NC Forest Service

Burn Ban Issued For All North Carolina Counties Due To High Risk Of Wildfire

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The N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective Tuesday at 5 p.m. until further notice. Breezy conditions, low humidity, a lack of rain and so many fallen leaves are factors that contribute to the higher risk of wildfire, and N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said the burn ban was necessary “to reduce the risk of fires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state.”

A fire at Pilot Mountain State Park near Winston-Salem has been burning since Saturday and forest and fire officials have said it was “human caused.”

Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 in court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.
Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban.
The N.C. Forest Service will continue to monitor conditions. Residents with questions regarding a specific county can contact their local forest service county ranger or their county fire marshal’s office.

Contact Warren County Fire Marshal Joel Bartholomew at  252.257.1191

Contact Rob Montague, Vance/Granville county ranger at 919.693.3154

 

Some frequently asked questions include:

Q: What is open burning?

A: Open burning includes burning leaves, branches or other plant material. In all cases, burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other nonvegetative material is illegal.

Q: May I still use my grill or barbecue?

A: Yes, if no other local ordinances prohibit their use.

Q: How should I report a wildfire?

A: Call 911 to report a wildfire.

Q: How should I report a person who intentionally starts a wildfire?

A: Call 911 to report a wildfire.

Q: My local fire marshal has also issued a burn ban for my county. What does this mean?

A: The burn ban issued by the N.C. Forest service does not apply to a fire within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Local government agencies have jurisdiction over open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The N.C. Forest Service has advised county fire marshals of the burning ban and has asked for their consideration of also implementing a burning ban. If a fire within a 100-foot area of a dwelling escapes containment, a state forest ranger may take reasonable steps to extinguish or control it. The person responsible for setting the fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.

Q: Are there other instances which impact open burning?

A: Local ordinances and air-quality regulations may impact open burning. For instance, outdoor burning is prohibited in areas covered by Code Orange or Code Red air quality forecasts. Learn more about air quality forecasts at https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-quality-outreach-education/air-quality-forecasts<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__deq.nc.gov_about_divisions_air-2Dquality_air-2Dquality-2Doutreach-2Deducation_air-2Dquality-2Dforecasts&d=DwMFAg&c=fbOpD4v6yU6VwcPvyZl0C3QdqqqCOrAgPLygDLFppvY&r=IyIHd7tTbjxa1bArBCZqPDoNlFh3yK7PED2wGuymDwo&m=XNsUgefvZO08yA17DOqm6VZCXHZ7tAP9zRSew7d7cmg&s=LewwnDSljxIi0jCpB44wASVXiMoMfDUj_JUOCoxa8sk&e=>.

Q: Can I have a campfire when I go camping?

A: Campfires would be considered open burning and are not exempt from the burn ban. During a burn ban, portable gas stoves or grills are alternate methods for cooking food while camping.

Q: What can I do to protect my house against the risk of wildfire?

A: Learn about wildfire risk assessments and preparedness and prevention plans on the N.C. Forest Service website at https://www.ncforestservice.gov/fire_control/fc_wui.htm<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.ncforestservice.gov/fire_control/fc_wui.htm__;!!HYmSToo!JfiVdRLCpZq0QebLbz_SoVSV9nEvibS3SsI4_bQ-eI5lmtBcdv4_5ejW67nJPRnqXbyN$> or https://www.resistwildfirenc.org/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.resistwildfirenc.org/__;!!HYmSToo!JfiVdRLCpZq0QebLbz_SoVSV9nEvibS3SsI4_bQ-eI5lmtBcdv4_5ejW67nJPS6lH2UC$>.

 

 

TownTalk: Iozzio Helps Veterans Through Outreach

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Derrick Iozzio’s phone is always on, he says. Always. And that’s one of the things that sets him and his organization apart from other groups that provide services to military veterans and others in crisis.

Iozzio, a trained peer support mental health specialist and facilitator, founded Catch-22 Peer Support in response to what he saw as a growing need to address the suicide crisis, especially among veterans.

Guest co-host Phyllis Maynard teamed up with John C. Rose for Tuesday’s Town Talk program and they spoke with Iozzio about two nonprofit organizations he helped launch. In addition to Catch-22, he is the co-founder of Save Vets. Both groups have a presence online and on social media. https://catch-22-peer-support-llc.business.site/ and www.savevets.org.

An Army veteran himself, Iozzio said he works to bridge the gaps in services that are provided to veterans. Those “big organizations with big bank accounts” provide valuable resources to so many, but oftentimes, veterans need help outside the 9-5, Monday-Friday time frame.

Catch-22 offers peer support and a way to “interact with our heroes and to help them find resources to live the life they want to live,” he said.

A few months ago, his phone rang in the middle of the night. On the other end was a person in crisis. “It was a veteran who called with a pistol in his hand,” Iozzio said. “He didn’t have anyone to talk to.” Iozzio convinced him to put the gun away – and convinced him to seek help, which he did.

Quick to point out that he is not a licensed medical professional or crisis interventionist, Iozzio says simply, “I am there for people, if you need help.”

Catch-22 addresses what Iozzio said were shortcomings in the way veterans were able to access help in their communities and can provide a bridge in the gap of accessibility to resources.

It’s one way that he continues to provide “the best resources for my brother and sister veterans and for first responders,” he said.

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Secretary Mandy Cohen to step down as DHHS Secretary, Governor Cooper selects current DHHS Deputy Secretary to lead department

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Raleigh

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. will be stepping down from the agency after 5 years of service to the state. Governor Cooper has appointed Kody Kinsley, current NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Health and lead for COVID operations, to succeed her beginning January 1st.

“Mandy Cohen has shown extraordinary leadership during her tenure and she has worked every day during this pandemic to help keep North Carolinians healthy and safe,” said Governor Cooper. “We are stronger because of her efforts and I am enormously grateful for her service. She has built a remarkable team of talented people including Kody Kinsley, and I know he will continue the strong legacy of competence, effectiveness and efficiency as he takes over as Secretary.”

Secretary Cohen, an internal medicine physician, was appointed by Governor Cooper in January of 2017 and has served as Secretary of DHHS leading the state during some of the most challenging times in North Carolina history. She has led the state’s response to COVID-19 and served as Governor Cooper’s chief advisor and strategist on beating the pandemic.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve this state at such an important moment in history,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen. “I am grateful for Governor Cooper’s leadership, and I am so proud of what we have accomplished to improve the health and well-being of the state over the last five years. There is much work still to do, and I am so pleased the Governor selected Kody Kinsley to take the baton to run the next leg of this race.”

Under Dr. Cohen’s leadership, North Carolina has been a model for best practices to provide equitable access to COVID-19 testing and support to families so that they could safely quarantine and isolate; been recognized as best in the nation for data quality for vaccinations by race and ethnicity; and eliminated a vaccination gap between Hispanic and non-Hispanic North Carolinians and narrowed the gap for Black/African American communities.

Secretary Cohen has been lauded for her outstanding leadership during the COVID crisis. In September of 2020, Secretary Cohen was awarded the Leadership in Public Health Practice Award from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She was named the 2020 Tar Heel of the Year by the Raleigh News and Observer newspaper and Dr. Cohen was also elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021.

In addition to her COVID response leadership, Secretary Cohen and her team successfully launched Medicaid managed care, receiving national recognition for the state’s innovative approach to whole-person care, including the integration of physical and mental health and using Medicaid to address drivers of health such as housing, transportation, and employment. Under Secretary Cohen’s leadership, NCDHHS hired its first Chief Health Equity Officer and has focused on reducing disparities in opportunity and outcomes for historically marginalized populations. In addition, North Carolina implemented the first-in-the-nation statewide coordinated care network, NCCARE360, to electronically connect those with identified needs to community resources. This private-public partnership has been a key feature of NC’s COVID response and backbone to the innovative Health Opportunities pilot authorized under North Carolina’s 1115 Medicaid waiver.

Dr. Cohen is leaving DHHS in a strong position to continue to carry out its mission, Cooper said. Dr. Cohen plans to spend more time with her family while exploring new opportunities to carry on her work improving the health and well-being of communities.

Kody H. Kinsley, a native of Wilmington, NC, currently serves as the Chief Deputy Secretary for Health at NCDHHS and Operations Lead for NC’s COVID-19 pandemic response. During his nearly four years of service at NCDHHS, Kinsley has overseen the state’s response to the Opioid Epidemic; increased investments in services and supports for individuals with behavioral health needs and developmental disabilities; created strategic interventions to transition justice-involved populations to care; and has been a driving force behind the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response, including North Carolina’s vaccine distribution efforts.

Kinsley returned home to North Carolina after serving as the presidentially appointed Assistant Secretary for Management at the U.S.  Department of the Treasury where he led operations and finances for the cabinet-level agency, a position he held during both the Obama and Trump Administrations. He has also held roles at the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kinsley is a recipient of SEANC’s Unsung Hero Award, the Alexander Hamilton Award, and is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Brevard College in Brevard, NC and a Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School at the University of California at Berkeley.

Kinsley will be the first openly gay cabinet Secretary in North Carolina history.

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden

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

 

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 November 30, 2021. 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 christa@hendersonvance.org to be included.

JOB OPENINGS IN VANCE COUNTY – Week of November 30, 2021

 

Name of the Company:  Vance Granville Community College

Jobs Available: Small Engie Mechanic Instructor (part-time) – Located at the Creedmoor location campus. Salary $27.70 – $29.75 hourly. Minimum of five years experience as a small engine technician. Preference will be provided to applicants with Briggs & Stratton certification

Method of Contact:   for more information visit website at https:www.vgcc.edu

 

Name of the Company:   Vance Granville Community College

Jobs Available: Evening Custodian (full time) – Located at the Creedmoor location campus. This position is also responsible for closing and securing the campus. Hours are Monday – Thursday 1PM – 10PM and Friday 7AM – 4PM.

Method of Contact:  for more information visit website at https:www.vgcc.edu

 

 Name of the Company: Kittrell Job Corps Center

Jobs Available: Recreation Specialists, Advanced Human Services CTT, TEAP P/t, OA Counselors, Drivers ED Instructor, CSIO Supervisor, Certified Academic Instructors and Administrative Assistant

Method of Contact:  Interested candidates please contact Angela Williams HR Manager at 252-438-9108 or Williams.angela@jobcorps.org

 

Name of the Company: Variety Wholesalers, Inc.

Jobs Available:  Merchandise Buyers, Buyer’s Assistant, Associate Buyer, Merchandise Analyst, Help Desk IT, Truck Driver, Warehouse Associates and Stand-Up Fork Lift Driver

Method of Contact: If interested please contact Patricia Overton at 252-430-2042/poverton@vwstores.com or Devin Stevenson 252-430-2039/dstevenson@vwstores.com

 

Name of the Company: Express Employment Professionals

Jobs Available: Wood Assemblers, Concrete Finishers and Early Morning Shippers

Method of Contact:   Interested candidates please contact Andrew at 919-693-1730

 

Name of the Company:  Express Employment Professionals

Jobs Available:   Facility Maintenance, Welders, Industrial Mechanics and Administrative positions of all sorts

Method of Contact: Interested candidates please contact Robin at 919-693-1730

 

Name of the Company:  Vescom Textiles, Inc.

Jobs Available: Machine Operators – 1st shift positions. Normal Hours are Monday – Friday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm with occasional Saturdays 7:00 am – 1:00 pm. Starting pay is $15.00 per hr with an increase to $16.00 an hr after completion of 90 days. Must be able to lift 75 pounds, be detail oriented with the ability to analyze operational parameters and resolve machine issues, have effective written and oral communication skills and the ability to multi-task and maintain a positive attitude under deadlines.

Method of Contact:  Please visit website www,vescom.com on how to apply

 

Name of the Company:  Servpro of Franklin, Vance and Granville Counties

Jobs Available: Currently hiring for full time technicians. On-the-job training is provided

Method of Contact:  Call 252-433-0005 today to set up a time to interview

 

Name of the Company:  Ameristaff, Inc.

Jobs Available: Hiring positions in the Roxboro area for Molding/ Machine operators, Registration Clerk, Boxer and Carpenter Helper

Method of Contact:  For more information and to apply online please go to website www.ameristaff.net

 

Name of the Company:  Hollander Sleep Products

Jobs Available: Multiple Warehouse, Production and Supervisory positions. Also HR Manager

Method of Contact:  For more information please go to www.hollander.com

 

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.

 

TownTalk: Tom Hannon Remembered

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Daniel Thomas “Tom” Hannon III, 83, died Thursday at his home.

Hannon, a Henderson native, worked for Burlington Industries in several locations across the state before returning to his hometown to work for Rose’s Stores, Inc. He retired after almost 20 years of service with Rose’s, and then indulged his love of storytelling by working for several years with WIZS as a host of Town Talk and Sports Talk.

According to his wife, Anna, a memorial service will be held in the spring. In addition to his wife of 57 years, he is survived by three children, Daniel Thomas “Dan” Hannon, IV, Kathryn Lee Phillips and Robyn Watkins Hipp, and seven grandchildren.

John C. Rose remembered Hannon on Monday’s Town Talk program and shared memories of his time at the radio station as the two shared the studio for the daily call-in show. Rose said Hannon usually had with him a small Hardee’s cup filled with ice and diet Coke when he entered the radio station, a leftover from his earlier daily gathering of friends at the local restaurant.

The job, which was part time, resulted in Tom being at the radio station from 3 to 3.5 hours a day M-F.

“He had a way of carrying himself,” Rose said, a quality all-too-important for a local radio personality. He was opinionated, “but his opinion wasn’t based on what somebody else had said – it was based on what he thought,” Rose added.

“He was very confident about what he offered on the radio show, but he offered an opinion on the radio show that would generate calls.”

Those opinions were based on facts that Hannon recalled or on research he had done on the subject.

A favorite saying was “Often wrong, but never in doubt,” Rose said. Friend and former coworker Bill DiNicola said he sees that quote every day at his desk as well. DiNicola and Hannon hosted Sports Talk together between 2001 and 2005, and DiNicola recalled his friend as a “great role model” and “an example of a good person, a good man and a good citizen of his hometown.”

Folks may not have always agreed with Hannon and his opinions, but DiNicola said his friend always remained a gentleman.

“Without a doubt, there are certain people that come into your life and those people stay with you forever,” he told Rose during a call in to the show.

“They influence who you are and who you want to be.” For DiNicola, that man was Tom Hannon. “He was truly one of my most favorite people,” DiNicola said.

“On a near daily basis, Tom offered something that was extremely valuable…he was an ambassador for the radio station, both while he was on the air and in the community.”

Arrangements are by J.M. White Funeral Service. View the full obituary at jmwhitefuneralhome.com or on facebook.com/wizsradio.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 75, Henderson, NC 27536 or ACTS, P. O. Box 25, Henderson, NC 27536.

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The Local Skinny! Covid 19 And The Omicron Variant

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Granville-Vance Public Health is open each weekday to provide COVID-19 vaccines from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at both the Henderson and Oxford locations. First doses, second doses, booster doses, and even pediatric doses all are available. Only Pfizer is authorized for children, but all three vaccine types are available – Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, according to information from the health department.

With the identification of the new Omicron variant, President Joe Biden said today in a White House briefing about next steps. “(T)his variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” Biden told members of the press. Health professionals, including White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, continue to promote vaccination against the disease as the prime factor for reducing transmission.

In the seven days ending Saturday, Nov 27, there were 67 new cases in Vance County. The percent positivity rate in Vance County is 5.2%.

In the seven days ending Saturday, Nov. 27, there were 94 new cases in Granville County. The percent positivity rate in Granville County is 4.6%.

These numbers put both counties in the category of “high” community transmission, according to information from GVPH.

In Vance County, 61% of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 56% are fully vaccinated.

In Granville County, 66% of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 62% are fully vaccinated.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC’s “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos Sunday, “We all know when you have a virus that has already gone to multiple countries, inevitably it will be here. The question is, will we be prepared for it?”

President Biden met in person Sunday with Fauci and members of his White House COVID Response Team. Fauci and members of the COVID Response Team updated the president on the latest developments related to the Omicron variant. Fauci informed the president that while it will take approximately two more weeks to have more definitive information on the transmissibility, severity and other characteristics of the variant, and he continues to believe that existing vaccines are likely to provide a degree of protection against severe cases of COVID. Fauci also reiterated that boosters for fully vaccinated individuals provide the strongest available protection from COVID. The COVID Response Team’s immediate recommendation to all vaccinated adults is to get a booster shot as soon as possible; all adults are eligible for a booster if they were vaccinated six months ago or more with Pfizer or Moderna, or two months ago or more with Johnson & Johnson. Importantly, those adults and children who are not yet fully vaccinated should get vaccinated now.

Michael Easley, Jr. Sworn In As U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of NC

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Michael F. Easley, Jr. is the newest U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 19, 2021 and U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III administered the oath of office last week, according to a press statement.

 “It is an honor and a privilege to serve the people of the Eastern District of North Carolina as United States Attorney,” Easley said in the statement. “I am grateful to President Biden for this opportunity, and I want to thank Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis for their strong support through the confirmation process.”

As U.S. Attorney, Easley is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of North Carolina, which includes Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties among the 44 easternmost counties of North Carolina. He oversees a staff of 119 employees, including 58 attorneys and 61 non-attorney support personnel.  The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms and narcotics.  The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

Easley was a partner in McGuire Woods LLP prior to his appointment and was a litigator focused on internal investigations and trial court work in state and federal courts.  He represented businesses and individuals in civil, criminal, and regulatory matters over a wide range of topics, including criminal law, environmental, consumer protection, business torts, professional negligence, government contracting, as well as matters involving financial services and securities.

Easley also has advised clients facing inquiries by the U.S. Department of Justice, North Carolina Ethics Commission, and matters before other governmental regulatory bodies.

Born in Southport, Easley attended the University of North Carolina where he graduated with honors and distinction in political science. He later received his law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

In addition to his work at McGuireWoods, Easley contributed time to various bar and community organizations.  He served as a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of North Carolina.  He was also a member of the Criminal Justice Section Council and the Integration, Equity & Equal Justice Task Force of the North Carolina Bar Association. Mr. Easley also served as a mentor in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s Success in Law School Mentoring Program.