Popular “Quittin’ Time” Returns To Downtown Oxford May 5

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Quittin’ Time in Oxford is set to kick off the 2022 season next week, inviting folks to hang around downtown after the workday ends to enjoy unwinding at a number of local eateries.

This is the second year for Quittin’ Time, and eight local restaurants and venues are gearing up to create small plates and drinks for their patrons during the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. window that begins Thursday, May 5 and continues on Thursdays through the end of June.

Visit Uptown 101, The Hub, Main St. Oasis, Strong Arm Bakery and Kitchen, Tobacco Wood Brewery, Harvest, Milano’s and The Orpheum to purchase hand-crafted small plates, craft cocktails, irresistible desserts – there may be some of last year’s favorites back on the menu, too!

Menu offerings will change from week to week, so follow along on social media for hints on what’s to come!

There’s no need to RSVP for the weekly free event – the only cost is for what patrons choose to purchase from the different locations as they stroll through downtown Oxford.

Would You Rather Lose 20 Lbs. Or $2K Of Debt?

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Think for a moment about how you would answer this question: Would you rather lose 20 pounds of weight or $2,000 of debt?

If your answer is the weight, you’re right in line with most other North Carolinians who responded to a survey from BarBend.com, a world leader in news and information about strength training.

The results show that 54 percent of North Carolinians who took part in the survey said they are more concerned about their “fitness debt” than their financial debt. Financial debt may be an all-too-familiar term to many, but just what is “fitness debt?”

“Fitness debt, or fitness deficit, can be defined as the difference between how much exercise you should be doing and the amount of exercise you actually do on a regular basis,” according to information from BarBend.

“If you’re exercising your body for fewer hours than it needs to function optimally, you have a fitness debt, which can be measured as a percentage. Over time, a fitness deficit can add up and negatively impact one’s health, leading to things like weight gain and increased risk of certain health factors – much like how a poor credit score can affect finances,” the statement continued.

In another study by BarBend, North Carolinians, on average, complete 111.3 hours of training or physical activity each year. That’s less than the CDC recommendation of 130 hours, so North Carolina has an average fitness debt of 18.7 hours per year.

Compare that to the national average of 115.1 hours – fitness debt of  7.3 percent – and North Carolina’s ranks lower than the national average.

So, what can individuals do to lower that fitness debt? Some of the same tactics that we use to reduce financial debt can be adapted to help improve overall fitness.

Those New Years’ resolutions to move more, spend less may have faded into oblivion as we approach the halfway mark of 2022. It helps to be conscious of the number of hours that you are seated during the day – whether it’s behind a desk, watching TV or sitting in front of a computer.

“It may sound innocuous to think about the number of hours per day you are sitting down, but sitting has even been referred to as the ‘new smoking’ based on the number of health issues it can trigger,” according to BarBend.

The only two states with a fitness “credit” are the Dakotas – South Dakota has a fitness credit of 7.3 percent, which means that South Dakotans work out 7.3 hours above the CDC recommendations; North Dakota also had a fitness credit of 3.7 percent.

The state with the overall highest fitness deficit is Wyoming, which had a 35.6 percent deficit – its residents worked out 35.6 fewer hours than the recommended 130 hours.

Youth Tennis Clinic, Court Dedication At Fox Pond May 14

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Youth between the ages of 5 and 18 are invited to a free “skills and drills” tennis clinic on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Fox Pond Park.

The Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation will conduct the clinic from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Fox Pond tennis courts. No registration is required, but all participants must wear appropriate tennis shoes/sneakers.

The event will include a ceremony to dedicate a tennis court in honor of Henderson tennis standout Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera, who died in 2015.

The Henderson City Council last year approved dedicating courts 1 and 2 in Barbera’s honor.

Barbera was a tennis phenom and was considered one of the state’s premier junior tennis players in the 1970’s and 1980’s. She was ranked #1 in the state in the girls’ 12-, 14- and 18-year-old divisions. She won two 4A state singles titles as a junior in 1981 and again in 1982 as a senior. She graduated from Vance Sr. High in 1983 and went on to Peace College, where, in 1984, she was named an All-American athlete by the National Junior College Athletic Association for Flight #1 in singles competition. She transferred to N.C. State University in 1985 and led the Wolfpack women’s tennis team with 16 wins in singles competition. She was inducted into the William Peace University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

Granville Spring Clean Recycle Event May 14 At Expo Center

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Granville County residents, mark your calendars for Saturday, May 14 to bring unwanted hazardous materials and a variety of recyclable items to the countywide Spring Clean event.

Teresa Baker, Granville County’s recycle coordinator, said the event will be held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Expo Center is located at 4185 U.S. Hwy 15 South in Oxford.

Residents may bring items ranging from old paint and unused pesticides to batteries, electronics and books.

But it’s not just an event to get rid of unwanted items – the Humane Society of Granville County will be on hand to accept much-needed donations of dog and cat supplies, from crates to collars, pet food to flea and tick medication.

The county usually hosts a recycle event each spring and fall, and Baker has reported that tons of materials are diverted from landfills when they are collected for proper disposal at county events like this one.

Below is a complete list of vendors on site for the event:

  • Veolia: paints, household chemicals, light tubes, drain cleaners

Note: Limit 15 cans of paint per vehicle

  • C. Dept. of Agriculture Pesticide Division: pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.
  • Shred Ace: onsite secure document shredding
  • GFL – scrap metal, junk lawnmowers, broken appliances, broken bicycles
  • Metech Electronic Recycling: laptops, computers, printers, fax, televisions, monitors
  • Granville County Sheriff’s Office: prescriptions/medications, sharps, flares, ammunition
  • Interstate Batteries: all types of batteries
  • Book Recycling & Polystyrene/Styrofoam

 

 

Representatives of the Humane Society will happily accept dog and cat food, crates, dog houses, leashes, collars, towels and flea and tick prevention.

Enjoy Highland Games In Oxford Saturday, Apr. 30

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The Central North Carolina Highland games will be held on Saturday on the campus of Central Children’s Home. Traditional Scottish athletic events like “tossing of the caber” will be demonstrated by skilled athletes from all over, and it’s all for a good cause.

Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the children’s home. And if there happens to be a kilt hanging in your closet, you’re welcome to wear it Saturday. The daylong event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen said it will be a fun time to watch and learn.

Tickets are $20 for those 16 and older; those 15 and under are admitted free. Contact event organizers at GamesAnnouncer@gmail.com.

Just what exactly IS a caber? It looks like a telephone pole and it weighs more than 150 pounds. And people toss it in the air and flip it so that it lands perpendicular to the ground. If that sounds a bit much, there’s also the N.C. Sheaf Toss Championship that will take place that day. That event involves throwing a 16-pound bundle of twine over a high bar.

The athletic events won’t be the only draw, however. A number of pipe bands will be performing, incorporating the sounds of bagpipes with drums and precision marching.

“If music and movement is your thing then you’ll want to take in the Celtic dance exhibition,” Allen said. “We’ve all heard of Riverdance. This will give you a chance to see individual dancers up close as they present traditional steps and dances,” she added.

There will be plenty of food and drink on hand throughout the day as well.

Visit www.visitgranvillenc.com for the schedule of events. The children’s home is located at 211 W. Antioch Dr., Oxford.

SportsTalk: Vance Charter Lacrosse Prepares For State Playoffs

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Three years ago there was no varsity lacrosse team at Vance Charter. Their first season consisted of only four games and their second season was only eight games, but this year the Knights won the conference championship. It’s also been a bit of a family affair for the school. The lacrosse team is coached by Dennis Sandlin, his son, Dan Sandlin, is an assistant coach, and sophomore Gavyn Sandlin is one of the team’s leaders. “It’s nice to have it all in the family,” Dan Sandlin said on Thursday’s SportsTalk on WIZS at 12:30 p.m.

Team leaders Gavyn Sandlin and Ryan Parker have both scored over 100 points this season with Sandlin being number one in the entire state and Parker tied for second. “They wouldn’t be where they are if it weren’t for the rest of the team,” Dan Sandlin said. He credits much of the Knights’ success to players committing to off season leagues during the summer and winter months. The commitment has paid off this season and Dan Sandlin thinks the team in now peaking at the right time as they start the state playoffs on Tuesday.

Wednesday night the Knights finished off the regular season with non-conference opponent Seaforth High School, and the Knights won 16-11 and finished the regular season with a 13-6 record. According to Dan Sandlin, the victory was the team’s most complete game.

One of the keys to why the Knights have been so successful is the mindset the team has. “We are all in all the time,” Dan Sandlin says and that has caught on with the rest of the team. “I couldn’t be happier with where we are,” Sandlin added.

While things are moving in the right direction for the Knights, Sandlin would love to see growth for lacrosse in the area. It’s an expensive sport and coaches are hard to find but he still would like to see the growth come to more rural areas.

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The Local Skinny! Hundley Details Warren Co. Farmer’s Market Opening

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The Warren County Farmers Market kicks off its 2022 season on Saturday, April 30. Vendors will be set up at the Warren County Health Department from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and market manager Danylu Hundley invites shoppers to show up and shop local, rain or shine.

“Everything is truly local,” Hundley told John C. Rose on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! Locally grown strawberries are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what is available at the Warren County farmers market.

In addition to seasonal vegetables, the market offers local beef, pork and chicken, as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor plants, from vegetable starts to Japanese maple trees.

Hundley said she anticipates the number of vendors will grow as the season continues. Many vendors are back this year, and there are several new ones, including Mom’s Creative Décor and More. This vendor joined for the Christmas season last year and brings her handcrafted home décor items this year as a regular vendor.

The local garden club will be on hand, selling plants to support various beautification projects in the county and recyclable tote bags will be given away on Saturday. The tote bags were purchased with microgrant money provided by Duke Energy Foundation through a partnership with Working Landscapes.

Some vendors are accepting debit and credit cards this year, Hundley noted, but cash is still king at the farmers market.

Shoppers also will find locally sourced shiitake mushrooms and baked goods like pound cakes and breakfast cookies when they visit the market.

And grits made from heritage Jimmy Red corn will be available for purchase as well.

Whether it’s a bag of heritage grits or a flat of vegetable plants, there’s something for every taste at the Warren County Farmers Market.

“We have lots planned and look forward to seeing a big turnout,” Hundley said.

The market sets up shop each week at the county health department, 544 W. Ridgeway St., Warrenton.

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TownTalk: Pop Up Medical Clinic Coming To Henderson May 14 & 15

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The campus of Vance Charter School will be a beehive of activity in a couple of weekends when it hosts a pop-up clinic to provide free medical care to anyone in the community.

Yep, that’s right. Free medical care, ranging from general physical exams to dental and vision care. The clinic will see patients beginning at 6 a.m. on Saturday, May 14 and again at 6 a.m. on Sunday, May 15 at VCS, located at 2090 Ross Mill Rd.

Did we mention that it’s free? Patients who wish to get a tooth filled or get new glasses need only show up. Services are first come, first served, and two of the clinic organizers spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk to provide details.

The pop-up clinics help people from falling through the cracks in the medical system. No id? No problem. No insurance? No worries. The parking lot will open at midnight on Friday, May 13. The process is as simple as showing up and waiting in line.

That’s the message from Duke seniors Rishabh Jain and Rishi Dasgupta, who have worked for months with a team of dozens of other volunteers to bring the Remote Area Medical (RAM) to the Vance County area.

“It’s been absolutely incredible to get the level of support in the community,” Jain said. Capt. Derrick Smith with the local Salvation Army was instrumental in connecting the clinic organizers with Dr. Brian Mathis at VCS, who offered the campus as the site for the clinic.

RAM, a major nonprofit provider based in Tennessee, has been hosting pop-up medical clinics across the Southeast for four decades; this clinic marks the seventh clinic that the Duke organizers will have visited since they first got involved with RAM.

Originally planned to be held in Durham, the organizers switched gears when they realized that there were underserved areas – especially in the area of vision and dental care – so close to Durham.

That’s when plans to host a clinic outside the Durham area took shape.

There will be numerous community organizations at the 2-day clinic to share resources and information. Patients may combine medical services with either vision or dental on one day, but they are not able to combine vision and dental, because of the high volume expected. Patients who need vision and dental care can return on the second day of the clinic.

Patients also will get an information sheet to help them access follow-up care if necessary and both organizers said they have identified health care professionals in the area who have agreed to do the follow-up care at a reduced fee or at no cost.

The clinic is completely staffed with highly qualified professionals who volunteer their services. The providers at the Henderson clinic are coming from across the country to participate.

Jain and Dasgupta expect to see hundreds of patients during the clinic, and Dasgupta said ithe stories of the patients that stick with him – people’s faces who are relieved of pain from an infected tooth or the delight of seeing clearly after being fitted with eyeglasses, Dasgupta said

his experiences have been rewarding and fulfilling.

Learn more about volunteering and sponsoring the clinic at www.ramusa.org or phone 865.579.1530.

Details on the Pop Up Medical Clinic coming to Henderson on May 14th and 15th.

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