Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

Two Arrested On Weapons, Drugs Charges

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Henderson police arrested one man Tuesday who had outstanding warrants in connection with previous offenses and added several weapons and drug charges to the list upon placing him in custody.

Detectives of the Henderson Police Department observed Orlando Khayil Gibbs, 25, in a vehicle at a store located at 601 West Andrews Ave. and “were able to quickly confirm that Gibbs had active warrants for previous committed offenses,” according to a press statement from Chief Marcus Barrow.

There were several other people in the vehicle and police found marijuana and two semi-automatic firearms inside after the occupants were outside the car.While taking Gibbs into custody, Detectives observed marijuana in plain view inside of the vehicle Gibbs was occupying.

As a result, Gibbs was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by convicted felon, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana up to a half ounce.

Gibbs was issued a pre-set $10,000 secured bond and a $360 cash bond for his outstanding order for arrest.

Magistrate Stewart set an an additional $5,000 secured bond for the other charges. He was released upon posting bond.

One of the occupants in the vehicle, Jeremiah Edwards, 18, was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon. He received a $1,000 secured bond and was remanded to Vance County Jail.

Terry Garrison

Rep. Garrison Notes Funding For Local Projects In New State Budget

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The newly approved $27.9 billion budget that Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law this week includes funding for several local projects, according to a press statement from Rep. Terry Garrison, who represents District 32 that comprises Vance, Warren and Granville counties.

  • The City of Henderson will receive $5 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects;
  • Vance County will receive $500,000 for local government projects;
  • Warren County will receive a $6 million grant from the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund.

“I am glad to see this level of funding returning to the district,” Garrison said in the statement. “Water and sewer infrastructure is essential and this money will be well spent by Henderson. I am also excited that Warren County will receive a grant from the Department of Public Instruction to improve our public schools. Investments in education are one of the most important priorities I have.”

TownTalk: Place Names In Franklin And Warren Counties

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Did you ever wonder how some towns, communities or crossroads get their names? For the very curious, there’s always an online search to ferret out tidbits of useful information. Folks in this area, however, have Mark Pace and Bill Harris!

The two local history buffs talked Thursday about how some communities in Franklin and Warren counties came by their unique names like Pokomoke, Alert (say it AY-lert), Wise and Axtell.

Of course, many names are derived from prominent families in the area at the time, like Bunn, Wood and Youngsville.

But naming a town for a prominent athlete who lived near the turn of the 19th century?

The athlete, as it turns out, was a young stallion who shattered the record for 3-year-old trotters back in 1889. His name was Axtell, and there’s a little community in Warren County that bears his name. After he completed the 1-mile race in a blazing 2:12 time, Axtell was sold to a consortium for the “most outrageously expensive price for a horse” at the time – $105,000, Pace said.

There was a period when it was in vogue to give towns names that had a positive spin, and Axtell could have been an example. Wise, Pacific (now Youngsville) and Alert are other examples, he added.

Louisburg, the county seat of Franklin County, was named for the King of France, Louis XVI. If you remember your Revolutionary War history, France was an ally of the Colonies in its fight for independence from British rule.

Warren County is named for Joseph Warren, a physician and Patriot during the early days of the American Revolution. He was killed during the Battle of Bunker Hill. His brutal death at the hands of British soldiers “really fired up the Patriot cause,” Pace said, and, consequently, naming the county in North Carolina serves as a homage. No doubt, had Warren lived, he would have gone on to be one of the great Patriots, alongside the likes of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, Pace said.

It’s probably safe to say that there’s not another place on Earth called Norlina, Pace said. This town at the Vance/Warren border had been a water and coal stop for the Raleigh & Gaston railroad. Norlina was where that rail line came together with Seaboard and “a community quickly developed there,” Pace observed. In 1913, the town of Norlina was incorporated.

But what about the origin of Embro and Bambro?

As for Embro, Pace said he’d done some research on the subject. The Mitchell family, he said, came from Scotland  – Edinburgh, to be precise – and settled in the general area. If you put a Southern twist on the Scottish town, he said, you might just come up with Embro.

And Ridgeway? Pace said that was where the railroad track was laid for the Raleigh & Gaston line – “it was laid along the ridge way,” he said.

 

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VCS Cheerleaders Almost Halfway To Goal Of Marching In Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

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The Vance Charter Cheerleading team is almost halfway to its goal of raising the roughly $70,000 needed to be able to make the trip to New York City to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Head Coach Stacey Long said Thursday that the group has raised about $30,000, which is a great start. There’s a Sept. 1 deadline, though, so any and all donations to the fundraiser effort are welcomed at this time.

The group got the invitation in early May, and Long said to her knowledge, they’re the only cheerleading group in the area ever selected to march in the parade, known for its giant balloons, festive floats and marching bands. The girls will march along the 2.5 mile parade route, then stop and perform at Herald Square in front of Macy’s flagship store.

Over the past few weeks, the cheerleaders have fanned out across Henderson and Oxford, visiting businesses and delivering informational flyers in hopes of drumming up additional donations.

Long said the trip will cost about $3,000 per student, and the fundraiser will cover their costs, but not those of the 11 chaperones that will accompany them.

“We go up five nights before the performance,” Long said, adding that there’s a rigorous schedule that includes sightseeing and maybe even a Thanksgiving meal, all part of the “experience.”

“The girls are pretty excited,” she said. “They are sacrificing not having the holiday with their immediate family,” but an invitation to appear in the parade may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Long said she and assistant coach Shelley Whitehead have worked diligently alongside the cheerleaders to bring the fundraiser to the community’s attention.

If you can help, phone Long at 919.691.3279 or send a message via the Vance Charter Cheer Leading Facebook page.

There are various donation levels, beginning with $2,500 Platinum, $1,500 Gold, $1,000 Silver and $500 Bronze, but donations in any amount will be gratefully accepted.

The best way to make a financial donation is to send a check to the school:

Vance Charter School

Attn: Coach Stacey Long

2090 Ross Mill Rd.

Henderson, NC 27537

TownTalk: Bobby Wilkerson Remembered

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In a world where so much emphasis is placed on outward beauty, there was something a little quirky about Bobby Wilkerson’s long-running campaign. But there were plenty of folks clamoring to be a member of Wilkerson’s group – The “Ugly” League.

Wilkerson died last week at the age of 89. His nephew, Danny Wilkerson, spoke with John C. Rose on TownTalk Wednesday and shared some memories of his Uncle Bobby.

As the self-proclaimed “Mr. Ugly,” Wilkerson went around town handing out membership cards, an act that won him attention and more than a little acclaim.

“He would always talk about the men being ugly,” Danny recalled, chuckling. “He had cards printed up…people would just laugh and joke about it, saying ‘yeah, I got my Ugly card.’”

The membership ranks swelled, but Danny said he didn’t think his uncle ever offended anyone by granting them membership into The Ugly League. “He’d say, ‘if I didn’t like you and love you, I wouldn’t give it to you,’” Danny said.

If you got right down to it, his Uncle Bobby was a “people person and he believed in making people happy,” Danny said.

Throughout his working life, Bobby interacted with many people in the community – he was a dispatcher before the 911 system was established and he also worked at the Henderson Fire Department. Danny said there was a time when he, his Uncle Bobby and Danny’s dad Ranger all worked together at the fire department.

In what Danny called semi-retirement, his Uncle Bobby continued his public service as a magistrate, which Danny said he enjoyed a great deal.

All those years, however, Bobby maintained what today would be known as a “side hustle” – he had a business maintaining fire extinguishers. He would travel around town in vehicle of choice – a red International Scout, laden with fire extinguishers and all the tools of the trade.

Danny remembers helping his uncle when he was still in elementary school. “He made me work hard. I value that time with him – he taught me a lot about life,” Danny recalled.

The last Scout Wilkerson had, Danny said, met its demise on the train tracks beside Falkner Coal Yard just off Garnett Street. Seems the Scout had stalled on the tracks, and a train hit it.

No matter how folks knew him – as a magistrate, owner of a fire extinguisher business, founder of the Ugly League, there’s little doubt that he was well-loved.

“He was a gift from God to us all,” his nephew said.

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GEF’s 7th annual Pig ‘n A Raffle Fundraiser Aug. 8

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-Information courtesy of Granville Education Foundation

 

In partnership with event sponsors, the Granville Education Foundation is hosting the 7th Annual Pig ‘n a Raffle Dinner and Raffle fundraiser on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company in downtown Oxford.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each and include a catered meal by Tobacco Wood Brewing Company, 2 beverage  tickets (a cash bar will be available), and entry into a raffle with the chance to win more than 40 items, each valued at least  $100. Tickets can be purchased from any GEF board member.

“We are looking forward to another exciting raffle event this year. There are a lot of great items – cash prizes and gift cards, Adirondack chair and table (given by Guy Breedlove), a week stay in Clarksville valued at $2,400 (given by Buck & Scotti Moore), beauty baskets, weekend getaways, and items for backyard fun – just to name  a few. Check out our Facebook page for a full list of items. This list will be continuously updated until the event” said GEF Executive Director Jennifer Cufalo Carpenter. “As a unique feature of Pig ‘n a Raffle- if you are unable to attend, you can still support the event by purchasing raffle tickets – you do not have to be present to win.  There is also the option of purchasing additional raffle tickets for $50 each, to increase your chances of winning,”  according to GEF President Dr. Linda Frederickson.

“This event is a great way to gather with others from the community, enjoy a great meal, and have the added benefit of possibly winning some really great items. It’s a casual, fun way to spend a Monday evening,” said GEF Vice President, the Hon. Caroline Burnette.

Special thanks to our 2022 Event Sponsors: Whitco Termite & Pest Control, The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford and Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.

For more information on how to support, please contact the Granville Education Foundation at 919.693.7047 or  GranvilleEdFoundation@outlook.com.

The Granville Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing student performance. Funds raised through the Granville Education Foundation are used to provide resources and enrichment programs for the students of Granville County Schools. Visit www.GranvilleEdFoundation.org to learn more.

 

Warren County Extension To Offer Certification For Cattle Producers

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The Warren County Cooperative Extension is offering a Beef Quality Assurance training for cattle producers on Aug. 16, beginning at 9 a.m.

Registration is required. Interested individuals can contact Warren County ag agent Matthew Place at 252.257.3640 with questions. For members of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association, the registration fee is $15; the cost for non-members is $40.

According to information at bqa.org,  the Beef Quality Assurance is a nationally coordinated, state implemented program that provides systematic information to U.S. beef producers and beef consumers that combines “common sense husbandry techniques with accepted scientific knowledge to raise cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions.”

BQA programs have evolved to include best practices around good record keeping and protecting herd health, which can result in more profits for producers.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bqa-certification-tickets-383613437117

 

Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • Make your fall garden plan on paper, start purchasing seed, fertilizer etc.
  • Prune water sprouts and trunk sprouts off of fruit trees and ornamental trees. This is more efficient than waiting until Feb.
  • With summer storms your garden can flood open ends of rows to let water drain out.
  • Blossom end rot is not confined to tomatoes. It can occur on squash and melons as well!
  • Continue your fruit spray program. Be mindful of the harvest interval before you spray i especially if you think you will harvest fruit soon.
  • Preserve herbs for future use by hanging in a cool, dark, low humidity location.
  • Use trash bags to help keep deer out of your garden, electric fence is best.
  • Weed weekly! Stay on top of weeds by planning about 5 minutes per bed per week.
  • If you have excess vegetables, give some to a neighbor or friend who can’t grow a garden.
  • Protect your eyes with impact resistant lenses.
  • Never refuel a hot mower and wait at least 15 minutes before refueling.

 

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Chamber Leaders Share Concerns With City Council

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It was standing room only during at least a portion of Monday evening’s Henderson City Council meeting, thanks in large part to a contingent of local business owners present as Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Ronald Bennett presented council and city leaders a letter outlining concerns for the city and the negative impact that “tolerance of criminal and undesirable behavior” could pose for the future.

Bennett addressed the mayor, council members and other city staff Monday evening as he formally presented the letter, endorsed by 21 community business leaders named at the close of the document. In what he described as a “call to action,” Bennett said he hoped for an alignment between business and city leaders to address the issues of violence and crime that has been plaguing Henderson. He specifically mentioned the exchange of gunfire that occurred at an Andrews Avenue business over Memorial Day weekend.

“In the following weeks, many members of the business community began talking with each other on how the increase in local violence would impact our business growth, and how it would affect our already struggling recruitment of workforce personnel and the future growth of our Henderson and Vance County economic development efforts,” Bennett explained.

A group of about 20 business leaders formed a Business Roundtable and have met twice in recent weeks, resulting in identification of five focus areas:

  • Neighborhood and Business Code Enforcement
  • Drugs and Crime
  • City Messaging
  • Business Friendly
  • Promoting Churches, Goodwills and Non-Profits

In an email response to questions from WIZS News, City Manager Terrell Blackmon said Tuesday that overall, the letter was well received, but some members felt that more could’ve been done initially to meet with or at least include council members and staff in the dialogue before sending it.

“Conversations were very constructive after the meeting and the consensus by both sides is that we can better address these issues by working together,” Blackmon said.

“I firmly believe as city officials that we should be held accountable and that citizens have the right to ask questions of their government,” Blackmon continued.

“However, some feedback is difficult to digest when fingers are pointed and assertions made with no full understanding of some policies and how they are administered and/or enforced.  The requests made by the group were not totally unreasonable and the city has already addressed or has begun addressing many of their concerns,” he continued, adding that he and Mayor Eddie Ellington had shared some of the updates and issues of concern at the Chamber’s recent “State of the City” event.

“Many of the speakers admitted to being absent, but now see the need for more citizen involvement and accountability from government,” Blackmon said. “We need the community to not only bring us problems, but also help us identify solutions.  The city will respond by meeting with these business leaders and hopefully developing a task force that can assist the city with developing solutions to the issues mentioned in the Chamber letter,” he said.

Chamber President Michele Burgess was present at Monday’s meeting and told WIZS News Tuesday said she thought things went “great.” During the recent “State of the City” event sponsored by the Chamber and the Henderson Rotary Club, the mayor and city manager had commented on the need for business involvement, Burgess said. “Last night, most of the speakers said that they would help, now we have to find out way we can all be involved,” she said.

Mayor Ellington, however, expressed disappointment during the meeting about the context behind the letter, according to City Clerk Esther McCrackin, who is responsible for taking minutes at the council meetings.

“He said it’s easy to criticize, condemn and complain but he hasn’t seen most of those in attendance ever present at a City Council meeting before,” McCrackin wrote in a statement Tuesday afternoon on Ellington’s behalf.

Council member Melissa Elliott’s perspective focused on the positives. In a written statement to WIZS, Elliott said she sees nothing but opportunities. She said those who spoke at the meeting, as well as the others who signed the letter, stated “they wanted to help so as I see it, it could be a phenomenal partnership between public and private sector to help our community, help our citizens have a better place to live, work and play. We can always be better and doing it together makes it much easier… no one entity can change this community alone,” Elliott said.

Brian Boyd was one of those who spoke during Monday evening’s meeting. He told WIZS News Tuesday afternoon that “Henderson is at a place in time where the decision has to be made to either defend the current state of things that are detrimental to our community, or defeat them. The challenges are real and can only be overcome with strength through unity identifying the real root of the problems, and no longer exhausting our resources on byproducts and symptoms caused by the main problem.”

He praised the council members for the way they “lead with heart, compassion and care” for the citizens they serve.

It isn’t enough to simply point out problems and expect others to fix them. “The next step was to show up and clearly state that this mission is not intended to be acted on alone, but with the engagement and cooperation of the citizens and businesses of the community,” Boyd said.

“Engagement from the community has now presented itself as a necessary ingredient to the recipe.  There is great hope here and it is because of the true love that we have for Henderson,” he added.

Newly sworn in council member Lamont Noel reserved comment on the letter, saying that he would like to have a chance to discuss with his fellow council members. Noel did tell WIZS that he was “glad to see others wanting to get involved.”

Council member Garry Daeke said Tuesday that he believed the individuals who submitted the letter “are sincere about the issues and say they want to support our efforts. It will take community to solve most issues, so this should be a great collaborative start.”

For Council member Sara Coffey, however, the contents of the letter sound familiar. “They basically are asking us for the same thing we’ve been asking them for years,” she told WIZS News Tuesday, especially with regard to code enforcement and substandard rental houses.

“We’re willing to work with the landlords, willing to work with any of the people who came before us last night,” Coffey said in a phone conversation Tuesday. “What they’re stating in the letter is a fact that we all know: that crime is bad, housing is bad. But we’ve been working on that for years.”

She said the letter is requesting action on issues that council members also have asked for. “They state the part (about) violence and the disrepair in the (city’s) homes,” Coffey said. “To me, that’s something that’s been obvious for years. And it’s also something the council has worked on for years. It’s been the same problems. We’ve worked and worked to try to eradicate guns, which we’re doing every day. But more are being brought in.”

Although she was somewhat critical of the group for being late coming to the council with the concerns, she said she was glad the group addressed council “because what they’re asking for is the same thing we’ve been asking for for years from them – the “them” being landlords.

“We want the houses where the people can live in them comfortably…we don’t want them put out of houses if they file a complaint. We just want them to fix up their houses. If they rent to tenants here in the city, then make the houses liveable,” Coffey continued.

During Monday’s meeting, Ellington noted that the city’s $1.5 million investment in two redevelopment areas, along with the upcoming Unified Development Ordinance are two positive steps in the right direction for the city. He encouraged all leaders and others present to participate and return to City Council meetings, board and committee meetings and concluded his remarks by challenging each and every one to do their part, reminding them that “tomorrow begins today.”

See below a cut and paste of entire letter.

July 5, 2022

Henderson Mayor and City Council Members
City of Henderson
P.O. Box 1434
Henderson, North Carolina 27536

Dear Honorable Mayor Ellington and Members of the Henderson City Council:

Goodwill and order in a community is achieved through the fair and consistent administration of laws and ordinances by elected leaders and appointed officials. When unlawful activities, behaviors, and violations of city codes are tolerated without penalty, and these violations overwhelm our current systems, the community suffers.

Thrive becomes Survive
Affordable becomes Deplorable
Contribution becomes Consumption
Appealing become Appalling

If we, the community of local citizens and businesses, have remained silent for too long, please forgive our absence. We believe that Henderson has earned an undesirable and unhealthy reputation of being an unsafe place to live or visit. If we continue to appear that we have tolerance of criminal and undesirable behavior, our city’s future is somber. We can no longer afford to rely solely on the hope that things will just get better on their own. It is time for concerned citizens, business leaders, elected leaders, and appointed officials to align by acknowledging the following points:

1. Neighborhood and Business Code Enforcement – The lack of enforcement of our written codes has led to the significant decline in the appeal and safety of neighborhoods and the central business district. These unsightly areas are now growing to become main focal points around the city, with the safety and quality of structures being extremely compromised. The vegetation overgrowth, substandard living conditions, junk that is being allowed to remain, abandoned homes that remain in deplorable condition, have all created an environment of oppressed poverty and crime. We believe it sends the wrong message that our city is content with status quo and we do not care enough to make improvements.

2. Drugs and Crime – The continuing violence and crime creates a perception that Henderson is not a safe place to move to or locate a business. To some outsiders, Henderson is now considered to be a business friendly city, but unfortunately, to only one type business, and that type being the illegal drug dealer business. Many neighborhoods are at a level of severe poverty and blight and the local justice system has proven itself to offer slow-to-no enforcement of penalties, thus creating a perfect illegal drug business culture. If this continues, we fear businesses and jobs will flee, or just stay away. This type of community will only take and consume from the next generation that has to survive within it. We must work together to stop this downward spiral of rampant drug use and criminal behavior within our community.

3. City Messaging – It is important for city officials and law enforcement to take immediate action identifying the neighborhood streets with suspected drug houses, abandoned house hang-outs and gang activity, and then add a police presence to protect lawful citizens living there. Placing an immediate priority on, (1) holding the current property owners accountable for not meeting the housing codes and (2) taking immediate steps to condemning those houses where drug deals are being made, is the only fair and law-abiding action. Please research and use creative measures that allow you to take immediate action. Our community cannot tolerate a year-long wait to go through the long, red-tape processes of doing so, as it compromises accountability and promotes negligence. We encourage you to take a bold stance with a consistent message: “This activity will not be tolerated and those that act in this manner will face immediate consequences. Henderson will be a clean and safe community for all who live, work, visit and shop here!”

4. Business Friendly – In order to grow our local economy, we need an efficient system in place for developers beginning the process of starting a business, renovating an existing building, or finding an appealing location to purchase property. Attracting employers, services, and goods to Henderson are integral to creating a vibrant and strong community where citizens can thrive. There are several issues of code, process, and communication hindering progress in this area. Those who want to invest need to know the city departments, city-required processes, and needed permitting up front. Having clear and concise city regulations as a guide, rather than a guard, is the best way to make sure we have a community open for solid, quality-of-life contributing businesses. Also, having a streamlined system in place ensuring equal enforcement of code and compliance standards for existing businesses and structures, and for new start-ups is essential.

5. Promoting Healthy Churches, Civic Organizations, and Non-Profits – There are already many active organizations providing help and hope to Henderson citizens, above and beyond what government is doing. These organizations are local and made possible because of the generous, volunteer spirit of neighbors, caregivers, and people who love this city. These are resources that do not get put into a city budget because they are supported through the time and investments of their volunteers. This type of collective impact is a model of problem-solving which involves different entities (both governmental and non-governmental) working to address a specific social problem. Identifying and promoting these organizations are crucial to a healthy and growing community.

We are grateful to all city staff members for the quality work and service they provide daily. In order for a vibrant and thriving community to exist, we must rely on the City Manager and the City Department Heads to oversee the diligent enforcement of the established laws, codes, and ordinances, many at dangerous and critical levels. In this way, we are a contributing society rather than a consuming one.

We hope you receive this message with a renewed sense of purpose, urgency, and focus. We must address the violence along with the multitude of underlying factors to move from the mode of survive to thrive.

We want to work with you to transform our city into one that will effectively Thrive, Appeal, Afford, Contribute, and Educate. Together we can begin now with a renewed sense of action to address these challenges faced by our community. Please accept these requests willingly and with the knowledge that our community will respond with encouragement, support, and active participation.

Sincerely,

Concerned Business and Community Leaders in Henderson and Vance County

Gerson Morales Argueta
Ronald Bennett
Brandon Boyd
Brian Boyd
Charles Boyd
Mary Boyd
Michele Burgess
Greg Etheridge
Dicky Flye
Faye Guin
Heather Hodge
Stephanie Hoyle
Angie Jacobs
Amanda Pearson
Tommy Roberson
Cliff Rogers
Dr. Abidan Shah
Curtis White
Margier White
Sandra Wilkerson
Michelle Wood