Transformed Eaton Johnson Campus Getting Ready For New Life To Serve Community

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The next few days are moving days for employees of the local department of social services, senior center and youth services as they transition from their old office spaces to their renovated spaces on the campus of the former Eaton Johnson Middle School.

Local officials gathered last week for a ribbon-cutting at the new facility, and County Manager Jordan McMillen said that it took a lot of work from a lot of entities to transform a former school building to a facility to serve the community.

McMillen thanked the county’s school board and county commissioners for helping to make the project a reality. “Putting a large, vacant school facility into reuse is always a challenge and…ultimately, we were able to take an existing facility in North Henderson and put it back into use. This was a win-win-win for the school board, the county as well as the city of Henderson,” he said.

“This new DSS facility is state-of-the-art and will allow our DSS to better meet the needs of our citizens. The facility includes areas for various units to work together, includes training spaces, conference rooms, adequate office space and storage space, interview rooms, youth and children observation rooms and play areas. We are very proud to introduce this facility to the public,” McMillen stated during remarks at Friday’s ribbon-cutting.

This is the first phase of renovation, and McMillen said additional space will be reused as well.

The facility is 102,700 square feet, and less than 41,000 square feet was involved in this part of the renovation project – 39,000 for DSS and 1,800 for youth services – that leaves more than half of the total space available for renovated. McMillen said the plan is to use most of that space.

There are plans to lease out the kitchen space as a commercial kitchen and space to house a Headstart facility.

TownTalk: Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society Continues Its Mission To Save Animals

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The mission of Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society is to find homes for dogs and cats that, through no fault of their own, wind up at the Vance County Animal Shelter. RCAPS is in its 10th year of work in Vance County, and Brandon Boyd told Bill Harris on Tuesday’s Town Talk that a new facility is almost ready to further the RCAPS mission.

The construction phase is nearly complete to transform the former animal shelter facility on Vance Academy Road into a low cost spay and neuter clinic for dogs and cats.

Boyd said being a responsible pet owner can be expensive – from food and vet visits to spay and neuter procedures. But spaying and neutering is the best way to reduce the unwanted pet population, he said. And this low-cost clinic is one step toward supporting pet owners in this effort.

The weekly trips that RCAPS van driver James Jackson makes up the Northeast corridor takes adoptable animals as far away as New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to find homes. It’s all possible through the generosity of local donors, Boyd said. From the weekly gas fillups from Rose Oil to videographer Dawn Hedgepeth who posts on Facebook Live each dog being crated and loaded on the van for their “freedom ride,” Boyd said he is thankful and appreciative of the local support that RCAPS enjoys.

“Ruin Creek is volunteer-strong and donor-supported,” he said. “Donors are the ones that make it possible.”

But when demand for companion animals – especially cats – there needs to be a different plan of action. “The (shelter’s) cat room has been full,” Boyd said, adding that the shelter staff and RCAPS has been working hard to find adoptive homes for them.

The spay and neuter clinic will hopefully be an avenue for residents to help reduce the unwanted pet population. “It’s a service we’re going to be able to provide to the citizens of Vance County,” Boyd said.

He called the feral cat situation in Vance County “rampant.”

“We’re very, very excited about it…within months, I hope we’re able to see the impact of this (clinic).”

He invited area vet techs and veterinarians to reach out to RCAPS at info@rcaps.org to learn more about how they can help with the clinic.

 

 

The Local Skinny! Around Old Granville: Tungsten Mine

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Timing is everything, and for a couple of local gold prospectors back in 1942, that adage certainly rang true.

The Hamme brothers, Richard and Joe, didn’t find gold in the northwest part of Vance County, but what they did find certainly proved valuable and timely.

It wasn’t gold. But they found tungsten.

Mark Pace and Bill Harris talked about the origins of The Tungsten Mine near Townsville on the Around Old Granville segment of Tuesday’s The Local Skinny!

If you remember your world history, the U.S. and its Allied forces were in the middle of World War II in 1942. The Hamme brothers’ discovery came at a very opportune time – the U.S. military needed the tungsten to put on artillery tips. Tungsten is the hardest naturally occurring metal, Pace explained. The world’s tungsten supply was in control of various countries that supported the Axis armies, and the Allied forces needed access to tungsten.

“Within six weeks, the tungsten mine was in operation,” Pace said. It started out as an open mine pit, but soon a 1,700-foot deep shaft was dug and horizontal shafts extended from the single vertical shaft.

But it wasn’t so simple to get the tungsten out of the ground. “The problem was it was very labor intensive,” Pace said. The tungsten was embedded in clear quartz rock that is ubiquitous in the area. Workers had to pulverize the rock into a fine-grained sand. “And then (they’d) run a magnet across it,” Pace said. If you were to study a Google map of the area today, he said you’d see acres and acres of those quartz “tailings” at the site of the former mine, which closed permanently in 1971.

One other problem with the tungsten mine was that folks around here didn’t have much experience with mining. Many families relocated in the area after having worked for generations up in Mitchell County, NC in iron and feldspar mines.

Although there’s probably still plenty of tungsten to be had, there’s probably not much chance of the tungsten mine being reopened, Pace said.

But, just to be on the safe side, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built two dams during construction of Kerr Lake. And it’s the Island Creek Dam that is safeguarding from possible flooding the valley where the tungsten mine is located.

Just in case.

 

 

 

 

The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 01-18-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for January 18th, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email christa@hendersonvance.org to be included.

JOB OPENINGS IN VANCE COUNTY – Week of January 18, 2022

 

Name of the Company: Boys &Girls Club

Jobs Available:  Office Administrator- responsible for managing daily operations of the Administrative Office. Provides regular clerical and administrative support, prepares correspondence and reports, maintains schedules and calendars, answers phones and maintains files. This is a part time position.

Method of Contact: Resumes can be sent to Connie Ranes at cranes@bgcncnc.com

 

Name of the Company:  Vance County Schools

Jobs Available: Secondary Classroom Teachers Grades 6-12. Offering $5,000.00 hiring bonus.

Method of Contact: Apply at www.vcs.k12.nc.us and click on Job Opportunities

 

Name of the Company:  Outside the Box

Jobs Available: If you are creative and looking for a new career please apply immediately! This is a full time position.

Method of Contact: Apply at 340 Industry Drive behind Mako Labs anytime between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm.

 

Name of the Company: Variety Wholesalers   

Jobs Available: Has multiple openings for Buyers, Assistants and Warehouse Associates

Method of Contact:  Interested applicants can go to indeed.com to apply or for more information contact Patricia Overton at 252-430-2042.

  

Name of the Company:  Vance County Government

Jobs Available: Positions are now available with Department of Social Services, Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department, Planning and Development, Emergency Operations, Register of Deeds and more

Method of Contact: For a list of all listings with job descriptions and qualifications go to Vance County website and look under job postings

Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

 

Perry Memorial Library

Library Seeks Public Input to Plan for the Future

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According to Patti McAnally, H. Leslie Perry Library Director, the library is looking to design the future of public library service for the Perry Memorial Library. Over the past few months, the library has been conducting a community assessment survey to gauge what Vance County wants from their public library. The library is asking for input on experiences, thoughts and ideas about library service. With that in mind, Perry Library is asking for participation in a community conversation that will take place on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 8 a.m. This session is being held in the Farm Bureau Room of the library. A Light breakfast will be served. McAnally asks that those interested to please RSVP no later than Friday, January 21, 2022. Those interested should contact the library at 252-438-3316, ext 232, with any questions.

FLVF Looking For Youth Advocate To Work With Young Victims Of Abuse, Assault

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Families Living Violence Free is a WIZS advertiser. This is not a paid ad.

 

Families Living Violence Free is looking for a qualified person to be a youth development/court advocate to provide counseling and other advocacy services to youth who are primary or secondary victims of domestic abuse and/or sexual assault.

The position requires a candidate who can collaborate with FLVF staff, effectively lead small group counseling sessions, as well as conduct client intake and network with other agencies to connect clients with services and conduct outreach programs.

Candidates also should have a bachelor’s degree in in human services, social work, or psychology from an accredited university, with a minimum of two years’ hands on experience working in youth programs.

A clean driving record and access to reliable transportation are a must as well, as is previous grant-writing experience and management experience. Additional duties include some night and weekend work to take calls on the crisis line, attendance at FLVF events in the community and more.

Find the application at WWW.FLVF.ORG.

NCDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Application Period Open Now Through Mar. 4 At Noon

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting grant applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Nonprofits and government agencies have until noon on Mar. 4 to submit applications.

Applicants can submit a draft application for staff review by Jan. 26 to gain feedback on their grant proposals. A .pdf of the draft application should be sent to jenni.keith@ncagr.gov.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace. It is managed by the department, through funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“In 2021, we awarded $2.9 million for 16 projects across the state, which included one-time funds of $1.6 million from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. We anticipate $1.2 million in funding this year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The success and growth of specialty crops are important as North Carolina agriculture continues to diversify and as the industry inches closer to the $100 billion mark in economic impact.”

The department will accept grant requests up to $200,000 from nonprofit organizations, academia, commodity associations, state and local government agencies, colleges and universities. Grants are not available for projects that directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual.

Eligible projects must involve fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, culinary herbs and spices, medicinal plants, nursery, floriculture or horticulture crops.

For grant guidelines and an application, go to www.ncspecialtycrops.com. For questions, contact Jenni Keith at 919.707.3158 or jenni.keith@ncagr.gov.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Latest COVID-19 Figures for Vance and Granville Counties

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Lisa Harrison, Granville-Vance Public Health Director, has released the latest local date regarding COVID-19. As of January 14th, 95% of all confirmed cases are now the Omicron Variant.

In the past 7 days, there have been 890* new cases in Granville County. The percent positivity rate in Granville County is 21.7%. According to the CDC COVID Data Tracker, there is High community transmission in Granville County.

In the past 7 days, there have been 627 new cases in Vance County. The percent positivity rate in Vance County is 28.3%. According to the CDC COVID Data Tracker, there is High community transmission in Vance County.**

There have been 10,923 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 9,372 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 20,295 across the health district.

Granville County has documented 108 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 108 deaths for a total of 216 deaths across the health district.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Granville County:

In Granville County, 68% of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 64% are vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

In Granville County, 19% of those ages 5-11 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 13% are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines.

In Granville County, 45% of those ages 12-17 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 41% are vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

In Granville County 14,123 of those over the age of 12 are vaccinated with at least one booster/additional dose.

Vance County:

In Vance County, 64% of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 59% vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

In Vance County, 17% of those ages 5-11 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 10% are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines.

In Vance County, 48% of those ages 12-17 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 41% are vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

In Vance County 9,302 of those over the age of 12 are vaccinated with at least one booster/additional dose.

 

Vance County Schools Logo

Two Hour Delay For Vance County Schools on Tuesday

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Vance County Schools will operate on a 2-hour delay on Tuesday, January 18th. All schools operating on the traditional and year-round calendar will have a required teacher workday. The workday will begin at 10:00 for all staff.
For VCHS and Early College, students and staff will operate on a two-hour delay.
Should the weather or power outages require a change in this plan, a call/message will be sent out at 6AM on Tuesday, January 18th.