SportsTalk: Carolina Hurricanes Outdoor Hockey Success

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To understand more about the success of last Saturday’s outdoor hockey event, we caught up with John Brockwell, radio producer and engineer, for the Carolina Hurricanes Radio Network.

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Kerr Tar Workforce and NCWorks

TownTalk: CyberHIRE 2023 Makes It Easy To Find A New Job

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Job seekers and employers will get a unique opportunity to “meet” later this week during a Cyber Hire event sponsored by the Kerr-Tar COG.

Employers from across the five-county region – Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person – will make presentations that will be livestreamed to a site in each of the counties, where prospective employees will be gathered, explained Desiree Brooks, business services manager of KTCOG’s workforce development board.

This hybrid hiring event is just another way that KTCOG connects employers who are looking for workers and individuals who are looking for employment, Brooks told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

She and co-worker Adam Perkins said the CyberHire 2023 event creates a convenient way for employers to participate without having to leave their offices. Participants will be checked in and all settled in their spots beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. The presentations will begin promptly at 10 a.m. and will conclude about 12 noon.

Each county has its own site where the CyberHire 2023 can be viewed:

  • Vance County – NC Works Career Center, 826 S. Garnett St., Henderson
  • Granville County – VGCC South Campus in Creedmoor
  • Warren County – Warren Memorial Library
  • Franklin County – VGCC Franklin Campus, Louisburg on Hwy. 56
  • Person County – Business Development Entrepreneurship Center, 105 N. Main St., uptown Roxboro

Brooks said they wanted to bring back the in-person events after things got shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. The KTCOG has held outdoor events in the area, and she said the hybrid event will be convenient for everyone involved and has been strategically planned for effectiveness.

“They all need employees,” she said of the companies and manufacturers that will be represented Friday. “This is an opportunity for these employers to be in the comfort of their offices” while making a pitch to prospective workers.

The presentations will be viewed live, but in “listen-only” mode. Brooks said she expects follow-up interviews to be scheduled quickly so hires can be made.

Among the employers taking part in Friday’s session are: Versatrim, Maria Parham Health, International Paper, CertainTeed, Altec and Warren Correctional Institute. The positions range from machine operators and manufacturers to administrative positions, Perkins said.

“We have an array of employers from all of our counties,” he added.

Brooks agreed, adding that “every single employer will be promoting positions that pay a minimum of $16 an hour. They’re going to be learning about some great opportunities,” she said.

To learn more about this and other KTCOG programs, call 252.598.5200 or visit

www.kerrtarworks.com

 

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Warren County Native Returns – As County Attorney

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Warren County has a new county attorney, and she is set to begin her job next week.

The name Shiekel Richardson may ring a bell with Warren County residents – she is a native of Warren County and was graduated from Warren County Schools. She went on to get a bachelor’s in criminal justice and then a law degree from N.C. Central University, according to information from Charla Duncan, senior assistant to Warren County Manager Vincent Jones.

Richardson was appointed to the position last week at a specially called meeting that convened after the county board of commissioners’ annual strategic planning work session.

Richardson was admitted to the North Carolina Bar Association in January 2020. Her first day will be Feb. 28, 2023.

She previously worked for the town of Wake Forest as an assistant to Town Attorney Hassan Kingsberry. Kingsberry is the former Warren County attorney.

In addition to her work with the town of Wake Forest, Richardson has experience as a hearing officer for the N.C. Department of Commerce, working with the N.C. Employment Security Commission, Legal Aid of North Carolina and in private practice with the local law office of Stella D. Jones.

Board Chair Bertadean Baker said she welcomes Richardson back to Warren County. “With all the great things happening in Warren County, the board of commissioners and I are pleased that we have a Warren County native who has become an attorney, and has now chosen to serve the county where she received her start,” Baker said. “This is an outstanding example for the community and our students here in the county.”

Granville Opioid Advisory Committee Plans Community Meetings

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-information courtesy of Granville Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

The Granville County Opioid Advisory Committee will host two public meetings to educate and engage with the community on strategies to fight the opioid epidemic locally, including how best to spend the $3.8 million that the county is scheduled to receive as part of the national opioid settlement.

The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, Mar. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center, located at 4185 U.S. Hwy 15 South, Oxford and the second meeting is set for Thursday, May 4 at 7 p.m. in the Willow Oak Room of the Creedmoor Community Center, 116 Douglas Drive, Creedmoor.

The public will have the opportunity at both meetings to express their opinions on how the county should allocate funding to fight the opioid epidemic.  The county will get the $3.8 million over the course of the next 16 years as a result of the litigation against large manufacturers and distributors of opioids who contributed to the U.S. opioid crisis raging in the United States. The funding will  help state, county and municipal governments grow or implement proven strategies that will help prevent, treat and foster recovery from opioid addiction, according to a press release from Granville Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

In conjunction with these public meetings, the Opioid Advisory Committee has issued a short survey designed to help the committee form final funding recommendations that will be presented for approval by the Granville County Board of Commissioners. Participate in the survey by following this link: www.granvillecounty.org/opioidsurvey.

“Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey and join us on March 8 and May 4 to help us fight the opioid epidemic here in Granville County,” said committee Chair Jimmy Gooch. “As a county government, we have an obligation to utilize these funds to help as many of our residents as possible while also being careful  stewards of the dollars we receive. Gaining a better understanding of how our community would like the county to prioritize our spending is a critical step to improving how the opioid crisis is addressed in Granville County,” Gooch explained.

The Opioid Advisory Committee was established in 2018 by the Granville County Board of Commissioners to engage in shared leadership and collective action to advance a comprehensive response to opioid and other drug use. The committee includes representatives and stakeholders from within Granville County government as well as the Granville-Vance Public Health Department, Granville Health System, Vaya Health, law enforcement, local pharmacy owners, behavioral health professionals, affected families and other concerned citizens.

For more information about the National Opioid Settlements, visit the “More Powerful NC” website:  https://www.morepowerfulnc.org/opioid-settlements/nc-memorandum-of-agreement/.

 

 

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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TownTalk: American Legion Post 60 Celebrates 100 Years

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Henderson’s American Legion Post 60 is celebrating 100 years of service to the area with a special program Saturday evening to mark the occasion.

Post 60 Commander Ted Grissom reminds members of the program that is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25, beginning at 6 p.m.

Post 60 Vice-Commander Hartwell Wright spoke with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk and he said the local post provides support to military veterans in the area.

One goal on the horizon for Post 60 is establishing a veterans memorial in downtown Henderson. Although the idea is in the early stages, Wright said he hopes to have details soon about a tangible way to honor the military veterans of Vance County.

Wright recalled the early days of the American Legion in the U.S., when Congress decided that the newly established group would be the voice for veterans. The American Legion was instrumental in the formation of the Veterans Administration, he noted.

One of the group’s goals, Wright said, is “to keep the membership strong so we can be relevant in the future.” One way the local post supports veterans is with financial help. “When there is a significant need brought to our attention, we do our best to help that veteran,” Wright explained.

Membership is strong at this time, he said, adding that more veterans from the Vietnam and Iraq conflicts are choosing to participate in legion activities.

“It’s imperative on us to continue to recruit…so the future will be bright for the American Legion and the veterans we serve,” Wright said.

Among the activities planned for the program Saturday is a presentation of the post’s history by Ret. Col. Ed Blue.

“It will be the highlight of the event,” Wright said.

The event will be held at the Post 60 building, located at the corner of Garnett and Spring streets and will include a covered dish supper.

In addition to local post leaders, American Legion division commanders, vice-commanders and other district, state and local dignitaries are expected to be present. And although this particular event is by invitation only, American Legion leaders want to make sure that all local veterans know about ongoing activities that Post 60 participates and to raise awareness about services and membership in the organization.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Perry Library Youth Services Upcoming Programs

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Students in middle or high school are invited to take part in a “survival skills” workshop at the Perry Memorial Library, but the skills learned bear no resemblance to those of reality TV shows where you have to eat weird stuff or navigate deserted islands.

No, this month’s survival skills workshop involves sewing machines, said Melody Peters, the library’s youth services director.

Last month, participants learned how to sew on a button – if you stop by the library this afternoon, you’ll see the group sewing mittens, Peters told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Originally designed for youth in grades 6-8, Peters said the class is going to be opened up for high school students, too.

Next month’s project is making a shirt and then they’ll move on to making stuffed toys.

These basic skills used to be taught in home economics classes, if they weren’t taught by parents or grandparents, but Peters said offering the workshop at the library is just one way to interact with young people and help them feel successful.

“Education is your ticket,” Peters said, “but it can look differently for everybody.” Sometimes, kids just need a little help to learn those skills – like basic sewing – as they become more independent and self-reliant.

 

Next Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 4:30 p.m.,  the library programming shifts gears as it welcomes Mama Azia as part of African American History Month. This interactive event features music and storytelling, Peters said. “I’m so excited to see her engage our youth – it’s going to be amazing!”

 

Then, on Tuesday, Mar 7 at 4:30 p.m., the library will have another in a series of workshops called  “life hacks.” The March workshop will help young people begin the process of creating a resume.

“I want kids to be ahead of the game,” Peters said, to be prepared with a resume and choosing references when they go out in search of a summer job, for example.

Participants will get individualized attention from adults knowledgeable about building a resume and what it should include to be as effective as possible.

Peters said young people can have a document in their Google Drive, ready to send at a moment’s notice.

“You can do all of this mobile,” she said. So when kids are out and about and hear about a possible job opportunity, they can retrieve a resume virtually and can send it along to a prospective employer right away. The workshop will give young people a chance to practice interview skills.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ for details on all upcoming events and programs.

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