Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations Collecting School Supplies for Students Affected by Florence

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Elliot Clark, senior community executive for Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, and Amanda Burrafato, marriage and family therapist and substance abuse counselor with Recovery Innovations, were the guests of honor on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program.

Clark announced that Cardinal Innovations has partnered with Trillium Health Resources in eastern NC to purchase 1,000 bookbags for special education students affected by Hurricane Florence. Today through Tuesday, October 16, the organization is requesting the public’s help in filling these bookbags with much-needed school supplies.

Requested supplies include pencils, wide-ruled notebooks, markers, crayons, glue sticks and prepackaged snacks. Donations may be brought to the Cardinal Innovations office located at 134 S. Garnett St. in Henderson on weekdays from now until Tuesday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

In regard to their decision to focus efforts on students in the Exceptional Children’s program, Clark responded, “Relief efforts across the state have been impressive, but there are certain pockets of the population that need a little more concentration and this is one of them.”

The local five-county branch of Cardinal Innovations works with the Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren and Halifax communities and providers to cover mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services for Medicaid.

“Large in part, we cover services and we pay providers to do the work. We do the work as far as community service, care coordination, advocacy and education, but the treatment component depends on the providers,” said Clark.

One such valued provider, according to Clark, is Recovery Innovations located at 300 W. Parkview Dr. in Henderson. Recovery Innovations offers facility-based crisis and non-hospital detox services to residents on a 3-7 day stay basis.

“We are step number one,” said Burrafato. “We’re the mental health/substance abuse version of a hospital stopping the bleeding. We’re keeping people safe, restarting medication and allowing them to get sober. We get you safe and get you connected to the next stop.”

According to Burrafato, addiction is often the result of the addict battling depression or using inherited coping strategies. “A lot of times when we see someone who is addicted, it is someone who has gone through traumatic events or they are trying to run from depression.”

“Often times it is also hereditary,” Burrafato said. “What we see are generations of people learning to cope using substances and using patterns that have been ingrained.”

Burrafato said each person’s case is different and her organization prides itself on offering a choice. “People are meeting with doctors, our RN, our peer support workers and people who are in recovery themselves. Throughout, they are developing a plan that is unique to them.”

To further assist with the area’s mental health and substance abuse needs, a Wellness Alliance associated with Vance, Granville and Franklin community partners has been established. The group meets every other month on the fourth Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Cardinal Innovations Healthcare office in Henderson.

“Leadership from Recovery Innovations – Amanda in particular – has helped put together a more outreaching Wellness Alliance. They go out to different organizations and county departments to get a sense of the needs and respond to those needs with training or particular services,” said Clark.

One such area of need is additional assistance battling the crippling opioid crisis. “The conversation [on opioids] is not discriminating against who it is reaching anymore,” said Burrafato. “It can start with a car accident or a doctor’s prescription and before long it is spiraling out of control.”

“It doesn’t discriminate against age, race or creed. Shining a spotlight on the opioid crisis has made the conversation more available to the community.”

Franklin County Logo

Franklin Co. Government Offices to Close Today at 3 p.m.

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-Information courtesy Kristen G. King, Clerk to the Board, Franklin County

Due to Hurricane Michael, Franklin County Government offices will close today, October 11 at 3 p.m.

The Franklin County Board of Elections office will remain open for their scheduled poll worker training.

Franklin County Schools

Franklin County Schools Closed Thurs., Oct. 11

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-Information courtesy Franklin County Schools

Due to the impending inclement weather, all Franklin County schools are closed for students and staff tomorrow, October 11.

All school-related activities and events are also canceled Thursday.

Friday, October 12 will remain a teacher workday. There is no school for students on that day.

Please monitor the district website and our social media channels for further weather-related announcements including updates to this week’s schedule and make-up days.

Maria Parham Op-Ed: Support Our Hospital, Patients and Community – Go Vote

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Letter to the Editor – courtesy Bert Beard, CEO, Maria Parham Health

On Tuesday, November 6, our country will once again have the opportunity to select the next group of elected officials who will lead our country in Washington, D.C., our state capital and right here in our local communities. I encourage you to take time on that date to exercise your right to vote and also join me in voting for leaders who support community hospitals.

We at Maria Parham Health know firsthand the direct link between success of a hospital and the support that it receives from elected officials. Regularly, our hospital engages with elected officials at all levels of government and across party lines to help demonstrate the work of the hospital and the importance of healthcare to our community. We believe it is important for us to come together as a community to champion the health issues that directly affect the well-being of our citizens.

In this spirit, the time is now to vote for leaders who will tackle the pressing healthcare challenges facing rural hospitals. These include inadequate funding and growing numbers of people in communities, like ours, who don’t have access to insurance. Support from our federal, state and local elected officials is essential for Maria Parham Health to continue advancing our mission of Making Communities Healthier® – and you can help by heading to the polls.

You may be asking yourself, “where do I vote?” or, “am I registered to vote?” If you are unsure, please contact our local county election office. They can inform you of both where you should go to vote and also confirm if you are a registered voter.

As always, thank you for entrusting your health to Maria Parham Health. It is our great privilege to serve you and your family, and we look forward to continuing to serve the health needs of our communities long into the future.

Bert Beard

Chief Executive Officer

Maria Parham Health

(Maria Parham Health is a paid advertising client of WIZS. This letter is not a paid advertisement.)

U.S. Navy Band to Perform at Louisburg College

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-Press Release, Kayla Turnbow, Navy Office of Community Outreach

America’s Navy is coming to Louisburg, North Carolina, one of 19 cities in four states to host a performance by the United States Navy Band during its 2018 tour — one of the signature outreach programs of the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy Band Commodores jazz ensemble performance is scheduled for October 25, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. at Louisburg College’s Seby B. Jones Performing Arts Center.

(Photo Credit: Navy Office of Community Outreach)

Jazz is America’s music and the Commodores, the Navy’s premier jazz ensemble, has been performing the very best of big band jazz for the Navy and the nation for almost 50 years. They have appeared on TV shows, played nearly all major jazz festivals and toured across the United States and abroad. This vibrant, dynamic group is constantly striving for musical excellence and the pursuit of new and exciting ways to communicate with their audiences.

One of the U.S. Navy Band’s primary responsibilities involves touring the country. All of the band’s primary performing ensembles embark each year on concert tours throughout specified regions of the country, allowing the band to reach audiences in areas of the country that do not have opportunities to see the Navy’s premier musical ensembles on a regular basis. The concerts are family-friendly events, entertaining to veterans, families, individuals and those interested in joining the Navy.

All Navy Band performances are free and open to the public.

U.S. Department of Justice

Help Florence Victims, NOT Scammers

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— courtesy of The United States Department of Justice and The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina

Department of Justice Reminds the Public to Be Aware of Fraud When Disaster Strikes and Report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud – (866) 720-5721

RALEIGH – The Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region, which opened opportunities for criminals to exploit people during vulnerable times. The NCDF, a national coordinating agency within the Department’s Criminal Division, operates a call center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and serves as a centralized clearinghouse for disaster fraud complaints and information relating to both natural and man-made disasters. The NCDF seeks to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for victims of such fraud. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows them to forward complaints to the appropriate agency for investigation.

“In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Florence the affected communities and citizens of Eastern North Carolina should be on guard against disaster fraud schemes,” said Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “As FEMA and other federal, state, and local relief agencies work tirelessly to support those who have suffered losses as the result of this natural disaster, we can be certain that criminals will target those impacted and attempt to profit from the suffering of others. The Department of Justice is committed to detecting and stopping this type of fraud. Through the National Center for Disaster Fraud, and in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we are working to aggressively prosecute the offenders.”

While compassion, assistance, and solidarity are generally prevalent in the aftermath of natural disasters, unscrupulous individuals and organizations also use these tragic events to take advantage of those in need. Examples of illegal activity being reported to the NCDF and law enforcement include:

FEMA fraud;
Identity theft;
Contractor fraud;
Charity fraud; and,
Impersonation of government officials.

The NCDF reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Members of the public are reminded to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before trusting anyone purporting to be working on behalf of disaster victims and before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of disaster victims. The public is also reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying or financial information to anyone, especially those who may contact you after a natural disaster.

Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Florence, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions. Tips should be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

Learn more about the NCDF at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud and watch a public service announcement from United States Attorney Higdon here (link is external). Within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Deputy Criminal Chief Felice Corpening serves as the Disaster Fraud Coordinator. Working with the NCDF and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, Deputy Criminal Chief Corpening oversees the federal prosecution and investigation of disaster fraud matters impacting Eastern North Carolina. Violations of North Carolina state disaster fraud laws are handled by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s (NCDOJ) Consumer Protection Division. The NCDOJ Consumer Protection Division may be contacted at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (1-877-566-7226) or by visiting www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.

Tips for the public on how to avoid being victimized by fraud are available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tips-avoiding-fraudulent-charitable-contribution-schemes.

First Nationwide Presidential-Level Emergency Test to be Conducted Wed., Oct. 3

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-Information courtesy Lynn Allred, Public Information Officer/Grants Coordinator, County of Granville

IPAWS National Test

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system on October 3, 2018.

• The test will assess the readiness to distribute an emergency message nationwide and determine whether improvements are needed.

• The test messages will be sent using FEMA’s IPAWS, which enables authorities to send emergency messages to multiple communications networks, including the EAS and WEA as part of the nation’s modern alert and warning infrastructure.

• Sending the WEA test message will begin at 2:18 p.m. EDT. The EAS message will be sent at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

• This will be the first nationwide Presidential-level WEA test and cannot be opted out.

• Originally planned for September 20, 2018, the test has been postponed until October 3, 2018. A back-up date is always planned in case of severe weather or other significant events.

Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Test

Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA-compatible cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless carrier participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. Cell phones should receive the message only once.

The WEA test message will be a Presidential Alert and will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

WEA messages are sent by public safety officials to warn the public about dangerous situations in other critical emergencies. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (e.g. tornado warnings and AMBER Alerts).

The EAS test message is distributed to radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.

The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar and interrupts programming for approximately one minute.

The EAS message will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar Wireless Emergency Alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”

For additional information, please visit the FEMA website by clicking here.

Maria Parham Franklin to Hold Open House on Wed., Oct 3

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-Information courtesy Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Health, a Duke LifePoint Healthcare hospital, will celebrate the upcoming grand opening of Maria Parham Franklin in Louisburg. The community is invited to join the Maria Parham leadership team on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house from 3:30 – 7 p.m.

Located at 100 Hospital Drive in Louisburg, Maria Parham Franklin will celebrate the grand opening of the emergency room and geriatric behavioral health unit.

For more information, please visit www.mariaparhamfranklin.com

 

I Voted Sticker

NC Voter Registration Tips & Deadline Reminders

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-Information courtesy the State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement website

With Election Day quickly approaching on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, WIZS would like to take the opportunity to remind you of the upcoming deadlines and the steps to take to register to vote in North Carolina:

Register to Vote

In order to register to vote in North Carolina, a person must meet the legal qualifications to vote and complete a voter registration application. When completing the application, applicants must provide their full name, residential address, date of birth, and citizenship status. After completion, the application should be mailed to the board of elections office in the county in which the applicant resides. You can find the address of your county board of elections office by clicking here.

If the application is complete and the applicant meets all qualifications to vote, the county board of elections will mail a voter registration card to the applicant to provide notice of the registration.

Voter registration applicants who have met the voter registration deadline should expect to receive their voter card within 1 to 2 weeks. Applicants should contact their county board of elections if they do not receive their voter card within two weeks. Note: The applicant must have transmitted the registration application by the registration deadline; otherwise, the voter card will not be mailed until after the completion of the election.

Qualifications to Vote

To register to vote in North Carolina, a prospective voter must meet all of the following qualifications:

  • Must be a citizen of the United States.
  • Must live in the county of his/her registration, and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election.
  • Must be at least 18 years old. A prospective voter can submit a registration form up to two years before his/her 18th birthday, if and only if he/she will be 18 at the time of the next general election.
  • Must not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction (including probation or parole). If a prospective voter has previously been convicted of a felony, his/her citizenship rights must be restored. For more information on voting rights for those in the North Carolina criminal justice system, click here.
  • Must rescind any previous registration in any other county or state.

Voter Registration Deadline

The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina is 25 days before the date of an election. The voter registration application must be received by the applicant’s county boards of elections by this date. If an application is received after the deadline, the application may still be timely if it was mailed and it is postmarked on or before the voter registration deadline; otherwise, the application will not be processed until after the election.

For more detailed NC voting information, including One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration, click here.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

VGCC Inducts Five New Apprentices in Signing Ceremony

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Five Vance-Granville Community College students were among 14 who committed to participate in the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP) at a signing ceremony in Wake Forest in August.

In addition to the signings, five students were honored as the first graduates of the program, which was held in the Wake Forest Renaissance Center on August 14.

“This evening marks the beginning of 14 new careers and the next chapter of the careers of our first five apprentices,” said Mark Bertoncino of Bühler Aeroglide Corp. of Cary, chairman of NCTAP and master of ceremonies for the ceremony. “It is the culmination of years of hard work by the many people in this room and the first real living proof that our program is not only a success but that our apprentices are destined for great things.”

The students are now apprentices with nine industries in Granville, Franklin and Wake counties as they finish high school and earn their associate’s degrees at either VGCC or Wake Technical Community College. VGCC students Jacob Pitts of Durham will be working at Dill Air Controls Products LLC in Oxford; Marshall Cook of Youngsville, Jared Gladki of Roxboro and Joseph Peace of Oxford will be working with Revlon Inc. of Oxford; and Isaac Wier of Franklinton will be at Superior Tooling in Wake Forest.

Above: The five latest VGCC apprentices inducted to the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program joined with representatives of their new employers and Vance-Granville Community College officials on Aug. 14 at a signing ceremony in Wake Forest. From left are Dr. Gordon Burns, VGCC interim president; Vanessia Alvarado of Dill Air Control Products; Ken Wilson, TechHire grant project manager for VGCC; Jacob Pitts, Dill apprentice; Steve Tsotsoros of Dill; Marshall Cook, Revlon apprentice; Jared Gladki, Revlon apprentice; Mike Jones of Revlon; Joseph Peace, Revlon apprentice; Isaac Weir, Superior Tooling apprentice; Craig McLean of Superior Tooling; and Tiffani Polk, TechHire academic and career coach for VGCC. (VGCC Photo)

Working through Wake Tech, the signees and the other companies were: Lariston Pierce, Accu-Fab Inc. of Raleigh; Grace Leapley, Josey Baker, Jacob Ganzzermiller and Greg Smith, Bühler Aeroglide Corp. of Cary; Marc Dickerson, CaptiveAire Systems of Youngsville; and Michael Benjamin and Brian Sublette, Schunk Intec Inc. of Morrisville.

As each made a commitment to follow the program, the students were joined on stage for the signing ceremony by their parents and employers from the participating industries.

“Because of our collective efforts, these students have a new seamless career pathway to better futures,” said VGCC Interim President Dr. Gordon Burns. “While in school, these apprentices have the opportunity to receive real-life, on-the-job training skills and related training, and simultaneously to earn high school credits and college credits toward a degree. Following their graduation, they are offered opportunities for continued workforce learning as they progress towards their journeyman’s credential and advance in their careers.”

“Students win and so do parents,” he added. “Businesses and industry representatives certainly win. Having this apprenticeship program is a pipeline for new workers.”

The program gives industry a chance to train the young workers on the latest equipment, to use their employees as mentors and to develop future leaders in the companies and in the communities, Dr. Burns said.

NCTAP is a partnership that seeks to provide new opportunities for local students and to prepare a skilled workforce. Typically starting in the junior year of high school, NCTAP is a four-year program that leads to a student obtaining an associate degree at the community college and paid, on-the-job training at the participating employer. Eligible students’ tuition is covered by a waiver from the state of North Carolina. After they graduate from high school, students in the program will be employed full-time by the company.

In the graduation portion of the ceremony, Wake Tech students Luke Fouts, Alex Gaither, Mason Hurlbut and Simon Mitchell, apprentices at Bühler Aeroglide, and Dylan Beckwith, at Schunk Intec, were recognized as the first graduates of the apprenticeship program.

Also on the program were N.C. Sen. Chad Barefoot, R-Wake; Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech; and Maureen Little, vice president of economic development for the North Carolina Community College Systems.

Sen. Barefoot, who has announced his plans to retire from the North Carolina Legislature, was presented with a special recognition for his support of the apprenticeship program statewide. He has been praised for helping in getting legislation changed to boost the apprenticeship program. Whereas companies previously had to pay the state to have an apprentice, Barefoot helped enact legislation that now has the state providing reimbursement for tuition.

Representing VGCC’s NCTAP participating industries at the ceremony Steve Tsotsoros and Vanessia Alvarado of Dill Air Controls and Mike Jones of Revlon. Also present from the VGCC TechHire program were Ken Wilson, project manager, and Tiffani Polk, academic and career coach. All schools participating in NCTAP can send students to the educational partner institution that best meets the needs of the industrial partner, Wilson said.

More photos: Check out VGCC’s album on Flickr!