Town Talk 06/25/20: COVID-19, Masks & General Discussion
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Town Talk 06/24/20: Tem Blackburn Discusses Historical Importance of Henderson Family
THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
George Templeton “Tem” Blackburn II, local historian, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Blackburn discussed the important role Richard Henderson, a member of one of the first families to settle in the Henderson area, played in the expansion of the American West.
While officially chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1841, the city, named in honor of former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Leonard Henderson, son of Richard Henderson, was home to the Henderson family approximately one hundred years prior.
Unlike many areas of the country that experienced settlement from east to west, Blackburn explained the local area had a principal settlement pattern of north to south.
The Henderson family, including a young Richard, was the first among several planter families that relocated from the area near Richmond, VA in the 1740s, according to Blackburn. Other families, including the Bullocks and Williams, soon followed suit.
Richard Henderson, whose father Samuel was the first sheriff of Granville County, became a lawyer with an interest in opening the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Blackburn said Richard Henderson, with ties to pioneer Daniel Boone, ultimately gained the approval of the Cherokee Nation for a settlement through the Cumberland Gap into what is now Kentucky and Northern Tennessee.
While no major battles were fought in NC during the American Revolutionary or Civil War, and no prominent generals originated from the state, Blackburn said the local connection to the westward expansion of the country is of great historical significance.
“Before the Revolution, there was the opening of the American West,” Blackburn stated. “Richard Henderson played a key role in that. That gives our area a claim to say we are connected with the most significant event in NC history, which is tied to the larger history of the nation.”
To hear the interview with Blackburn in its entirety, including other historical facts, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Town Talk 06/23/20: FGV Smart Start Offers Free Books, Literacy Programs for Children
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Garry Daeke, development coordinator for Franklin-Granville-Vance (FGV) Smart Start, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Daeke discussed Smart Start’s “Reach Out and Read” program as well as the agency’s on-going partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
“Reach Out and Read” (ROR) is an evidence-based literacy program that promotes early reading and school readiness during pediatric well-child visits beginning at six months of age. Doctors and their staff offer children a new book free-of-charge each visit and talk to parents about the important role reading plays in mental, social and emotional development.
“Where do parents really listen? All the studies show the number one place, when they have young children, is the pediatrician or the doctor,” said Daeke.
Partially funded through Smart Start, additional funding is provided by community partners such as the Duke Energy Foundation, which recently granted the agency $5,000 to assist with book purchase. Thanks to this support, Daeke said ROR continues to grow, with over 4,500 children and parents involved in the program last year.
Duke Energy is also a supporter of Smart Start’s other literacy program – the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Founded by singer and entertainer Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation, the Imagination Library offers youth one free book a month – via mail – from birth through age five.
The books are developmentally appropriate for children at the age of sign up and change each month as the child grows, taking them through their fifth birthday before they “graduate” out of the program.
The first book participants receive is “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper. The last book in the series is “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come” by Nancy Carlson and teaches children ideas and concepts that will prepare them for elementary school.
“What an incredible way to be a fundamental part of your child’s growth,” said Daeke. “The brain develops from reading and engaging with your children. Social and emotional development comes from sitting down with your child and reading to them. There’s a lot of love and comfort provided in that; our children need that.”
Applications for the Imagination Library can be found at various locations locally including pediatric offices, childcare centers, the Granville Vance Public Health Department, Maria Parham Health, libraries and the FGV Smart Start office.
To hear the interview with Daeke in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Town Talk 06/22/20: What Have You Had Good to Eat Lately?
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Monday’s Town Talk featured a light discussion, with call-ins, on good food and where to find it locally.
Click the play button below to hear the segment in its entirety, catch up on previous Town Talk segments by visiting www.wizs.com and listen live to WIZS at 100.1 FM/1450 AM each Monday – Friday at 11 a.m.
Town Talk 06/18/20: In Memory of Retired Captain Michael ‘Mike’ Davis
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Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
Barrow discussed the recent passing of Retired Captain Michael “Mike” Rodney Davis, Sr. who served the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County community for 45 years.
Davis was honored at a graveside service on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at Elmwood Cemetery in Henderson, with arrangements provided by Davis-Royster Funeral Service – the same funeral home that he once provided with police escort services.
“We did the last call yesterday at the graveside service, and that finalizes so many things, but it’s still surreal that he’s gone,” said Barrow. “For those who aren’t familiar with a last call, a 911 communicator calls out for the officer three separate times. After the third call, the officer will be announced as 10-42, or out of service. The responding dispatcher will then thank the person for their service. It’s very solemn and heartfelt.”
Davis, who joined the HPD in 1975, was one of the first people Barrow met when he came on board 22 years ago.
Retired Captain Michael “Mike” Rodney Davis, Sr., who served the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County community for 45 years, passed away June 9, 2020. (Image courtesy HPD)
“He was one of the first people I got to meet when I walked in the door, and I knew that Capt. Davis was in charge,” Barrow said. “He was a cop’s cop but a community cop also. He was stern when he needed to be stern, kind when he needed to be kind and a true professional. He loved to wear a uniform and, man, could he wear a uniform. When I picture him, I see him in uniform.”
While officially retired since 2006, Barrow said the department jokes that Davis didn’t know how to be retired. “We refer to him as retired, but he never really retired. He stayed on with the agency, and I think he put in more hours than anyone working various security positions and providing escorts for Davis-Royster Funeral Service. No one could do a funeral escort the way that Capt. Davis could; that’s an irreplaceable service to the community.”
In honor of Davis, Barrow said Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson was lined yesterday with marked police vehicles “with blue lights flashing” and uniformed officers who saluted the hearse and Davis’ family. “That’s the least we can do for the family and in honor of Capt. Davis,” stated Barrow.
To hear the interview with Barrow in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Town Talk 06/18/20: Weldon’s Mill Dam Breaks, Floods Sandy Creek Area
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Larry Johnson, owner of SaddleRock Farm, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
Johnson, a resident of the Sandy Creek community, east of Henderson, discussed the washing out of Weldon’s Mill Dam after several days of heavy rainfall.
While not exactly sure when the dam was originally built, Johnson said it most certainly precedes his lifetime. “I’m 73-years-old and that dam has been there all of my life. Every time I went down Weldon’s Mill Road, that was the first thing I looked at – that dam.”
Johnson said he received a call Wednesday morning asking if the dam had broken. “I didn’t know, so I got in my truck and drove down there,” he said. “What I saw was pretty devastating. The water was coming across there like I’ve never seen in my life. The dam had burst with probably 90 percent of it down, and the water looked like it was coming out of a huge lake.”
The bridge on Weldon’s Mill Road, with the water normally 10 to 12 feet below – by Johnson’s estimate – was covered by a foot or more in water.
“The bridge is covered but hasn’t appeared to move,” reported Johnson. “I was very concerned that the Old Mill building might be washed away. There is water running around the foundation of the mill building, but it is standing.”
To hear the interview with Johnson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Photo credit: Jeannie Rose, Honest Graphics, LLC
Photo credit: Jeannie Rose, Honest Graphics, LLC
Photo credit: Jeannie Rose, Honest Graphics, LLC
Photo credit: Jeannie Rose, Honest Graphics, LLC
Town Talk 06/17/20: Vance Co. Schools Moves Forward With Fully Remote K-12 Academy
THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent for Vance County Schools, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Jackson announced the Vance Virtual Village Academy, or V3, as it is being called, will move forward with the Board of Education’s approval as a fully remote learning option for VCS students in grades K-12.
With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the reopening structure of NC public schools still uncertain and the desire of some parents and students for a virtual learning model, Jackson emphasized the importance of offering VCS families a remote learning option.
VCS will open online V3 enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year on July 1. The online academy will follow the traditional school calendar with an August 17 start date.
According to Jackson, enrollment will be capped for the first year at 150-200 students.
Students enrolled in V3 are funded through the State of NC in the same manner as other public school students and will be required to meet the same standards as a student who attends a physical classroom, explained Jackson.
Dispelling the myth that V3 will involve “sitting in front of a device just clicking all day,” Jackson said there will be virtual interactions with teachers, a mixture of independent and group work and a “village” structure that will allow students to interact and socialize with their peers based on their academic needs and interests.
Required materials, including an electronic device and connectivity assistance, if needed, will be provided.
Students may also remain connected to a physical school by participating in athletics and extra-curricular activities and will have access to support services such as school counseling, said Jackson.
“We have to rethink school,” Jackson stated. “I’ve seen the COVID-19 situation as an opportunity to really rethink schools. This is an opportunity to say ‘let’s create one thing that’s different.’ For those parents who seek different and want different, let’s give them that.”
Please visit the VCS website for more information on V3. WIZS News will also provide more information as it becomes available.
To hear the interview with Jackson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Town Talk 06/16/20: Remembering Vance Senior High, NC State Football Alum A.V. Richards
THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
Brenda Peace, former Henderson City Councilwoman and sister of Vance Senior High and NC State University alum and football player Andrew Vance “A.V.” Richards, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Peace described her brother, who passed away Sunday, June 14, as a “gentle giant” who left his mark on athletics and has helped shape local youth.
“A.V. was tall in stature, just a massive dude, but he was the sweetest, most easy-going person that you would have ever met,” Peace reminisced. “He had nothing but love for everybody; it didn’t matter who you were, A.V. loved you.”
A.V. Richards, Vance Senior High and NC State alum and football player, passed away June 14, 2020. He is remembered as a “gentle giant who loved everyone,” according to his sister, former Henderson City Councilwoman Brenda Peace. (Photo courtesy Brenda Peace)
Playing on both the varsity football and basketball teams while a student at Vance Senior High School in the late 70s/early 80s, Richards took his love of sports with him to NC State University. There, Richards transitioned from tight end to offensive tackle as part of the Wolfpack’s football team.
Upon graduating from NC State in 1985, Richards was drafted into the United States Football League (USFL) as a member of the Jacksonville Bulls, shortly before the league was shut down following a legal battle with the National Football League (NFL).
Returning to Henderson, Richards focused his attention on coaching and motivating youth on both the football field and in life. “A.V. has had a lot of influence on a lot of young men’s lives,” WIZS’s own Kemp Collins and life-long friend of Richards said during the Town Talk segment. “He’s in a better place now, but he left his print here, and I’m sure what he left will benefit those young men in their lifetime.”
Peace said while her brother is well-known for his athletic prowess, she will also remember the man that had a kind word and smile for everyone, in addition to being “one bad bass player.”
“Not only could he throw a football and dribble a basketball, but his fingers were magical when it came to playing music on his bass guitar,” said Peace. “As passionate as he was about football, he was just as passionate about music and people. He was a man of passion.”
To hear the interview with Peace in its entirety, including comments from special guests, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Town Talk 06/11/20: Local Organizations Promote ‘Go Big for Small Business’
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Sheri Jones, director of the Small Business Center at Vance-Granville Community College; Michele Burgess, president of the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce; and Kathy Walters, director of Henderson’s Downtown Development Commission, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
Jones announced that in response to the cancellation of National Small Business Week 2020 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the Small Business Center Network (SBCN) is promoting small businesses through a coordinated social media campaign called NC Small Business Week.
Running June 8-12, 2020, the NC Small Business Week campaign encourages support for local small businesses with the slogan: “Go Big for Small Business!”
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy,” said Jones. “They create two-thirds of new jobs, represent almost half the economic activity in the country and drive innovation and competition.”
With 48 percent of all U.S. employees working for a small business, including 18 percent who work for businesses with 20 or fewer employees, Jones said small business entrepreneurs “come up with ideas, they test them, take them to market and create competition. They lead in innovation.”
With 90 percent of the H-V Chamber of Commerce’s 335 member organizations classified as a small business, Burgess said this sector of the business population is crucial to the local economy.
“The Chamber wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for small businesses and our partnerships,” Burgess stated. “A small business owner does everything. He doesn’t have an HR manager or finance director that he can call; he’s everything. When we partner with a business and they join the Chamber, they hire us on, in a sense, to help research and provide employee training and resources.”
Walters explained the VGCC Small Business Center, the Chamber and Henderson Downtown Development are all connected in a partnership with each other to make local small businesses successful.
“All of downtown, with the exception of government, is small business,” explained Walters. “When someone contacts me and tells me it is their dream to own a business downtown, I refer them to Sheri and the Small Business Center so they can discuss creating a small business plan. We also work with Michele and the Chamber all of the time by giving those interested in downtown a copy of the Chamber’s annual Envision Vance magazine, referring them to the Chamber for business resources and putting them in touch with downtown business owners.”
Jones said these three local entities also work well with their counterpart organizations in the four-county area. “Each of our four counties – Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren – are blessed to have local small business support through their economic development offices, through their respective Chamber of Commerce, through downtown development organizations and through the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments.”
With COVID-19 canceling many plans, including the H-V Chamber’s Small Business of the Year recognition originally scheduled for May, Burgess said the four-county area is showing its interconnection and support for small businesses by joining together for a combined awards ceremony slated for the fall.
“The Henderson-Vance Chamber is joining with the Granville, Franklin and Warren Chambers, in partnership with presenting sponsor Duke Energy, to honor each county’s Small Business of the Year recipient at a luncheon on September 30. Each Chamber will select a small business based on their perseverance, resiliency and community spirit,” said Burgess.
Burgess said it’s not hard to find small businesses that have demonstrated all three attributes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To hear the interview with Jones, Burgess and Walters in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Town Talk 06/10/20: Jarvis Talks Move to WV, Future of Economic Dev. in Vance Co.
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Dennis Jarvis II, director of the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.
It was announced via press release last week that Jarvis, with H-V Economic Development since November 2017, was recently named the executive director for the Jefferson County Development Authority in his home state of West Virginia. Jarvis begins his new role on July 6, 2020.
Jarvis brings 20 years of economic development experience to his new role and will use his expertise to develop a new strategic plan for the future direction and economic development of Jefferson County.
Discussing his time in Henderson and Vance County, Jarvis said he believes economic development is heading in the right direction. “Almost three years later, we have a stable and professional economic development office, a marketing program that I feel is one of the top in NC, expansion of the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park that will have infrastructure in place by the end of the year and heavy project activity.”
Looking to the future, Jarvis said workforce development and education are the keys to a successful, thriving community.
“In order to have a robust economy, I’d encourage Henderson and Vance County to continue to focus on developing and enhancing workforce skills and education,” said Jarvis. “We have too many organizations in this region that say they are doing workforce development and it’s like putting a bandage over a pothole; you can only traverse it so many times before it gives way.”
Jarvis praised Vance-Granville Community College President Dr. Rachel Desmarais and Vance County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson for their work in promoting workforce development and education.
“I credit Rachel Desmarais and Anthony Jackson for moving the needle and changing the way that workforce development is talked about and the way skills enhancement is viewed,” said Jarvis. “The community college is now back to its basic core functionality, which is skills assessment and workforce preparedness. I also think you are going to see the school system continue to progress and move forward. When you’ve had 20 years of stagnation and getting away from core missions in both institutions, you don’t change things overnight.”
To hear the interview with Jarvis in its entirety, including additional discussion on the local economy and organizations making strides to improve workforce development, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.