April Laissle

Dayton

Host and Reporter, All Things Considered at WFDD-FM (Winston-Salem, NC)

Articles

Echoes of the Pandemic: Haw River Ballroom's Heather LaGarde reflects on COVID's impact on live music

3 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Skip to main content Haw River Ballroom CoronavirusNC Saxapahaw 0:00/4:53 There was an error loading the media player. For over a decade, Heather LaGarde has been the driving force behind the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw —a small, beloved music venue that has hosted big names like St. Vincent and Jason Isbell. But music isn’t her only gig; her day job is in global public health.
Arrests made after shots fired at Carver High School last month

3 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Forsyth County deputies have arrested three people after an incident where shots were fired at Carver High School last month. The sheriff's office says two students were fired at while on the school’s baseball field during school hours on March 19. No one was injured. On Wednesday, the office announced the arrest of two current Carver students and a former student from the school district in connection with the incident.
Officials to distribute oral rabies vaccines to raccoons in western NC

3 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is teaming up with federal wildlife officials to curb the spread of rabies. Starting this week, the United States Department of Agriculture will distribute oral rabies vaccines for raccoons across western North Carolina. Vaccine baits coated in fishmeal will be dropped by air in 17 counties including Ashe, Avery and Watauga. When bitten, the bait releases liquid triggering an immune response that protects against infection.
State officials lift burn ban amid ongoing wildfires

3 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

The North Carolina Forest Service is lifting its statewide ban on open burning, effective 8 a.m. Wednesday. It was first instituted on March 21 due to high wildfire risk. In a press release, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said recent rain has reduced fire danger, but the state is still in peak wildfire season. He’s urging residents to burn responsibly. As of Tuesday afternoon, four wildfires are actively burning in western North Carolina, according to the Forest Service.
Echoes of the Pandemic: Forsyth Health Director Joshua Swift on mobilizing a community

3 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

In 2021, Forsyth County opened a COVID-19 mass vaccination site at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. During the months it was open, nearly 100,000 people received their shots in a tightly run operation staffed largely by the National Guard. At the helm of it all was the county’s Public Health Director Joshua Swift, easily recognizable in his signature bowtie. In this installment of Echoes of the Pandemic, he looks back on the need for dexterity in a complicated time.
Single-family home construction on the rise in Forsyth County, report says

4 weeks ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Single-family home construction is on the rise in Forsyth County, according to a report presented at Thursday's board of commissioners meeting. The county issued nearly 1,600 construction permits for new single-family homes in 2024. That’s about 50 percent more than the previous year. “We issued the most single-family permits last year than we have over that five-year rolling period of time," says Forsyth County Planning Director Chris Murphy.
Echoes of the Pandemic: Dr. Iulia Vann on what it means to rise to a challenge

1 month ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

When the first case of COVID-19 arrived in Guilford County, former Public Health Director Dr. Iulia Vann was verynew to the job. After a wave of fear and anxiety, she says something else quickly followed: determination. In the latest installment of Echoes of the Pandemic, Vann describes working with her team to meet unexpected challenges and moments when the intensity of it all set in.
Forsyth Tech enrollment reaches 11-year high

1 month ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Enrollment numbers at Forsyth Technical Community College are up this semester. At a county board of commissioners meeting Monday, Forsyth Tech Chief Officer of Student Success and Innovation Paula Dibley said nearly 9,000 students enrolled this term. “We're now at an 11-year enrollment high at Forsyth Tech," she said.
Echoes of the Pandemic: Mike Sprayberry reflects on creating unity in crisis

1 month ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

If you lived in North Carolina during the pandemic, Mike Sprayberry’s voice may sound familiar. As the state director of emergency management, he spoke alongside then-Governor Roy Cooper and former state Health Secretary Mandy Cohen at hundreds of COVID-19 press conferences. A veteran with decades of military service, Sprayberry was no stranger to crisis leadership.
$92M of federal funding at risk, Winston-Salem city manager says

1 month ago | wfdd.org | April Laissle

Winston-Salem officials are worried about the status of the city’s federal funding after meeting with congressional representatives last week. Officials are estimating about 14% of the city’s budget is in jeopardy — around $92 million. “That’s a very big scary number," says Winston-Salem City Manager Pat Pate. He says that’s the amount that the city has been promised by the federal government, but hasn’t been dispersed yet. Given the Trump Administration’s budget cuts, he’s worried it won’t be.