TownTalk: Maria Parham Health’s Open House For RNs, Allied Health Fields

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Maria Parham Health will host an open house for prospective nurses and others who may be interested in a job in nursing or any of a range of careers in the allied health field.

The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 13 at the hospital, located at 566 Ruin Creek Rd., according to Nathan Johnson, MPH market director, People Services.

People Services is what used to be known as Human Resources, Johnson said.

Snowy weather postponed an earlier event to be rescheduled, and Johnson said the open house is for anyone looking for a job in the nursing field, but also for individuals to learn more about openings in the various labs, as well as physical therapy, speech therapy, respiratory therapy, CNA and many more.

Maria Parham isn’t a large hospital system, Johnson said, but it’s a place with “a hometown feel” where employees are known by their name and not as a number.

“Our focus here is on making our community healthier and being able to serve the needs of our patients,” he said.

Although this open house is primarily for openings at the Henderson location, Johnson said representatives can talk to participants about openings at the Franklin and Person locations as well.

It’s best to RSVP online at mariaparham.com, or call Ryan Randall at 252.436.1125, just to give organizers an idea of how many to prepare for, but walk-ins are also welcome.

Johnson said participants can expect to learn about the various positions that are available and share their experience and skills with MPH representatives. There will be an opportunity for additional breakaway sessions to go a little more in depth, which could lead to a job offer, he said.

Come right in to the hospital’s main entrance and follow directional signs to the Open House location.

 

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Home and Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • The Vance Warren Beekeepers Association meeting will be on Monday March 10, 2025 at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Growing The Spring Vegetable Garden Event will be on Monday March 31, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Pruning season is here! Cooperative Extension has pruning publications that will show how to correctly prune fruit trees and grape vines.
  • Get your copy of the central Piedmont planting guide for vegetables that can be planted in each month.
  • Fertilize your fescue lawn if you haven’t already ASAP.
  • Apply crabgrass preventer to lawns.
  • Make sure fruit tree varieties grow well in zone 7 before ordering that variety.
  • Cleanup flower beds, then apply weed preventer and new mulch.
  • Don’t top crepe myrtles unless necessary for size control.
  • Remember to wear PPE equipment when doing all garden chores.
  • Start checking your lawn care equipment.
  • Check areas for mice. Greenhouse storage shed.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.      

The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events at Perry Memorial Library

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Springtime is just around the corner, and Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Director Melody Peters is gearing up for a busy time, filled with themed programs wedged in between the regular favorites.

“We will be getting really busy,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! February was filled with programs to observe Black History Month and April’s calendar is shaping up to be busy, if not busier.

Not only is April National Poetry Month, but there’s Week of the Young Child and National Library Week, it’s a time when students will be enjoying Spring Break so they may have extra chances to visit the library.

But before April, there’s Women’s History Month, and Peters said she’s invited a female author to come speak toward the end of March.

The Sunday afternoon Family Story Time will be held on Mar. 16, which is just one day away from St. Patrick’s Day, when mischievous leprechauns roam around and have some innocent elfin fun.

Peters said she feels the luck of the Irish all year long as she plans and creates programming for young people.

“I talk to kids all the time,” she said, “and I listen to what they’re saying.”

From those interviews have come programs about teen mental health and the Crochet Club, among others. “I want to find out what’s exciting to them and try to make it happen,” she said.

Peters said she visited Pinkston Street Elementary on Monday and a youngster came in with her grandmother after school was out – it was the 6-year-old’s first visit to the library.

“It was just great!” Peters exclaimed. “That’s why you do what you do.”

Visit perrylibrary.org to learn about all the programs and services the library offers.

 

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TownTalk: Chestnut St. Park Update, Basketball Court Renovations Underway

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Anyone who’s driven by Chestnut Street Park since last weekend surely has noticed that there’s something going on – a transformation is taking place at the park, and Charles Turrentine, Jr. is happy to see the renovation get underway.

Turrentine cares about his community – Henderson, Vance County and certainly the area where he grew up near the Chestnut Street Park, where he and others grew up shooting hoops.

With funds now in place for Phase 1 of the park’s renovation, Turrentine said he’s fielded more than a few inquiries from people who’ve been by the park and noticed the work going on.

It started Saturday, and Turrentine said the asphalt has been broken up and the fences removed. “We’re turning up dirt,” he said. He remembers Chestnut Street Park as a safe place for young people to be, playing basketball or watching those pickup games that invariably broke out most days.

But it hasn’t had any attention since it first became a park, and it was time to do something. Past time, truth be told.

“It’s time we look at it and give it some much-needed love and care.” He said he appreciates the support and regular meetings with Rec and Parks Director Kendrick Vann and Henderson City Manager Hassan Kingsberry to help with plans for the Chestnut Street Park renovation.

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TownTalk: NC Dept. of Public Safety Joins Bridge To Peace Vance County For Listening Session Mar. 17

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A local organization is teaming up with a couple of state agencies to host a community listening session as a way to gather insight, opinions and possible solutions around the growing concern of violence the area.

Bridge to Peace Vance County is organizing “Breaking the Cycle: A Community-Driven Approach to Ending Violence,” which will take place Monday, Mar. 17 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Southern Charm Event Center, 200 S. Garnett St. in Henderson.

Charles Turrentine, Jr. is one of the members of a steering committee responsible for planning the listening session, which will include representatives from the Governor’s Crime Commission and the N.C. Office of Violence Prevention.

Turrentine said a recent conversation with N.C. Dept. of Public Safety Deputy Director Robert Epstein is what got this started; “Vance County has come up on the radar at the state level,” he said on Tuesday’s TownTalk, when it comes to violence and crime.

Now it’s up to residents in the community to show up and share their thoughts on the matter. Turrentine said he would love to see kids, teenagers, young adults and older citizens at the listening session. He wants to hear from all segments of the community about what people see as challenges to overcome when talking about violence and about shifting the mindset and changing the narrative of Henderson and Vance County.

“We’re just going to listen,” Turrentine said. Vision boards will be used to capture the information generated at the listening session.

“We’re going to take all that information and we’re going to come back with legitimate ways to attack common issues that need to be addressed,” he said.

It’s easy to feel trapped in hopeless situations and Turrentine said this grassroots effort is one way to show the community that someone is trying to do something.

“We can’t arrest our way out of crime…if we can show other options,” he said, it could be a good step toward breaking the cycle of violence and crime.

He’s excited to have put in place the listening session, and although he said working with state officials has been challenging at times, “it’s a challenge I’m willing to take on.”

Identifying existing resources is one action item Turrentine hopes to share with the community. He also wants to rekindle the idea of neighbors helping neighbors. “If we can bring that back,” he said, it’s a step in the right direction that says “I see you and I do care.”

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4-H Logo

Cooperative Extension with Micah Sharpe: All Things 4-H

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On the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report with Micah Sharpe:

This week marks the start of the 4-H Science Embryology Program. Where local schools will participate in a hands-on 3-week experience. Students will have the chance to learn about the development of life from eggs to chicks and gain an up close look at the miracles of hatching.

We have the poultry show interest meeting on March 11th at 6:30pm via Zoom. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to get involved with the poultry show. Don’t miss this chance to learn more.

STEAM Night is coming to the Vance County Regional Farmers Market on March 19th from 6pm-8pm. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Math. This is a special collaboration with James Brown from Vance-Granville Community College. All ages are welcome!

Earth Day is Approaching! On April 22nd at 4pm, we will be celebrating Earth Day at the Perry Memorial Library. Come out and join us as we honor the planet and discuss ways we all can contribute to a greener more sustainable future!

Our Summer Camps are still in the works. Micah Sharpe will be posting further details by the Spring.

District Activity Day is coming up soon. This is a chance for students to showcase their presentation skills. Sign-ups will be opening up very soon!

The Vance County Game of Drones Team is looking more promising than ever! They have strong hopes in taking first place at the upcoming competition in April! Best of luck to our team!

The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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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NC Forest Service

The Local Skinny! Wildfire Season is Upon Us

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A brush fire on Edwards Road in Vance County burned about 10 acres of land, and firefighters and forestry service crews were able to get things under control to prevent the fire from spreading further.

“We did have a busy weekend, both locally and statewide,” said N.C. Forestry Service Ranger Rob Montague, whose territory includes Vance and Granville counties. A fire near Uwharrie Forest in the western part of the state has burned about 400 acres.

The fire on Edwards Road was caused by a debris burn that took place on Wednesday, three days before the fire broke out.

The person who was burning the debris thought the fire was out, Montague said, but conditions became such that it escaped the ash pit where the fire had been and then rekindled on Saturday.

“That strong wind Saturday really made conditions right for fires to escape,” Montague said.

Another fire near Epsom burned 75 acres and started as a land clearing pile that was burned during last month’s snowfall.

“It does not take long this time of the year for fire fuels to dry out after a precipitation event and become available to burn,” Montague said. The brisk winds and low humidity over the past few days make conditions right for fires, he said.

Thankfully, none of the half dozen or so fire calls that the forest service received on Saturday resulted in any structure damage or other loss.

“Fire departments have really jumped on fires quickly and done excellent work to keep these fires contained,” he said.

Montague said property owners should remember this rule of thumb about burning: If it grows on your property, you can burn it – safely – on your property.

That means natural vegetation – leaves, limbs, etc. But nothing manmade can be burned, he said. Property owners found to be in violation of the county ordinance can be fined or face possible civil penalties.

It’s a lot simpler for those who live within the city limits: except for charcoal grills, no open burning is allowed. Period.

The N.C. Forest Service suggests that your local forest service office before starting any outdoor fire and offers the following tips to keep in mind:

  • Check local burning laws. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours. Others forbid it entirely.
  • Make sure you have a valid permit. You can obtain a burn permit at any N.C. Forest Service office or authorized permitting agent, or online at ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit.
  • Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days.
  • Local fire officials can recommend a safe way to burn debris. Don’t pile vegetation on the ground. Instead, place it in a cleared area and contain it in a screened receptacle away from overhead branches and wires.
  • Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Keep a phone nearby, too.
  • Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed up debris burning.
  • Stay with your fire until it is completely out.
  • These same tips apply to campfires and grills as well. Douse burning charcoal briquettes or campfires thoroughly with water. Drown all embers, not just the red ones. When soaked, stir the coals and soak them again. Make sure everything is wet and that embers are cold to the touch. If you do not have water, mix enough dirt or sand with the embers to extinguish the fire, being careful not to bury the fire. Never dump hot ashes or coals into a wooded area.

 

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