Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

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TownTalk 12-16-20; Covid, New WIZS Morning Host Steve Lewis

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Listen to TownTalk on WIZS 1450 AM / 100.1 FM each weekday from 11am until 11:30am.

The Wednesday, Dec 16, 2020 edition of TownTalk reviewed the latest information from Granville-Vance Public Health pertaining to local availability of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Also, in segment two of the show, the newest member of the WIZS staff was introduced. Mr. Steve Lewis announces and does the WIZS Weekday Wakeup program, 6a-9a, M-F.

Re-listen to today’s show by clicking play…

 

Local News Audio

WIZS Noon News 12-16-20; Toy Drive at Gang Free, Downtown Main Street Status, Rec Dept

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WIZS Local News airs at 8am, 12 noon and 5pm, M-F, on 1450 AM and 100.1 FM and via live stream at WIZS.com

– Toy Drive at Gang Free, Inc.
– City Manager and Henderson Main Street Status
– Henderson Vance Rec and Parks – Aycock and Fox Pond

You can re-listen to today’s WIZS Noon News broadcast by clicking play…

 

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-15-20 SAM Child Advocacy Center; Talmadge R. Burgess Scholarship

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Stories include:

– SAM Child Advocacy Center and the work they do for children in the area

– Vance Co. Farm Bureau establishes the Talmadge R. “Pete” Burgess scholarship at Vance Granville Community College

For full details and audio click play.

 

Terrell Blackmon

Town Talk 12/15/20: Terrell Blackmon, Henderson City Manager

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Blackmon briefly discussed his time with the City, stating the start of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after his arrival in January has made for an interesting first year on the job.

“It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting when you throw in everything that’s happened with COVID,” said Blackmon. “I can say I enjoy the community, I enjoy being here and I enjoy the challenge of making Henderson a better place for everyone. Overall, I’m doing well, and the City is doing well.”

For complete details and audio, click play.

Moving on to last night’s Henderson City Council meeting, Blackmon commented on a few of the highlights from the session, including the approval of adding indoor – or crop box – farming to City zoning ordinances.

With greenhouse farming already approved for accessory-use in current zoning ordinances, the addition of crop box farming will allow participating individuals a 365-day growing season in artificial light.

Also of note, the Council rejected the Beckford Drive Widening Project that was first initiated in 2008 when construction costs were much lower. Blackmon said the delays, due to property acquisition and rising costs in construction, have pushed the project cost beyond its budgeted amount. With $1.6 million in grants and available funding already allocated, Blackmon said the City is still approximately $1.3 million short of the total project cost.

According to the meeting’s minutes, to date, $335,115 has been put towards the project, which includes the design, right of way acquisition, legal administration, stream mitigation costs and NCDOT administration costs. The City is responsible for these costs and will have to reimburse NCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to abandon the project.

Also discussed was the use of CARES Act funding to ensure City of Henderson facilities are safer during the pandemic, the naming of a new economic development director and the City of Henderson’s Main Street status.

For more detailed information regarding these items, please listen to the Town Talk episode by clicking play above and visit the Henderson City Council’s website for meeting agendas and minutes.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-14-20 Economic Development news; Hospital visitation; courts cancelled

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Stories include:

– Local economic development gains momentum

– Maria Parham Hospital restricts visitors due to Covid19

– Some court proceedings cancelled due to Covid19

For full details and audio click play.

 

SaM Child Advocacy Center

Town Talk 12/14/20: Cara Gill Of S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Cara Boyd Gill, founder and director of S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center in Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center is a 24-hour, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves children who are victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse and witnesses to violent crimes in Vance and surrounding counties.

Opening its doors in 2016, the center provides a safe, child-friendly environment for children who are alleged victims of abuse and their non-offending family members to receive child forensic interviews by trained staff.

For full details and audio, click play…

Victims and their non-offending family members can receive advocacy and support services, referrals to appropriate support services within the community, crisis intervention and medical treatment referrals if needed. All services are provided at no cost to the child or their families.

Gill, who worked for Child Protective Services in Alamance County upon graduating from college, said it was her experience with child investigations and the child advocacy center in Alamance that sparked her interest in offering similar services in Vance County.

“Upon leaving Alamance County – because Henderson is my hometown, and I decided I wanted to come back home – I began talking to our local law enforcement, social services, and our District Attorney’s office to see how they handled cases of child abuse and neglect,” explained Gill. “At the time, they did not have a child advocacy center here, and they would send kids to Duke or UNC with a two or three-month wait, which is not ideal for these kids.”

Gill continued, “A child advocacy center is not a stand-alone center; I also have to have social services, law enforcement, the DA’s office, a mental health provider and a medical provider. In talking with these entities, we began brainstorming how this could happen. The result was we opened in 2016, and here we are in 2020 still expanding.”

For more information on S.a.M., please visit the center’s Facebook page by clicking here.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-11-20 Disposition Court Cancelled; Vance Co. Mgr. Award; New EDC Director; Toy Drive

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Stories include:

– Vance and Granville Co. Disposition Court cancelled

– Vance Co. Manager receives award from Kerr Tar COG

– Lockemy named Henderson-Vance Economic Development Director

– Toy drive at Roses

For Full Details and audio click play.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-10-20 Eddie Ellington; Chamber Banquet; Covid19

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Stories include:

–  Mayor Eddie Ellington discusses his life and role as Mayor of Henderson

– Chamber of Commerce Banquet postponed

– Covid19 case counts

– Covid testing event

For full details and audio click play. 

TownTalk 12-10-20 Local History With Mark Pace

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Emigrating Over the Horizon; Where Did They Go?

WIZS TownTalk host Bill Harris and guest Mark Pace discuss emigration from Old Granville County.

What were the reasons people left the area in the early to mid 19th Century?  The need of land was one reason and land was cheap in areas such as Tennessee and Alabama. Land grants from the Revolution also provided incentive, and larger quantities of land were needed as large families with eight to 10 to 12 children grew.  Land quality was a factor as well because without enough land, proper crop rotations could not occur.

Where did they go? Numerous communities such as Macon, Georgia or Granville, Tennessee were named for people or locations in the immediate vicinity of Henderson and Oxford. Many families moved to and founded the communities in these areas for better opportunities.

For more details and TownTalk audio click play…and continue reading below…

Additionally, many people with roots here went on to become famous nationally and internationally. Playwright Tennessee Williams, Gen. Braxton Bragg, former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and “Lady Bird” Johnson all had or have roots tying them to the area.

Just as Vance, Granville, Warren & Franklin Counties were shaped by those who moved here from Southern and Tidewater Virginia, many areas in Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and other southern states were equally influenced by those who left here to make their mark in these states and others.

For more on local history and genealogy visit Mark Pace at the NC Room at Thornton Library in Oxford and visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/fgvwgeneaology on the web for more information on Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren county history and genealogy.

Town Talk 12/9/20: Mayor Eddie Ellington With Brandon Boyd

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Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m. Ellington was interviewed by WIZS guest host Brandon Boyd.

Prior to discussing his role as mayor and the City of Henderson’s present standing and future outlook, Ellington talked about growing up in Henderson, his Castello Loughlin family history and the creation of the circus.

When asked by Boyd if being mayor met his expectations for the role, Ellington replied, “I have enjoyed it, but I wear a lot of it on my shoulders and take it personally. Even though things happen that are not related to me, I’m the mayor and it falls back on me. When you’re the mayor for the city, you’re the ambassador and spokesperson for the city.”

(To hear this episode of TownTalk, click play below. TownTalk airs M-F at 11 a.m. on WIZS 1450 AM / 100.1 FM.)

According to Ellington, the on-going COVID-19 pandemic has made this year particularly challenging. “The Henderson City Council, City Manager and I have tough decisions to make. We’re a small, rural community, and we’ve all been hit by the same deal. You take your cards, you play them and you make the best decisions for the public’s well-being.”

In more upbeat news, Ellington reported that the City of Henderson, despite the pandemic, is doing well financially. “The City is in better financial shape than it has been in years,” stated Ellington. “Frank Frazier, the previous city manager, did a wonderful job of balancing the budget every year. Terrell Blackmon, current city manager, has done a wonderful job as well, and he’s going to bring a budget to us in the upcoming months.”

Ellington also reported that Mako Medical, with facilities currently located in Henderson and Raleigh, is in talks of moving its operation to Henderson, resulting in the creation of 100 new jobs for the local area.

“Economic development is the key,” explained Ellington. “When you have jobs, when the poverty rates are low, when people can make a living and provide for their families, when people can go off to college and have something to come back home to, the community thrives.”