Maria Parham Health Adds SmartRobotics Surgical System To Assist With Orthopedic Surgeries

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— courtesy of Maria Parham Health Public Information Officer Donna Young

Maria Parham Health announces the addition to its complement of orthopedic care the Mako SmartRobotics™ surgical system, a cutting-edge innovation now available to qualified patients undergoing joint replacement procedures.

This advanced technology brings new levels of precision, personalization and potential recovery benefits to patients in north-central North Carolina and surrounding communities, according to information from Donna Young, MPH public information officer.

The Mako system combines 3D CT-based preoperative planning with robotic-arm assisted technology, which allows surgeons to create a highly personalized surgical plan and execute it with unmatched precision. During surgery, the Mako robotic arm helps the surgeon stay within the planned boundaries and make more accurate bone cuts, which may result in better outcomes and longer-lasting results for patients.

“This is a major step forward in the evolution of orthopedic care at Maria Parham,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “The Mako robotic-arm system allows our skilled surgical team to perform joint replacements with an unprecedented level of accuracy. Patients will benefit from personalized care, faster recovery times, and potentially longer-lasting results. We are excited to bring this leading-edge technology to our community.”

The system can create a 3-D model of the patient’s joint to help the surgeon before the operation takes place, allowing for optimal implant fit and alignment. During surgery the robotic arm provides real-time feedback, aiding the surgeon in precise implant placement

Smaller incisions, less tissue damage and reduced blood loss often results in shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times and precision placement of implants may reduce wear and the likelihood of repeat surgeries.

Learn more at a free Lunch & Learn session with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Darius Divina, DO, on Monday, Aug. 11 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m..

Registration is required for the event and space is limited. Reserve your seat today at https://www.mariaparham.com/events/2025-08-11/lunch-learn

(This news item was originally posted July 24, 2025. This is not a paid ad.)

‘Unshame NC’ Campaign Takes Aim To Remove Stigma Related To Substance Abuse Disorder, Raise Awareness

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— information courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and First Lady Anna Stein, in collaboration with Shatterproof, announced the launch of the Unshame North Carolina campaign to end stigma related to substance use disorder. Unshame NC has two primary goals: to increase knowledge and awareness of substance use disorder and medications for opioid use disorder as a treatment option.

“Stigma is deeply rooted and causes real harm to people and communities across North Carolina,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “Unshame NC is part of a collaborative effort from all of us to end stigma, build acceptance and increase support for treatment for people on their path to recovery.”

“Many people struggling with substance use don’t seek help because of stigma,” said North Carolina First Lady Anna Stein. “This campaign will highlight the stories of people who have experience with substance use disorder and recovery and bring greater awareness to effective methods of treatment for opioid use disorder.”

Unshame NC was launched Tuesday at the Wake County Drug Overdose Prevention Coalition meeting. The website, https://www.unshamenc.org/ includes testimonials from North Carolinians sharing their personal stories of substance use, hope and recovery. Facebook and Instagram content will help drive users to the website, which provides links to resources, including information on how to find the right treatment center, and guidance for providers and for family members seeking care for a loved one. NCDHHS contracted with national non-profit Shatterproof to develop and implement the Unshame NC campaign.

Recent data from a statewide survey indicates 57 percent of North Carolinians know someone with opioid use disorder. Despite this widespread issue, only 34 percent of North Carolina residents know how to find quality treatment for themselves or their loved ones. Additionally, only one in five adults in North Carolina recognizes that opioid use disorder is a medical condition. These findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive education that connects people to lifesaving resources and treatment.

“There’s no better evidence that recovery is real than a life changed,” said Kelly Crosbie, MSW LCSW, NCDHHS Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services. “We’re pairing the stories of people in recovery with a statewide effort to increase access to MOUD, so more people can benefit from evidence-based care. Real access means supporting people on the recovery journey that makes sense for them, without judgment—and offering them every opportunity for lifesaving treatment, that includes MOUD.”

Unshame NC focuses on the voices and experiences of North Carolinians affected by substance use disorder. Through storytelling, education, and grassroots activation, the campaign demonstrates that people with substance use disorder are valued members of our communities—our family, neighbors, and coworkers—and highlights actionable ways we can ensure everyone has the support they need to thrive.

“While most North Carolinians believe that people with SUD can recover with treatment, stigma and misinformation can create barriers to care,” said Courtney McKeon, senior vice president for Shatterproof’s National Stigma Initiative and longtime resident of the Research Triangle area. “We see this often regarding medications for opioid use disorder, a gold standard of care. Through the stories of North Carolinians, we have the opportunity to increase understanding of all treatment options and support individuals on their path to improved health and wellness.”

“It’s not just about overdoses. It’s not just about lives that were lost or lives that were saved,” says Michael, one of Unshame NC’s story sharers. “It’s also about how we treat the people who went through it and how we bring them out of the shadows. How do we welcome them back into society? How do we get them back to where we need to be? And that requires a lot of folks like me to speak out and help break the stigma.”

People with substance use disorder flourish in environments that offer both community support and multiple pathways for treatment. If you want to share your story with NCDHHS and Unshame NC, you can get involved by filling out a Story Sharer Interest Form or joining the Unshame NC coalition.

Follow @UnshameNC on Facebook and Instagram or visit  www.UnshameNC.org to learn more.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, NCDHHS provides somewhere to go, someone to talk to and someone to respond. You can find the help that is right for you 24/7 on the NCDHHS Crisis Services website.

The 988 Lifeline Chat and Text – 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available to everyone 24/7 by call, text or chat.

North Carolinians can call the 24/7 Peer Warmline at 1-855-PEERS NC (855-733-7762) to speak with a peer support specialist. Peer support specialists are individuals living in recovery with mental illness and/or substance use disorder who provide support to others.

The NC Recovery Helpline (800-688-4232) offers support and referrals for treatment and resources.

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Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. Today they have tomatoes, snapbeans, beets, cabbages, yellow squash, zucchini squash, red irish potatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peaches, and canned items.
  • The 2025 Landowners and Heirs Property Workshop will be on July 24th, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • When cutting flowers for arrangements cut the stems at an angle and place in a bucket of water while you are in the garden.
  • Start planning your fall garden on paper now.
  • Cooperative Extension has updated safe canning and freezing information.
  • If planning to renovate your fescue lawn you need to take a  soil sample asap.
  • Know what to plant in your garden and get a copy of the central piedmont planting guide.
  • If you hear thunder, it’s time to get out of the garden.
  • Encourage your children and grandchildren to help in the garden.
  • If planning to renovate your fescue lawn in September take a soil sample now.
  • Carolina lawns is the best publication for having a good lawn.
  • If you have pumpkins, put a board under the pumpkins to get them off the ground.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

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

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Paws & Poses to Benefit Granville County Animals

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An upcoming yoga class planned for Saturday, July 26 at the Oxford Armory Farmers Market is shaping up to be like no other, and the event organizer said there will be some positively adorable pooches wandering among the yoga mats to perhaps meet their future owners.

Annie Drake, a rising senior at Vance Charter School, said ‘Paws and Poses’ is a service project to benefit the Granville County Animal Shelter.

The shelter staff will have numerous adoptable animals on the grounds from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The yoga class will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It’s going to be an interactive yoga session, and participants may find a wet nose or a wagging tail in their face as they stretch and transition from pose to pose.

“My hope was to get some animals adopted out,” Drake said.

“I’ve been wanting to do some sort of service project before I go off to college,” Annie said. “I enjoy being out in the community and helping people -I’ve never done something by myself, that’s all me and says who I am.”

She said she appreciates the help she got early on from her mom, Darcy. “Having her help was great,” she said.

The planning has gone pretty smoothly, but she admits that there are way more details than she thought there’d be. Dr. Bridget Waters of Dabney Drive Animal Hospital has been a big help, too. Annie said she’s been shadowing some of the staff at the local veterinarian’s office to learn more about animals.

Annie’s mom will be the instructor. Register for the class at www.yogaforgoodoxford.com

Even if you don’t sign up for the class, she’s set up a GoFundMe page. And all proceeds go to the Granville County Animal Shelter.

Shelter staff also will have a space to collect donations at the event. They are in need of dog toys and dog food, she said.

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The Local Skinny! City Council Approves Funding from Opioid Settlement

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The Henderson City Council approved funding two projects as it continues to spend down its opioid settlement money.

Community Partners of Hope asked for $140,000 to create a community recovery and resilience center. It will work in close partnership with Vance Recovery – in fact, the space beside Vance Recovery’s Andrews Avenue location will be renovated to provide services that also will include other working with other community agencies to provide support to those in crisis.

Jane King and John Mattocks provided an overview of the program proposal from their different perspectives, King from CPOH and Mattocks from Vance Recovery.

The money will allow CPOH to expand its services and be a resource not just for homeless men, King said, but for families in need, something Mattocks told Council members Monday had been “sorely missing.”

Over the next few years, the goal is to be a resource for prevention, reducing and eliminating recidivism and ER visits, as well as overdose deaths. Another component will be CPR training and how to administer Narcan.

“We want to be a welcoming place for people who are suffering the stigma of addiction,” Mattocks said, adding that having connections with other community resources like Day Mark’s mental health component as well as NC Works for employment opportunities.

Mattocks expects to take a few months to renovate the adjacent space and hiring an administrator before the program can be ready to serve.

Another $50,000 was approved to create two Recovery Alive homes – one for men and one for women.

Recovery Alive, Inc.’s CEO, Tisha Temple, defines an RA home as Christ-centered, sober living homes for individuals who have completed a treatment program and who are ready to begin next steps toward independent living.

“We are super excited about the work that we get to do with Henderson,” Temple told WIZS News. Temple is a native of Henderson and has been sober for the past 11 years.

She currently lives in Johnston County, and started the Recovery Alive, Inc. ministry there about four years ago.

Since then, more RA homes have been established in other North Carolina counties, as well as West Virginia and Alabama.

Temple said, “There is a need in Henderson and Vance County, and the money is just sitting in the bank,” she said of the opioid settlement funds disbursed thus far to Henderson.

“We’re going to be able to help save some lives and restore some peace and serenity to our surrounding areas, if we are able to utilize the funding in a way that is evidence-based and proven effective to make a difference.”

The next step for Temple is to identify and lease two properties in Henderson to create the homes, one for men and one for women and then prepare them for occupancy – they’ll be fully furnished to create a real home atmosphere. The residents will be responsible for paying household bills, and will get help and support with those independent daily living skills to prepare them to go out on their own and be successful.

She’s seen the concept work in the other RA homes, where residents grow, learn and move out to begin their lives anew.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see,” she said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve.

I’m excited to be able to expand what we’re doing out to Henderson – we are very grateful.”

Temple is so passionate about the RA homes because a similar type of program helped her get back on her feet. She’s come a long way from being a homeless addict on the streets of Henderson and she wants to be able to offer others the help that she received.

“I know that we can get better. I know that with the right resources, the right support system and with the right levels of recovery care that people, communities and families can not only get better, we can help other people get better.”

The $7.4 billion opioid settlement will support opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs over the next 15 years in all 50 states, Washington, D.C.  and four U.S. territories.

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Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. Today they have tomatoes, snapbeans, beets, cabbages, yellow squash, zucchini squash, red irish potatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peaches, and canned items.
  • The 2025 Landowners and Heirs Property Workshop will be on July 24th, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Check for flooded rows after storms have passed open ends of rows to let excess water out.
  • Check harvest intervals  on the label before applying any chemical on crops that you will be harvesting soon.
  • Start planning your fall garden now.
  • Protect yourself with correct personal protective equipment. Such as a wide brim hat and safety glasses.
  • Keep that garden journal updated each day you work in the garden. Ex: spray schedule, top dressing with fertilizer.
  • If you hear thunder, it’s time to get out of the garden.
  • Let your children and grandchildren help in the garden and teach them now, they are our future gardeners.
  • If planning to renovate your in September take a soil sample now.
  • Carolina lawns is the best publication for having a good lawn.
  • If you have pumpkins, put a board under the pumpkins to get them off the ground.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

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

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! July Is Poppin’ With Activities At Perry Memorial Library

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The Perry Memorial Library is filled with books and other reading material for patrons to enjoy, but reading and literacy find their ways into so many aspects of summertime activities, books are just the beginning of the fun!

If you missed Tuesday’s 4 p.m. Color My World In Comics program with Curtis M. Harvey, Jr., there’s one more chance to learn about his book, “The Perfect Pair,” which he wrote and illustrated.

Harvey will be back for the finale of the Vance County Reads program on July 29, according to Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters. The event is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Please register at Signup Genius or simply go to https://www.perrylibrary.org/home and find the flyer that has the link and a QR code.

Peters reeled off a dizzying number of programs and events that are coming up in the next couple of weeks as summer stretches into late July and August.

“We are just having such a great turnout for our programs,” Peters told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on the Tuesday segment of The Local Skinny! program.

She prepared staff for the several hundred or so kiddos that were going to be coming through the library Tuesday for the various programs that are taking place.

She said she was expecting at least 50 young people for the Color My World in Comics, during which Harvey, who grew up in Henderson, would discuss how he came to write and illustrate the children’s book that was published in 2024.

The Vance County Reads programs culminates at the end of July with Harvey and local author Angie Ellington, author of “Autumn at Apple Hill.” Peters said multiple copies of both books were available in places all over the county for residents to pick up, read and either keep or return for others to enjoy.

Having homegrown authors come back and share their experience is important, she said. “They do want to give back,” Peters said. “It’s a good way to have an impact on your community.”

Families can come to the library on Sunday, July 20 for another installment of Family Story Time. The upcoming theme is Crayons, in keeping with the Color My World summer reading theme, and Peters said there will surely be creative crayon art activities following the story.

Thrilling Thursdays offers something for all ages at the library, Peters said.

There’s a 10 a.m. story time for groups and homeschoolers, then there’s a repeat at 11 a.m. during the Mother Goose Story Time for the general public.

Then, come 3:30 p.m., there’s a quick story time for busy families on the go – a story and bubbles and, boom! you’re back out the door, Peters said.

The LEGO Club cranks up at 4 p.m. and the Teen Space opens its doors at 4 p.m. for gaming and snacks.

And if that’s not enough, there’s one more free movie scheduled for Tuesday, July 22 at 11 a.m.

The final installment is Sonic3, another in the adventures and misadventures of that iconic video game character as he takes to the Big Screen once again.

A final hurrah happens not at the library but at the Community House at Satterwhite Point on Kerr Lake at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 31 – everyone’s welcome for freeze pops and Mother Goose story time.

Peters thanks the Kerr Lake State Parks folks for partnering again this year to make this event possible. There’s no entry fee associated with the story time – just tell the person at the gate that you’re coming to the Mother Goose Story Time!

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/home for a complete listing of programs, activities and more that the library offers.

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The Local Skinny! Vance Co. Tourism Reports Record Attendance For Independence Day Celebration At Satterwhite Point

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— information courtesy of Vance County Tourism

Satterwhite Point Park was THE place to be over the Independence Day holiday, and tourism and park officials said the daylong celebration on Saturday, July 5 brought out thousands of people to enjoy lakeside activities.

Pam Hester with Vance County Tourism called it “an unprecedented turnout,” which featured food vendors, music and more leading up to the evening’s fireworks display.

According to State Parks Superintendent Bill Stanley, “This is the first time in 10 years I can remember hitting the complete parking capacity.”

According to State Parks traffic counter, 2,167 vehicles entered the park on Saturday, July 5. Using a standard estimate of three occupants per vehicle, that means at least 6,501 people attended the park alone.

And that doesn’t count the hundreds who arrived by boat or who gathered at nearby locations to view the show.

Campsite usage hit peak levels, too, and the campground reached 100 percent capacity well before the weekend of the Fourth. A limited number of sites, typically held back for emergencies such as double bookings or maintenance issues, were also fully utilized by Saturday, according to Hester. “The strong demand reaffirms that visitors specifically plan their vacations around the annual celebration. State Parks reported approximately $28,000 in park fees collected, directly tied to the influx of holiday visitors and fireworks anticipation.”

Local vendors benefited significantly from the crowd, too. Food and novelty vendors reported selling out before the end of the evening.

Participating businesses included: Bob’s Wind Planes, Ships, and Novelties; Bun on the Run; De Tocho Morocho; DPC Concessions; Hudson’s Grill & Chili; Kernel Craze; King Southern Style Cooking; Ninja Realty; R J’s Grill; and Taba’s Facepainting.

The event would not be possible without the support of local agencies, volunteers and the community. Their collective effort delivered a safe, fun and memorable celebration for all in attendance.

  • Bill Stanley and every member of the State Parks Team go above and beyond!
  • Vance County Rescue
  • NC HWY Patrol
  • Vance County Sherrif’s Office
  • Vance County EMS
  • NC DOT
  • NC Wildlife Commission
  • NC Fire Marshal
  • Vance County Fire Marshal
  • Vance County Fire Department
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Hicksboro Fire Department
  • Vance County Commissioners
  • Chris Senter
  • A Fresh Potti
  • Warren County DOT
  • Granville County Emergency Management
  • DJ Jay
  • Pyro Shows East Coast
  • The Daily Dispatch
  • WIZS Radio
  • Tom Burleson, Graham Nobles, Larry Allen

 

 

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Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. Today they have tomatoes, snapbeans, beets, cabbages, yellow squash, zucchini squash, red irish potatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peaches, and canned items.
  • The Vance-Warren Beekeepers Association will meet on July 14th, 2025 starting at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The 2025 Landowners and Heirs Property Workshop will be on July 24th, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Check for flooded rows after storms have passed open ends of rows to let excess water out.
  • Check harvest intervals  on the label before applying any chemical on crops that you will be harvesting soon.
  • Cooperative Extension has excellent publications on canning and freezing your garden harvest.
  • Prune water sprouts on fruit trees.
  • Keep that garden journal updated each day you work in the garden. Ex: spray schedule, top dressing with fertilizer.
  • Start planning your fall garden.
  • Let your children and grandchildren help in the garden and teach them now, they are our future gardeners.
  • If planning to renovate your in September take a soil sample now.
  • Carolina lawns is the best publication for having a good lawn.
  • If you have pumpkins, put a board under the pumpkins to get them off the ground.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

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

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Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

The Local Skinny! Farmers Market Brimming With Fresh Produce

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This time of year, the vendors at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market have to squeeze together just a bit to accommodate the tables of fresh produce, baked goods and more that are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“The bay doors are full,” said Market Manager Pat Ayscue. “We kind of slip and slide a little closer to each other this time of year.”

In addition to the sweet corn, butterbeans, peas and more, there’s a new local producer who’s bringing in peaches. “He fills the back of his truck up, and they are so delicious!” Ayscue said.

Come on out to the market on Saturday, July 26 to celebrate the birthday of long-time vendor Calvin Adcock.

There will most likely be a cake with candles, but who knows – there could be candles in a birthday watermelon – the market also is celebrating Watermelon Day that day.

“Everybody loves and appreciates Mr. Adcock so much…it just all works together really well for both days to be together,” Ayscue said. “He’s a real inspiration to us all.”

To mark Watermelon Day, Ayscue said she’ll be giving away free watermelons every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. to noon.

It’s shaping up to be a great watermelon harvest, she said, unlike last year when untimely drought and then heavy rains took tolls on the summertime favorite.

“Last year was a rough season on watermelons,” Ayscue said. “This season is looking really good…this year, we’ve hit it just right.”

Be on the lookout for Sugar Baby, Charleston Gray and Jubilee varieties.

Eligible customers can stretch their produce budget with the Senior Voucher and Double Bucks programs. EBT is accepted as well.

“If you use your EBT card at our market, I can match that with Double Bucks to stretch your food dollars,” she said.

The Senior Voucher program is a state program, and Ayscue said the vouchers can be used at any farmers market that is certified.

Artis Crews with Green Rural Redevelopment Organization will be at the market this Saturday to sign up seniors for the voucher program.

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