A third person has been charged in connection with the shooting death late last month of a Henderson man.
Police Chief Marcus Barrow said Jamarius Hakeem Smith, 21, of Stem in Granville County was arrested without incident on Monday. Smith is currently being held at the Vance County Detention Center pending court proceedings, Barrow said in a written statement to WIZS News Tuesday.
James E. Mellon, 27, of 465 Powell St., died of a single gunshot wound on April 29.
Rashaun Hunt and Jada Peace, both 21 years old, face charges in connection with the death. They were remanded to the Vance County Detention Facility pending initial court appearances.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact the police department via Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252.492.1925, by using the P3 app, by calling the police department at 252.438.4141, or by Facebook or Instagram.
Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $2,000 for information assisting in criminal cases.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/henderson_police_560x294.jpg294560WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2022-05-10 13:59:372022-05-10 14:53:44Third Suspect Arrested In Apr. 29 Shooting Death Of Henderson Man
-information courtesy of the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina
The school year is almost over, and it’s about time for afternoons at the pool and family road trips. While summer means fun for many of us, it’s business as usual in hospitals across the country. The need for blood doesn’t take a break, and it’s critical that donors take time to give blood or platelets to ensure a strong blood supply in the coming months.
In thanks for helping boost the blood supply, all who come to give through May 19, 2022, will receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice and will also be automatically entered to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps eight. Details are available at rcblood.org/camper. Those who come to give May 20-31 will receive an exclusive 20-ounce Red Cross aluminum water bottle and customizable sticker set, while supplies last, according to Cally Edwards, regional communications director for the Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina.
Upcoming blood drive schedule by county:
Vance
Henderson
5/18/2022: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Medical Center, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.
5/27/2022: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Ave.
Warren
Macon
5/20/2022: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Macon Baptist Church, 159 Church St.
How to donate blood
Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0032_American-Red-Cross.jpg.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2022-05-09 15:30:032022-05-09 15:31:18Upcoming Blood Drives Scheduled; Make An Appointment To Give
Project Give It A Shot kicked off in Vance County on Thursday as a way to educate people about the benefits of being vaccinated against COVID-19.
The project is not another spinoff from state or federal programs; rather, it’s more of a grass-roots effort from a group of high school and college students who are on a mission to help medically underserved areas try to reach that goal of achieving herd immunity.
Their first stop was at the Henderson office of Granville-Vance Public Health. Three volunteers stationed themselves in the clinic lobby for several hours in hopes of informing clients about the science behind the vaccines and the importance of being vaccinated.
Aanya Sachdeva,a senior at Cary Academy, and Rishi Desni, soon-to-be-graduate of ECU, were joined by local high school senior Justin Gregory. Gregory is set to graduate from Vance County Early College in a few weeks. He heard about the project and reached out to become a volunteer.
“It will allow me to see what it’d be like to work in the area of public health,” Gregory said of becoming a volunteer. He said there are others he knows who may be interested in being trained, too.
From left, Aanya Sachdeva, Rishi Desni and Justin Gregory
What began with volunteers mostly in the Wake County area has branched out in sort of a “phase 2” plan, which means the group will fan out into more rural counties like Vance.
Sachdeva told WIZS News Thursday that she and other volunteers are available to answer questions and to talk about the vaccine to help others gain understanding.
“We want to make it as easy as possible,” she said, for someone to get the vaccine. Sometimes, that means eliminating barriers.
For people without a way to get to a vaccination clinic, Sachdeva said the volunteers have arranged Uber rides. In Vance County, it could mean making an appointment with KARTS. For others who are uncertain about the safety of the vaccines, volunteers can take the time to try to explain in greater detail about how messenger RNA vaccines work. Their information is available in Spanish, also.
Desni, the ECU senior, said sometimes all it takes is patience.
“It’s not like it’s a one, two, three, you’re done” process, he said. As one of the project volunteers, he said taking the time with those who have questions or doubts is a key first step.
Desni said he will continue working as a volunteer after he graduates and hopes to raise awareness and get more shots in arms in counties including Wilson, Wayne and Edgecombe – all closer to him in the Greenville area. Volunteers will continue their work in Vance and spread out into Granville, Warren and Franklin as well.
According to DHHS COVID-19 dashboard data, Vance County has a 57 percent vaccination rate – well below the 70 percent herd immunity goal and below the overall state rate of 62 percent. The more urban counties of Wake, Durham and Orange all enjoy vaccination rates higher than 70 percent, so that’s one reason the Give It A Shot project shifted focus to counties outside the Triangle area.
At first, demand for vaccine exceeded supply. But that has shifted and now the challenge is not availability of the vaccine but having those unvaccinated individuals gaining access to clinics that have plenty of vaccines.
Some people who have interacted with Project Give It A Shot have said they didn’t know how to register to get a vaccine; others said they needed help finding a location. The support from the project volunteers has resulted in 945 vaccinated people, according to its website. And they’re not finished yet.
“Getting the remainder of our population to agree to getting the vaccine will require innovative thinking and building a sense of trust with a world of misinformation. That’s where we come in,” according to a written statement from Project Give It A Shot.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/project-give-it-a-shot-050522.jpg294560Laura Gabelhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngLaura Gabel2022-05-09 12:15:362022-05-09 18:19:11‘Project Give It A Shot’ Works To Educate, Improve Vaccination Rates
Members from area churches participated in an activity earlier this week during which they read parts of the Bible aloud – a simple act with profound effects. And although the idea didn’t originate here, there are definitely ties to Vance County.
Lois Murphy, a member of First Baptist Church in Henderson, has helped organize this effort for the past few years – at least six, she said in a telephone interview Friday.
Murphy said nine churches in the Henderson area participated on Wednesday, May 4, but she would be very happy to have more join in. “We try to add some each year,” she explained. Island Creek Baptist Church joined for the first time and were given Lamentations and part of Hosea to read, according to Pastor Johnny Yount.
Each church is assigned a different section of the Bible to read aloud, Murphy said. Her church was assigned Genesis and Exodus, the first two books of the Bible. She and a partner began the day at 8 a.m. and read, taking turns, for 15 minutes until their hour was up. Then two different readers came in and continued until the two books were completed.
One church began at 6 a.m. and continued on until late in the afternoon, she said. Although they didn’t read the entire Bible in one day, Murphy said past participants have said the experience was meaningful.
“We feel that the word of God is very powerful,” she said, “and if we read it to Him, He will listen.”
One church reported that sickness among some participants prevented them from completing their entire reading assignment, so they saved the parts that had not been read and the children and youth finished the readings when they met. “I think that is just marvelous,” Murphy said.
The read-aloud project is intentionally held on the day before the National Day of Prayer, which was observed on Thursday, May 5 this year.
“We would also like to include other towns or other areas,” Murphy said, “because this is something that we don’t care to keep to ourselves.”
Murphy said she is passionate about this project, which she learned about a number of years ago from someone who was friends with the Rocky Mount woman who inspired the project.
And here’s where the local connection comes in: In January 1982, Janice Gravely successfully landed a private plane in a field in northern Vance County. But she wasn’t the pilot – her husband was piloting the plane and suffered a heart attack mid-flight. Gravely was injured, but she was able to crawl to a nearby home to get help.
Gravely wrote a book about this life-altering event which became the catalyst for the project to read the Bible aloud. Gravely died in 2020 and her daughter is continuing her mother’s efforts, Murphy said.
“She said that God spoke to her and asked her to start a day when people would read the Bible aloud,” Murphy said. Gravely’s obituary stated that she created the project as a way to declare the importance of the Bible in our nation’s life.
She died in December 2020 at the age of 99.
Gravely’s book is titled “Won’t Somebody Help Me!” She would have celebrated her 101st birthday Monday, May 9.
Interested in participating in next year’s event? Contact Murphy at 252.432.0681.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bible-and-Cross.jpg294560Laura Gabelhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngLaura Gabel2022-05-06 14:30:392022-05-13 13:32:50Area Churches Participate In Read-Aloud Bible Project With Local Ties
-Information courtesy of N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Aging and Adult Services is partnering with the N.C. Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers to distribute fans to eligible recipients through Operation Fan Heat Relief.
People over the age of 60, as well as adults with disabilities, are eligible to sign up for assistance now through the end of October at local aging agencies across the state, according to information from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Residents in Vance, Granville, Warren, Person and Franklin counties can contact the Kerr Tar Regional COG, 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson at 252.436.2040 or visit their website https://www.kerrtarcog.org/
Since 1986, the relief program has purchased fans for older adults and adults with disabilities, providing them with a more comfortable living environment and reducing heat-related illnesses.
The program is made possible by donations from Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Dominion Resources and Valassis, and allows regional area agencies on aging and local provider agencies to purchase fans for eligible individuals. Local provider agencies can also purchase a limited number of air conditioners based on a person’s specific health conditions.
Last year, DAAS received $85,500 in donations, allowing for the distribution of 3,240 fans and 26 air conditioners.
As individuals age and develop chronic medical conditions, they are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature, and they may also be taking medications that can worsen the impact of extreme heat. Operation Fan Heat Relief helps vulnerable adults at risk for heat-related illnesses stay safe during the summer.
In addition to applying for fans, people ages 60 and older, as well as adults with disabilities, can take the following steps during high temperatures:
Increase fluid intake
Spend time in cool or air-conditioned environments regularly
Reduce strenuous activity during the afternoon
Speak with their physician before summer about how to stay safe while taking medication that can affect the body’s ability to cool itself (e.g., high blood pressure medications)
For more details, individuals may contact their area agency on aging or the Division of Aging and Adult Services’ housing program consultant at 919.855.3419.
More information about Operation Fan Heat Relief, including tips on preparing for extreme heat and a list of local agencies distributing fans, is available at www.ncdhhs.gov/operation-fan-and-heat-relief.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsresize_0000s_0096_1-1.png.png265504Laura Gabelhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngLaura Gabel2022-05-06 14:20:472022-05-06 14:22:00‘Operation Fan Heat Relief’ Provides Fans To Eligible Elderly, Disabled
Information courtesy of the N.C. Department of Agriculture
N.C. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging equine owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus.
“Mosquito-breeding season in North Carolina lasts from spring until the first frost and horses are at risk if not properly vaccinated,” Troxler said in a press statement issued Tuesday, May 3. “EEE is fatal 90 percent of the time in horses and WNV has a fatality rate of 30 percent,” he said. However, both diseases are preventable by vaccination.
Last year, there were three recorded cases of EEE and two cases of WNV.
State Veterinarian Dr. Mike Martin recommends that equine owners talk to their veterinarians about an effective vaccination protocol to protect horses from mosquito-borne diseases. The combination vaccination initially requires multiple injections for horses, mules and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history.
Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days, so removing any source of standing water can reduce the chance of exposing animals to WNV or EEE. Keeping horses in stalls at night, using insect screens and fans, and turning off lights after dusk can also help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Insect repellents can be effective if used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Symptoms of EEE include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death. Once a horse has been bitten by an infected mosquito, it may take three to 10 days for symptoms to appear.
Symptoms of WNV include fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, impaired vision, head pressing, seizures and aimless wandering.
People, horses and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases, but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the viruses to other horses, birds or people through direct contact.
“It’s also a great time to make sure your animal is current on its rabies vaccination,” Troxler said. “In 2021, seven cases of livestock infected with rabies was reported to our Veterinary Division. Since January we have already had four positive cases in livestock. Most of the cases have been in cows but all livestock are naturally curious animals, which puts them at risk for a bite if a rabid animal gets through their fence line.”
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0088_NC-Department-of-Agriculture-and-Consumer-Services-Logo.jpg.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2022-05-04 12:25:532022-05-04 15:06:22Horse Owners: Protect Your Animals From Mosquito-Borne Diseases
A local woman was arrested late last week on drug charges, according to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance provided by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, executed a search warrant at the residence of Ruby Cooper, 2006 Julia Ave., Henderson. The warrant was served shortly before 6:00 pm.
The warrant, served just before 6 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 29, was issued as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal drug sales in and around the Julia Avenue area, Brame said in a press statement that WIZS News received today (Tuesday).
Cooper, 56, was arrested and faces charges of possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin and cocaine, felony possession of heroin and cocaine and one felony count of maintaining a dwelling which was resorted to by persons both using and selling controlled substances, according to the press statement.
Members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office “located and seized approximately 110 dosage units of heroin, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, approximately 35 dosage units of cocaine base, a Schedule 2 controlled substance and an additional 6.5 grams of cocaine base,” the statement read. Various other items, including money, also were located and seized.
Brame said more arrests are anticipated related to this investigation.
No information was available on whether a bond was set or whether the suspect remains in custody.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/vancesheriff-560x294-1.jpg294560WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2022-05-03 15:42:302022-05-03 15:42:50One Drug Arrest Made In Julia Avenue Investigation On April 29
The Ardagh Group’s Henderson plant will not face a strike of its workers, thanks to an 11th hour deal made during contract negotiations late last week. WIZS received word that the agreement had been reached late Friday, which had been the deadline to approve the new contract.
About 50 people had gathered outside the gates of the Facet Road facility last Wednesday afternoon to show support for plant workers who were awaiting the result of contract negotiations underway between union and company officials.
Prior to the deal being set and a contract signed, workers had been using a contract extension that was a month old. Contracts are negotiated every three years.
Details of the contract were not made available to WIZS News.
During the rally last week, two union members and employees of the plant, which manufactures glass containers, spoke with WIZS’s John C. Rose and said a strike could be a next step if negotiators could not agree on a contract.
Audrey Williams, recording secretary for Local 222M of the United Steel Workers (USW), said the Henderson facility was among more than a dozen glass plants affected by the negotiations taking place in Pennsylvania.
Williams said there are 242 union members at the Henderson plant, and only six employees who are not union members.
Alexander White, Jr. is vice president of the local 222M. He said details of specific demands were not being made public at the time, but indicated union representatives were asking for a wage increase – “a fair contract,” White said. “We’re fighting for fair wages, we’re fighting for fair benefits…our holidays, our insurance,” White said.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ardagh-hend-042722.jpg294560WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2022-05-03 13:46:412022-05-03 18:42:12Local Workers Avoid Strike After Last-Minute Deal To Negotiate New Contract
A superior court judge has signed a consent judgment for a Chapter 19 nuisance abatement for a property on Swain Drive.
After a long history of disturbances, drug violations and numerous calls to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Judge John Dunlow’s judgment was the final step in a civil nuisance abatement case brought by the County of Vance on behalf of the State of North Carolina, according to a press statement late last week from the Department of Public Safety. “Chapter 19 of the North Carolina General Statutes defines ‘nuisance’ activities and provides for a civil remedy to abate such criminal acts and their detrimental impacts on the community,” the statement read.
The property, located at 398 Swain Drive, has been a problem for years, “causing the community to live in fear and constantly draining emergency services and law enforcement resources,” according to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.
“This remedy is a result of an outstanding investigation between Vance County officials, members of the ALE Nuisance Abatement Team and cooperation from the family members who owned this property,” Brame stated in the press release.
The property has been tied up in an estate with multiple heirs. The terms of the consent judgment relinquished the property deed to a family member, who in turn would remove all structures except the brick house. All trash and debris would be removed from the property, and it may never be used for illegal activity again. The judgment ordered the property be vacated by April 1, and anyone on the property would be charged with trespassing.
Sheriff Brame expressed gratitude for the effort and outcome. “I appreciate the cooperation from the property owner as we worked to solve this problem and hope this successful resolution will ensure the community returns to a more peaceful life.”
“The nuisance abatement law provides a solution for citizens living in fear and for problem locations that strain law enforcement resources. These properties reduce the quality of life for community members.” said Scottie Shoaf, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Nuisance Abatement Team. “It was a pleasure to work with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office and members from this community to bring a permanent resolution to this problem and I look forward to the positive changes this judgment will facilitate.”
Think for a moment about how you would answer this question: Would you rather lose 20 pounds of weight or $2,000 of debt?
If your answer is the weight, you’re right in line with most other North Carolinians who responded to a survey from BarBend.com, a world leader in news and information about strength training.
The results show that 54 percent of North Carolinians who took part in the survey said they are more concerned about their “fitness debt” than their financial debt. Financial debt may be an all-too-familiar term to many, but just what is “fitness debt?”
“Fitness debt, or fitness deficit, can be defined as the difference between how much exercise you should be doing and the amount of exercise you actually do on a regular basis,” according to information from BarBend.
“If you’re exercising your body for fewer hours than it needs to function optimally, you have a fitness debt, which can be measured as a percentage. Over time, a fitness deficit can add up and negatively impact one’s health, leading to things like weight gain and increased risk of certain health factors – much like how a poor credit score can affect finances,” the statement continued.
In another study by BarBend, North Carolinians, on average, complete 111.3 hours of training or physical activity each year. That’s less than the CDC recommendation of 130 hours, so North Carolina has an average fitness debt of 18.7 hours per year.
Compare that to the national average of 115.1 hours – fitness debt of 7.3 percent – and North Carolina’s ranks lower than the national average.
So, what can individuals do to lower that fitness debt? Some of the same tactics that we use to reduce financial debt can be adapted to help improve overall fitness.
Those New Years’ resolutions to move more, spend less may have faded into oblivion as we approach the halfway mark of 2022. It helps to be conscious of the number of hours that you are seated during the day – whether it’s behind a desk, watching TV or sitting in front of a computer.
“It may sound innocuous to think about the number of hours per day you are sitting down, but sitting has even been referred to as the ‘new smoking’ based on the number of health issues it can trigger,” according to BarBend.
The only two states with a fitness “credit” are the Dakotas – South Dakota has a fitness credit of 7.3 percent, which means that South Dakotans work out 7.3 hours above the CDC recommendations; North Dakota also had a fitness credit of 3.7 percent.
The state with the overall highest fitness deficit is Wyoming, which had a 35.6 percent deficit – its residents worked out 35.6 fewer hours than the recommended 130 hours.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/we-sit-too-much.jpg294560WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2022-04-29 13:18:552022-04-29 18:52:41Would You Rather Lose 20 Lbs. Or $2K Of Debt?
