Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: McGregor Live! Series Cranks Up With Sept. 13 Performance By The Manhattans Featuring Henderson’s Own Gerald Alston

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The silky smooth rhythm and blues sound of the Manhattans kicks off the 2026-27 McGregor Live! series with a performance on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m.

It’ll be the third time that the group – featuring Henderson’s own Gerald Alston – has performed at the Henderson performing arts venue, but it’s the first time being included in the McGregor Live! series, said Mark Hopper, McGregor Hall’s executive and artistic director.

“We’re real excited that they’re kicking off things,” Hopper said.

The concert marks a culmination of weekend activities for Henderson Institute’s 50th reunion, he said on Monday’s TownTalk. “We’ve had a good time working with them closely and being partners with them on this.”

Following on the heels of the Manhattans is a strong lineup that includes theater, movie adaptions brought to the stage, ballet and tributes to a couple of pop music icons.

“I am more proud of this series than anything we have ever done,” Hopper said. “I will go out on a limb and say this is the best bargain in North Carolina for live entertainment…We’re super proud of this series.” And tickets for all five shows between September 2026 and March 2027 are a bargain at $140 each.

Auditions for the Broadway musical Frozen are coming up on Aug. 8 and 10 for the production that will take the stage for four performances on consecutive weekends Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15.

And there will be an event for children to come have tea with Elsa and Anna, too, before the Nov. 14 show. Stay tuned for details about tickets for this special treat.

Bringing “Frozen” to McGregor Hall is a pretty big deal, and Hopper said it’s one of the first two amateur theaters around to present the full Broadway original version of the wildly popular Disney musical that includes princesses, magic and humor to create a timeless story of sisterhood, acceptance and the real meaning of true love.

“This is a big one,” Hopper exclaimed, adding that the cast will include ultra-talented people from the region who are drawn to McGregor Hall for its growing reputation for quality productions.

Before you know it, the holiday season will be on our doorstep – and on McGregor Hall’s, too. Ballet North Carolina brings its production of The Nutcracker to Henderson for a Sunday afternoon performance on Dec. 6.

Get into the holiday spirit without having to drive to Raleigh, “This is the big one that’s done at  Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh every year. This is huge, huge,” Hopper said.

Students at the local Ballet Arts studio will play the roles of mice, joining professional dancers on stage to recreate the beloved holiday story.

“We’ll be able to give those students a chance to interact with some professionals in the field,” he said, and the 3 p.m. show makes it perfect for families.

The Tony-winning play “Dear Evan Hansen” is next up in the lineup with four performances in February. The opening night is Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and includes an optional add-on Valentine’s Day dinner before the show. The other performances are at 3 p.m. on Feb. 14, 20 and 21.

Originally a play that opened on Broadway in 2016, “Dear Evan Hansen” deals with some heavy topics but manages to infuse a good dose of humor into the story of title character who comes from a single-parent household who is struggling and wants to go to college and, as Hopper puts it, “gets himself into a big, big pickle.”

“We’re going to be the first amateur theater in the state to present this,” he said, adding that McGregor Hall has developed quite a reputation among regional theaters for its productions and professionalism – some cast members travel from a couple of hours away to the nightly rehearsals, he said.
“We have become the destination for people who want to do really first class theater, musical theater, especially…We’ve established ourselves as the name in the Triangle. Nobody is doing theater at the level, at the scale, that we do it.”

The final show in the series is a tribute show called “52nd St. & Captain Fantastic,” and will feature the music of legends Billy Joel and Elton John.

“It’s a show where you get to hear all your favorites from two artists in the same night,” Hopper said. There will be top-shelf pianists, a live band – not to mention out-of-this-world costumes, Hopper said.

The show is set for Sunday, Mar. 14 at 3 p.m.

“We’re very proud of what we’re able to do, and the people that we’re able to bring to Henderson because of it,” he said.

Buy tickets online at www.mcgregorhall.org or call or stop by the box office. The box office is open Monday – Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is located at 201 Breckenridge St. The number is 252.598.0662

 

 

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TownTalk: Data Centers Monopolize Time At Wednesday’s Town Hall-Style Forum In District 4

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Folks filled up Bearpond FD Wednesday to take part in the first in a series of community forums hosted by Vance County commissioners.

At a previous commissioners’ meeting, District 4 Commissioner Dan Brummitt volunteered to host the first one; future gatherings are scheduled for the county’s other six districts.

For the first 10 minutes or so of the hour-long session, Brummitt reviewed questions that had been submitted and provided basic answers, but it didn’t take long to get to the topic that no doubt was of interest and concern to many in the room: data centers.

He distributed copies of a three-page “fact sheet” from county staff that addressed six issues associated with data centers, including property tax impacts and infrastructure and environmental considerations.

While the commissioner reiterated previous information that the county has, to date, received no applications for permits, he did state that there’s some site work being done now on at least a portion of the roughly 550 acres in the area of U.S. 158, Poplar Creek Road and I-85.

“We’re aware that (developer Tom) Natelli is working on their plan right now,” Brummitt said, adding that any work would be through agreements with the landowners and not because any permits have been requested or granted.

At times, the crowd was loud as it expressed disagreement and all but drowned out Brummitt’s comments. Several asked about the possibility of a moratorium on data centers. Four other commissioners were among those present at the community forum, and one participant asked to poll those commissioners to find out whether they’d also support a moratorium, an idea Brummitt had suggested in previous meetings that he may willing to get behind.

Commissioner Leo Kelly acknowledged the controversy surrounding data centers, and said he’d had reservations at first. While he didn’t state which side he’d come down on – moratorium or no moratorium, he did say that a moratorium would “kill” the idea of a data center.

“If we slow the process down, how do we meet the needs?” Kelly said, referring to county-funded projects like building a new jail and paying higher supplements to attract and retain teachers.

“We’ve got issues in this county that we’re not able to fund,” Kelly said. “If we have a moratorium, then we’ve got to find revenue to meet those needs.”

But Henderson resident Anne Rivera, who has been a vocal critic of the data center, asked: “What’s the resistance to allowing more time?”

Brummitt said he has received comments from residents who are in support of data centers as well as those who oppose location of such a facility in Vance County.

“We have to listen to all of it and then wait for the facts,” he said.

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TownTalk: Shenandoah Concert Aug. 15 At McGregor Hall

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Everybody wins when a good plan comes together, and an upcoming concert at McGregor Hall is proof of what happens when persistence is mixed in with just a bit of kismet.

The country music group Shenandoah is performing one show on Saturday, Aug. 15 – it’s the only stop in North Carolina on the group’s current tour, said Mark Hopper, McGregor Hall’s executive and artistic director.

“We’re pretty proud to have made this happen,” Hopper said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Persistence just comes with the territory when it comes to booking shows and scheduling performances, but the kismet part of the story is that the band’s agent happens to live in Raleigh.

With Grammy, CMA and ACM awards to their credit, Shenandoah is known for songs that tell stories like “Two Dozen Roses” and “Church on Cumberland Road,” just to name a couple.

For Hopper, “Sunday in the South” is a particular favorite from the Shenandoah playlist.

As the son of a pastor growing up in rural western North Carolina, this song resonates.

Although trained as a classical musician, Hopper listened to country music growing up. “I grew up with it…most people would never know that about me,” he said.

He remembers sitting in the family’s den, listening to the radio tuned in to a Greenville, SC station and then hearing a different kind of music on Sundays at church.

The song, he said, describes how he lived “every single week growing up in western North Carolina…Our entire world rotated around Sunday and church.”

Church was a place – besides school – where he could socialize with other kids. And folks would bring casseroles and desserts to the parsonage for absolutely no reason except to take care of the pastor and his family, he recalled.

“There’s real comfort in that tradition,” Hopper said. “It’s where values are born.”

Whether you’ve listened to Shenandoah since the band came on the scene in 1989 or whether you’re curious to hear more from a group that was part of a return to the country-western style of music, the concert is sure to please.

“Shenandoah was a bit of a return to country roots,” Hopper explained. In the 1970’s artists like Charley Pride and George Jones were embracing a “wall of sound” concept, using orchestras instead of steel guitars and fiddles to complement their songs.

When Shenandoah came on the scene, the pendulum was swinging back to that original western country music sound – getting back to its roots, he said.

Get tickets for Shenandoah online at www.mcgregorhall.org or call or stop by the box office, located at 201 Breckenridge St. Monday-Friday 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The phone number is 252.598.0662.

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TownTalk: 2nd Annual ‘Shaping the Future’ Taking Shape For Aug. 8

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As plans take shape for the 2nd annual free community event on Saturday, Aug. 8 in downtown Henderson, organizer Jayden Watkins says the event has something for all ages.

It’s called “Shaping the Future: A Community Extravaganza,” and Watkins hopes to see youth and adults of all ages from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. along Breckenridge Street outside Perry Memorial Library to take in all the sights and sounds that go along with an event of this nature.

In addition to food trucks, a bouncy house, live entertainment, free health screenings and even a blood drive, Watkins said more than 600 bookbags – filled with school supplies – will be distributed during the event. And college students, take note: you can register for the chance to get a free laptop computer, he added.

A youth talent showcase gets underway at 12 noon, and Watkins said he’s hopeful that youth and young adults will contact him to join in the fun.

“If you know someone or if you… want to participate,” there will be a stage, microphones, the works, Watkins explained on Tuesday’s TownTalk. Some of the acts include dance and spoken word, among others.

Planning an event for the whole community is no small task, and Watkins said he’s still looking for donations of school supplies to go along with the very generous donation of 3,000 items given by House of Toyz, one of two presenting sponsors. Margier White is the other presenting sponsor.

Those school supplies won’t pack themselves, so volunteers are needed Friday, Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. to fill bookbags.

Turning Point CDC is bringing its mobile learning lab, and a couple of event-decorating companies are pitching in with balloon installations and chairs to create a festive, comfortable atmosphere.

“Every detail of the event matters to me,” Watkins said.

Watkins, now 18, has accomplished a lot in a short time – in addition to being a minister, author, podcaster and youth organizer, he has formed and leads the non-profit Higher is Waiting.

So far, God’s plans for him have been in Henderson, his hometown.

“I am mission- and vision-focused,” he said, but added that in just a few weeks, his focus is most likely going to shift as he heads off to UNC-Chapel Hill.

He’s asked himself more than once how he’s going to balance being a college student and continue being involved in his community.

The answer, he says simply, is by being very discerning. He may not be able to say “yes” to everything God is putting in his path.

“He wants me to do them, but He doesn’t want me to do them now,” Watkins said.

And although he’ll be away at school, he said Henderson will always be close by – in his heart and mind.

“I have to go so I can grow,” he said. “I’m going to always come back to Henderson.

I may move because God wants me to grow and learn and explore, but I’m never going to forget my humble beginnings.”

Call or text Jayden at 252.425.0354, find him and his non-profit on Facebook or visit  https://jaydenwatkins.com/higher-is-waiting to learn more.

 

 

 

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TownTalk: Byrne Running For NC Court of Appeals

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When it comes to local contests, voters may not need much time to decide who they’re going to support at election time. But statewide contests – like the N.C. Court of Appeals, for example – may cause voters to spend a few minutes longer at the polls before deciding who to vote for.

Michael Byrne is the Republican nominee whose name will appear on the November ballot. He faces incumbent John Arrowood, who was appointed to the court in 2017, for Seat 1 on the 15-judge court.

Byrne, 59, has been an administrative law judge for the past six years, and he said that experience, coupled with close to 20 years focused narrowly on representing state employees and police officers, gives him the skill set needed to be an effective court of appeals judge.

Appeals Court judges serve an eight-year term, Byrne explained on Monday’s TownTalk, and the N.C. Court of Appeals is the second highest court in the state behind the State Supreme Court.

Byrne said 85 percent of cases end at the N.C. Court of Appeals level.

As an attorney, Byrne said he’s argued more than 20 cases at both the state Supreme Court and appellate level – “I was fortunate,” he said. “I never lost a law enforcement case on appeal.”

The 15 appellate judges cover the entire state and usually hear and deal with more than 1,000 cases a year.

Compared to the state Supreme Court, that’s a lot. Appellate judges have to be able to do their jobs quickly and efficiently, he said.

Similarly, administrative court judges handle a lot of cases, too. Byrne said he’s issued more than 400 decisions; the 10 that went to the court of appeals were all unanimously affirmed, he added.

He announced his candidacy one year ago, and since then, he’s been putting lots of miles on his trusty Volvo station wagon as he travels the state meeting people and campaigning.

And although he’s been a registered Republican since he was 18, Byrne said political affiliation plays no role in his work as a judge.

“My number one concern is fairness and due process for everyone,” he said. “I’m never going to let political considerations affect a ruling that I make. The law’s the law for everyone.”

His philosophy is simple, he said, something he learned from his mentor Julian Mann: “Get it right.” My overall saying is ‘A fair judge. Period. For everyone. Period.’”

More than anything else, people want to know that the judge that’s hearing their case is fair, he said, that they don’t favor one side or the other.

Byrne said he hears cases involving agencies that have been headed by Democrats and others by Republicans.

“The difference in the way I treat them is nothing,” Byrne said. “Because the law’s the same for everybody.”

You can learn more about Byrne and his candidacy at www.mb4nc.com and about all contests in the upcoming November elections at https://ncvoterguide.org/ and https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/

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(This is not a paid ad. WIZS offers equal time to candidates.)

TownTalk: Advanced Manufacturing At VGCC; Big Opportunities; Big Pay

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Once associated with low pay and manual labor in dirty, hot conditions, today’s manufacturing facilities are clean, temperature-controlled spaces where it’s the robots that do the heavy lifting, and right here in the four-county area that Vance-Granville Community College serves, a full list of companies contribute to the more than $44 billion of goods that the state sends to consumers near and far each year.

That’s where you come in.

Having those manufacturers within the VGCC footprint provides a unique opportunity for the community college to help students with education and training and to create a highly trained pool of employees to fill jobs these employers need.

Stephanie Tolbert, VGCC’s dean of Business and Applied Technologies, said the college has been offering programs like mechatronics and electronic engineering, among others, for a long time. And now, VGCC is getting ready to break ground for construction of its Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Granville County that will ultimately bring all those programs under one roof.

“We have tons of manufacturing companies, and that equals a lot of jobs,” Tolbert told WIZS TownTalk.

With more than 250 workers 55 or older in area manufacturing facilities, Tolbert said VGCC is positioning itself to provide a trained workforce as employees take retirement so companies can keep their production strong.

There are several different paths to get trained, from certificates to an associate’s degree, she explained.

A full-time student can take 4-5 classes and finish in one semester. In one year, a full-time student can take 10-12 classes and receive a diploma credential. An associate’s degree takes two years.

A student can get started in a certificate program, secure a job upon completion and then return for the additional classes – sometimes on the employer’s dime.

“They need employees now but know that this education is valuable and will make them a better employee,” Tolbert said.

The new center, a 35,200 square-foot building that will be located in Triangle North business park, is scheduled to open in January 2028.

“We are extremely excited,” Tolbert said. “This is a project that has been in the making for a decade.”

Initially, the center will house the mechatronics, electronic engineering, electrical systems technology, welding and HVAC programs. There will be conference space for meetings and trainings and open labs that will serve as expansion spaces, she explained, so future programs can be brought in.

David Bullock is the department chair for Applied Technologies, and Tolbert said the program has grown under his leadership – in the past four years, in fact, enrollment is up 40 percent.

Students learn technical skills that transfer to programming, repairing and maintaining automated and robotic equipment that continue to transform manufacturing.

But don’t believe everything you hear about robots and AI taking over all the jobs that humans do, Tolbert said.

A robot doesn’t move until it’s commanded to – by a human punching in instructions with a device akin to an iPad or tablet. “These robots are here to work collaboratively,” she said, doing the hard work which frees up the humans to do other things.

“AI and robots, I promise, will not take over manufacturing,” Tolbert said. “They cannot do anything until we program them to do it.”

Not sure whether mechatronics or advanced manufacturing is something you’d be interested in or good at? Come out for a visit or take a tour at a summertime “Thursday Connect” event, Tolbert said. Tomorrow’s (6-25-26) event will be held at the Franklin Campus from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

And if you’re someone who built Lego creations when you were a child or still enjoy taking things apart, figuring out what’s wrong and putting things back together again, then Tolbert says, “mechatronics may be your jam.”

There’s plenty of time to apply, enroll and get registered for fall semester, which begins mid-August.

Visit https://www.vgcc.edu/ to learn more about programs, classes, registration and future Thursday Connect events.

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(This is not a paid ad. The information and audio above originated on WIZS on June 24, 2026. An ad about the same information is running at this time on WIZS Radio.)

TownTalk: Veterans Memorial A Success; Phase 2 To Come

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The Vance County Veterans Memorial has been in place for a few weeks now in the city-owned public space outside the Henderson Police Department.

Each side of the six-sided monument honors one of the branches of the military, from Army to  Space Force. Visitors who have come for a closer inspection of the impressive installation may notice something that’s unique to Henderson: depictions of Corbitt trucks on two sides of the monument.

“We’re proud to have those in there,” said American Legion Post 60 Commander Hartwell Wright on Tuesday’s TownTalk. Wright and Andy Roberson joined WIZS’s Scout Hughes to reflect on how the memorial came to be, as well as what’s next.

The 9-foot tall monument with the bronze eagle atop it may be the first thing that grabs people’s attention, but Wright said “they always migrate to the names and reflect on the names.”

Although the monument itself is devoid of names, the 126 names of those Vance County natives who died in service to their country are inscribed on a large stone as part of the overall installation.

When the American Legion Post 60 kicked off its campaign to raise the $150,000 or so needed to complete this part of the project late in 2025, Wright said folks were skeptical that things could fall into place by July 4.

But, indeed, the memorial was officially dedicated on Saturday, July 4 – on time and on budget – and Wright called it a true labor of love. From financial donations – small and large – to donations of time, labor and materials from numerous individuals and businesses in the community, the memorial was commissioned and completed.

Mission accomplished.

At least this phase, anyway.

Wright said next phases include adding lighting to illuminate the memorial at night, and then to replace nearby wooden benches with granite benches to complement the memorial area.

In addition to those who contributed time and money to the project, Wright said the city of Henderson has been a key partner from the beginning.

Wright said, “We contemplated several different locations,” including the property where the Post 60 Hut sits on Garnett Street. But the railroad owns a good bit of the property near there, and, besides, Wright said, parking would have been a problem, too.

The city offered up the area outside the police department, and that set the wheels in motion.

Long-time residents may remember the monuments in what Wright called Veterans Triangle, positioned near the Fire Department and the overpass on North Garnett Street. After the city removed those monuments to make way for the water fountain installation, folks began talking about the need to have some sort of memorial to remember the war dead.

“It was time for us to rectify that,” Wright said. “That was the impetus behind getting this thing started.”

Without the generous donation of the property by the city, the project most likely would have had a very different outcome, Wright said.

Roberson agreed, adding that the donations of landscaping work, hole digging and concrete pouring would have added to the bill considerably.

“It would have been a lot more money,” Roberson said.

Another partnership involved the Vance County Historical Society, which had a project of its own underway to create banners for downtown lampposts in memory of the 126 veterans who died in military service.

“We piggy-backed off of them and the research they were doing in verifying each and every one of those names,” Wright said.

Names inscribed on the original stones at Veterans Triangle had been provided long ago by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Wright said they were presumed to be correct.

In their research, however, it was discovered that several of those names belonged on memorials in Henderson-VILLE, not Henderson.

Please contact the Vance County Historical Society if you believe your family has a loved one whose name should be included along with the 126 other names of service members who have died in military service.

Visit https://vcvm.org/ to learn more and find a link to make a donation online.

Send checks to:

American Legion Post 60

P.O. Box 1765

Henderson, NC 27536

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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.)
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TownTalk: Vance County Water District Offers Debt Forgiveness Program For Eligible Customers

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The Vance County Water District has a forgiveness program in place in an effort to help residents with outstanding balances erase that debt and tap on to the water line.

Enterprise Fund and Special Projects Director Frankie Nobles said the water bill forgiveness program will erase 75 percent of the customer’s outstanding balance.

“We’re trying to help some customers that want water but they haven’t paid their $30 a month fees like they should have,” Nobles said.

These customers started the process to tap into the water line once it was available, and that’s when they began receiving that monthly $30 accessibility fee.

For whatever reason, there are customers who didn’t complete the process to tap into the water line, but they kept accumulating the monthly accessibility fee.

Now – several years later, in some cases – customers find themselves with outstanding balances.

Nobles said customers who are interested in completing the process to tap into the county water line can pay 25 percent of what they owe and they’ll be connected.

The offer will be in effect through March 2027.

The county also has slashed the normal $1,795 tap fee down to $125, which will remain in place until the current water expansion project in Kittrell is completed. Nobles said should be in mid-September 2026.

The Kittrell expansion is the fifth phase the county has undertaken to try to get more water throughout the county. Nobles said more than 23.6 miles of water line is involved. A final total won’t be available until the project is completed, he added, but the price tag is more than $10 million.

“We’re getting there,” he said. “It just takes a while to get it done because of the cost.”

Nobles said the county initially loses money, but added that as more customers come on line, the county can make that money back. “That’s what we’re trying to do, add customers to our system and that really helps cover all of our costs.”

He gets calls each week from residents who have problems with their wells and ask about county access to provide clean drinking water.

“We want to be able to help the citizens in the community that do want water and (who) are having issues with their well,” he said. “We want to help as much as we can.”

The county contracts with Envirolink to handle repairs, leaks, and meter installation. Contact Envirolink at 252.235.4900 or toll-free at 888.754.9878 to learn more. The email is customerservice@envirolinkinc.com

Nobles said he also is available to try to help answer residents’ questions. Contact him at 252.738.2005.

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(The above audio and text originated on WIZS May 20, 2026.)

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Nathaniel Macon

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Some may say that the area known as Old Granville County can lay claim to having the original “Senator ‘No’” among its residents, more than a century before the longtime TV editorialist-turned politician Jesse Helms was known by the dubious nickname.

That man – Nathaniel Macon – was perhaps the foremost public figure from North Carolina in the early 19th century said WIZS’s Bill Harris. Bill and local historian Mark Pace recounted stories about Macon and his rise to prominence in the political arena in the 1800’s on Thursday’s Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.

“He might have been the most important and significant North Carolinian in his time and his day,” Pace said. “He personified North Carolina.” The North Carolina of that time, anyway. Which meant that he was a staunch conservative who didn’t believe the government had any business doing much of anything that interfered with individual rights and private industry.

His ideas aligned more with those of Thomas Jefferson, who was a champion of individual liberty and states’ rights and talked up the virtues and the lifestyles of landowners.

Macon was a 24-year-old serving in the New Jersey militia during the American Revolution when he got word that he’d been elected to the State Senate. That set him on a career path that spanned close to four decades and sent him to Washington, D.C.

He was in the State Senate from 1781 to 1785, and then was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1791. He served there until 1815 and was elected Speaker of the House and served for six years – from 1801 to 1807.

He was elected to the U.S. Senate and served from 1815 to 1828, including seven years President pro tem from 1825 to 1827.

Over the years, he said ‘no’ to cabinet posts, appointments and even re-entered military service in 1780 as a private instead of accepting a higher rank that could have been his for the taking.

He didn’t like making government appropriations and didn’t think government had any business in private industry.

Despite his penchant for saying ‘no,’ however, Pace said Macon’s oratory skills and ability to compromise served Macon the politician well.

“You always knew where you stood with him,” Pace said. “He was a personable guy. It was  hard not to like him.”

Macon retired to his home in present-day Warren County – Buck Spring – in 1828, following his storied career in the House and the Senate.

But the home was nothing fancy, no columns across the front or sprawling staircases inside.

No, in keeping with his humble, no-frills ideas, Macon instead lived in what amounted to a one-room house that contained few possessions other than books.

Although the original Buck Spring home was partially burned about 40 years ago, Pace said some parts were salvageable and the reconstructed home currently is part of a park in the Littleton area.

The project received some federal funds to complete, an appropriation Macon himself most likely would have frowned upon.

 

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