Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: Legacy Keeps Gospel Music Tradition Alive

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Like most things that stand the test of time, Gospel music performers have to evolve to stay current with today’s listeners, but not too much that they lose sight of their roots.

Legacy is a local group whose members are doing just that — Brenda Peace-Jones and Tonya Richards are original members of the quartet looking to the future as they remember the work of other family members that helped them get their start.

Legacy is having a concert to celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 12 at West Oxford Elementary School in Oxford. The concert is free and open to the whole community to enjoy,

The Henderson-based group will be joined by multiple other groups that will perform as well. The doors open at 3 p.m. and the concert begins at 4 p.m.

Betty Richards always wanted her children to sing, Peace-Jones said. And so they did. That was at least 50 years ago, however.

“As time went on,” she told WIZS co-host Bill Harris on TownTalk, “the Richards family was dying off.” She credits her nephew George with keeping the family’s music alive.

Gone are the days of big ol’ amps and microphones everywhere when musicians wanted to play and sing. Today’s young musicians have loads of technology at their fingertips to make things easier.

“I’m grateful for the younger people,” Peace-Jones said, adding that they know all about different platforms where music can be heard and enjoyed by others.

“The sound is refined through the electronics,” Richards said. “That’s a great way that technology has made a difference.”

When they were young, they were inspired by the likes of pop artists Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and  Marvin Gaye, as well as Gospel legends like James Cleveland, Walter Hawkins and Milton Brunson.

Peace-Jones said as times change, and people change, the music can change, too. But it’s important to keep the music’s message Bible-based and positive “to make people feel good.”

 

 

TownTalk: Mary Emma Evans Foundation Continues To Help Those in Need

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It all started with popsicles.

And young people playing ball on a basketball court in South Henderson, said Phyllis Evans.

The “it” Evans is referring to has evolved beyond popsicles and the neighborhood where Evans lives.

The Mary Emma Evans Foundation provides resources for the whole community, from tangible items like food and clothing to helping individuals learn soft skills like preparing for job interviews.

Beginning in early August, there will be a physical location for the work of this group of volunteers – many of whom are relatives of Mary Emma Evans, in whose memory the foundation was formed back in 2011.

Phyllis Evans and Phylicia Evans joined WIZS co-host Bill Harris on Monday’s TownTalk to talk about the new location, located on Parham Street. There was a ribbon-cutting recently and now the Evans foundation is expected to be up and running come the first of August.

Phyllis said it hasn’t been easy to try to function without a physical location, and she’s looking forward to having a spot where people can come in and choose items themselves.

“Everybody is all excited,” Phyllis said.

She’s hosting a free clothing giveaway Aug. 4, 5 and 6 at 331 Alexander Ave. Things get started at 8 a.m. on Aug. 4, but come early, because she hopes things will get snatched up quickly. There is a wide assortment of children’s and adult clothing available.

Phylicia Evans is one of Mary Emma’s grandchildren and she said the Parham Street location will be a spot where people can come in and get what they may need, whether it’s food or clothing. Eventually, they hope to establish a diaper bank as well.

Donations are most welcome – whether it’s food items, clothing or, of course, financial. The immediate goal is to raise $1,300 by August 1 to help get them moved in.

“We’re looking for sponsors as we open up our physical place,” Phylicia said. “It would help with the building as we continue doing the great work we’re doing in the community.”

All donations are tax-deductible, Phylicia said, and any board member who accepts donations can provide a receipt upon request.

Because they will have a permanent location, Phylicia said the foundation will be able to partner with other organizations to offer certificate programs for individuals to improve their skillsets.

“People will be able to come to us and get certifications like customer service skills, project management (and) Microsoft Office,” she said. This self-paced program not only improves knowledge, but can be a resume builder, too.

“We look forward to seeing a lot of growth and just continuing to expand” the services they can provide, she said.

Her grandmother was a staunch supporter of Henderson’s beautification efforts when she served on the City Council, Phylicia said. For that reason, the family participates in the Adopt-A-Highway program to try to tame the litter along Dabney Road near Lowe’s Home Improvement.

They picked up trash along that roadside back in January and they hope to get back out in the fall, when the weather cools a bit.

No doubt, Mary Emma would approve.

If you’d like to help, contact Phyllis Evans at 252.767.8902 or email

maryemmaevans@gmail.com.

Follow on Facebook The Mary Emma Evans Foundation or visit the website at https://www.maryemmaevansfoundation.org/

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TownTalk: ‘Way To GROW!’ Festival Coming To Downtown Henderson

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Say you’re organizing an event – complete with food, music and more – and you really want everyone to come out and enjoy themselves. One sure-fire way to make sure the whole community feels invited and welcomed is to get key leaders involved and interested.

Two people who fit that description in the Henderson area are Heather Joi Kenney and Tracy Mosley. They, along with other community partners, are introducing a street festival called Way to GROW! to focus on all aspects of entrepreneurship.

Kenney is president of Gateway CDC and Mosley is director of Helping All People Excel, a local nonprofit whose focus is access, exposure and opportunity for all youth.

They were guests on Thursday’s TownTalk to provide details about the Aug. 12 festival.

Actually, the week leading up to the Aug. 12 event is Entrepreneur Week at Gateway CDC, which is hosting a variety of workshops Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to share information about becoming a successful, sustainable entrepreneur.

Because of her love for this community, “the beauty of its people and of the downtown area,” Kenney said she applied for – and ultimately received – a grant from NC IDEA, a statewide nonprofit whose mission is to support entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship across the state. The Way to GROW! festival “provides an opportunity for people to be entertained and to shop” among dozens of vendors who are themselves entrepreneurs.

A plus for the vendors is that there’s no fee to participate, she said.

Once she had the grant funding, “Tracy came to mind immediately,” Kenney said, adding that if anyone could make it successful, it was Mosley. “She can make it happen!”

“I’m an event planner – I love events,” Mosley said. “It’s a passion of mine and I love Henderson and the community.”

The plan is to block off Garnett Street between Orange and W. Montgomery streets for the festival. The Breckenridge Street area to Chestnut Street, as well as Wyche Street, also will accommodate pedestrian-only traffic that day.

The idea is to show prospective entrepreneurs that it’s possible to take a passion and turn it into a successful and sustainable business.

It’s one way to create and support the idea of community, Kenney said. “We are responsible for one another…Henderson’s way to grow is collectively.”

Join the fun on Saturday, Aug. 12 at 11 a.m. for food, music, vendors, and more at the Way to GROW! festival in downtown Henderson. The Queens Court of Charlotte, Jim Quick & Coastline, DJ AK and DJ Scoop, along with Chanel Scott of CheMinistry are just some of the groups providing entertainment.

To sign up to volunteer or to become a sponsor, contact Gateway CDC at 252.492.6298.

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TownTalk: County Commissioners Adopt Strategic Economic Development Plan

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners adopted a strategic plan for economic development at its July 10 meeting that creates a roadmap for future growth over the next few years.

Crystal Morphis, with Creative Economic Development Consulting, walked commissioners through the basic framework of the strategic plan, which she and her team developed over the course of the last year.

Following the presentation, Commissioner Archie Taylor expressed appreciation for the work that went into the plan’s development.

“The easy part is planning – the hard part is doing,” Morphis replied.

As part of the development process, Morphis shared results of a SWOT analysis – the acronym stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats – derived from information from almost 100 respondents from across the county.

The plan lists “ordinance enforcement” as a weakness, and, when asked by Commissioner Taylor to explain in greater detail, Morphis said it dealt with appearance and first impressions when a newcomer or prospective business owner visits.

“Code enforcement is so important,” Morphis said, for a community’s beautification and appearance.

Morphis used information and data from the respondents to create a plan tailored to take into account the area’s strengths – interstate access and proximity to urban centers like Raleigh and Durham – while working to address some of the challenges – an unskilled workforce and a lack of available housing, just to name two.

The plan lists five goals and has a three-year implementation timeline that details specific items that need to be achieved over that period:

Goal 1 – Attract, retain and foster start-up businesses

Goal 2 – Make Vance County a choice location

Goal 3 – Attract, develop and retain talent to ensure a strong pipeline for the future

Goal 4 – Strengthen local and regional connections

Goal 5 – Strengthen the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission

During her presentation to the commissioners, Morphis provided information from the respondents on topics such as challenges to growing their business. Some of those challenges include workforce availability, wage growth pressure, workforce training, financing, housing for workforce and finding affordable space to operate a business.

Some of the areas that the respondents wanted to see the county invest more resources in were in attracting new business and retaining existing businesses, and developing amenities like retail, dining and recreation.

Almost half of the respondents – 49 percent – cited personal or hometown connections – to the county as the reason their company is located within Vance County, Morphis noted.

The Kerr-Tar region and the state are seeing a growth in population, but Vance County and its three municipalities all have seen a drop in their overall populations, according to data from the 2010 and 2020 Census. This can also affect the available work force, which also has shrunk in Vance County since 2017, when there was a workforce pool of 17,237 to a November 2022 level of 16,639.

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TownTalk: County Commissioners Hear from Vance Recovery

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Vance Recovery is part of the Vance County Substance Abuse Collaborative, a group of providers that work each day to help clients who are battling opioid addiction.

John Mattocks is Vance Recovery’s program director and he spoke on behalf of the county collaborative to Vance County Board of Commissioners during the public comment section of the July 10 meeting.

“We serve 400 people a day burdened by twin epidemics,” Mattocks said, referring to opioid use and overdose.

The individual groups joined forces as a collaborative to try to generate “energy and focus” in light of the risks brought on by opioid use.

“We are ready to serve in whatever capacity would be helpful,” Mattocks told the commissioners.

Vance County is scheduled to receive a share of the $26 billion nationwide opioid settlement and Mattocks said the collaborative stands ready to provide support to county leaders as they determine how and where to spend those funds.

Visit https://www.morseclinics.com/locations/vance-recovery to learn more about the services provided at Vance Recovery.

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TownTalk: Commissioners Take Up Fire Services At Board Meeting

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Thanks to the wonders of technology, Vance County Board of Commissioners meetings are recorded for the public to play – and, in some cases, replay. WIZS replayed a portion of the July 10 regular monthly meeting during Tuesday’s TownTalk segment, during which the contentious topic of a fire study was discussed.

At its July meeting, the commissioners were expecting to hear from Interim County Manager Scott Elliott about the status of the much-discussed fire study, including staff recommendations that would move forward two of the six bids received from entities interested in completing the work.

Instead, Board Chair Yolanda Feimster invoked her privilege to send to the Public Safety Committee all six bidders for review, after which the committee would make recommendations to the full board at a future meeting.

“So we’re not discussing this tonight?” asked Commissioner Tommy Hester, upon hearing Feimster’s request, who in essence interrupted Elliott as he prepared to make his report to the board.

When Hester asked Feimster the reason for her decision, she replied that she didn’t have to give one. Hester argued that the whole board approved that a study be done, and Commissioner Leo Kelly, Jr. echoed Hester’s sentiments that it should be the board’s decision to make and not the Public Safety Committee.

Hester then made a motion that the whole board consider the fire study, which Commissioner Archie Taylor seconded.

That motion later was withdrawn, however, following discussion by various commissioners – sometimes talking over one another – about how the process should be carried out.

A subsequent motion was made by Hester, seconded by Taylor, to postpone any decision until the August meeting.

Commissioners Hester, Archie Taylor and Leo Kelly, Jr. voted in favor of the motion. Commissioners Dan Brummitt, Sean Alston and Carolyn Faines voted against the motion, giving Feimster, as chair, the tie-breaking vote. The motion failed on her nay vote and the issue of the fire study will be sent to the Public Safety Committee for review.

County staff reviewed the six proposals and recommended two for consideration by the board – the whole board.

But now, the Public Safety Committee will review – again – all six proposals and is expected to make its own recommendation to the commissioners in August.

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TownTalk: Events In Granville County

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With the heat of summer in full swing, Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen has some options for indoor activities to keep folks cool.

The National Teapot Festival continues at Cedar Creek Gallery through September 10, and Allen said a trip to this Creedmoor gem won’t disappoint. Part working studio, part art gallery, Cedar Creek is open seven days a week. The Teapot Show features hundreds of teapots on display.

In and around downtown Oxford, things are popping up as fast as a summer thunderstorm.

There’s karaoke on Wednesdays at The Orpheum. Enjoy a signature drink and the music from 8 p.m. to midnight, Allen said.

If you think you’d like to light up the night, visit The Orpheum on Saturday, July 22 for Glow Night. Allen said $5 gets you in the door, along with whatever you wear that glows – necklaces, clothing, use your imagination. It’s from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Check out Verdigris, Oxford Oaks Distillery’s restaurant.

On Wednesdays, stop in for Verdigris Vibes, live music by local artists from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. They’ve got $10 tapas & cocktails on Thursdays from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Visit https://www.oxfordoaksdistillery.com/ to learn more.

If you’re in the mood for pizza (and who isn’t?), reserve your spot now at Thorndale Oaks for Thursday, July 20. For $21.95, enjoy all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta and more. Make sure to call and reserve a spot at 919.603.3701. Follow Thorndale Oaks on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all their events.

The city of Oxford will observe National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Allen said local law enforcement agencies, including Oxford Police Department and Oxford Fire Department will be on hand as the community joins together to enjoy food, activities, games and more.

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

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Democratic Party

TownTalk: Brodie Works To Engage Local Democrats

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The Vance County Democratic Party is sponsoring an informational event next week designed to increase awareness throughout the community about a variety of issues including voter registration, as well as the state’s new voter ID law.

Joseph Brodie is first vice chair of the group and he said although the event, scheduled for Saturday, July 22, is sponsored by the local Democratic Party, it’s open to anyone who wants to learn more.

Maybe you just need to update an address or contact information – that can all be handled on July 22. The meeting will be held in the second-floor county commissioners’ meeting room, 122 Young St. Doors open at 9:30 and the meeting will begin at 10 a.m., Brodie said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

The Oct. 10 municipal elections are non-partisan, but Brodie said state and national elections are just around the corner.

“We’re trying to round up the troops to get ready for the next municipal election and the next Presidential election in 2024,” Brodie said.

He didn’t go too far down the path of endorsing candidates for president at this time, but Brodie did indicate that the local Democratic Party would be behind whoever the candidate is for the 2024 Presidential race.

The local party has a core group of officers who each bring their own issues and passions for consideration, Brodie said.

Angela Thornton is the local group’s chair. “She is really working hard for the voters out there and the Democratic Party as a whole,” Brodie said.

Others on the executive committee include local businessman Dennis Tharrington, second vice chair; Hilda Delbridge, third vice chair; Kathy Allen, secretary; Rev. Dr. Willie T. Ramey III, treasurer; Wanda Moncreith, assistant secretary.

The event is sponsored by the local Democratic Party – uppercase D – but Brodie said tackling challenges we face in our local community and across the nation is too big a task for just a few.

“It’s going to take a whole team of people to tackle some of these problems,” he said. “Some are just too big for one person or party…it’s going to take all of us working together.”

Brodie said the Democratic Party in Vance County is “at the point now where we can really serve the voters in Vance County. We have our foothold down and now it’s time to branch out” to support Democrats in the community.

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TownTalk: Williams Looks To Grow NAACP

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Jameel Williams has been an influence in the lives of young people as an educator in Vance County Schools for more than three decades. Now, as president of the local chapter of the NAACP, Williams has the opportunity to provide a different type of education.

“Together, we can move forward,” Williams said – more than once – during an interview on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Just recently, the local chapter has added more than 30 new members to its list, and Williams said that’s a good start, but he’s not satisfied. “We need your membership,” he said, adding that adults can join for $30 a year and youth memberships are available for just $10 a year.

In fact, Williams joined the local chapter when he was in high school. The late Dr. Andrea Harris and Margaret Ellis, longtime school board member were the reason he got involved.

“We worked hard,” he recalled, knocking on doors back in the ‘70’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s on behalf of the local chapter.

In 1984, he received a scholarship for $400 from the local chapter to attend St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh. He credits those two women with motivating him to be his best.

There are chapter-sponsored Fun Days to go along with the more productive work of the chapter, including voter registration drives and fish fry fundraisers. And plans are underway for a banquet, a once annual function that hasn’t been held in a few years. The date and location have been set – February 2024 at Vance Granville Community College – and now the banquet committee can hash out the details.

The other elected officers of the chapter include:

First Vice President – LaMont Noel

Second Vice President – Gregory Perry

Secretary – Lorelei Winckler

Assistant Secretary – Teresa Perry

Treasurer – Tony Peace

Assistant Treasurer – Michael T. Henderson

To learn more about the Vance County Chapter of the NAACP, contact Williams at Jam8251965@gmail.com or follow them on social media to stay updated on upcoming programs and events.

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TownTalk: VV Show’s Varonica Mitchell Works With Game Changers For Community Event

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Varonica Mitchell, that local 12-year-old social media sensation with her own online show is paying a visit to Henderson Sunday, July 16 to take part in an event sponsored by Game Changers and iDance Praise Academy.

There will be games for the kids, as well as food, clothing and school supplies that will be distributed – all free of charge, said Mitchell, who was a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

She’ll have a “meet and greet” with her fans, with photo ops, selfies and autographs with the star of “The VV Show” throughout the event, which stretches from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the iDance Praise Academy, located at 902 Dorsey Ave., Henderson.

It’s just a way for her to give back to all her supporters, she said, which now number more than 1 million on various social media platforms. “They’ve helped me out…they uplift me,” she said. “I thought it was a good idea to give back to the community.”

She’s accomplished a lot in just a short time, and has been featured in movies, commercial ads and magazines, not to mention headlining events all over and being honored with awards on major platforms for her acting, her community service and her comedy/social media show, according to information from “The VV Show” marketing manager M. Davis.

Come be a part of the fun and speak with the young lady who’s capturing hearts with her insight and comedy all over social media.

Visit The VV Show – YouTube to see what VV’s up to.

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