Wednesday’s celebratory reception for the Shop With a Cop and Friends program was sprinkled with laughter, music and levity, but the underlying message shone clearly in remarks by everybody from Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson on down to local law enforcement leaders – it’s all for the kids.
“This is what we do and what we get excited about,” Wilkerson said as she kicked off the official part of the program, thanking sponsors and providing details about the actual shopping day – Friday, Dec. 20.
Shopping Day is a special, special day, she said, adding that law enforcement officers and others will join “the other million people” taking care of last-minute shopping at the Henderson Walmart.
But Vance County Schools students don’t start their holiday break until lunchtime on that day, so Wilkerson said they’ll get going about 3 p.m.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to deliver you a check like we did last year,” Wilkerson said to Sheriff Curtis Brame, Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Fire Chief Tim Twisdale, referring to the $15,000 that the program got to share with children on their shopping spree.
Shop With a Cop is a memorable experience for the children, but it’s also something adults are sure to remember as well, Brame said, “to see the excitement in children’s eyes” as they stroll the aisles.
But it’s also a humbling experience, he said, to see kids who want to buy gifts for their parents and siblings instead of for themselves.
Chief Barrow recalled that the department started the program some years ago, a small-scale effort to give back to those in need. When the Chamber president approached the department with the idea of forming a partnership, it was a no-brainer. The first year of that partnership raised about $6,000, he said, and has ballooned to $15,000 under Wilkerson and her team.
“We’ve gotten so much support,” Barrow said. “It’s more than Shop With a Cop – it’s a partnership” that involves the Department of Social Services, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks, the City Council, city manager, county manager, among all the other community supporters.
A highlight of the event was finding out who won the cash prizes associated with the 180 raffle tickets that were sold – four cash prizes were awarded – $200, $500, $1,000 and the top prize of $2,000.
As each name was drawn, Wilkerson easily called them out:
Juanita Sommerville, Kendrick Vann, Hal Muetzel. (Congratulations, by the way!)
But the $2,000 winner had her puzzled, and she may have not wanted to admit it, but she said she didn’t recognize the name: Sam…Citgo?
After a few failed attempts from the gathering to claim the prize, however, the picture became clear. HPD’s Tony Mills spoke up from the crowd to say he stopped by the gas station, “and the rascal bought three tickets.”
Citgo wasn’t the person’s last name – it was his place of business. So, Sam from Citgo, the purchase of three tickets paid off.
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The Local Skinny! N.C. House District 32 Contest
/by WIZS StaffIncumbent N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon has until noon tomorrow – Tuesday, Nov. 19 – to put the wheels in motion to call for a recount in the contest to retain his District 32 seat.
Both Vance and Granville’s boards of elections completed the canvass on Friday, Nov. 15 to certify results of the Nov. 5 general election, including the District 32 race, in which challenger Bryan Cohn holds a 233-vote lead over the incumbent Sossamon.
The N.C. State Board of Elections website lists vote totals as 21,213 for Cohn, a Democrat, and 20,980 for the Republican Sossamon. Cohn won handily in Vance County, taking 60.55 percent of the vote to Sossamon’s 37.26 percent; Sossamon won among Granville County voters by a 52.67 percent to 44.53 percent margin.
State law states that a recount can occur in non-statewide contests where the margin of victory is 1 percent or less of total votes cast. The 233-vote margin is .53 of 1 percent of the total vote.
“In contests under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Elections (including General Assembly seats in which the district lies in more than one county), the recount demand must be in writing and received by the State Board of Elections no later than noon on Tuesday, Nov. 19,” according to the state board of elections website.
There has been no indication about whether Sossamon will make a recount request.
The District 32 race is one of two key contests yet to be decided – the other is District 25 in Nash County – which will determine whether Republican keep their supermajority in the N.C. House.
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Granville Library System Gets $10,000 From Anonymous Benefactor
/by WIZS Staff– information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood
The Granville County Library System recently received a $10,000 donation to support children’s programming.
The donor, who wants to remain anonymous, designated the gift for projects aimed at improving children’s reading abilities in creative ways with a primary focus on the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, but with potential to impact other library branches across the county, according to information from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.
The money will be used for projects that the library system otherwise could not afford, including innovative reading programs, literacy support and educational initiatives that inspire young readers.
“We are incredibly fortunate to receive this support,” said Thornton Branch Children’s Librarian Amy Carlson. “This donation will allow us to create impactful programs that foster a love of reading and learning among children. We look forward to using these funds to expand the library’s community reach and resources in meaningful ways.”
The Granville County Library System will begin planning and implementing new initiatives with these funds by helping children develop stronger reading skills and a lasting connection to literacy. Further updates on the use of this donation will be shared with the community at a later date.
Visit https://granville.lib.nc.us/ to learn more about the programs and services the library system offers.
TownTalk: Annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Season Kicks Off
/by WIZS StaffAs if on cue, November 15 provided a crisp backdrop to the morning’s Red Kettle Season Kickoff, and dozens from the community showed up outside Belk to take the opportunity to drop in the first donations of the Christmas season.
The Vance County High School chorus provided several seasonal and inspirational selections for the Salvation Army kickoff event to add an air of excitement and joy to the chilly morning’s festivities.
Whether you’re someone who hauls out the holly and puts up the tree before Thanksgiving or you’re one of those die-hards who prefers to wait until December to think about Christmas plans, you’re likely to run across a few Red Kettles and bell ringers during the next 40 days.
Alongside the iconic Salvation Army symbol of giving, the bell ringers invite shoppers to donate during the holiday season to help provide food and gifts to seniors and children across Vance County and the surrounding counties it serves.
Kettle donations “help us provide clothing and toys for children at Christmas time,” said Maj. Beth Mallard. But more than 200 senior adults also have signed up to receive food baskets, Mallard said Friday, and the funds are used to feed more than 500 people each month, all year long.
“When you walk by, make sure you drop something in the bucket,” she said.
The kettles ignite a spirit of generosity in our community, said Margier White, chair of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce board. “Each bell that rings this season (is) not just signalling a donation,” White said, “it’s a connection that we make with people who are in need.
Placing any donation – coins or bills – represents love, kindness and community support, she said.
The Salvation Army kettle is “more than just a container – it represents hope for families facing hardships.”
Call Mallard at 252.438.7107 if you’d like information about volunteering to be a bell ringer during the holiday season. You, your church or civic group can also sponsor a kettle, or participate in the Angel Tree project at https://www.tsamm.org/angeltree.
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TownTalk: ‘Shop With A Cop And Friends’ Reception: Fun With A Purpose
/by WIZS StaffWednesday’s celebratory reception for the Shop With a Cop and Friends program was sprinkled with laughter, music and levity, but the underlying message shone clearly in remarks by everybody from Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson on down to local law enforcement leaders – it’s all for the kids.
“This is what we do and what we get excited about,” Wilkerson said as she kicked off the official part of the program, thanking sponsors and providing details about the actual shopping day – Friday, Dec. 20.
Shopping Day is a special, special day, she said, adding that law enforcement officers and others will join “the other million people” taking care of last-minute shopping at the Henderson Walmart.
But Vance County Schools students don’t start their holiday break until lunchtime on that day, so Wilkerson said they’ll get going about 3 p.m.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to deliver you a check like we did last year,” Wilkerson said to Sheriff Curtis Brame, Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Fire Chief Tim Twisdale, referring to the $15,000 that the program got to share with children on their shopping spree.
Shop With a Cop is a memorable experience for the children, but it’s also something adults are sure to remember as well, Brame said, “to see the excitement in children’s eyes” as they stroll the aisles.
But it’s also a humbling experience, he said, to see kids who want to buy gifts for their parents and siblings instead of for themselves.
Chief Barrow recalled that the department started the program some years ago, a small-scale effort to give back to those in need. When the Chamber president approached the department with the idea of forming a partnership, it was a no-brainer. The first year of that partnership raised about $6,000, he said, and has ballooned to $15,000 under Wilkerson and her team.
“We’ve gotten so much support,” Barrow said. “It’s more than Shop With a Cop – it’s a partnership” that involves the Department of Social Services, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks, the City Council, city manager, county manager, among all the other community supporters.
A highlight of the event was finding out who won the cash prizes associated with the 180 raffle tickets that were sold – four cash prizes were awarded – $200, $500, $1,000 and the top prize of $2,000.
As each name was drawn, Wilkerson easily called them out:
Juanita Sommerville, Kendrick Vann, Hal Muetzel. (Congratulations, by the way!)
But the $2,000 winner had her puzzled, and she may have not wanted to admit it, but she said she didn’t recognize the name: Sam…Citgo?
After a few failed attempts from the gathering to claim the prize, however, the picture became clear. HPD’s Tony Mills spoke up from the crowd to say he stopped by the gas station, “and the rascal bought three tickets.”
Citgo wasn’t the person’s last name – it was his place of business. So, Sam from Citgo, the purchase of three tickets paid off.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 11-18-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Cooperative Extension With Wayne Rowland: Native Plants
/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.
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SportsTalk: Vance County vs. Western Alamance Preview
/by Scout HughesUPDATE – FINAL SCORE
Western Alamance 36
Vance County 31
Vipers finish the season at 9-2
RECAP MONDAY ON SPORTSTALK
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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and George Hoyle sit down on SportsTalk to talk about the upcoming playoff game between Vance County and Western Alamance, in addition to other playoff games happening in our area. The guys also take a look at the new ADM numbers that came out on Wednesday and see where Vance County lines up.
Vance County travels to Western Alamance for the first round of the North Carolina 3A Football State Playoffs on Friday, November 15th 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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Maria Parham Health Earns Another ‘A’ For Hospital Safety From Leapfrog Group
/by WIZS Staff– information courtesy of Maria Parham Health Public Information Officer Donna Young
Maria Parham Health has been awarded an “A” Hospital Safety Grade by The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit organization committed to improving health care quality and safety. The recognition places Maria Parham Health among the top performing hospitals nationwide for patient safety.
Leapfrog assigns safety grades to hospitals based on more than 30 performance measures, including incidents of errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the hospital’s systems to prevent such events. The “A” grade reflects the hospital’s commitment to reducing preventable harm to patients and delivering high-quality care.
“We are extremely proud to earn an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “This recognition speaks to the incredible dedication and hard work of our physicians, nurses, staff, and volunteers who put patient safety at the forefront of everything they do. At Maria Parham Health, our patients are our priority, and this grade underscores our ongoing commitment to making communities healthier and providing the highest level of care in a safe environment.”
Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, congratulated Maria Parham Health for its dedication to patient safety. “Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Maria Parham Health,” said Binder. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Maria Parham Health, its leadership, clinicians, staff, and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only national rating program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections that lead to more than 500 patient deaths daily in the United States. The program is peer-reviewed, transparent and updated each fall and spring. This recognition emphasizes Maria Parham Health’s commitment to providing safe, quality care to all patients.
For more information on Maria Parham Health’s grade or to explore tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit https://www.hospitalsafetygrade.org/
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 11-15-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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3 GCPS Elementary Schools Earn Kudos In US News And World Report Ranking Program
/by WIZS StaffThree elementary schools in the southern end of Granville County have earned “Best Elementary Schools” badges from U.S. News and World Report, according to Granville County Public Schools Public Information Officer Courtney Currin.
Butner-Stem Elementary, Tar River Elementary and Wilton Elementary each placed among the top 40 percent of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
According to the US News and World Report, “the top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students.”
GCPS Superintendent Dr. Stan Winborne echoed that sentiment in praise of the school staffs, stating they “do everything they can to ensure their students succeed. Because of this and the students’ hard work, the students of those schools thrive. It’s exciting that their hard work and accomplishments are recognized.”
The rankings are based on students who scored at proficient or above proficient levels on math and reading state assessments, “while accounting for student background and achievement in core subjects,” according to information from the national publication.