Annual Relay for Life Survivor Dinner Set for Friday, April 20, 2018
By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer/Editor for Hire
The 2018 Relay for Life Survivor Dinner will be held at South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church at 905 Americal Road in Henderson on Friday, April 20.
The evening of dinner and entertainment is free of charge to the area’s cancer survivors and one family member of their choice.
The dinner, sponsored by Maria Parham Health, begins at 6 p.m. and requires advance registration. Participants must RSVP to the American Cancer Society by Tuesday, April 10.
According to Hope Breedlove, co-chair of the Relay’s Cancer Survivor Committee, the registration process has slightly changed from previous years.
“This year’s registration process only requires a simple phone call to the American Cancer Society in Raleigh,” said Breedlove. “Sue will answer the phone or you can leave a message. She needs to know three things – your name, if you’ll bring a guest and your t-shirt size.”
To register for the dinner, participants should call the American Cancer Society at (919) 334-5221. As Breedlove explained on Monday’s Town Talk, if there is no answer, callers should leave a detailed message.
Participants may also email Sue.Cain@cancer.org to RSVP.
Survivors will receive a free Relay t-shirt at the dinner along with more detailed information concerning this year’s Relay event.
Caregivers and community members will have an opportunity to purchase a t-shirt from Relay teams over the next few months. As Breedlove explained, money raised from t-shirt sells is a large part of the fundraiser for cancer research.
“I encourage all survivors to join us,” Breedlove said. “We have a really fun time at this dinner and it gives us volunteers an opportunity to honor our local cancer survivors.”
This year’s Vance County Relay for Life will be held Saturday, June 23, 2018, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. in downtown Henderson. Specifically, the event will be held in the square between the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library and the Henderson Police Department.
This is a change in location from previous years when the event was held at Southern Vance High School.
The opening ceremony will begin promptly at 11 a.m. on June 23. Cancer survivors will walk the first lap shortly after the opening ceremony concludes at approximately 11:30 a.m. with the caregiver’s recognition to follow.
As in years past, a tent will be set up for survivors to gather for fellowship, snacks and to wait for the ceremony to begin.
A new registration process will be used for this year’s Relay event. Survivors, caregivers and walkers may register for Relay for Life online at www.RelayForLife.org/VanceNC or by calling 1-800-227-2345 and choosing option number two from the menu.
Exclusively for survivors, an on-site registration will be held at the survivor dinner and at Relay for Life. The majority of survivors will only need to verify their contact information and sign the event waiver.
According to Breedlove, the entire committee is looking forward to the Relay event and are “excited to have this time to honor our local cancer survivors.”
Public Works Committee Meeting 4-3-18
— submitted by Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk
The Henderson City Council’s Public Works Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, to discuss a possible stormwater ordinance and fee initiative, as well as budget discussions related to Public Works. This meeting will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Large Conference Room at City Hall, 134 Rose Avenue.
The public is welcome.
District 9 Guardian Ad Litem Will Be Hosting A Showing of the Film Entitled “Resilence”
Be sure to listen to WIZS at 11 a.m. for Town Talk on Tuesday, April 3 as our guest Melanie Griggs will be live on the show with important information about Guardian Ad Litem in the four county area.
The following information was distributed by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.
What: Film Screening and Discussion
When: Friday, April 6, 2018, 1:45 p.m. until 4 p.m. – film starts at 2 p.m.
Where: Farm Bureau Room, Leslie Perry Library, Henderson, NC
RSVP: Melanie Griggs, (252) 430-5121 or melanie.h.griggs@nccourts.org by March 30, 2018
The child may not remember, but the body remembers. Researchers have recently discovered a dangerous biological syndrome caused by abuse and neglect during childhood. As the new documentary Resilience reveals, toxic stress can trigger hormones that wreak havoc on the brains and bodies of children, putting them at a greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time, and early death. While the broader impacts of poverty worsen the risk, no segment of society is immune. Resilience, however, also chronicles the dawn of a movement that is determined to fight back. Trailblazers in pediatrics, education, and social welfare are using cutting-edge science and field-tested therapies to protect children from the insidious effects of toxic stress—and the dark legacy of a childhood that no child would choose.
F-V-W Accepting Children for 2018-2019 Program Year
— submitted by Felicia C. Gregory, Interim CEO F-V-W
The Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity, Inc., Head Start is accepting children for the 2018-2019 Program Year for Franklin, Vance, Warren and Granville Counties. Children must be 3 years of age as of August 31, 2018. Parents of children with mental, physical or emotional impairments are encouraged to apply. The program will make special provisions to serve children with special needs. These provisions include, but are not limited to, adaptive equipment and transportation. For more information, please contact: Beth Darnell at (252) 492-4196.
Beckford Drive Improvements Around Easter
A significant portion of Beckford Drive is being “milled and filled” according to one of the Department of Transportation workers on site. He told WIZS News the work would continue for about a week unless there were weather related issues.
If you use Beckford Drive as a cut through from Andrews Avenue to Dabney Drive, or to access Roanoke Avenue or Radio Lane from either direction, you should allow extra time or consider an alternate route through midweek next week on or about April 4th or April 5th.
Workers are not present all the time, but, when they are, there can be delays, flagmen and restrictions that allow cars to go only in one direction at the time. So far, work has been confined to normal working hours during the week.
The road construction extends from the F-V-W Opportunity driveway to just east of Parkview Drive where you enter the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
This has nothing to do with the recent talks about widening Beckford Drive.
Henderson Man Detained on Federal Firearm Charge After State Arrest in Granville County
— courtesy United States Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY – March 28, 2018
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announces the detention of a defendant after his arrest on a federal firearms charge.
An indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on March 15, 2018, against ODELL OVERBY, of Henderson. The indictment charges the defendant with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on December 17, 2017.
OVERBY was arrested December 17, 2017, by the Granville County Sheriff’s Office.
The charge and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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Be careful when burning debris in spring
— courtesy NC Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018
Be careful when burning debris in spring
Wildfire risk typically higher through May; burning debris is the No. 1 cause of wildfires
RALEIGH – The N.C. Forest Service is urging residents across the state to think safety and exercise caution during the spring fire season, which typically lasts from March to May.
“Burning debris is the No. 1 cause of wildfires,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “If you’re thinking about burning debris, contact your county forest ranger first. The ranger can offer technical advice and explain the best options to help maximize safety for people, property and the forest.”
During the spring fire season, people do a lot of yard work that often includes burning leaves and yard debris. There are many factors to consider before doing any burning. Following are tips to protect property and prevent wildfires:
- Consider alternatives to burning. Some yard debris, such as leaves and grass, may be more valuable if composted.
- Check with your county fire marshal’s office for local laws on burning debris. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours; others forbid it entirely.
- Make sure you have an approved burning permit, which can be obtained at any NCFS office, county-approved burning permit agent, or online at https://ncforestservice.gov.
- Check the weather. Don’t burn if conditions are dry or windy.
- Only burn natural vegetation from your property. Burning household trash or any other man-made materials is illegal. Trash should be hauled away to a convenience center.
- Plan burning for the late afternoon when conditions are typically less windy and more humid.
- If you must burn, be prepared. Clear a perimeter around the burn area of flammable materials.
- Keep fire tools ready. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, a steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire.
- Never use flammable liquids such as kerosene, gasoline or diesel fuel to speed burning.
- Stay with your fire until it is completely out. In North Carolina, human carelessness leads to more wildfires than any other cause.
- These same tips hold true for campfires and barbeques, too. Douse burning charcoal briquettes or campfire thoroughly with water. When the coals are soaked, stir them and soak them again. Be sure they are out cold and carefully feel to be sure they are extinguished. Never dump hot ashes or coals into a wooded area.
- Burning agricultural residue and forestland litter: In addition to the guidelines above, a fire line should be plowed around the area to be burned. Large fields should be separated into small plots for burning one at a time. Before doing any burning in a wooded area, contact your county ranger, who will weigh all factors, explain them and offer technical advice.
For more information on ways you can prevent wildfires and loss of property, visit https://ncforestservice.gov.