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The Local Skinny! Leadership Positions Open In the City of Henderson

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Vance County and the City of Henderson face several key leadership positions – the openings are the result of different circumstances, and local governments are coping with the vacancies as they continue to look for qualified applicants to fill the jobs.

It was announced last week that Jordan McMillen would be leaving his post as county manager to become manager of the town of Butner.

And Curtis Tyndall has been acting fire chief, but Terrell Blackmon said now the city has begun a search for a permanent chief, following the death of Steve Cordell.

Blackmon said the city continues to operate without a city engineer, a job that has been vacant for a couple of years. The water and street staffs depend on “on-call” engineers, and Blackmon stated that the city has a “very competent engineering staff that handles all of the day-to-day activities.” Public Works Director Andy Perkinson retired in January and the Human Resources Director, Elgin Ward, is set to retire in August.

Blackmon spoke at the recent West End Community Watch meeting and discussed the openings and the effect they have on city operations.

“We are getting ready to advertise for a fire chief, as well as a human resources director. The HR Director will be retiring in August, but we intend to begin recruiting for that position at the same time that we advertise for a fire chief. We have several engineers that we use on-call and for projects that have been handling the professional engineering work for the city,” Blackmon stated in an email to WIZS Monday.

He added that although the position hasn’t been filled, there are several potential candidates whom city staff have spoken with about the job.

henderson.nc.gov/departments/human_resources/jobs.php

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City of Henderson Ward 3 Town Hall Meeting 4-27-23

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A flier has been distributed for the 6 p.m. meeting April 27 at Shiloh Baptist Church.

Council Member Garry Daeke told WIZS News on April 20 that the Henderson City Council is looking to do a town hall meeting in each ward.  He said it’s so “people will come out and just bring, you know, things forward that maybe they want us to know that they don’t always bring to the council, feel comfortable, you know, coming in front of the council.  We thought we’d go out to them.”

Daeke said there was a plan also to present some information about housing.  He said one of the urban redevelopment areas (URA) is in Flint Hill.  “Probably going to bring some design stuff for that, show them some ideas we have or at least where we are in the process,” he said.

Community development and code enforcement information may be presented as well because the City is looking at beefing up that department.  “We’re probably going to see more inspections of houses and stuff…,” he said.

The floor will be opened up for residents to talk about what’s important to them, according to Daeke.

The City of Henderson provided notice Monday that a possible quorum of the Henderson City Council Members may be present the Ward 3 Town Hall Meeting Thursday.  The notice stated, “This is not a regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council, no official business will be conducted, nor will any official action be taken and no meeting minutes will be produced for this notice.”

 

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

The Local Skinny! Diabetes Program To Be Presented

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Granville Vance Public Health is sponsoring a program Monday at the Lincoln Heights Apartment Community Room to talk about Type 2 diabetes and how to reduce the risk of getting that life-changing diagnosis.

Wendy Ji, regional coordinator for the Minority Diabetes Prevention Program, was on TownTalk Thursday to share details about the upcoming event, which includes lunch and drawings to win prizes.

“Let’s Talk About Diabetes” is a free program that will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Ji said. It’s just one way state health officials collaborate with local health departments to help individuals understand how a diagnosis of prediabetes can be reversed with simple lifestyle changes.

The MDPP that Ji coordinates serves Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren and four other nearby counties.

“It’s very difficult to manage Type 2 diabetes,” Ji noted, adding that this program focuses on helping individuals understand what prediabetes is and how to keep it from developing into full-blown disease.

“Over one in three (people) have prediabetes,” Ji said. But only 80 percent of those are aware that they have it. “Being aware you are at risk is important to know so you can get resources and make lifestyle changes,” she said.

Someone with prediabetes has blood sugar levels that are higher than normal, but they haven’t climbed into the level to indicate diabetes.

More classes will be offered in the fall across the service area, Ji said. Individuals can have their A1C levels tested Monday, but there also is a 7-question screener to help participants understand their risk for developing diabetes.

Visit www.preventdiabetesnc.org to learn more.

Contact Ji at 252.492.7195, ext 125.

En español: Llamar a Elizabeth Lugo, 252.492.7195, ext.269.

Lincoln Heights Apartments is located at 257 Lincoln St., Henderson.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Use row covers to protect young seedlings from birds Ex sweet corn
  • Risk of frost is low. Should be safe to plant tomatoes marigolds, begonias, geraniums, squash, and other warm season plants. Hold off on sweet potatoes and peppers and okra.
  • Central piedmont Planting Guide is available from Cooperative Extension
  • Vegetables with large seeds are usually very easy to grow as direct seeded crops. This includes beans, corn, squash, melons, and more.
  • Continue your fruit spray program
  • When purchasing vegetable and flower plants, look for stocky plants with deep green foliage, and a strong root system.
  • Always check soil before tilling.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Programs For Youth And More At Perry Memorial Library

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With National Library Week coming up, Perry Memorial Library Youth Services Director Melody Peters took some time to chat with WIZS’s Bill Harris on The Local Skinny! about the important roles libraries play in society.

Sure, they’re a place where you can go and check out books, but Peters said libraries provide so much more. And the Henderson library is ever-evolving to respond to the needs and wants of the community it serves.

“We’re meeting information needs,” Peters said, adding that those needs vary greatly from person to person. She said patrons feel they get “honest, unbiased advice when they come to the library.”

Whether it’s asking for help finding a resource or searching online for a particular document or website, librarians are always at the ready to assist patrons.

“Not everyone can do everything online,” she said. “They still need that guidance” that comes from one-on-one assistance. You know – the old-fashioned way. “You have to constantly evolve and adapt” to respond to the needs of your community, Peters added.

Perry Memorial Library offers a variety of programs for young people, including Life Hacks and Survival Skills, which offers middle- and high-school aged students workshops on everything from sewing a set of mittens to learning how poetry slams work.

And the upcoming Kids Connect session will feature a poetry workshop with Valerie Rodriguez. That program, geared for kids in grades K-5, will be held Tuesday, April 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Stargazers are invited to head out to the community house at Satterwhite Point Saturday evening for a special astronomy program that begins at 7:45 p.m. Weather permitting, there will be telescopes set up and pointed at the skies for participants to learn about constellations.

There will be plenty of activities inside, too, Peters said, just in case the skies are cloudy.

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

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Arts In Bloom Gala Features Granville Students’ Artwork

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More than 150 original pieces of art created by students from schools throughout Granville County will on display at the Granville Museum – and on the auction block – for the second Arts in Bloom Gala April 25 and April 27.

Granville Ed Foundation Director Jennifer Carpenter said bids will be accepted on the opening day of the event, Tuesday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m, and she invites folks to come out and view the artwork and place bids. Bidding reopens at 1o a.m. on April 27 and closes at 8 p.m. when the winners will be notified.

Carpenter and Granville Chamber of Commerce Director Lauren Roberson were on The Local Skinny! to share details about the event, and how the two local organizations collaborated to showcase the art gala, the proceeds of which come back to schools in the county in the form of grants.

Last year’s auction netted more than $5,600, Carpenter said, and this year’s is expected to top that. A reception will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 25. The museum is located at 1 Museum Lane, Oxford.

In planning the gala, the women said they intentionally coordinated the art gala on the same day as the kickoff of Alive After Five in downtown Oxford.

Roberson is on the GEF board and she invites the community to take a few minutes to walk through the museum on their way to, or from, the concert downtown on April 27.

The Konnection Band will perform from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., officially opening the 20th anniversary of the popular seasonal outdoor concert series. There will be food trucks, face painting for the kids, as well as offerings from Tobacco Wood Brewing Co. and The Hub on Main.

“We want to get as many people into downtown as possible,” Roberson said, to enjoy the concert and to enjoy the artwork from talented local youth.

Visit https://granvilleedfoundation.org/ or find GEF on Facebook for a sneak peek at some of the art pieces that will be included in the silent auction.

 

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The Local Skinny! Granville Gardeners Expo This Weekend

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Plant lovers have a heck of an opportunity to find a range of herbs, flowers, vegetable slips and more at the Granville Gardeners Expo on Saturday, April 22.

Christy Henthorn was a guest on The local Skinny! and provided details for what is sure to be a fun-filled event at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center.

And there’s still time to place online orders, Henthorn noted. Visit www.thegranvillegardeners.org and click on the Expo link to get started.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include gardening demonstrations and workshops, as well as more than 80 vendors – mostly from right in Granville County – who have craft items, home décor and more for purchase.

The expo is free to attend, Henthorn said, thanks to the generosity of sponsors.

Want to learn more about attracting birds and butterflies to your garden? There’s a workshop for that. Interested in learning the medicinal qualities of herbs? Yep, there’s a workshop for that, too.

“I’m really excited for this weekend,” she said. It’s a great way to shop local and spend local, she added. The herbs come from a local wholesaler, and for the second year, there is a variety of plants for sale that club members have grown.

The Granville Gardeners welcomes new members. The club meets on the fourth Monday of each month and is known for having gardening experts present on a variety of topics.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Practice Lawnmower safety Check area for debri,bystanders,use PPE, No Extra Riders
  • Consider adding blueberries to your garden. They require less care compared to most other fruit crops and don’t take up much space.
  • Central piedmont Planting Guide is available from Cooperative Extension
  • Check your lawnmower to be certain the blade height is set correctly. Place your mower on a level surface and measure with a ruler or tape measure.
  • Check plants for Frost damage
  • When purchasing weed and insect control products, read the instructions before you leave the store. That way you can be sure you are purchasing the correct product and have the right application equipment.
  • Always check soil before tilling.

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The Local Skinny! Camping, Hiking And More At Kerr Lake

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Bill Stanley says if you just want to throw a line in the water at Kerr Lake, Satterwhite Point and Nutbush are pretty good spots to head to. Now, if you’re headed out in a boat for a day of fishing, there are really too many good spots to count.

Stanley, superintendent of the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, said that no matter what you choose to do lakeside – camping, fishing, hiking – there are plenty of opportunities awaiting. He spoke with Bill Harris on The Local Skinny!

The COVID-19 pandemic created a ripple effect among camping enthusiasts, which has resulted in a higher volume of campground reservations.

“It seemed like everybody got a camper and wanted to be outside” during the pandemic. As a result, “the campgrounds are staying a little fuller…it’s harder and harder to get a campsite during the week” and especially on weekends.

Reservations are made online through ReserveAmerica Inc.at

https://www.reserveamerica.com/

J.C. Cooper and Hibernia are probably the two most popular for campers. Cooper is located near Satterwhite Point, but Hibernia has more sandy beaches and upgraded campsites, he said.

Stanley said he expects there will be more building projects and upgrades begun in the near future – better campsites and renovated bath houses – that will give Kerr Lake campgrounds “a little facelift in the next few years.”

Maintenance crews manage the “to-do” list – from facilities upkeep to building new trails in different areas. The overall feel of the lake is a little slower pace than other lakes that either have more developed shorelines or are closer to big cities.

There’s a half-mile or so of new ADA-accessible paved trail, as well as hiking trails at Hibernia and J.C. Cooper that campers and locals alike enjoy

“It’s not as busy as Falls or Jordan or any of the other lakes closer to Raleigh,” Stanley said. “Things are not right on top of you (here)…we’re still a little bit of a hidden gem.”

He credits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the quieter atmosphere. “The Corps has done a good job of protecting the shoreline as best they can,” he said. Fewer homes lakeside makes for quieter surroundings.

Things ramp up, however, when there’s a fishing tournament on the lake. Stanley said there already have been four so far this year, and summer will bring more fishers in search of striped bass and catfish, not to mention prize money and bragging rights.

However you enjoy fishing – whether from shore or in a boat, Stanley reminds everyone they need to make sure they pack one essential item in their tackle box: a current fishing license.

 

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The Local Skinny! Granville License Plate Agency To Open

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The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles will open a new license plate agency on April 11 in Granville County. That’s the good news – but wait, there’s more!

The agency will be located at 120 Roxboro Rd. in Oxford, which is the same location as the previous office, according to information from NC Department of Transportation spokesperson John Brockwell.

Linda Jordon is the new owner/operator. The office will be open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, except on state holidays.

Granville County residents have been without a license plate agency since November 2022.

The NCDMV oversees the 127 license plate agencies across the state, but the offices are actually run and managed by private businesses or local governments.

In addition to license plate renewals, the local agencies offer vehicle registration services and title transactions, replacement tags, handicap placards and duplicate registrations.

Services including property tax payments and registration renewals can also be completed online at www.MyNCDMV.gov.

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