Kerr Tar Workforce and NCWorks

Looking A Job – Look Here Before Feb 25

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It’s a job seeker’s market, according to a local NC Works official who announced a couple of upcoming opportunities that could lead to employment.

Desiree Brooks, business services manager of the Workforce Development Board of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, said participants interested in work at Altec can register for an event that will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25.

Altec, which builds bucket trucks, has a facility in Creedmoor in southern Granville County.

A second opportunity scheduled for Thursday is the Triangle Virtual Regional IT Career Expo, Brooks said. A group of area workforce development groups is hosting this event, which will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There are many opportunities in the Kerr-Tar region for jobs in the IT field, she said. A job may not be working for an IT company, but there are businesses hiring for IT-related jobs, she said. “We’re all coming together for a common need,” she said.
We all share the same goals – to improve workforce, not just in our area, but across North Carolina,” she said.

This virtual career fair is for employers who are looking for workers as well as for job seekers, she said. Register for this event online at events.kerrtarworks.com or phone 919.693.2686 to get assistance or to learn more about either event.

Therapy Dog Riley Assists GCPS Social-Emotional Learning Programs

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Butner-Stem Middle School celebrated Kindness Week recently by sending ValenKIND messages to each other. Students and staff completed 368 ValenKIND messages, according to information from the school and from Dr. Stan Winborne, Granville County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Operations & Human Resources and public information officer.

Each ValenKIND contained a message of kindness and support that were sent to students, and was one way to support students while they are learning remotely.

“It was really fun to play cupid this month and spread a little cheer. It was touching to see the kind messages students wrote to each other and their teachers,” said Raisse Ward, a BSMS guidance counselor.  It’s really obvious that we have built strong relationships with our students,” Ward said.

Jan Leiner, Career Technical Education (CTE) teacher at the middle school, said she received several ValenKIND messages from students and colleagues, and she said she especially appreciated the expressions of support as a way to offset the stress of remote learning and teaching.  Students and staff were able to create a valentine like pictures with personal messages to another person, Leiner explained. “Each day I would find a new post and it warmed my heart to receive such kind and wonderful posts,” she said.

The kindness activity is one example of efforts that BSMS has undertaken as part of a school-wide effort to meet student needs during the school year. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, including the ValenKIND activity, as well as another program to help teachers build relationships with their students.

Teachers lead Restorative Practices activities and Second Step lessons for 20 minutes each weekday as a way to help them get to know their students.

Apryl Holbert, 8th grade math teacher, said she enjoys Morning Meetings, “Morning Meetings are a great way to get to know my students, especially while we are virtual! I love that they will be open and share their opinions. It is really cool to see that I have things in common with middle schoolers and it gives me insight on how to keep them interested in my class!”

The BSMS campus also gets visits from a therapy dog named Riley as part of the SEL program. Riley is a therapy dog with PetPalsNC and visited the school each week before students moved to remote learning. During the pandemic, Riley, with the help of his human partner Cathy Allen, sends the students weekly updates on what he’s been up to. Allen is a retired teacher with Granville County Public Schools.

Camirra Williamson reads his letters weekly. Williamson is a Project Lead the Way teacher at BSMS and said she enjoys reading the letter.  “They are like a nice pick-me-up during this quarantine and winter weather! His little stories are cute and fun,” she added.

Until students can return to in-person learning, Riley visits virtually with students. Bradley Bullock, a student in Christeanna Friend’s 6th grade English Language Arts class, said “I like that he is always adorable and makes me feel happy and calm.”

A therapy dog is a dog that has completed training and assessments and receives a certification to work as a team with its handler to help children and adults.

Riley visits groups of students and enjoys the company of some students in individual sessions. Students have learned about how to care for a dog and they enjoy reading to him.

H-V Industrial Park Phase III

Henderson-Vance Industrial Park Phase 3 Plans Continue to Move Forward

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Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen said the county has received an offer to purchase a tract of land in the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park. If approved, Phase 3 of the industrial park could be one step closer to being implemented.

“The county has a competitive offer for purchasing land to continue the expansion of this industrial park,” McMillen said in a written statement to WIZS.

The offer of $275,000 is to purchase a two-acre tract which the county bought in 2018.

If the deal goes through, the potential buyer’s plans include construction of an office-type building that could be used for retail tenants or flex space.

The commissioners heard the offer to purchase at their February meeting and, providing no upset bids are received, the commissioners would consider approving the sale at the March 1 meeting, McMillen said.

The property is part of the industrial park, located at the corner of Bearpond Road and Commerce Drive.  The properties committee, which includes commissioners Dan Brummitt, Leo Kelly and Gordon Wilder was “directed to meet and review draft restrictive covenants for not only the 2 acre tract, but also for the 82.5 acre tract that the county owns as well,” McMillen said.

Phases 1 and 2 of the industrial park have restrictive covenants in place from 1995, he added, and said the plan is to put similar covenants in place for Phase 3.

The properties committee met this week.

Local News Audio

WIZS Local News Audio 02-19-21 Noon

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Click to Listen to Local news Audio.

WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM

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Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.

“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.

“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

$5,000 Reward for Info About Obviously Discarded Dead Dogs Along Pool Rock Road

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The Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society is offering a $5,000 reward for information about the bodies of two dogs found Wednesday along a Vance County roadside.

Vance County Animal Services responded to a call at the 600 block of Pool Rock Road, where the officer found two animal crates – each containing the body of a dog. The wire crate was covered with a tarp and the second crate is beige plastic.

RCAPS President Brandon Boyd stated that the $5,000 reward is offered “to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for this horrible act.”

The dog found in the wire crate, a male, was described as white with black markings. The dog found in the plastic crate, also a male, was described as a brown brindle.

Please contact the Vance County Animal Service office by phone at 252-492-3136 or contact Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society of Henderson NC via Facebook, Instagram or Email at info@rcaps.org with any information.

In the statement, Boyd said “Ruin Creek Animal Protection of Henderson NC fights every day for the rights and welfare of animals and with the support of the Vance County Animal Services Chief Frankie Nobles and the entire VCAS staff along with our faithful and gracious donors, we will continue to fight this and other cases and situations as we remain as committed as ever to make a lasting impact. We are the voice for these animals and we are determined to do everything possible to ensure that anyone who commits, contributes to or tolerates acts of cruelty or inhumane treatment of animals be brought to justice.”

Coach's Corner Logo

SportsTalk 02-18-21 Coach Hunter Jenks Vance Co. HS FB

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With high school football scheduled to kick off next Friday, Trey Snide talked with Vance Co. Vipers head coach Hunter Jenks to discuss the game against Chapel Hill to begin the football season. Despite having fewer players than last year’s squad, Jenks says, “The kids have been fantastic. They’ve had great attitudes.” Jenks hopes that once in-school instruction returns on March 9th that the team will be able to add more players. With only seven regular-season games this year, it will be important for the Vipers to hit the ground running. “We have a good knowledge of the Chapel Hill team,” Jenks says. Film study has given the staff some insight into what Chapel Hill will bring to the field in Henderson next Friday night.

Like all other high school teams, Vance County has challenges. The team has only had two contact practices and must contend with replacing Samein Burwell at quarterback. “We have two players battling for quarterback,” says Coach Jenks. Jenks has not named a starter for the opening game but did say he hopes that whoever does start will be able to “step in and play to the best of their ability.” Additionally, Jenks said many players have had to fit practices around his player’s work commitments including students who work full time.

Originally, the Vipers were scheduled to have a scrimmage against Goldsboro tomorrow, Feb. 19th, but that has now been pushed back to noon on Saturday.

Once again, the Vipers welcome Chapel Hill for the first home game of the season on Friday, Feb. 26th. The game will be broadcast live on WIZS.

Granville County Chamber of Commerce

Granville County Chamber of Commerce to Close South Office

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According to information received from the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, the south office in Creedmoor will close April 15, 2021.

The southern Granville office is located at 1598 NC Hwy 56, Suite 4, Creedmoor, NC, 27522.

The email correspondence said, “In order to more efficiently serve all of our members, the Chamber Board of Directors” announces it will consolidate the Chamber offices and relocate the “South Office operations to the Oxford Office,” which is located at 124 Hillsboro Street, Oxford, NC, 27565.

It is a belt-tightening measure in response to covid.

“The Granville County Chamber of Commerce seeks to promote a healthy economy with good business conditions, support good government, improve community relations and market services and programs for Chamber members.  …  We look forward to continuing to work alongside each of our chamber member businesses to make Granville County a great place to live and work,” the email announcement said.

Altec Virtual Hiring Event Tues, Feb 23

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Altec is having a virtual hiring event. It will take place Tuesday, February 23 at 11 a.m.

The Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments informed WIZS News about the NCWorks Career Center event.

The hiring event with Altec will feature opportunities for assemblers, welders, machinists, mechanics and electricians.

Register at events.kerrtarworks.com.

For additional assistance email joseph.jung@ncworks.gov or lonnda.brothers@ncworks.gov or call 919.693.2686.

 

Vance Charter School Knights Cheerleaders Fish Fry Fundraiser Feb 22 at 220

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Cheerleaders are known for the support they give their sports teams, whether at the high school, college or professional level. The community has a chance to return the favor by supporting a local cheerleader squad at a fundraiser next week.

The Vance Charter School Varsity Cheerleaders will have a trout dinner fundraiser on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 at 220 Seafood Restaurant, according to the group’s advisor, Kim Hedgepeth.

The fundraiser runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 a plate, which includes trout, fries, slaw and hush puppies. This is a take-out only event.

Tickets are available from any cheerleader or at the restaurant on the day of the event.

Come out and support the Vance Charter School Knights cheerleaders!

The Local Skinny! Thurs, Feb. 18

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The Vance County Democratic Party is sponsoring a drive-through “Hope for the Homeless” on Saturday, Feb. 20 to collect much-needed items for local shelters as part of its mission to serve the community.

“We’re asking the community to support us on Saturday and donate any of these items so that we can, especially during this cold season, be able to help out people who are less fortunate than we are,” said Marcia Allen, chair of the local party. Allen was on “The Local Skinny” Thursday and told John C. Rose that the event will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the Perry Memorial Library. The shelters need toiletry items like deodorant and shampoo and household items such as paper towels and trash bags, she said, and everything in between.

The ARC House for Men needs socks, shirts, pants and deodorant. Rising Hope men’s shelter is also in need of men’s shirts and socks, washing powder and soap. Lifeline Ministries shelter for women and children need socks and washing powder, too, she said, as well as dish detergent. The local democratic party is providing masks to both shelters, she added.

One goal of the local party is to be of service to the community as a whole, Allen said, regardless of party affiliation, and to “be a blessing and be of service to the community we live in.”

In addition to participating in events within the community, the Vance County Democratic Party will send three delegates to the upcoming virtual statewide meeting on Feb. 27, and Allen added that anyone interested in participating in a virtual meeting Monday, Feb. 22 to meet the candidates for statewide office should call 252.762.1963 to learn how to access the event.

In addition, the county convention is scheduled for April 10, she said, and she encouraged everyone to get involved at the precinct level. She said the local party is working to get people motivated to volunteer within their voting district. Vance County has 12 precincts, she said. “We want to keep people motivated and interested so that they will come out and vote…in 2022,” she said.

“We’re really excited about extending the invitation to the public,” Allen said, adding that there are many opportunities for the public to participate in party politics.

There are different caucus groups for everyone, she noted, according to age and gender, as well as for college students, people with disabilities and a caucus for people who live in rural areas. There’s a way for everyone to participate, she said.

The Vance County Democratic Party meets the fourth Monday of each month, Allen said. Although the meetings are virtual at this time, Allen said there is a call-in number to use for those who do not have internet access.

Call 252.762.1963 to learn more.