Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

TownTalk: H-V Chamber Kicks Off 2026 Programs, Events

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When it comes to supporting local business and industry, folks would be hard-pressed to find an organization around here that does a better job of promoting all the positives right here in Henderson and Vance County than the Chamber of Commerce.

And the way Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson sees it, a major role of the Chamber is to accentuate the positive while creating lasting connections that strengthen the community.

“We’re motivators,” Wilkerson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. Chamber members are encouraged to get involved in the community and form those partnerships with others that serve to make everyone better.

“The networking, the people that you meet are going to help you,” she said. “It’s about partnership.”

Leading by example, Wilkerson said the Chamber has teamed up with Vance County Tourism to bring Miss North Carolina 2025 Sophia Kellstrom as the featured speaker at the Jan. 28 Women in Business luncheon.

Registration for the event is $20 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members; call the Chamber office (252.438.8414) and register with Vanessa Jones no later than Jan. 23. The luncheon begins at 12 noon at the Henderson Country Club.

And men, don’t let the “Women in Business” title scare you away – Wilkerson invites you, too!

“We are kicking the New Year off right,” she said of Kellstrom’s visit to Henderson.

“I am thrilled that this young lady has granted us this opportunity to sit down with us and engage,” she continued.

In addition to being crowned Miss North Carolina 2025, Kellstrom founded “Pennies from Heaven” when she was just 8 years old to fight food insecurity among children and is the author of “Sophie the Superhero” a children’s book that encourages kindness and helping others.

Whether it’s presenting events like Women in Business or any number of other events from ribbon-cuttings to Shop With A Cop And Friends, Wilkerson said she and the Chamber staff are grateful and appreciative of the Chamber Board of Directors for the support they provide throughout the year.

Outgoing Board Chair Scott Burwell passes the torch to Dr. Abidan Shah of Clearview Church and Wilkerson said she looks forward to his leadership role.

The new board chair picks out a theme to weave into his or her term, and she’s eager to hear what this year’s theme will be. Whatever the focus, rest assured that it will include a lot of red, white and blue as a nod to the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.

Another popular program in the community is Leadership Vance, now in its 35th year. This program isn’t just for newcomers to the area, Wilkerson said. Lifelong residents who have completed the class have commented about how much they learned during the seven-month long class. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 27. Find the application and an information brochure on the Chamber website https://www.hendersonvance.org/

“This is one of my favorite things,” Wilkerson said, noting that the selection process has become a bit more competitive. With a cap of 18 participants, the selection committee has an increasingly difficult time each year. And it is a pretty big time commitment for participants – a couple of sessions each month that have the class touring businesses, schools and learning about the county’s history, government and more.

“It’s so much that we introduce you to and make connections,” she said. Two recent Leadership Vance graduates – Sam Seifert and Kenia Gómez-Jimenez – serve on the Henderson City Council.

Leadership Vance can claim at least a small part in their decisions to run for political office, but Wilkerson said the program helps participants see and understand the community and how they can contribute – whether it’s running for a seat in local government or simply knowing where available resources are.

“We have so much positive in this community,” Wilkerson said. “We tend to talk about the negative,” but the goal, she said, is “to go out and spread positivity. That’s the whole thing that we try to do…and it’s working.”

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Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Vance-Warren Beekeepers Association will meet on Monday, January 12th, 2026 from 7pm-9pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Start your 2026 Garden Journal.
  • Write down garden goals for 2026.
  • Inventory your seed supply. Discard seeds 3 years or older.
  • Continue to plant trees and shrubs.
  • Consider constructing a small greenhouse or coldframe.
  • Order seed after you have completed your seed inventory.
  • Get your piedmont planting guide now.
  • Check pruning equipment. Sharpen, repair, or even replace them.
  • Soil sample now to improve your 2026 garden.
  • Remember to use the proper personal protective equipment when doing winter chores.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension Building is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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TownTalk: Commissioners Discuss Detention Center Updates, Fiscal Policy Adoption, ABC Expansion

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved a budget amendment Monday that will continue covering expenses for detainees held in jails outside the county and other costs stemming from challenges associated with the current state of the detention facility.

Sheriff Curtis Brame and detention center co-administrator Capt. Shannon Hawley appeared before commissioners at the regular monthly meeting to request that funding continue as the county makes decisions about repairs to the existing jail while making plans to construct a new facility.

In the spring of 2025, the state declared that the jail be depopulated – between the physical condition of the jail itself and a staffing shortage, the maximum number of detainees was slashed from more than 100 to 20.

Since that time, with improvements, repairs and better staffing, the jail houses 45 detainees. But there are 100 or more who should be housed locally but are farmed out to other jails willing to take them. That comes at a cost to the county, however.

“The county has invested an inordinate amount of money…a ridiculous amount of money,” Hawley said, but it’s necessary.

“We ask that we continue to fund housing our inmates outside the facility until a new facility can be built,” he added.

Brame said his staff is “scrambling…hurting each and every day,” adding that he worries about the safety of his officers working at the jail, as well as the safety of the detainees.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said the county has spent roughly $1.2 million since April, including $732,000 in emergency pay and $324,000 in repairs to the jail.

Commissioner Dan Brummitt said he’d visited the jail recently and sees “substantial” improvements but added there’s a long way to go. The electronic doors do not work, for example, creating a risk to personnel and to detainees.

“These are things that have got to be done…(we) don’t have a choice,” Brummitt said.

The repairs are projected to be completed in November 2026, Perry said, but noted that the jail capacity would only be 90. The problem will persist, she said, until there is a new facility.

Commissioners also approved a spending cap of $2.93 million to complete the repairs to the existing jail facility as part of the design-build concept being used to bring the jail up to speed as it moves forward with plans for new construction.

The approval places a cap on spending for the renovation/repair portion of the project at $2,938,278.

Commissioners also approved a plan submitted by the local ABC Board to remodel and expand the ABC store on Beckford Drive.

ABC Board Chair Jerry Stainback said the expansion could take up to one year to complete, but he anticipates being able to pay off any financial obligation quickly.

In 2007, when the current store was approved, the ABC Board was able to pay off the note four years early.

The plan calls for a 4,500 square-foot expansion of the current store. “We can’t pay for it all in a year, but we can get it paid in significantly less than 10 years,” Stainback predicted. He said the store does $6 million in sales each year.

Commissioners also approved an updated fiscal operations policy, which had been brought before commissioners at an earlier meeting. Commissioner Tommy Hester made the motion to approve the policy. Commissioner Brummitt voted against.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Great Events To Kick Off 2026 At Perry Memorial Library

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The holiday decorations are down, the kids are back in school and winter programming at Perry Memorial Library is returning to full swing. Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters and staff welcome patrons of all ages to the library for some social interaction and literacy fun.

Mother Goose Storytime fans can return Thursday morning, Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. Later that afternoon, kids can enjoy Lego Fun from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. One scheduling note is the Thursday afternoon story time, Peters said. She is pushing the start time back to 4:30 p.m., which she hopes will be a friendlier time for families with children.

Speaking of fun, Fun Fridays launch this Friday, Jan. 9.

Baby Rave runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the youngest kiddos, 0-2. There’ll be dancing and movement to music, complete with party lights and bubbles, Peters said.

The morning morphs into Parachute Play at 11:30 a.m. for a half hour of games and songs for children ages 3-5.

Fridays are busy at the library, with the Home School Social Hour cranking back up at 1 p.m.

This program helps connect homeschooling families – adults and children alike – allowing them to meet new people while they get together to share resources and other areas of interest.

Peters said she hears from homeschooling families routinely who want to find ways to connect with others. “If you’re new to the area, you may not know others nearby,” she said.

  • Pajama Story Time is another favorite for families who may not have time during the day because of work or school commitments.

It’s a short program, just 30 minutes or so, but Peters said it’s all about parents and children engaging in the story together.

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and continues on Jan. 13, Feb. 3, Mar. 3 and April 7.

  • Teddy Bear Storytime kicks off the new program year on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 3:30 p.m.
  • Drop off your favorite stuffed animal or “lovey” at the library between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23 to take part in the “Teddy Bear Sleepover,” Peters said. Kids often ask what happens at the library at night, she said. “The animals take over the library, and we get to see the fun that they have,” she added. Lovey pickup is on Sunday, Jan. 25 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Check out all the library’s programs and activities at https://www.perrylibrary.org.

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Cooperative Extension with Michael Ellington: Farmers, Landowners, and Pesticide Applicator License Holders

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Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:

We’re starting the year with a lot of reminders of upcoming programs for farmers, landowners, and pesticide applicator license holders.
Tobacco Production and GAP Meeting – go.ncsu.edu/uppermiddlebeltgap2026
Grain Production Meeting – https://go.ncsu.edu/nepiedmont2026
Pesticide V Credits – https://go.ncsu.edu/vcredits

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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TownTalk: SPARK Program Ignites Passion and Creativity at VCS

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The first-ever SPARK NC student tech showcase at Vance County Schools’ Center for Innovation provided a glimpse into what’s been going on in the world of coding, AI training and high-tech learning over the past few years.

Community leaders, business owners and others gathered before the holiday break to see students demonstrate their projects, which included low-tech materials like Play-Doh and screwdrivers paired with computer code, joysticks and AI to produce creative sights and sounds.

As VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett noted in her welcome to the showcase event, this type of hands-on creativity is what will fuel the next generation of careers. SPARK students will have an advantage in the “real world” because of the work they’re doing now. It’s work that looks an awful lot like fun.

It’s been three years since the SPARK lab was established in Vance County, one of the first 17 school districts to give this type of learning a whirl. Vance County is the first district, however, to offer this opportunity during the regular school day. Students come by bus to the lab for an elective class, but they can earn honor cords for graduation through their work with SPARK.

The students demonstrated their projects during a half hour or so of the afternoon’s activities. Davonte Yancey wrote code that he used to identify flowers based off a picture. “It’s trained off of images, and we tell it that these are all tulips, these are all orchids,” Yancey explained. “So when it sees something that it doesn’t know, it tells you the probability of what it could be.”

Kaylee Morgan made a piano that makes music “by conducting energy from you to the computer…the energy makes the device work,” Morgan explained. With the sounds of a computer-generated piano in the background, Morgan shared what she likes about the SPARK elective. “My favorite part was learning how all this works, and I find everything really interesting, especially training AI,” she said.

She trained the AI “to identify an object I hold up in front of the camera. I create 14 images without the object then I create the image with the object and then I train the AI,” she explained. “When I hold the object up, (in this case, a beverage container) it says 100 percent ‘drink’, but when I move it away, it says 100 percent ‘no drink.’”

Student Okito Sleugh used his curiosity about the use – and overuse – of Instagram to create a prototype app that could help reduce stress, anxiety, depression and cyberbullying through the app.

Following extensive research on Instagram, including examination of product reviews and observing peers as they interact with the wildly popular app, Sleugh created Instagram Safe Mode.

Not only does it “automatically block any bullying on the app, but it also shows break reminders, and you can also limit the amount of scrolls so you just don’t go scrolling for ever and ever all day,” Sleugh said. “This would make it safer for younger users and also just make it a healthier experience overall.”

Talk about real-world applications.

And it’s all being done in a SPARK NC lab in the Vance County Schools’ Center for Innovation.

Students in the SPARK elective are participating in Level 1, but VCS Chief Officer of Instruction and Innovation Dr. Destiny Ross-Putney said the next level is in the works.

Ross-Putney has been involved from the beginning, and she said the school district definitely took a risk when deciding to put SPARK in place.

“We didn’t know what it was going to look like,” she said. “We didn’t know if the kids were going to earn their credit in that first semester.”

Turns out, more than 70 percent of the students did earn that elective credit, which involved them taking a bit of a risk, too.

Unlike traditional high school classes, the SPARK classes involve “stackable modules” that allow students to try out a particular topic and then switch after a couple of weeks if they’re not interested.

Once they have successfully completed eight of these modules, they earn the elective credit.

“We needed something that looks different from what traditional school looked like,” Ross-Putney said. “We needed them to be able to get in there, get their hands in it, learn it very quickly, to see if they like it and then have the ability to leave if they weren’t interested…because that’s how the real world is…that’s how it is when they’re exploring careers.”

Aarika Sandlin, VCS Chief Officer of Communication & Innovative Support, said the state-of-the-art lab at the Center for Innovation provides high-tech, accelerated experiences for students, allowing them “to be a step ahead when they hit the career world.”

“We’re just grateful for the opportunity for our students to be ready for tomorrow, today,” she said.

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Timber Biomass Harvesting

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Wayne Rowland, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:

Timber Biomass harvesting can increase income for the landowner.

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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