The Local Skinny! Jayden Watkins And ‘Higher is Waiting’

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Jayden Watkins the student is on fall break this week, which gives Jayden Watkins the part-time radio guy some extra daytime hours at WIZS. And maybe, just maybe, it gives Jayden Watkins the founder of the nonprofit “Higher Is Waiting” a little time to devote to his developing organization.

At age 16, the junior at Henderson Collegiate said he had gotten a little pushback from folks who didn’t think he could get the nonprofit off the ground. “I did not listen to those naysayers,” he said.

With a mission “to educate, equip, and empower individuals to live according to their life’s purpose by providing necessary resources and faith-based events,” Higher Is Waiting has a youth Bible Study group and provides food, clothing and other supplies to area agencies that serve needy populations.

The “Empowered” teen Bible study has 130 members who range in age from 13-19. Their monthly meetings include mentorship opportunities and learning life skills, Watkins said. They also do service projects in the community.

“I’m thankful to God and thankful for donations,” he said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Like many an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder, Watkins said his biggest challenge right now is financing to provide food, winter clothing and more. The youth have created more than 300 “Blessing Bags” filled with toiletry essentials, nonperishable foods and more that have been distributed to shelters and other places that serve needy populations.

He’s done interviews with a couple of local TV stations, which come to town when there’s something going on that casts Henderson in a negative light.

“Let’s highlight something positive,” Watkins said. “There are some positive, world-changing young people in Henderson, North Carolina.”

An upcoming event that Watkins is organizing is called “Young Voices for Change,” which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Perry Memorial Library. It’s a chance for young people to speak for up to five minutes on an issue they’re concerned about – from gun violence and self-esteem to substance use among youth in the community. Local officials will be on hand to listen and learn, Watkins said, and “to hear the concerns of our youth…in a good, welcoming, positive environment.”

Call Watkins at 252.425.0354 to learn ways to help Higher Is Waiting.

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Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • Farmer’s Market
  • Bee Keeper’s Meeting
  • Soil samples
  • Fire ants
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Weed and pest control 

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NC State Board of Elections

Bipartisan State Board Unanimously Approves Measures to Help WNC Voters

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– information courtesy of the N.C. State Board of Elections

The bipartisan State Board of Elections on Monday unanimously approved a long list of emergency measures to help Helene victims vote in the 2024 election and ensure election officials can provide accessible, safe, and secure voting options for residents of Western North Carolina.

The 5-0 vote of Democrats and Republicans on the State Board came after extensive planning by the State Board in coordination with county election officials, public safety and emergency management officials and the U.S. Postal Service.

The measures will apply to the following 13 counties, where infrastructure, accessibility to voting sites, and postal services remain severely disrupted after Helene: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey.

The provisions are also designed to help North Carolina voters living temporarily elsewhere inside or outside of the state or in disaster shelters to be able to vote. They also allow county boards of elections in the 13 counties the flexibility to modify early voting and Election Day voting sites and recruit additional poll workers to best accommodate their voters based on local conditions. And they allow election officials to continue to work with federal and state partners to provide election-related aid to the disaster counties, including temporary voting facilities and restrooms, generators and other needs.

The emergency measures also include ways to get information about voting to voters housed in shelters and to western North Carolina in general. They were carefully crafted to avoid any detrimental effect on the integrity of the election or the security of ballots, according to a press statement issued Monday by the N.C. State Board of Elections.

“These measures were put in place to ensure the victims of Helene can vote in the upcoming election and provide election officials in the hardest-hit areas the tools they need to conduct a secure election under extraordinarily difficult conditions,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections. “Just like the people of western North Carolina, election officials are resilient. We are determined to get the job done for our neighbors and friends in western North Carolina.”

Measures approved by the State Board do all the following and more in the 13 counties:

In-person Voting

  • Facilitate in-person early voting by allowing county boards of elections to modify their approved early voting sites, days, and hours through a bipartisan, majority vote.
  • Allow county boards to modify Election Day polling places by bipartisan, majority vote. This provision also allows county boards of elections, with the approval of the State Board executive director, to open a polling place in another county, provided that materials, tabulators and voting processes are kept separate for each precinct’s voters at that location.
  • Allow county boards – by bipartisan, majority vote – to set up their board of elections office to permit any voter in the county to vote at that site, in the event voters are unable to get to their Election Day precinct voting site or are unsure of their voting location. Some county offices may also serve as an early voting site, which allows any voter of the county to vote during the early voting period.

Absentee Voting

  • Allow voters to request and receive an absentee ballot in personat their county board of elections office up until November 4 – the day before the election. As always, the voter, a near relative or legal guardian is required to complete an absentee request form with the required personal information for the voter, and that information must be verified by the county board as with any absentee request.
  • Allow voters to drop off completed absentee ballots at Election Day polling places operated by the voters’ county board by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Allow voters or their near relatives or legal guardians to hand-deliver completed absentee ballots to another county board of elections in North Carolina or the State Board of Elections office, as long as the ballot is received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. The county or State Board then would ensure that those ballots are delivered to each voter’s county board of elections by November 14 – the day before county canvass – to be counted. A log and chain of custody will be maintained to secure these ballots.

Poll worker recruitment and assignment

  • Allow county boards – by bipartisan, majority vote – to appoint election officials who are registered to vote in other N.C. counties, to appoint emergency Election Day assistants and assign them to a precinct, and to reassign poll workers to different locations than their original assignment to ensure sufficient knowledge and expertise at each voting site.

Multipartisan Assistance Teams

  • Allow county boards – by bipartisan, majority vote – to schedule Multipartisan Assistance Teamsto assist with absentee ballot requests and absentee voting at disaster shelters and other places where disaster relief is provided to the public. These teams may receive and deliver to county boards completed absentee ballot envelopes for voters.

Coordination with Emergency Officials

  • Ensure the State Board continues its ongoing coordination with the N.C. Division of Emergency Management to provide election-related aid to the disaster counties, including temporary voting facilities, generators, temporary restrooms, and other needs.

In approving the resolution, the State Board found that Tropical Storm Helene created an unprecedented natural disaster for Western North Carolina that disrupted and continues to disrupt the schedule of the general election. The storm has taken many lives, severely damaged public and private property, and has caused significant and lasting disruptions to essential utility services and systems, including power, internet, cell service, water and transportation.

State law (N.C.G.S. § 163-27.1) authorizes the State Board to exercise emergency powers to conduct an election where the normal schedule is disrupted by a natural disaster.

For comprehensive information on Voting After Helene, go to NCSBE.gov/Helene. [Read the final, signed resolution]

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The Local Skinny! Gun Safety And Children Next Forum Topic Hosted By Rep. Frank Sossamon

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Rep. Frank Sossamon is hosting forums to underscore the need for gun safety, especially as it pertains to children.

The evening forums are designed to share information about gun safety with families. Representatives from the N.C. Dept. of Public Safety and the Center for Safer Schools, along with others, will be on hand during the events, according to information from Sossamon’s office.

The Granville County forum will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Northern Granville Middle School, 3144 Webb School Rd, Oxford.

Then, on Thursday, Oct. 10, the Vance County forum will be held at E.M. Rollins Elementary School, 1600 S. Garnett St., Henderson. That forum also runs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The forums are free and open to the public.

 

The Local Skinny! Vacant County Director Roles Now Filled

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Back in February, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry was just a few months into her new job. On top of gearing up to prepare the county’s annual budget and getting up to speed on some of the unique challenges and opportunities across the county she was now responsible for, Perry also faced having to fill a good handful of county positions, including five directors of departments.

Perry turned a negative into a positive at the time, and said back in February that she chose to see the vacancies as a chance for her to build her own leadership team.

When Vance County announced Tuesday that it had selected a new Social Services Director, that “team” is officially complete.

Sandy Weaver began her new role as DSS director effective Oct. 1, as did Jeremy T. Jones as assistanc county manager.

And Perry won’t celebrate her first anniversary as county manager until Nov. 1.

One by one, the vacancies have been filled:

·       Budget and Finance director – Stephanie Williams;

·       Animal Services manager – William Coker;

·       Planning director – Sherry Moss;

·       Elections director- Haley Rawles;

·       Economic Development director – Ferdinand A. Rouse;

·       DSS director – Sandy Weaver

·       Chief Code Enforcement Officer – Bob Rosch

The code enforcement office is located in the same office as planning, but it will function as a separate department with Rosch as the department head, county staff noted.

Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Extension: 

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is only open on Saturdays now. 8am-1pm. 
  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers will meet October 14 at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. 
  • Now is the time to collect your soil samples. 
  • If you haven’t renovated your Tall Fescue Lawn you need to do it ASAP. 
  • Take Pictures of your Garden now to help visualize where you planted plants in your Garden. 
  • If you have trees that will lose their leaves, start preparing for leaf collection. Make a plan on how you are going to collect your leaves. 
  • Operate maintenance on your gardening equipment. 

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536.

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The Local Skinny! Infinite Possibilities

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In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Infinite Possibilities is hosting a candlelight vigil Thursday in Warrenton to remember victims and survivors.

The statistics are sobering: in the United States, a person suffers domestic violence every 73 seconds and 1 in 6 women has been sexually assaulted or has been the victim of an attempted sexual assault.

Vanessa Henderson serves as an advocate at Infinite Possibilities, which serves Vance and Warren counties.

Henderson and others provide people with a safe place to discuss their situations and what they need to do to get out of danger.

The candlelight vigil will begin Thursday, Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Warren County Courthouse square, Henderson said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

“Every year we remember and honor the victims and survivors of domestic violence,” she said. Following remarks from community leaders including the mayor and sheriff, Henderson said participants will light candles and observe a moment of silence for those who have died at the hands of domestic violence or are survivors.

This year, Henderson estimates that her office in Warrenton and the Vance County location has helped close to 300 clients – that’s almost one person a day. And she hears from others in the community about how grateful they are for the services – and hope – that Infinite Possibiities provides.

The services are free and confidential and include everything from helping clients understand the court process to obtain protective orders and “no contact” orders to developing a safety plan to safely leave a violent situation.

“The most dangerous time for someone in a domestic violence situation is the time when they’re leaving,” Henderson said. “We do safety planning to help them leave safely.”

In addition to helping clients arrange getting to a safe place or shelter, Infinite Possibilities also offers assessments and counseling when clients are ready to leave an abusive situation.

“We are here to help them, in a safe environment,” she said.

Call the Henderson office at 252.431.1926 or the Warrenton office at 252.257.1044.

Call the crisis hotline 24/7 at 252-425-2492.

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Trusted Way to Help Western NC with Henry Gupton

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Vance County Clerk of Court, the Hon. Henry Gupton, invites the community to come to the courthouse parking lot Tuesday and Wednesday to help fill a trailer with donations bound for hurricane-ravaged western North Carolina.

Gupton told WIZS News Monday that he’s coordinated with Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame to get an enclosed trailer – and he wants to pile it high with any type of supplies that will help in the clean-up efforts from last week’s weather disaster.

Any non-perishable food item, paper products, cleaning supplies and, of course, drinking water, will be helpful. The events brought by the effects of Hurricane Helene in the North Carolina mountains have taken dozens of lives, and that toll is likely to climb as rescue efforts continue.

If you find you can’t get to the parking lot to drop off your donation, give Gupton a call at 252.430.5130 and he’ll arrange to have it picked up.

Gupton said he’s coordinating with the state association of clerks of court to make the trip to deliver the donated items, which will end up in Henderson County, south of Buncombe County, one of the hardest hit areas; he’ll be stopping in Orange and Iredell counties along the way to pick up donated items there.

Gov. Roy Cooper has activated the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund at the United Way of North Carolina and Duke Energy Local Government and Community Relations Manager Beth Townsend said Duke Energy is matching the first $100,000 in donations that come to the relief fund. Visit United Way of North Carolina (unitedwaync.org) to donate.

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Dr. Roddy Drake Recipient Of Order Of The Long Leaf Pine

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With family, friends and colleagues looking on, W. Rodwell Drake, M.D. – Roddy – became the most recent recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Rep. Frank Sossamon presented Drake with the framed award Thursday morning on behalf of N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper.

“It’s important to recognize people who have served us and served us well,” Sossamon said in remarks before presenting the award. “Dr. Drake is one of those who’s made an impact,” he said.

Recipients of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine are selected for long-standing service to their community and to the state. Sossamon said he’d heard Drake characterized as “’the epitome of what a family physician should be’ – what a compliment,” he said.

Drake grew up in Warren County and long-time resident of Henderson, practiced medicine at Henderson Family Medicine from 1975 to 1991, when he became director of the Granville-Vance Health District.

After the ceremony, he told WIZS News that he appreciated hearing all the kind comments that came from long-time friends and from family members.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” Drake said, but “the real satisfaction is in knowing that you’ve done a good job and that you’ve been supported by a good team of workers and support from friends and others in the community that makes it all possible.”

He retired from his role as GVPH director in 2012, but Drake currently serves as interim medical director in Nash County.

“I’ll always be involved,” he said. “It’s in my blood…that’s just the way it is. Medicine has been an important part of my life.”

Friend and local attorney Jerry Stainback read a resolution that he crafted to honor the occasion, signed by several dozen friends and colleagues, to recognize Drake for “his lifelong work and standard of work, and that his friends, colleagues and coworkers desire to honor him for his outstanding achievements as a friend to all whom he meets” and for “unfailing and faithful service to his community and State.”

In his role as district health director, Drake said he always tried to make sure he made the community a priority. But over the years, he had the chance to participate in a number of statewide committees and played a large role in creating guidelines and decision-making.

Gov. James B. Hunt appointed him to the N.C. Advisory Council on Cancer Coordination Control, and he served two four-year terms working with Dr. Joseph Pagano of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer He also was a steering committee member at the N.C. Institute of Medicine to develop a 10-year plan to improve health outcomes.

Lisa Harrison, who succeeded Drake as GVPH director, also served on that steering committee. In the nomination letter, Harrison wrote, “We all applaud Dr. Drake.  We appreciate his dedication to the health of others and to the health of these rural communities. His leadership still makes such a positive difference.”

Harrison brought greetings Thursday morning from the health department – and a card signed by many staff members – and said she is grateful for “all of the wonderful things that Dr. Drake has done to keep communities healthy.”

In his remarks to those gathered, Drake said a community is strengthened by all its connections. “It takes a strong community to make good things happen,” he said. “I am so connected with all of you, not only in work, but in board work and tremendous long-lasting friendships.”

As the ceremony was winding down, Drake stood at the podium a second time to exercise his new authority as a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine – the privilege to recite the state’s toast whenever and wherever he so chooses.

Here’s to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here’s to “Down Home,” the Old North State!

(WIZS News would like to credit and thank Jean Thompson, Dr. Drake’s sister, with providing additional help to WIZS for this story and for the pictures you see.)

The Local Skinny! Fire Prevention Lunch And Learn Oct. 3

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In observance of National Fire Prevention Month, the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, along with Abria’s Chase Foundation and the Henderson Fire Department, present a Lunch and Learn at Station #1 on Thursday, Oct. 3 beginning at 12 noon.

The deadline to sign up is Monday, Sept. 30, so please call the Chamber office at 252.438.8414 or email Tanya Wilson at tanya@hendersonvance.org to register.

Ayana Lewis of Abria’s Chase Foundation said their mission is to prevent others from experiencing the tragedy she and her family endured because of a house fire. Two of the couple’s children perished in a 2009 housefire.

Since 2010, the nonprofit helps provide smoke detectors, support groups and other resources to families who have found themselves in need.

Henderson Fire Chief Tim Twisdale said he and his staff strive to engage the community about smoke alarms, including talking with residents who live in areas with a higher instance of fires In addition to making sure homes have working smoke alarms, Twisdale said he and fellow firefighters remind people about the proper use of drop cords and safe placement of supplemental heat sources like space heaters.

Fires that involve cooking account for half of all fires nationwide, he said, adding that “local numbers reflect that also. Never leave cooking appliances unattended,” he warned.

Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson commended the fire department for the excellent job its members do to educate schoolchildren and called on business leaders and others to come learn what the fire department offers as a way to further prevent fires.

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