WIZS Local News Audio 6-9-21 Noon
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Pool Side Pests Can Be Nonnative and Invasive and Wreak Havoc
Now that Memorial Day has passed, many homeowners with in-ground or above-ground backyard pools have turned their attention to getting conditions right for summertime water fun. N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging pool owners to conduct a little “citizen science” to help identify certain invasive, nonnative pests that can wreak havoc on agricultural systems and forests.
“Two more nonnative invasive pests are at North Carolina’s doorstep – the Asian longhorned beetle recently found in South Carolina and the spotted lanternfly recently found in Virginia,” Troxler said in a press release. “Both insects could cause devastating losses to North Carolina’s forests, agriculture and landscapes.”
‘Poolside Pests’ is a program aimed at increasing awareness of Asian longhorned beetle and spotted lanternfly and is so named because these pests are attracted to water and may be found in pools and pool filters. Pools across the state can serve as traps for these pests and North Carolinians are encouraged to report the pests if they see them. Early detection is critical because management tactics are most successful when a new invasion is detected and reported quickly.
While the ‘Poolside Pests’ program targets pool owners and managers, it’s important that everyone keeps an eye out because these insects can be found anywhere.
The Asian longhorned beetle is native to Asia and was first found in the U.S. in the mid-‘90s in New York. It has recently been found in the South for the first time and is much closer to North Carolina than ever before. It attacks many species of hardwood trees but prefers maple.
The spotted lanternfly is native to Southeast Asia and was first found in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014. It is quickly expanding its range and, in 2018, was detected in Virginia and continues to spread toward North Carolina. It is a significant nuisance pest and a major pest of agriculture, specifically grapevines, fruit trees, hops, and many tree species.
All North Carolinians are encouraged to learn how to recognize and report these pests, by going to https://www.poolsidepests.com/. If you suspect you have found one of these pests, click on the Report a Pest link on the page.
‘Poolside Pests’ is a collaborative effort between the Plant Industry Division, N.C. Forest Service and N.C. State University Cooperative Extension.
GCPS Announces Staff Changes, Shifts To Streamline Central Services
The Granville County Board of Education approved numerous staff changes, from Central Services to individual schools across the district at its meeting Monday, June 7.
Dr. Stan Winborne was named associate superintendent of curriculum & instruction and student services. He will continue to be the public information officer, according to a press release announcing the changes.
Winborne replaces Dr. Michael Myrick, who leaves GCPS to become the superintendent of Weldon City Schools in Halifax County.
Winborne has worked with GCPS for almost 25 years, beginning his career as an English as a Second Language and Spanish teacher. He has held numerous administrative positions in Central Services.
“The new staffing assignments were designed to place highly qualified staff in key positions in order to move the district forward in the coming academic year,” the press release stated. Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean said the changes reflect a need to be more streamlined in district operations. “Just as our board is working toward school reorganization and efforts to become more efficient, so too will our leadership team.,” McLean said. “Now is the time to downsize our staffing at Central Services and streamline the way we support our schools. We will continue to make improvements to our organization by reducing and reorganizing the number of positions in central services that are paid for out of local or state funds, better positioning the district financially and strategically,” McLean said.
Other staff changes include:
- Courtney Currin, principal at Tar River Elementary, was named director of federal compliance & personnel. Currin will also have marketing duties for the district.
- Tar River Assistant Principal Timothy Bobay was named principal at TRES.
- Jamar Perry was named executive director of human resources. He is beginning his third year with GCPS.
- Bill Graham was named Interim executive director of operations. Graham is a former GCPS high school principal and has worked for more than 35 years in education.
- Mary Warehime was named interim principal of Granville Academy. She has been dean of instruction there for the past two years.
Additional staff were named as assistant principals at the following schools:
- Kristin Wilson – Tar River Elementary School
- Ashley Lloyd – Granville Central High School
- Anthony Herndon – Butner-Stem Middle School
- Kelly Helner – Creedmoor Elementary School
- Emily Makay – Northern Granville Middle School
- Pam Davis (Intern) – Northern Granville Middle School
- Kellie Walton (Intern) – Butner-Stem Middle School
“It is a new day in GCPS, and as such we need to be positioned to not just respond to the needs of our students, but anticipate solutions and possibilities for the future,” McLean said. “These individuals will assist with this work and build upon the strengths we already celebrate.”
TownTalk: NC IDEA – Finding, Funding Entrepreneurs In Underserved Areas
Those announcements about big-name companies coming to North Carolina grab headlines and garner attention, but NC IDEA President and CEO Thom Ruhe suggests that it’s the small businesses that deserve the fanfare.
Ruhe did a little quick math on Tuesday’s Town Talk and told John C. Rose that each new business, on average, creates five jobs. And in 2020, North Carolina had more than 7,000 new company filings than it did in 2019. You don’t need a calculator to know that, on average, those new companies created 35,000 jobs.
It’s that “army of entrepreneurs,” Ruhe said, that have a tremendous impact on the economy.
Ruhe and NC IDEA identify, support and promote entrepreneurs and their visions for creating new companies. NC IDEA and its 60 business partners help companies get off the ground, grow and thrive in today’s economy. The $50,000 Seed Grant program and $10,000 Micro Grant program are two streams of “free money” for new companies.
But it’s not just money that NC IDEA is concerned about. “Anybody brave enough to do that,” Ruhe said of those who start their own business, should also have access to resources and networking opportunities to accelerate the company’s growth.
Sometimes, especially in rural communities, if the last big employer packs up and moves away, employees are faced with having to move or do something else. That “something else” could develop into an entrepreneurial passion, he said. This “survival” entrepreneurship often leads to a journey of discovery, he added.
In the spring funding cycle that just ended, Ruhe said NC IDEA funded 50 companies in the state – 80 percent of which were for entrepreneurs representing underserved communities.
Last year, NC IDEA created a Black Entrepreneurship Council and gave the group $500,000 to decide how to advance this particular group of entrepreneurs.
Ruhe said he was breaking news on Town Talk by announcing that a second $500,000 would be headed their way next year.
Ruhe has been on the job at NC IDEA a little more than five years. In his time there, he has seen the organization be more intentional about focusing on areas outside the traditional entrepreneurial hot zones like the Research Triangle and Charlotte area.
It has not been an easy balancing act, but NC IDEA is committed to process improvement – and finding the money to put behind their vision.
An entrepreneur needs perseverance, and critical-thinking skills to looks at problems as opportunities, he said, and obstacles not as roadblocks but something to figure a way around
A person with an entrepreneurial mindset, he said, is an active participant in life, and puts aside the notion that life is just something that happens to him or her. It’s not a TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) mindset. It’s a TGIM mindset – Thank Goodness It’s Monday – “I’m ready to go out and engage the world again,” Ruhe said.
For more details and TownTalk with Thom Ruhe, please click play.
Triangle North Adds Scholarship To VGCC; Local Grant Cycle Open Until June 18
The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has made a $25,000 donation to create a Presidential Scholar Award at Vance-Granville Community College, which will result in a $1,250 scholarship given to a student each year, beginning in fall 2021. This is the fourth scholarship established at VGCC by TNH.
“We are grateful for the foundation’s longstanding commitment to supporting VGCC,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “This new scholarship will help excellent students who are training for careers in healthcare, and in other rewarding fields.”
TNH Foundation provides support to the community through scholarships and grants to agencies and organizations that strive to improve health and wellness in the four-county area. The deadline for submission of letters of interest is June 18, according to TNH Foundation Executive Director Val Short.
Anyone interested in applying for funding during this grant cycle should contact the foundation at 252.430.8532 or email at info@tnhfoundation.org to schedule a meeting.
A regional healthcare grantmaking organization based in Henderson, NC, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation was established in 2011, following the merge of Maria Parham Medical Center and Duke Lifepoint.
The foundation seeks programs and projects that will provide positive results in one or more of the five focus areas: child well-being, chronic disease, mental health and substance use disorders, nutrition and physical activity and reproductive health.
The link to the foundation’s online grant portal is available at the website: http://www.tnhfoundation.org.
WIZS Local News Audio 06-08-21 Noon
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The Local Skinny! Jobs in Vance
The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for June 8th, 2021. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email christa@hendersonvance.org to be included.
Maria Parham Health Center
Jobs Available: Registered Nurses for Medical and Surgical Units – day and night shifts available
Contact Person: Stephanie Fox
Method of Contact: If you are interested, please call 919-482-3479 or email Stephanie.fox@lpnt.net
Servpro of Franklin, Vance & Granville Counties
Jobs Available: Service Technicians – They work to provide fire, water and mold cleaning and restoration to homes and businesses.
Contact Person: Nicole Conley
Method of Contact: Apply in person at 260 Industry Drive or email office@servpro-fvg.com for an application.
Turning Point Community Development Corporation
Jobs Available: Program Coordinator – this is a part time, hourly position for 20 hours a week. Pay is $16.00 – $18.00 an hour. Some remote work is available and some weekend work may be required. Qualifications are: Program Management 1 year required. A Bachelor’s Degree is preferred and a valid Driver’s License.
Contact Person: Chalis Henderson
Method of Contact: To apply go online to Indeed.com or email resume and cover letter to info@turningpointcdc.org.
Turning Point Community Development Corporation
Jobs Available: Instructional Assistant – This is a contractual position. The hours are Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm. Pay rate is $15.00 an hour. Qualifications are: Associate’s Degree is preferred and 2 years of childcare, education or youth programming is preferred. STAFF MUST WEAR MASK WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN.
Contact Person: Chalis Henderson
Method of Contact: To apply go online to Indeed.com or email resume and cover letter to info@turningpointcdc.org.
Manpower
Jobs Available: Material Handlers, Assemblers, forklift drivers, production workers and packers. We have openings in the Henderson, Oxford, Louisburg and Youngsville areas that do not require any previous manufacturing experience.
Contact Person: Jackeline Hernandez
Method of Contact: If you are interested, please call 919-693-6150, text #IWantTheJob to same number, email Jackeline.hernandez@manpower.com or apply directly to website @ www.Manpower.com
Belk Stores
They are having a job fair June 12th from 11am – 3pm at the store’s location, 350 N. Cooper Drive, Henderson
Contact Person: Chris Tilley
Legacy Human Services
Jobs Available: Director of Mental Health Services – This part-time position serves to administratively and clinically manage the mental health line of business which includes: The ADP Center, Warren Street Group Home, and Burnette Road Apartments.
Substance Abuse Aide – This part-time position serves as a presence and a resource within the adult male substance abuse halfway house.
Full Time or Part-time Direct Support Professionals (DSP) for our group homes which are 24-hour residential facilities serving adults with Intellectual / Developmental Disabilities in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren Counties. These positions are for every other weekend and require sleepover.
Contact Person: Laura Newton
Method of Contact: If you are interested, please come by our office at 626 S. Garnett Street in Henderson for an application or call 252-438-6700 ext. 204 for more information.
Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS. Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast. This is not a paid ad.
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 06-07-21 – Pest Management
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
Grace Ministries Doing Benefit Sale of Ground Turkey
We’ve been asked to announce Grace Ministries’ ground turkey sale for this weekend.
Grace Kids is raising money for a youth outreach trip. Founder Jamie Elliott wrote to WIZS News and said, “June 12th we will be selling Butterball ground turkey. One 10 pound (container) for $15 or two 10 pound (containers) for $25.”
All the proceeds, Elliott said, will be for the youth outreach trip.
Call Jamie Elliott at 252-204-3617 or Bobby West at 252 432 7124.
Maria Parham Practice Opens Second OB-GYN Office In Henderson
Maria Parham Physician Practices opened a second office in Henderson for women’s care on Thursday, June 3. The new clinic, Maria Parham Women’s Care, is located at 568 Ruin Creek Road, Suite 001. The other office is located in Oxford, and CEO Bert Beard said the new clinic expands the medical group’s footprint for OB-GYN services in the area.
“Maria Parham Health is committed to expanding access to healthcare for women in all stages of life,” Beard, stated in a press release. “Last year, our hospital received national recognition for Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals, and this year, we are excited to expand our footprint for OB-GYN services with our newest practice location in Henderson offering local access to great women’s care.”
Maria Parham Women’s Care provides a comprehensive range of services and procedures including routine checkups, general gynecological care, urinary incontinence treatment, minimally invasive gynecological surgery, prenatal and postnatal care for mother and baby, as well as menopausal management. The providers deliver babies exclusively at Maria Parham Health in Henderson.
Providers are: Kayla Cagle-Colon, MD; Emma White, DO; Janice Martinez, CNM; Karen MacLean, CNM; and Alyson Ringle, CNM.
To schedule an appointment, call 252.492.8576 or visit MariaParhamPhysicianPractices.com.
(Maria Parham is an advertising client of WIZS Radio and WIZS.com. This is not a paid ad.)