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Elevated Lead In County Water Most Likely Isolated Cases, Manager Explains

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Vance County commissioners and staff recently became aware of a couple of elevated lead values in water samples in the Vance County Water District, Phase 1A.

The two locations – one on Warrenton Road and one on Vicksboro Road – showed twice the allowable levels of lead at .030 MG/L. The threshold is .015 MG/L.

At the time, Vance County Manager Renee Perry said that, in addition to informing the public in a variety of ways about the levels, Envirolink – the county’s contracted water department – would perform more sampling to determine the source of the lead.

Perry followed up with additional information to WIZS stating that the Vance County Water District has collected a total of 70 lead/copper samples in phase one since 2014.. During that period only three samples have exceeded the DEQ’s allowable limit – one in 2020 and two this year.

Actually, it took three months for the Department of Environmental Quality to notify the County, and, in general, the questions that have arisen have been numerous.

The Vance County Water District was designed and built without lead components.  And only two samples exceeded the allowable threshold.

According to Perry, the elevated samples appear isolated and not a system-wide problem.

“This is typically an indicator of resident plumbing due to the isolated results and age of the VCWD system.  DEQ has requested testing of the phase one entry point which is scheduled for (this) week.  Once the results of this test are received DEQ should provide additional guidance.”

TownTalk: Fire Safety Tips For Your Home

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Batalion Chief Lee Edmonds with the Henderson Fire Department reminds residents of several safety measures to preserve property and protect lives as December ushers in colder weather.

Anyone who uses a portable space heater as a supplemental heat source should make sure that it is positioned at least 3 feet from things like furniture and curtains – anything that could catch fire, Edmonds said on Monday’s TownTalk.

And, he said, any electric heater should be plugged directly into a wall outlet – please don’t use a drop cord.

“Power strips are a whole lot better to use – if you have to,” Edmonds said, adding that drop cords are for temporary use and not for a permanent use for any appliance, lamp, television or other items in the home.

If your home has a working fireplace, it’s a good idea to clean the chimney a couple of times a year and inspect it to make sure it’s structurally sound.

Place a fire screen in front of the fireplace to reduce the likelihood that ashes will pop. Even if you’re using decorative or gas logs, it’s a good idea to place a screen in front to protect children and pets from getting too close to the heat source.

The fire department is just a phone call away if you need to have your smoke detector or carbon monoxide monitor checked. Edmonds said the department is installing smoke detectors that have a 10-year life span. There are no batteries to replace – when it chirps, simply dispose of it and replace the whole unit, he said.

Contact the fire department to make an appointment at 252.430.1877 and leave a voicemail if necessary.

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The Local Skinny! Christmas Pop Up Shop To Support Domestic Violence Victims

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A local nonprofit organization that assists victims of domestic violence and sexual assault is sponsoring a Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, Dec. 10 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Kearah’s Place, located at 946 W. Andrews Ave., Suite O, is hosting the pop-up fundraiser which includes pictures with Santa, a silent auction and a number of vendors.

More than 1,000 have been helped over the past 10 years at Kearah’s Place, said Jasmine Bryant, executive director.

Kearah’s Place, online at www.kearahsplace.org, partners with numerous local agencies to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault as they work through difficult times and strive to become self-sufficient.

“We want to support people in need…and empower people to grow better instead of bitter,” Bryant said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! In addition to providing transitional housing, Kearah’s Place provides a range of victim advocacy services, as well as job skills workshops and more to help individuals get back on their feet, Bryant said. Call the office at 252.598.2025 to find out how Kearah’s Place can help.

Interested in becoming a vendor? There’s still time and space, said administrative assistant Courtney Anthony. “We have room for plenty more – the more the merrier,” Anthony said.

Contact Anthony at 252.204.8079 to learn more or email her at Canthony.kearahsplace@gmail.com.

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MPH Cancer Center Angel Fund Gets $19K Boost From Henderson Firefighters

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Flanked by a dozen or so fire department colleagues, Henderson Battalion Chief Lee Edmonds presented a check for more than $19,000 to members of the Maria Parham Health Oncology Department on Thursday afternoon.

The money – $19,070.06 to be exact – will be deposited into the cancer center’s Angel Fund, which helps cancer patients in a variety of ways – from helping defray transportation costs to buying medicine and equipment. Hope Breedlove, a social worker at Maria Parham, said the gift for the Angel Fund comes from angels in the community, courtesy of the fire department’s annual “fill the boot” campaign.

“You’re the angels behind the Angel Fund,” Breedlove told the firefighters upon accepting the donation.

Breedlove said 100 percent of the money goes to meet the very special needs of the patients that come to Maria Parham for treatment.

She said the’s crunched the numbers and roughly two patients each day get help from the Angel Fund. “That’d be two treatments that they wouldn’t get,” were it not for the money made available through the firefighters’ fundraising.

The fundraiser had humble beginnings eight years ago with a t-shirt sale, but for the past five years, firefighters have positioned themselves empty boots in hand, in front of the fire station on Dabney Drive, asking for donations.

Edmonds and colleagues handed over the fruits of their labor Thursday afternoon to hospital staff outside the entrance to the Cancer Center, Big Engine 1 providing the backdrop for the presentation.

“This has been a hard year for us,” Edmonds told those assembled to witness the presentation. Fire Chief Steve Cordell lost a valiant battle with cancer in January.

Tim Twisdale was selected to succeed Cordell and he was on hand Thursday as well. “Thank you,” he told the hospital staff, many of whom were in their work scrubs, “for what you’re doing…for all who may not have the necessary funds” to get to and from appointments and treatments.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon echoed those sentiments, adding that city leaders appreciate what the hospital does for the community.

Blackmon said his father died of cancer, and he knows firsthand the impact that cancer has on its victims and their loved ones.

Optimist Club Essay Contest Open; Deadline Feb. 2, 2024

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The Optimist Club of Henderson’s essay contest is now open! The deadline to submit entries is Feb. 2, 2024.

This year’s theme is “Optimism: How It Connects Us,” and Diane Barberio said the contest is open to any Vance County resident who is a student in primary or secondary school under the age of 19 who hasn’t completed high school.

First prize is $150; second prize is $125 and third prize is $100. The first-place winner advances to the district level for an opportunity to receive a $2,500 scholarship prize.

Entries can be dropped off at Schewel’s Furniture, 940 S. Beckford Dr. with Charles Hearn.
For more information, contact Barberio at optimist2324essay@gmail.com or visit the club’s Optimist Club of Henderson Essay Contest Facebook page.

Dec. 12 Program To Discuss Supporting Children Of Incarcerated Parents

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As part of its continuing Community Information Series, Baskerville Funeral Home is the location for a program to support children whose parents are in prison or are set to be released from incarceration.

Our Children’s Place of Coastal Horizons Program Director Melissa Radcliff will lead the discussion titled “Invisible Sentence: Recognizing, Supporting and Advocating For Children of Incarcerated and Returning Parent” on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.

The funeral home is located at 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson.

The program is free and open to the public.

TownTalk: Vance County Schools Gets Federal Money To Focus On Teacher Recruitment, Retention

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Vance County Schools is among close to a dozen school districts across the state to receive part of $24 million in federal grants over the next three years to focus on teacher recruitment and retention.

VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett said the district is among eight districts working with a Raleigh-based nonprofit called The Innovation Project for this particular grant award, which will be about $3.6 million for the next three years from the U.S. Department of Education.  TIP is kicking in money, too, Bennett said on Thursday’s TownTalk. The total VCS can expect to receive over the next three years is about $12.5 million.

The district plans to hire eight instructional coaches and also will name 16 lead teachers – one at each school – to help provide support, feedback and suggestions to colleagues.

“It’s a difficult time to find teachers,” Bennett said, and rural communities often struggle, even in the best of times, to hire educators.

The grant money will be used to enhance support for teachers – in the form of peer support – but also to enhance teacher salaries and allow for sign-on bonuses.

Smaller districts often can’t compete with larger, more urban districts that entice teachers with higher salaries, bonuses or supplements. But Bennett said VCS has “to focus on some of the  other benefits,” such as increased and meaningful support from coaches and colleagues. “that is a good retention tool,” she said.

Bennett said the instructional coaches will have the opportunity to work with students and teachers, whether through co-teaching situations, professional development sessions and more. Ideal candidates will be professionals with a proven track record of high achievement and student progress and who possess a strong skill set of working with adults.

Principals and assistant principals can receive monetary awards in schools that achieve certain levels of student achievement.

Bennett said district leaders continue to crunch the numbers and analyze student achievement data to plot their course. “Our test data continues to remind us that we have much ground to cover,” she said, adding that schools offer tutoring and intervention during the school day, as well as after-school opportunities and transportation for those students who need it.

She said school leaders are trying to remove any hurdles to participation and be able to state that the district is providing the best educational opportunities for its students.

“Nothing changes in a year,” she said.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Vehicle Winterization

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THE FOLLOWING IS PART OF A PAID AD AND SPONSORSHIP ON WIZS RADIO

 

It took a little while, but it finally seems like winter weather is upon us. As nighttime temperatures dip below freezing and daytime highs hovering in the 40s and 50s, it may seem an unlikely time to wash your vehicle.

But one last wash and wax can add a layer of protection against winter precipitation, not to mention the icy, salty mess that other vehicles can sling as we make our way across roads and interstates.

It’s just one area of protection your car or truck needs to keep you safe this season, and Advance Auto Parts has all the supplies you need to check off all the items on that winterization checklist.

Check your tires for excessive wear. And grab a tire pressure gauge at Advance to make sure those tires are properly inflated. As temperatures cool off, so does the air inside those tires, and you may need to add air.

District General Manager Michael Puckett invites you to stop by the Raleigh Road store or the store just off Dabney Drive if you need help to check wiper blades or batteries.

It takes just a few minutes to check a battery, and the folks at Advance will be happy to replace most vehicle batteries; some are recommended to have a professional installation, Puckett noted.

And while they don’t usually check to make sure the antifreeze is adequate for the cold weather, Puckett said he’s happy to help a customer take a look at it to tell whether it’s ok. There are several sizes of testers at Advance to help vehicle owners determine if they have the proper strength of antifreeze.

A few quick maintenance checks – with the help of the team at Advance Auto Parts – can save a wintry headache down the road.

 

For all your automotive needs, be sure to visit your local Advance Auto Parts or shop online at AdvanceAutoParts.com.

The information contained in this audio on air and online as well as the wizs.com web 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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