Tag Archive for: #towntalk

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TownTalk: Four (Now Five) Put Names Up For Consideration To Fill District 3 Board Seat

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Update 1-28-25:

Vance County Manager Renee Perry said, “One more was received before the deadline. Charisse Fain.”

Perry confirmed that during the next regular commissioners meeting, this Monday, February 3, 2025 at 6 p.m., that next steps in this appointment process will be discussed.

Please review earlier updates below for further information.

Update 1-24-25:

The Vance County Board of Commissioners has the names of four people who are interested in filling the vacant District 3 seat on the board. Today was the deadline to submit names and the names that WIZS reported Thursday are the names that will be considered, according to information from County Manager C. Renee Perry.

Listed in alphabetical order, the four individuals are:

Joseph Doyle Carpunky
Jeanette B. Floyd
Charles Turrentine, Jr.
William Gordon Wilder

Former Commissioner Sean Alston vacated his seat on the board effective Jan. 1, when he took a job as a magistrate in Warren County. The commissioners have until Mar. 1 – 60 days from the time the seat was vacated – to appoint a replacement.

At a meeting in early January, County Attorney Jonathan Care advised commissioners that a meeting may need to be held in early February to discuss the appointment and those interested in filling Alston’s unexpired term.

The next regular meeting of the commissioners is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3.

The district 3 seat is up for election in 2026, according to Vance County Elections Director Haley Rawles.

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Original Update 1-23-25:

With the deadline looming, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry confirmed Thursday that four individuals have submitted their names to be considered to fill the vacant District 3 seat on the Vance County Board of Commissioners. Other interested individuals have until tomorrow – Friday, Jan. 24 – to submit information to the county.

Listed in alphabetical order, the four individuals are:

  • Joseph Doyle Carpunky
  • Jeanette B. Floyd
  • Charles Turrentine, Jr.
  • William Gordon Wilder

Former Commissioner Sean Alston vacated his seat on the board effective Jan. 1, when he took a job as a magistrate in Warren County. The commissioners have until Mar. 1 – 60 days from the time the seat was vacated – to appoint a replacement.

At a meeting in early January, County Attorney Jonathan Care advised commissioners that a meeting may need to be held in early February to discuss the appointment and those interested in filling Alston’s unexpired term.

The next regular meeting of the commissioners is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3.

The district 3 seat is up for election in 2026, according to Vance County Elections Director Haley Rawles.

TownTalk: 4th Annual VCS Golf Tournament Mar. 27

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The fourth annual golf tournament sponsored by the Vance Charter School Booster Club is coming up on Mar. 27, but there are only two team slots left, so register soon if you want to take part.

VCS Booster Club President Caroline Overby and VCS Athletic Director Lance Stallings are looking forward to the event, which will be held at Henderson Country Club. The first tournament had 12 teams participating, and last year’s event had a then-record 17 teams, Stallings said on Monday’s TownTalk.

This year’s goal is 20 teams and they’ve already got 18 signed up – well on their way to meet the mark. “We’ve been blown away with the support early on,” Stallings said. Registration continues until Mar. 7.

Overby said the tournament will begin at 12 noon with a shotgun start. As the golfers complete their rounds, they’ll be able to head back to the club house before the awards presentation at 6 p.m.

This year marks the first time that the event will include a silent auction and live music from  Whiskey Bent band from Oxford. Overby said she and event organizers are confident that these additions will add to the festivities.

“It’s going to be a great day of golfing,” Overby said, in support of the athletic department and student athletes at Vance Charter.

Stallings said the booster club helps the athletic department by supplementing what the school is able to provide its teams and athletes – from extra team meals to pitching machines for the baseball team. The booster club goes “the extra mile,” he said. “It’s difficult to have a successful athletic department without having a booster club…it’s a great partnership that we have with them and we’re grateful for them.”

Overby praised local businesses and others for their support as well.

Presenting sponsors for this year’s golf tournament are Chick-fil-A, Drake & Seymour Dentistry and Sossamon Funeral Home.

But there are additional opportunities for sponsorships, including Gold level ($1,700) Silver level ($1,250) and Blue level ($700).

To find out more, contact Stallings at 252.431.0440 or Overby at 252.213.7121.

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U.S. Attorney For Eastern District Of N.C. Announces Whistleblower Pilot Program

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— information courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina

U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. has announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the EDNC Whistleblower Pilot Program.

“In this office, we are focused on enhancing the identification and prosecution of white-collar crime,” Easley said in a written statement released Friday. “The EDNC Whistleblower Pilot Program achieves that by incentivizing individuals to proactively come forward with information about crimes taking place within corporations.  The benefit to the participant, if qualified, is avoiding prosecution.  We encourage all who may have information on fraud, corruption, or corporate crime, to fill out the short form on our website.”

To encourage early voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conduct and to promote effective enforcement of criminal laws, the office has implemented the EDNC Whistleblower Pilot Program.  The program applies to circumstances where an individual discloses information regarding certain covered subjects identified in the policy to this office, Easley’s statement explained.  Covered subjects include criminal conduct undertaken by or through public or private entities or organizations, including corporations, partnerships, non-profits, exchanges, financial institutions, investment advisers, or investment funds involving fraud or corporate control failures; intellectual property theft and related violations; or offenses affecting market integrity.

The policy also applies to disclosed criminal conduct involving state or local bribery or fraud relating to federal, state or local funds.  The policy does not apply to offenses involving violence.  Provided all policy conditions are met, this office will enter into a deferred or non-prosecution agreement with the whistleblower.

By clarifying the requirements and benefits of such self-disclosure, this office seeks to incentivize individuals (and their counsel) to provide actionable and timely information.  This will, in turn, help us expose more misconduct and better protect the communities we serve.

Find a complete copy of the policy, along with the application at:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/ednc-whistleblower-pilot-program

(Originally posted to WIZS.com Jan. 24, 2025)

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TownTalk: Charles Turrentine, Jr., 2024 Recipient of United Way’s Sam Watkins Visionary Award

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The winner of the 2024 Sam Watkins Visionary Award has a clear vision for what his community can be – for young people, for all people.

Charles Turrentine, Jr. told WIZS Wednesday that he thought he was attending Tuesday’s United Way banquet to see his wife recognized for being Warren County’s Teacher of the Year.

As Turrentine listened as the presenter described the recipient’s projects and accomplishments, he said they sounded familiar, but added he “didn’t have a clue” that he was the award winner. “To be honest, it’s still kind of a shock,” Turrentine said, just a day after getting the award.

Whether through his work with renovating the Chestnut Street Park and Crime Stoppers or being a trustee for Davis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Turrentine, 41, said his focus is on changing the narrative of Vance County.

And he’s hoping to add to his growing list of interests that of county commissioner. Turrentine lives in District 3 – the seat recently vacated by Sean Alston – and he wants to be appointed to fill Alston’s unexpired term and then run for the seat when it is next up for election.

“I’ve been putting the word out there,” Turrentine said. “I’m not doing it for me – I’m doing it for Henderson and Vance County…I’ve (got) pure intentions,” he said – no hidden agendas. “I just want to do what’s right for the people.”

He’s already hearing from people who have concerns about the property tax rates and having a revenue-neutral budget. He also puts public education and the future of the county jail on his priority list.

He said Sam Watkins and his brother George always had a vision of what Henderson could be – and it’s a vision he shares. “I’ve always wanted to put the youth in Henderson in that vision,” he said, “to let them know there’s a brighter day ahead.”

In his mind’s eye, he pictures George congratulating him on his work and for receiving the award that bears his brother’s name. “I can see George now, shaking my hand and saying ‘I’m proud of you. You’re doing good things. I think my brother would be proud of you, too.’”

Looking at his name on the same plaque that bears not only Watkins’s name, but other recipients, Turrentine said, simply, “I’m in some good company.”

 

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TownTalk: Virtual Information Session for Vance County Schools

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Despite Tuesday night’s snow “event,” tonight’s virtual information session for prospective families in Vance County Schools will go on as planned. Parents can log in via a link on the school district’s website https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/and connect with principals of the five campuses designated as Innovative Schools. The event begins at 6 p.m.

“All five principals will be on to answer any questions about the schools,” said VCS Chief Officer of Communication & Support Aarika Sandlin. Applications are available online and are due by Feb. 7.

“We try to meet our families where they are,” Sandlin said of the in-person and virtual offerings for parents, who may be interested in learning more about the Innovative Schools in the district. Three schools have already had info sessions at their campuses, but two remain: E.M. Rollins STEAM will hold an on-site session Thursday, Jan. 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Vance County Early College will hold an info session at its location in Building 2 at Vance-Granville Community College on Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Delivering information across a variety of platforms is important for district leadership to make sure parents stay updated on school programs and processes.

Dr. Jacqueline Batchelor-Crosson, executive director of Federal Programs and Elementary Education, said student safety and instructional practices are what’s top-of-mind for parents and families.

“We are so excited to offer Vance County Schools to our families and our young students,” she said. As a former kindergarten teacher and elementary principal, Batchelor-Crosson said she understands the importance of getting youngsters off on the right foot in school.

Parent engagement sessions are held throughout the year to help keep families informed. Sandlin said future family engagement sessions include a Jan. 23 session for English as a Second Language Arabic-speaking families, and a Feb. 27 session on internet safety.

Visit https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/ to learn more.

 

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TownTalk: KVA Celebrates 20th Anniversary of State Championship

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The Kerr-Vance Academy Spartans boys’ basketball team takes to the court Friday evening in a  6 p.m. conference matchup with Halifax Academy, but the folks in the bleachers will also get a chance to relive a magical moment in the school’s history as the 2005 state champion basketball team is recognized.

It was 20 years ago that the varsity boys’ squad won the NC Independent Schools Athletic Association championship, and Headmaster Matthew McLaughlin and Athletic Director Mike Joyner said Friday’s recognition will be something special for current students and alumni.

McLaughlin said the event is centered around a basketball game, but he hopes it will be seen as a larger celebration of what is “alive and well” at Kerr-Vance Academy.

He joined the school back in July 2024, and when he learned that KVA was coming up on the 20-year anniversary, he just knew it’d be the perfect way to honor the school’s past and present, with an eye on its future.

An informal class reunion is planned for Saturday night at Norse Brewery in Wake Forest, and McLaughlin said all alums are welcome to attend. Another special event surrounding the game and 20-year anniversary recognition is a raffle for a home HVAC system – complete with installation, courtesy of Ranes Heating. Tickets are $10 each, and the lucky winner will be announced between the 3rd and 4th quarters of the Friday game. Tickets will be sold up until about halftime of the game, McLaughlin said. The winner doesn’t have to be present to win, and tickets are transferrable.

The Spartans will play Friday on a newly installed floor in the Crawford Gym, a shiny investment in the school’s future, which was established back in 1968. The new floor bears the name Bob Walker Court, a nod to the long-time assistant coach who, alongside Head Coach John Whitley, took that 2005 team to the state title game.

Friday’s festivities will be a way to acknowledge the 2005 team and what that state championship means to KVA.

Joyner said it’s important to recognize accomplishments of sports teams – dozens of banners hang in the school gym proclaiming championships in volleyball, tennis, girls’ soccer, baseball,  basketball among others over the years – but success on the field or court is a direct reflection of success in the classroom.

And when current students hear or see what previous students have accomplished, it helps them envision success in their own futures, McLaughlin said.

“A lot of schools and school communities talk about athletics being an extension of the school,” he said. At KVA, “it’s not an extension – it IS our school.” Sports teams are visible, tangible ways that the community can see what KVA is all about. The community doesn’t get a chance to visit the science lab or that elementary classroom, but they can see the student-athletes in a sports contest and have a good idea about what kind of learning goes on during the school day.

Joyner said the school culture with athletics is very important, and that “winning culture comes from across the school, not just athletics.”

 

 

TownTalk: McGregor Hall’s The Spot For Valentine’s Day Dinner And Show

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Make plans to spend this Valentine’s Day by enjoying dinner and a show – right here in Henderson.

“The Bridges of Madison County” opens on Friday, Feb. 14 for a two weekend run at McGregor Hall, and Mark Hopper, McGregor Hall’s executive and creative director, said patrons can choose to dine before the show “with your Valentine or some of your best friends.”

The doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner service in the Gallery begins at 6:15 p.m., Hopper said on Thursday’s TownTalk. There’s plenty of time to enjoy the meal before the curtain rises at 8 p.m.

Visit https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ to purchase tickets online, stop by the box office Monday through Friday between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. or call 252.598.0662. Discounted rates for tables for 8 are available, too. Other shows are Feb. 15, Feb. 22 and Feb. 23.

There will be a silent auction, which includes stays in vacation homes and a surprise item that Hopper said he’ll wait to reveal. The meal and the silent auction both benefit McGregor Hall.

As for the play, Hopper said the storyline is pretty involved. “It’s not a stereotypical Valentine’s Day kind of thing…(but) the theme of the show is love.”

Readers may remember the 1992 Robert James Waller novel. Moviegoers may remember the 1995 Oscar-winning movie featuring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. And Hopper said there’s “something remarkable in store” for audiences who come to see the McGregor Hall production.

Kelley Keats plays Francesca, who grew up in World War II Italy, married a GI and moved to Iowa to begin a new life. When Robert shows up to photograph the covered bridges of Madison County, a chance encounter cause Francesca to re-evaluate her life.

“It’s been very rewarding to work on – challenging but rewarding,” Hopper said, heaping praise on Keats, with her experience on Broadway, as well as the “incredible” cast that “makes the transitions with grace and skill.”

This upcoming production is the fourth ticketed show of a five-show series called McGregor Live!, Hopper said ticketed shows make up just a small percentage of what McGregor Hall hosts – something like 10 percent.

The rest comes from rental events and other types of shows, including “Father Figure,” another play by area playwright Garrett Davis. “He’s a very skillful writer,” Hopper said of Davis, who has Warren County ties, adding that most of his shows delve into the health-oriented concerns of the African American community.

“Father Figure” is about a father and son reconciliation, healing and the importance of a father figure in the life of a son. That show is on Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.

The fifth and final production in the McGregor Live! series is Catapult Dance on Mar. 27 at 7:30 p.m. which tells stories through group dance – in shadow. Hopper admits it’s difficult to describe in words just what the show will look like. There’s a video clip on the website.

The troupe was a finalist on Season 8 of America’s Got Talent.

Shows especially for area school students take place later in February and March, including a program on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for older elementary students and a “Faces of Black History” for younger elementary-age students.

The N.C. Symphony returns on Mar. 13 to audiences of fourth graders from the area.

View the complete calendar of events at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/

 

 

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TownTalk: Guardian ad Litem Program Provides Advocates To Children In Court System

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Eight hours a month doesn’t sound like much, but it could make all the difference in the life of a child.

Eight hours is what most Guardian ad Litem volunteers can expect to spend in their advocacy role for young people who are involved in the court system because of abuse or neglect.

Ruth Griffin, recruitment and retention lead for the statewide GAL program based in Raleigh, said there are roughly 3,200 volunteers in North Carolina, but there’s always a need for more.

In Vance County, for example, there are 77 children in care, but 21 do not have an advocate, Griffin said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Of 23 in Granville County, three are without advocates at this time.

“We have some awesome, awesome volunteers who are active in other cases,” Griffin said, “but we want more folks from the community to step up and to speak up for these kids in court – our goal being that every child should have an advocate.”

There is some training involved with becoming a guardian ad litem volunteer, and the winter training sessions begin Tuesday, Jan. 21. The virtual sessions will be held on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Feb. 25. Apply at volunteerforgal.org.

As Griffin explained, it is a district court judge who begins the process of involving the Guardian ad Litem program when there’s a case of abuse or neglect of a child. A local advocate will be assigned and that person begins gathering information from adults in the child’s life – parents, teachers, physicians, etc. With support from an attorney and from GAL staff, the advocate creates a report with recommendations for what’s best for the child going forward.

For some children, their GAL advocate is the only constant in their lives. Social workers change, foster homes change, but a GAL advocate can remain with a child to provide emotional support as the case moves through the courts.

Advocates can visit with the children in familiar settings like their foster home or school, said Sarah Sattelberg, an advocacy specialist who works in the Raleigh office. “You’re never meeting them alone,” Sattelberg said.

Griffin said most of the cases that are referred to GAL involve neglect, but every case and every child is different. Some could be “situations that the average person just can’t imagine,” she said. “Oftentimes, we are meeting these kids at their worst moment.” The goal is to advocate for the best interests of the child as he or she moves through the court system.

Aside from the specific training that all advocates must complete, there’s no special background or expertise needed to become an advocate.

“You just have to have a heart to care,” Griffin said. “If you have that, you can begin to change a child’s life.”

Samantha Branch is the local contact for the Judicial District 11, which includes, Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties. Below are the addresses and phone numbers for the offices in the WIZS listening area:

Vance County
156 Church St., Henderson, NC 27536
252.430.5121

Granville County
147 Williamsboro St., Oxford, NC 27565
919.690.4921

Warren County
113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
919.497.4244

Franklin County
113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
919.497.4244

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TownTalk: Man Dies In Weekend House Fire On Reservoir Street

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A local man died in a house fire on Reservoir Street Sunday afternoon.

Henderson Fire Chief Tim Twisdale said firefighters were dispatched to 1418 Reservoir St. at 4:37 p.m. When they arrived, Twisdale said the whole left side of the house was engulfed in flames, and the remainder of the structure was filled with smoke.

Twisdale identified the victim as Robert J. Faucette, Jr., 63. County tax records list Faucette as the homeowner.

“We don’t know exactly how long it was burning prior to our arrival,” Twisdale told WIZS News Tuesday, “but it had gotten a good head of steam” by the time trucks arrived on the scene.

In fact, Twisdale said, firefighters reported seeing “a heavy column of smoke visible from a good distance away” as they made their way to the fire call.

One firefighter suffered burns to his ears, Twisdale said.

Officials have been in contact with the man’s sister, who is next-of-kin, and the medical examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Twisdale said the home did not appear to have a working smoke alarm.

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