Kevin Barnes Returns As Warden Of Warren Correctional Institution

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– information courtesy of N.C. Dept. of Adult Correction

Secretary of Adult Correction Todd Ishee has named Kevin Barnes as warden of Warren Correctional Institution.

Barnes previously served as warden of Warren Correctional before retiring in 2018.

“Warden Barnes has agreed to come out of retirement and resume his old position, which we greatly appreciate,” Ishee said. “He has more than 30 years of experience as a corrections professional, already proving to be an excellent warden, with high but fair expectations, and I’m sure he will continue to do so.”

As warden, Barnes is responsible for all operations at the Manson facility, which houses approximately 800 male offenders in medium- and minimum-custody housing units. Warren Correctional offers a variety of rehabilitative educational programs, from high-school equivalency courses to At Both Ends of the Leash (ABEL), in which offenders train dogs to assist people with disabilities. Vocational opportunities include a Correction Enterprises plant that manufactures janitorial products.

Barnes began his career in 1987 as a correctional officer at Polk Youth Center. He earned promotions to sergeant in 1992 at Nash Correctional, lieutenant in 1995 at Pasquotank and Craven, captain in 1999 at Pamlico and Franklin, associate warden in 2010 at Wayne and Nash and warden from 2016 to 2018 at Warren. Following retirement, he worked for private security firms and as an administrator of the Nash County Detention Center.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, psychology and religious studies from N.C. Wesleyan College, where he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice. He holds an Advanced Corrections Certificate from the N.C. Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission and has completed the NCDAC Correctional Leadership Development Program. He served on the Prison Emergency Response Team (PERT) for 12 years in roles from squad leader to hostage negotiator to the unit’s assistant commander.

TownTalk: Dementia Care Giver Conference

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The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Government is hosting a conference on Tuesday, Aug. 6  designed to help caregivers – family members and professionals – gain awareness, education and resources about how best to deal with those living with dementia or other cognitive or memory issues.

Michael Patterson, KTCOG family caregiver specialist, will be one of the speakers at the conference, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center. Patterson was a guest on Thursday’s segment of TownTalk and said the conference will emphasize the importance of caregivers taking time out for self-care.

When Patterson joined KTCOG in 2022, he estimated that he fielded 4 or 5 calls a week.

But now, he said, that number has grown – a lot.

“I receive probably 10 to 20 calls per day,” Patterson said. That translates into 400 or 500 calls in a month, which he said is a “tremendous increase.”

Whether that rise in requests is attributed to people being more aware of how he can help find resources or to something else, Patterson said, at least part of it has to do with individuals recognizing that they can’t provide care alone. “And it’s best not to do it alone,” he noted.

Although dementia is most often associated with memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease, Patterson said it’s an umbrella term that includes numerous challenges of cognitive decline.

Self-care can take many different forms, and Patterson said it’s an important step to allow caring for a loved one with dementia “more rewarding than challenging.”

For some, self-care could mean spending time at a spa or getting a massage.

Those are great options, Patterson said, but it’s not realistic for many caregivers.

If a massage isn’t in the cards, don’t fret. Start with examining how you breathe.

In high stress situations, Patterson said, we often don’t realize that we aren’t breathing “completely.”

Be mindful of inhaling and exhaling completely. Congratulations! You just completed your first self-care activity.

The conference is presented by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina. Melanie Bunn, a registered nurse and dementia care specialist with the alliance, is one of the speakers along with Michael Patterson, KTCOG’s family caregiver specialist.

Family caregivers can register for $10; professional caregivers register for $25 and have the opportunity to earn three continuing education unit credits.

Visit www.DementiaNC.org/2024Henderson to register online or contact Lisa Levine  at 919.832.3732 to register by phone. Walk-in registrations are welcome on the day of the conference.

Visit www.kerrtarcog.org to find out about all the programs and services the KTCOG provides across Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties.

 

 

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The Local Skinny!: Police Chief Barrow Updates Two Murder Cases

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Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow said a months-long murder investigation has resulted in a suspect being taken into custody in California.

“After slightly over three months of tireless effort from our investigative division, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, we are relieved to say that Antarious Tebron Harrington, age 28, has been taken into custody by the U.S. Marshal Service in California,” Barrow said in a written statement to WIZS News late Wednesday.

The shooting occurred on the evening of Apr. 15 during an altercation on Julia Avenue. Alston was taken to a local medical facility, where he later died.

At the time of the shooting, local police investigators obtained warrants for Harrington’s arrest, who was then out on pre-trial release on felony drug charges.

Further details were not immediately available.

Henderson police also have made two additional arrests in another shooting death that happened last week.

Christopher Joyner, 26, died on July 25. Police found Joyner in his car and discovered that he had suffered a gunshot wound. The car was located in the roadway between Beck Avenue and Ford Street on West Andrews Avenue.

 

Police arrested Qui’terrious Alston, 23, and Jadda-kyss Alston, 21, both of Henderson, in connection with the incident. Each was charged with First Degree Murder and placed at the Vance County Detention Facility without privilege of bond.
“We are tremendously grateful of our community for providing assistance in this investigation,” Barrow said in a statement to WIZS News. “Your continued support is making a difference.”

Nineteen-year-old Jah-meer Spann, of Henderson,  was arrested earlier and also charged with murder. He was remanded to the Vance County Jail without privilege of bond.

 

Oxford Prep School

SportsTalk: Oxford Prep Prepares For Fall Sports

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The start of high school sports for the 2024-25 athletic year is officially upon us here in Kerr-Lake Country. Oxford Prep Athletic Director John Hammett joins Sportstalk with Bill Harris and George Hoyle on Thursday to talk all about it. In regards to the season itself, Oxford Prep athletics starts August 12 when volleyball scrimmages at South Granville. That same day, soccer with travel to Granville Central but Hamett says that they will scrimmage against three other schools that day.

Oxford Prep opens its doors for the academic year this upcoming Wednesday, August 7th. This may seem like a quick turnaround for Oxford Prep but Hammett isn’t as concerned about that, “Most all of our team workout in the summer with voluntary workouts…”. What Hammett is worried about though is that the seasons are extended so much, “I think the seasons are too long. I think they should reduce them back to 20 instead of 23, so we wouldn’t have the overlap.” This overlap is referring to fall sports interfering with winter sports and winter sports with spring sports.

George asks a tough question about NIL (Name, Image, & Likeness) in North Carolina High School Sports. Hammett says, “The State School Board now has authority over athletics from the legislature and they decided that we would not have NIL in publics (public schools). But then the private school association decided that they would allow it…the number one tight end in the country is at Reidsville (NC) and transferred to a private school in Charlotte, and he’s gonna get a big NIL deal.”

 

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Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Sharing, Part 3

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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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