The Local Skinny! Paws for Granville Auction Raises Money for Spay and Neuter

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Calling all animal lovers who also enjoy a night out, complete with dinner and a silent auciton! The fifth annual Paws for Granville fundraiser is Saturday, April 6 and organizers say you’re not going to want to miss it!

Tickets are $35 for the event, which will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Barn at Vino in Stem. Proceeds go to fund the spay/neuter program at the Granville County Animal Shelter, which is partnering with the local Humane Society to put on the event.

Angela Gooch, treasurer and co-founder of the Granville County Humane Society, spoke with WIZS’s Bill Harris on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! to provide details.

“We’re hoping to get plenty of support from the community” for the fundraiser, Gooch said, which in turn will provide much-needed funds to pay for the shelter’s spay/neuter program.

Gooch said there typically are a lot of cats to be spayed or neutered, but that the shelter had taken in “an awful lot” of puppies lately.

“It’s a big problem,” she said.  “It seems like no matter how many we do, there are more and more to take their place” in the spay/neuter program.

One way to help raise funds to support the spay/neuter program is through a silent auction. Event attendees can bid on items that include jewelry, a bicycle, garden flags, gifts cards to Angus Barn, the N.C. Zoo and a ticket package to see the “Mamma Mia” ABBA tribute at DPAC – not to mention a variety of dog- and cat-related paraphernalia.

Purchase tickets online through Eventbrite, visit the Granville County Animal Shelter, 515 New Commerce Dr. or call 919.691.9114.

In addition, donations may be made to the local humane society, P.O. Box 385, Butner, NC 27509 or make an online donation at hsgcncinfo@gmail.com

“We need the community help to make this a success,” Gooch said.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Extending Your Vehicle’s Life

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

With spring having officially “sprung,” folks are getting serious about the proverbial spring cleaning tasks at home and in the yard and garden. The folks at Advance Auto Parts have everything you need to take care of those spring cleaning projects with your vehicles that take place in your garage or driveway.

Vehicle owners can check off a good number of these tasks to extend the life of their car or truck, but there may be some that are better left to a professional.

Trust the team at Advance Auto Parts to help you make sure your vehicle is in top condition as warmer weather approaches. Whether it’s parts you need, cleaning supplies or a battery check, Advance is the place to make sure sure your car or truck remains road-worthy.

  • Check your tire pressure – improperly inflated tires affect gas mileage and can reduce traction in rain – April showers bring May flowers, but also slick roads.
  • Take a look at your tires – check the level of tread and for any cracks or other signs of wear or damage.
  • Replace wiper blades – get into the habit of replacing blades a couple of times a year.
  • Check the battery – who wants to be stranded in a parking lot, on the side of the road or anywhere for that matter. If you see corrosion around the battery’s connection points or cracks along the top or sides, it may be time to swap it out for a new one.
  • Change the Air Filter – just like your home’s air filters, your car or truck’s filters need changing periodically. The staff at Advance Auto Parts can help you determine which type of filter is best for your vehicle and your wallet.
  • Change the oil and the oil filter for maximum efficiency. The frequency, however, depends on the kind of vehicle you drive and how your drive it. Oil changes are necessary to reduce excess dirt and sludge that may build up inside the engine.
  • Take a look at belts and hoses – pop the hood and visually inspect engine belts and hoses to make sure they aren’t cracked. A leaky coolant hose, for example, can lead to an overheated engine. And when the belt that turns the water pump snaps, your car’s cooling system won’t work. If you hear a high-pitched whine or squeal, it may be a sign of a worn belt that’s losing its tension.
  • Check the A/C before outside temps get too hot to make sure the system is working properly. Don’t wait ‘til summertime – nothing worse than climbing into a hot car and not being able to cool it down!
  • Inspect the radiator and its rubber cooling hoses for any signs of cracking or swelling that could cause leaks.
  • Wash your vehicle. A shiny, clean car isn’t just for looks. Your vehicle’s paint and undercarriage need an occasional wash.

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

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Upcoming Events At Perry Memorial Library

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How is a librarian like a fisherman?

Well, if you ask Perry Library’s Youth Services Director Melody Peters, she might just liken her job of creating programs for young people like a fisherman casting a net into the ocean – you just never know how big the haul is going to be.

Some programs, Peters said, yield a lot of participants and others are a tad slower to catch on. “You just have to keep casting a net of programs,” she said, and eventually you’ll catch something.

In addition to staple programs like Survivor Hacks, Peters said she’s excited about a program on Monday, Apr. 8 to witness the solar eclipse.

“We’re supposed to have a decent shot at visibility,” she told WIZS co-host Bill Harris. The program will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., with ideal conditions around 2:30 p.m., she predicted. The library has special glasses for viewing. No registration is necessary – just show up and enjoy! There will be activities in the Farm Bureau Room to go along with the actual eclipse viewing.

The next day, Tuesday, Apr. 9, teens can come back to the library at 4 p.m. for a program called “Black Out poetry,” which involves using books that have been removed from the library shelves because they’re damaged or in such disrepair they can’t be sold at library book sales.

The way it works is this: kids become poets by blacking out words in a sentence to leave the one word or phrase that will ultimately be part of a poem.

“It’s kind of cool to see what you can create by blacking out words in sentences,” she said.

She hopes that some of the participants will share during a read-aloud session when they’re done.

And then at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 21 bring the family for a book sale and tea party to celebrate National Tea Day. Around the World Tea Day is another way to create programming for busy families who may be available during the weekend, especially Sundays.

It’s a way to support the Friends of the Library book sales and provide activities for families to  enjoy the library.

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

 

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Friday Ceremony Names Satterwhite Point Bridge Over I-85 For Master Trooper Brent Montgomery

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Dozens of uniformed State Highway Patrol troopers stood solemnly Friday afternoon around a crowd of easily more than 100 friends and family members gathered for the first part of a dedication ceremony to honor the late Master Trooper James Brent Montgomery.

The bridge that carries SR 1319 – Satterwhite Road – over I-85 in northern Vance County was officially named in Montgomery’s memory.

Montgomery died in March 2021 of complications from COVID-19. He was 50.

In opening remarks, Brandon Jones, division engineer for NCDOT, said Montgomery will be remembered for the integrity and compassion that he displayed in the pursuit of law and order.

“He was a loving husband, father and friend,” Jones said, and active in his community and church.

Pastor Gary Harper offered the invocation and benediction for the brief ceremony held indoors at Kerr Lake Country Club. Harper said he married Montgomery and his wife, Heather, and he dedicated their children.

He called Montgomery a “dreamer,” someone with a vision – whether it was for a good-looking vehicle or a fancy watch, both things he was fond of.

SHP Maj. William P. Moore II was one of several speakers who recalled his friend and colleague and said the sign on the bridge will serve as a public reminder of the sacrifices that law enforcement officers make every day in the line of duty.

Montgomery’s compassion wasn’t something he learned, Moore said; rather, that compassion was “simply the core of Brent’s spirit.”

That green highway sign with the words “Master Trooper Brent Montgomery Bridge “is an outward reminder of (our) gratitude for his service…we owe it to our fallen heroes to uphold his memory.”

N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon recalled how the whole community rallied around Montgomery and his family when illness struck. There was an outpouring of support to pull together fundraisers during his sickness and everybody pitched in to make them successful.

“He left us too soon…but he gave us so much,” Sossamon noted. “He was loved, respected, valued and appreciated.”

Unlike the other speakers, N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson said he had not had the pleasure of knowing Montgomery. Robinson said he recalled attending the trooper’s funeral, and felt a little awkward because this was someone that he really didn’t know.

“But I see him every day in the faces of the troopers…in other police officers across this state…in the faces of all these people in this room,” Robinson said.

When people drive across the newly named bridge, some of them will only know that a law enforcement officer who lost his life is remembered by the state.

“There are many more people…who will ride across that bridge and smile,” because they knew just who Brent Montgomery was.

“His name on that bridge is more than a plaque,” Robinson said. “It stands as a legacy.”

And speaking directly to the trooper’s family seated on the front row, he asked them to consider one thing when they pass over the Master Trooper Brent Montgomery Bridge and remember their loved one: “Don’t shed a tear, but smile.”

A steady drizzle Friday afternoon didn’t affect the procession of Highway Patrol cars, blue lights blazing, down the ramp to northbound I-85 at Parham Road to reach their destination at the Satterwhite Road bridge. Rescue vehicles and fire trucks of all shapes and sizes blocked traffic to allow the entourage to pass unhindered. A ladder truck was parked along the interstate at the Satterwhite Road bridge displaying a giant American flag as part of the dedication ceremony.

Home And Garden Show

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

  • Purchase a good soil thermometer
  • Continue pruning.
  • Increase pollination of your garden by purchasing Honey bees or contacting a beekeeper to place a hive on your property
  • Cool season broadleaf weeds are already blooming and setting seed.
  • Try growing a vegetable that you haven’t grown.
  • Frost free date is April 20, plan accordingly
  • 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.

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The Local Skinny! Council Tables Formation Of Separate Main Street Advisory Board

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The Henderson City Council discussed forming a separate advisory board to support Main Street Director Tracy Madigan in her efforts as a city employee to ensure that the city doesn’t jeopardize its designation in the national program, but decided to table a decision until council learns more about the job description and purpose of the board.

Council member Garry Daeke asked City Manager Terrell Blackmon for more information about the formation of the advisory board, as well as what its job would be and how it would complement or coordinate with the Henderson-Vance County Downtown Development Commission, a nonprofit formed in 1986 to support and promote downtown revitalization efforts.

In a follow-up email to WIZS, Daeke said he believes the timing is so that the city will increase its funding to the program as budget decisions are being made. “I just wanted something that explained this “new” committee, and how it is different from present DDC,” Daeke said in the email, adding that he would like to have clearly defined roles and a program description before the council makes any decisions.

“The Main Street Program belongs to the city, not the DDC,” Blackmon told Council members Monday. As a city employee, Madigan is charged with making sure the city follows the Main Street guidelines.

Blackmon said Henderson regained its Main Street community designation, and since that time, “we’ve been utilizing the Henderson DDC as a vehicle for meeting a lot of the Main Street requirements.”

But the Main Street program belongs to the city, not to the DDC, he added.

Having a separate 5-7 member advisory committee would not preclude coordination with the DDC, but Blackmon said it would focus on the core categories that the national program requires for designation as a Main Street City.

“The DDC is a great partner,” Blackmon said.

Madigan told council members the city is looking at having a little more focus and control over a program that it funds and oversees.

The city budget allocates $25,000 to the Main Street project administration, with an additional $1,500 from the county. Fundraisers like the Festival of Trees event during December are events that add to the bottom line.

Madigan said a board would address an increased volunteer presence with the Main Street program, but the biggest struggle remains funding, which is a key point in Main Street guidelines.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood And Blowing Out Engines

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

The next time you hear someone say that you need to “blow out the carbon” of your vehicle’s engine, you may want to call that bluff.

With today’s detergent fuels and oils, there ain’t a whole lot of carbon buildup in that engine, folks.

In fact, over-revving an engine can cause more damage – so think twice before pushing the gas pedal to the floor – it could hurt your vehicle’s engine and your pocketbook, if the law pulls you over.

The older rules simply can’t be applied to today’s engines, which are more likely to experience a chip problem or a bad sensor. If your car’s not running smoothly to begin with, forcing it to go faster – and work harder – isn’t going to help.

For instance, if your daily errands or trips through the carpool lines are smooth sailing, but a trip on the interstate raises a red flag when it comes to your vehicle’s performance, it could be that your fuel-to-air mixture is off.

Check in with the pros at Advance Auto Parts when you have questions about how your vehicle’s running. They can point you in the right direction and can let you know what type of additive may be called for.

Consult someone in the know before adding anything to the gas tank or crankcase. It may not be harmful, but it may not help, either.

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.

  • Purchase a good soil thermometer
  • Continue pruning.
  • Increase pollination of your garden by purchasing Honey bees or contacting a beekeeper to place a hive on your property
  • Cool season broadleaf weeds are already blooming and setting seed.
  • Try growing a vegetable that you haven’t grown.
  • Frost free date is April 20, plan accordingly
  • 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.

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The Local Skinny! Sossamon Pastors To Community

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N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon wants to get the word out about a couple of upcoming community forums that he hopes will shed a little light on the topic of human trafficking – what it is, what it can look like and how to seek help or report suspicions. Scheduling forums like the ones next week is just one way that Sossamon continues to pastor to the community.

The first forum will be held Tuesday, Mar. 12 at Perry Memorial Library, Sossamon said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. There’s a special session for law enforcement representatives from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by the community forum open to the public at 6 p.m.

He said there will be representatives from a variety of agencies and nonprofits well-versed in the issue of human trafficking to inform and educate and help attendees “better understand this enormous and egregious problem.”

The second forum will be held at the Granville Expo Center in Oxford on Thursday, Mar. 14, following the same format as the Henderson event.

When you hear the term “human trafficking,” what often comes to mind is either sex trafficking or labor trafficking.

Oftentimes, Sossamon said, people don’t know what signs to look for, and instances of trafficking could be happening “right up under our noses.”

Attend one of the two forums and come away with information, some training and a better level of understanding about the problem.

Victims of human trafficking are often under such control that they often never say a word, never try to escape, Sossamon explained. Sometimes they wear bulky clothing or stay covered up to hide malnutrition or markings from abuse.

“It’s beyond me to fully comprehend…to be taken against their will…and do whatever they’re told to do,” he said. “It’s such a large topic when you begin to dive into it – it covers so many different scenarios.”

He recalled a recent case that happened here in Vance County when a law enforcement officer discovered a case of trafficking.
Thanks to training that the State Highway Patrol officer had received, he was able to identify and capture the perpetrator and save the victim.

“One of the big things is awareness, even among those who are sworn to protect,” Sossamon said, adding that there are so many demands on law enforcement officers, the more the community can do to help, the better.

“It takes all of us to have a level of awareness and understanding,” he said, adding that it’s important for individuals to be on the lookout, too.

Holding forums in his district is just one way to help keep the community safe, involved and informed.

“It takes all of us to be involved,” Sossamon said.

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