The Local Skinny! COVID-19 Update

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Although daily updates about COVID-19 transmission rates, sickness and deaths have evolved to weekly and now monthly updates, Granville-Vance Health Director Lisa Harrison’s updates have become regular reminders that although vaccines have reduced the threat of severe illness and worse in the community, the transmission rate in Vance County remains high.

In the latest update, Harrison is quick to point out that health professionals are still dealing with COVID-19 and its repercussions, despite the fact that so much of society has opted for a return to almost normal life.

“Although there is some confusion in the news lately about whether we are still in a pandemic or not, the World Health Organization is the entity that gets to declare when the pandemic is over,” Harrison wrote. In the U.S. and in North Carolina, she added, health officials are more confident in their ability to effectively fight COVID-19.

But we’re entering that time of year where folks are rolling up their sleeves for the seasonal flu shot. Harrison said it’s important to consider getting a COVID-19 booster as well.

“An updated COVID-19 booster is now available for people 12 and older, two months after they finish their primary series, and/or two months after illness from COVID-19. It offers the most up-to-date protection against the latest Omicron variants. Omicron is the most common form of COVID-19 in circulation so this new booster identifies variants related to Omicron,” Harrison stated in the weekly update.

Click Stay up-to-date to learn more.

Whether it’s COVID-19, or the flu, or just the common cold, Harrison said it bears repeating a few simple actions that can reduce spread of any virus germs:

 

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick, and when you are sick.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
  • Consider wearing a mask around other people if you have respiratory symptoms.
  • Contact a healthcare provider immediately if you or your child has trouble breathing or has a sudden onset of limb weakness.
  • Ensure you or your child are following an up-to-date asthma action plan if you or your child have asthma.
  • Stay home when you are sick. Let me say that again: Stay home when you are sick.  One more time for those in the back: Stay home when you are sick.

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TownTalk: Tyler Fleming’s Junior Shadowing Project

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Whether you know Tyler Fleming from school, swim meets, or First United Methodist Church, one thing’s for certain: The 17-year-old certainly is a wonderful ambassador for an age group that sometimes gets a bad rap.

Tyler, a junior at Kerr-Vance Academy, is smack in the middle of a three-day program called “junior shadowing,” which pairs students with different businesses in the community so they can learn a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes.

Wednesday was Tyler’s first day right here at WIZS, and today, on Day 2, he found himself in front of the microphone on TownTalk. He and John C. Rose talked about high schoolers’ busy schedules, his sports interests and the perks of attending a small school and living in a small community.

Whether it was watching car races and imitating the commentators as a 6-year-old or helping his church create videos during the COVID-19 pandemic, media and communications have held Tyler’s interest for much of his life. And when it came time for him to choose where he wanted to do his junior shadowing, he chose WIZS because “it’s a place where I could explore the world of radio and communications through digital media.”

There are just more than a dozen students in KVA’s junior class, and Tyler said “the goal is that each and every person in the class will do the shadowing.” The community agencies that partner with the junior shadowing project have been very receptive to having high school students come and see how their businesses operate.

“You can get out in the community (in a spot) where you have an interest and you can try things,” he said. “Being able to get somewhere (that) you can at least try it out – that directs us toward our future.”

The junior shadowing program gives students a chance to learn about something new, but it also can help them discern whether their interest in a particular field is something they wish to pursue.

As for Tyler’s experience, he said being a part of a small station has given him a chance for some hands-on learning from seasoned staff. He said time “to learn the small things” that keep a radio station like WIZS on the air – “like planning ahead and thinking about what you’ll be doing over the next few days…planning and dedication -it’s been really nice to have those insights,” Tyler noted.

Planning ahead and dedication are valuable commodities in everyday life as well, he observed. And he no doubt has to call both into play as he balances his academics with extracurriculars. He recently joined the KV cross country team as a way to cross-train for swimming, which he said he took up when he was about 7.

“It’s been a great sport not only to stay physically active, but leading me to other things like lifeguarding,” Tyler said. Swimming competitively keeps him aware of the other swimmers’ capabilities and keeps him hungry to be his best.

Listen to the complete interview at wizs.com

 

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Little Ducks Raise Big Bucks

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It’s always fun when the weather is right, people are excited, ultimately kids benefit and somebody wins something.

That’s what happened this past Saturday at the Duck Derby in downtown Henderson, and Garry Daeke, development coordinator with Franklin Granville Vance Smart Start sounded nothing but pleased when WIZS caught up with him late Monday afternoon by phone.

“It went great. We had a beautiful stay. We had a good steady crowd all day. When we did the race itself, we lined the sidewalks almost all the way down. I guess we got a 150 people out there I think. It was very nice,” he said.

And while it was about fun, games, education and getting out in one’s own downtown, the bigger purpose that’s often right there too is money.

Daeke said, “We had sold 1,779 tickets pre. And we sold about 200, I think (at the event). So right at 2,000 duck tickets sold. We’ll get the final numbers after we back out the expenses. With the ticket sales and sponsors, I think we’ll do about $10,000 net.”

He said the winners came from a smattering of locations across the three county area including the $1,000 winner having purchased the ticket at the event. Winners not present were notified by phone Monday.

Perry Memorial Library

TownTalk: Green Book Series Coming To Perry Memorial Library

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— courtesy of Perry Memorial Library

Click to Listen — TownTalk: Green Book Series Coming To Perry Memorial Library

The Perry Memorial Library will host a Community series that includes authors, Calvin Ramsey, Candacy Taylor, and Gretchen Sorin. The series will focus on the Green Book. The Negro Motorist Green Book was a guidebook for African American travelers that provided a list of hotels, boarding houses, taverns, restaurants, service stations and other establishments throughout the country that served African Americans. It was an annual guidebook that originated and was published by African-American New York City mailman, Victor Hugo Green from 1936 to 1966, during the era of Jim Crow laws.

On Monday, September 26th at 4 PM and 7 PM, author Calvin Ramsey will join us in person for a book discussion of his 2010 children’s book, Ruth and the Green Book. The story follows a young girl named Ruth who travels with her family from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandmother. She learns of the Green Book which with its guidance and the kindness of strangers helps her family safely navigate travel during the Jim Crow era. Ramsey was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Roxboro, North Carolina. He is a playwright, photographer, and folk art painter. He is a former Advisory Board Member of the Robert Woodruff Library Special Collections at Emory University in Atlanta. He is also a recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award.

Candacy Taylor will join us virtually on Tuesday, September 27th at 4 PM in the library board room to discuss her book, Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America. The library has the adult version as well as the Young Adult adaptation available to readers to sign out. This book is a historical exploration of the Green Book and black travel with Jim Crow America across four decades. Taylor is an award-winning author, photographer and cultural documentarian working on a multidisciplinary project based on the Green Book. She is also the curator and content specialist for an exhibition that is currently touring by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). Taylor was a fellow at the Hutchins Center at Harvard University under the direction of Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and her projects have been commissioned and funded by numerous organizations including, The Library of Congress, National Geographic, The American Council of Learned Societies, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The National Park Service, and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

To conclude, our community read series, we will be joined virtually by Gretchen Sorin on Monday, October 3rd at 6 PM in the library board room. Sorin will discuss her book, Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights. Driving While Black charts how the automobile fundamentally reshaped African American life, and opens up an entirely new view onto one of the most important issues of our time. Sorin also co-created the PBS documentary, Driving While Black with Emmy-winning director, Ric Burns.

Gretchen Sorin is distinguished professor and director of the Cooperstown Graduate Program of the State University of New York. She has curated innumerable exhibits―including with the Smithsonian, the Jewish Museum and the New York State Historical Association―and lives in upstate New York.

This community read series is funded by the American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries; an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The library has 25 copies of each author’s book to sign out at the circulation desk. “We are thrilled to be working with these three distinguished authors to discuss the significance of the green book” said Assistant Director, Christy Bondy. Henderson has three green book locations that have been identified. A zoom link will be provided prior to the virtual programs for those who cannot come to the library.

The library is located at 205 Breckenridge Street. For more information, call the library at 252-438-3316 or visit the website at www.perrylibrary.org.

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H-V Industrial Park Phase III

Vance Commissioners Pave The Way For Construction Of Shell Building At Industrial Park

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In a special called meeting Monday, the Vance County Board of Commissioners moved closer to fulfilling the concept of construction of a shell building on the campus of the industrial park.

The board approved a resolution to sell a 7.15-acre parcel to the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park, Inc. for $185,900, on which a 50,000-square foot shell building will be constructed, according to agenda information, which was confirmed Tuesday by County Manager Jordan McMillen.

Jordan told WIZS News Tuesday that all was approved as proposed.

In related business, the board also approved a construction loan agreement, two future advance deeds of trust and two promissory notes which total almost $3 million to complete the engineering, construction and maintenance of the shell building.

One loan for $500,000 at 0 percent interest because it is tied to funds from the state budget appropriations, according to information previously presented to the board. An additional $2.4 million loan is provided at 4.5 percent interest with interest beginning at such time that draws are made. This loan is for engineering, construction and maintenance of the building, which the county wants to have ready for prospective business and industry looking to locate in the area.

According to the loan documents, the building is to be completed within 18 months and provides two years – until Oct. 1, 2024  – for all principal and interest to be due and payable back to the county. The loan agreement includes separate promissory notes and deeds of trust for each of the loans. Funding for the project comes from the county’s economic development fund.

County leaders have been working on this concept for some time, with the idea that the county would be able to show prospective business and industry the local commitment to boost economic development.

Community Partners of Hope

TownTalk: Community Partners Of Hope Helps Homeless Men

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Delthine Watson’s got the math memorized: 365 times 365 equals 133,225. But when you apply that simple calculation to the plan for the Community Partners of Hope men’s emergency shelter, the result can have life-altering consequences.

Watson, community network specialist for Community Partners of Hope, has complete faith that the community will help bring to fruition the dream to have the shelter open all year long. That plan is inching toward reality now – the shelter is opening a full month early this year, beginning Oct. 1. It previously had been open November through March.

“This year, with the support of the community, and listening to the community, we are opening up Oct. 1,” she told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Tuesday’s Town Talk. “We’re excited about that. But she is equally excited about the 365 Dream Team Campaign that calls for 365 entities -individuals, groups, clubs – to give $365 toward the goal of having the shelter and the services it offers open all year long.

Theirs is the only men’s shelter in the area, and Watson said they have clients who come from nearby counties, including Mecklenburg County, VA, for a warm, dry place to sleep. But the services end early in the morning and, as Watson points out, “during the daytime, they’re still homeless.”

The shelter is a place where men can get a hot meal, charge their phones, have a hot shower and a clean change of clothes, she said.

But once the shelter has its own space and can stay open all year, there could be opportunities for additional services and training to further help clients improve their life situations.

“Just imagine,” Watson said, “we could be able to operate all year, we could get a building…our dreams would come true.”

The $365 – she certainly welcomes more and understands if donors need to give less – would “help us do the things that we need to do – that we want to do.”

Bringing men from homelessness to some type of self-sufficiency is the goal, but Watson acknowledged that each client may have different needs.

Shelter Manager Darryl Jones helps clients a great deal, Watson said, and encourages the ones as they make life choices that take them from homelessness toward self-sufficiency.

Hearing updates from clients who have gotten their lives back on track definitely make for “feel-good moments,” Watson said. “But we don’t have enough of those.” Through additional programming, some life-skills programming and other services, she said the shelter could give the men what they need and what they are looking for.

Visit www.cp-hope.org or call 919.339.1426 to learn more about the 365 Dream Team Campaign.

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The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 09-19-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for September 20, 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 michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

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Name of Business – Chick-fil-A

Title of Job – Kitchen Staff Professional Needed, 3rd Shift, 10 am – 4 pm, Sunday – Friday.  duties will include food prep, assembly and cooking, including produce, raw, cold, desserts and preparing the store for next day. Cleaning and maintenance, storage and waste disposal areas, and catering orders.  Minimum age is 18 years old.  Must have proficient reading and writing skills.

How To Apply – Text “kitchen” to 252-359-3232.  Or apply online at https://www.chick-fil-a.com/career.

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Name of Business – City of Henderson, NC Public Works Dept.

Title of Job – Multiple positions open:  Part- Time Leaf Seasonal Worker; Full-Time Administrative Support Specialist; Full-Time Utility Maintenance Crew Leader; and Full-Time Solid Waste Equipment Operator.  Excellent employee benefits are offered for these positions.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://henderson.nc.gov/departments/human_resources/jobs.  You should also review the full job description, and download and complete a City of Henderson application, which is required for all positions. Submit by email a completed application and your resume to elginlane@henderson.nc.gov.

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Name of Business – Perry Memorial Library (Breckenridge Street in Henderson, NC)

Title of Job – Library Assistant (part-time) Approximately 19 hours per week.  Rate of Pay: $12.00 per hour.  Details: Hours may include evenings (close at 8pm Monday and Tuesday) and weekends (Saturday 10am-2pm and Sunday 1pm-5pm). High school graduate or equivalent required.  More details about the job responsibilities can be seen at the Vance County, NC website, under job openings.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://www.vancecounty.org/.

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Name of Business – Vance County, NC Sheriff’s Office

Title of Job  – Multiple full-time positions open at the Detention Center, including:  Detention Center Officers, Salary $36,433;  Detention Supervisor (Lieutenant) Salary $45,402;  Detention Shift Supervisor (Sergeant) Salary $39,785.  
How To Apply –  Apply online at http://www.vancecountysheriff.org

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Name of Business – Henderson Family YMCA

Title of Job  – Multiple Positions Open –

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE (EXEMPT, FULL-TIME): Under the supervision of the CEO, the Henderson Family YMCA Director of Finance is responsible for the financial operation needs of the YMCA, responsible for managing the financial functions of the YMCA in accordance with the stated mission, goals, and policies established by the administrative staff and Board of Directors.

BUS DRIVER (PART-TIME): Under the supervision of the Director of Youth Development, safely transport children from designated school pickup locations to the Henderson Family YMCA. Safely transport children, members, program participants, staff, and others to designated locations for field trips and related activities.

LIFEGUARD (PART-TIME):
Maintain a safe environment in our pool, deck, and surrounding areas. Active surveillance of the pool area. Ability to respond to emergency situations in accordance with YMCA policies and procedures. Performs equipment checks and ensures appropriate equipment is available. Maintains a positive and engaging relationship with members, staff, and guests. Qualifications: Current YMCA lifeguard, CPR and AED certifications.

MEMBER SERVICES (PART-TIME Front Desk, NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS):
Responsible for welcoming members and guests into the facility, for answering and transferring calls, and for communicating policy and program information. The individual must be able to provide exceptional customer service with a positive and welcoming attitude by helping multiple people at one time, uphold standards and policies and handle situations that require conflict resolution. This individual should be able to retain and promote a variety of information on programs and membership. Minimum requirements: age 18; basic math and reading skills; computer skills; phone skills and accountability with money.

WELLNESS CENTER ATTENDANT (PART-TIME, NIGHT AND WEEKENDS):
Promote member engagement, build relationships, and establish good rapport with our members. Staff is responsible for providing assistance with the fitness equipment, maintaining a safe environment, keeping equipment clean, organized, and enforcing fitness center rules.

How To Apply – Download an application at www.hendersonymca.org/get-involved/employment-opportunities or stop by the YMCA Member Services desk (380 Ruin Creek Road Henderson) during operating hours for an application. Call (252)438-2144 with questions or assistance.

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Name of Business – Boys & Girls Club of North Central North Carolina

Title of Job – Youth Development Professional – Serves youth ages 5-18-years-old, provides guidance and discipline best practices, ensures the overall safety and well-being of members, promotes and engages daily learning and participation in our Core Program Areas.  Required availability M-F 2:30-7:00 PM

How To Apply – Contact Evelyn Taylor for more information (252) 438-5830, extension 105

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Name of Business – MR Williams, Inc

Title of Job – Multiple Positions Open for the 2nd Shift Operations and Truck Drivers (CDL – A License with 2 year driving experience).  Positions being hired are: Cooler Freezer Order Selector; Loader; Repack Order Selector; Tote Module Loader; Warehouse Order Selector; Delivery Driver – CDL A; Deliver Driver – Non CDL; Driver Helper.  There are full-time and/or part-time positons available (Sundays & Wednesdays with flexible hours).  High school diploma, GED, or 2 years of warehouse experience.  At least 18 years old.  Ability to stand, walk, kneel, crouch, etc. for 8+ hours. Experience in a cooler/freezer area preferred. Experience operating motorized equipment preferred.  Complete benefit package available.

How To Apply – Email resume to Kristy Granger, Human Resource Manager at kgranger@mrwilliams.com.  Apply online at https://www.mrwilliams.com/careers/.  Complete job descriptions are available online, on homepage, click on About icon at top, and scroll down to careers.

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Name of Business – Guardian ad Litem – A Child’s Advocate In Court – Judicial District 9

Title of Job – Immediate opening for Guardian as Litem Volunteer Advocates.  Accepting applications until October 3rd.  Volunteers will train on advocacy for children who have experienced abuse and neglect.  No legal experience required, just the desire to make a difference in the lives of children.  Training is free and 100% virtual interactive training class begins on October 18.

How to Apply – Information and applications are available at www.volunteerforgal.org.  If you have questions, call 919-690-4921 or email gal.district09@nccourts.org.

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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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