Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott can be found at the city building on Rose Avenue for monthly Council meetings, but you’re also likely to spot her most anywhere across town in any number of places promoting the city and supporting its residents.
Elliott was at the Senior Center Thursday morning to help senior adults create “vision boards.”
And on Tuesday, Feb. 11, she’ll be the speaker at the Community Information Series at Baskerville Funeral Home.
The title of the program, which runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., is “Understanding City Government.”
“There are a lot of things that people don’t understand about city government,” Elliott said on Thursday’s TownTalk. She wants everyone to understand that no one person makes all the decisions or all the rules.
“We work as a team,” she said of herself, Council members and city staff, “and that’s how we pass law…(and) govern the city.
She said the elected officials need to be available to their constituents. “We want to hear what people have to say,” she added.
The business of government is about people, Elliott emphasized. The whole business of governing IS people, she said, and it’s important for the city to invest in its people.
“We are in the business of helping people and moving a community forward,” she said, even when resources are scarce.
The vision board activity is part of the mayor’s health and wellness initiative, and it’s one way to invest in people.
Today, it’s senior adults, and a month ago, she spent time with a bunch of teens as they created their own vision boards. It’s a way to focus on positive mental health practices, she noted. Participants create a collage of how they want to “see” themselves – healthy and happy and secure.
Spending time with folks as they create these boards is also a way Elliott gets to interact with constituents
“You put on your board what you want to look like and what you want your city to look like,” she said.
She said she welcomes people’s comments because their voice matters – whether it’s a complaint or praise.
Reach out to Elliott at 252.425.5220 or call the city clerk at 252.430.5705 to learn more.
CLICK PLAY!
TownTalk: Community Information Series To Feature Mayor Elliott
/by WIZS StaffHenderson Mayor Melissa Elliott can be found at the city building on Rose Avenue for monthly Council meetings, but you’re also likely to spot her most anywhere across town in any number of places promoting the city and supporting its residents.
Elliott was at the Senior Center Thursday morning to help senior adults create “vision boards.”
And on Tuesday, Feb. 11, she’ll be the speaker at the Community Information Series at Baskerville Funeral Home.
The title of the program, which runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., is “Understanding City Government.”
“There are a lot of things that people don’t understand about city government,” Elliott said on Thursday’s TownTalk. She wants everyone to understand that no one person makes all the decisions or all the rules.
“We work as a team,” she said of herself, Council members and city staff, “and that’s how we pass law…(and) govern the city.
She said the elected officials need to be available to their constituents. “We want to hear what people have to say,” she added.
The business of government is about people, Elliott emphasized. The whole business of governing IS people, she said, and it’s important for the city to invest in its people.
“We are in the business of helping people and moving a community forward,” she said, even when resources are scarce.
The vision board activity is part of the mayor’s health and wellness initiative, and it’s one way to invest in people.
Today, it’s senior adults, and a month ago, she spent time with a bunch of teens as they created their own vision boards. It’s a way to focus on positive mental health practices, she noted. Participants create a collage of how they want to “see” themselves – healthy and happy and secure.
Spending time with folks as they create these boards is also a way Elliott gets to interact with constituents
“You put on your board what you want to look like and what you want your city to look like,” she said.
She said she welcomes people’s comments because their voice matters – whether it’s a complaint or praise.
Reach out to Elliott at 252.425.5220 or call the city clerk at 252.430.5705 to learn more.
CLICK PLAY!
The Local Skinny! Free Health Clinic Returning To Henderson
/by WIZS StaffFree medical, dental and vision services are returning to Henderson for a third year in early March when the Duke Remote Area Medical clinic sets up shop at Vance Charter School.
The two-day clinic is scheduled for Saturday, Mar. 1 and Sunday, Mar. 2.
The clinic doors open at 6 a.m. each morning and will operate on a first come, first served basis.
Because of possible time constraints, clients can choose either dental or vision services, but are welcome to get one service on one day and the second service on the second day.
Clients can arrive in the parking lot of the school, located at 2090 Ross Mill Rd., as early as midnight on Friday, Feb. 28. Once in the parking lot, clients will receive additional information about the services that are available.
RAM clinics provide these services free of charge; clients will not be asked to show identification or proof of insurance.
Visit www.ramusa.org to learn more.
CLICK PLAY!
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 02-06-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Cooperative Extension with Jamon Glover: The Power of a Father’s Presence
/by WIZS StaffCooperative Extension
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
Click Play!
H-V Chamber Seeks Nominations For Annual Awards; Deadline Feb. 28
/by WIZS StaffThe Citizen of the Year and Small Business of the Year are annual awards presented by the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce at the annual meeting and banquet. This year’s banquet will be held Thursday, April 3.
Nominations for both these awards are available now. The deadline to submit nomination forms is 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, according to H-V Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson.
Anonymous selection committees will review all nominations and will select one winner for each award.
Nominees for the Small Business of the Year must be located in Vance County and have been established for three or more years, is experiencing growth or has demonstrated stability over its business life, along with other criteria listed on the nomination form.
Submit nominations to show support for local businesses.
Both awards are sponsored by Duke Energy.
Nominations can be submitted by email to sandra@hendersonvance.org, dropped by the Chamber Office at 414 S. Garnett St., or mailed to P.O. Box 1302, Henderson, NC 27536.
Auto Owners, Brace Yourselves For Possible Insurance Rate Increase
/by WIZS StaffNorth Carolina insurance companies have requested a statewide average 22.6 percent increase in automobile insurance rates.
The North Carolina Rate Bureau, which represents the automobile insurance companies in the state and is not a part of the Department of Insurance, filed the request with the Department on Monday. The insurance companies requested that the rates take effect on Oct. 1.
State law gives the Commissioner of Insurance 60 days to review the rate request to determine if the increase is justified based on the data submitted.
If Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey does not agree with the requested increase, he and the Department of Insurance can negotiate a settlement or call for a hearing.
Settlements have been reached on automobile rate filings in the past. If the case goes to a hearing, a hearing officer would make a ruling on the request.
This rate filing follows a February 2023 filing in which the insurance companies requested a statewide 28.4 percent increase. That filing resulted in a settlement of an overall average 4.5 percent increase per year for two years.
TownTalk: Vance County Commissioners Vote To Accept Audit Report
/by WIZS StaffThe Vance County Board of Commissioners received and accepted the most recent audit report as part of its Feb. 3 meeting.
It’s a routine matter for the board, but County Attorney Jonathan Care asked a few questions of Alan Thompson, who presented the report to the board and reviewed highlights.
Care wasn’t so much concerned numbers or findings – he simply wanted to know the auditor’s opinion about the level of cooperation his firm had received from current staff.
In the previous audit presentation in June 2024, commissioners heard a number of concerns ranging from a lack of training and cross-training of staff to lack of oversight by the previous finance director.
“Do you have the same concerns that you had about some of our staff this year that you had in previous years?” Care asked Thompson.
“No,” Thompson replied.
Care continued, saying “You made it sound like you had a lot more concerns than any of us sitting around this dais understood or gathered from your previous presentations. So, rather than relying on your reports and presentations, I’m asking you specifically: Do you still have those concerns about any of our staff and the findings that you found during this audit process?
Again, Thompson’s answer was “No.”
He added to his answer and explained that he had contacted Finance Director Stephanie Wiliams and County Manager C. Renee Perry on a regular basis during the most recent audit and got “positive responses.”
Perry began her job as county manager in November 2023; Williams came on board in April 2024.
Board Chair Carolyn Faines commended Perry and her administrative staff for their work on the most recent audit. “They have done a wonderful job and they have worked very hard to put this audit together. I commend you all and thank you all for a job well done.”
Perry accepted Faines’s remarks, adding her own thanks to Williams and the finance staff because “she inherited a mess and I think we all know that.
“For us to have turned it around in the short period that we have, I’m very proud of my staff.”
CLICK PLAY!
TownTalk: Community Partners For Pets Grant Approved By Vance County Commissioners
/by WIZS StaffThe Vance County Board of Commissioners approved spending $10,000 to satisfy a matching grant to spay and neuter dogs and cats waiting to be adopted at the animal shelter as well as pets of county residents.
The grant comes from Community Partnership For Pets, Inc. through the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society. The county match will come from fund balance.
“My top priority … is to this community and to the citizens in this community,” said Animal Services Manager William Coker, adding that this grant program would provide spay/neuter services to residents regardless of income level.
An existing spay/neuter program provides assistance for residents who qualify because they receive state or other government assistance. “A lot of people could use the help…but I can’t give it to them,” Coker explained, because they don’t qualify. This $20,000 infusion of funds to get pets spayed and neutered will help in the constant battle to control the unwanted pet population.
Coker said the Animal Services staff spends much of its time picking up stray dogs and feral cats. When he spoke to the board on Feb. 3, Coker said the shelter had five litters of pups and were expecting two additional litters to be surrendered before the week was over.
The funds can be used for spay and neuter services only, but in addition to dogs and cats being adopted from the shelter and for people’s pets, it includes feral cats and colonies as well as free spay/neuter for pit bulls or pit bull mixes.
CLICK PLAY!
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 02-05-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Click Play!
Home And Garden Show
/by WIZS StaffOn the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536
Click Play!