Home And Garden Show

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

  • Clean your greenhouse! Ex seedling trays
  • Begin bed prep for cool season vegetables.
  • Extend your holiday plants by keeping them watered.
  • Consider creating a snag for woodpeckers and other birds.
  • Order new varieties of seed released for 2024
  • When purchasing vegetable seed, look for disease resistant options if available.
  • Store garden equipment according to the manufacturer recommendations
  • Anytime you fill up a gas can, write the date on it with a permanent marker. Next time, cross out the old date and write in the new one.

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The Local Skinny! “Shop With A Cop And Friends” A Success This Holiday Season

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Early-morning shoppers in the vicinity of Walmart Tuesday morning may have noticed a large presence of law enforcement officers, but there was nothing amiss – in fact, Police Chief Marcus Barrow said it was a great day for Shop With A Cop And Friends.

There were plenty of uniformed officers on hand from Henderson Police Department, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, State Highway Patrol and other agencies to help children choose some toys, clothing items and more, Barrow told WIZS News Tuesday. One of the PD’s lieutenants shucked his uniform and put on a Grinch costume, he added.

“We shopped for 52 kids and nine elderly adults,” Barrow said. In addition to the generous fundraising efforts of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce that netted about $15000, Barrow said some additional donations brought the grand total to just about $20,000.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon, District Attorney Mike Waters, Henderson Fire Chief Tim Twisdale and Battalion Chief Lee Edmonds were just a few of the local leaders who took part in the event.

Newly elected Henderson City Council member Sam Seifert said he helped a 5-year-old named Donna fill up a couple of carts.

“The toy section was a popular one today,” Seifert told WIZS News Tuesday. “We went there first – we had to dodge others on the aisle,” he said, but everyone was good-spirited about it.

“I pointed out things that she might be interested in,” he said. “We filled up two carts and (got) This was his first experience with Shop With A Cop, but he said he heard others remark that they were impressed with the turnout.

Barrow said it was important to add the two words “And Friends” to the “Shop With A Cop” moniker.
“We’ve always had more kids than the police department and sheriff’s office could handle,” he said. “We’ve always done the law enforcement side, and the fire department came along (over) the last couple of years.” Having representatives from the District Attorney’s office, state parks, Parks and Rec and Animal Services has strengthened the community support for the program.

Barrow recalled a special moment from the morning’s activities: “I talked to one of our brand new officers,” Barrow said. “This is his first experience” with Shop With A Cop. “I actually saw him tearing up a little bit.”

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Families Living Violence Free

The Local Skinny! Families Living Violence Free Seeks New Executive Director

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Families Living Violence Free is in a search process to identify a new executive director to succeed Executive Director Peggy Roark, who is retiring.

Like many directors at many agencies, the FLVF director will report to the board of directors and will oversee planning and directing the operations of the agency. This role, however, also requires having extensive knowledge about crimes of domestic violence, assaults and how to help victims in crisis.

An ideal candidate will have a four-year degree and will have a combination of credentials and experience to be an effective leader for the agency who demonstrates the ability to manage complex, sensitive matters creatively, effectively and confidentially. The new executive director should have a commitment to philanthropic causes and will have held leadership roles in other non-profit agencies for at least two years.

Visit flvf.org to learn more about this position.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: What That Battery Light Could Indicate

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

 

You’re driving along, getting yourself from Point A to Point B, and you see it: That red light that just suddenly pops on. It’s the battery icon.

Now what?

Although it’s a picture of a battery that has suddenly illuminated on your vehicle’s dashboard, it could indicate a problem with not just the battery, but the whole charging system.

Let the staff at Advance Auto Parts conduct a battery check to see what’s causing the light to come on.

If it’s not the battery, then it could be the alternator. And alternators in newer models have a voltage regulator located inside the alternator assembly. So the problem could be something simple, like replacing a battery, or it could require a bit more investigation to determine whether it’s the alternator that’s causing the trouble.

Either way, it’s something to get checked out fairly quickly. If the alternator is faulty,  it can drain a perfectly good battery in short order.

If you’re driving and the light comes on, there are a couple of things you can do to reduce the pull on your vehicle’s electrical system: turn off the heat or AC (they use fans), turn off the radio and unplug any other devices that may suck up electricity.

And don’t kick yourself for not noticing earlier signs that the charging system may need some attention.

Dim lights, odd noises emanating from under the hood, automatic windows that seem to be sluggish or the engine stalling out momentarily are all signs that your car’s charging system is not functioning at its optimum level.

Advance Auto Parts has a wide assortment of alternators that range anywhere from just more than $100 to $250.

Let the staff guide you to choose the best kind for you and your pocketbook. They offer replacement alternators that are refurbished and remanufactured that will cost you less than a brand new one.

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 on 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.

• Check your garden storage areas and greenhouse for mice.
• If applying mulch, be sure not to overdo it.
• Check stored dormant bulbs, fruits and vegetables for decay.
• If you have large trees that may need pruning, start contacting tree care companies.
• Inventory your seed for next year before ordering more seed of the same variety.
• NC Extension Gardener Handbook is a great last minute gift.
• Check garden equipment that needs replacing so you can put the needed items on your gift wish list.
• Think about how you could improve your landscape to support birds over the winter. Think about cover from evergreen shrubs, brush piles, berries and seed heads.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Library

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Programs at Perry Memorial Library will be slowing down next week as Christmas approaches, and things were going to be “up in the air” – literally – today at 4 p.m., when the StoryUp! Aerial Theater of Durham comes to town for a performance.

It’s something new for 2023, said Youth Services Director Melody Peters, and that’s just the start for new programs and events for the New Year at the library.

“We’ve got some new things coming,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! with WIZS co-host Bill Harris. “We’re really excited about that.”

In addition to resuming regular programs like the Mother Goose story time on Thursday mornings, the library will host a community read-aloud on Monday nights beginning in January.

Peters said she hears patrons, including teachers, parents and grandparents, voice concerns about young people’s waning reading habits.

“Either they aren’t reading for enjoyment or pleasure, or they’re not reading at the appropriate level,” Peters said. “I want to get people reading together – listening to each other read,” she added. The idea is to build young readers’ confidence and fluency.

We use different hemispheres of our brains for listening and for reading, Peters said. When you read aloud, there’s more information exchanged across both hemispheres which builds literacy and reading fluency.

The idea is for Peters to read one chapter of a chapter book to the group for the first 15 minutes of each hour-long session. Then the group will divide randomly to tables and they’ll take turns reading to the group. There will be volunteers on hand to help less confident readers if they need it.

“I want to hear people reading for 45 minutes,” Peters said. “I want to make it a positive things (and) don’t want anyone to feel bad about their reading ability,” she said. “This is a new approach – we’ll see how it goes.”

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ for a complete listing of events and programs.

The library will be closed Dec. 23-26 for Christmas, as well as Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

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S-Line Rail Corridor

The Local Skinny! S Line Rail Corridor Receives Over $1 Billion

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Apparently, $1 billion doesn’t go as far as it used to. At least as far as the S-Line passenger rail line goes, that number – a 1 followed by NINE zeroes – will get the train from Raleigh to as far north as Wake Forest. That’s still 28 miles or so from Henderson.

President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week that North Carolina would get a whopping $1.09 billion in federal grant money to build the first segment of the S-Line, a high-performance passenger rail line that will ultimately connect North Carolina with Virginia and points in the Northeast.

WIZS News spoke with NC DOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner late last week  to find out what the project means for the state, and for Henderson and Vance County – basically the halfway point between Raleigh and Richmond.

Orthner said Henderson is “a critical location on the line…(which, when completed)  will be on one of the most advanced transportation networks in the country.”

The whole project covers 162 miles, Orthner said. While there is existing rail along many stretches, it’s a project that will need to be built in phases. If DOT engineer could wave a magic wand to create all the bridges and other structural components needed to bring the passenger rail service through the state, it surely would shorten the process.

Alas, state DOT officials are just trying to get the train out of Raleigh and north to Wake Forest in this first phase of the massive project.

“We will pursue grant funding and extend service as we do it,” Orthner said, adding that DOT is already planning for the next phases to reach Henderson and beyond.

As for Henderson’s part, Orthner said, being ready for what’s coming, he’s pleased. “We are really excited about Henderson,” he said.

City leaders have been learning about mobility hubs and transportation hubs as they prepare and plan for what passenger rail service can add to the city’s growth and tourism opportunities.

The trick is to use existing tracks up and down the East Coast for passenger rail service without impeding the freight service that uses the same railways.

Train travel is growing in popularity – there’s record ridership between Raleigh and Charlotte, Orthner noted – and he said there is a true interest by the public in rail transportation.

“It’s safe, productive, comfortable and it’s just really a great way to travel.”

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Vance County Logo

The Local Skinny! Vance County Commissioners Meet

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Dan Brummitt is the newly elected chair of the Vance County Board of Commissioners. The District 4 representative was selected in a 5-2 vote during the Dec. 4 regular monthly meeting.

Leo Kelly was elected vice chair in a 4-3 vote.

Brummitt thanked outgoing chairperson Yolanda Feimster for her time as chair, saying it’s been a “very trying year,” mentioning the search for a new county manager as one of the challenges on the county’s plate. “Thank you for your leadership through this process,” Brummitt continued.

The commissioners got an update on the two instances of elevated lead reported to the county by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.

The samples were taken from residential taps as part of a routine lead service inventory. The next step, most likely, is to take samples from the water system. The county now is waiting to hear back from the state about what will occur next.

In her report, County Manager Renee Perry asked commissioners to consider allowing the fire department to purchase personal protective equipment that will most likely be needed before preliminary results of the fire study are released in early 2024.

In her first few weeks as county manager, Perry said she has been meeting with various department heads within the county government. The budget that was approved in June included a freeze on capital expenditures, and Perry asked the commissioners to allow the fire department to purchase the PPE.

Brummitt, who also chairs the Public Safety Committee, said this request should be reviewed by the Public Safety Committee before a decision is made. The next meeting of Public Safety Committee is Dec. 20.

Brummitt told Perry that the committee had asked fire officials for a complete inventory of equipment, with expiration dates noted.

As part of the ongoing employee engagement efforts, County Finance Director Katherine Bigelow recognized Kathy Hope, who has worked in the finance department since July 2021, when Bigelow said “we stole her” from the Department of Social Services. Hope began working with DSS in December 2006 as a Medicaid caseworker.

Bigelow said Hope is a “truly exceptional” employee who doesn’t merely complete her work, but she elevates her work to a higher level. Her innovative thinking, unwavering dedication and positivity make her a valuable member of the county’s team.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Remove dead plant debris from the landscape and garden. This will help prevent diseases from overwintering and being a problem next year.
  • Except for perennial flowers, which can support beneficial insects.
  • Check Christmas tree water reservoirs daily
  • Visit public gardens over the winter.
  • Keep poinsettia looking good during the holidays and place them in bright light but not direct sunlight. Avoid cold drafts,heat vents. Don’t over water.
  • Continue planting trees and shrubs.
  • Soil samples are now In peak season they are $4 per sample.
  • Continue planting pansies.
  • Start ordering your seed catalogs or go online to seed company websites.

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The Local Skinny! Local Filing Period Now Open

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The filing period is now open for the 2024 elections. Vance County voters will elect four members of the county commissioners and four members of the board of education.

So far, neither incumbents nor challengers have filed. The filing period opened Monday, Dec. 4 at 12 noon and will close on Friday, Dec. 15 at 12 noon, according to Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Kelly filed on Tuesday, Dec. 5 for the District 5 seat.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary Elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 1,3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

Cocklin clarified that any filing fee more than $50 must be paid by check.

Currently, Gloria White represents District 1, Dorothy Gooch represents District 3, Ed Wilson represents District 4 and Linda Cobb represents District 5.

Additional information can be found on the Vance County Board of Elections website:  https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/upcoming-candidate-filing-information/.

 

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