TownTalk: Firefighters And The Dangers They Face

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Two people – one of them a firefighter – were taken to hospital last night after a house fire broke out on Hargrove Street.

City Fire Chief Steve Cordell told WIZS News Monday that Capt. J. Bolton is back at home, and recovering from second- and third-degree burns on both shoulders and arms. “He was attempting to do a search” of the structure to locate possible victims,” Cordell said.

The fire started about 8 p.m. in the kitchen area of a residence at 1224 Hargrove St., he said.

One person was taken to the hospital, but no information is available about the person’s condition.

“She was alive when we got her to the ambulance,” Cordell said in a phone interview with John C. Rose Monday. It is not known to which hospital the victim was taken; Bolton was taken by ambulance to the UNC Burn Center.

Firefighters face risks each time that alarm sounds and they don their protective gear and head to the scene of a fire or a vehicle accident or other emergency call.

Some risks are immediate and obvious – being burned or injured when entering a burning building, for example. But firefighters face the possibility future health challenges as a result of the work they do.

And the recently passed state budget has an item in it that addresses some of those future health challenges – like cancer diagnoses.

Through the N.C. Department of Insurance, $15 million shall be used to establish and administer a pilot program to provide health benefits to eligible firefighters with a new diagnosis of cancer on or after Jan. 1, 2022. This is a supplemental program, and firefighters could receive $25,000 after getting a new cancer diagnosis, up to $50,000. The program also allows for reimbursement of up to $12,000 in medical costs associated with the diagnosis and provides eligible firefighters additional disability assistance.

 

 

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The Local Skinny! Latest Local Election News

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Candidates who wish to file for local offices will be able to do so beginning Feb. 24, 2022 at 8 a.m., according to Vance County Board of Elections Director Melody Vaughan.

The filing period resumes following a State Supreme Court ruling on newly drawn district maps. The filing period will end at 12 noon on March 4, 2022.

Any candidate who has already filed does not need to re-file, Vaughan said.

Candidates may file for the office of sheriff, the register of deeds, clerk of court and county commissioners’ seats in Districts 3,4 and 7.

Board of Education seats in districts 1, 2, 6, and 7 will be voted on in the next election, as will City Council Wards 3 and 4, at-large seats in Wards 1 and 2, and seats in the NC House and NC Senate.

Following is the list of filing fees:

·      Sheriff – $720.60

·      Register of Deeds – $529.56

·      Clerk of Court – $998

·      County Commissioners – $98.72

·      Board of Education – $42

·      City of Henderson – $10.00

·      NC House and NC Senate – $140

Make checks payable to Vance County Board of Elections.

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City Officials Want To Hear From Residents As They Update Comprehensive Plan

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The City of Henderson is updating its comprehensive plan and wants to hear from residents about priorities for the future, as well as perceived strengths and liabilities.

There is an online survey that city officials hope residents will take a few moments to complete as it develops its vision that will guide future growth.

Visit https://publicinput.com/I7062#5 to take the survey and to learn more about the comprehensive plan, which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2022.

DSS Offers Help To Eligible Households With Heating, Water Bills

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The Granville County Department of Social Services is offering a couple of assistance programs to help residents who face challenges paying utility bills. The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) are both available through DSS to provide one-time payments for electric and/or gas heating bills or for water/wastewater utility services.

Some Granville County households may qualify for LIEAP assistance with their heating bill during the winter. Depending on the heat source, eligible households may receive $300, $400, or $500 toward their heating bill through the program. Applications are being taken now through March 31, or until the funds are gone.

To apply for assistance, residents must provide the following information:

  • Valid identification
  • Social security numbers for everyone in the home
  • Proof of income for the month prior to the application
  • A heating bill that indicates the account number

If approved, payments will be made directly to the heating provider.

If applying for someone else, applicants should provide a signed permission statement from the person they are representing.

The LIHWAP program helps eligible households and families afford water and wastewater services, providing a one-time payment for eligible low-income households paid directly to the utility company. Applications are being taken now through September 2023 or until the funds run out.

LIHWAP was created in December 2021 after North Carolina was awarded more than $38 million in federal funds to establish a new water assistance program for households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To be eligible for LIHWAP, a household must have at least one U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and:

  • have income equal to or less than 150% of the federal poverty level
  • have household services that are disconnected, in jeopardy of disconnection or have a current outstanding bill
  • be responsible for the water bill

Apply online at https://epass.nc.gov/. Apply by phone at 919.693.1511, or mail, fax or drop off the completed application. The fax number is 919.693.5090. The Granville DSS office is located at 410 W. Spring. St, Oxford, NC 27565.

2022 Leadership Vance Class Forming Now – Apply By Jan. 21

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The 2022 class of Leadership Vance is forming now. Applications will be taken until Jan. 21.

The program is designed to create a corps of informed and dedicated emerging leaders in the community as it educates and challenges participants to become more involved in their county.

The class is limited to 20 people, and participants will be informed of their selection by Tuesday, Feb. 1, according to information from the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.

Orientation will take place on Feb. 15, 2022. Sessions in March include a business/economic development on Mar. 1 and leading a healthy & caring community on Mar. 15.

A typical program day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends by 5 p.m. on two Tuesdays each month through July.

In addition to monthly sessions, class members are required to attend several public body sessions and a graduation ceremony. Each session is planned by a steering committee member. The sessions provide participants with a sense of issues relevant to the day’s theme.

Participants are introduced to the key leaders in each environment,  conducted through a series of discussions, lectures, group discussions  and tours. Leadership skills are challenged in a variety of simulation exercises.

Tuition is $500 for Chamber members and $750 for non-Chamber members and includes all training materials, meals, travel, graduation and diploma.

Contact the Chamber office 252.438.8414 to learn more or to request an application.

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SportsTalk: Coach’s Corner Players Of The Week

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In order to be a successful athletic program at any level, you have to have the players, and both Vance Co. High School and Henderson Collegiate have two such players: Jayla Taylor and Ellis Williams. These two athletes are this week’s WIZS Players of the Week.

Taylor has helped power the Vance Co. Women’s Vipers to three consecutive wins. Against South Granville Taylor contributed 17 rebounds, 12 points and a steal. Taylor added another 15 blocked shots, 9 rebounds and 7 points in the Viper’s win over Granville Central and against Carrboro she grabbed 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. An impressive set of numbers for Taylor earns her player of the week honors.

Over at Henderson Collegiate, Ellis Williams is putting up some impressive numbers as well. So far on the season, Williams is averaging 18.5 points per game, 3.5 steals and 4 rebounds. Against Eno River, Williams scored 15 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and made 5 steals and then against Heritage he contributed 22 points, 1 assist and 3 rebounds. His performance earns him player of the week honors.

Congratulations to Vance Co. High School’s Jayla Taylor and Henderson Collegiate’s Ellis Williams, this week’s WIZS Players of the Week.

 

Vance County High School

Vance Co. High School Basketball Games Scheduled for Fri., Jan 14 Postponed

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According to an email sent to WIZS from Vance County High School Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Joe Sharrow, the JV, women’s varsity and boy’s varsity games scheduled between the Vipers and Southern Durham for Friday, January 14 have been postponed until Wednesday, February 2. The games will be played at their usual time on February 2 – JV at 4:30 p.m., Women’s Varsity at 6pm and Boy’s Varsity at 7:30 p.m.

SportsTalk: Tharp Has Settled In As AD Of JF Webb

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It was Alex Tharp’s long-term goal to become athletic director at JF Webb High School in Oxford, but he thought that might happen a couple of years down the road. “The opportunity came earlier,” Tharp said. Tharp replaces Mike Carroll who is still at the school helping Tharp in his new position.

Of course, like so many ADs, Tharp is also a coach. He’s the head man for Webb’s varsity men’s basketball program. The Warriors are currently 7-9 on the season. The team started off hot but cooled recently. A win this week over Science and Math by the score of 77-47 has Tharp feeling good about the program. “We put it all together for an entire game,” Tharp said of the Warrior’s victory.

Some of the recent losses were to bigger 4A schools and that was by design according to Tharp. The idea was to schedule tough games early so the team would sharpen its skills for conference play. “We are figuring stuff out,” Tharp said of the Warriors.  That fits in with his goal for the season of stringing together a few wins which likely will come with the improved play Tharp hopes to see through the remainder of the season.

Friday, January 14th will see the Warriors taking on county rival Granville Central in a conference match up. Tharp says Granville Central is playing well. It should be a terrific 32 minutes of basketball tomorrow night in Granville County.

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