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TownTalk: Wise Community To Celebrate 4th Of July

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Everything’s all set for the 23rd edition of the Wise July 4 Independence Day parade and festival. Mary Ann Perkinson, one of the organizers, said participants can enjoy live music, children’s activities and food and craft vendors after the parade passes by, but she’s not spilling the beans about the parade – “You’ll have to come see what they are – we’re not going to tell all of our secrets,” Perkinson said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

Bring a chair so you can sit under the shade of the trees in the church yard or under the pavilion at Wise Baptist Church, she said. Feature Attraction will be performing during the festival, which begins as soon as the last parade entry passes by.

They’re still taking entries, so anyone with a pretty, shiny car to show off or a wagon pulling grandchildren is welcome to phone Gary Paynter 252.438.0574. (No motorcycles or four-wheelers, she said.)

The parade begins at 10 a.m., so entrants need to be lined up earlier than that just across U.S. 1 from Bruce Parkinson’s home, Perkinson said. The parade route will follow U.S. 1 and will end right at the old school at Wise Baptist Church.

There’s plenty of parking there for people, and Perkinson said she and other organizers figure there will be upwards of 5,000 people who stop in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The parade and festival got its start in 2000, and since then, they’ve only missed one year. Yep, one parade was sidelined because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be different foods for sale, including homemade ice cream in flavors like peach, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.

“It’s just a fun day for everybody,” Perkinson said. Organizing it is “a lot of work, but we do it because we love our community and we hope people will come.”

For more information about parade entry, vendor space or the car show please contact Gary Paynter at 252.438.0574, Danielle Edgerton at 252.204.2605 or Mike McCray at 919.604.3081.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Cleaning Engine Compartment

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

Here’s a question for you: When was the last time you cleaned your car or truck?

If your answer is within the last month, give yourself a pat on the back. Good job keeping your vehicle looking nice.

Here’s another one for you: When was the last time you cleaned the engine?

Yep. The engine.

It’s important to keep the engine compartment clean for a couple of reasons, and the professional staff at Advance Auto Parts can help you select the products you need, from a quick rinse-off to a degreaser to go after some major build-up.

A clean engine helps keep your resale value high – what prospective buyer wouldn’t love to pop the hood and see a gleaming engine? As the vehicle owner, keeping the engine compartment free of dirt and grime also cuts down on premature wear of belts, hoses and gaskets.

And it helps the engine stay cooler and operate efficiently, too.

Cover the battery, alternator and carburetor with plastic and take care around coil packs and fuse panels. And the engine should be cool before you spray it with a particular product or with water.

Go after the dirt a little at the time, rinsing with low-pressure water and checking progress regularly.

Hand clean around the areas that you covered with plastic with soap, small brushes or a hand mitt.

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.

 

Follow Boating, Water Safety Rules To Keep Recreation Activities Fun, Enjoyable

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– information courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Insurance

Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is urging everyone to take extra precautions during one of the most popular water recreational times of the year.

“Independence Day is a great opportunity to celebrate our freedom on the water with friends, family and neighbors,” Causey said. “Beaches, lakes and waterways will be crowded 4th of July weekend. Many of us will be either in the water or on watercraft. It’s important to remember to be safe and responsible as you head out on the boat, jet ski, kayak or as you swim during these celebrations,” he said.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has reported 37 boating incidents  across the state thus far in 2024. “We’ve had far too many water deaths and close calls this year,” Causey said, adding that those boating incidents resulted in seven deaths.

Remember these boating safety reminders if you are a boat owner and are entertaining others on board, or if you are a rider on a boat:

  1. Always wear a life jacket – no exceptions. Make sure EVERYONE on board has a life jacket that is serviceable, properly sized, correctly fastened and suitable for your activity. Adults and children should always wear a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard while on boats or jet skis, around open bodies of water or when participating in other water sports. Make sure the life jacket fits snugly. Have the child make a “touchdown” signal by raising both arms straight up; if the life jacket hits the child’s chin or ears, it may be too big, or the straps may be too loose.
  2. Don’t drink and boat. It is illegal to operate a boat while intoxicated, in North Carolina or any other state. The bulk of boating accidents each year involve alcohol consumption by both boat operators and passengers. To keep you and your loved ones safe, it is highly recommended not to drink alcoholic beverages while boating.
  3. Learn CPR. We know you have a million things to do, but learning CPR should be on the top of the list. Especially when operating watercraft. It will give you tremendous peace of mind – and the more peace of mind you have as a parent, the better. Local hospitals, fire departments and recreation departments offer CPR training.
  4. Use an engine cut-off device: An engine cut-off device is a proven safety device to stop the boat or jet ski’s engine if the operator unexpectedly falls overboard.
  5. Use caution when towing a skier.
  6. Be careful when around swimmers.
  7. Always carry the required safety equipment, such as a first aid kit, emergency flares, beacon lights, etc.

The beaches will be crowded this summer. Remember to pay attention to the warning flags at the beach that indicate the possibility of rip currents. A rip current’s force is strong enough to pull even the strongest swimmer out to sea.

  1. If caught in a rip current, stay calm, don’t fight the current and escape the current by swimming in a direction parallel to the shoreline.
  2. If at any time you are unable to reach the shore, draw attention to yourself and call for help.
  3. Most people believe a drowning person involves flailing arms or frantic calls for help, but that is not the case. Drowning happens quietly when a helpless person is unable to take a breath.

Recently, Commissioner Causey joined the Surf City Fire and Ocean Rescue Team and Surf City Mayor Teresa Batts to highlight how to stay safe on the water this summer.

View our video from Surf City.

View our boating safety video for more boating safety tips.

TownTalk: Men’s Shelter Closing In On New Home At Former City Road Methodist Church

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The nation celebrates Independence Day next week, and just a few days later on July 8, the emergency men’s shelter is planning an independence day celebration of its own – that’s the day the shelter leaves its current location and clients will call City Road Center of Hope home. Darryl Jones, the shelter’s program manager, said the building is going through the final phases of meeting all the code requirements, and Monday, July 8 should be the day when the shelter will be operating at the new location.

An official ribbon-cutting is planned for August, but until then, the larger shelter can serve more clients. The current shelter is full, Jones said, with 11 men housed there.

This day has been a long time coming, and Jones said this is not the end of a project, but rather, just the beginning.

The 365 Dream Team project seeks to find 365 donors to give $365 a year to help the shelter stay open 365 days a year.

“Without you all, we wouldn’t be doing this – you are our backbone and we still need your support,” Jones said when he was a guest on a recent TownTalk segment.

Area churches, organizations and individuals provide support through financial contributions, providing meals or other supplies the shelter needs.

And area restaurants help provide food for shelter clients, too. “We’re so thankful for them and for the churches,” Jones said. “I’m pleased and overwhelmed with joy and happiness” that all these people are coming together to help the mission of helping men overcome life’s challenges and get back on their feet.

Visit www.cp-hope.org to learn how you can help. Make a financial donation, sign up to provide a meal, or volunteer.

Send tax-deductible contributions to:

Community Partners of Hope, Inc.

P.O. Box 1791

Henderson, NC 27536

Please note in Memo Line 365-2024-05

 

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Barberio Named To Lead Granville Senior Center’s CLL Program

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-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Russ Barberio has been named the new coordinator of the Creative Lifelong Learning (CLL) program run by Granville County Senior Services. Barberio takes over for Marilyn Howard who is retiring from Granville County at the end of June.

Barberio came to North Carolina in 1982 to be the plant controller at Max Factor Cosmetics in Oxford and stayed in the area after leaving that job to work as a computer software consultant.

In retirement, Barberio had the chance to focus more on his hobbies, including working with the North  Carolina Genealogical Society to promote the organization while working to educate genealogists on research techniques. He also enjoys camping, reading, classical music, Shakespeare, and North Carolina history (particularly the Revolutionary War). After experiencing the rich array of classes available through the Granville County CLL program, Barberio jumped at the chance to lead the program upon Howard’s retirement.

“This program has been administered so successfully by Marilyn for the last six years,” said Barberio.  “She will be sorely missed, but she has left such a solid foundation for us to continue to build on.”

He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Utah and a bachelor’s degree in Management from Utah State University. Barberio lives in Henderson with his wife of 57 years, Diane. They have three children and four grandchildren.

The Creative Lifelong Learning program was established in 2017 through a generous endowment and is modeled after the OLLI programs at Duke and N.C. State universities. The program is committed to offering opportunities to stimulate the mind, uplift the spirit and enhance the well-being of adult learners through a wide range of  educational programs, physical activities and social events.

For more information about CLL and all of the programs offered by Granville County Senior Services, visit the  Granville County website at this link https://www.granvillecounty.org/residents/senior-services/ or follow  Granville County Senior Services on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064457631282.

The Granville County Senior Center is located at 107 Lanier St. in Oxford and the South Granville Senior Center is located at 114 Douglas Dr. in Creedmoor. The North Granville Senior Center is currently located at 318 US Highway 15 South in Stovall but construction is scheduled to begin this summer on a new center located in downtown Stovall on Oxford Street.

TownTalk: GPS In County Vehicles

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As of just a few weeks ago, vehicles that are owned by Vance County are now equipped with GPS tracking devices.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said installing the devices is being done “as a matter of safety and for fleet tracking.” The cost is roughly $9,300 a year, but that doesn’t include vehicles used by the Sheriff’s Office. They don’t have the equipment – yet.

There is some debate between Sheriff Curtis Brame and other county officials about whether the county has the authority to place the GPS trackers on vehicles used by the Sheriff’s Office.

Brame has said he is not in favor of putting the devices on his patrol cars, even though they are county-owned vehicles.

There was discussion at a June 13 county budget work session, during which Perry stated that County Attorney Jonathan Care said the sheriff’s vehicles could be included, but Brame read a statement that supported his claim that the county doesn’t have jurisdiction over the vehicles in his fleet.

The county doesn’t have power over the sheriff’s office or of its personnel; Perry said the board of commissioners “is still considering attorney guidance” in the matter.

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The Local Skinny! County Budget Includes $60K For McGregor Hall

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The newly adopted FY 2024-25 Vance County budget includes a $60,000 appropriation for McGregor Hall, which represents the full amount requested by the performing arts venue. Executive Director Mark Hopper told WIZS News earlier today that he is “absolutely elated” with the commissioners’ action.

“It’s the first step toward making this facility function in a way that every other facility functions in the state,” Hopper said in a telephone interview Tuesday morning. “It’s a really important first step.”

Commissioner Archie Taylor is also on the board of the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation. He said Tuesday that McGregor Hall attracts tourism dollars to the county each time an event is held there.

“As a commissioner, I look at our community as a whole, what is beneficial for Vance County, not for any particular organization,” Taylor said. He referred to a recent economic impact study completed by N.C. State University, which concluded that McGregor Hall has a multi-million dollar impact on the county, bringing outside dollars through sales tax and hotel/motel tax revenues.

The Henderson City Council included a $5,000 one-time grant to McGregor Hall in its recently adopted budget, representing just more than 6 percent of the total amount – $75,000 – that was requested.

City leaders have discussed the purchase of a downtown property currently owned by McGregor Hall for a price in the range of $255,000. When asked whether the sale would move forward, Hopper said “the city has not contacted us.”

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