Tag Archive for: #towntalk

Town Talk 10/30/19: Tourism Director Talks Halloween Fun in Granville

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss Halloween happenings in the area.

“We are going out of October and heading into November with a bang,” Allen said. Halloween events include:

  • Downtown Oxford’s Spooktacular Candy Stroll trick-or-treat event Friday, November 1, 2019, from 3:30 – 5 p.m. Trick-or-treat was moved from its original date of Thursday, October 31 due to rainy weather forecasts.
  • Downtown Creedmoor Trick-or-Treating will be held Thursday, October 31 from 6 until 8 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Creedmoor Police Department and downtown merchants.
  • Covenant Life Church will hold Trunk-or-Treat at Butner Athletic Park from 6 until 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 31. The park is located at 1105 West B Street in Butner, NC. This event is open to the public.
  • The Granville Haunt Farm will be open on Halloween from dusk until 9:30 p.m. Activities include a corn maze, haunted trail, zombie paintball and an escape room. This weekend is the last weekend of the season. The farm is located at 4534 US-15 in Oxford, NC.

These are just a few of the many Halloween activities taking place in Granville County. With inclement weather forecasted, it is recommended that you check to see if events have been rescheduled or canceled before heading out tomorrow.

For more information on Granville County events, please visit www.visitgranvillenc.com.

To hear Allen’s interview in its entirety, including information on upcoming November events, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Town Talk 10/29/19: Infinite Possibilities Offers Local Help to Domestic Violence Victims

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, WIZS has featured advocacy groups and individuals on Town Talk each Tuesday in October.

To complete the series, Erin Carter, Victim’s Advocate with Infinite Possibilities, Inc., was on Tuesday’s edition of the public affairs presentation to discuss her work with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

“We support those who seek help with domestic violence situations from start to finish,” Carter said. “We accept walk-ins and offer appointments, work on safety planning, complete a danger assessment, discuss their current and any prior abusive situations, assess their needs and refer them to a lawyer if necessary.”

Carter explained the organization works with other domestic violence groups to provide shelter services for individuals and their children who need to be removed from a dangerous home situation.

Children are especially vulnerable in domestic violence situations and will often show signs of emotional or mental trauma in the way they interact with others or how they perform at school, said Carter.

While it is fairly well-known that domestic violence has a detrimental impact on children, Carter said what is not as commonly discussed is the frequency of abuse occurring among church-going families.

“The biggest myth, one that many people believe, is that domestic violence doesn’t happen in the churches, but it does; that’s one of the biggest places you find domestic violence,” said Carter.

Carter explained that her involvement as an advocate has shown that domestic violence victims involved in a religious organization are often ashamed to come forward with abuse allegations. “It’s something that just isn’t talked about in the church, isn’t addressed,” said Carter.

To help combat this stigma, Infinite Possibilities sends letters and information to parishioners every October offering advice on how to speak to their congregation on domestic violence, along with available resources for victims.

If you or someone you know is involved in a domestic violence situation, trained, compassionate, local people are available to help you 24/7. “The biggest tip I can give is to be vocal and speak up. Many times victims suffer in silence because they feel ashamed or uncomfortable,” Carter said.

With office hours available Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and a 24/7 crisis hotline, Infinite Possibilities offers victims a way to “quietly step away instead of making the dangerous move of confronting the abuser themselves,” said Carter.

Infinite Possibilities is located at 314 S. Garnett St. in Henderson and is also available by phone during office hours at (252) 431-1926. The 24/7 hotline is available by calling (252) 425-2492. Assistance is available in English and Spanish.

To hear the interview with Carter in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/28/19: Praise Dancing Part of ‘Preacher Girl’s’ Spiritual Mission

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Youth Pastor Vanessa “Preacher Girl” Mitchell, founder of Preacher Girl Ministry and the owner of I Dance Praise Academy, was on Monday’s segment of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss her involvement with the community and her youth praise dance team.

Started in 2016, the I Dance Praise Academy has grown from its initial enrollment of three girls to 80 young ladies ages 4-18 from Vance County and surrounding areas.

Participants are taught the biblical aspect of praise dancing, according to Mitchell, and perform at churches and events earning various color belts based on their skill level.

Dancers will attend the 3rd Annual Benefit Concert and Level Up Program on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at 5 p.m. at Dabney Elementary School, located at 150 Lanning Rd. in Henderson.

Tickets are available for $7 in advance or $10 at the door.

The concert preshow will feature Mr. Pipkins the Puppeteer, along with Devin Paylor & The Instruments of Praise Choir for the half-time entertainment.

Vendors include Elder Shirley Gray (Gray Baby Jewels) with Paparazzi and food vendor Fred Robertson.

For more information, please visit the I Dance Praise Academy Facebook page by clicking here.

To hear the interview with Mitchell in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/25/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Town Talk 10/24/19: Williams, Domestic Violence Survivor, Shares Personal Story

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

As part of WIZS’ commitment to bringing awareness to the prevalence and far-reaching effects of domestic violence, local organizations and individuals have appeared on-air weekly in October.

On Thursday’s Town Talk segment, domestic violence survivor Valerie Williams shared her very personal story and discussed her upcoming participation as the honorary guest at a local domestic violence awareness event.

On a February afternoon in 1996, Williams said her life changed forever in a violent, 20-minute attack. Arriving home on her lunch break from work, Williams said she found herself at the end of a .38 Smith and Wesson with her husband threatening to kill her.

Williams’ husband then shot her three times – once in the head and twice in the right arm – before turning the gun on himself. Williams survived the incident, eventually regained use of her arm and is alive today to tell her story and empower other victims.

Through it all, Williams said she had a difficult time reconciling herself as a victim of domestic violence because her husband was not previously abusive; however, one time of domestic violence was one too many.

The CEO & Founder of LOVESMART, Williams is now a passionate speaker, advocate and author of five self-published books.

Williams looks forward to sharing both her story and the insight she has gained at a “Think Community” domestic violence awareness event to be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 26 at Clearview Church in Henderson.

Along with Williams, who will serve as honorary guest, the event will feature keynote speaker Patrice Andrews, chief of police, with the Town of Morrisville, NC.

The event is hosted by the Vance County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with Pastor Abidan Shah of Clearview Church and is sponsored by Cardinal Innovations Healthcare of Henderson.

The church is located at 3485 Hwy 158 Bus. (Oxford Road) in Henderson. The public is welcome to attend.

To hear the interview with Williams in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/23/19: Local Participants Needed for UNC-Sponsored Well Survey

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Dr. Frank Stillo, research manager for the MacDonald Gibson Research Group at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Drew Griggs, a junior chemistry major at UNC, were on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to invite local residents to participate in a private well survey.

Stillo, who recently received his Ph.D. in public health from UNC, has been studying disparities in drinking water since early 2014.

He is particularly interested in how lead exposure involving residents with private wells affects children under the age of 7 in predominantly African-American communities. Lead is a neurotoxin, and young children are especially sensitive to the damage overexposure can cause to their still-developing brains, Stillo explained.

Griggs, son of Greg and Melanie Griggs of Henderson, attended a lead exposure seminar this summer held by the Gibson Research Group and said he was motivated to apply for a position as part of Stillo’s survey team.

The study group is seeking 300 households who use private well water and have a child under the age of seven living in the home.

Participants will receive the benefit of a well water test, dust testing, lead blood testing for their child provided by a licensed UNC phlebotomist, a consultation on ways to mediate lead issues if discovered and a $75 cash gift card – all free of charge.

In a small Wake County study of 29 cohorts completed a few years back, Stillo said a research team found that 28% of participating households with a well had elevated levels of lead in their drinking water. In running a variety of tests, Stillo said the team concluded that the majority of lead issues arose from plumbing structures inside the home.

“When you have water that is stagnant in your plumbing system and it doesn’t have a chance to get treated like those on the public water system, it will leach the lead out of the different metals in your system. When I had the same problem, I reached out to 24 Hour Emergency Plumbing Services near me and asked them to fix the plumbing,” said Stillo.

Factors such as the age of the house, age of plumbing materials and components of piping and connectors, also affect the level of lead exposure.

“Another reason well water has higher levels of lead is that residents with wells are stewards of their own water systems, whereas people on the public system have someone with technical expertise looking after their best interests,” Stillo said. “People on a public system are constantly having their water tested. Many on private wells don’t know to test their well water or what to test for and often don’t understand the effects of contaminants.”

Griggs said he is excited to be a part of this drinking water survey that can bring awareness to his hometown and took the first step in informing the community by reaching out to WIZS for an on-air interview.

“There are a lot of different ways to serve people; I’m really fortunate to have found an outlet to do so at UNC, especially one that can help a small, underserved community like Henderson.”

To learn more about the survey, please visit https://gillingswellwater.web.unc.edu/, email gillingswellwater@unc.edu or call (919) 843-5786.

To hear the interview with Stillo and Griggs in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Town Talk 10/22/19: Hicks Teaches Students to Use ‘I Power’ to Combat Bullying

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Teresa Hicks, counselor at Carver Elementary School, was on Tuesday’s edition of Town Talk to continue WIZS’ weekly series in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. WIZS has featured local organizations involved in various aspects of domestic violence each Tuesday in October.

The focus of this week’s segment was on younger victims of domestic violence – elementary school children – and how exposure to violent situations increases the risks of bullying.

To combat bullying and to work on students’ self-esteem, Hicks developed a strategy she coined “I Power.” “I Power is a way to make a situation that could be negative, better,” Hicks explained. “It gives students a voice and allows them to advocate for themselves. I tell them to speak up and practice using your voice.”

The key is for students to become comfortable expressing their opinions and feelings in a respectful manner. Hicks said, “This can be as simple as saying ‘I like strawberry ice cream’ when someone else says they don’t like strawberry ice cream.”

Expressing their opinions on seemingly simple matters can give students the confidence needed to stand up for themselves in more serious situations, according to Hicks.

Hicks said she tells her K-5 students, who are often interested in superheroes, that “you can be a superhero too; use your own I Power.”

To hear the interview with Hicks in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 10/21/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Town Talk 10/18/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Town Talk 10/17/19: All About This Weekend’s Show, Shine, Shag & Dine

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Today’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk was all about the 18th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine being held Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19 in Historic Downtown Henderson.

Featuring 1988 and older antique cars, classic cars, nostalgia drag cars, muscle cars, street rods, rat rods and trucks over a ten-block area of Garnett Street, the show grows in popularity each year, bringing thousands of visitors – and tourism dollars – to the downtown area.

Weekend festivities also include car judging, live entertainment, specials offered by downtown merchants, food vendors, miscellaneous vendors and much more.

Garnett Street will be closed from Young Avenue to Andrews Avenue, including all side streets, beginning at 5 a.m. on Saturday.

2019 Show, Shine, Shag & Dine Schedule:

Friday, October 18

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ~ Pre-show Cruise-in and BBQ cookout for $12 per plate. Meal served 12 – 2:30 p.m. Open to all makes and models 1988 and older and all spectators. Location: Satterwhite Point Park, Kerr Lake, I-85 – Exit 217.

5 – 9 p.m. ~ Southern Classic Cruise-in will be held at 117 Horner Street in downtown Henderson. A DJ will be spinning your favorite tunes from the past and Chick-fil-A will be on site. Cruise-in parking will be located in the 700 block of S. Garnett St. Head over to Citizen’s Grill & Pub located at 200 S. Garnett Street to hear the “Brake Tyme Band” perform from 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, October 19

7:30 – 11 a.m. ~ Car registration – enter from W. Winder Street. Open to all makes and models 1988 and older. Antique cars, classic cars, nostalgia drag cars, muscle cars, street rods, rat rods and trucks.

7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ~ MAIN EVENT – 18th Annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine Car Show and East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. Live entertainment, kids’ entertainment, DJ, food, vendors, judging and award presentations on Garnett St. in downtown Henderson.

3 – 6 p.m. ~ The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce and presenting sponsor Charles Boyd Chevrolet, Buick, GMC invite you to “The After Party” following the classic car show on Saturday. The party will be held at the corner of Breckenridge and Garnett St. “The Konnection Band” will keep the festivities going with a variety of music including Top 40, Rock, Country, R & B, Beach and Oldies.

The Corbitt Preservation Association will also host their annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. near the downtown fire station.

“Our club-owned, newly restored and driveable 1926 Corbitt Fire Truck with a restored crank siren will be a showpiece in front of the state’s oldest working fire station,” said board member Tom Burleson. “We are expecting to have 18 vehicles including trucks, a couple of rare tractors and our newest find – the body of a Corbitt automobile.”

One of only approximately 100 Corbitt-made automobiles manufactured from 1905 to 1912, Burleson said the “one-of-a-kind discovery goes toward our circle of finding products that this company made so many years ago right in downtown Henderson.”

Additionally, the Corbitt Museum will be open to visitors on Saturday. The museum is located at 180 Church Street in Henderson.

Show, Shine, Shag & Dine is hosted and sponsored by the Vance County Tourism Department. For more information, please visit www.kerrlake-nc.com or call 1-866-438-4565.

To hear the interview with Burleson and the Vance Co. Tourism Department in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.