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Wilson This Week -- Feb. 13, 2025 |
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City plans official opening of pickleball complex
The city's new pickleball complex has already drawn a lot of play since it opened last month, but it's beginning its real mission in April with the start of tournament play.
The courts at J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex will host its first large pickleball tournament the weekend of April 11-13. Wilson Parks and Recreation is partnering with Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina with a portion of the tournament entry fee going to help grant a wish locally.
The tournament will feature men's, women's and mixed-double competition in three age categories (39 & under, 40-59, and 60 and up) and at four levels of competition (3.0 and under, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 and up). Awards will be given to the top 3 finishers in each division.
Attracting these types of tournaments is part of why the City Council invested in 26 state-of-the-art courts. Gillette already hosts national, regional and state competitions in soccer and baseball, and pickleball tournaments will now help fill Wilson hotels and restaurants.
In addition to thrilling matches, attendees can enjoy food trucks, vendors, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday night to kick off this milestone for the City of Wilson.
Registration is now open using the link below (choose Sports). Sign up today to secure your spot and be part of history at Wilson’s premier pickleball facility!
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Council meets Feb. 20
Wilson City Council will hold its monthly night meeting on Thursday, Feb. 20, beginning at 7 p.m. at Wilson City Hall, 112 Goldsboro St. N. The agenda will be posted Monday, Feb. 17.
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Watch online
The public is welcome to attend any public meeting, but we also make a iive stream available, plus we will have it archived online. This link will go live at the meeting time.
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Deadline this Friday to buy banquet tickets
Tickets are on sale now for the annual Human Relations Awards Banquet, which will be Friday, Feb. 21, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Darden Alumni Center.
Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased through this Friday at the Human Relations Office. For questions call the Human Relations office at 252-399-2308.
This year’s theme, "Ordinary People, Doing Extraordinary Things," highlights the individuals in Wilson who make a lasting impact through their dedication, service, and leadership.
We’re excited to welcome guest speaker, Sabrina Thompson! An entrepreneur, filmmaker, photographer, artist, and activist, Sabrina uses her talents to create meaningful change and inspire others.
Awards will be presented for:
✨ Humanitarian of the Year (by the Human Relations Commission)
✨ Community Service Awards (by the Human Relations Commission)
✨ Disability Awards (by the Wilson Committee for Persons with Disabilities)
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Honoring our past and present leaders
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We are sharing the city's history during 2025 on our social media and other outlets. But every February, we honor the black men and women who have served on the Wilson City Council, including our Mayor Carlton Stevens, the first black person to hold that position when he was elected in 2019.
We have pictures and short biographs of these pioneers on our website so read more there, but we thank everyone who has served our city in its 176 years of existence.
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Help make the Whirligig Park the country's top sculpture park
The Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park is among the finalists to be named USA Today's Best Sculpture Park 2025. You can help us reach this goal by voting today and every day through noon Monday.
This is how the site describes our park: "This whimsical park in Historic Downtown Wilson, North Carolina, showcases the imagination of farm machinery repairman and self-taught artist, Vollis Simpson. The artist's massive kinetic sculptures are akin to towering windmills, but they're made from salvaged industrial parts like old bicycles and road signs, which gives them a whimsical character. The collection features 30 of Simpson's largest sculptures, some reaching 50 feet high. The surrounding green is perfect for plopping on a picnic blanket and watching the whirligigs spin against the Carolina sky."
Our park is among 20 nominees so vote now to try to secure a top finish!
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Frigid January causing higher utility bills
You may have not remember how cold this January was, but you could get a reminder soon in your Wilson Energy bill.
Heating is always the highest part of a utility bill in our part of the country, and when it's as cold as our winter has been (see the chart below), it's a challenge for any heating system to keep up. Think of it like walking a treadmill at a 3-5 mph pace; if you suddenly add a 5-10% climb, it becomes much harder to keep up the pace.
Even if you set your thermostat at 68 degrees, your heating system was working nearly every hour of every day several times throughout January.
Just remember, only 34 days until Spring!
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