Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Henderson Police Department

HPD Chief Credits Agency Cooperation, Public’s Help With Drug Arrests

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS Town Talk for a general discussion on crime in the city as well as to provide updates on recent newsworthy incidents.

Barrow reassured listeners that law enforcement is making strides in the on-going war against drugs, a feat that he believes is made possible by the cooperative spirit between local agencies.

“We’ve federally indicted 152 people now since I became chief in December 2013,” Barrow said. “I think that’s very successful. Our District Attorney’s office has made some transitions to move some cases along in the state court system, which has really helped.”

“Our agencies are working really well together right now. The sheriff [Curtis Brame] has been a blessing to our agency. Our togetherness shows and shines through; it’s like it should be.”

Another essential part of fighting crime, according to Barrow, is the information and assistance provided by the general public and organizations such as Vance County Crime Stoppers.

“We wouldn’t solve anything without the public unless we saw it first hand,” said Barrow. “The information the public gives us is vital to every investigation – especially violent crimes and drug deals.”

While violent crimes and drug arrests often get the most press, Barrow reassured citizens that most calls are less intense in nature. “We get a large volume of calls, the majority of which are common, domestic calls such as arguments and civil issues.”

When asked about police pay and retention rates, Barrow said progress has been made in making salary and benefits more competitive, an accomplishment he credits, in part, to Henderson City Manager Frank Frazier.

“In my short tenure as chief, the City Manager [Frazier] has been instrumental in assisting the police department with huge pay increases. We aren’t quite there yet, but we do have benefits that people don’t have in other locations. It takes us going out and making those recruitment contacts for people to understand what the City of Henderson has to offer.”

To hear Barrow’s interview in its entirety, including updates on recent crimes in Henderson, please click here. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Blessed Hope Baptist to Hold Fall Revival

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Lauren Elliott, Blessed Hope Baptist Church

Blessed Hope Baptist Church, 741 Dabney Road in Henderson, will hold a Fall Revival led by Dan Toney October 6 –  October 9, 2019.

Revival will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, October 6 and at 7 p.m. each evening Monday, October 7 – Wednesday, October 9.

All are invited to attend!

News 09/26/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Town Talk 09/25/19: Police, Jobs Key to City’s Future Says Mayoral Candidate Owens

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Sharon Owens, candidate for the position of Henderson Mayor, was the guest of honor on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk.

Owens is running against incumbent Eddie Ellington in the October 8, 2019, City of Henderson non-partisan, municipal election.

Owens, a budget analyst with Durham Public Schools and an evangelist with Greater Refuge Church, said it was prayer and her concern for the City of Henderson that led her to file.

A Henderson native, the Montgomery Street resident said she has spent much of the past year speaking to locals from “all backgrounds” regarding their concerns for the community. “We have a diverse community, but I’ve found that everyone has the same concerns: jobs, economic growth and safety,” Owens said.

Noting the concern about crime in the city, along with reports of the difficulty local law enforcement has in recruiting and retaining officers, Owens said it is past time to find a way to adequately fund the police force.

“We’ve got to find a way to get some money so we can hire more police officers,” said Owens. “We’ve got to be competitive with salaries so they want to stay here. We can’t afford for them to come in, receive training here and then go someplace else.”

She continued, “One of my priorities is to find some money so we can keep our police, especially the good ones that don’t mind working and whose agenda is just the safety of the people.”

Owens said a combination of grants and “money that the City may have tucked away somewhere” could be the answer to both increasing the police force and increasing police pay.

Stating that her research has shown the average salary in Henderson is $26,000, Owens said boosting paychecks is essential for the economic health of the area. “People are concerned about wages and the lack of job opportunities. We have to make our city safer and more presentable so jobs will want to come here.”

Owens also said the community needs to reach out to its youth. “We’ve got to inspire our young people. There’s got to be a reason for them to want to finish school and stay rooted in Henderson. We don’t want to see our young people leaving and to see Henderson become a ghost town.”

(This is not a paid political advertisement. To offer equal coverage to political opponents, Incumbent Mayor Eddie Ellington is scheduled to participate in a Town Talk interview with WIZS on Monday, Sept. 30.)

To hear Owens’ Town Talk interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

City of Henderson Logo

Daye, Henderson City Council Incumbent, Seeks Reelection

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

George Daye, the incumbent candidate for the Henderson City Council’s 4th Ward At-Large seat, is running against Jason A. Spriggs in the October 8, 2019, City of Henderson election.

Also serving on the Human Resources, Public Safety and Regional Transportation Committees for the City of Henderson, Daye said he would like to continue to seek affordable housing opportunities for residents should he be reelected to the City Council.

“It would help the community a lot if we had decent housing,” said Daye. “The City is doing a good job. When you have a complaint, [the solution] doesn’t just happen the next day. It takes time to get things resolved, but we’ve seen progress.”

Promoting additional rent-to-own opportunities to help residents achieve the pride that comes with homeownership is one way Daye said the City can help with the housing situation.

Daye, a resident of N. Pinkston Street, said he was “blessed” to achieve homeownership through a similar rent-to-own opportunity.

Another area of concern, according to Daye, is Henderson’s high crime and drug rate. “We need to somehow get control of our young people because what they are doing is killing our city.”

To accomplish that, Daye, who is also the president of Raemac Transportation, suggested working closely with law enforcement and local churches.

“I do think we have people in place that are willing to see Henderson go forward. People in [influential] positions should be willing to work with the community to see a better Henderson. We need to do everything we can to work with the Henderson Police Department to downgrade these things that are going on.”

Despite the issues, Daye said that he loves the city that he has called home for the majority of his life, “Henderson is a fine place to live; I’ve been here 76 years.”

Acknowledging his age, Daye said he has served in a mentoring capacity to current opponent Spriggs in the past, and initially questioned running for reelection because he was “looking for a younger person to take the position.”

Believing he has at least one more term left in him, Daye said he decided to file but will “support Jason all the way” if Spriggs is elected.

“As the time drew nigh, I said, ‘Well, if I win this election I’ll be 80-years-old when I get out of here. So, I refiled and if I win, I’ll give it my best shot.’”

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Jason Spriggs participated in a similar Town Talk interview. WIZS offers political opponents equal on-air time.)

Watkins Volunteer Fire Dept. to Hold Fall BBQ Chicken/Pork Fundraiser

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Watkins Volunteer Fire Dept.

The Watkins Volunteer Fire Department will hold a BBQ Chicken and Pork Fundraiser on Friday, October 4, 2019, starting at 11 a.m.

Chicken or BBQ Pork Plate – $8

Chicken/BBQ Pork Combo Plate – $12

1-pound BBQ Pork – $8

Plates come with boiled potatoes, slaw, bread and dessert and are eat in or take out.

Location: Watkins Fire Department – 1590 Horseshoe Bend Road, Henderson

Rebuilding Hope to Hold $7 BBQ Chicken Plate Fundraiser This Fri.

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

Rebuilding Hope, Inc. will hold a BBQ Chicken Fundraiser this Friday, September 27, 2019, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. The $7-a-plate dinners will be cooked and served at 414 Raleigh Road, the location of RHI’s office and warehouse in the former Coca-Cola building.

You’re invited to eat in or take out. Delivery of five or more plates to one location is available.

“Proceeds from the fundraisers help support our opportunities to witness for Christ as we make home repairs and build wheelchair ramps,” RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson said.

You may purchase your tickets at RHI’s office or from a volunteer.

News 09/25/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

HPD Seeking Stoney Leon Johnson in Homicide of Roseboro

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

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Update

Stoney Leon Johnson has been arrested and charged with first degree murder. He is currently in the Vance County Jail under no bond, pending a court hearing on October 28, 2019.

Authority: Chief M.W. Barrow

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-Press Release, Henderson Police Department

The Henderson Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Stoney Leon Johnson, 36, of Henderson in reference to the homicide of Youself Roseboro. A first-degree murder warrant has been obtained for Stoney Johnson.

Johnson lived with Roseboro at the residence of 649 Vance Street, Henderson. When officers arrived at the residence on September 23, 2019, they found Roseboro deceased from a gunshot wound.

If anyone has information related to Johnson’s whereabouts, they are encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or your local law enforcement agency, Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925, or use the P3 app on a smartphone or tablet device. Callers may remain anonymous.

Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved in criminal acts.

 

West End Baptist

West End Community Watch Hears From City Operations Dept.

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Notes courtesy Claire Catherwood, West End Community Watch

Andy Perkinson, Director of Operations for the City of Henderson was the speaker for the most recent West End Community Watch meeting held September 17.

The City Operations Department is responsible for water, sewer, sanitation, recycling, litter pick-up, storm drains, cemeteries and maintaining the city utility vehicles. Also, this department is charged with responding to 811 calls before someone digs on private property.

There are 52 employees and more are needed. There are only three leaf-shredder trucks for the entire city.

The old pipes in the city are a major challenge. The department cares for 280 miles of water pipes and 230 miles of sewer pipes.

It costs the city to recycle, but recycling is still encouraged because it keeps trash out of the landfill. Our landfills are filling up and, in the future, we may run out of places to take our trash and it will then go into the oceans. Sadly, only 19% of Henderson’s customers recycle.

Perkinson reminded everyone not to put yard debris in the recycling containers.

Leaves must be bagged in clear plastic bags, except when the shredders are picking them up. Clear plastic is required so employees can see that only leaves are in the bag. Bags are sold at the City Operations’ Center at a nominal fee.

The plastic bags cannot be taken by the debris truck; instead, the bags are emptied and put into garbage carts.

Yard debris and brush are picked up on the same day as garbage but by different trucks. Limbs cannot be longer than four feet. Also, there is a 200lb maximum. If the debris weighs more, a $75 minimum fee is charged.

Building materials are not accepted. Paint can be recycled on a special day that is well-publicized each year. Plastic grocery bags need to be returned to the store and not put in the recycle bin. Fluorescent light bulbs should be wrapped and put in the garbage.

Grass clippings are currently being picked up, but North Carolina law states they should not be collected. The state requires that grass be mowed and the clippings left on the grass.