Wilson This Week

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Wilson This Week -- Dec. 3, 2025

Honoring the service of outgoing Council Members

As Donald Evens, Logan Liles, and Derrick Creech conclude their service next week, the Wilson City Council reflects with gratitude on the more than 50 years of experience that have helped guide our community. 

The three will look back on a number of improvements with pride. Councilman Evans served during the creation of Greenlight, North Carolina’s first Fiber to the Home network. All three helped oversee the expansion of J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex; the opening of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park; the Pine-Nash redevelopment of the former BB&T towers site; the recruitment of Johnson & Johnson and many other industries; and the construction of the downtown baseball stadium for the Wilson Warbirds, among many other things.

Councilman Evans is actually one of the longest serving people in Council history, having been elected in 2002 to the first of six terms, or a total of 24 years. Prior to that, he served as a a Wilson County commissioner from 1992-1996. He is retired from a lengthy and successful business career at Evans Machinery & Metal Fabrication, Inc. One of his interests was economic development and he served on both the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Agency Board of Commissioners and the ElectriCities’ Board of Directors, along with many years on the Wilson Economic Development Council.

Councilman Liles was first elected in 2009 and served four successive terms, or 16 years. Prior to that, he had also served for four years on the Wilson County Board of Education. He represented the City Council on the Wilson Committee on Patriotism and helped plan many Veterans Day and Memorial Day events. He is a lifelong resident of Wilson County and is owner of Signature Homes of Wilson and a retired farmer.

Councilman Creech was elected in 2013 and served three terms, or 12 years. Prior to that, he had worked at Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Wilson Community Improvement Association, and Wilson Community College, where he retired in 2013. Councilman Creech has an extensive record of community service, including Board of Trustees, WCIA; Community Action Committee, Wesley Shelter; Employment Security Commission Job Link Committee; and Wilson County Department of Social Services Work First Committee. We would like to thank all three council members for the countless hours they worked on behalf of our community and the vision they had for a stronger Wilson for all.

Council meets Dec. 11

Wilson City Council will meet once in December -- at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at Wilson City Hall, 112 Goldsboro St. E. The agenda will be posted by Dec. 8, but we know it will include the oath of office ceremony for four recently-elected Council Members.  

How to watch online

We always welcome the public to attend meetings in person, but this one might be packed with the swearing-in ceremonies. You can watch this historic occasion online here or afterward on the City of Wilson's Vimeo channel.

Christmas parade ready to step off Saturday morning

Get into the holiday groove Saturday with the Wilson Christmas Parade! It's going to be chilly but spirits will be bright as more than 100 entries including marching bands, dance groups, school teams, horse units, pageant queens, local businesses, nonprofits, and city and county services make their way through downtown Wilson. The parade will start at 11 a.m. The route will be along Nash Street from Whitehead Avenue to Douglas Street. Street closures will begin at 6 a.m. Saturday, and cars will not be permitted to park along the route. Residents and businesses along Nash Street are encouraged to move vehicles on Friday evening. The Wilson Committee on Patriotism has been chosen as the 2025 Grand Marshals. The ten-member committee organizes Wilson’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies on the Courthouse Plaza each year, plus works to promote pride, loyalty, and patriotism throughout the community and is recognized for its longstanding service to Wilson’s veterans and military families. A designated Quiet Zone will again be offered for families who prefer a reduced-sensory environment. This zone, located between Whitehead Avenue and Bruton Street, will have no sirens, loud music, noisemakers, or flashing lights. The City of Wilson is also seeking volunteers ages 18 and older to assist with parade lineup and logistics. Volunteer shifts run from approximately 8:30 a.m. to noon on parade day. Parade entries will hear directly from the parade coordinator once the line up map is finalized. All other parade updates, route maps, parking information, and weather notices will be shared on the City’s social media pages (@CityofWilson on Facebook and Instagram).

photos by Gray Whitley

City Council recognizes city planners

Wilson City Council recently proclaimed November as Community Planning Month in Wilson as a way to thank the city's Development Services for its work year-round.

The proclamation noted that change is a constant and the city benefits from planners who "can help navigate this change with data-driven insights and expertise that provide better choices for how people work and live." 

Kimberly Van Dyk, director of planning and community revitalization, said her staff make an effort to involve the public in the planning process. There's always a chance for residents to be meaningfully involved in making choices that determine the future of this community.

Pictured are, from left, Mayor Pro Tem James M. Johnson; Kimberly Van Dyk; Janet Holland; Tirence Horne; A.J. Mandigo; Elizabeth Loftin; Terry Worley; and John Morck.

Looking ahead to holiday schedule changes 

The holiday season is right around the corner, and with the City of Wilson offices closed Wednesday - Friday, Dec. 24 - 26 for Christmas, Environmental Services will follow an adjusted schedule to make sure everyone's trash and recycling are collected before the break. 

To accommodate the three-day closure, routes will be collected earlier than usual: 

• Monday & Tuesday routes will be collected Monday, Dec. 22
• Thursday & Friday routes will be collected Tuesday, Dec. 23
• No bulky item collection on Wednesday, Dec. 24

Additionally, looking in to January. City offices will be closed on Thursday, January 1, therefore, all Thursday, Jan. 1 routes will be collected on Wednesday, December 31 with no bulky item pick up. 

Please make sure your carts are at the curb by 7 a.m. on your adjusted pick up day.

🛠️ Need to Report a Missed Pickup?

If your home is accidentally missed, the fastest way to reach the Environmental Services team is through the Fix-It Wilson portal or mobile app.

Submitting a request through Fix-It Wilson sends your ticket directly to the Environmental Services queue, even while offices are closed.

Please note: Facebook messages are not monitored during the holiday closure period and will not be seen until staff return on Monday, December 29.

Train of Lights ready to roll for December weekends

A Christmas tradition, the Wilson Train of Lights, returns this week to Wilson Recreation Park, 500 Sunset Road NW.

The train debuts this Wednesday with its annual special needs night. We turn down the music and flashing lights for anyone who might be sensitive to outside stimulation. From 5:30-6:30 p.m., those riders and their family members are welcomed aboard free of charge!

The regular schedule will be Thursday through Sunday, 5:30-9 p.m., beginning this week and continuing through Dec. 21. It costs $2 cash per person to ride with proceeds benefiting Wilson County Special Olympics. Hot chocolate and cookies will also be available to purchase.

Experience the magic of A Holiday ArtSpin

Saturday, Dec. 13 | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in Downtown Wilson. Another way to celebrate the magic of the season with family and friends is at ArtSpin. Downtown Wilson transforms into a festive, walkable holiday experience filled with interactive arts, local makers, music, and merry moments.  Guests can look forward to the return of mechanical rides, bouncy houses, Greenlight's Gaming Lab, and not only one, but two festive trains will be ready to whisk riders through the downtown cheer. The City's minibus will also circulate throughout the district, helping visitors easily reach our many "shop stops" and explore all corners of the celebration.  This year's ArtSpin will have multiple Holiday Markets - at Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, Catopia at North Star, Wilson Arts Center, and additional pop-up locations. It's the perfect one-stop shop to fill your sleigh with unique, local, handcrafted gifts, all while supporting small businesses.  Be sure to check out the ArtSpin website below for complete schedule of events or download the Come See Wilson app to explore all your options for enjoying a day in Downtown Wilson.

Christmas Cheer Challenge now under way

Homes and businesses are now signing up for the second annual Christmas Cheer Challenge. Show off your lights; you have until Dec. 13 to enter the challenge! More information at the link below.