The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Franklin, Granville and Warren County Chambers and the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, hosted the seventeenth annual Small Business Luncheon at the Henderson Country Club on Thursday, May 9, 2019.
The 2018 Small Business of the Year award recipients included Holland Industrial, Vance County; US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC, Granville County; Focus Design Builders, Franklin County; and Hardware Café, Warren County.
Holland Industrial receives the 2018 Vance County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Patrick Brame, Bobby Powell, Charles “Charlie” Brown and Vanessa Jones, interim president, Henderson-Vance Chamber. (WIZS photo)
Duke Energy was once again the presenting sponsor for this event. Tanya Evans, district manager for Duke Energy, thanked the small business owners and staff members for their contributions to the community and for their level of commitment.
“As a small business owner, you don’t get to turn it off at 5 p.m. and go home. This is a way of life for you and takes dedication and commitment,” Evans said.
Keynote speaker John Alston, owner of A&S Pest Control and winner of the Warren County Chamber’s 2008 Small Business of the Year award, spoke on his 42 years of success as a local small business owner.
“Success is not about how much money you make, it’s about the relationships you form and your enjoyment of the job you are doing,” Alston explained.
Alston said he felt blessed to have started a company that allows him to do what he enjoys while also providing financially for other families.
After hearing from Alston, Vanessa Jones, interim president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber, presented the 2018 Vance County award to electric motor and mechanical repair facility Holland Industrial.
Focus Design Builders receives the 2018 Greater Franklin County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Jonathan Williams, Paul Eitel and John Barnes, executive director, Greater Franklin Chamber. (WIZS photo)
Located on West Montgomery Street in Henderson, the “employee-owned” company was started by Charles S. Holland, Sr. in 1952 and has expanded to include 35 employees and a 150-mile sales territory today.
Now in its third generation of management, Holland President Charles “Charlie” Brown thanked the Chamber for their support and said he hopes Holland will be around to celebrate their 100th anniversary in a few decades.
John Barnes, executive director for the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, presented the Franklin County award to Focus Design Builders, a construction-based company offering a single point of contact for design and construction services.
Founded in 2010 during an ebb in the construction industry, CEO Paul Eitel said it was faith that prompted him and his two business partners to start a construction business.
Three months into the business with $8 million in sales, Eitel said that faith paid off. The company now estimates 300-400 families benefit from the revenue generated by their small business alone.
Jonathan Williams, project developer for Focus Design Builders, also mentioned the education he received at Vance-Granville Community College before transferring to a four-year university.
US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC receives the 2018 Franklin County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Aurora Birch, Tom Birch and Sandra Dean Pruitt, president of Granville Insurance Agency. (WIZS Photo)
“I’m proof that you can receive a quality education here locally,” Williams said in support of VGCC.
Granville County’s award recipient, US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC was presented their award by Sandra Dean Pruitt, president of Granville Insurance Agency.
Tom Birch, president, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. Launched in Oxford in 2005 and expanding to South Boston in 2006, Birch said the station has approximately 45,000 listeners today.
Birch also proclaimed that “radio is alive and well” and is still the most effective medium of all reach platforms, including television, in the constantly-evolving communications game.
Warren County Chamber Chair Kathleen Derring presented the Warren County award to Hardware Café manager Haley Paynter.
Hardware Cafe receives the 2018 Warren County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Haley Paynter and Kathleen Derring, chair of Warren Chamber. (WIZS Photo).
Located in downtown Warrenton, the previous hardware store, now affectionately known by locals as the “red and black” café, has quite the history, including a recent change in management with Paynter at the helm.
Derring said this award was “a long time coming” for the Hardware Café and explained that as a small business owner herself, she knew that loving what you do is essential for success.
Held in conjunction with National Small Business Week, the annual luncheon highlighted and supported what Henderson-Vance Chamber Chair Nancy Wykle referred to as “the backbone of our community and our economy both nationally and locally, small business.”
2019 Salute to Student-Athletes Big Success For NCSHOF
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools
A total of 219 student-athletes from all over North Carolina and their chaperones were among the participants in the 2019 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame’s Salute To Student-Athlete Program.
The program recognizes students from across the state and exposes them to the many positive lessons to be learned from North Carolina’s outstanding sports heritage.
A total of 31 different schools from 21 different counties across the state were represented by the student-athletes who attended the program. Eight students from JF Webb High School attended the event and were sponsored through the Oxford Rotary Club on behalf of Bart Cleary, DDS and Joe Johnson of Builder’s Services.
Eight students from JF Webb High School attended the 2019 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame’s Salute To Student-Athlete event. The participants were sponsored through the Oxford Rotary Club on behalf of Bart Cleary, DDS and Joe Johnson of Builder’s Services. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Public Schools)
The two-day event included a special reception and attendance at ceremonies where the newest class of inductees to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame was inducted at the Raleigh Convention Center. The following day, the student-athletes toured the state’s hall of fame exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of History and participated in a seminar involving some of North Carolina’s most celebrated sports figures.
Speakers at the seminar included former UNC-Chapel Hill basketball star Phil Ford and current major league baseball umpire Joe West. There was also a special panel discussion featuring several members of the NCSHOF, including Ford, West, Dee Kantner, Eddie Bridges and Paul Miller.
The student-athletes were invited to sign up for Hall Pass, a free program that offers special opportunities. Each Hall Pass member receives interesting information about the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the state’s sports heritage, including a monthly newsletter and special features in advance before the general public. Any student-athlete can sign up to become a Hall Pass member by visiting www.ncshof.org and clicking on Hall Pass.
North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame members inducted this year included golfer Davis Love III, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, Jr; former pro football player and renowned artist Ernie Barnes, former high school coaches Thell Overman and Willie Bradshaw, hunting and fishing icon Eddie Bridges, college football coach Rod Broadway, athletic administrators Gene Corrigan and Neill McGeachy, high school and college wrestling coach Steve Gabriel, basketball official Dee Kantner and college football standout Paul Miller.
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 05/13/19
/by CharleneNews 05/13/19
/by LarryTown Talk 05/13/19
/by LarryLocal Chambers Recognize 2018 Small Business of the Year Recipients
/by Kelly BondurantThe Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Franklin, Granville and Warren County Chambers and the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, hosted the seventeenth annual Small Business Luncheon at the Henderson Country Club on Thursday, May 9, 2019.
The 2018 Small Business of the Year award recipients included Holland Industrial, Vance County; US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC, Granville County; Focus Design Builders, Franklin County; and Hardware Café, Warren County.
Holland Industrial receives the 2018 Vance County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Patrick Brame, Bobby Powell, Charles “Charlie” Brown and Vanessa Jones, interim president, Henderson-Vance Chamber. (WIZS photo)
Duke Energy was once again the presenting sponsor for this event. Tanya Evans, district manager for Duke Energy, thanked the small business owners and staff members for their contributions to the community and for their level of commitment.
“As a small business owner, you don’t get to turn it off at 5 p.m. and go home. This is a way of life for you and takes dedication and commitment,” Evans said.
Keynote speaker John Alston, owner of A&S Pest Control and winner of the Warren County Chamber’s 2008 Small Business of the Year award, spoke on his 42 years of success as a local small business owner.
“Success is not about how much money you make, it’s about the relationships you form and your enjoyment of the job you are doing,” Alston explained.
Alston said he felt blessed to have started a company that allows him to do what he enjoys while also providing financially for other families.
After hearing from Alston, Vanessa Jones, interim president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber, presented the 2018 Vance County award to electric motor and mechanical repair facility Holland Industrial.
Focus Design Builders receives the 2018 Greater Franklin County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Jonathan Williams, Paul Eitel and John Barnes, executive director, Greater Franklin Chamber. (WIZS photo)
Located on West Montgomery Street in Henderson, the “employee-owned” company was started by Charles S. Holland, Sr. in 1952 and has expanded to include 35 employees and a 150-mile sales territory today.
Now in its third generation of management, Holland President Charles “Charlie” Brown thanked the Chamber for their support and said he hopes Holland will be around to celebrate their 100th anniversary in a few decades.
John Barnes, executive director for the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, presented the Franklin County award to Focus Design Builders, a construction-based company offering a single point of contact for design and construction services.
Founded in 2010 during an ebb in the construction industry, CEO Paul Eitel said it was faith that prompted him and his two business partners to start a construction business.
Three months into the business with $8 million in sales, Eitel said that faith paid off. The company now estimates 300-400 families benefit from the revenue generated by their small business alone.
Jonathan Williams, project developer for Focus Design Builders, also mentioned the education he received at Vance-Granville Community College before transferring to a four-year university.
US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC receives the 2018 Franklin County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Aurora Birch, Tom Birch and Sandra Dean Pruitt, president of Granville Insurance Agency. (WIZS Photo)
“I’m proof that you can receive a quality education here locally,” Williams said in support of VGCC.
Granville County’s award recipient, US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC was presented their award by Sandra Dean Pruitt, president of Granville Insurance Agency.
Tom Birch, president, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. Launched in Oxford in 2005 and expanding to South Boston in 2006, Birch said the station has approximately 45,000 listeners today.
Birch also proclaimed that “radio is alive and well” and is still the most effective medium of all reach platforms, including television, in the constantly-evolving communications game.
Warren County Chamber Chair Kathleen Derring presented the Warren County award to Hardware Café manager Haley Paynter.
Hardware Cafe receives the 2018 Warren County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Haley Paynter and Kathleen Derring, chair of Warren Chamber. (WIZS Photo).
Located in downtown Warrenton, the previous hardware store, now affectionately known by locals as the “red and black” café, has quite the history, including a recent change in management with Paynter at the helm.
Derring said this award was “a long time coming” for the Hardware Café and explained that as a small business owner herself, she knew that loving what you do is essential for success.
Held in conjunction with National Small Business Week, the annual luncheon highlighted and supported what Henderson-Vance Chamber Chair Nancy Wykle referred to as “the backbone of our community and our economy both nationally and locally, small business.”
Community Voices Leadership Program Announces Remaining Session Dates
/by WIZS StaffCommunity Voices Leadership Development Training for Vance County
This training series is designed for:
The training session began with a tremendous kick-off session on April 9, 2019, and we want to keep the momentum going. The sessions will be held nearly once a week and will run through late-June over the next 7 to 8 weeks. Members of our community who have been trained to serve as facilitators for this program will be running the sessions. We plan to conclude the training program with an Action Forum & Graduation in June after the holiday season.
Sessions are held at the Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market, 210 Southpark Drive in Henderson at 6 p.m. on the scheduled dates below. Some adjustments may be made to the schedule as needed.
Kick-Off Session
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 1
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 2
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 3
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 4
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 5
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 6
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 7
Facilitators: Niki Alston and Angela Venable
Session 8
Facilitators: TBD
Granville Early College High School Receives 2019 College Success Award
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools
Granville Early College High School is proud to announce that it has received the College Success Award, which honors schools that excel in ensuring students prepare for college, enroll in college and succeed once they get there.
Launched by GreatSchools.org, the leading nonprofit provider of trusted school information, the 2019 College Success Award recognizes 1,722 schools in 25 states. Award-winning schools have a successful track record of graduating students who later enroll in two or four-year colleges, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist on to their second year, according to available data from each state.
College and career-ready graduates are critical to fueling the U.S. economy, as 65 percent of jobs will require a postsecondary degree by 2020. Granville Early College High School is one of the approximately 20 percent of eligible schools in NC that won the College Success Award.
“We are extremely proud of our talented and hard-working students,” said Principal Jackie Harris. “Our staff is dedicated to their success and continue to demonstrate excellence in their efforts.”
The College Success Award is possible because NC is leading the nation in collecting and being transparent in sharing information on how students do after high school, which is valuable information for families, educators, and policymakers.
For more information about Granville Early College High School, please visit their website: https://gech.gcs.k12.nc.us/ Visitors and guests are welcome to visit by appointment!
Hurricane Preparedness Week: Complete Your Written Hurricane Plan
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations
THIS WEEK IS NORTH CAROLINA’S HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK
All week long, the National Weather Service has issued informative messages to help you prepare for the hurricane season. Today’s topic, the final in the series for this year’s hurricane preparedness week, is complete your written hurricane plan.
The time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins – when you have the time and are not under pressure. If you wait until a hurricane is on your doorstep, the odds are that you will be under duress and will make the wrong decisions. Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan. Know where you will ride out the storm and get your supplies now. You don’t want to be standing in long lines when a hurricane warning is issued. Those supplies that you need will probably be sold out by the time you reach the front of the line.
Being prepared, before a hurricane threatens, makes you resilient to the hurricane impacts of wind and water. It will mean the difference between being a hurricane victim and a hurricane survivor.
Here are some things to know about completing a written hurricane plan:
• Writing down your plan will ensure you don’t make mistakes when faced with an emergency.
• Document all of your valuables and possessions with a camera or video camera well before the storm.
• Gather all vital documents, like passports and medical records, and put them somewhere that you can quickly access.
• Make planning and preparedness a family affair to ensure everyone knows what to do.
• Don’t forget to include your pets in your plan.
• Every plan should include gathering non-perishable emergency supplies and assembling a disaster supply kit.
• Share your plan with others in your family, and have an out-of-state friend as a family contact who knows your plan and where you will go during a disaster, so all your family members have a single point of contact.
To make developing your family emergency plan easy, be sure to download a free template that is available online at https://readync.org.
For more information about hurricane preparedness, please visit the following web sites:
• https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare
• https://www.readync.org
Henderson City Council to Discuss Proposed Budget, Mon., May 13
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson, NC
The Henderson City Council will hold their regular meeting on Monday, May 13, 2019, beginning at 6 p.m. in the R.G. (Chick) Young, Jr. Council Chambers of the Municipal Building located at 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson, NC.
Agenda items include:
PUBLIC HEARING
a) Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-01, Amending the Zoning Map to Rezone 1337 Dabney Drive (Parcel 0013 03052), 1343 Dabney Drive (Parcel 0013 03001), and 1511 Lynne Avenue (Parcel 0013 03002) from OIA (Office Institutional “A”) District and R-8 (Moderate to High Density Residential) District to B-4 (Neighborhood Commercial) District.
(b) Consideration of 1) Holding a Public Hearing on the Question Annexing 429 Birch Street and 432 Bobbitt Street Pursuant to NCGS §160A-31, and 2) Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-16, 1) Extending the Corporate Limits of the City of Henderson, North Carolina; 2) Assignment of Newly Annexed Areas to Ward 4, and 3) Directing the City Attorney to Record Annexation with Vance County Board of Elections, Vance County Register of Deeds and the North Carolina Secretary of State.
NEW BUSINESS
a) Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-12, Amending Elmwood Cemetery City Code Article II Section 4-12, Cemetery Maintenance and Operation, and Article IV, Section 4-18, Plants, Flowers, Etc., and Section 4-22, Other Rules and Regulations Enumerated.
b) Consideration of Approval of 1 Ordinance 19-07, Amending Section 10-34 of the City Code Relative to Peddlers, Solicitors, Park Concessions and Food Trucks.
c) Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-20, Amending Section 7-48 of the Henderson Code of Ordinances Relative to Specific Streets.
d) Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-19, FY19 BA #32, Approving a Budget Amendment to Make Repairs at Red Bud and Industrial Park Pump Stations.
CONSENT AGENDA
All matters listed under the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine or have been previously discussed, and can be approved in one motion unless a Council Member asks for separate consideration of an item.
a) Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-21, Authorizing the Submission of an Application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance Office for the FY19 Bulletproof Vest Program Grant for the Police Department.
b) Consideration of Approval of Tax Releases and Refunds from Vance County for the Month of March 2019.
CLOSED SESSION
a) Pursuant to G.S.§143-318.11 (a)(6) regarding a Personnel Matter XIV.
WORK SESSION
a) Consideration of Stormwater Utility Ordinance.
b) Consideration of Beckford Drive Widening Project.
PROPOSED FY20 BUDGET PRESENTATION (To be Distributed at Meeting)
One of Three Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry Charges Found in Granville Co.
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging JOSE JESUS CAMACHO-JARAMILLO, age 29, of Mexico, AGUSTIN NUNEZ-LEONARDO, age 20, of Mexico, and LORENZO OROCIO-CRUZ, age 35, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, CAMACHO-JARAMILLO, who was previously convicted of Unlawful Entry, deported twice, and then found in Johnston County; NUNEZ-LEONARDO, who was previously convicted of Unlawful Entry, deported three times, and then found in Wake County; and OROCIO-CRUZ, who was previously convicted of Unlawful Entry, deported twice, and then found in Granville County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_ENDC.