H-V Chamber Seeks Nominations For Small Business Of The Year By April 8

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations through April 8 for the 2023 Small Business of the Year award.

This annual award is given by the Chamber’s Business Growth and Development Committee to a business located within the county that is supportive of community growth and sustainability.

There are several criteria to keep in mind when making a nomination, according to information from Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson.

In addition to being a member of the Chamber, the business may employ between 1 and 50 people and have been in business at least three years. In addition, it must provide a critical service or product, fill a void in the business community or have a unique approach to delivery of goods and services.

The nominated business should not be a governmental agency, municipality, school or non-profit agency.

All nominations must be received by 5 p.m. April 8 and must be on the official nomination form.

Request a nomination form by emailing Wilkerson at sandra@hendersonvance.org or by calling the Chamber office at 252.438.8414.

TownTalk: Around Old Granville: Restoring Cemetery Monuments

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When it comes to maintaining cemeteries, we’re used to seeing landscape crews out with mower and weed eaters, making sure the grounds are manicured and neat for visitors and other passersby.

But just as important – maybe more so, says Hilary Verville of Verville Preservation in Oxford, is a bucket of water and a soft-bristle brush. You see, she and husband Michael have their eyes on cemeteries’ stone monuments and headstones.

Often, family members are the ones left to tend smaller family plots, Verville said on Thursday’s Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.

“We love going into the family plots,” she said. And when they get calls from folks about what to do to clean or repair headstones, they’re happy to help.

“Documentation is absolutely the best first step,” she said – take photos of the stone in question, which will help position the stone properly if it has to be removed for repair.

There’s no replacement for proper maintenance when it comes to keeping headstones in good repair. She encourages individuals to become “citizen preservationists” in the fight to keep headstones and monuments in good repair.

“The best thing you can do is to keep it clean with water,” Virville said. “No chemicals, no soap – water and a soft-bristle brush” is the ticket to keep moss, lichens and bird poop from causing damage over time.

“You give it a good scrub. Don’t get super aggressive with it,” she continued. It’s kind of like brushing your teeth.”

And, she said, “never, ever, ever” use bleach or other abrasive cleaner. You WILL damage the stone. It may look nice in the short-term, but you’ll create pitting that will weaken the stone over time.

And if you need assistance, Verville said, “call us – we’re going to help you do it the right way.”

The Vervilles will come out and assess the site and the headstone or monument before coming up with a repair plan and next steps.

Verville Preservation is conducting a workshop at Oakwood Cemetery in Louisburg on Saturday, Apr. 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for anyone interested in learning from the pros.

Register for the workshop at https://www.louisburghistoricdistrict.com/

 

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Extending Your Vehicle’s Life

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

With spring having officially “sprung,” folks are getting serious about the proverbial spring cleaning tasks at home and in the yard and garden. The folks at Advance Auto Parts have everything you need to take care of those spring cleaning projects with your vehicles that take place in your garage or driveway.

Vehicle owners can check off a good number of these tasks to extend the life of their car or truck, but there may be some that are better left to a professional.

Trust the team at Advance Auto Parts to help you make sure your vehicle is in top condition as warmer weather approaches. Whether it’s parts you need, cleaning supplies or a battery check, Advance is the place to make sure sure your car or truck remains road-worthy.

  • Check your tire pressure – improperly inflated tires affect gas mileage and can reduce traction in rain – April showers bring May flowers, but also slick roads.
  • Take a look at your tires – check the level of tread and for any cracks or other signs of wear or damage.
  • Replace wiper blades – get into the habit of replacing blades a couple of times a year.
  • Check the battery – who wants to be stranded in a parking lot, on the side of the road or anywhere for that matter. If you see corrosion around the battery’s connection points or cracks along the top or sides, it may be time to swap it out for a new one.
  • Change the Air Filter – just like your home’s air filters, your car or truck’s filters need changing periodically. The staff at Advance Auto Parts can help you determine which type of filter is best for your vehicle and your wallet.
  • Change the oil and the oil filter for maximum efficiency. The frequency, however, depends on the kind of vehicle you drive and how your drive it. Oil changes are necessary to reduce excess dirt and sludge that may build up inside the engine.
  • Take a look at belts and hoses – pop the hood and visually inspect engine belts and hoses to make sure they aren’t cracked. A leaky coolant hose, for example, can lead to an overheated engine. And when the belt that turns the water pump snaps, your car’s cooling system won’t work. If you hear a high-pitched whine or squeal, it may be a sign of a worn belt that’s losing its tension.
  • Check the A/C before outside temps get too hot to make sure the system is working properly. Don’t wait ‘til summertime – nothing worse than climbing into a hot car and not being able to cool it down!
  • Inspect the radiator and its rubber cooling hoses for any signs of cracking or swelling that could cause leaks.
  • Wash your vehicle. A shiny, clean car isn’t just for looks. Your vehicle’s paint and undercarriage need an occasional wash.

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

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Sheriff Brame: One Charged With Cruelty To Animals After Report Of Dog Being Shot At Kerr Lake Country Club

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From a press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

On March 15, 2024, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a dog being shot at the Kerr Lake Country Club located at 600 Hedrick Drive Henderson on March 3, 2024.

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division alongside Vance County Animal Services conducted an investigation into the incident, which resulted in James Bradley Pierce of 140 Strawberry Lane Henderson being charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals. Pierce was given a court date of May 6, 2024 for the charge.

During the investigation, no evidence was found that indicated any person(s) or dwellings were shot at, and there is no ongoing threat to the general public as a result of this incident.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at 252.738.2200.

From sources outside of the Sheriff’s Office, WIZS can report that the dog died.

TownTalk: MerleFest Takes Place April 25 Through 28

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About 100 artists and bands will take to the stage – 12 stages, actually – during the four-day run of MerleFest next month in Wilkes County and organizers anticipate more than 70,000 fans of bluegrass and traditional music will be there to listen and take in all the sights.

Festival Director Wes Whitson said he’d love to see attendance “north of 75,000” and said he and his team work throughout the year to secure acts from far and near to entertain audiences of all ages throughout the four days. MerleFest 2024 takes place on the campus of Wilkes Community College April 25-28.

MerleFest began in 1988 as a fundraiser to help improve the gardens at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, Whitson told WIZS co-host Bill Harris. Legendary musician Doc Watson started the festival in memory of his musician son Merle, who died in 1985.

Since then, the festival has grown and evolved, but Whitson said its roots still lie in being a fundraiser for the community college, providing money for scholarships, training and much more.

Among the acts taking the stage this year are Old Crow Medicine Show, Nickel Creek, Turnpike Troubadours, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Lukas Nelson & POTR, Steep Canyon Rangers – just to name a few.

Visit https://merlefest.org/ for details about ticket prices, lineups, schedules and all things MerleFest. Or, Whitson said, the box office is open on weekdays, so feel free to call 800.343.7857. There’s also a MerleFest app.

From all indications so far, MerleFest fans approve of the musicians they’ll be listening to this year. “Our fans have really shown support for our lineup,” Whitson said. They conducted research will polls to make sure they were choosing artists that fans wanted to hear.

“I think that paid off,” he said, adding that they’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback.

Concert-goers come from all over to the small county in western North Carolina, and they bring their pocketbooks with them. Whitson said MerleFest infuses $10 and $12 million dollars into the local economy during the days leading up to – and including – the festival.

MerleFest’s artist relations team is continually looking and listening for local talent and scout around in local and larger venues all year to identify potential musicians to invite. “We seek and find and invite,” Whitson said. “We’re definitely paying attention and following the ‘buzz’ around.”

In its earlier days, organizers could start making plans in the summer for the following spring’s concert. But those days are over, Whitson said.

“It is a yearlong planning event – we work full time on this all year long…to make sure we’re putting out the best, safest, quality event. That takes a lot of time.”

He gives much credit to his festival team and extended network of partners – from the production company to the tent supplier to artist relations teams, “everybody pitches in and does a great job,” Whitson said.

“I’m surrounded by good people…we love doing it and it’s a lot of fun.”

 

WIZS will be giving away free tickets to MerleFest in the coming weeks – stay tuned for details!

 

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Revaluation Notices Are Hitting Property Owners’ Mailboxes

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Vance County Tax Administration recently mailed its 2024 revaluation notices to all residential and commercial property owners which provides an updated appraisal of all real property in Vance County to its current market value as of Jan. 1, 2024 per state requirements.

The state statutes also allow property owners the right to appeal if they feel the market value established does not reflect true market value. Citizens must file such appeal by June 3,2024. To learn more about the revaluation and appeal process visit www.vancecounty.org. On the homepage, click on Departments  and then find Tax Administration Office in the drop-down box.

“I highly recommend, should a citizen wish to appeal, they should visit our website, review the data, and, should they disagree, file the appeal ahead of the deadline of June 3, 2024,” stated Tax Administrator Porcha Brooks.  The notices mailed to property owners, in fact, suggests that appeals be filed by May 28 to make sure there is adequate time for scheduling.

“We would like to engage in conversations with our citizens quickly, answer any questions and/or address their concerns,” Brooks said. “I would also like to apologize for the link within the notice that is not currently taking citizens to the correct location of our website. We have ensured a link is located on the County Home Page to help citizens navigate through the process,” she added.

There’s a website listed on the notice where property owners can search for comparable properties and their appraised value that property owners may find useful.

Any property owner who wants to appeal the appraised value because it’s not a reasonable estimate must file an appeal before Monday, June 3, 2024 at https://www.vancecounty.org/ departments/tax-overview/vance-appeal-app/.

Contact the tax office at 252.738.2040 or email taxoffice@vancecounty.org to learn more about the process. County staff anticipate that many of the appeals will be handled during the informal appeals period, but if not, property owners will appear before the county’s Equalization & Review board for a formal appeals process.

If an agreement isn’t reached during this formal appeals process, property owners have 30 days from the date of the E&R board’s written decision to file an appeal with the N.C. Property Tax Commission in Raleigh.

 

 

 

City Council Approves Creation of IT Specialist Job For Henderson Police Department

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Police officers have access to various types of technology that helps them with their investigations, which is good. But all that technology brings with it its own challenges.

“We have a lot of computers, servers and a lot of electronics,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. Some are connected to federal databases; others are connected to state or local databases. Then there’s the cloud-based systems versus those that rely on servers to run properly and store information.

“We’ve limped through information technology for quite some time now,” Barrow said on Monday’s TownTalk.

But at their March meeting, the Henderson City Council approved a request from Barrow that will take steps at addressing the need to keep all that computer equipment in the “asset” category and not in the “liability” category.

City staff recommend using funds allocated in the budget for one parking enforcement officer ($31,200) and one police officer ($51,330) and create a new position called Police Information Technology Specialist, with a salary range of $63,915 and $95,871. The city currently has 10 vacant sworn officer positions and one vacant parking enforcement position.

“We’re outfitting these officers with the best technology available,” Barrow said, and it’s critical to have someone with experience manage it than someone who’s just learning about its capabilities.

“We’ve got to have a professional do it,” he said.

TownTalk: Henderson Spectacular Coming To SaddleRock Farm

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The upcoming “Henderson Spectacular” is sure to check a lot of boxes for folks in the community who want to visit a local farm, play games and enjoy the outdoors, but Larry Johnson and Emily Parker are weaving in a religious theme into all the activities that will be taking place on Saturday, Apr. 27.

And they want to spread the word, especially about The Greatest Story Ever Told.

Johnson owns SaddleRock Farm, and he and his granddaughter-in-law were guests on Tuesday’s TownTalk segment to talk up the event, which is completely free for everyone to attend. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the fun continues until 3 p.m. Come early, Johnson advised, so you’ll have a chance to enjoy all the activities that are in store.

“I’m blessed to be a part of it…I’m glad to have it at the farm –  it’s special,” Parker said.

“Our farm furnishes the location,” Johnson said, and New Sandy Creek Baptist Church is a primary sponsor for this year’s “Spectacular,” which will feature horse rides and hayrides, inflatables for the kids to play on, puppet shows and much more.

Then there’s the food – think carnival food like popcorn, sno-cones and drinks to go along with all the outdoor fun – “all for zero cost,” Johnson added.

Kids of all ages can enjoy visiting with some barnyard animals, including goats, sheep, a pig, chickens, ducks, geese, peacocks – even a turkey.

Not to worry, Johnson said, all these animals have names. And you can’t eat them once you give them names, he explained.

The farm is a for-profit endeavor, providing riding lessons, field trips and birthday parties throughout the year. But it’s important to Johnson to give back to the community, and hosting the event is his way of going that.

“When I bought that farm, I didn’t buy it for the public, I bought it for my family. Not too long after that, God spoke to my heart and said he had provided that farm…not just for my family but for other people. So when we opened in April 2010, we had a pretty big dedication service and we dedicated that farm to the Lord and his work. We do have to make a living – the farm does have to support itself, but it is dedicated to the Lord and every opportunity we have to provide any service that people can learn more about the Lord, we do that.”

SaddleRock Farm is located at 1786 Weldon’s Mill Rd., Henderson.

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