Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: Sossamon Discusses Broadband Internet For Vance County

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N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon is scheduling information sessions for residents in Vance and Granville counties to discuss relevant topics of interest to his neighbors who are now his constituents.

The first forum, set for Monday, Sept. 18 at Perry Memorial Library, is about broadband internet. The meeting is just one way to connect residents with the appropriate state government staff. Things get underway at 6 p.m., but Sossamon said it’s a time when residents can not only learn about programs but also share concerns with those whose jobs are carrying out projects at the local level.

“I’m bringing the people you need to talk to – the folks that are dealing with this day in, day out,” Sossamon said. “They can answer questions, send you additional information… they will give you means to get in touch with them. If you have a concern,” he said.

Sossamon was on TownTalk Tuesday, and he said he takes to heart his responsibility to represent the people in House District 32 – and part of that includes providing information.

“I get a lot of calls and emails about broadband,” he said, so he chose that for the first forum topic.

A second forum on broadband connection will be presented in Granville County at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the Granville County Expo Center on Hwy. 15 just south of Oxford.

The topic for October is transportation, with dates and locations below:

  • Granville: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Granville County Expo Center
  • Vance: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 in the commissioners’ room at the old Courthouse.

 

The dates and locations for November’s topic – mental health – are still being worked out, he noted.

Representatives from the state’s department of information technology will be on hand to explain terminology, and answering questions like “what is the Digital Divide?” and “when will broadband be available in my area?”

There are programs that offer discounts to eligible residents for broadband access, Sossamon said.

“If it’s available, but not affordable, it means nothing to the average person,” he said.

Participants can view a color-coded map to have an idea of where connectivity already exists and proposed next steps to add connectivity.

There’s also a survey that can be submitted to state officials to provide feedback.

“It’s important to the state…so they can see how well they’re doing, especially in Vance and Granville counties,” Sossamon said.

Contracts have been awarded to provide broadband internet, but it takes time, he reminded.

Realtors will be invited to meetings earlier in the day for the transportation forums. The 10 a.m. gatherings will take place in the same location as the evening sessions. Sossamon said he wanted to have a special time with realtors because “they are extremely interested in what’s going to happen to roads.”

DOT divisional directors will be on hand for realtors at 10 a.m., governmental leaders at 3 p.m. before sharing with the public at 6 p.m.

 

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TownTalk: Election Coverage

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The nonpartisan municipal elections in Henderson are Tuesday, Oct. 10 and WIZS has developed a comprehensive plan to inform voters about the candidates for the five races – the mayor and four seats on the City Council.

There are a total of 17 candidates running and WIZS posed several questions that over the course of the next week will be shared on special TownTalk segments as well as online at wizs.com.

We asked each candidate to provide written responses to the questions; most did, but some candidates provided verbal responses.

With fairness and objectivity at the top of the list of considerations, the staff at WIZS will compile written responses to the questions and include the candidates’ answers to each one. The verbal responses will be transcribed as they were recorded and presented in written form.

The candidates will be listed in alphabetical order.

The Ward 1 and Ward 2 seats will be determined by voters who live in those particular voting districts; the mayor and the two at-large seats are citywide elections.

If you haven’t registered to vote in the upcoming municipal elections, you have until 5 p.m. Friday to register with the Vance County Board of Elections.

Early voting is open Sept. 21-Oct. 7 and same-day registration is available. Contact the Vance County Board of Elections at 252.492.3730 to learn more.

Below is the schedule for presenting each race during the 11 a.m. TownTalk time slot, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 13 and concluding Wednesday, Sept. 20.

  • Wednesday, Sept. 13 – Ward 1: Candidates Geraldine Champion, Symia Crews, Clementine Hunter and Corey Pearson
  • Thursday, Sept. 14 – Ward 2: Candidates Mike Rainey, Sam Seifert and Janice Ward
  • Monday, Sept. 18 – Henderson Mayor: Candidates Sara Coffey, Melissa Elliott, Greg Etheridge and Jason Spriggs
  • Tuesday, Sept. 19 – Ward 3 At-Large: Candidates Kory Franklin, Michael Venable and Michelle Horner Wood
  • Wednesday, Sept. 20 – Ward 4 At-Large: Candidates George Daye, Lora Durham and Tami Walker

Stay tuned to WIZS as Election Day approaches for a complete presentation of the candidates, their platforms and learn how they will address the needs and concerns of the people of Henderson.

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TownTalk: Green-bOURG Doing More Than Just Removing Junk And Appliances

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A relatively new business in Henderson that provides cleanup and cleanout services is available to help folks with junk removal and so much more.

Bill Dunston is a retired psychotherapist who relocated to the area from Pennsylvania. His business is called Green-bOURG Appliance and Junk Removal. The second part of the name is self-explanatory, but what in the heck is Green-bOURG?

Dunston answered that question and more on Thursday’s TownTalk. It’s a European term, he said, that evokes a sense of wholesomeness. It means “green grass, clean,” Dunston explained.

He chose the name so his enterprise would stand out and he could try some distinct branding.

“I want it to be unique, I want it to be different,” he added.

And it is unique. Dunston wants to especially help a demographic that he calls “unbefriended seniors.” It’s that group of older individuals who may not have family or friends to ask for help when they need it.

Unfriended seniors, he said, “have little to no resources – they don’t have kids, etc.” to provide help when it’s needed.

Dunston wants to use his business as a way to provide resources to that particular population who may feel isolated or not able to participate in activities as they once had been able to.

“I find that there’s a lot of work being done here, but we‘re not really identifying the top tier needy,” Dunston said. And he wants to be part of the solution and do more to identify and help a group of people that sometimes gets overlooked.

With a masters in counseling, Dunston has a good handle on how to help, and further studies at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business provides a good base for how Green-bOURG should operate.

When he worked in Philadelphia, he didn’t have to look hard to find people in need. “The need is right there in your face, it’s easy to identify,” he said.

His goal is to identify people in the community to reach out to and provide resources.

Whether clients want to reclaim their garage, haul an appliance and more to the landfill or clean out an apartment so they can get their security deposit back, Green-bOURG may be able to help.

Dunston said he hopes to be a way to link people in the community to resources they may not be aware of. With a business plan that begins with operating from the heart, Dunston said he believes he can do a lot of good in the community.

Learn more at www.Greenbourg.com or phone 919.500.2027 or 252.476.7619.

(This text and audio is not a paid ad.  The business does, however, have ads on WIZS Radio.)

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TownTalk: Rebuilding Hope Chicken Plate Fundraiser

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Rebuilding Hope is making plans for its barbecued chicken fundraiser later this month, and Randolph Wilson invites the community to come on out on Friday, Sept. 29 to buy the plates to support the group’s efforts.

Tickets are $10, and Wilson said last year’s drive-thru process worked so well that they’ll probably do it the same way this year.

“Last year, we did it in a hurricane,” Wilson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk, so this year should be a piece of cake.

Thanks to the support, dedication and hard work of volunteers, the chicken plate fundraiser is a big success. Wilson, who is founder and director of the non-profit, said they’re getting all the details worked out to make sure things run smoothly on chicken plate day.

Plate pick-up continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you order five or more plates, delivery is available.

Rebuilding Hope send volunteer crews out to Vance and surrounding counties to help people with home repair projects and construction projects.

This summer’s Servants on Site program built ramps and put five roofs on homes in the area. And there were 32 participants in the Kids Construction Camp, which provides hands-on training for young people who want to learn more about using hand tools.

It’s a volunteer-driven organization, and Wilson said the volunteers that give their time and talent to Rebuilding Hope have created something special.

“I can’t ask for better volunteers – they do a fabulous job,” he said. “You’d be surprised at the skills that come here every week.”

The organization has been at its current location, 414 Raleigh Rd., for about seven years. Locally known as the former Coca-Cola Bottling Co., the familiar sign on the front of the 1930’s-era brick building offers visitors a reminder of the building’s past.

Rebuilding Hope is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit www.rebuildinghopeinc.com to learn more or call 252.438.5132.

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TownTalk: Hot Sauce And More Coming To Granville County In September

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Things are heating up in Granville County, and it’s not all because of the weather.

Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen said this weekend’s Hot Sauce Festival is shaping up to be the best one yet.

This year, contestants entering their creations and concoctions have more than 100 categories and sub-categories to choose from, Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9 in downtown Oxford.

Judges will review all different types of sauces, rubs and other products that get slathered on pork, chicken and more. There’s not just hot sauce, she said. There’s mild, hottest hot and verde, just to name a few.

Oxford has become the destination for hot sauce aficionados and foodies on the second Saturday in September. This is the 16th annual festival, and Allen said thousands of folks come to experience the festival, complete with music, arts and crafts vendors and much more.

“There’s a lot of good food,” Allen said. “We’re going to have judges who have this awesome job” of sampling products and deciding which ones get recognized. You can sample many of those products as you stroll along the streets of downtown Oxford, she added.

Of course, there’s a lot more to the Hot Sauce Festival than just hot sauce – Bailey Farms again is sponsoring the pepper eating contest, which begins at 1:30 p.m. Top prize is $1,000.

There will be plenty of live music on a couple of different stages throughout the day, including On The Border, an Eagles tribute band.

Visit www.nchotsaucefestivalandcontest.com for a complete schedule of events and vendor lists.

For those interested in getting the party started early, check out The Orpheum’s “night before” party. Find details at visitoxforddowntown on Facebook.

If the live music performances during the Hot Sauce Festival gets your toes tappin’ for more, head down to Creedmoor on Saturday, Sept. 16 for the Creedmoor Music Festival, now in its 30th year.

The town turns into a multi-genre sound stage to provide a wide range of music, from gospel to bluegrass and beyond.

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and music will be performed on two stages. There will be plenty of “fair food” fare for listeners, as well as vendors with arts and crafts and a classic car cruise-in.

Those folks who want to create their own music can pop in to The Orpheum in downtown Oxford on Wednesdays at 8 for karaoke.

And if listening is more your thing than making music, visit Oxford Oaks Distillery for dinner and local live music on Wednesdays for “Verdigris Vibes.”

September goes out with a bang on Saturday, Sept. 30 with two events in the Oxford area.

Paws for Granville is an annual fundraiser held at the Granville County Expo Center to benefit spay/neuter projects of the Humane Society of Granville County and the Granville County Animal Shelter. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is a must-attend for animal lovers who want to make a difference.

The Central Children’s Home is hosting a cross-country event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. that will include fun runs for locals and other track and field events sanctioned by USA Track and Field.

Bring along a can or two of food, because the event also is sponsoring a fundraiser for ACIM, the county’s food bank.

Find more information about these events and more at https://visitgranvillenc.com/

 

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Community Partners of Hope

TownTalk: Community Partners Of Hope To Open Men’s Shelter October 1

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The men’s emergency shelter will open for the season in just over a month, but if Delthine Watson has anything to say about it, it will be the last time that the shelter will be open only in the fall and winter months.

“People need a place to go…away from the elements,” Watson told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Thursday’s TownTalk. The weather is something we have no control over, so whether the shelter can provide relief from the harsh winter cold or the relentless summer heat, that’s what she wants to do.

“(Homelessness) is not a seasonal problem,” she said, “we’re just a seasonal shelter – at this point. But we are working on that.”

Watson, community network specialist for Community Partners of Hope, said plans to upfit the former City Road Methodist Church to become the permanent 12-month location for the men’s shelter is taking shape.

Once all the paperwork is signed – and the money raised to make the necessary renovations to transform the church property – Watson said they’d be able to accommodate more men.

“At City Road, we might be able to prepare meals and give the men a place to not just sleep,” she said, but also a place to socialize with others and make connections with other people.

CPOH is working hard to raise the money to fulfill the vision that’s been in the making for the past 15 years – this is the 16th year of operation for the men’s shelter.

This is the only men’s shelter in the four-county area, but Watson said they get calls from Durham and Wake counties and even from Virginia.

It’s hard to say just how many homeless people are in Vance County and beyond, but Watson said this about the problem: “When we are open, we are almost filled to capacity.”

“We have a lot of displaced people who have nowhere to go,” she said.

She said the shelter is a “beacon of light” to people who have nothing. “If you come to the shelter, we give you clean clothes, and a meal and we give you hope.”

The shelter opens its doors at 5:30 each afternoon, but staff doesn’t always know how many men will enter. They try to have various sizes of clothing on hand and Watson said they have a special need for pajama bottoms and underwear.

They’ve got a lot of socks, but she said she would never turn away a donation from the community.

We are Community Partners of Hope, she said, emphasis on community.

There are opportunities for individuals and groups to support and contribute to the shelter, from signing up to provide a meal to making a monetary donation.

Visit www.cp-hope.org or follow them on Facebook to learn about all the ways to help

“Whatever it is you’re willing to do, we appreciate it,” Watson said. “We welcome whatever it is you want to do.”

Here’s how she looks at homelessness: “it’s not a goal you strive for, it’s something that happens to you. Showing a little kindness can go a long way.”

The shelter staff and the community that offers support lets the men know that they are loved and cared for, she said.

Watson can be reached at 252.767.0344.

Make checks payable to CP-OH Building Fund of CP-OH Operating Fund, P.O. Box 1791, Henderson, NC 27536.

 

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TownTalk: ACTS To Hold Concert At McGregor Hall

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The third concert to benefit ACTS – Area Christians Together in Service – will take place at McGregor Hall on Saturday, Sept. 16. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the program will begin at 7 p.m. ACTS Executive Director Lee Anne Peoples invites the community to come out and enjoy the music – it’s for a good cause.

Tickets are $5 to attend the “Make A Joyful Noise Unto The Lord” benefit concert, Peoples said. Children 12 and under get in free.

Tracy Dalton is cook and kitchen manager for the food bank and meal ministry that operates on William Street, and she’s just one of the featured acts on the program. ACTS volunteer and vocalist Evelyn Couch will perform as well. And Peoples said there is plenty of room on the program for additional individuals and groups to join in.

“The money goes into our general operating fund,” Peoples explained on Wednesday’s TownTalk. In addition to the cost of the food itself, there are the indirect costs associated with the Monday-Friday hot meal distribution that takes place from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

On a normal day, she said more than 200 folks come by to pick up plates. Add the 40 or so mobile meals that go out and the daily number of meals served can easily be between 250 and 275.

Those associated costs include things like paper products needed to package the meals, as well as utility bills, she noted. “There’s a lot of dishes to wash up” after preparing all that food, she said.

“Everything has really gone up,” Peoples said, referring to increased prices for everything that goes into providing the hot meals and food boxes for households.

What else has gone up?

The need in the community.

“We have seen an increased need,” she said. ACTS served close to 50,000 meals in 2022, and that number is not going down.

The first concert was held in 2018, and Peoples said this year’s event is sure to please.

There are sponsorship levels available for the concert. Sponsor names will appear in the glossy, full-color program that will be available at the concert. Platinum level is a full-page ad for $1,000; Gold level is a half page for $500; and Silver level is a business card size for $250.

It probably comes as no surprise that the food pantry shelves could use some more items, too.

“We’re really low in the pantry now,” Peoples said.

Donations of shelf-stable food can be made any time between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, although it would be wonderful to avoid the 11 a.m. to noontime hour when they’re serving meals, Peoples said.

There is a list of useful items on the ACTS of Henderson Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ACTSofHenderson/

Any type of canned meat, vegetable or fruit would be a big help – but they have ample green beans, green peas and corn at this time.

Mail monetary donations to: ACTS of Vance County, Inc.

P.O. Box 25

Henderson, NC 27536

Learn more about how to help ACTS through donations or by volunteering by contacting Peoples at lapeoples@actsofhenderson.org.

 

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TownTalk: Hester Discusses Shell Building And Development

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It was just last fall when local government officials and others gathered at the Industrial Park outside Henderson to break ground on construction of a shell building.

Today, that building is ready to be upfitted to suit a potential buyer’s needs. County Commissioner Tommy Hester said the building is under contract to a manufacturing firm, but the company isn’t ready to make a public announcement just yet.

Hester, who chairs the Industrial Park Board, said construction went smoothly since that chilly November groundbreaking.

The idea was simple: Put up a building and have everything in place for a manufacturer or other commercial entity to come in and finish out the space to suit its particular needs.

As for this shell building, Hester said the new owner will probably still have to put in another $1 million or more to complete the building.

“You don’t want to finish it because you don’t know what upgrades they’ll want,” Hester said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. “You try to hit all of the major things that you think they’ll need,” he added. The building has a layer of gravel and a vapor barrier, as well as cargo doors and it’s expandable to 97,000 square feet.

“You’ve just got to have flexibility,” Hester said, to accommodate a variety of prospective buyers.

Hester said he predicted this building would be sold before it could be completed, and that’s just what has happened.

“I think we can do it again,” he said.

The county purchased the land for the park for $1.6 million. Add the infrastructure – with grants and from the state and federal departments of Commerce to offset costs – and the park has roads and water and sewer services. The road should be completed in December, Hester said.

The county made an investment, and Hester said it’s paying off.

“Success builds on success,” he said. “If you don’t invest, you don’t get a return.” More manufacturing means more local jobs and more money flowing to county coffers in the form of taxes.

“We’re in the right location at the right time,” Hester said of Henderson and Vance County’s proximity to Wake and Durham counties.

35 or 40 jobs over 2 or 3 year period, where growth is burgeoning.

It’s not just growth in the commercial sector, either. Hester cited housing developments in the county that could add 1,000 more homes in the next three to five years.

“The more rooftops you get here in this community, the more retail, the more you can help with quality of lives of citizens,” Hester said.

“It’s all happening faster than I thought,” he acknowledged. “I think we’re getting ready to grow.”

 

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TownTalk: Henderson Police Work With Federal Task Forces To Get Results

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It’s always a good day when a police chief receives positive comments about his officers’ professionalism and thorough investigations. And Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow is hearing those kinds of comments from federal district attorneys, including the head of the U.S. Eastern District Court of North Carolina.

Barrow said he got a call two Fridays ago from U.S. Attorney Michael Easley Jr. himself in connection with a federal case.

“I was honored that he called me,” Barrow said on Monday’s TownTalk. “He spoke to me and praised the work that we’ve been able to do.” Easley complimented the local department on their professionalism and the way they put cases together, Barrow said.

In a recent press release regarding the sentencing of a local man in federal court, Easley commented: “The Henderson Police Department has made major investments in the federal partnership and the people of Henderson are safer for it. This city is bringing every law enforcement tool to fight the opioid crisis, and we are proud to partner with state and local police and prosecutors to fight fentanyl trafficking and save lives.”

“We’re well established in the federal system,” Barrow said, for the way “we produce great cases,” from creating reports to collecting and processing evidence.

Click Play for Barrow on WIZS TownTalk

Some members of the local police department serve on different federal task forces of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Barrow said, which provides a path for some cases to be tried in federal court.

“We truly did a big investment into the federal program,” Barrow explained. With input from local district attorneys to decide which cases – usually involving guns and drugs – should go to federal court, Barrow said the trials and sentencing can happen in a “pretty swift” manner.

The main thing, he said, is that “they are removed from our community – they are the worst of the worst.”

Barrow said his department also can assist other agencies.

“It’s a big collaborative effort on our part. We’re just trying to get everybody on board…We’re just looking at the best solution for our community,” he said.

The officers who participate on the various task forces are just part of the resources that Barrow said he needs to help keep Henderson and its residents safe.

He would like to purchase something called True Narc, a system that can safely field test narcotics and protect officers from exposure to harmful drugs like Fentanyl.

He said this system will produce an immediate test result when officers are out in the field. And he’s investigating ways of paying for it.

“Instead of using taxpayers’ money, I’d rather use drug dealers’ money,” he said.

The Eastern District includes Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties among the 44 easternmost counties of North Carolina. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms and narcotics.  The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

TownTalk: McGregor Hall’s Inaugural Golf Tournament Sept. 15

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McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center is raising the curtain on another event next month – its inaugural golf tournament fundraiser.

Victoria Huggins, Miss North Carolina 2017, has trod the boards at McGregor Hall on several occasions. She was Belle in 2018 and Ariel last year in productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.

But this year, she’s taking to the fairways and greens of Henderson Country Club and she invites the community to do the same.

“I miss y’all so much!” she exclaimed during Thursday’s TownTalk. “I’m so excited to be headed back to Henderson – and I need your help!”

The tournament will take place Friday, Sept. 15. Participants will gather at 8 a.m. and there will be a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

As marketing coordinator, Huggins is one of McGregor Hall’s staunchest supporters. She helps the 501c3 with its social media campaign and has taken on the role as golf tournament organizer.

“It’s no secret that I love McGregor Hall,” Huggins said. And she said she loves the game of golf, so a tournament fundraiser was a good match.

She’s looking for hole sponsors – she had three as of Thursday morning, so there’s an opportunity for 15 more (13 actually, because WIZS is going to take a hole on the front 9 and a hole on the back 9).

Hole sponsorships are $100; register teams of 4 for $400.

Huggins is shooting to have a minimum of 18 teams participate in the tournament. Sign up at www.mcgregorhall.org/golftournament.

There are four ways to support the McGregor Hall golf tournament: be a hole sponsor, register to play or sponsor a team, volunteer and provide branded swag for the golfers’ goodie bags.

Email Huggins at media@mcgregorhall.org to get more information.

Sponsors can be business owners, of course, but sponsors also can honor someone they know who has been in a show at McGregor Hall, she said.

McGregor Hall is a special place for the Henderson community and beyond, Huggins said. Besides being an economic catalyst, she said it’s a place that also gives young people their first taste of theater and performing arts.

For those reasons, and more, Huggins said she is excited to be able to give back to a place that has given her – and the community – so much joy.

“When we come together for a cause, we not only show up but we show off,” she said.