TownTalk: Interim County Manager Sees Potential

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Interim Vance County Manager Scott Elliott said he fell in love with North Carolina during an internship at the Forsyth County Planning Department during the summer when he was in college at the University of Wisconsin.

In the decades since that internship, Elliott has worked in various counties across the state. He retired after more than 20 years in Pitt County, coming off 15 years in Robeson, Alamance and Guilford.

If you’re counting, that’s only five of the state’s 100 counties, but Elliott said it didn’t seem to faze local leaders that their prospective interim manager had only seen Vance County from inside a vehicle traveling along I-85.

“I knew very little to nothing about Vance County,” Elliott said in an interview recorded for Wednesday’s TownTalk. “I think the board actually liked that,” because it meant that he could deal with situations in an objective way – “no preconceived notions,” he added.

Case in point: the county’s fire services. Elliott said commissioners did take the staff recommendation for a fire services study to take place. Requests for proposals went out last week as a first step toward resolution, and Elliott said a selection could be made this month.

The search process for a county manager is underway, and Elliott said there could be an announcement sometime in the fall.

He’s only been in place for about a month, but Elliott’s early evaluation is positive.

“There are a lot of good things here in Vance County,” Elliott said.  The I-85 corridor and the industrial park are just two bright spots that show potential, he said, adding that there were some job announcements “brewing” that could come to fruition soon.

Bringing consensus to the board room is always a goal, and Elliott said it’s always good when commissioners listen and approve staff recommendations. When dealing with any group – elected officials or otherwise – there’s bound to be numerous opinions and perspectives.

“There will always be disagreement,” Elliott said, “but it can be a productive disagreement.”

 

 

Gov. Cooper Releases Info On County Boards Of Elections Chairs

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The office of Gov. Roy Cooper has released a list of chairmen and chairwomen of the state’s county boards of elections.

James Baines has been named chairman in Vance County. Baines has previously served as the board secretary.

James Wall, Sr. continues as chair in Granville County, according to information from the governor’s office.

Esther Terry has been named chair in Warren County and Bobbie Richardson will begin a term as chair of the Franklin County board.

North Carolina’s 100 county boards of elections conduct local elections, operate voting sites, maintain voter registration lists and handle many other aspects of elections administration. The State Board works with county boards of elections offices to ensure elections are conducted lawfully and fairly.

Perry Memorial Library

West End Community Watch Gets History Lesson At Library

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The June meeting of West End Community Watch was held at Perry Memorial Library, where local historian Tem Blackburn gave a brief account of the beginnings of Vance County and the City of Henderson with displays of interesting artifacts and mementoes serving as a backdrop.

Displays in the History Room include a timeline, beginning with the original Native Americans living in the area and ending with current-day information.  A major display depicts the Loughlin Circus performers, including beautiful original posters.  There are new displays about the Vance Hotel and John T. Church.  Nannie Crowder’s showcase includes her childhood toys.  Bennett Perry’s extensive arrowhead collection also is on view and housed in a display case.  There is a lovely mural of old Garnett Street as seen from the inside of what used to be Parker’s Drug Store.

If you did not come to the meeting, you missed learning a lot about the area, stated Claire Catherwood, community watch member.

The next West End Community Watch will take place in August. A speaker will be announced closer to the meeting date.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Names New Community Relations Manager

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Duke Energy has announced Elizabeth Townsend as its new Government and Community Relations manager, succeeding Tanya Evans, who recently accepted a new position with the company and relocated to South Carolina.

“This is an exciting transition for me after having served in various capacities at Piedmont Community College for the last 17 years,” Townsend said in a press statement. Townsend served most recently as the community college’s vice president for advancement and communications.

“Duke Energy believes our success is tied directly to the success and strength of our communities and the customers we serve, and I couldn’t agree more. Tanya ensured a tradition of responsiveness and community involvement, and I look forward to building upon that commitment,” she said.

As a reminder, Townsend said Duke Energy’s customer service center is available to help with billing and service inquiries, as well as when outages are rerported. That number is 800.452.2777.

Duke Energy monitors storms throughout the state to be ready to respond to outages and emergencies.

Customers who experience an outage during storms can report it by:

  • Visiting duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device
  • Texting OUT to 57801
  • Calling the automated outage-reporting system at 800-POWERON

The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Tuneups

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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

Vehicles don’t usually break down in convenient locations, like the driveway. Vehicle owners can help to make sure their cars and trucks stay in good working order with regular tuneups, whether performed at home or by your favorite mechanic.

Advance Auto Parts maintains a wide inventory of replacement parts, from spark plugs to air filters and the cabin air filters, to keep drivers driving and cars moving.

Michael Puckett, manager of the Advance Auto on Raleigh, said it could be time for a tuneup if the engine is “missing” on one cylinder, or if the ride is a little rough.

Today’s spark plugs can last longer, but they also are more expensive, Puckett said on Thursday’s Pop the Hood segment.

The staff at Advance Auto can help customers choose the correct plug for their vehicle. “We can verify by putting in the VIN,” he said, or even use the vehicle’s license plate to verify the make and model. Different vehicle manufacturers use different brands of spark plug, so it’s important to install the proper plug.

Proper maintenance can prolong the life of a spark plug, and Puckett said he’s seen plugs last for 150,000 to 200,000 miles. Most manufacturers recommend changing the plugs at 100,000 miles, but he said to refer to your vehicle manual for your car’s specs.

And those cabin air filters that seem to magically disappear under and behind the dashboard, help keep debris and more out of the vehicle’s cabin. A clogged cabin air filter can reduce the efficiency of the air conditioning; with the upcoming summertime heat, that wouldn’t be good.

“If you keep your vehicle up,” Puckett said, “a lot of times, you’ll be running clear and free.”

Check out all the products and services that Advance Auto Parts offers, in-store and online.

Now, through Aug. 16, spend $50 with Speed Perks and get 20 cents off a gallon of gas at participating Shell stations.Visit https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ to learn more.

The information contained in this post and the broadcast audio attached is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship. 

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TownTalk: Combine Fun and Safety For July 4th Festivities

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However you decide to enjoy the upcoming July 4 holiday, law enforcement officials and others cannot stress enough the importance of remembering basic safety rules to keep the next few days a positive experience that produces good memories.

The long holiday weekend surely will be filled with cookouts, water activities and fireworks, just to name a few. But any activity can take a turn when safety rules aren’t observed.

Here’s a compilation of do’s and don’ts from Vance Sheriff Curtis, Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, and others to make sure everyone enjoys the holiday.

  • Know what fireworks are acceptable for personal use where you live.
  • Don’t let children light fireworks – let them enjoy from a safe distance.
  • Never try to re-light a “dud.” Discard it and use another.
  • Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose at the ready when setting off fireworks.
  • Swim where there’s a lifeguard on duty.
  • If you’re at the pool, walk, don’t run on the pool deck.
  • No diving into pools except in authorized diving areas.
  • NEVER leave a child unattended near water, whether it’s a pool, pond, lake or ocean.
  • If you hear thunder, even in the distance, get out of the water.
  • Heed flags posted at the beach that indicate safety regarding swimming and rip currents.
  • Whether the vehicle is on the highway or in the water, drivers should NOT drink and get behind the wheel. Operation Firecracker Booze It and Lose It is in full swing through July 9, and Operation Dry Water runs from July 1-3.

 

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TownTalk: Cats And Kittens Need Your Help

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Animal rescue organizations – especially those that focus on felines – are feeling the ripple effects of COVID-19 restrictions that shuttered spay and neuter clinics.

Lawanna Johnson, president of Franklin County-based Purr Partners, said the number of kittens being born this year is mainly due to the fact that those clinics couldn’t perform spay and neuter procedures.

Johnson spoke with WIZS co-host Bill Harris Wednesday during the People and Pets segment of TownTalk. She estimated that more than 3 million of the spay/neuter surgeries weren’t able to be done because the clinics were, at the time, deemed non-essential services.

Now, even with pandemic restrictions largely removed, “clinics are so backed up you can’t get appointments,” she noted.

There simply aren’t many low-cost spay and neuter options in the four-county area, and Johnson estimates that she gets 50 calls a day from folks in the community asking for suggestions or help with cats that have shown up in their area.

Originally started as a not-for-profit cat adoption program to assist high-kill shelters in the area, Purr Partners has shifted some of its attention in the wake of this continuing crisis and has started a program in Franklin County it calls “Wandering Whiskers.”

This program focuses on a three-step process called trap/neuter/release, or TNR, for short.

“We have shifted our budget to start trying to deal with this problem,” Johnson said, and the word is getting out.

Purr Partners can help Franklin County residents get feral colonies or community cats spayed or neutered through Wandering Whiskers. The only caveat, Johnson said, is that the residents have to agree to take the cats back and continue to feed them.

Right now, they’re able to help 30-40 cats each month. The program has a Facebook page and can be contacted at Wanderingwhiskers21@yahoo.com.

Unlike dogs that come into heat twice a year, cats can come into heat every couple of months, which exacerbates the problem, Johnson said.

Purr Partners always needs volunteers to help out, whether it’s by fostering cats or simply educating the public. Johnson said the current mantra is “spay one stray.”

At any given time, Purr Partners has up to 250 cats available for adoption. There are about 50 volunteers dedicated to help foster the animals, socialize them and get them ready for adoption. There are another 10 or so who agree to be temporary fosters.

Three PetSmart locations across Wake County serve as adoption centers for Purr Partners and volunteers have meet and greets on the weekends for prospective cat owners at the PetSmarts in Wake Forest and in Raleigh on Capital Boulevard and Six Forks Road.

Visit www.purrpartners.org to learn more about becoming a volunteer or to make a donation.