Kerr Lake Park Watch Asks Cooper to Reopen State Parks

/by

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

-Information courtesy the Kerr Lake Park Watch Facebook page

Kerr Lake Park Watch (KLPW), a 900 member group of campers and park users who visit NC State Recreation Areas and Virginia State Parks on Kerr Lake, has sent a message to NC Governor Roy Cooper asking him to reopen state parks.

KLPW was founded in 2010 by Frank Timberlake, a native of the shores of Kerr Lake, and five other Kerr Lake campers.

According to KLPW’s Facebook page, the group sent the following information to Governor Cooper:

YOU NEED TO OPEN STATE PARKS, GOVERNOR COOPER

The state parks opened could provide citizens with some much needed open space, especially campgrounds.
▪ The parks already are gated with controlled access
▪ The parks are already patrolled by rangers who are law enforcement officers
▪ Rangers could enforce social distancing and other special pandemic rules and regulations
▪ Rangers can use the P.A. function on their radios to speak to anyone they see violating any social distancing and, if rules aren’t obeyed, the rangers can tell the visitor(s) to leave to avoid citation, all from the safety of their vehicle
▪ Campgrounds should be reopened as campsites are already socially distanced
▪ Reservations and check-in can all be handled online

Reopening the state parks will help ease tension as people can walk, hike, run, fish, camp and other safe activities while maintaining social distancing.

We are asking you to reopen state parks. There needs to be some special rules but the parks need to open and now!

WIZS Note: Governor Cooper is expected to lay out a three-part plan later this afternoon for lifting stay-at-home restrictions.

Town Talk Logo

Town Talk 04/23/20: Callers Discuss COVID-19

/by

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

NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist Offers Free Pharmacy Program to Qualifying Individuals

/by

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

-Press Release, NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist is the only free mail-order pharmacy serving all 100 counties in NC since 1997. Although they are most known for their mobile pharmacy events where they distribute over-the-counter medicine into impoverished communities, this organization’s primary focus is their Free Pharmacy Program.

Last year, NC MedAssist served 18,805 patients and dispensed 229,805 prescriptions valued at $68 million dollars to low-income, uninsured individuals throughout North Carolina. Once enrolled in the Free Pharmacy Program, prescription medication is mailed directly to the patient’s home, usually providing a 90 day supply.

“As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, thousands of North Carolinians are losing both their jobs and their health insurance. However, not everyone knows that our program exists, especially people who may have never needed our services before,” said Lori Giang, CEO of NC MedAssist. “Without our health, we have nothing. So we want our neighbors across the state to know that we are here and ready to help them in any way we can.”

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, NC MedAssist has restructured its services to be more digitally available. They have added their enrollment application online, as well as transitioned their Free Over-the-Counter Store (located in Charlotte) into a curbside pick-up retail pharmacy with online ordering available. They have also extended re-certification deadlines for current patients who may need additional time to gather their required documentation.

“We realize this is a critical time for everyone,” said Giang. “Our number one goal is to ensure that families across the state continue receiving the medication they need to live.”

To learn more about the NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program and to see if you qualify, please visit https://medassist.org/ or call 1-(866)-331-1348.

U.S. Department of Justice

Henderson Man Indicted for Possessing Firearm After Mental Health Adjudication

/by

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

-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announces that a federal grand jury sitting in Raleigh indicted MATTHEW SCOTT THOMAS, 34, of Henderson for possessing a firearm after having been adjudicated mentally defective and committed to a mental institution and for making a false statement during the transfer of firearms.

The indictment alleges that on January 26, 2018, THOMAS made false statements on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) form during the attempted transfer of firearms. Specifically, THOMAS is alleged to have falsely indicated that he had never been adjudicated mentally defective and not committed to a mental institution, when in fact he had. Additionally, the indictment alleges that on December 4, 2019, THOMAS possessed a firearm after having been so adjudicated. If convicted, he faces up to ten years imprisonment and three years of supervised release on each count.

The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

Oxford Logo

City of Oxford Accepting Bids for Sewer Line Replacement Project

/by

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

-Information courtesy The City of Oxford

Sealed bids for the project entitled 2017B Sewer Line Replacements will be received by the City of Oxford until 10 a.m. local time May 21, 2020, at City Hall located at 300 Williamsboro Street, Oxford, North Carolina. At said place and time, all Bids that have been duly received, will be publicly opened and read aloud.

THE PROJECT GENERALLY CONSISTS OF the replacement of approximately 8,700 linear feet of 8-inch diameter and 2,600 linear feet of 10-inch diameter gravity sewer lines located along various streets and existing sewer line outfalls within the Oxford sewer system including manholes, service connections, and related appurtenances.

The project also generally consists of the replacement of approximately 1,200 linear feet of 6-inch diameter water lines with valves, hydrants, and related appurtenances to be replaced concurrently with the sewer line on Green Street.

A pre-bid conference will be held at 10 a.m. local time on May 7, 2020. The meeting is nonmandatory. Due to current travel restrictions, the meeting will be conducted via video conference with a phone-in option. Video Conference: https://call.lifesizecloud.com/431863, Call in Number (audio only) 312-584-2401. Meeting extension: 431863# For additional numbers: https://call.lifesize.com/numbers

The Contract Documents for the project may be examined at the following locations:

McGill Associates, PA (5400 Trinity Road, Suite 107, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607)

City of Oxford Engineering Department (300 Williamsboro Street, Oxford, North Carolina 27565)

However, due to limited hours and social distancing practices, it is preferable that prospective bidders view plans online via McGill’s Website https://www.mcgillassociates.com/bids/.

Digital copies of Bid Documents are available for purchase at www.mcgillassociates.com for a fee of $50 per set. These documents may be downloaded by selecting this project from the “Bids” link and finding the appropriate Quest Project Number. For assistance and free membership registration, contact QuestCDN at (952) 233-1632 or info@questcdn.com. No partial sets of plans and specifications can be purchased.

Each bid shall be accompanied with a cash deposit or certified check drawn on a bank or trust company insured by the FDIC or a Bid Bond prepared on the form of Bid Bond contained in the Bidding Documents or a Surety Company’s standard form and properly executed by a corporate surety licensed under the laws of North Carolina to execute such bonds. The amount of the bid bond shall be equal to five (5) percent of the total of the bid. The bid deposit shall be retained by the Owner if the successful bidder fails to execute the contract or fails to provide the required bonds, as stated above, within ten (10) days after the proper notice of award of the contract.

Bidders must comply with the requirements of the State of North Carolina and be appropriately licensed as a Contractor as provided in General Statutes Chapter 87. AB – 2

Neither the Owner nor the Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including any Addenda, obtained from any source other than the Owner’s representative, McGill Associates, P.A. Each Bidder shall be responsible for the review of all addenda for the project and shall acknowledge the addenda on the bid form.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, to waive informalities, or to reject nonconforming, non-responsive, or conditional bids. The Owner reserves the right to award a contract to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder or bidders, taking into consideration quality, performance and time.

It is the policy of the City of Oxford to award public building contracts without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age or disabling condition. Each bidder shall make a good faith effort and shall document such efforts to utilize minority businesses and comply with the City of Oxford’s plan.

Bidders must comply with the President’s Executive Order No. 11246 as amended, which prohibits discrimination in employment regarding race, creed, color, sex or national origin. Bidders must comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Anti-Kickback Act, the Contract Work Hours Standard Act, and 40 CFR 33.1016, and 40 CFR 60-4.

Jacqueline vdH Sergent – Mayor, City of Oxford

Downtown Henderson

TownTalk 04/22/20: Pearson Discusses Challenging Times, Community Excellence

/by

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

Dr. Stephen Pearson, co-owner and operator of Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Pearson, who holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in global business organization leadership, addressed the importance of striving for community excellence and discussed business survival in challenging times.

With last week’s opening of the drive-thru portion of the new Starbucks on Dabney Drive, less than a year since Sadie’s fall opening and in the middle of a national shutdown, Pearson and wife Amanda know a thing or two about facing competition.

“Competition makes the entrepreneur reevaluate and come out of some of the complacency that they run into,” Pearson said. “There are ultimately two ways to approach the situation – sit on your hands and say ‘woe is me’ or find a way to move forward.”

Pearson said Sadie’s supportive customers and community partners, combined with his belief that downtown is the “epicenter of the growth in Henderson,” will help ensure the coffee shop’s continued success.

In fact, the Pearsons believe so strongly in the potential of the area that they are investing more money into a downtown location, with completion expected in the next 18 months.

While additional details will be revealed at a later date, Pearson said he could share with the public that the new downtown venture will be “a business incubator, a business accelerator and will include a classical pizza, cheese and wine tasting shop.”

Pearson said he believes these business ventures are adding to the excellence being built in Henderson. “We can build excellence in this community. This is a vibrant, intelligent community with a lot of impassioned people. I’m very excited to be a part of what I see to be a growth spurt in Henderson.”

“People love to build excellence in the past. If you talk to people about Henderson, they’ll say what a bustling, great town this was 20 years ago, 30 years ago,” continued Pearson. “We have to build excellence in the future, but we build excellence by being brilliant in the basics. We have to understand business, we have to understand the economy and we have to understand the needs of the community.”

To hear the interview with Pearson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Home and Garden 04/21/20

/by

Listen live at 100.1 FM/1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 4:30 PM on Tuesday.

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie 04/22/20

/by

Listen live at 100.1 FM/1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 2:00 PM Monday  – Thursday.

ACTS of Henderson Sign

ACTS to Reopen Friday; Provides List of Needed Items

/by

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

-Information courtesy ACTS of Henderson

ACTS of Henderson will reopen on Friday, April 24, 2020, and appreciates the community’s patience during the closure.

Donations of food may be dropped off anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays at 201 South William Street in Henderson.

Monetary donations may be mailed to ACTS at P.O. Box 25, Henderson, NC 27536.

Specific items that are needed right now include any canned vegetables EXCEPT green beans and corn; 18 jars of peanut butter; jelly; canned spaghetti sauce; any type of canned fruit; and canned beans, like pinto, navy, great northern, black-eyed peas, etc.

If you’d like more information, please email lapeoples@actsofhenderson.org

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Vance County Regional Farmers Market to Offer Pre-Orders, Curbside Pickup

/by

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

-Information courtesy the Vance County Regional Farmers Market

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market will begin its 2020 sales season this Saturday, April 25 from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Pre-orders and curbside pick-up will be available on market Saturdays this year, and customers are strongly encouraged to pre-order. All pre-orders must be placed by 5 p.m. on the Thursday before the Saturday pickup.

The following vendors will be at the market on Saturday, April 25 and are taking pre-orders:

Adcock Farms               
Canned goods including tomatoes, string beans, chow chow, pickles, onions; jellies and jams including strawberry, peach, blackberry, damson, grape, fig; honey and seasonal fresh produce.
Contact: Calvin Adcock: 252-204-6853

Dixon & Sons Farms     
Strawberries, sweet potatoes; seasonal fresh produce; pasture-raised pork; vegetable slips; bedding plants.
Contact: Kelly Dixon: 919-691-1367

Faulkner Family Farms
Pasture-raised pork
Contact Don Faulkner: 252-438-0982

Maul-N-Wedge
Barn wood furniture
Contact: Kenneth Fuller: 919-669-5801

Sweet Inspirations
Baked goods including pies, cakes, cookies
Contact: Eric Hargrove: 412-758-5184

Teresa’s Creations
An eclectic mix of handcrafted items including inspirational note pads, bath balms, herbal oils
Contact: Teresa Hicks: 252-438-8509

JW Creek Farms           
Pasture-raised beef and eggs
Contact: Janice Murphy: 919-691-1804 or William Murphy: 919-691-1529

2020 Market Schedule/Hours

April 25 – May 31 ~ Open Saturdays 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
June 1 – September 30 ~ Open Wednesdays & Saturdays 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Special Twilight Markets (in lieu of Wednesday markets) Open on Tuesday, June 30 and Tuesday, July 28 from 3:30 – 7:30 p.m.
October 1 – December 5  ~ Open Saturdays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Handcrafted Holiday Market on Saturday, November 21 from 8 a.m – 2 p.m.

Market closes for the season on Saturday, December 5.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is a significant community resource, providing food for the community and an important market outlet for local farmers. The management of the Farmers Market is doing everything possible to provide a safe, clean, sanitized environment in which to shop, but doing so will require cooperation from everyone, including vendors and customers. To that end, customers are being asked to follow these guidelines.

Vance County Regional Farmers Market Customer Shopping Guidelines – Effective April 25, 2020, until further notice:

1. PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE MARKET IF YOU DO NOT FEEL WELL OR HAVE A COUGH, FEVER OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH, OR IF YOU HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19.
2. Maintain Social Distance (6 feet) between you and all others. Follow posted directions regarding entry and traffic flow. No more than one customer at each booth.
3. Practice good hygiene with hand sanitizer or handwashing. A convenient hand wash station is available for your convenience.
4. Please wear a mask or face covering during your visit.
5. Shop with a purpose – do not linger at a vendor’s booth after your purchase (this opens space for the next customer).
6. Designate a shopper from your family and do not bring everyone to the market.
7. Refrain from touching produce and products. Let the vendor handle and package your selections.
8. When possible, refrain from touching surfaces within the market.
9. Cover coughs and sneezes.
10. Be prepared for a brief wait outside if the building reaches the safe, maximum capacity.
11. Consider placing pre-orders with vendors so they can have it ready for “curbside” pick up.
12. Above all, please be patient and courteous.

The good news: COVID-19 is not a foodborne illness. According to the CDC, it is extremely unlikely that someone will catch it through eating. The virus is most likely to cause illness through respiratory transmission, not eating. The routes to be concerned about include being in close proximity to many people or coming in contact with high touch surfaces.

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

Contacts:

Market Manager: Tracy Madigan @ 252-598-0814
Extension Agent: Paul McKenzie @ 252-438-8188

(This is not a paid advertisement)