than 4,000 words for several weeks ahead of the District Bee.
The students buzzed with excitement as they gathered on stage with Mrs. Lue the next night, while their families and teachers found seats in the multi-purpose room. Before the curtain rose, the judges were seated in front of the stage: Mrs. Cathy Frizzle, community volunteer, and Dr. Michael Myrick, and Dr. Stan Winborne, both from Granville County Schools, and Dana King, retired Media Coordinator, as the Word Master. Then Dr. Tonya Thomas welcomed the audience and introduced the spellers.
Contestants were:
Cayden Middleton – fifth-grader from Butner-Stem Elementary
Joel Jiljo Jose – fourth-grader from C. G. Credle School
Belen Elizarraras – fifth-grader from Creedmoor Elementary
Payton Gary – fifth-grader from Falls Lake Academy Charter School
Jordan Hershberger – fourth-grader from Granville Academy
Aubrey Canada – fourth-grader from Mt. Energy Elementary
Jasper Luffman – fourth-grader from Stovall-Shaw Elementary
Morgan Congleton – fifth-grader from Tar River Elementary
Dacari Burrell- fourth-grader from West Oxford Elementary
Bree Blackley – fifth-grader from Wilton Elementary
District Spelling Bee participants pose for a picture with Granville County Schools leaders and staff. (GCPS photo)
Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean greeted everyone for this annual event, praising them for already being school winners. Mrs. Lue reviewed the rules and explained that contestants would stay on stage for a practice round of spelling before the first round of the Bee began.
Each contestant approached the microphone center stage, the words were pronounced first, and the Word Master gave a definition, the part of speech, and a sentence before the student had a chance to spell. After the practice round, all ten contestants sat up straight and listened carefully as the official first round of the Bee began.
In Round One, two students missed their words, leaving the stage at the end of the round to sit with their families in the audience. No one missed a word in the second round, so all eight contestants were still in the competition. Two more students missed their words in Round Three, as the words became a little more difficult. One student missed in Round 4, and another missed in Round 5.
One student missed a word in each of the next two rounds, leaving Jasper Luffman, from Stovall-Shaw, and Joel Jose, from C. G. Credle, last on stage. Jasper missed his word, and Joel got his correct in Round 8. Then Joel was up for a word in Round 9 and correctly spelled, “culinary,” to win the District Bee. This was his second win, as he was also Granville County Schools’ District Bee Winner in 2019 when he was in the third grade.
All contestants returned to the stage to receive certificates and medals awarded by Dr. McLean and Dr. Thomas. Joel was called back up to receive the trophy, then participants and officials posed for photographs. The evening ended with a reception in the Professional Development Room, with cupcakes and juice provided by Superintendent McLean.
Our winner, Joel, is the son of Jiljo Jose and Sema Jose. He is a current fourth-grader at C.G. Credle Elementary School. He had a large group of family and school supporters in the audience that cheered loudly for him when he won.
Sherrie Burns, principal, and the staff at C.G. Credle were very excited and proud to have the winner for the second year in a row.
Unfortunately, with the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Spelling Bee, which was to be held the last week of May in Maryland was first postponed, then the decision was made to cancel for the first time since World War II.
GCPS winner, Joel, had registered for this event to proudly represent our county for the second time. He will be recognized by the Scripps Spelling Bee organization for his accomplishment in reaching the next level. He will also receive the prizes that would have been awarded to him at the event.
GCPS is proud of Joel and of all the students that competed in our District Bee. We want to thank Granville County Schools for being the sponsor for the Granville County District Bee and providing this opportunity to all Granville County elementary students.
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 06/01/20
/by CharleneListen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 2 PM Monday – Thursday.
Downtown Oxford March to Honor George Floyd Scheduled for June 2
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information courtesy the City of Oxford
There will be a march in Downtown Oxford to honor George Floyd on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, beginning at 3 p.m.
The March will begin on Hunt Street, turn onto Broad Street, then onto Hillsboro Street ending at the Granville County Courthouse.
Businesses on streets along the route of the march will be impacted. Motorists are encouraged to find an alternate route.
Those desiring to participate are requested and encouraged to wear face masks and honor social distancing guidelines.
Town Talk 06/01/20: Henderson Police Chief Discusses Sunday’s ‘Peaceful’ Downtown Protest
/by Kelly BondurantTHIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.
Barrow discussed Sunday’s protest/walk through downtown Henderson, a response, in part, to the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died during an incident with law enforcement in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25.
Following days of both orderly protests and violent riots and looting throughout the country, Barrow reported that Sunday’s local gathering was both “peaceful and productive.”
Barrow estimated 30-40 Henderson residents participated in the protest, including local community leaders Kendrick Vann, director of the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department; Lt. Jessica West, Henderson Police Department; Sara Coffey, Henderson Mayor Pro Tem; and Henderson City Council Members Melissa Elliott and Marion Williams.
“These community members came out yesterday to engage with the group, to engage our youth in conversation,” said Barrow. “We walked around downtown peacefully and talked and held a conversation the entire time. I think it was very productive.”
When asked to elaborate on their discussions, Barrow said, “We talked about history and where we are today. We talked about the incident in Minnesota. We talked about the right way of doing things and the wrong way of doing things. They were receptive to what we had to say and I feel like we were open to what they wanted to talk about and their opinions. We agreed on the majority of the things we discussed.”
According to Barrow, during the protest, phone numbers were exchanged and dates were scheduled for further discussions “among some Henderson residents whose paths had never crossed before.”
Barrow said some participants asked him if there were any fundamental changes he would like to see in law enforcement. “I told them ‘absolutely,'” he said. “As a nation, I think there are some fundamental changes we need to make to our hiring process and the way we operate.”
While currently a voluntary measure, Barrow said one thing he’d like to see is more law enforcement agencies become a part of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). According to Barrow, the Henderson Police Department is a CALEA participant with the next closest accredited departments being Durham and Raleigh.
“CALEA provides police departments and sheriff’s departments alike with opportunities to have up-to-date policies and best practices,” explained Barrow.
For those planning future protests or demonstrations in Henderson, Barrow said the proper procedure is to contact the HPD at (252) 431-4141 to file the required paperwork.
To hear the interview with Barrow in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Noon News 06/01/20
/by Larry100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
WIZS, Henderson – Your Community Voice
Protest/ Walk in downtown Henderson on Sunday, May 31
COVID 19 relief funds are now available for Vance County
Vance County courthouse reopens with social distancing guidelines
Fundraiser for Community Partners in Hope cancelled
Protective Gown Project continues
Kerr Lake Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration Moved to Labor Day Weekend
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information courtesy Vance County Tourism Development Authority
Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the Independence Day fireworks event was postponed from July 4 and has tentatively been rescheduled for Sunday, September 6, 2020. The ability to hold the event will depend entirely on local and state mandates and guidelines in place at that time.
The Labor Day Weekend Celebration will include fireworks over the water at Satterwhite Point at Kerr Lake in Henderson, NC. Events will be held from 3 until 10 p.m.
This family-friendly event will feature a DJ providing a wide variety of music, Boho the Clown, bounce houses and other activities for kids.
The NC State Parks 2020 interpretive theme is “The Year of the Fire.” Kids can learn about fire safety from Smokey the Bear.
Food vendors will be on-site, and t-shirts and glow sticks will be sold. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and a flashlight.
Enjoy music, food and fireworks under the stars! Come by boat or by car.
$7 per car gate fee charged by NC State Parks. Use of bounce house included in gate fee.
NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED!
McGregor Hall, Brian Westbrook to Present Virtual Presentation of ‘Buyer & Cellar’
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center
Brian Westbrook (“Into the Woods,” “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”) will perform in an online, one-man presentation of Jonathan Tolins’ comedy classic “Buyer & Cellar,” the first virtual performance in McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center’s history.
The one-man play follows Alex More, a struggling actor who makes ends meet by landing a job as the curator of Barbra Streisand’s basement.
Online performances will be held on Saturday, June 13 and Saturday, June 20, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.
Ticket purchasers will receive a web address and password at the email address connected to their purchase no later than 10 minutes prior to showtime.
Please note: content rated ‘R’ for language.
For tickets, visit https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/11557
In order to continue its mission to “share the healing power of the arts in Henderson and beyond,” McGregor Hall asks for the help and support of the community to make this performance a success.
Cooper Extends Utility Cut Off Moratorium, Implements Evictions Moratorium
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper
Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 142 to extend the prohibition of utility shut-offs and implement a moratorium on evictions. The Order went into effect Saturday with the Governor’s signature.
“North Carolinians need relief to help make ends meet during the pandemic,” said Governor Cooper. “Extending housing and utility protections will mean more people can stay in their homes and stay safe as we all work to slow the spread of this virus.”
“North Carolinians want to pay their rent, but for far too many people – through no fault of their own – that’s just not possible right now,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “We are in unprecedented times that call for unprecedented action. I support Gov. Roy Cooper’s extension of the moratorium on evictions to ensure that people do not face homelessness in the midst of this health and economic crisis.”
The Council of State concurred on this Executive Order with no objections.
The Order will aid in efforts to stop the spread of the virus by preventing homelessness due to eviction and ensuring access to essential utilities such as water and power. Though the Order allows for extended windows to pay rent and utility bills, all tenants and customers are still ultimately responsible for making their rent and utility payments.
The Order’s evictions moratorium:
The Order’s utility shutoff moratorium:
More information can be found in the FAQ document or read Executive Order 142.
McDonald’s of NC, Granville Owners Donate 83,000 Pounds of Food to Community
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, McDonald’s USA, LLC
McDonald’s of North Carolina and local area owner/operators Jeff & Ana Endrusick announced they will be donating 83,000 pounds of food to support the local Oxford community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
McDonald’s is partnering across its system amidst this crisis to help ensure that excess food and ingredients from menu items originally produced and destined for McDonald’s restaurants will serve its purpose in feeding communities nationwide.
Together, with longtime partner Food Donation Connection (FDC) and local charitable organizations, the extra food will be distributed via local charities and food banks including Area Congregation in Ministry (ACIM) of Granville County to those in need – including children and families.
This latest initiative builds on the McDonald’s commitment to be lockstep with suppliers and owner/operators to serve communities during this unprecedented time and beyond. Last week, McDonald’s announced it had donated $3.1 million dollars in food to support local communities nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.
McDonald’s will continue to feed and foster the North Carolina community, remaining open to safely serve those who are essential and offer convenient, safe and contactless ways for customers to enjoy delicious favorites through drive-thru, carry out, McDelivery, and Mobile Order & Pay with McDonald’s App.
McDonald’s is led by its purpose to feed and foster community around the country by reliably providing delicious, safe food every day and particularly in times of crisis.
“We are so grateful to McDonald’s for their donation of food to our pantry. This donation will help ACIM provide food to our residents so that they will not have to worry about how to pay their grocery bill,” said Susan Hinman, Executive Director for ACIM. “We are currently seeing additional families who are seeking help because of the impact the COVID-19 virus has had on their lives and McDonald’s is playing a significant role in supporting these families.”
Special Audio Report: Warrenton Milano’s Family Restaurant and Building Destroyed by Fire
/by John C. RoseWarrenton Rural Volunteer Fire Chief and Mayor of Warrenton Walter Gardner spoke with WIZS News about 6 p.m. Friday. In the special audio report, he provided the following facts about the Milano’s Family Restaurant building fire.