Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

VCHS Junior Selected For 2023 Governor’s School

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Vance County High School junior Thuy Nguyen will represent Vance County at the 60th annual N.C. Governor’s School, a prestigious summer program that provides a unique enrichment experience for rising high school seniors from across the state.

Nguyen has been selected to participate in the four-week summer residential program, according to information from VCS Director of Communication & Marketing Aarika Sandlin.

This year, 650 students were selected by a state committee named by the State Board of Education and NC Department of Public Instruction. There are two Governor’s School locations –  one at Meredith College in Raleigh and the second at Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem.

During the monthlong program, students attend classes that integrate their selected discipline – which includes English, Spanish, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science, Art, Choral Music, Instrumental Music, Dance and Theater – as well as other courses that encourage them to explore and ask questions.

The 2023 session is June 18 – July 15, 2023.

Learn more about Governor’s School at https://www.dpi.nc.gov/students-families/enhanced-opportunities/north-carolina-governors-school

Gateway CDC April 12 “Social” Is A Time To Celebrate, Envision Henderson’s Future

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Any type of social gathering is likely to create opportunities for folks to take part in conversations on a variety of topics and to share their unique and collective perspectives. Heather Joi Kenney, president and CEO of Gateway CDC in Henderson, wants the entire community to come out to an informal “social” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12.

Southern Charm Event Venue, 200 S. Garnett St., is the gathering spot, and Kenney said the event is open to all in the community. In fact, there needs to be a good representation from the community, she said, to hear a variety of perspectives about what’s working well and what could use improvement.

On a recent TownTalk segment, Kenney said it’s good to hear what’s great about a community, but it’s also important to know what’s not so great. The April 12 gathering is a time to celebrate and imagine the bright future that awaits Henderson.

Surely one of the positive points within the community include events that take place in and around the Breckenridge Street area, bordered by Perry Memorial Library, McGregor Hall and the police department.

Attendees to the April 12 event who come early and sign in will get a $5 coupon to use at the Soulbachi food truck, which will be parked nearby on Breckenridge from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Kenney is a real “glass half full” person, and she and her organization are interested in revitalization – of properties, of mindsets, of attitudes – that have a real impact on Henderson and its future.

“The Henderson Vision” is one tangible facet of this revitalization. Established through $25,000 in grant funds from Duke Energy’s Hometown Revitalization program, Gateway was able to help downtown businesses with microgrants to pay for façade improvements, as well as some interior renovations, Kenney said.

 

That money has been spent, but she expects more money will be coming in, through grantors like Duke Energy, but also from local government support and from collaboration with other community partners.

Downtown revitalization has been a recent focus, but Kenney said it’s important to include areas near the city’s heart as well – William Street, Chestnut Street, as well as areas like Flint Hill and West End.

“We are working to raise some more funds so we can help additional businesses,” she said.

Kenney challenged city and county officials – as well as absentee landlords – to step up to show support for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

American Legion Post 60 Plans April 21 Chicken Plate Fundraiser

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The Henderson American Legion Post 60 will have a chicken plate fundraiser on Friday, April 21.

Pickup is from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the Post 60 Building, located at the corner of Garnett and Spring streets in Henderson.

Plates are $10 and include grilled chicken, boiled potatoes, green beans, bread, dessert and barbecue sauce.

Orders of 10 or more plates can be delivered, according to Post Commander Ted Grissom. Tickets are available from any Post 60 member or by calling Grissom at 757.968.6346, post Historian Edward Woodlief at 252.767.4044, or Andy Roberson at 252.432.2432.

The local post supports veterans and their families, as well as the community. Grissom welcomes veterans from any branch of military service to attend monthly meetings at Post 60 held the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

SportsTalk: Mize Leads The Fun In Fungo Baseball

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Brad Mize, the son of the late Howard and Lisa Mize of Oxford and former student at J.F. Webb in Oxford, certainly has his hands full.  He is an assistant baseball coach at Heritage High School in Wake Forest and the General Manager for Wake Forest’s Fungo Baseball team which will begin its season on May 27th.  Fungo features college players from a variety of colleges including UNCW, UNCG, College of Charleston, Hofstra, Elon, Mt. Olive, Louisburg and more.

“Between June 2nd and July 28th we will play fifty games,” Mize said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  That’s a lot of baseball.  The team plays in Flaherty Park in Wake Forest and Mize said it’s a great fun atmosphere and cheaper than seeing the Mudcats or the Bulls play.  “Tickets are only $7 and kids under 12 get in free,” Mize said.  Special events are scheduled throughout the season like Thirsty Thursday, Hometown Heroes honoring local police and fire departments and the Centennial Weekend June 23rd through June 25th celebrating 100 years of baseball in Wake Forest.

It’s not all about baseball for Mize as part of his job is helping players find housing for two months.  “We are blessed to have local families that support us and take in players during the season,” Mize explained.

The first game for Fungo is an away game on May 27th.

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The Local Skinny! Granville License Plate Agency To Open

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The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles will open a new license plate agency on April 11 in Granville County. That’s the good news – but wait, there’s more!

The agency will be located at 120 Roxboro Rd. in Oxford, which is the same location as the previous office, according to information from NC Department of Transportation spokesperson John Brockwell.

Linda Jordon is the new owner/operator. The office will be open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, except on state holidays.

Granville County residents have been without a license plate agency since November 2022.

The NCDMV oversees the 127 license plate agencies across the state, but the offices are actually run and managed by private businesses or local governments.

In addition to license plate renewals, the local agencies offer vehicle registration services and title transactions, replacement tags, handicap placards and duplicate registrations.

Services including property tax payments and registration renewals can also be completed online at www.MyNCDMV.gov.

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The Local Skinny! Reflecting On The Chamber Banquet

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Commentary: There is more going on in this speech than just the business portion that’s on the surface.  And while it’s about business and was offered in a business setting and in a business context and does in and of itself have deeper business significance than just what is on the service, is this message not also about life itself?  Should each person everywhere not hear it?  Listen in and decide for yourself.

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2023 Chamber board chair Bert Long, of HG Reynolds, spoke at the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce annual membership meeting and banquet on Thursday, March 30, 2023 and said each chamber year has a theme. He spent some time pondering to help come up with this year’s theme, naming 2023 “A Year of Collaboration.”

The idea is to propel the business community forward, work together or cooperate.

Long said, “In the current environment, working together can go a long way. We need conflict, but hear me out. We need healthy conflict. We must have conversation and spend time to understand each other, and we can’t learn and grow without it.”

“How,” he asked. “It starts by listening. Sometimes business leadership is looked to for answers, but there also needs to be respect. Once we listen, we must respond in a respectful manner. The tone is important.”

Rather than saying “Yes, but…” Long said, “What if we could say ‘yes and.’”

That could make a difference because as Long noted, everyone has a unique perspective but may need to put themselves in the other person’s shoes because that person has also had defining experiences and perspective as well.

We must work at it, he said, and celebrate the success of others.

Long concluded, “Take some time to connect. Explore how you can collaborate. It could be with someone in this very room.”

TownTalk: Happy Easter

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WIZS Radio wishes everyone a Happy Easter!

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TownTalk: NARCAN The Subject Of Public Safety Committee Meeting

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The Public Safety Committee of the City of Henderson met Wednesday to discuss several topics including planning for how to spend money coming the city’s way from the second wave of the national opioid settlement.

Sara Coffey chairs the committee, which includes Melissa Elliott, Lamont Noel and Jason Spriggs. They were joined by City Manager Terrell Blackmon and assistant manager Paylor Spruill to discuss possible uses for the money, which is expected to be about $166,000. The city of Henderson got more than $200,000 in the first wave of the opioid settlement.

The city is one on only a handful of municipalities to get an appropriation – the bulk of the $600 million of North Carolina’s second-wave allotment goes to counties – Blackmon said.

And the money is supposed to be spent on treatment for those with opioid addiction, he noted.

One form of treatment is administration of NARCAN, which reverses the overdose effect of opioids. It’s a nasal spray and is fairly simple to administer.

Perhaps some of the funds – which the city will receive over the course of time and not in a lump sum – could be used to purchase NARCAN and have it available for use by police officers, first responders and even in schools.

This approach would satisfy the requirement that the money be used in ways that help people affected by opioids. Spruill said in the meeting that an over-the-counter form will be available soon.

The medicine causes no harm if administered to someone who isn’t in an opioid crisis, but it can be life-saving if administered to someone who is overdosing.

Coffey said she would hope the money would be used to help prevent more opioid issues in the community; she said first responders and the hospital deal with overdoses every single day.

This topic is on the agenda for the April 10 City Council meeting.

 

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SportsTalk: Local AD’s Preparing For Playoffs

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The life of an athletic director at any level can be busy.  This time of year not only are there sporting activities, but there are proms, graduation and other end of school year events taking place to add to the load ADs face. Both Ray Noel at Vance County High School and George Hoyle Jr. at Thales Academy certainly have full plates.

Noel says the Vance County Vipers are about at the halfway point for baseball, softball and soccer.  Playoffs for baseball and soccer will begin in the first week of May with soccer following in the second week of May.  The baseball and softball teams are coming off wins against Granville Central and the girl’s soccer team, which is described as young by Noel, has now started to win some games with two conference victories under their belt.

The baseball team is down a player at the moment according to Noel.  “Chris Jones is in California for an All-Star Football game,” Noel said.  Jones, a star on the Viper’s football team, is also a big part of the baseball team as well. Noel also said the Isman Alston Jr., another Vipers football standout, has just signed with St. Augustine.  He also plays on the baseball team.

Over at Thales Academy in Rolesville, Henderson’s George Hoyle Jr. is the athletic director, and he is as busy as Noel. He also has a young soccer team with only one senior and a tough non-conference schedule has now resulted in a couple of conference wins, with the team having won its last two games.  His softball team is in the same position, young but improving with a 3-5 record. Varsity baseball is definitely on the upward track at Thales as they are now 6-3.  Thales’ is set to be good for the foreseeable future as well. “Our middle school talent is ridiculous,” Hoyle said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  The school, which started in 2007, has shown tremendous growth as they are now a 3A school and could soon be a 4A.

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