Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

TownTalk: Varonica “VV” Mitchell Making Her Mark

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Henderson’s own Varonica Mitchell – VV, as she’s known to many – has a lot going on these days. In addition to having 3 million followers on social media, VV also has been out to L.A. for a film she’s going to be in, and she’s getting ready to go to Atlanta to be part of a Christian Comedy Tour.

WIZS News caught up with VV on the occasion of her 14th birthday last week to find out what’s new and to hear what motivates her as she drums, jokes, dances and acts her way into the hearts of her fans and followers.

It’s a family affair, this enterprise that has VV traveling to the West Coast for this and down to the ATL for that. And VV would have it no other way.

“That’s the most important part,” VV said in her best professional, polished voice about working with her parents and older sister.

She really likes dancing and she is part of the iDance Praise Academy, which her mom, Vanessa, runs.

She likes dancing because she gets “to follow God. I feel like he wants me to continue doing  what I’m doing – putting His name out there to people can follow Him,” she said.

“I dance to gospel music – I get to tell his story through music and through movement,” she said.

Dancing, acting and being a comedian is serious stuff, and VV says she and her family know when it’s time for business and when it’s time for having fun family time.

“Family is family, of course, when I’m chillin’ with the family watching videos and stuff,” she said. “But family is business when we’re going out and I’m performing. They’re always there to support…but they know that it’s serious,” she said, and they know when it’s time to play and when it’s time to be professional.

Sometimes before a performance, she admits, she gets so hyped up that she’s liable to blurt out whatever pops into her mind, but she can talk herself back down and calm her nerves before a show or performance begins. That’s being professional.

But when she’s at home? Well, “I’m gon’ play my behind off,” she joked, following up with a big ol’ giggle.

The Zara Project is what took her to L.A. It’s a series about a little girl with superpowers. “I can’t wait to tell you more about it,” she said. For now, the lid is on and, just like other film stars promoting upcoming projects, details are few.

And just like other film stars, VV has an agent. Her name is Irene Dreayer and she’s with Lion Forge Entertainment.

Appearing on TV shows, granting interviews, getting sponsors and having a big presence on Zigazoo, the #1 social media app for kids is just part of what VV is and what she wants to keep doing. She sometimes feels the pressure, but that’s part of it, too.

“I do feel the pressure. I just let it roll off,” she said. Because this is what she wants to do, and she wants to keep doing it.

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Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Vipers Release 2025 Football Schedule

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SportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th

Vance County Football Head Coach Aaron Elliott joined SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue to reveal the entirety of the 2025 Football Schedule for the Vipers. The schedule was already partially filled in, when conferences were announced last month, putting Vance County in a conference with Franklinton and schools from Wake County. Coach Elliott has been working hard with his team throughout the offseason and is excited for the season in the fall.

The Vance County 2025 Season Schedule:

Week 1, 8/22/25 – Vance County vs. Warren County

Week 2, 8/29/25 – Vance County @ South Granville

Week 3, 9/5/25 – Vance County vs. Jordan (Durham)

Week 4, 9/12/25 – Vance County vs. Rocky Mount

Week 5, 9/19/25 – Vance County @ Northeastern (Elizabeth City)

Week 6, 9/26/25 – Bye Week

Week 7, 10/3/25 – Vance County @ Wake Forest*

Week 8, 10/10/25 – Vance County @ Knightdale*

Week 9, 10/17/25 – Vance County vs. Heritage (Wake Forest)*

Week 10, 10/24/25 – Vance County @ East Wake (Wendell)*

Week 11, 10/31/25 – Vance County vs. Franklinton*

*Indicates Conference Opponent

Scout Hughes, Doc Ayscue, and WIZS are excited for the 2025 season, and we can’t wait to broadcast these games this fall!

Go Vipers!

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! April Excitement at Perry Memorial Library

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The staff at Perry Memorial Library has planned some extra activities for young people for the week leading up to Easter, when many traditional public school students will have Spring Break.

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said the library is a gathering place for the whole community, and Spring Break is the perfect time for young people to come have some fun at the library while they enjoy a few days off from school.

In addition to the regular programming like the 11 a.m. Thursday Story Times for the little ones and Pajama Story Time on Tuesday, Apr. 8 at 6:30 p.m., the library team has put together

Arts and Crafts activities for Monday, Apr. 14, Movie Day on Tuesday, Apr. 15 and STEaM Club beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 17.

While those activities are geared for younger children, teens will have the Maker Space to call their own each afternoon during the week, Peters said. “You don’t have anything to do? – Come to the library!” The Maker Space will be open from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and teens can enjoy snacks, gaming and arts and crafts activities, she said.

Members of the library staff will be at the Community Resource Fair on Wednesday, Apr. 16 which will take place at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

This month’s First Friday activity takes place on Friday, Apr. 4 and features construction of a lava lamp, Peters said. First Friday programs feature a Science theme, and lava lamps are a perfect way to show kids how liquids mix – and separate.

“Add a little food coloring, and you’ve got a lava lamp,” she explained. Throw in an Alka-Seltzer just adds to the fun. The 10:30 program is for preschoolers and the 1 p.m. program is geared to multi-aged homeschool groups.

Then Michael Ellington from N.C. Cooperative Extension will help library patrons celebrate Earth Day on Tuesday, Apr. 22 and will bring lots of hands-on activities for young people – think seed planting, Story Walk and more. “It’s going to be a great day,” Peters said.

Check out all the activities and programs at Perry Memorial Library at https://www.perrylibrary.org/

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TownTalk: Pathways 2 Peace

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According to the 2020 Census, the population of Vance County is 42,578. According to state government statistics, there are 720 nonprofit organizations located in the county. Simple math will tell you that’s one nonprofit for roughly every 59 residents.

Matthew Todd and Charles J. Turrentine Jr. had absolutely no idea that they’d be part of creating nonprofit number 721, but that’s exactly what has happened.

Pathways 2 Peace is gathering steam and its members have their sights set on making a difference in Henderson and Vance County.

At a Mar. 17 listening session hosted by Partners 2 Peace, community members gathered to voice opinions and concerns, as well as offer possible solutions to problems like gun violence and crime that have plagued the area.

There’s state money available to launch a range of projects and programs, according to folks at the Governor’s Crime Commission who attended the listening session, but Pathways 2 Peace has a little work to do first.

Gov. Josh Stein is allocating money – earmarked by Gov. Roy Cooper – to stop violence in impoverished counties in the state, Todd said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. A message that was repeated several different times during the listening session involved the number of nonprofits in the county and the apparent disconnect among them.

There’s a need to “connect the dots,” so the folks who are giving the money know the folks who are spending the money are doing everything above board.

“What sets us apart is we’ve got a governor’s administration behind us and they’re helping us navigate the nonprofit world,” Todd said.

“They are both willing to guide us through the process and keep us in the right path,” Turrentine said.

Turrentine wants to see the group “come up with practical ways that we can collectively come together as a board or committee to inflict positive change in our town,” he said. One thing he and board members are passionate about is helping youth.

Last summer’s collaboration with AIMHigh’s Park and Play program is one example of connecting the dots. Turrentine said Jessica Rice Hawkins and team visited low-income housing neighborhoods.

“The kids were excited when they saw the van and it was time (for) Park and Play,” Turrentine said.

He got the Davis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church Soup Kitchen on board to provide meals for the participants.

This year, Pathways 2 Peace is looking forward to sponsoring those 75 youth in an upcoming road race that AIMHigh is sponsoring in downtown Henderson. “We’ll sponsor these kids and they’ll run for free,” Turrentine said.

Last summer, AIM High went to the children. This year, the children are headed into the larger community to take part in something positive and beneficial.

Nonprofits working together = dots connecting.

“We want to teach people about accountability,” Todd said. Whether you’re 5 or 6 years old on the playground, a teenager on the ball field or court or whether you’re 25 or 30 years old in a board room, taking personal accountability for your actions is critical.

Programs that involve youth are programs that are worthy of investment.

“We’re on the ground floor with Pathways 2 Peace,” Todd said.

With a mission statement that reads “Through unity, environmental design and intentional actions, we create safe spaces, shifting mindsets and changing the narrative of Henderson and Vance County, one step at a time,” Pathways 2 Peace could be a key partner in coalescing efforts from other local nonprofits in addressing challenges like gun violence and promoting youth programs.

“Through good works, through honest works, we can change things for the better,” Turrentine said.

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Cooperative Extension with Michael Ellington: Pollen Isn’t Completely Bad

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On the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report from Michael Ellington:

Today’s show dispels a common myth about pollen and allergies while making the case that pollen isn’t completely bad. Event reminders are also included:

Division of Air Quality Pollen Monitoring

https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-quality-monitoring/pollen-monitoring

Community Garden Volunteer Form (April 11th)

https://go.ncsu.edu/vcrfmgarden

Food Farmacy – A Health and Wellness Event (May 2nd)

https://go.ncsu.edu/foodfarmacy

Vance County Regional Farmers Market Information (Opening Day May 3rd)

https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/vance-county-regional-farmers-market/

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: Purple Heart Signs Reign In Henderson

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The Purple Heart is a combat medal for members of the military who have been wounded in battle.

Sometimes, the person gets the award while he or she is living; but the award can be given at any time to veterans who qualify and also can be awarded posthumously.

At a recent ceremony in Henderson, local veterans, city leaders and others gathered to officially designate – with signs along key roadways and elsewhere – that the city is a “Purple Heart City.”

The original designation was made more than a decade ago, in 2012, said Hartwell Wright with American Legion Post 60 and with Chapter 637 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

But that’s as far as things went, Wright said. “No formal action was ever taken,” he said.

The state didn’t provide funds to create signs for the designation, but city leaders decided to change that.

There are signs at NC 39 North near the water treatment plant, two small signs on Beckford Drive, one at the movie theater and one at the Henderson Fruit & Produce on Old Norlina Road, and city staff may be placing additional signs soon, if there aren’t more up already. The Purple Heart chapter donated some of the smaller signs that have been placed in the city; the city created signs that are placed at the city limits.

The signs are tangible ways to recognize all purple heart recipients as they come through town, either as visitors or as residents – “to show we appreciate them and show them they’ll never be forgotten,” Wright said.

According to information provided Tuesday by Henderson Public Information Officer Salonia Saxton, the city is providing 25 Purple Heart signs that are located under each entrance to the city and under the speed limit signs throughout the area.

Wright, himself a Purple Heart recipient, provided remarks during the Mar. 7 ceremony to provide those in attendance a little history of the medal.

It is the oldest U.S. military award still given, he said.

Originally known as the Badge of Military Merit, it was established by George Washington in 1782 as a way to recognize rank and file fighting men, Wright said. At the time, only the elite officers would receive any type of commendation for combat-related actions, but Washington sought to create a medal for the average soldier.

In 1932, it was reimagined and was given the name it still has today.

Although there’s no way to know exactly how many Purple Heart recipients reside in Vance County today, Wright said he is among a group of people that is planning – with input from city staff – a veterans memorial that will be located just in front of the police department.

“We don’t have one in Vance County,” Wright said. Once the plans make their way through the design phase, Wright said the fundraising will begin.

Veterans are invited to a free veterans breakfast next Monday, Apr. 7 beginning at 8 a.m. at the VGCC Civic Center (Building 9), located at 200 Community College Rd., Henderson.

Contact Albert Spiess with Granville County Veterans Services

at 919.693.1484 or via email albert.spiess@granvillecounty.org to learn more.

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TownTalk: Utility Payment Scam Calls

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There’s another scam circulating in the area, according to the Henderson Police Department. This time, police officials say, they’ve received reports that someone is calling claiming to be from a utility company.

The caller says the utility service is being cut off and then provides another number to call to provide payment information – that can either be made from your bank account or cryptocurrency.

The police have one simple bit of advice: HANG UP!

Call the utility company yourself, using the number printed on your utility bill or from the company website – do NOT use the call-back number provided by the caller.

Often, the call-back numbers are fake, officials say. And if the message came via text, do not respond; rather, mark the number as junk or spam and report.

Customers should continue to use their regular method of payment and not follow the directions of the caller.

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