Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

TownTalk: Townsville And Its History

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The tri-weekly history show on Thursday’s Town Talk takes listeners to Townsville, in northern Vance County. It has been known as Townesville and, originally, Lynnesville.  L-Y-N-N-E.

That’s Lynne. Rhymes with “fine.”

Bill Harris and Mark Pace discussed the early days of the town, its heyday between post-Civil War period and the Depression, and what the area was like when railroads were the main mode of transportation for people and goods.

There’s a detailed map, drawn in pencil, that a prominent family – Adams – had made, Pace said. A copy is at the North Carolina Room at the Richard Thornton library in Oxford. It shows a prosperous area, with businesses and homes “It’s amazing how much there actually was in Townsville,” Pace said. “It was a really significant place in its heyday (between) 1885 and 1920.

There was a drug store, a box factory, a school, a bank -even a hotel. And a jail.

“It was a happening place,” Pace said. Mostly because of the railroad.

The town originally was called Lynnesville, for the Caroline County, Va. family that moved to the area. Lynne operated a store in town in the 1780’s. And it’s why John Penn, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, moved to Granville County. He married one of Lynne’s daughters.

The town’s name changed to Townesville to honor Edmund G. Townes who gave land on which the train depot was built. The railroad came through in 1855 and in the early 20th century when a spur line was put in between Manson and Townsville, “that’s when Townsville really hit its stride,” Pace said.

The citizens of the tiny town had a bond issue in 1920 and raised $60,000 to buy the rail line. It consisted of one freight car and one passenger car, and it went regularly between Manson and Townsville. The only trouble was there was no place to turn around in Townsville, so it had to chug in reverse all the way back to Manson.

Through the 1920’s the railroad died off, the box factory closed and Townsville became a casualty of the Depression. “Basically, it was part of the general change that was happening in America,” Pace said, of people leaving rural areas in search of jobs in more urban areas.

In 1942, two local gold prospectors from Granville County discovered something almost as good in Townsville Township. They found a rich deposit of tungsten, a hard metal that has a super-high melting temperature. Tungsten was put on the tips of missiles and artillery during World War II to penetrate tank armor.

The Allied forces didn’t have access to tungsten, and within six weeks’ time, there was a gaping open pit in Townsville and tungsten was being brought out to sell to the Army. It was dangerous work when the mining finally went underground, and Pace noted that it was one of the first places in the area that was integrated, Black and White working side by side.

The mine was in operation until 1971.

The Townsville area also produced a man by the name of Thomas Morgan, who eventually went to work for Sperry Corp. He was instrumental in creating a gyroscope used for ship navigation and also in the development of radar. “He was a big, big deal,” Pace said. Morgan, who is buried at Island Creek Baptist Church, had a famous visitor attend his funeral – U.S. Army General Omar Bradley.

Click Play and hear more

 

RR Crossing Repairs

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As the old joke goes, there’s good news and bad news about a few railroad crossings in the area: The good news is that four crossings are being repaired during the next couple of weekends. The bad news is that motorists will be rerouted for a couple of days while the improvements are being made.

Beginning on Friday, Jan. 14 at 6:30 a.m., the crossing at N.C. 39 and Andrews Avenue and the crossing at Welcome Avenue near Saint Matthews St. in the southern part of the city will be closed to traffic. CSX Railroad has scheduled the repairs and routine required maintenance to begin Friday and be completed by sometime Saturday, Jan. 15.

The statement from the city said detour routes would be marked.

The following weekend – Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 – the crossing at J.P. Taylor Road, just off Raleigh Road and the crossing at State Road 1595 near Eastern Minerals, will be closed for repairs and maintenance.

Inclement weather could affect the times and dates.

Community Partners Of Hope Has New Community Network Specialist

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The newest staff member at Community Partners of Hope, Inc. of Henderson, may be new to the job, but she certainly is not new to the community. Delthine Watson has lived and worked in Vance County for the past 25 years, and she brings a passion for the local outreach ministry to the newly created position.

Watson, a native of Warren County, is the community network specialist for CPOH. The position is designed to help the organization expand services and outreach to homeless men in the community. Watson said she wants to take things to a new level. “I want to be instrumental in improving my community,” she said in a press release to WIZS News.

CPOH Volunteer Coordinator Jane King said, “Watson has supported our ministry for many years volunteering wherever needed and organizing her church to supply meals on a regular basis. She has a heart for service to go along with her experience in helping people navigate hard times.”

Watson understands the challenges of communities with limited resources, said Pastor Joseph Ratliff of Shiloh Baptist Church. “Yet, she knows local, state, and federal possibilities for additional resources,” Ratliff said.

Pastor Matthew Copple of First Presbyterian Church explains that CPOH’s decision to form this new role speaks loudly about the organization’s priority to expand its reach to the men it serves and the community at large. “Her [Watson’s] voice will remind our leaders and community organizations that a community’s success is defined by how it cares for its most vulnerable members,” said Copple.

Board Chairman Mike Holland has set a bold goal to relocate the emergency shelter to a location that will sustain year-round operation and space for education and job training. Under his leadership, the board of directors – coupled with Watson’s expertise – looks forward to a banner year for CPOH in 2022.

Watson said she dreams of eliminating homelessness altogether, but until that time, there is plenty more work to do by providing hot meals and temporary lodging.

Board member Ron Cava said the board is pleased to have Watson in the new position. Her education and experience in various social services and counseling uniquely qualify her for this position, he said. “We are pleased to have someone of Delthine’s character, experience, and passion for service with the homeless to join our team.” Cava said.

The community ministry serves Henderson by safely sheltering homeless men, providing them warmth, nourishment, guidance, and encouragement. Since its opening 12 years ago, improvements to the shelter and management have increased capacity to move men from chronic homelessness to more hopeful potential for housing. CPOH seasonally operates a men’s homeless shelter November through March, providing service to 60-80 men each season. Its companion service, Hope House, offers temporary residence for up to six men who are transitioning out of homelessness.

In her new role, Watson will work closely with the board of directors and other CPOH staff to provide support, coordination, guidance, and visibility for services offered to homeless men. Through her networking with regional agencies and organizations, CPOH will enhance the potential for each homeless man to find healing, work and housing.

Learn more at www.cp-hope.org.

Home And Garden Show 1-5-22

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • New Year = New Garden Year Start your 2022 Garden Journal
  • Contact wildlife resources commission for help with wildlife damage issues
  • Start planning your 2022 garden on paper now what are your goals for 2022 garden.
  • Turf weed management is different now.
  • What problems did you have in your 2021 garden? Call Cooperative Extension we can give you recommendations that may solve some of those issues before those problems start in 2022.
  • Start preparing your seeding equipment for growing transplants.
  • Build a small greenhouse or cold frame to raise your own transplants for 2022
  • Consider fruit crops that are easier to grow.

 

TownTalk: The Jail and more Things To Know

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The jail; Closed railroad crossings; Thieves; Hope House; Maria Parham visitation — all “Things to Know” in this latest edition of WIZS TownTalk.

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The Local Skinny! Vance Eats: Yikky Wingz

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It’s no secret around WIZS that our Trey Snide likes to eat. So when we decided that a new segment of the Local Skinny was to be called “Vance Eats” the natural choice for a host was Trey Snide. Vance Eats had it’s inaugural segment with chicken wings from Yikky Wingz. Owner William Flye supplied Trey with five different types of wings. These included hot lemon pepper, jazzy honey mustard, Yikky buffalo, Yikky gold and garlic parmesan. Fresh carrots, celery and ranch dressing were also a part of the wings plate. “They blew up on social media,” Snide said of Yikky Wingz on the program today. They season and prep each item and, according to the Yikky Wingz Facebook page, the trick to their delicious wings is the secret sauce.

In addition to wings, Yikky Wingz has deep fried pineapple, chicken tenders, gizzards and more. Yikky Wingz is located in the Citgo Service Station at 1208 Andrews Ave. across from Biddie’s Grill. They are open Monday through Saturday 12noon to 8pm.

To check out their entire menu visit their Facebook page. In coming weeks Trey will be sampling many different restaurants around the area both large and small. Vance Eats can be heard as part of the Local Skinny! on WIZS. The Local Skinny airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30am on WIZS 1450AM, 100.1FM and online at wizs.com.

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

 

TownTalk: McKinley Perkinson Settles In To EDC Position

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Although she said her initial orientation continues, the new Henderson-Vance economic development director reports that she is excited to be a part of the team effort of moving the community and the economy forward.

McKinley Perkinson began her new job in mid-November, and since that time she has been checking in with business and community leaders to get their input and ideas about priorities and goal-setting for the short-term and for the long-term growth that the area could see.

“Everybody has been really welcoming,” Perkinson told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk. And just about everybody says workforce development is a priority, she added.

“Workforce development is a big focus everywhere,” Perkinson said. She said working with key partners like the community college and the Kerr-Tar COG to create trained workers for existing – and prospective – business and industry in the area is vital.

The pandemic may have sidelined plans for a while, but Perkinson is hopeful that she and others can create some momentum and refresh priorities for growth in the city and county. Her orientation includes gathering input from leaders to realign or reshape those priorities, she said.

“The shell building is a project that I’m very excited about,” Perkinson said. “Our county leaders are very interested in exploring” as well, she added. Previous economic development directors Christian Lockamy and Dennis Jarvis had promoted the idea of constructing buildings that could be completed quickly to attract new business and industry to the area.

As the economic development director, Perkinson said she is part networker, part negotiator, part cheerleader and always a recruiter. She wants to be able to understand all the things the community can offer a prospective business. She also said she wants to be able to “connect people to those resources they need, or getting answers to questions they may have.”

In short, she said she wants to have her finger on the pulse of everything that the community has to offer.

In addition, she is focused on retention of employees, business expansion and partnership with key players “to make sure we have a strong economy for the community.” Having a strategic plan that clearly states goals and objectives is one way to achieve that goal.

A marketing plan – that increases the county’s exposure to the burgeoning Triangle area – is another way to promote growth.

Being more intentional in talking about economic development is another important piece to the puzzle. Sometimes, officials have to stay quiet when they’re negotiating with a prospective business or industry interested in locating in the community. But Perkinson said, “there are some things that we can talk about and get people excited about what we’re working on.”

Visit https://vancecountyedc.com to learn more.