Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library 04-16-24

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The U.S. celebrates National Tea Day on April 21, and Perry Memorial Library is hosting a special tea party and book sale to commemorate the beverage that people enjoy all over the globe.  Whether you’re a faithful patron or a newbie to the library, Melody Peters and the staff invite you to join in the fun.

The tea party will be from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, and participants can sample teas from around the world, Peters said – “something other than iced tea,” she said.

Kids will have a chance to decorate some special cups and plates for the occasion – they also can create some cool party hats.

“We hope there will be a lot of activity,” said Peters, who is the library’s Youth Services director.

Whether you like green tea, a chai or a traditional Earl Grey, come have a cuppa at the library and shop for some books at the Friends of Library sale – books and tea make a great combination.

The April Kids Connect STEM program will celebrate Earth Day just one day late on Tuesday, Apr. 23 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. After a short hike around the library to pick up whatever litter may be lying around the landscape, the group will create bird feeders with cardboard tubes, twine, sunflower butter and bird seed, Peters said.

“We’ll be outdoors in nature and explore outside” the library environs, including a stroll through the Story Walk installation while they’re at it.

This program is geared for elementary school students, siblings of all ages are most welcome to participate, Peters said. No registration is required – just show up.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/  to learn more about all the programs and services the library offers.

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Spring Street Missionary Baptist Plans Community Event

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Spring Street Missionary Baptist Church is holding a picnic at Henderson Heights on Saturday, Apr. 20 that is free and open to the public.

There will be hotdogs and hamburgers to enjoy, as well as a bouncy house and face painting for the children, said pastor AnTori D. Brown.

The church is located at 511 Orange St., but Brown said Saturday’s event is a way to minister to the larger community.

“We get inside of the church and we want to stay there,” Brown said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! Having programs outside the church building is one way to let people know “that God has fallen in love with them…our objective is to reach the masses by way of ministry.”

The community is invited to join residents of Henderson Heights, the corner of Beckford and Andrews avenues, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a day of fellowship, food and fun.

As revitalization efforts continue in the downtown area, Brown said he wants Spring Street Missionary Baptist to be a “beacon of light” in the community. “We want to revitalize our commitment and spirituality to God,” he said.

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The Local Skinny! City Council Votes To Keep B-2A Zoning For Businesses, Retail

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After receiving recommendations from a couple of different committees, the Henderson City Council voted unanimously on Monday to deny a request that would have allowed an empty retail space to be turned into a 16-bed “diversion center” for patients in mental health or substance abuse crises.

Back in November, Vaya Health officials told county commissioners that the space formerly occupied by Big Lots! on Dabney Drive was the best option they could find at the best price point. It would require a special use permit from the city, however, since the area is zoned for businesses and not hospitals or sanitoriums.

The matter was referred to the city Planning Board, which initially recommended to approve the special use permit request. But at a special called meeting in January, the City Council expressed concerns and had reservations about moving the project forward and sent it back to the planning committee for further review. The second time, the planning committee offered no recommendation.

So, the planning board reviewed the matter again in February and the Land Planning Committee weighed in as well at a March meeting, recommending the request be denied because the B-2A zoning is designed for businesses, including retail establishments and that any change could be detrimental to existing businesses.

Now, here we are in April, with the matter back before the City Council.

In reviewing the timeline of events, City Manager Terrell Blackmon said the consensus is that feel that an area zoned for business is not well suited for a hospital or sanitorium.

Council members voted unanimously to deny the request.

Vaya is looking for a location that could serve the region that includes Vance, Granville and Franklin counties, and Vaya reps told commissioners in November that they’d pitch in $1.5 million of the total amount necessary to upfit and transform the space, which would be somewhere north of $4.5 million. Vaya is looking for funding from the three counties to support the project.

WIZS previously reported that the main idea for the facility is to help take some of the heat off local hospital emergency rooms, which often aren’t equipped to handle the specific needs of individuals suffering from behavioral and mental health crises.

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Corbitt Preservation Association To Hold Spring Fling Saturday

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The plan for Saturday’s Spring Fling at the Corbitt Museum is to have trucks and tractors on display for the public to view and ooh and aah over, but when you’re dealing with vehicles that are as old as the Corbitts that are around here, Tom Burleson said “you keep your fingers crossed.”

The annual event will take place April 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and it’s a perfect time for folks to stop by and learn more of the history about the Corbitt family and its many contributions to the Henderson area, according to Burleson, vice president of the Corbitt Preservation Association.

Burleson himself grew up on Corbitt Road, he said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. And his childhood home was just up the street from the Corbitt mansion, that stood where Wester Realty now stands.

The Corbitts owned The Little Hotel and Mrs. Corbitt ran it back in the day, when Mr. Corbitt was busy cranking out trucks, military vehicles and tractors.

“We’ve got a good story to tell,” Burleson said. “We want to try to interest some younger folks.” His fellow Corbitt enthusiasts have “a lot of snow on the mountain,” he quipped and Corbitt Preservation Association events like the Spring Fling help to keep the history alive.

The association’s members are always on the lookout for Corbitt memorabilia and continue to collect it for display at the museum, located at 180 Church St. One recent addition is a promissory note dated 1917 signed by THE Richard J. Corbitt himself.

The company was founded in 1899 and produced horse-drawn buggies, Burleson said, then it morphed to motorized buggies, then automobiles, trucks and tractors. The Corbitt Company found its niche, however, in military vehicles.

One board member chugs down I-85 in his 1950 model truck that originally was purchased for use by the J.W. Jenkins Oil Co. in Henderson. “He gets some of the strangest looks,” Burleson said, but it’s just one of the trucks and tractors that’s still chuggin’ along.

Hopefully, it will be parked outside the Corbitt Museum Saturday.

Fingers crossed.

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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 Opening
  • Get your soil samples turned in
  • Lawn mower safety
  • Purchasing transplants
  • Provide green house and cold frame ventilation
  • Check indoor seedlings daily

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The Local Skinny! Council Approves Creation Of Board To Oversee Main Street Program

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The Henderson City Council voted unanimously Monday to create a downtown advisory board that will take responsibility for overseeing the city’s Main Street program.

This action was taken as a way to stay in compliance with the state’s Main Street program, given a decision in March by the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission to divest itself as the active board of directors and committees of the Main Street program effective June 30, 2024, according to information presented Monday by City Manager Terrell Blackmon.

One requirement for continued accreditation is that the program have a board of directors representing district stakeholders and
community members. The new advisory board will consist of between 5 and 7 appointed members who would be selected following an application process.

Blackmon said he has had conversations with state Main Street staff and they are aware of the changes that will be taking place. He added that city staff would continue to work in partnership with the HVDDC, but the city-appointed board would be responsible for the Main Street program.

The Main Street approach is centered around economic development strategies designed to transform the downtown area and revitalize and strengthen the downtown economy. Henderson re-established its Main Street designation in 2020 and uses a four-pronged approach to attain its goals: economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.

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Vance County Logo

The Local Skinny! County Commissioners Discuss Unified Development Ordinance

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Vance County commissioners unanimously approved at the April 1 meeting a partnership with a company to help in the creation of a Unified Development Ordinance, or UDO, designed to bring consistency to county regulations with regard to property development.

The county’s Planning/Environmental committee reviewed a proposal at its most recent meeting in mid-March from NFOCUS, and County Manager C. Renee Perry recommended to the full board that NFOCUS be given the job of bringing under one “umbrella” document the various sets of regulations that govern development within the county.

Perry told the commissioners that funding the project is in the current budget, with the second half of the payment to be made next year.

A UDO is a comprehensive document that brings together the full complement of a county’s policies and regulations and works to eliminate conficting language among the various sets of rules.

Perry also told commissioners that part of the scope of work of NFOCUS would be to align county regulations with existing state regulations; NFOCUS, she said, had identified several inconsistencies in county documents that do not comply with NC General Statutes Chapter 160D that talks about minimum model regulations.

NFOCUS will provide support to the county for two years after completing the project.

According to information from the UNC School of Government, “Chapter 160D of the N.C. General Statutes consolidated city- and county-enabling statutes for development regulations and reassembled them into a more logical, coherent organization. While the new law did not make major policy changes or shifts in the scope of authority granted to local governments, it did provide clarifying amendments and consensus reforms.”

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Catalytic Converters

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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

Ask a mechanic about your vehicle’s catalytic converter and you’re likely to hear about how it reduces pollution and toxic gases that come from the engine.

An environmentalist may tell you how essential this little piece of metal is to protect the air we breathe.

Ask an unscrupulous so-and-so and you’ll likely hear that they’re super easy to steal, strip of its precious metals and make some serious money, all at the vehicle owners’ expense.

This relatively small, but essential, piece of equipment has attracted thieves looking to make a fast buck. The National Insurance Crime Bureau says claims of catalytic converter thefts have increased by nearly 300 percent since 2020.

Vehicles can run without a catalytic converter, but legally, they’re supposed to have one. If you notice that your vehicle makes a very loud sound when you start it, you may want to check to see that the catalytic converter is there – if not, that 18-inch gap in your exhaust system where the converter used to be is the reason for the noise.

So, what’s a car owner to do? There are several suggestions to keep your vehicle safe:

  • Always park in your garage or a brightly-lit area, ideally in view of a security camera. At home, put in a motion sensor light that covers your driveway.
  • Install an anti-theft device that makes it impossible to cut off your catalytic converter. Several manufacturers sell shields, cables or plates that are bolted onto your car to cover the component.
  • Spray paint the catalytic converter a bright color with high-temperature exhaust manifold paint, which should alert a recycler that it could be stolen property.
  • Etch your license plate or vehicle identification number on the converter so it’s easier to track if stolen.

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value only and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Cleanup perennial flower beds. Cut back plants, pull weeds and refresh mulch
  • Finish up your pruning chores. Fruit trees,blueberries,grape vines, broadleaf evergreens and ornamental trees.
  • Increase pollination of your garden by purchasing Honey bees or contacting a beekeeper to place a hive on your property
  • Keep your garden notebook up to date
  • Check vegetable seedlings that you are growing indoors daily, light,soil moisture
  • Plan your spring garden on paper before planting your garden
  • Check all Garden equipment have it ready when needed
  • Avoid the temptation to plant tender flowers and vegetables. Trees and shrubs are fine to plant now April 20 avg frost free date
  • Refrain from tilling wet soil.
  • Conduct a germination test on old seed.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library 04-02-24

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There’s lots going on at Perry Memorial Library in April – some of them are the regular monthly favorites, but there are some time-sensitive activities as well that are being targeted at children on Spring Break and for everyone interested in next week’s solar eclipse.

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said kids on spring break should check out Wednesday’s arts and crafts activities at 11 a.m.

There will be lots to do, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

“We’re definitely going to have a couple of tables for painting,” Peters said. There will be beads for necklace making, foam crafts and teens can fashion their own jewelry.

“There are a lot of options for various ages,” she said.

Most kids will be back in school on Monday, Apr. 8, but that’s not stopping the library from participating in the Statewide Star Party to view the eclipse.

The fun begins at 1:30 p.m. and runs through 3 p.m. and there will be half a dozen or so activity stations for individuals to take part in. The height of the eclipse will occur at 3:16 p.m., Peters said, and she’s got those special glasses for anyone who comes to view at the library.

“We crave those natural events that shake us up,” she said. “People are going to be able to see it – it’s not made up – it’s real!”

The activities are STEAM centered and participants will learn more about the sun, moon, and what exactly an eclipse is before they get to witness it in person.

They “get to see something in real time,” Peters said. In this world of AI and all things virtual, this is a big deal. North Carolina will not experience a total eclipse, but 86 percent is pretty good, she said.

Teens can return to the library the next day – April 9 – at 4 p.m. to create a special type of poetry – black out poetry. Books that would otherwise be discarded because of disrepair are used to create poems.

“I hope kids come,” Peters said. “I love what you can do (with) recycling old books. It becomes art.”

No need to register – just show up at the library to participate.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

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