TownTalk: Trials And Tribulations Of Genealogy

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Lots of people dabble in genealogy in their quest to fill out a family tree, but Kim Knight has taken it to a whole different level.

Knight has a college degree in archival management and genealogical research from Brigham Young University and she’s been a genealogy professional for more than 20 years.

What began as research on her father’s side of the family has blossomed into a business that helps others find their ancestors. But the work is so much more for Knight, she told WIZS’s Bill Harris and guest host Phyllis Maynard on Thursday’s Town Talk.

Genealogy is her go-to activity when she needs to take a break from the trials of everyday life. It’s a therapy of sorts for Knight, who deals each day with the effects of traumatic brain injury. And with a cancer diagnosis.

Maynard and Harris conducted the second part of an interview with Knight as part of a regular segment called “Former Active Duty” Still Boots on the Ground” that checks in with former service members who remain active in their community to help others.

There are many available computer-based platforms to entice an amateur genealogist, but Knight said she would choose https://www.familysearch.org/.

“It’s free, easy to use and has a tremendous database already behind it,” she said.

Other free sites include https://www.findagrave.com/ and https://www.cyndislist.com/us/.

While the amateur genealogist may enjoy poring over documents in search of family history, a professional genealogist has gone through rigorous training and certification to conduct research.

It’s reading ancient documents, learning how to pick through information and collect more than just dates of birth and death that intrigue Knight.

“It’s like painting the picture of the person’s life you’re researching,” she said.

For instance, she recently helped a young Black man with some research and she found some interesting information.  “I found that his great-great-great grandmother in the 1880’s went to college, earned her degree and went on to be a teacher – that was an amazing find for this young man,” she said.

Before all the online resources became available, genealogy fieldwork involved visits to courthouse, registers of deeds, and combing through lots of documents by hand. Now, clicks of the mouse and a few keystrokes can open up whole worlds of information to genealogists.

Knight cautions anyone doing family research to take care – misinformation abounds, and it’s vitally important to make sure the data is correct before adding it to your own family history.

For Knight, that’s part of the game with genealogy.

“It’s part of the fun, actually,” she said. “It’s a kick. I really enjoy genealogy.”

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TownTalk: Henderson City Council Planning Retreat

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The Henderson City Council and government leaders are planning for their annual retreat, and council members agree that housing and homelessness are among the issues they expect will be up for discussion as they prioritize goals and the actions needed to achieve them.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon told WIZS News that a goal of the retreat is to craft “a blueprint for the direction of the city for the foreseeable future.” Chris Aycock of Aycock and Associates will facilitate the retreat, which will take place at Henderson Country Club beginning tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 24) and continuing on Friday, Feb. 25.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and observe this annual strategic planning session.

Council member Melissa Elliott said a discussion about affordable housing and homelessness are important one to her. “I think they go hand in hand – that would be one of my main” issues to discuss, she told WIZS News. Other topics she hopes to discuss during the planning retreat are inclusion and diversity.

The Rev. Ola Thorpe-Cooper said she is excited about what’s ahead for Henderson and looks forward to discussing with others on the council how to tackle the issue of affordable housing and revitalizing blighted neighborhoods.

Thorpe-Cooper, William Burnette and Garry Daeke all mentioned the Elmwood URA project and plans for similar work in the Flint Hill neighborhood as positive moves forward for the city.

“We’re trying to do what we can for the city…as a whole – it’s not done overnight,” Thorpe-Cooper told WIZS News in a phone conversation.

Jason Spriggs told WIZS News Thursday that he’s concerned about housing in general, not just affordable housing. Spriggs sees a definite link between homelessness and available housing, and said people who are renting may be seeing those rents rise. He said he wants to make it easier for people to construct houses.

“It’s a tough situation for people who live here who want to stay here,” he said.

 

In addition to neighborhood redevelopment efforts, Burnette said he would like to see continued focus on downtown redevelopment and emphasis on the regional water system.

These topics and more are sure to be discussed during the retreat, which Blackmon said would begin with brief presentations by department heads during the first half-day. The session will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The second day will be attended by Council only, Blackmon said, adding that all council members would be present for the session, which will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“What I hope to get out of this retreat is a five-year plan with goals that have tangible actions attached,” Blackmon said. His topics of interest line up with those of Burnette, Elliott and Thorpe Cooper and include infrastructure, affordable housing and economic development.

Daeke said prospective developers most likely are interested in amenities like sidewalks and available parks, as well as appropriate lighting and landscaping as they decide where to put new housing or retail space. He said he hopes the city can secure some funding that would support providing those improvements.

“We’ve got to have some skin in the game,” he said.

Daeke said the council would probably get an update on the regional water system, which he said is very close to starting on the construction phase – perhaps as early as fall 2022.

Siting and construction of a third fire station could be a discussion, as well as finding a location for a train station as plans continue to develop around the S-Line project, which would see increased commuter and passenger service along the existing rail lines from Sanford through Henderson and on into Virginia.

Next steps include getting input about station design and layout – as well as where to locate it for best access by the community.

“It’s just incredible…having a commuter and passenger and freight rail coming through this town again is just going to open doors that we haven’t had open to us in years,” Daeke said.

 

 

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Filing Period Set To Reopen Thursday For May 17 Primary

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Candidates who wish to file for local offices will be able to do so beginning  day after tomorrow – Feb. 24 – at 8 a.m., according to Vance County Board of Elections Director Melody Vaughan.

The filing period resumes Thursday after a months-long delay following a State Supreme Court ruling on newly drawn district maps.

Any candidate who has already filed does not need to re-file, Vaughan said.

Candidates may file for the office of sheriff, the register of deeds, clerk of court and county commissioners’ seats in Districts 3,4 and 7. Candidates running for N.C. Senate and N.C. House of Representatives will file at their county boards of elections as well, Vaughan said.

Board of Education seats in districts 1, 2, 6, and 7 will be voted on in the next election, as will City Council Wards 3 and 4, at-large seats in Wards 1 and 2, and seats in the NC House and NC Senate.

The primary is scheduled for May 17, 2022.

Following is the list of filing fees:

  • Sheriff – $720.60
  • Register of Deeds – $529.56
  • Clerk of Court – $998
  • County Commissioners – $98.72
  • Board of Education – $42
  • City of Henderson – $10
  • NC House and NC Senate – $140

Make checks payable to Vance County Board of Elections.

The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 02-22-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for February 22, 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.3

Name of the Company: Benchmark Community Bank

Jobs Available:  Customer Service Representative I – This position is in Youngsville – must have 3-5 years of banking experience, basic math and computer skills also experience working with the public and handling money

Method of Contact:  apply online at https://link.zixcentral.com

 

Name of the Company:  Henderson- Vance County Chamber of Commerce

Jobs Available: Administrative Asst. / Bookkeeper – Must have a HS Diploma, Business Degree Preferred, 2 to 3 years of experience in a business office setting

Method of Contact: If interested please contact Express Employment Professionals Robin Reed at 919-693-1730

 

Name of the Company:  State Farm Insurance – Margier White

Jobs Available:  State Farm Agent Team Member – Office Representative

Method of Contact:  Appy at https://margierwhite.SFAgentJobs.com/j/06sj5y

 

Name of the Company:  Biscuitville

Jobs Available:  Multiple positions, Very competitive pay, Close daily at 2pm

Method of Contact:  Please apply in person at 1537 Dabney Drive, Henderson

 

Name of the Company: Walmart Distribution Center

Jobs Available: Freight Handler / Order Filler – page range in $17.55 – $23.55 an hour

Method of Contact: For more information go to indeed.com

 

 

Name of the Company:  Kerr-Tar Council of Government

Jobs Available:  Family Caregiver Resource Specialist

Method of Contact:  :  For more information contact your local NC Works Career Center or apply online at ncworks.gov

 

Name of the Company:  Turning Point CDC

Jobs Available: Group Leader of Creating Success After School – Involved in the planning, Implementation, evaluating and delivery of program for youth ages 5-12. All applicants must be available to work on-site Monday – Friday 2:00 – 5:30 pm and must have a valid driver’s license.

Method of Contact:  Applicants can apply by visiting www.turningpointcdc.org/getinvolved or call 252-621-5190 with questions

 

Name of the Company:  City of Henderson

Jobs Available:   Camp Counselor

Method of Contact:  For more information contact your local NC Works Career Center or Apply online at ncworks.gov

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.

 

TownTalk: Gang Free’s Black History Month Chief of the Year

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If you find yourself in Townsville and ask where to find Daren Small, you may get some puzzled looks or a shoulder shrug. But if you ask where “Squirrel” is, chances are you’ll be directed right to the fire station.

Daren “Squirrel” Small has been a fixture at the little fire department for more than 20 years. And although he has stepped down as chief, he said he’ll stay on – at least for a few more years.

As he put it on Tuesday’s Town Talk, it’s time to sit back and watch the scenery instead of being behind the wheel.

Small is the recipient of the “fire chief of the year” award given by Gang Free, Inc. as part of its celebration of Black History Month. Gang Free’s founder, Melissa Elliott, and community health worker Dasha Stutson spoke with John C. Rose about how and why Small and 3rd grade teacher Ebony Watkins were selected to receive the awards.

“I think that people need to have their flowers while they’re living,” Elliott said, instead of being remembered for their accomplishments after they’ve passed on. The recognition allows them to see how much their community appreciates them – and they get to participate in the celebration, too, she added.

Small said he and his wife were supposed to eat lunch at Ribeye’s in Henderson on Monday, but little did he know what awaited him.

“I’m humbled and blessed and really, really touched,” Small told Rose on Tuesday. Growing up in tiny Townsville, Small said he was always taught to give back. And that’s what he’s done through his career as a firefighter. He said he joined the county fire department in 1987, but his heart has always been with those who are volunteer firefighters.

Those volunteers have the heart to help – “it takes a special individual to do this job,” he said.

Stutson said she is especially appreciative of Small and what he means to his community.

“He’s been like a father figure to me,” she said. “He’s the sweetest man you’ll ever come across. There’s never a ‘no’ from him – it’s always an ‘I’ll try.’”

Stutson and Elliott expressed thanks for the numerous community partners and businesses that contributed gift cards that were presented to Small and to Watkins, especially Food Lion, Advance Auto, Auto Zone, NAPA and Tractor Supply.

Watkins teaches 3rd grade at E.M. Rollins Elementary School and Elliott said she creates TikTok messages each morning to help motivate and encourage her students.

Elliott said she was captivated by the fourth-year teacher’s energy and enthusiasm. So captivated, that she applied for a grant to supply the class with tablets.

“She’s doing a marvelous and phenomenal job,” Elliott said of Watkins. “We told her we were coming to bring her students tablets,” she added, and when they arrived, they also awarded her with the Gang Free “teacher of the year” award.

Her father works with the sheriff’s office and her mother is the bookkeeper at the middle school, and they both were present as the award was given. An added celebratory note is that the award was given on Watkins’s birthday, and Elliott said the young educator was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Elliott said she hopes the award serves as a thank-you to individuals for the work they’re doing in the community, but also “to let them know they are celebrated, appreciated and that the community loves them.”

 

 

The Local Skinny! Duke Energy Carolinas Carbon Plan

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Duke Energy is hosting the second in a series of three stakeholder meetings as it continues to develop its Carolinas Carbon Plan which is due to regulators in May 2022.

In a statement from Duke Energy’s District Manager Tanya Evans, the virtual meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

The first stakeholder meeting was held on Jan. 25, 2022 and the third meeting is scheduled for March 22.

“The Carolinas Carbon Plan will serve as a roadmap for modernizing our energy system, reducing risks for customers and reducing emissions from power generation,” Evans said in the statement. The plan targets a 70 percent carbon reduction by 2030  and is set to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The reductions will be made while Duke Energy continues “to prioritize the affordability and reliability that our customers depend on.”

Input gathered at the three meetings will help the energy company design and shape the initial proposal to the N.C. Utilities Commission.

Click the date to register for the virtual meeting: Feb 23, 2022.

In addition, visit duke-energy.com/CarolinasCarbonPlan to read updates.

The Utilities Commission must develop a carbon plan by the end of 2022 and Duke Energy is required to present its proposed plan by mid-May 2022 as part of the process.

Masks Optional In Vance County Schools Starting Feb. 28

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The Vance County Board of Education voted on Monday to lift the mask mandate for students and staff beginning Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.

The board held a special called meeting this morning (Feb. 21) to discuss the use of face coverings and the board voted unanimously to begin optional masking next week.

The vote comes on the heels of Gov. Roy Cooper’s update last week, during which he discussed guidance from DHHS and on passage of Senate Bill 173.

“The district will continue to encourage students and staff to become vaccinated as well as participate in weekly COVID-19 testing provided by a partnership with Mako Labs,” according to a written statement from VCS.

“The Board of Education recognizes that COVID-19 is still present in the community and will continue to offer optional layers of protection for students and staff,” the statement continued.

Temperature checks will be optional and the district will maintain nurses in schools. Schools also will continue the increased cleaning protocols. Staff will continue to ask students to respect personal space and to bring reusable water bottles for the touchless water fountains.

At their scheduled work session held on Monday, Feb.21, the Granville County Board of Education voted unanimously to make masks optional, except as required by law, for students and staff effective February 28, 2022.

The Board heard a summary of recent action at the state level, including a recent report made by the Governor which encouraged all school districts to make masks optional by March 7, 2022.  In addition, Senate Bill 173 (the “Free the Smiles Act”) was passed by the General Assembly yesterday and sent to the governor.  If the governor signs the bill or lets it stand without a veto, then it will become law in no less than 10 days.  Finally, specifics of the newly updated NC Strong Schools Toolkit were also shared.

While masks will be optional in school beginning next Monday, there are some settings and instances where they will still be required. Currently, there is still a federal CDC order in place requiring masks for drivers and passengers on school buses.  Masks are also still required on days 6-10 for individuals after they have tested positive or have been identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19.  These specific instances will be reviewed by our school nurses in consultation with the local health department.

Franklin County Schools has made the decision to make masks optional beginning immediately.