Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Local Vance County Covid-19 Update 12-17-20

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For the seven day period December 10 to December 16 in Vance County, there were a total of 182 positive test results for Covid-19. For the same time period, 96 people in Vance County were released from isolation.

Those figures equal a net increase of 86 in a week or about 12 people per day more.

Two deaths occurred December 10 to December 16 in Vance County attributed to Covid-19, and the total daily count of those receiving inpatient care decreased by one, which lowered the figure to 22.

Of the 704 active cases in Vance County on December 16, a total of 694 cases were in the community at large and 10 were divided six to four at two nursing facilities.

This information was compiled by WIZS based on data from Granville Vance Public Health.

Gang Free

Christmas Toy Drive at Gang Free, Inc.

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Gang Free, Inc. here in Henderson will be giving toys to over 600 children for Christmas.

At the present time, the organization still needs about 100 to 120 more toys to match with the number of youngsters already signed up.

Gang Free founder Melissa Elliott said, “Gang Free has over 600 children for Christmas. Toys For Tots provided us with 491 toys. Can you please ask people to stop by Gang Free and drop off a toy?”

Located at 940 County Home Road in Henderson and online at gangfreeinc.org, you can drop off toys Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm or call 252-598-0067 to make arrangements. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-17-20 Safe Neighborhood Initiative; David Smith; Covid19; School Re – Entry Plan

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Stories include:

– Safe Neighborhood Initiative

– David Smith awarded Long Leaf Pine

– Covid19

– Re-entry plan for Vance Co. Schools

For full details and audio click play.

 

Town Talk Logo

TownTalk 12-16-20; Covid, New WIZS Morning Host Steve Lewis

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Listen to TownTalk on WIZS 1450 AM / 100.1 FM each weekday from 11am until 11:30am.

The Wednesday, Dec 16, 2020 edition of TownTalk reviewed the latest information from Granville-Vance Public Health pertaining to local availability of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Also, in segment two of the show, the newest member of the WIZS staff was introduced. Mr. Steve Lewis announces and does the WIZS Weekday Wakeup program, 6a-9a, M-F.

Re-listen to today’s show by clicking play…

 

Local News Audio

WIZS Noon News 12-16-20; Toy Drive at Gang Free, Downtown Main Street Status, Rec Dept

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WIZS Local News airs at 8am, 12 noon and 5pm, M-F, on 1450 AM and 100.1 FM and via live stream at WIZS.com

– Toy Drive at Gang Free, Inc.
– City Manager and Henderson Main Street Status
– Henderson Vance Rec and Parks – Aycock and Fox Pond

You can re-listen to today’s WIZS Noon News broadcast by clicking play…

 

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-15-20 SAM Child Advocacy Center; Talmadge R. Burgess Scholarship

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Stories include:

– SAM Child Advocacy Center and the work they do for children in the area

– Vance Co. Farm Bureau establishes the Talmadge R. “Pete” Burgess scholarship at Vance Granville Community College

For full details and audio click play.

 

Terrell Blackmon

Town Talk 12/15/20: Terrell Blackmon, Henderson City Manager

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Blackmon briefly discussed his time with the City, stating the start of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after his arrival in January has made for an interesting first year on the job.

“It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting when you throw in everything that’s happened with COVID,” said Blackmon. “I can say I enjoy the community, I enjoy being here and I enjoy the challenge of making Henderson a better place for everyone. Overall, I’m doing well, and the City is doing well.”

For complete details and audio, click play.

Moving on to last night’s Henderson City Council meeting, Blackmon commented on a few of the highlights from the session, including the approval of adding indoor – or crop box – farming to City zoning ordinances.

With greenhouse farming already approved for accessory-use in current zoning ordinances, the addition of crop box farming will allow participating individuals a 365-day growing season in artificial light.

Also of note, the Council rejected the Beckford Drive Widening Project that was first initiated in 2008 when construction costs were much lower. Blackmon said the delays, due to property acquisition and rising costs in construction, have pushed the project cost beyond its budgeted amount. With $1.6 million in grants and available funding already allocated, Blackmon said the City is still approximately $1.3 million short of the total project cost.

According to the meeting’s minutes, to date, $335,115 has been put towards the project, which includes the design, right of way acquisition, legal administration, stream mitigation costs and NCDOT administration costs. The City is responsible for these costs and will have to reimburse NCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to abandon the project.

Also discussed was the use of CARES Act funding to ensure City of Henderson facilities are safer during the pandemic, the naming of a new economic development director and the City of Henderson’s Main Street status.

For more detailed information regarding these items, please listen to the Town Talk episode by clicking play above and visit the Henderson City Council’s website for meeting agendas and minutes.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-14-20 Economic Development news; Hospital visitation; courts cancelled

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Stories include:

– Local economic development gains momentum

– Maria Parham Hospital restricts visitors due to Covid19

– Some court proceedings cancelled due to Covid19

For full details and audio click play.

 

SaM Child Advocacy Center

Town Talk 12/14/20: Cara Gill Of S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Cara Boyd Gill, founder and director of S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center in Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center is a 24-hour, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves children who are victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse and witnesses to violent crimes in Vance and surrounding counties.

Opening its doors in 2016, the center provides a safe, child-friendly environment for children who are alleged victims of abuse and their non-offending family members to receive child forensic interviews by trained staff.

For full details and audio, click play…

Victims and their non-offending family members can receive advocacy and support services, referrals to appropriate support services within the community, crisis intervention and medical treatment referrals if needed. All services are provided at no cost to the child or their families.

Gill, who worked for Child Protective Services in Alamance County upon graduating from college, said it was her experience with child investigations and the child advocacy center in Alamance that sparked her interest in offering similar services in Vance County.

“Upon leaving Alamance County – because Henderson is my hometown, and I decided I wanted to come back home – I began talking to our local law enforcement, social services, and our District Attorney’s office to see how they handled cases of child abuse and neglect,” explained Gill. “At the time, they did not have a child advocacy center here, and they would send kids to Duke or UNC with a two or three-month wait, which is not ideal for these kids.”

Gill continued, “A child advocacy center is not a stand-alone center; I also have to have social services, law enforcement, the DA’s office, a mental health provider and a medical provider. In talking with these entities, we began brainstorming how this could happen. The result was we opened in 2016, and here we are in 2020 still expanding.”

For more information on S.a.M., please visit the center’s Facebook page by clicking here.

Local Economic Development into the New Year

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Local Economic Development will continue to be a topic of conversation and action into the new year.

From news of a new Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission director, to Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington saying on TownTalk recently that economic development was key, to Mako Medical Laboratories and their continued growth, to incentive programs, it all adds up.

Last week, the Vance County commissioners approved the second half of a grant from Duke Energy for Select Products/Select Tissue, which is coming to Vance County soon across Poplar Creek Road from Vance-Granville Community College.  The money helps Vance County match a state grant, essentially making the deal possible.

An August 5, 2020 press release from the NC Department of Commerce starts off saying, “Select Products Holdings, LLC, a manufacturer of tissue products, will invest $4 million and create 73 jobs in Vance County, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today.  The decision marks a major expansion for the company as it increases operations to meet growing demand.”

Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News, “Duke Energy previously provided the county with $50,000 from their Carolinas Investment Fund which was essential as a part of the overall package to land Select Products/Select Tissue in Vance County.  The county previously allocated the first $25,000 of that to serve as match funding to a $500,000 building reuse grant from the NC Department of Commerce for the same project.  On Monday evening (12-7-20) our board allocated the second half of those funds and approved an amendment to our local incentive agreement with Select Tissue that will allow us to disburse the additional funds to the company.”

McMillen said in the coming year the County has a lot to look forward to and be excited for.

He said, “I had a chance to visit Mako Medical here in Henderson.  They are bursting at the seams with employees.  That’s become a location where the single most number of lab tests are completed daily across the United States,” as it pertains to Covid.

McMillen said the primary concern for Select Products in coming here was whether the workforce would meet their needs.  He said the CEO of Select products indicated there had been a tremendous response for workers, with over 700 resumes submitted.  “All these interactions and hearing this input is what excites me.  It gives me validation that the County’s positive momentum is continuing forward, and that we do have a bright future here in Vance County.  This is my home.  This is where I live, and it’s an honor to serve as the County Manager,” McMillen said.