As the newly elected District 32 representative in the N.C. House, Bryan Cohn said he sees plenty of opportunities to work in a bipartisan fashion to preserve and strengthen the economy, natural resources and more for his constituents in Vance and Granville counties.
Cohn narrowly defeated incumbent Frank Sossamon in the November general election, but with the early January swearing-in in Raleigh and then a ceremonial swearing-in on Sunday, Jan. 19 at McGregor Hall, Cohn said he is ready to get to work.
About 100 supporters attended the second swearing-in on the afternoon of Jan. 19, during which the new state legislator shared his vision.
“It was a message of optimism and a message of hope,” he said on Tuesday’s TownTalk, “and really a message of gratitude to everyone who contributed their time and effort into this campaign.”
He called running for office “a humbling experience” and said he told those supporters on hand two Sunday afternoons ago that he will “represent them … and make sure we continue to listen to what they have to say and advocate appropriately in Raleigh.”
Among several priorities for the freshman legislator are expanded access to health care, taking care of seniors and keeping an eye on the regional water system.
“The ongoing expansion of water and sewer infrastructure upgrades is going to continue to be a top priority in this region,” Cohn explained.
Attending to those issues, among others, will also help foster growth in the district, which leads to economic growth for the region.
Expanding business and industry in the district will increase the need for an educated workforce, so he wants to make sure public education is up to the task.
Cohn said he is making the rounds throughout the district, adding that talking to leaders and others in the community is part of a “discovery phase” to help him get the lay of the land and be better equipped to be supportive of the various needs.
Although he said he was “unapologetically delighted” to be able to break up the Republican super majority in the N.C. House, Cohn said no one party should rule with absolute authority. He said he looks forward to working with Republicans Rep. Matthew Winslow and State Sen. Lisa Barnes, for whom he said he has great respect.
“Leaders should listen and take stock from what they are being told,” Cohn said. “We may not always agree,” but he said he suspects there are likely many things that they can agree on.
In his role as a commissioner for the City of Oxford, Cohn said he realized that municipalities and county officials are limited in what they can and cannot do, based on state laws.
“It makes it really difficult when you’re trying to plan for future growth,” he said or trying to put in place policies that talk about zoning or other issues faced by local governments.
Cohn said he feels some laws created last year around zoning issues need to be looked at to provide cities and counties more clarity, saying they created “a lot of gray area.” The language in those bills needs to be adjusted to better define what is allowed and not allowed.
He said he would like to see bills spend more time in committee to create a more polished product that spells out clearly for landowners, developers and local governments what the bill entails.
You don’t always need a sledgehammer to get results, Cohn said. Sometimes it takes a scalpel.
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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
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TownTalk: Love is in the Air with Granville Tourism
/by WIZS StaffFebruary. It’s the shortest month, but that’s not stopping Tourism Director Angela Allen and Granville County from packing in a wealth of events and activities into 28 days.
From Cedar Creek Gallery’s ‘Cupful’ exhibit to the popular murder mystery dinner theatre, check out all that Granville County has to offer at www.visitgranvillenc.com.
Allen said she’s constantly updating the website and blog posts to keep the area in tune with all the goings-on.
Whether you appreciate the beauty of handcrafted pottery or enjoy the hunt for a vintage vinyl record, Allen said Granville County offers “a little bit of everything” for people to do – there’s plenty of activities for people to do and things for people to love, she said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
And she said the collaboration that’s going on among downtown businesses – retail and restaurants – is something to behold.
Take Tobacco Wood Brewing Co., for example. It’s now offering a Saturday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. But invited to join in the fun during that time is Ox4d Music, which offers a pop-up shop on Saturdays while the finishing touches are being put on its stand-alone Main Street location.
Previously located in the lower level of The Hub on Main, the record shop will open soon at its new location.
“We are so proud of them,” Allen said. “They’re definitely a staple in downtown Oxford.”
And Angel Wings Bookstore recently opened in the space that previously had housed Harvest Restaurant, Allen noted. But they don’t just sell books – there’s a bistro located inside that is being operated by the folks that run Bigfoot BBQ.
Allen said her webpage has a whole tab of listings dedicated to Valentine’s Day. Check out the latest – “Love is in the Air”at https://visitgranvillenc.com/blog/#!/2097-Love-Is-In-The-Air-In-Granville-County-This-Valentines-Season to view all the options for singles, couples, friends and families.
Here are a few highlights of upcoming events across Granville County in February:
With all this talk about love being in the air, Allen just had to mention the annual spring Granville Wedding and Event Expo, scheduled for Sunday, Mar. 2 at the Creedmoor Community Center from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
Admission is free for all who bring a donation to Families Living Violence Free, the nonprofit agency that helps families in domestic violence situations. “If you bring a donation with you that day or go to the payment link and pay, you can get in free,” Allen said.
Come check out all the different vendors who can provide services for weddings, reunions and other big celebrations, all under one roof.
Tasting tickets are $10 and a limited number of VIP packages, which includes a tasting ticket and a swag bag, are available for $20.
https://visitgranvillenc.com/whats-happening/weddings-events/
Find out all the details at www.visitgranvillenc.com.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 01-29-25 Noon
/by WIZS StaffListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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NC Reports Second Bird Flu Case; Backyard Flock Owners Should Use Biosecurity Precautions
/by WIZS StaffA commercial turkey operation in Sampson County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza.
This is the second case of high path avian influenza in commercial poultry in North Carolina this year. The first case was in a commercial layer operation in Hyde County. Prior to this case, North Carolina has had 12 affected commercial flocks and eight backyard flocks.
“Since 2022, HPAI has impacted more than 141 million birds across all 50 states,” said State Veterinarian Mike Martin. “With HPAI being pervasive in some wild bird populations and the recent cases around the country, all flock owners, commercial and backyard, should remain vigilant with their biosecurity.
If your birds are sick or dying, report it right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919.707.3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919.733.3986.
A positive sample in the Sampson County case was first identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh and confirmed by the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa.
Biosecurity reminders for anyone who owns backyard flocks include:
More information on HPAI and a listing of all NC cases since 2022 can be found at
https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/veterinary/AvianInfluenza.
Granville Appoints Carlos Landrau Interim Director Of Animal Management Dept.
/by WIZS StaffGranville County has appointed Carlos Landrau to serve as the interim director of the Animal Management Department following the departure of former Director Matt Katz. Landrau brings nine years of experience to this role after previously serving as the deputy manager of Animal Services.
Landrau began his work with Animal Services in 2016 as a Granville County Animal Control Officer; a role he held for five years before being promoted to Animal Control Supervisor in 2021. Since 2024, Landrau has served as the deputy Animal Services manager. He is a certified Animal Control Investigator, with accreditations from the National Animal Care & Control Association, North Carolina Animal Control Federation, American Animal Cruelty Investigation School, Humane Society of the United State and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Landrau is a graduate of Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville and studied Mass Communications at UNC Pembroke. He is also a graduate of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Granville program.
The Granville County Animal Shelter is located at 515 New Commerce Dr., Oxford. The public hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. Adoptable pets are available to view on the Animal Shelter’s Petfinder site: https://www.petfinder.com/search/pets-for-adoption/?shelter_id%5B0%5D=NC135&sort%5B0%5D=recently_added
For more information about Granville County Animal Management, visit the Granville County website: https://www.granvillecounty.org/180/Animal-Management
TownTalk: Bryan Cohn NC House 32 Representative Talks Issues, Legislating For All
/by WIZS StaffAs the newly elected District 32 representative in the N.C. House, Bryan Cohn said he sees plenty of opportunities to work in a bipartisan fashion to preserve and strengthen the economy, natural resources and more for his constituents in Vance and Granville counties.
Cohn narrowly defeated incumbent Frank Sossamon in the November general election, but with the early January swearing-in in Raleigh and then a ceremonial swearing-in on Sunday, Jan. 19 at McGregor Hall, Cohn said he is ready to get to work.
About 100 supporters attended the second swearing-in on the afternoon of Jan. 19, during which the new state legislator shared his vision.
“It was a message of optimism and a message of hope,” he said on Tuesday’s TownTalk, “and really a message of gratitude to everyone who contributed their time and effort into this campaign.”
He called running for office “a humbling experience” and said he told those supporters on hand two Sunday afternoons ago that he will “represent them … and make sure we continue to listen to what they have to say and advocate appropriately in Raleigh.”
Among several priorities for the freshman legislator are expanded access to health care, taking care of seniors and keeping an eye on the regional water system.
“The ongoing expansion of water and sewer infrastructure upgrades is going to continue to be a top priority in this region,” Cohn explained.
Attending to those issues, among others, will also help foster growth in the district, which leads to economic growth for the region.
Expanding business and industry in the district will increase the need for an educated workforce, so he wants to make sure public education is up to the task.
Cohn said he is making the rounds throughout the district, adding that talking to leaders and others in the community is part of a “discovery phase” to help him get the lay of the land and be better equipped to be supportive of the various needs.
Although he said he was “unapologetically delighted” to be able to break up the Republican super majority in the N.C. House, Cohn said no one party should rule with absolute authority. He said he looks forward to working with Republicans Rep. Matthew Winslow and State Sen. Lisa Barnes, for whom he said he has great respect.
“Leaders should listen and take stock from what they are being told,” Cohn said. “We may not always agree,” but he said he suspects there are likely many things that they can agree on.
In his role as a commissioner for the City of Oxford, Cohn said he realized that municipalities and county officials are limited in what they can and cannot do, based on state laws.
“It makes it really difficult when you’re trying to plan for future growth,” he said or trying to put in place policies that talk about zoning or other issues faced by local governments.
Cohn said he feels some laws created last year around zoning issues need to be looked at to provide cities and counties more clarity, saying they created “a lot of gray area.” The language in those bills needs to be adjusted to better define what is allowed and not allowed.
He said he would like to see bills spend more time in committee to create a more polished product that spells out clearly for landowners, developers and local governments what the bill entails.
You don’t always need a sledgehammer to get results, Cohn said. Sometimes it takes a scalpel.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 01-28-25 Noon
/by Bill HarrisListen On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
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Cooperative Extension With Michael Ellington: Container Gardening
/by Bill HarrisMichael Ellington of the Vance County Cooperative Extension Service discusses how to choose appropriate containers based on their material, drainage, and size.
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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TownTalk: Four (Now Five) Put Names Up For Consideration To Fill District 3 Board Seat
/by WIZS StaffUpdate 1-28-25:
Vance County Manager Renee Perry said, “One more was received before the deadline. Charisse Fain.”
Perry confirmed that during the next regular commissioners meeting, this Monday, February 3, 2025 at 6 p.m., that next steps in this appointment process will be discussed.
Please review earlier updates below for further information.
Update 1-24-25:
The Vance County Board of Commissioners has the names of four people who are interested in filling the vacant District 3 seat on the board. Today was the deadline to submit names and the names that WIZS reported Thursday are the names that will be considered, according to information from County Manager C. Renee Perry.
Listed in alphabetical order, the four individuals are:
Joseph Doyle Carpunky
Jeanette B. Floyd
Charles Turrentine, Jr.
William Gordon Wilder
Former Commissioner Sean Alston vacated his seat on the board effective Jan. 1, when he took a job as a magistrate in Warren County. The commissioners have until Mar. 1 – 60 days from the time the seat was vacated – to appoint a replacement.
At a meeting in early January, County Attorney Jonathan Care advised commissioners that a meeting may need to be held in early February to discuss the appointment and those interested in filling Alston’s unexpired term.
The next regular meeting of the commissioners is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3.
The district 3 seat is up for election in 2026, according to Vance County Elections Director Haley Rawles.
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Original Update 1-23-25:
With the deadline looming, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry confirmed Thursday that four individuals have submitted their names to be considered to fill the vacant District 3 seat on the Vance County Board of Commissioners. Other interested individuals have until tomorrow – Friday, Jan. 24 – to submit information to the county.
Listed in alphabetical order, the four individuals are:
Former Commissioner Sean Alston vacated his seat on the board effective Jan. 1, when he took a job as a magistrate in Warren County. The commissioners have until Mar. 1 – 60 days from the time the seat was vacated – to appoint a replacement.
At a meeting in early January, County Attorney Jonathan Care advised commissioners that a meeting may need to be held in early February to discuss the appointment and those interested in filling Alston’s unexpired term.
The next regular meeting of the commissioners is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3.
The district 3 seat is up for election in 2026, according to Vance County Elections Director Haley Rawles.
SportsTalk: Recap Of NFL Conference Championship Games
/by Scout HughesSportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue recap the weekend that was in the NFL with the NFC and AFC Conference Championship Games. The guys also talk about the upcoming college basketball game between the #2 Duke Blue Devils as they host N.C. State. That and much more on SportsTalk!
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