Longtime educator, community advocate and current Vance County Arts Council Director Dr. Alice Clark Sallins has joined the ranks of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, becoming the latest local recipient during Sunday services at Holy Temple Church.
Sallins said she was “overjoyed” to learn that she was to receive the award, the highest civilian honor given in the state. Rep. Frank Sossamon presented the award to Sallins and in his written recommendation, called Sallins “a pillar of leadership and service for decades, demonstrating a selfless dedication to the people of Vance County and beyond.”
She said it was fitting to receive the honor at her church. “It was very special,” she said, “because church is the core of my existence.”
Sallins, herself a minister since 1995, said Sossamon – also a retired pastor – told the congregation that Sunday wouldn’t be long enough for him to list all her good works and accomplishments.
One of those good works was a group for young men called Royalty: Students Striving For Excellence. It began in 1988, when Sallins was a middle school teacher. The idea of Royalty was to support students and “get them to do better on tests, on Reading and Math EOGs,” Sallins recalled on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
But another goal was to keep the young men off the streets, out of trouble and headed for success.
She has a soft spot in her heart for youth and senior adults, and with the arts council she spends a good bit of time bringing arts activities for the young and the young-at-heart to enjoy.
“That was my life’s work – what I really like to focus on,” she said of her special connection with children and with senior citizens.
By week’s end, she will have visited several different schools and worked with more than 150 students, plus a free program at the Senior Center Thursday at 1 p.m.
She’s been involved with the Arts Council since the 1990’s, but added a leadership role to her crowded plate of activities back in 2004.
“As the first African American leader of the Vance County Arts Council, her leadership has been nothing short of transformative,” stated Sossamon in his letter of recommendation. “From producing Broadway-quality plays in the early 1990’s to ensuring that the Christmas Parade became a celebration of the entire community, Dr. Sallins has been a driving force for inclusivity and creativity.”
Thanks to the way her parents raised their children, Sallins has always been a giver and a doer.
There’s a lot of work to do in the community, she said. “Someone has to do it. My focus has always been to make the community better.”
Not one to seek the spotlight, she prefers to work behind the scenes to make changes for the better, whether it’s giving young people access to the arts or making sure the Henderson Christmas Parade goes off without a hitch each holiday season.
For Sallins, it’s simple: “Just let me do what I need to do to glorify God – that’s what I want to do.”
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The Local Skinny! Groundbreaking at Epsom Park
/by WIZS StaffFranklin County Parks and Recreation Director K.P. Kilpatrick has been in his role just since April of this year, but he’s already been able to check one big item off the to-do list: witness the groundbreaking of Epsom Park.
The park will be located on the site of the former Epsom School, and plans have been in place for a while – almost 20 years, in fact – to construct a park for residents to enjoy, whether they live in Franklin County or Vance County.
County officials and community leaders joined Kilpatrick at the recent groundbreaking for Phase 1 of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in fall of 2025.
It includes a walking loop, sand volleyball court, playground, multipurpose field and a picnic shelter, as well as a spot for cornhole.
“We’re happy to get it started,” Kilpatrick told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
The 7.62 acre property practically straddles the Franklin/Vance County line, and will be the fourth park that Franklin County is responsible for.
It’ll be a place where the community can come for recreation as well as athletic events and other organized programs, Kilpatrick said. There could be a movie night at the park, for example, volleyball and cornhole tournaments in addition to the more traditional types of sports played on the multipurpose field.
Kilpatrick envisions Epsom Park as a place for “great leisure opportunities” and a “great place to create memories.”
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Henderson Fire Dept. Honors Mills, Clark At Annual Banquet
/by WIZS StaffThe Henderson Fire Department took time to honor individuals for outstanding service during its annual Fireman of the Year holiday banquet, held recently at Station 1.
Master Firefighter Charlie Mills was named the 2024 Fireman of the Year Award. Mills has been with Henderson Fire since 2020. He always goes above and beyond to help out a fellow co-worker and his positivity never wavers.
Engineer Trenton Clark received the Chief’s Award for dedication to his career. His passion for succeeding does not go unnoticed, reads the post on social media.
Warrenton Mayor Gardner Jr. was a guest speaker for the event. Gardner, owner of Warrenton Insurance Agency, also serves as Battalion Chief for Warrenton Rural Volunteer Fire Department.
Among the guests for the banquet were Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon and Council members Garry Daeke, Sam Seifert, Ola Thorpe-Cooper and Michael Venable.
SportsTalk: NCHSAA Releases First Realignment Draft
/by Scout HughesSportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has released their First Draft of Conference Realignment which will take effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 School Year. This realignment will determine what schools play who in conference play. Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue talked all about it on Wednesday’s edition of SportsTalk.
In addition to conference realignment, the NCHSAA will be adding classifications, from 1A-4A, to 1A-8A. Based on the attendance numbers that came out in November, Vance County will be 6A, Henderson Collegiate will be 2A, and Vance Charter will be 1A.
The following are conferences that include teams from Vance County and the surrounding areas that the NCHSAA laid out in their first draft:
6A/7A Conference C
5A Conference 1
3A/4A Conference A
1A/2A Conference D
1A Conference 3
These conferences are not set in stone as this is just the first draft that the Realignment Committee of the NCHSAA has come up with. The final draft will come out sometime in the spring. But these conference could give a good idea of what the conference could be when they are finalized. In the meantime, we at WIZS will keep you posted on all things conference realignment in North Carolina High School Athletics.
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Home And Garden Show
/by WIZS StaffOn the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536
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TownTalk: Dr. Alice Sallins Receives Order Of The Long Leaf Pine
/by WIZS StaffLongtime educator, community advocate and current Vance County Arts Council Director Dr. Alice Clark Sallins has joined the ranks of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, becoming the latest local recipient during Sunday services at Holy Temple Church.
Sallins said she was “overjoyed” to learn that she was to receive the award, the highest civilian honor given in the state. Rep. Frank Sossamon presented the award to Sallins and in his written recommendation, called Sallins “a pillar of leadership and service for decades, demonstrating a selfless dedication to the people of Vance County and beyond.”
She said it was fitting to receive the honor at her church. “It was very special,” she said, “because church is the core of my existence.”
Sallins, herself a minister since 1995, said Sossamon – also a retired pastor – told the congregation that Sunday wouldn’t be long enough for him to list all her good works and accomplishments.
One of those good works was a group for young men called Royalty: Students Striving For Excellence. It began in 1988, when Sallins was a middle school teacher. The idea of Royalty was to support students and “get them to do better on tests, on Reading and Math EOGs,” Sallins recalled on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
But another goal was to keep the young men off the streets, out of trouble and headed for success.
She has a soft spot in her heart for youth and senior adults, and with the arts council she spends a good bit of time bringing arts activities for the young and the young-at-heart to enjoy.
“That was my life’s work – what I really like to focus on,” she said of her special connection with children and with senior citizens.
By week’s end, she will have visited several different schools and worked with more than 150 students, plus a free program at the Senior Center Thursday at 1 p.m.
She’s been involved with the Arts Council since the 1990’s, but added a leadership role to her crowded plate of activities back in 2004.
“As the first African American leader of the Vance County Arts Council, her leadership has been nothing short of transformative,” stated Sossamon in his letter of recommendation. “From producing Broadway-quality plays in the early 1990’s to ensuring that the Christmas Parade became a celebration of the entire community, Dr. Sallins has been a driving force for inclusivity and creativity.”
Thanks to the way her parents raised their children, Sallins has always been a giver and a doer.
There’s a lot of work to do in the community, she said. “Someone has to do it. My focus has always been to make the community better.”
Not one to seek the spotlight, she prefers to work behind the scenes to make changes for the better, whether it’s giving young people access to the arts or making sure the Henderson Christmas Parade goes off without a hitch each holiday season.
For Sallins, it’s simple: “Just let me do what I need to do to glorify God – that’s what I want to do.”
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 12-18-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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The Local Skinny! Dec. 21 Make-And-Take Program At Perry Library
/by WIZS StaffThey’re making snow at Perry Memorial Library Saturday, Dec. 21!
Well, not snow, exactly. More like snowflakes.
Youth Services Director Melody Peters said there’s going to be plenty of fun in the process, too, during the make-and-take craft activities that people of all ages are sure to enjoy.
The library will have a variety of age-appropriate activities available during the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. snowflake-themed program.
You can make huge paper bag snowflakes – just glue several layers together and then cut to create that unique snowflake pattern.
Teens will enjoy a bead and pipe cleaner craft to create their own version of a snowflake, too, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
Saturday also is the Winter Solstice, which marks the longest night of the year. After Saturday, the days will increasingly grow longer.
The library will take a little break for the Christmas holiday and will be closed Dec. 24-26, Peters said. The library will be open New Year’s Eve day, but will be closed New Year’s Day.
Peters said the library will open 2025 with a bang – literally – on Jan. 2 with Mother Goose Story Time at 11 a.m. for kiddos 0-5. The theme will be “make a little noise,” she said.
Then winter programming continues full-steam ahead, with First Fridays. This program for area preschools kicks off Jan. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. It gives preschoolers a chance to experience the library and enjoy STEM activities, Peters said. The January program features chemical reactions and baking soda volcanoes.
There’s a new club starting up this year for anime enthusiasts, she said.
The group will meet on the last Thursday of the month – beginning on Jan. 30 – from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“It’s a very popular section” of the library, Peters said. “We have a couple of staff members who are really into it themselves – they read it, they watch it, they wear it…they appreciate it.”
For the uninitiated, anime – pronounced A nih may – is a form of animation that originated in Japan. The club is for young people in middle school and high school. Space is limited, and registration is required, Peters said. Email her at
mpeters@perrylibrary.org to get signed up.
Visit www.perrylibrary.org to learn about all the programs the library offers.
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TownTalk: Adopt From The Local Animal Shelter This Holiday Season
/by Laura GabelThe dogs and cats at the Vance County Animal Shelter are so stinkin’ cute, according to Director William Coker, that even he couldn’t resist the temptation.
Coker said he’d never been a cat owner – until he fell in love with a kitten at the shelter.
“I ended up adopting that kitten myself,” he told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Tuesday’s TownTalk. “When I get up in the morning, that kitten is at the coffee pot with me,” he said.
The shelter is full – literally – of dogs and cats waiting to be adopted. There are 44 kennels for grown dogs – all occupied at the moment – as well as a puppy room and two cat rooms, one for adoptable felines and one for cats in quarantine for one reason or another.
The puppy room has eight beautiful puppies right now, Coker said. “I would love to have them adopted before Christmas,” he said.
Coker didn’t begin his job as director until January 2024, so he doesn’t know how Christmas-time adoptions went last year. But he said he hopes to see some folks come in and “adopt, don’t shop” at the shelter.
The application process is pretty simple, he explained. There’s a short form to fill out and the adoption fees are reasonable – $155 for dogs and $105 for cats. The cost includes the spay and neuter fee, as well as first shots and a one-year rabies shot.
And while Coker said the shelter staff is always hopeful to get animals adopted to good homes, they’re shifting their focus to educating the community about the need to spay and neuter pets. “I want to push spay and neuter in the community, to keep the animals from coming into the shelter” in the first place, he said.
Anyone interested in seeing the adoptable dogs and cats can visit the shelter during business hours. The shelter is located at 1243 Brodie Rd. and is open on Mondays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays – Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., all day every other Friday and half days every other Saturday.
Coker hasn’t turned down many adoption applications. “If the dog seems to be a good fit for the family, I adopt him out,” he said.
It’s a win-win-win for the animal, the community and the adopter, he explained: You’re saving an animal, taking a stray out of the neighborhood, and gaining a member of the family.
“You just carry him home and start loving him,” Coker said.
To learn more, visit the shelter at https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/animal-control/or call 252.492.3136.
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Franklin County Lands Two Companies That Focus On Reducing Single-Use Plastics
/by WIZS Staff— Courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks, III
Two new companies are set to establish their first pilot facility and future manufacturing center in Franklin County.
TerraSafe Materials, Inc. and its sister company, DisSolves, Inc., are establishing a facility that will create 20 new full-time jobs – with an average annual salary of $100,000 – with more than $10 million invested between the combined companies. The new facility will be located at 35 Weathers St. in Youngsville, N.C.
“We are thrilled to welcome TerraSafe Materials and DisSolves to Franklin County,” said Economic Development Director Barbara Fiedor. “The companies’ commitment to developing innovative sustainable technologies will have a significant positive impact on reducing plastic single-use packaging. The companies’ decision to locate here adds to Franklin County’s growing clean technology industry cluster and demonstrates the county’s dedication to attracting forward-thinking businesses aiming to enhance economic development and new job creation.”
TerraSafe Materials is a materials science company developing new materials, coatings and applications for truly sustainable packaging. TerraSafe Materials specializes in the development of biopolymer compounds to displace traditional petroleum-based packaging.
DisSolves produces the first edible, dissolvable packaging made from all-natural ingredients. With a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and materials scientists, DisSolves and its patented technology is positioned to seize on the increased demand for PVA-alternative plastic-free films from consumers, brands and new legislative bans.
COO of both companies, Jeff Veltkamp, said he looks forward to working in Franklin County.
“The location serves us well in so many ways – from access to exceptional scientific talent and an excellent workforce to the cooperative relationships with local government and our industrial neighbors,” Veltkamp said, adding that they’ve received a warm welcome.
“The decision by TerraSafe Materials and DisSolves to establish their facility in Franklin County validates the thriving business environment we have created here,” said Interim County Manager Ryan Preble. “Their investment not only brings new high paying jobs, but also strengthens our community by diversifying our economic industry sectors.”
The grand opening and ribbon-cutting of the facility is anticipated to take place in March 2025. For more information about the grand opening event or to learn more about employment opportunities, contact info@terrasafematerials.com or visit terrasafematerials.com and dissolves.com.
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 12-17-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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