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TownTalk: Mental Health And Substance Use Forum Takes Place Next Week

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The approaching holidays bring families together to celebrate and spend time together, but  those family gatherings also can place undue pressure and stress on those who also may struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues.

Melanie Griggs, a behavioral health clinical counselor at Granville Vance Public Health, said two upcoming listening sessions are designed to provide resources and information about services in the community.

“It’s a big, big problem,” Griggs said of individuals who find themselves in a mental health or substance abuse crisis.

Above and beyond those modern-day stressors that creep into people’s lives from time to time, other people experience anxiety, depression, loneliness and even suicidal thoughts.
“It affects the family, employers, our entire community,” Griggs said.  “All of us are touched by someone who struggles with either of these issues on a day-to-day basis,” she said.

GVPH is one of the partners hosting the discussions.

The Vance County forum will be held Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Spring Street Missionary Baptist Church, 511 Orange St., Henderson.

The Granville County forum will be held Thursday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. at Cornerstone Christian Community Church, 3237 Knotts Grove Rd., Oxford.

“We’re going to talk a lot about access and where in our communities…you can go to get more information and support to address (people’s) particular concerns.”

Provider booths will include those that specialize in medications for Opioid Use Disorder (e.g., Buprenorphine, Methadone), individual and family counseling, medication management, crisis management, intensive outpatient services, and residential treatment.

“We want to make sure that people in our community know what’s out there…making sure they know where to go to get these services.”

Griggs said the community has access to a mobile crisis management unit, accessible by phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1.844.709.4097.

 

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Churches Sponsor Camp Meeting Dec. 4-8 At McGregor Hall

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Henderson’s second annual weeklong Camp Meeting will be held Dec. 4-8 at McGregor Hall.

Each evening will feature preachers and musical performances. The public is invited to attend – admission is free, but an offering will be taken up each night, according to information from Andy Matthews, one of the organizers.

The nightly meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Scott Matthews, who also will be the guest preacher on Wednesday, along with evangelist Dale Vance.

Other preachers include Kenny Baldwin (Monday), Joe Arthur (Tuesday) and C.T. Townsend (Thursday).

Nightly musical entertainment will feature The Matthews Family. The Morrison Sisters will take the stage Wednesday through Friday and special guests Andy Leftwich & Friends will conclude the weeklong activities with a special Christmas show on Friday evening.

The camp meeting is supported by more than half a dozen churches across Vance County, Scott Matthew said. His father, Ronnie Matthews is pastor of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Henderson.

For more information, call Scott Matthews 864.490.0852 or Ronnie Matthews 252.425.9035.

NC Forest Service

Veterans Can Get Seedlings At Discount From N.C. Forest Service

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The N.C. Forest Service is offering a 20 percent discount on tree seedling orders placed by active, honorably discharged or retired military personnel during the month of November. Beginning Nov. 13, the discount applies to the first $500 of all new orders, up to a $100 discount.

“Many forestland owners in this state are veterans and current military members who choose country before self to the benefit of us all,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I am proud to offer a discount that not only shows appreciation for their brave service but that also assists them with keeping forests healthy, another act that provides us all with numerous benefits.”

To be eligible, veterans must show a valid military ID, Department of Defense Form 214/215 or National Guard Bureau Form 22/22A is acceptable. Standard shipping rates still apply. Tree seedlings may be ordered by calling 1-888-NCTREES or by visiting www.buynctrees.com.

The N.C. Forest Service Nursery and Tree Improvement program ensures that residents of North Carolina have access to the best native trees and genetics available for use on their land. Current available inventory includes southern yellow pines, native oaks and hardwoods, native understory grasses and Christmas tree species. For a complete list of available species and pricing, visit https://www.ncforestservice.gov/nursery/NurseryandTreeImprovement.htm.

Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Elliott Reflects On Vipers Season

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Vance County Vipers Head Football Coach Aaron Elliot summed up the school’s loss to Terry Sanford in the first round of the state high school playoffs with three words “Too many mistakes,” he said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  The 34-27 loss followed an undefeated regular season for Vance County.  “We knew they were a good team.  Certainly not a 26th ranked team,” Elliott commented.  After the loss Elliott gave his team one week off but now they are back to work preparing for next season.  The Vipers have already headed back to the weight room.

The Vipers will lose 10 seniors from this year’s team when the hit the gridiron late next August but Elliott sees a bright future for the Vipers.  “Our team will work personnel.  We will put kids in the right place to be successful,” Elliott said.  He says he expects the conference to improve next year.  Louisburg went to the second round of the playoff, J.F. Webb had their best season in years and there’s always Southern Durham to contend with.

While naturally disappointed that the Vipers lost he continues to look favorably on this past season and should have another great year in 2024.

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville’s Local Theater History

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Way before McGregor Hall, the Cinema or even Raleigh Rd. Outdoor Theatre in Henderson, patrons of the arts could enjoy a live performance, a silent movie or even a vaudeville show in any number of theaters and performance halls that dotted the community.

Most folks in Henderson remember the Embassy, located just a block off Garnett Street, its interior dripping in burgundy velvet and the stairs leading to the balcony where the “cool” kids hung out.

Local historian Mark Pace said it was billed as “the grandest movie theater in the U.S.” when the Stevenson family opened it in 1940. He joined WIZS’s Bill Harris for the tri-weekly Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.

The Embassy closed in 1987 and the building was torn down in 1996; its name lives on in The Embassy Square Project, an $8 million privately funded endeavor that gave way to McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and Perry Memorial Library.

The Stevenson family owned dozens of movie theaters across the state and the former Moon-Glo Outdoor Theatre (renamed Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre) is one of only a handful of drive-in theaters that are still in operation across the state.

Then there’s The Stevenson, located along Garnett Street near the spot where the former Rose’s store was. The Art Deco style building was designed by Henderson architect Eric Flanagan, who also designed the Henderson High School – now the Center for Innovation for Vance County Schools.

Just down the street from The Stevenson – near Frazco – was The State, another movie house.

Downtowns across the Old Granville area had at least one movie theater, Pace said.

The Orpheum in Oxford on Williamsboro Street was built in 1913. It burned in 1943 and was rebuilt in an Art Deco style that the newly restored location has retained in its new incarnation  as a wedding and event venue.

A group is Lousiburg is trying to do a similar thing and save a theater downtown, which opened in 1935 and was in operation until about 2009.

Oxford also had The Liberty Theater, located near the current location of Hall’s Flooring. The Mills family ran this theater, which was in operation from 1929-1942 for African Americans.

The Carolina Theater occupied a spot near Strong Arm Baking Co. on Main Street in Oxford from the mid 1930’s to the early ‘60’s, Pace said. The building burned down in 1997 when it was being used as a fitness center and now is the site of the Hugh Currin mini-park.

There was a drive-in in Oxford, across from the Food Lion at Hilltop, called the Starlite. Pace said he’s looking for a photograph of this theater, so if anybody has one, he’d love to see it.

 

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Warming Your Engine

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

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 on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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NC State Board of Elections

State Elections Officials Want Input On New Voter Photo ID Rule

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Now that voters have had a chance – or two – to cast their ballots in municipal elections, the N.C. State Board of Elections wants to hear comments about the new photo ID requirement. A public comment period opened today and runs through Jan. 16, 2024 to allow the public to comment on the rule, which the General Assembly passed into law in 2018.

There are several ways to send comments:

An in-person public hearing will be held on Dec. 13, 2023 at 11 a.m. State Board of Elections Office on the Third Floor of the Dobbs Building at 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Granville Vance Public Health Launches Tooth Club To Promote Oral Health In Children

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Thanks to a $50,000 grant, Granville Vance Public Health is launching a school-based oral health program called the Tooth Club to support and improve dental health among children.

The grant comes from the Triangle North Health Care Foundation and the GVPH Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry clinic will oversee the program to provide preventive and restorative care in various school settings, including Headstart, Henderson Collegiate and Vance County Schools, according to information from GVPH Workforce Development Jesus Peralta.

Regular preventive dental care is essential for good oral health, and early childhood tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in the United States. Not all children in Vance and Granville counties have access to dental care. If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to infection and pain that can inhibit a child’s ability to eat, sleep, speak, play, and learn, as well as cause chronic childhood health challenges such as diabetes, heart disease and malnourishment.

The Tooth Club will offer preventive oral care, such as cleanings, x-rays, fluoride, sealants and oral health education to uninsured students enrolled in the SBOH clinics. Services are provided at no cost to the student or family – regardless of insurance status, household income or immigration status. Student participants can also receive restorative oral health care services at no cost.

Dr. Navid Nesab, the dentist at Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry, stated: “Our School Based Oral Health clinics allow students to receive preventive oral health services within a familiar school environment, reduce the amount of time students are absent from school for oral health appointments, and keep parents from having to miss work to take their child to the dentist for needed oral health services. Triangle North Health Care Foundation’s grant also allows us the ability to perform restorative care for uninsured SBOH patients at no cost to the families.”

Any child attending HeadStart, Henderson Collegiate, or Vance County Public Schools is eligible to enroll for the SBOH clinics, held at each school location periodically. To enroll your student, please contact the School Nurse at your child’s school to obtain the consent form or contact the dental clinic directly at 919.693.8797 or by email at dental@gvph.org. Visit  https://www.gvph.org/clinic/dental/ to learn more.