The Local Skinny! Henderson Partners With DOT For Cleanup

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Think about the roads you use frequently when running errands or from home to work or to drop the kids at school. Are there roadsides that could use a little spring cleaning?

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon invites church and civic groups, school groups and individuals to participate in Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 23.

Armed with trash bags, teams of volunteers – including as many as 50- or 60 city employees – will set out from the Dr. Andrea L. Harris Operations Center on Beckford Drive to various sites throughout Henderson. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Blackmon told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny! that this cleanup event is in partnership with the spring Litter Sweep sponsored by NC Department of Transportation.

Blackmon said the city council discussed improving the city’s appearance and giving visitors a better perception of what Henderson has to offer during its annual planning retreat a couple of months ago.

“We’re asking the entire community at-large to join us on that day,” Blackmon said. Groups that have a particular area in mind are asked to contact Tracey Kimbrell at 252.430.5702 or email traceykimbrell@henderson.nc.gov to sign up. City staff will provide bags for the cleanup effort. “We’ll even provide a public safety officer to provide some visible presence from law enforcement on that day,” he added.

Groups or individuals also can just show up at the Harris Operations Center at 8 a.m. and join forces with other volunteers who will go out to pre-determined areas targeted for cleanup.

Blackmon said this event will kickstart an ongoing quarterly effort that the city is undertaking to give a little extra support to ongoing cleanup services the city already provides.

“We have a very good operations staff,” Blackmon said. But it’s not a large staff, so efforts like this are needed to help. “I don’t think we’ll run out of areas in the city that could use a little help,” he said.

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TownTalk: Veterans Find Assistance with Butner Organization

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The Veterans Life Center in Butner is a nonprofit agency that helps 21st century veterans with the skills and support necessary to become self-reliant and to become productive members of the community.

As part of the ongoing series “Former Active Duty, Still Boots on the Ground” segment of Town Talk, Phyllis Maynard and John C. Rose spoke with two men who work at the VLC to learn more about what it offers former military personnel.

VLC Executive Director John Turner is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Coast Guard. Martin Woodard is the VLC program director who served in the U.S. Air Force and has a long career in counseling and is affiliated with the UNC School of Medicine and the NC Division of Mental Health.

The VLC services offer a unique approach in several ways, Turner said. Firstly, it’s designed especially for 21st century veterans – which is defined as those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Secondly, the veterans receive care, counseling and other support from fellow 21st century veterans, who understand the particular challenges those vets face. And thirdly, the services are provided in a caring environment that cares for the whole veteran. We talk about goals, and opportunities and the future,” Turner said. “That’s what sets us apart.”

The VLC is a residential program that helps veterans be proactive in their recovery. Woodard said by beginning with a culture of respect and a holistic approach to care, veterans experience a positive support system that promotes that self-reliance.

“We strive to build a foundation,” Woodard said, that incorporates physical health, behavioral health and mental health. A veteran who suffers from PTSD, for example, may also have other underlying health concerns that need to be addressed as well. Or a veteran with substance abuse problems may also need counseling for having suicidal thoughts.

That’s another unique asset that the VLC has – it’s located just a few hundred yards from the R.J. Blackley Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center.

Having partnerships with other agencies, from substance abuse treatment centers and the VA is key to helping veterans get back on the right path, the men noted. The facility also is close to the South Campus of Vance-Granville Community College, where participants can take classes and find a career.

Woodard said the investment comes from all sides, including from the residents, who are learning how to deal with untreated or unresolved issues that stemmed from the military. They are learning how “to re-engage in society in a way they deserve,” Woodard said. Having support from the larger community is a tangible way to say “Thank you for your service.”

Just five years ago, the VLC was nothing more than an idea, Turner said. A working group met a couple of times a month, put together a vision for a facility whose primary goal would be to give veterans an outcome of self-reliance.

Then it was a matter of working backward to get all the pieces to come together. The result is a nonprofit VLC is a collaboration of state and local groups and the VA to be able to provide resources alongside the other existing services – all with a similar goal: serving the veterans who have served their country.

“We value partnerships,” Woodard  said. “No one program can meet the needs by itself.”

The VLC program is for veterans with honorable discharges. But whether they ultimately are accepted into the program or not, Woodard said he wants veterans to know two things: they will not be judged and their diagnoses don’t have to define them or affect what they can achieve.

According to Turner, “If they’re calling in, they want to be heard and understood.”

“If they call us, we’re going to do our best to give them hope,” Woodard said.

Visit www.vlcnc.org to learn more. Call VLC at 919.803.5516.

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The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for April 12, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email michelle@hendersonvance.org to be included.

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Freight Handler/Order Filler

Walmart Distribution Center – 6091 – Henderson, NC

$17.55 – $23.55 an hour

Temporary

12 hour shift

Fulfill store orders through pulling merchandise through layer using electronic voice control equipment, stacking onto pallets, placing labels in appropriate…

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Parts Delivery

O’Reilly Auto Parts

Henderson, NC

Full-time

Must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable motor vehicle record (MVR) per department standards.

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Patient Care Coordinator

Axiom Dentistry

Louisburg, NC

Estimated $32.7K – $41.3K a year

Responsible for administering the day-to-day activities of the business office, including: welcoming of patients, answering phone calls, scheduling of appointments.

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Office Clerk

CorTech

Oxford, NC

$25 – $30 an hour

Full-time

Assistance with marketing and community outreach efforts.

Willingness to work with outside vendors to achieve recruiting goals.

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Principal

Vance County Schools

Henderson, NC

Estimated $64.6K – $81.8K a year

Supervises and appraises the performance of the school staff through observation formulas derived for the state of North Carolina.

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Warehouse Associate

ADUSA Distribution, LLC

Henderson, NC

Full-time

12 hour shift

Able to use a personal computer for data entry and research purposes*.

Work in a warehouse environment with varying conditions

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Health Care Front Office Assistant

The Optometric Eye Site

Henderson, NC

$12 – $15 an hour

Part-time

Busy Eye Care Practice seeking a new front office assistant and health care technician.

No previous experience and specific education is required, however, some…

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Child Care Specialist Assistant

Vance-Granville Community College4.0

Henderson, NC

$13 – $14 an hour

Part-time

Must be willing to submit to local, state, and federal criminal background checks.

Must have be willing to obtain CPR/ First Aid certification with in 90 days…

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Human Resources

M.R. Williams

Henderson, NC 27536

Estimated $39.4K – $50K a year

Develops, facilitates, and implement all phases of the recruitment process.

Researches and executes industry recruitment standards/strategies.

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Retail Store Associate

CVS Health Retail3.4

Henderson, NC 27536

Accurately perform cashier duties – handling cash, checks and credit card transactions with precision while following company policies and procedures.

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Team Member

Petsense LLC

Henderson, NC 27536

Estimated $22.7K – $28.7K a year

Part-time

Operate cash register/computer following cash handling procedures as established by Tractor Supply/Petsense Company.

Engage with the customer and/or pet.

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Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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The Local Skinny! City Council To Address Codes

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UPDATE 4/12/22 – City Manager Terrell Blackmon told WIZS News the Municode contract was passed Monday night by the Henderson City Council. Original news article from 4/11/22 continues below.

The Henderson City Council meets Monday evening and one item up for discussion involves contracting with an outside agency to recodify a batch of city ordinances that would  bring infractions into compliance with state law.

John C. Rose explained on Monday’s The Local Skinny! that the council was scheduled to entertain a motion to contract with a company called Municode to help the city make the changes, which would begin the process of bringing city ordinances into compliance with what state law dictates.

Last year, Police Chief Marcus Barrow identified seven ordinances – ranging from the use of golf carts on city streets to carrying a concealed weapon on city property – to tackle first.

The ordinances must be worded in a way that specifies whether infractions would result in a criminal charge or a civil penalty.

Henderson City Manager has said that the city doesn’t have the manpower to complete the task within the required time frame, and city staff has recommended that the council adopt the contract with Municode, in an amount not to exceed $20,000.

According to information in the council agenda packet, all city ordinances had been considered Class 3 misdemeanors unless otherwise noted. State legislators, however, have adopted a change to this which states that ONLY if  the city ordinance specifies that the infraction is a misdemeanor will it be considered as such. Otherwise, an infraction will be considered a civil penalty subject to a fine.

“The extensive work needed to address this new session law is beyond the scope of staff,” according to the agenda packet. The ordinances cover a broad area affecting every department in the city and an extensive look into updating all ordinances to comply with this new law is required.

The police department can pay the initial fee of $5,580 and two additional payments would be made from the 2022-23 budget in the amount of $3,980 each, with the final payment due at completion. It is estimated to take between 10 months to one year to completely update the ordinances.

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TownTalk: Rebuilding Hope’s Mission

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Rebuilding Hope, Inc. will have a barbecued chicken plate fundraiser on Friday, April 29, and RHI Director Randolph Wilson said volunteers will team up to cook, plate distribute and deliver plates until they sell out. The event begins at 11 a.m. and by the time it’s over, Wilson said he hopes all 1,500 plates will be sold.

The plates are $8 each and Wilson said folks can eat in or drive through. Volunteers will deliver to area businesses with a minimum five-plate order, he said.

“This time, we decided to do it without selling tickets,” Wilson told John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk, and he invites the public to help make the fundraiser a success.

Volunteers are in charge of everything from bringing grills to the 414 Raleigh Road location to preparing, cooking and getting the chicken and sides on plates for pick up, dining in or delivery.

“It’s a great time of fellowship,” Wilson said. It’s been a couple of years since the last chicken plate fundraiser because of COVID-19 safety protocols, but this year, Wilson said he’s looking forward to getting back in the swing of things.

“It’s exciting to see people come together for one day,” he said. In addition to the team of grillers outside, Wilson said there would be 20-30 people inside packing the plates and getting them out the door.

To place a delivery order, call RHI at 252.438.5132.

Despite the two-year delay, Wilson said churches, individuals and businesses have continued to financially support RHI and the work it does in the community. “We’re blessed that people have supported this ministry,” he said.

Teams work together to construct wheelchair ramps for greater accessibility. Last year, even during COVID-19 restrictions, RHI teams build more than 45 ramps to help those in need.

And this summer, the Servants on Site program will continue home repairs in the area.

The weeklong event is scheduled for June 18-25, and will send groups of young people out into the community to go out and work on houses. So far, several local groups have committed to the event, as well as one group from Franklin, NC and another group from Alabama.

Wilson said they put roofs on 12 houses last summer; that SOS program looked a bit different than it had in previous years to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols.

This year, however, Wilson said the plan is to get back to normal, which means housing all the youth together and dividing them into different teams to do the home repairs.

The deadline to register and pay the $125 cost is May 1. Wilson said scholarships may be available if an individual needs help paying the registration fee.

“If they want to come and don’t have the funds to do that – we don’t want anybody to miss out because of funds,” Wilson said. “It’s so exciting to see these young people go out on a job site,” he said. “They build friends that last a lifetime.”

The groups don’t simply make a repair and move on, he said. “They put the roof on, then walk through the neighborhood and pray with people,” building relationships along the way.

“That’s what we do it for – not for building a ramp or putting a roof on the house – this is just our avenue to share the love of Christ.”

To register for SOS, email sossec@rebuildinghopeinc.org.

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TownTalk: A Look Back At Saturday’s Embrace Henderson Event

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Embrace Henderson returned over the weekend at Saddlerock Farms.

Please enjoy.

RISE Open House Set To Gather Input On Regional Resiliency

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A regional forum about resiliency is scheduled for later this month to hear from business and civic leaders and from the community at large to collect information to be used to develop a regional vulnerability assessment.

The open house will take place on Thursday, April 28, from 6 p.m to 7:30 p.m at the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments, located at 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson.

The in-person open house will begin with a short presentation but organizers encourage anyone interested in participating to drop in any time during the 90-minute session to leave suggestions and opinions; participants may choose to join via Zoom between 10:30 a.m. and noon.

The project is called RISE – Regions Innovating for Stronger Economies and Environment – and the open house is hosted by the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency, the N.C. Rural Center, the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments and the Kleinfelder group.

RISE will collect information that it will share within the region related to climate impacts such as flooding and storms, as well as how participants define resilience in the workplace or in homes, as well as community strengths. All of the information will be used to develop a regional vulnerability assessment.

According to Michele Burgess, president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, “As Vance County business leaders, community citizens, and members of the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, we are encouraging you to step up and participate” in the regional forum.

The Kerr-Tar region includes Vance, Granville, Franklin, Person and Warren counties and organizers said they are looking to hear from a diverse cross-section of the community across ages, occupations and demographics.

The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84383461025.  The meeting ID is 843 8346.

The RISE project is associated with the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments. Phone Kerr-Tar at 252.436.2040 to learn more.