Tag Archive for: #MelissaElliott

TownTalk: Bridging the Digital Divide

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A group of local, state and regional partners is teaming up to host a daylong summit in Henderson on July 23 that will focus on closing the “digital divide” in rural areas as a way to improve access to healthcare resources with the ultimate goal of having a positive effect on health outcomes for rural residents.

Organizers say the summit is designed to move beyond discussion and into action by creating a regional framework for collaboration, investment, and measurable outcomes. Participants will explore how broadband can serve as a catalyst for improved healthcare access, stronger workforce participation, economic opportunity, and enhanced quality of life throughout eastern North Carolina.

The Centre for Homeownership and Economic Development Corp. is partnering with state-level departments – Information and Technology and Health and Human Services –  along with collaboration from Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott and numerous other community entities to present the program, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McGregor Hall in downtown Henderson.

“I’m excited about this,” Elliott said. “I know that collaboration is key…we have to collaborate for the betterment of the whole, to make sure people get the care they deserve.”

She hopes that one outcome of the summit will be to gather data that will be used to craft legislation to take to the General Assembly.

Elliott said she’s working with CHOEDC as program director for the “Here to Help” program that’s getting everything organized for July 23. It’s a 12-month contract that began in September 2025, with $100,000 in funding from the U.S. based biotechnology company Genentech.

Broadband accessibility, Elliott said, is becoming more and more critical for people to get access to health care. Patients increasingly are accessing their medical information through online portals, completing screenings and conducting telehealth visits with their health care providers, she noted.

Rural residents without reliable broadband access may not be able to access those medical services.

“The digital divide was contributing to the health care divide,” Elliott said.

Take the idea of telehealth, for example. Elliott said part of the “Here to Help” program included a survey of individuals who live in Vance and surrounding counties. She said only 23 percent of respondents were familiar with the term “telehealth.”

“There are a lot of people in our community and across the rural spaces – particularly the seniors – that can really benefit from telehealth services,” Elliott said, who called herself a telehealth advocate.

This summit is designed to bring together public health, health care systems, local government, nonprofits, broadband providers, educational institutions and community organizations under one shared vision – greater accessibility to broadband service to ultimately have a positive effect on health outcomes for rural residents.

“Reliable internet access has become a critical component of healthcare delivery, education, workforce development, and economic mobility,” said Glyndola Massenburg-Beasley CHOEDC’s chief development officer.

“Yet many households across Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and surrounding counties continue to face barriers to broadband connectivity, limiting access to telehealth services, behavioral health support, chronic disease management resources, and preventive care,” Massenburg-Beasley said in a press statement.

The use of telehealth is becoming more and more frequent, and it can be a convenient way for patients to be in touch with their physicians or other health care providers. People who live in rural areas where broadband access can be sometimes spotty, can’t take full advantage of telehealth visits.

“Broadband access is no longer a luxury—it is an essential component of access to healthcare,” said Massenburg-Beasley.

Educating the public is a key component, Elliott said. Placing an emphasis on having reliable internet connectivity is more than just a convenience for streaming movies and television shows.“We want to make sure that we have the same access that they have in a Raleigh or a Greensboro or Charlotte. We want our people to have the same access to internet services for health care, education, working – whatever they’re utilizing it for.

The hope is to change the mindset of the end user so it’s not just internet for social media and streaming movies. Elliott wants rural consumers to be able to use internet for doctor’s appointments, prescription refills and more.

“Broadband is health care infrastructure,” Elliott said. “Once people understand that connection, the conversation changes from ‘I don’t need the internet’  to ‘I need access to care.’”

The upcoming summit will take a comprehensive look at the needs of rural residents and then work with community stakeholders including managed care organizations, local governments, faith-based institutions and community stakeholders to come up with ways to expand broadband access, strenghthen digital inclusion that improve health outcomes.

Below are some examples of how different groups can contribute to the overall goal:

  • CHODEC –  focus on community engagement, outreach and implementation strategies that integrate housing stability, workforce development, health equity, and family support services
  • Faith-based organizations – serve as critical partners in the initiative. Churches, ministries and interfaith networks will assist with community outreach, digital literacy education, telehealth navigation and trust-building efforts that ensure residents can effectively utilize new technologies and healthcare resources
  • Managed care providers – contribute expertise in care coordination, population health management, and telehealth implementation, while local governments are helping identify infrastructure needs and community priorities
  • State-level participation – partnership aligns with statewide broadband expansion goals led by NCDIT and healthcare priorities advanced by NCDHHS

Elliott said registration is encouraged, mainly to ensure there’s enough food for everyone. But if you can’t pre-register and would like to come to at least some of the day’s programs, she said by all means, do so.

Contact gmbeasley.com/events to register or to learn more.

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(This audio and web post first appeared on WIZS on July 1, 2026.)

Swift Local Reaction Against Section 5 Of SB 214 Results In Removal Of Controversial Wording

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A new version of the conference report known as Senate Bill 214 has been released and no longer contains Part V, Section 5 that would have allowed Franklin County to take property from Vance, Warren and Halifax counties without the approval or consent of those counties’ leadership.

N.C. Rep. Bryan Cohn represents District 32 in the N.C. House, and he told WIZS News that he could confirm that the Section 5 wording had been removed. “I was standing in the principal clerk’s office when the new version came down,” Cohn said on Wednesday.

N.C. Speaker of the House Destin Hall told colleagues in the House Chamber on Tuesday that the issue needs to be worked out locally.

Cohn reiterated remarks he made to members of the Henderson City Council during a special called meeting on Monday in calling for good faith discussions going forward to find a solution to the water issue.

“We are still working in good faith to make sure that we have this water issue worked out and that we do so locally…this is consistent with what I told Henderson City Council members on Monday,” he said.

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott was among a contingent of local residents who traveled to Raleigh on Tuesday to show up in person at the Legislative Building to express opposition to the controversial wording contained in the bill.

Elliott told WIZS Wednesday, “We believe in collaboration, not overreach. Section 5 of SB 214 in North Carolina removes local voices from decisions that directly impact our land, our water, and our future – and that’s something we cannot support.”

Congressman Don Davis Delivers $500,000 Check For Henderson Water Extension

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The City of Henderson is $500,000 closer to providing key water system upgrades to a group of households near Skenes Avenue.

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott said Monday’s check presentation by U.S. Congressman Don Davis will make possible the first phase of a water line extension to eight households, which she called “essential to the health and well-being of our community.”

The local allocation is one of 15 projects across the state that totals $7.2 million awarded by the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, according to information back in December from Gov. Josh Stein’s office.

The funding will expand city‑owned water infrastructure to address private‑well water‑quality issues. Project activities include private‑well testing and the installation of 1,540 linear feet of waterline.

“I am incredibly grateful to Congressman Davis,” Elliott said. “Since I have served as Mayor, he has consistently shown up for Eastern North Carolina and for Henderson. His support has resulted in over $3 million in investments for our city, including $500,000 for a pump station in 2024, over $2 million for a communication tower, and now this most recent $500,000 for critical water infrastructure.”

The funding comes from the FY2025 State Economic and Infrastructure Development program, designed to revitalize communities and spur economic development across counties in six Southern states, including North Carolina.

“This particular investment is not just about pipes in the ground,” Elliott told WIZS News on Monday following the check presentation.
“It’s about improving quality of life, protecting public health, and ensuring that our residents have equitable access to basic necessities. It is a meaningful step forward for this area, and I am thankful for partnerships like this that continue to move our city in the right direction.”

In December, Stein said his administration is working hard to modernize systems to “build stronger foundations for growth.”

Stein, who co-chairs the SCRC committee, continued, saying “These investments will help local leaders move their priorities forward, invest in key infrastructure, and build a more prosperous future.”

N.C. Dept. of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley stated that the projects reflect what local leaders tell their state leadership they need most. “These investments help communities tackle the challenges that hold back growth and opportunity,” Lilley said in a press statement issued in December announcing the projects.  “From strengthening essential infrastructure to expanding workforce training…we’re proud to support this work and help position these communities for long-term success.”

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott Files For N.C. House District 32 Seat

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Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott filed Thursday to run for the N.C. State House.

Elliott confirmed with WIZS News that she filed as a Democrat; at present, she is the lone Democrat filer for the District 32 House seat.

“We’ve still got another day,” Elliott said in an interview late Thursday afternoon. “I’ve heard another candidate may be coming out of Oxford.” Individuals have until 12 noon tomorrow – Friday, Dec. 19 – to file for the March 2026 primary.

“I’m excited,” Elliott said, to announce her candidacy. “I’m going to run a clean race, in spite of all the dirty things they’ve said about me. I’m just going to be Melissa Elliott, and I feel like all of this was training for me to have super, super thick skin so no matter what people say, I can still fight for people that don’t necessarily fight for me.”

She described herself as an advocate for people, having worked “tirelessly” for 18 years in the local community. And she’s been thinking about running for a higher office for some time.

“Honestly, I started thinking about it the day I won the mayor’s seat,” Elliott said. “Because I know that at the end of the day, I’m going to have a wider reach. I’m policy driven. I know I don’t have a vote here and may not have a lot of pull once I get there, but I think you work your way up the ladder.”

She credits her resiliency and her love for people and for Vance County as reasons she decided to run.

“I believe I can do a great job on the state level.  I’ve been thinking about it for two years. I got sidetracked or derailed with all of the public scrutiny and then I said to myself, ‘you’ve never let anybody or anything stop you before,’” so she decided to make her move.

“I want to make a difference,” she explained. “If I can’t do it here, then maybe I can do it there. I’m trying. I’m definitely trying.”

So far, two candidates have filed for the Republican primary for the District 32 seat – Frank Sossamon and Pamela Michele Ayscue. The primary election takes place on Mar. 3, 2026.

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott Going to Bat for Kittrell Job Corps

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Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott is going to bat for the future of the Kittrell Job Corps, which faces possible elimination in the recently passed FY26 budget that was signed into law on July 4.

Elliott sent letters to North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, as well as U.S. Congressman Don Davis.

The Kittrell Job Corps is one of 99 Job Corps centers, which provide residential programs designed to help low-income youth achieve education and career goals.

Although the program had been scheduled to be shut down on June 30 when the fiscal year ended, a temporary restraining order put in place days before has put a pause on the closures until a judge can rule on the matter.

Elliott told WIZS that she had traveled to Washington, D.C. to talk with the office of U.S. Rep. Don Davis about the matter.

Here’s the text of the letters, which were dated July 15, 2025:

“I’m writing to express strong support for the Kittrell Job Corps Center and to oppose the President’s FY26 budget proposal to eliminate the Job Corps program. I’m also deeply concerned about the current halt on student background checks, which has left over 12,000 young people in limbo and stalled their path to a better future.

As a proud Job Corps graduate and now Mayor of the City of Henderson, I have seen firsthand how this program transforms lives and strengthens communities. The Kittrell Job Corps Center trains more than 500 young adults annually. These students earn industry-recognized credentials in fields such as Culinary Arts, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Facility Maintenance, Medical Administrative Assistant, Brick Masonry, Security Protective Services, and Advanced Human Services—often leading to full-time employment within months of graduation. At the same time, the campus directly supports approximately 135 staff jobs and injects over $15 million in federal funding into our region’s economy.

One example is Jerae York, a 23-year-old graduate who earned his high school diploma and Security Protective Services credentials at Kittrell before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. Now earning over $22 per hour and serving on active duty, Jerae credits Job Corps as the best thing that has happened in his life.

These are real outcomes. Real futures. Real value.

I respectfully urge you to contact the U.S. Department of Labor and the White House immediately to demand the resumption of student enrollments and continued funding for the Job Corps program. The loss of Kittrell would be devastating for my community.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to North Carolina’s youth.”

TownTalk: Community Information Series To Feature Mayor Elliott

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Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott can be found at the city building on Rose Avenue for monthly Council meetings, but you’re also likely to spot her most anywhere across town in any number of places promoting the city and supporting its residents.

Elliott was at the Senior Center Thursday morning to help senior adults create “vision boards.”

And on Tuesday, Feb. 11, she’ll be the speaker at the Community Information Series at Baskerville Funeral Home.

The title of the program, which runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., is “Understanding City Government.”

“There are a lot of things that people don’t understand about city government,” Elliott said on Thursday’s TownTalk. She wants everyone to understand that no one person makes all the decisions or all the rules.

“We work as a team,” she said of herself, Council members and city staff, “and that’s how we pass law…(and) govern the city.

She said the elected officials need to be available to their constituents. “We want to hear what people have to say,” she added.

The business of government is about people, Elliott emphasized. The whole business of governing IS people, she said, and it’s important for the city to invest in its people.

“We are in the business of helping people and moving a community forward,” she said, even when resources are scarce.

The vision board activity is part of the mayor’s health and wellness initiative, and it’s one way to invest in people.

Today, it’s senior adults, and a month ago, she spent time with a bunch of teens as they created their own vision boards. It’s a way to focus on positive mental health practices, she noted. Participants create a collage of how they want to “see” themselves – healthy and happy and secure.

Spending time with folks as they create these boards is also a way Elliott gets to interact with constituents

“You put on your board what you want to look like and what you want your city to look like,” she said.

She said she welcomes people’s comments because their voice matters – whether it’s a complaint or praise.

Reach out to Elliott at 252.425.5220 or call the city clerk at 252.430.5705 to learn more.

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Melissa Elliott Gang Free

TownTalk: Melissa Elliott Helps Those Recently Released from Prison

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It’s hard enough to find a job that offers a liveable wage – Melissa Elliott defines that job as one that pays at least $20 an hour. But that search becomes exponentially more difficult for those men and women who have been incarcerated and are looking to get back on their feet.

Gainful employment and affordable housing are two of the biggest challenges that Elliott identifies for the “justice-involved population” that she works with as Vance County’s case manager for the Family Resource Center for South Atlantic, a Raleigh-based agency that supports people as they transition from jail or prison back into society.

The goal of the agency is to help individuals become self-sufficient and to reduce rescividism, which she said is about 40 percent. That means that 40 percent of those who were convicted of a crime will re-offend and return to jail.

“Job placement assistance…is one of the biggest things we do,” Elliott told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

Elliott invited anyone interested to attend a re-entry resource fair and expungement clinic on Tuesday, April 12 at D.N. Hix Gym in Oxford. There will be employers on site who are looking for workers – some will be prepared to interview prospective employees on the spot, she said.

Last year, Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington proclaimed that the city of Henderson would join the observance of April as National Re-Entry Month.

When individuals return to their families after serving sentences in jail or prison, it’s important that they receive support from the community so they can become productive members of society again. Elliott said everyone deserves a second chance, and part of her job as case manager is to “make sure that second chance is there for those who need it most…and to help the justice-involved population be as successful as they can be.”

Elliott said there are more resources for re-entry now than there have been in the past. If you have a family member or loved one scheduled for release from jail or prison in the next four months, now is the time to contact South Atlantic’s Family Resource Center to find out how they can help.

The phone number is 919.740.7950.

As for the April 12 event, Elliott said it will be a full-service resource fair, with everything from a presentation by Legal Aid of North Carolina about record expungement to financial literacy classes. There will be a food distribution, outreach services and much more.

“We want to make sure that everyone understands they can get a second chance,” Elliott said. While not condoning the offenses that may have occurred in a person’s past, Elliott said there are resources to assist those who want to start fresh and be successful.

 

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Gang Free

NCCU Names Melissa Elliott Community Facilitator; Gang Free to be COVID Testing Site

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Henderson City Councilperson Melissa Elliott has been named the Community Facilitator for Vance County with North Carolina Central University. Her actions as a facilitator for Covid-19 testing will take place with her community advocacy agency called Gang Free.

Elliott told WIZS News, “In partnership with the Health Department, Gang Free will be a testing site for Covid-19.”

Plans are still being finalized, but testing is expected to begin in August. Elliott said, “I should have a specific date early next week.”

WIZS TownTalk at 11 a.m. will have Elliott back to explain more in the next couple of weeks.

Dabney Drive

Town Talk 07/14/20: Henderson City Council Denies Request for Dabney Dr. Rezoning

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Melissa Elliott, Henderson City Council member and founder of Gang Free, Inc., appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Elliott discussed the outcome of last night’s Henderson City Council meeting where council members voted to deny the second request in two months to rezone residential properties located at 1337 and 1343 Dabney Drive at the corner of Lynne Avenue.

According to the meeting’s agenda, Hill Dubose, a commercial/industrial developer from Greensboro, NC, requested to rezone the properties located at the corner of Lynne Avenue from an OIA (Office Institutional “A”) District to a B-2A (Highway Commercial “A”) District.

Elliott said four citizens spoke at the virtual public hearing, including two in favor of rezoning who had “a financial interest” in the matter and two 30-plus year residents of the Lynne Avenue neighborhood who spoke against.

At the May 13, 2020, Henderson City Council meeting, members denied a request to rezone the parcels from OIA to B-4 (Neighborhood Commercial) District citing issues with potential hazardous traffic in the area associated with a proposed fast-food restaurant.

While Elliott said specific plans for the area were not discussed at Monday’s meeting, the Council expressed concern regarding the traffic increase that any development would bring to the Lynne Avenue single-family residential neighborhood.

The Council also discussed concerns with vehicles safely entering and exiting the location onto Dabney Drive and/or Lynne Avenue.

“I want to express that we on the Council are for redevelopment, economic development and bringing job opportunities to our area,” said Elliott. “We would like to see the Department of Transportation (DOT), who is responsible for Dabney Drive, provide a report or some type of research on egress and ingress to see how people will be able to get in and out without affecting Lynne Avenue and its residents.”

To hear the interview with Elliott in its entirety, including additional talking points from Monday’s City Council meeting, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Gang Free

Gang Free, Inc. in Need of Volunteers to Deliver Food Boxes ASAP

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Melissa Elliott, the founder of Gang Free, Inc. and Henderson City Council member, reached out to WIZS this afternoon to help spread the word of Gang Free Inc.’s free food delivery to those affected by COVID-19.

Stating she was currently “a bit overwhelmed” by the response of those in need, Elliott would appreciate any volunteer help she can get in delivering food boxes on behalf of the Gang Free organization.

This would also be a great opportunity for youth who are now out of school for the summer to get involved in helping others in their community.

According to Elliott, volunteers would leave food boxes in the resident’s vehicle or on the porch and would not go into the home.

“I think it is notable that the people are reaching out for assistance so that they don’t infect others in the community,” Elliott said.

For more information or to volunteer, please call Elliott at (252) 425-5220.