Anyone who dropped in during Tuesday’s NCDOT meeting at E.M. Rollins School got a chance to view project maps and speak with transportation officials about just what the $57 million Dabney Drive upgrade is going to look like.
From initial conceptual drawings, what it’s going to look like is very different.
The proposed upgrades include a peanut-shaped roundabout at Dorsey Avenue and upgrading existing Dabney Drive for eastbound traffic and Corbitt Road and a former rail corridor for westbound traffic. But it also makes accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists who use the roadway.
Dabney Drive is a major transportation artery for the city that gives motorists access to residential, commercial, industrial, churches and institutional facilities located within the project area. There aren’t many times during the day that traffic isn’t congested, and NCDOT has been working on getting plans together for the upgrade since 2019.
Right now, projected costs to complete the Dabney Drive upgrade include $7.3 million for relocating utilities, $25 million for right-of-way acquisition, $24.4 million to complete an environmental document. Construction is set to begin in Fall 2027.
and utility companies to make sure the work “will minimize impacts to the greatest extent possible,” documents state.
No doubt NCDOT will have to acquire property, and once the design phase is complete, affected property owners will be contacted.. For more information about the right-of-way process, visit https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/Documents/right-of-way-residential-english.pdf#search=right%20of%20way.
In addition to fielding questions from the public, NCDOT representatives received comments, which will be reviewed and discussed as plans continue.
The project – U-5890 – has its own webpage https://publicinput.com/dabney-drive-henderson
NCDOT also invites public comment by email or phone. To send an email, visit dabney-drive-henderson@publicinput.com.
Phone 984.205.6615 and enter Code 4600 to leave a voice message.
Public comments can also be mailed to:
Zahid Baloch
NCDOT Division Project Team
1573 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1573
Comments should be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.
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WIZS Radio Local News Audio 02-15-24 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
WIZS Continuing Coverage For Local Elections
/by Laura GabelWith early voting now underway for the upcoming March primary elections, WIZS continues to provide comprehensive coverage to give listeners information about candidates in local contests.
On Monday, Feb. 19, hear from the two candidates vying for the District 2 seat on the Vance County Board of Commissioners. Democratic incumbent Archie B.Taylor, Jr. faces opposition from Democratic challenger Valencia Perry. Their interviews were recorded and will be aired – unedited – in their entirety.
The other contested race is for the District 5 seat on the Board of Education – incumbent Democrat Linda Cobb faces challenger William Earl Purvis, also a Democrat. Find interviews with Cobb and Purvis on wizs.com, as well as a write-up on the WIZS webpage. The interviews were aired on TownTalk Wednesday, Feb. 14.
Stay tuned to wizs.com for complete election coverage.
Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Biting, Pt. 3
/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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$57M Dabney Drive Upgrade Chugging Along
/by WIZS StaffAnyone who dropped in during Tuesday’s NCDOT meeting at E.M. Rollins School got a chance to view project maps and speak with transportation officials about just what the $57 million Dabney Drive upgrade is going to look like.
From initial conceptual drawings, what it’s going to look like is very different.
The proposed upgrades include a peanut-shaped roundabout at Dorsey Avenue and upgrading existing Dabney Drive for eastbound traffic and Corbitt Road and a former rail corridor for westbound traffic. But it also makes accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists who use the roadway.
Dabney Drive is a major transportation artery for the city that gives motorists access to residential, commercial, industrial, churches and institutional facilities located within the project area. There aren’t many times during the day that traffic isn’t congested, and NCDOT has been working on getting plans together for the upgrade since 2019.
Right now, projected costs to complete the Dabney Drive upgrade include $7.3 million for relocating utilities, $25 million for right-of-way acquisition, $24.4 million to complete an environmental document. Construction is set to begin in Fall 2027.
and utility companies to make sure the work “will minimize impacts to the greatest extent possible,” documents state.
No doubt NCDOT will have to acquire property, and once the design phase is complete, affected property owners will be contacted.. For more information about the right-of-way process, visit https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/Documents/right-of-way-residential-english.pdf#search=right%20of%20way.
In addition to fielding questions from the public, NCDOT representatives received comments, which will be reviewed and discussed as plans continue.
The project – U-5890 – has its own webpage https://publicinput.com/dabney-drive-henderson
NCDOT also invites public comment by email or phone. To send an email, visit dabney-drive-henderson@publicinput.com.
Phone 984.205.6615 and enter Code 4600 to leave a voice message.
Public comments can also be mailed to:
Zahid Baloch
NCDOT Division Project Team
1573 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1573
Comments should be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.
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Bigelow Out As County’s Chief Finance Officer
/by WIZS StaffVance County Deputy County Manager/Chief Finance Officer Katherine Bigelow was relieved of her duties last week, according to County Manager Renee Perry, for fraud and falsification of records for personal profit.
“Katherine was terminated as of Feb. 9 – last Friday,” Perry told WIZS News.
Perry said Bigelow, who had said she was a licensed certified public accountant, used a license number that does not belong to her. “Katherine is not licensed as a CPA,” Perry said.
“The county has to go through an audit every year,” Perry explained, adding that “if a person identifies as a CPA, then auditors request copies of your certification.”
She said Bigelow, who has been the finance director since 2019, submitted “a certification for a CPA licensure that did not belong to her…she misrepresented herself with someone else’s licensure as a CPA.”
Just last month, Perry announced that county commissioners had agreed to a $25,000 bump in pay for Bigelow, bringing her salary to $136,503. That’s when her title was updated to Deputy County Manager/Chief Finance Officer.
Perry said the job posting was put on the county’s website after Bigelow was terminated.
“I wasn’t playing,” Perry said. “I couldn’t wait.”
Chuck Murray, who served as interim finance director before Bigelow came on board, will again serve as interim, beginning Monday, Perry said. He will help out two or three days a week.
A CPA licensure is not a requirement for the position of county finance director.
Perry cited the section in the county personnel policy that refers to “detrimental personal conduct for fraud and falsification of records for personal profit, to gain special privileges or to obtain employment” as the basis for the termination.
SportsTalk: UNC Baseball Starts Friday
/by Bill HarrisFormer Kerr-Vance Academy standout and Granville County native Daniel Wilkerson is excited about Friday! Wilkerson, assistant to the head coach for UNC Baseball, is ready to get the 15th-ranked Tar Heels on the field for the first game of the season Friday. “I can’t sleep the night before. It’s like Christmas morning,” Wilkerson said.
The Tar Heels open the season with a three-game series against Wagner. The first game is Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. The Tar Heels are just one of six ACC teams ranked in the top 15 nationally including No. 1 ranked Wake Forest. “We didn’t play them last year and I can’t wait to go to Winston-Salem this year,” Wilkerson said. “The rankings are meaningless. I ignore the rankings. We still have to go win baseball games,” Wilkerson added.
Wilkerson is also excited about his team’s prospects. “We’ve got young arms and a good pitching staff. We are deep in the bull pen,” said Wilkerson.
Daniel Wilkerson joined the UNC baseball program as Assistant to the head Coach and Clubhouse/Equipment manager during the 2022 fall semester.
SportsTalk: Crossroads Gets Ready For Tournament
/by Bill HarrisScottie Richardson has reason to be happy, back-to-back regular season championships for the Crossroads Christian boys basketball team. Richardson, the school’s athletic director, was a guest on Wednesday’s Sportstalk, and he said, “The boys will get a bye in the first round and we will play at home at 2 p.m. Saturday.” The opponent will be the winner of the New Garden/Halifax matchup.
Richardson is very proud of the accomplishments of his team. “This is the third year in a row the boys team has been a top 4 seed. “We’ve played New Garden three times this year and I think we will play them a fourth time Saturday,” Richardson added.
His girls team is also in the state tournament and plays at 6 p.m. Friday against Albemarle. “If they win, they will play again Saturday against Ridgecroft,” Richardson said.
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TownTalk: Linda Cobb, Board of Education Candidate
/by Laura GabelVance County Board of Education member Linda Cobb, seeking re-election to the District 5 seat, said the school district faces challenges common in many districts, and applauds leaders for their innovative efforts to provide a quality education experience for students and teachers.
Cobb was first appointed in 2019 to fill an unexpired term on the board of education, then was elected in 2020.
The county’s schools aren’t immune to challenges like bus drivers and attracting and retaining certified teachers, but Cobb said she celebrates successes like the creation of the SPARK lab to help students discover future career paths through hands-on experiences.
Her vision for the school system is “to lead and guide our students to success once they finish high school,” she said.
A couple of priorities she has on her radar include building community relationships and making sure students are “catching up” from COVID. “We can’t blame everything on COVID, but we need to make sure we have enough tutors in schools and teachers to teach the kids…what they need to know to progress to the next level,” she said.
Having been an instructor at Vance-Granville Community College for 20 years, she said she’s worked with students who are products of Vance County Schools. In close to 30 years in her role with the Department of Social Services, she’s worked with a variety of people, including children.
She continues that work in her role as a school board member, which includes strategizing “very carefully how we spend the money.”
“Our needs are growing,” she said, “but the amount of money coming to the district is not growing with the need.”
Money that comes from federal and state streams is usually already designated for particular budget items, and Cobb said she believes the district is managing those funds very well. “We just had a clean audit report,” she added.
Some of the stimulus money from the federal government was used for bonuses to employees and to other sustainable things, she said – not on one-off funding for seed money.”
“We always have to put the students first…(making sure) that they’re getting the very best education they can.”
Early voting is underway for the Mar. 5 primary elections.
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TownTalk: William Purvis, Board Of Education Candidate
/by Laura GabelWilliam Earl Purvis said he is promoting a “vision for transformation” in his bid for a seat on the Vance County Board of Education. Purvis faces incumbent and fellow Democrat Linda Cobb for the District 5 seat.
Henderson voters may remember his name from his unsuccessful bid for City Council in 2022; Purvis said his experience as an educator in a neighboring county, his background as a pastor and his training as a licensed clinician all serve to make him the right person for the job.
“I’ve talked to many parents, students and teachers,” he told WIZS News on a segment of TownTalk that aired Wednesday. “They want a voice,” and he said he would work to collaborate with the community to shape the board’s decisions.
Purvis said he’d like to have quarterly “town hall type” meetings to share with the community what’s going on in the school system.
The school system does a good job collaborating with the community now, he said. “It’s my job (to) take that even further and enhance it with all our students.”
He said his work as a clinician, pastor and educator all serve to make him an advocate for children and for school system employees.
“We’re all in this together to build a successful school system,” he said, adding that he would work to improve low-performing schools and would support all staff – teachers, administrators, custodians – to effect change.
He said he would work to promote school safety, mental health services, programs for parents and appropriate and fair building codes if he’s elected to the school board.
He’d also like to find ways to recognize students for successes that aren’t limited to academics or athletics.
“We need to recognize our kids with disabilities,” he said. “I have a spirit to advocate for the children.”
His platform is not focused on one district; rather, he is interested in what’s going on in all schools.
“I plan to lift up the school system,” he said. “If I’m elected, you will not be disappointed.”
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Home And Garden Show
/by Bill HarrisOn the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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