TownTalk: Faith in Mental Health

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When he was serving in the N.C. House as District 32 representative, Frank Sossamon introduced a bill to create a faith-based initiative on substance abuse and mental health.

He served one term in the House, and his bill didn’t get through the Senate to become law, but Sossamon was undeterred.

In partnership with Granville Vance Public Health, Vaya Health and N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Sossamon’s “Faith in Mental Health” initiative is gathering steam to involve churches in Vance and Granville counties to combat issues surrounding substance abuse and mental health.

Two orientation sessions are scheduled – Monday, June 23 at West End Baptist Church in Henderson and Monday, June 30 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center in Oxford – to kick off a three-part program to give churches information about resources available to them and to the community. Each session will last from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sossamon said in speaking with various church leaders about developing the initiative, he said more often than not, they didn’t know what services and resources are available when it comes to mental health and substance abuse issues.

“That’s the sad thing, not only they don’t know,” he said of those church representatives, “the average person doesn’t know.”

This is where the orientation sessions can help, he said. During these initial meetings, participants will complete the first of three levels of involvement.

“Level 1 is the most basic level, but maybe one of the most effective,” Sossamon said. Participants will learn about the different agencies in their county and hear from some representatives about the services they provide and how to access them.

Churches participating at this level also will agree to highlight a different topic each month in the Sunday service bulletin or newsletter, for example.

Pastors will be encouraged to preach a sermon on that topic or discuss it during a weekly Sunday School session.

Hearing about mental health or substance abuse from the pulpit or in a Sunday School class help to demystify the issues, he said. “That in itself brings healing,” he said.

Level 2 participating churches will agree to have quarterly forums on mental health issues, and Sossamon said he would encourage several churches to join forces and have one forum. There are speakers who are willing to take part in the forums and plenty of resources available to share with churches, he noted.

“It just has such great promise,” Sossamon said.

Level 2 churches also would establish a library to offer reading material related to mental health.

Those churches that wish to meet Level 3 criteria would be willing to complete more clinical training sessions to get certified. From suicide prevention training to mental health first aid, Sossamon said these trainings are “a little more intense.”

Contact Sossamon at pastorfrank1954@gmail.com to learn more.

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Cooperative Extension with Michael Ellington: Japanese Beetles

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On the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report from Michael Ellington:

We discuss Japanese beetles and how to manage them. Also included are reminders for upcoming pesticide courses and Master Gardener training.
This links to a registration page for an upcoming commercial pesticide training course.

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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KTCOG Budget Process Looks Different This Year In Light Of Federal Funding Uncertainty

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It’s budget season, a time when cities and counties look at that tricky balance between revenues – money coming in – and expenditures – paying for services that residents need.

The Kerr-Tar Council of Government budget, however, relies mostly on federal money to fund its programs.

And KTCOG Executive Director Diane Cox said recent uncertainty with federal agencies reducing workforce and closing whole programs, this year’s budget process was different than in years past.

“I’ve always taken the conservative approach when it came to our budget,” Cox said in an interview with WIZS.

The 2025-26 budget represents a decrease of more than $2 million from the current year budget and does not include any salary or cost of living increases. Cox is proposing a roughly $5.8 million budget and is hopeful that additional federal funding will be available. The 2024-25 amended budget was just more than $8.3 million.

“Over 90 percent of our funding at COG comes through the state but they’re federal funds,” Cox explained.

“No one’s saying anything yet,” she said. “The state folks haven’t heard from that federal folks what those funds are going to look like.” So until then, Cox and the KTCOG staff wait.

“It’s sort of a wait and see position that we’re in,” she said. “We’re preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.”

One area that she’s particularly concerned about is the Area Agency on Aging, which relies on mostly federal funds. Cox said earlier Monday that she’s expecting to hear about the Area Agency on Aging grants sometime this week.

“This is the first year in the 14 or 15 years that I’ve been here that we’ve gone into the budget season without some initial numbers,” she said. For that reason, she said the budget is “very conservative” and included an across-the-board decrease.

The Area Agency on Aging programs provide services for the senior centers in all five counties, as well as their in-home aide programs, among others.

Since the pandemic, the KTCOG has provided assistance to many local governments in the region in some form or another.

Cox said while she and her staff wait for word on grant funding, KTCOG will continue to provide services and programs for the region – there’s a disaster recovery and relief expo on Thursday, June 12 at the VGCC Civic Center, which will provide information to community groups and individuals about how to cope in the event of a disaster.

“We have always had a much larger budget at the end of the year than we do at the beginning of the year” because the COG receives grant funding throughout the year.

So, while our budget may look much lower than what our current budget is, the hope (is) – and I pray – that there will be several budget amendments,” Cox said, allowing for the provision of more service.

AdVance, Vance Virtual Village Academy Ceremonies Add 60 New Graduates To VCS Total

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— courtesy of Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools completed the 2025 graduation season Friday with ceremonies for AdVance Academy and Vance Virtual Village Academy.

Sixty graduates received their diplomas in the two ceremonies, held at the Wayne Adcock Auditorium inside The Center for Innovation.

The day began with AdVance Academy’s commencement ceremony, where 36 students received their high school diploma. Principal Nowell Brooks, commended the graduates for their resilience and determination, and shared heartfelt well wishes as they begin the next chapter of their lives.

Vance Virtual Village Academy celebrated 24 graduates in a ceremony that reflected the unique path of virtual learners. In his keynote address, Dr. Tim Hall, K–12 Social Studies Instructional Coordinator for Vance County Schools, reminded students that: “This is not just graduation—it’s transformation.” Hall added, “You persisted through isolation, you built community through screens, and you discovered new parts of yourself in the process. You learned that leadership doesn’t always mean being the loudest—it means being the most consistent, the most compassionate, the most courageous.”

The Vance Virtual Village Class of 2025 included many outstanding accomplishments, including more than $292,195 in scholarships earned among 8 acceptances to 2- and 4-year college and universities. Additionally, one student completed an associate’s degree from Vance-Granville Community College. Other accomplishments include graduates with latin honors, as well as National Honor Society, National Beta Club, President’s Award for Educational Excellence and President’s Award for Educational Achievement.

Diplomas at both ceremonies were presented by school and district leaders, including Brooks, AdVance principal, and Dr. Jeffrey Batten, principal at V3A, along with VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett and Vance County Board of Education Chair Dorothy W. Gooche .

Together, the graduates of AdVance Academy and Vance Virtual Village Academy represent the spirit of perseverance and potential. As they move forward, they do so with the support of their families, educators, and community—and with the confidence that they are ready to shape the future. Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Spotted Lanternfly

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On the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report from Wayne Rowland:

Spotted lanternfly is an invasive pest that can be devastating to grape vines.

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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TownTalk: Elder Abuse Awareness Conference Coming June 13th

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The Kerr-Tar Council of Governments is hosting the 11th annual elder abuse awareness and prevention day on Friday, June 13 at the Warren County Armory Civic Center.

This event is free and open to the public, and Kim Hawkins, KTCOG’s regional ombudsman, said it’s the perfect time to come out and learn more about what elder abuse is, how to spot it and report it to keep vulnerable senior adults safe from being physically, emotionally and financially exploited.

In North Carolina, the time between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day is usually when organizations and agencies focus on providing educational programs like the one that will happen Friday, Hawkins said.

“It’s going to be a fun day,” she said. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature dozens of vendors, t-shirts, entertainment from the Vance and Warren senior centers, a commemorative walk, lunch – and ice cream! The colors for the day are purple and silver, representing abuse awareness and elders, respectively.

“We hope everybody will come out and gain some information,” Hawkins said, adding that it’s events like this that help remind us how important senior adults are to their communities.

The vendors represent agencies and other organizations that provide information and resources; they’ll be on hand to help people become more aware of what’s in their community and how to report to the Department of Social Services if you suspect a senior is at risk.

One in 10 individuals over the age of 65 will experience some form of abuse, Hawkins said. The signs of abuse can be subtle, and sometimes people don’t report for fear of retaliation, isolation or just plain old embarrassment.

Anyone who suspects abuse is obligated to report to DSS, Hawkins noted. The reports are anonymous, but the elder person’s name and his/her location is necessary.

Signs could range from outward changes or changes in personality – think about the person who once could chat on and on who now won’t pick up the phone when it rings, she said.

It could be a change in a person’s tone of voice or facial expressions, or it could be something like self-neglect that could be a sign of cognitive decline.

Hawkins monitors long-term care facilities; call her at 252.436.2050 to learn more. Or call the main KTCOG number at 252.436.2040 if you’d like information about other topics.

Visit www.kerrtarcog.org for more details.

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Vance County $1.5M Vehicle Lease Agreement Will Save Thousands Of Dollars

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Beginning July 1, Vance County will begin leasing vehicles, a move that County Manager C. Renee Perry said will be “a good cost savings” for the county.

The county commissioners approved moving forward with the plan at a March work session, Perry told WIZS News.

“We’ll no longer purchase vehicles,” she said. “At some point, all of our vehicles will be leased.”

Because the county is on the Local Government Commission’s Unit Assistance List , the five year, $1.5 million dollar plan had to be approved by the LGC, which it did at its meeting earlier this week.

The plan could mean substantial savings for the county as it moves toward replacement of its entire fleet of vehicles.

“Normally, we budget around $480,000 just for new sheriff vehicles,” Perry said.  The cost for the lease agreement works out to be about $300,000 each year of the five-year plan.

“That’s a good thing for Vance County, for sure,” she said.