Vance County Schools Logo

VCS Middle Schoolers May Attend Sports Events Without Adult

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Vance County Schools recommends, but will not require, a parent or guardian attend sports events with their middle school-age students.

According to information from VCS public information officer Aarika Sandlin, the district will place additional middle school staff to be on hand at high school sports events to make sure the VCS code of conduct is upheld.

“Our athletic events have been and will continue to be a family-oriented atmosphere where we encourage our community to come together to support our student athletes and our schools,” according to the press statement.

Sandlin reminds all parents, guardians and students that the code of conduct and school rules are in effect during all school-sponsored events, including athletics.

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

TownTalk: Upcoming Job Fairs In Warrenton And Roxboro Are Open To All

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The Kerr-Tar Council of Governments is hosting a job fair next week at the Warren County Recreational Complex. Desiree Brooks, business services manager for the workforce development board, said more than 20 employers will be on hand at the event, set for Thursday, Oct. 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“One thing we have been taking advantage of is the nice weather,” Brooks told Town Talk host Bill Harris Thursday. She said taking the job fairs into the counties of the region is one way to match prospective employers with employees. Previous job fairs in Vance and Granville counties proved successful, and Brooks said she hopes the Warren event will be, also.

The recreational complex hosts a weekly adult kickball game, and Brooks said she listened to local officials to take the job fair to a spot that gets a lot of foot traffic.

In addition to watching the 6 p.m. kickball game, there will be food vendors on site and the Turning Point CDC Mobile Learning Lab for those who may need computer access.

“We wanted to not just pick a central location,” Brooks said, “but have a job fair in each county.” Of course, the job fairs are promoted across the region, but placing them across the five counties gives everyone a chance to participate.

A job fair is scheduled for Person County in late October, she added.

Employers are motivated, she said, and there are many opportunities for job seekers. “Everybody needs employees,” Brooks noted. “(Employers) want to meet everybody who’s looking for work.”

There are many opportunities in the Kerr-Tar region, especially in the fields of manufacturing and health care, she said.

Prospective employees should know that training through Kerr-Tar’s NC Works can help them gain job skills, too. “It’s not a deal breaker,” Brooks said, for a prospective worker to have most, but not all, of the skills needed for a specific job. “Employers are in such a need…for employees who are trainable and willing to work. We can assist with getting those employees where they need to be,” she said.

In this job market, an employee taking an entry-level job can quickly move up. Pay is higher overall, and competitive wages and sign-on bonuses are just a couple of things to consider when searching for a job.

KARTS is available for those who need transportation. Contact the NC Works office at 919.693.2686 to learn more about how to make an appointment.

Visit NCworks.gov to learn more.

 

 

McGregor Hall

McGregor Hall Announces 2021-22 Lineup

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The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center announces its 2021-22 lineup and there seems to be something for everyone, from a holiday ballet to the Big Band sound, with a little Parrothead music thrown into the mix.

Tickets are now on sale for the McGregor Live! Series package and the five individual shows.

The ticket booklet is available for $130 plus tax.

First up is a ballet performance of A Christmas Carol, on Dec. 5 at 4 p.m.

Then, on Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m., Christmas With The Celts will take the stage..

North Carolina playwright Garrett Davis’s work “Living With Ruthie Mae” will kick off the 2022 offerings on Jan. 16 at 2 p.m.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville show will be held Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and the season finale is

The Duke Ellington Orchestra on April 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Call the McGregor Hall ticket office Monday-Friday between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. at

252.598.0662 to purchase tickets or visit www.mcgregorhall.org.

‘Walk A Mile In Her Shoes’ To Honor, Remember Domestic Violence Victims, Survivors

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Infinite Possibilities Inc., a Henderson-based domestic violence and comprehensive support services agency, invites the public to “Walk A Mile In Her Shoes” to support awareness of domestic violence.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the 2021 theme is #Every1KnowsSome1. The walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aycock Recreational Complex.

Erin Carter, a victim’s advocate at Infinite Possibilities, invites the public to join the walk to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) was launched nationwide in October 1987 as a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues, while raising awareness for those issues.

In the past 30 years, there has been progress to support victims and survivors of domestic violence incidents, and strives to hold abusers accountable while creating and updating legislation.

Contact Bratanya Simmons 252.257.1044 or Carter at ehill@infinitepossibilitiesinc.com to learn more.

Mammograms Key To Early Detection, Treatment For Breast Cancer

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According to data from the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S., second only to skin cancers. Moreover, it is the most common cancer globally, accounting for 12 percent of new cancer cases.

But deaths from breast cancer have been steadily dropping, according to information from Emma White, DO, a women’s health physician at Maria Parham Health. White said deaths from breast cancer have decreased a full percent each year between 2013 and 2018.

And she attributes that decline to early detection – so if you’re a woman and you haven’t scheduled your mammogram yet, there’s no time like the present.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and White said women over the age of 40 should have an annual mammogram. It takes about an hour from start to finish, and it is a key tool to early detection.

Instead of waiting for symptoms to appear, a mammogram that picks up a problem could result in easier and more effective treatment.

There are additional risk factors to consider – genetic mutations, sedentary lifestyle, hormone replacement therapy and a history of radiation therapy – but White said 85 percent of breast cancer cases are in women with no family history of the disease.

Schedule a mammogram by calling your primary care provider or call 800.424.DOCS. To learn more about breast cancer, visit breastcancer.org and cdc.gov/cancer/breast.

Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Pender Preparing Vipers For Rain And Vikings

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While the Vikings of South Granville High School may not come from the land of ice and snow, as the song says, weather may very well be a factor in tomorrow night’s homecoming game at Vance County High School.

South Granville brings a 1-5 record to Henderson to face the 4-1 Vipers but Vipers Coach Wilber Pender explained that the South Granville record is somewhat deceiving. Pender said the Vikings losses have been to some very strong competition such as Orange, Hillside, Heritage, Southern Nash and Lee County. “South Granville has challenged themselves,” Coach Pender said on Thursday. “They are battle tested,” he added.  South Granville will likely keep the ball on the ground which, considering the 70% chance of rain Friday night, might be smart. “They are not going to stop until you decide to stop it,” Pender said of the South Granville offense.  However, the Vipers have a ground attack of their own with Dave Vines-Holder, who racked up nearly 200 yard last week against Carrboro and Carl Stephens who added nearly one hundred yards in the 36-12 win over the Jaguars last Friday night.

Coach Pender felt that while the team played well against the Jaguars he is still not satisfied. “We are making progress and improving each week. We are putting in the work and it’s starting to show on the field,” the coach said.

Those are things Pender can control but the weather is not. He says that rain is just another element to the game. He has had the Vipers practicing with a wet ball in anticipation of a wet field and while the weather may have an impact, Pender says that the game “comes down to focus”.  For Vance County the rain will pose more challenges for the passing game than the ground game and the staff feels that receivers must focus on catching the ball. Those pass routes may be a bit shorter too.

As Pender prepares for the Vikings and the elements he says he has concerns about about inconsistencies with the Vipers. On some series, he says, the team looks great while others are not. As the team plays their second conference game Friday night Coach Pender says the team in the conference that gives him the most nightmares is Vance County because of those inconsistencies.

Tomorrow night will be the Vipers first home in several weeks and with homecoming taking place Pender expects to have a great home turnout, rain or not.

The Vipers kick off against the South Granville Vikings at 7:00 tomorrow night.  WIZS will have live coverage with Trey Snide and Doc Ayscue beginning immediately following the Joy Christian Center Broadcast around 6:45.

 

NC Coop Extension

Garden Chat Series Offers Tips, Suggestions For Gardeners’ Fall, Winter Tasks

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The Vance/Warren Master Gardener℠ volunteers will host a series of “garden chats” for local gardening enthusiasts. The virtual, interactive lecture series is titled “Fall & Winter: The Most Important Gardening Season.” The first session is Thursday, Oct. 21 and begins at 2 p.m.

The gardening tasks of the fall and winter seasons set the stage for a beautiful and productive garden over the following spring and summer, and this educational series will provide step-by-step guidance to achieve success, according to information from Paul McKenzie, agricultural extension agent for  Vance and Warren counties.

Topics include Trees & Shrubs for Birds and Pollinators, Fall Garden Chores, Vegetable Garden Season Extension, Pruning and more. All sessions will use the Zoom video conferencing platform, which is a free download for computers, smartphones and tablets.

This is a free series, but registration is required. Sign up for all sessions, or choose specific topics of interest. For more information and to register, visit http://go.ncsu.edu/mgchat. For details, contact McKenzie at paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu, 252.438.8188 or 252.257.3640.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

TownTalk: Improving News On Covid 19

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COVID-19 vaccinations are an important layer of defense that health officials recommend to help turn back the tide of coronavirus. Along with hand washing, social distancing and mask wearing, it’s shots in arms that has Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison optimistic about the state of things in her health district.

For the past three weeks, the health district has seen fewer COVID-19 cases, as opposed to the end of August and September when cases were on the uptick just about every single day. She told Town Talk host Bill Harris Wednesday that things seem to be looking up.

“The more people that get vaccinated, the less we’ll see that curve…grow,” Harrison said. And as vaccinations continue to go up, the more people will feel comfortable getting back to more normal activities.

Harrison reiterated what other health experts have stated for some time – the majority of those in hospital and ICU’s now with COVBID-19 are unvaccinated.  “The virus will grow a new case and live for a little while,” she said, “and unvaccinated people are where this Delta variant have found its host.”

Granville and Vance counties both are below the state level for percent positive rates – Granville has a 4 percent rate and Vance is at about 6 percent; the state rate is about 9 percent, Harrison said.

She gives credit to community members who have been good about following the public health recommendations and guidelines. “I’m very proud of our communities,” Harrison said. “And we’re getting better all the time.”

While the Delta variant has gotten a lot of attention, Harrison said there are other variants that scientists are watching. “The good news is, so far, they haven’t spread like Delta. If we can stop this virus in its tracks, it will stop mutating so quickly,” she said.

Vaccines bolsters our immune systems and make our bodies stronger to resist viruses, she said. But the effectiveness  of the COVID-19 vaccines, like so many other tried-and-true vaccines, wanes over time, which is why booster shots are recommended.

There will be a Phizer booster clinic on Oct. 15 at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, Harrison said. Anyone who meets the criteria to get the booster shot may get that booster between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

 

 

Vance County Sheriff's Office

Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office Presenting Domestic Violence Awareness Event

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Think Community, the Third Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Event, hosted by Sheriff Curtis R. Brame, the Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office and Dr. Abidan Shah, pastor of Clearview Church, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23rd at 3pm at Clearview Church, 3485 US Highway 158 in Henderson. Keynote speaker will be Chief Estella Patterson of the Raleigh Police Department. Special guest community choir will be Roy Burroughs & Work in Progress. Refreshments will be provided by Clearview Church. For more information contact Debbie K. Scott, Gang Resource Officer/Domestic Violence, with the Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office at 252-738-2235 or by email at dscott@vancecounty.org.