The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Flat Tires, Spare Tires

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

OK, you consider yourself a good car owner – you keep the oil changed, make sure the filters get replaced when they need replacing and you even have a litter bag stashed in the backseat to help keep the interior tidy.

But when’s the last time you checked the spare tire?

Thursday’s Pop the Hood segment could be called “Pop The Trunk” because it’s all about that item resting in a well under trunk lining.

Is your vehicle’s spare tire a full-size tire, just like the other four? Or is it one of those “donuts” that are useful enough to get us to a repair shop or back home?

A small-size tire – that “donut” – is designed for short distances and is rated for speeds of about 45 mph.

It’s not the same as a full-size tire, so drivers who must use this type of spare tire should be mindful to take it slow and to get it replaced as soon as possible.

If you’ve never had a flat tire, count yourself among the lucky ones (and knock on wood, for good measure). And if you’ve never had to use your spare tire, just remember: It’s been sitting in the same location for awhile, so it may need some air. Just because it’s not one of the four tires currently in use, doesn’t mean it deserves to be ignored. You should check periodically that the spare is properly inflated, too.

There are other products available at Advance Auto Parts to help in case of a tire emergency. Let the helpful Advance staff help you find a plug kit or a can of Fix-a-Flat that you can stash in the trunk alongside that spare – just in case.

 

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.

  • January is the inventory season to check your seed chemicals, garden equipment.
  • If you are shopping for lawn & garden equipment, consider the rechargeable options.
  • Plan landscape projects now
  • When planning landscape projects, consider impacts on tree root zones.
  • Write down garden problems you had in 2023 Contact Cooperative Extension.
  • Begin monitoring lawns for cool season weeds
  • Check pruning equipment now!
  • Visit public gardens even in winter!
  • Construct a small greenhouse.

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The Local Skinny! Upcoming MLK Day Events

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A couple of free programs commemorating the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will take place Monday, Jan. 15 in Oxford.

The Granville County Human Relations Commission will host “Remembering the Dream by Calling for Unity and a Celebration of Diversity in our Community” beginning at 10 a.m. at Oxford Baptist Church, 147 Main St.

Winners of the annual essay contest will be announced and their winning essays will be read aloud during the program. Featured speaker for the program is the Rev. Dr. Brett Pardue, senior pastor at Oxford Baptist Church.

The Granville County Human Relations Commission invites all the Granville County community to celebrate diversity and unity in Granville County while also honoring the academic achievement and writing talent of local  students. Please bring donations of canned and non-perishable food items for Area Congregations in Ministry food bank.

For more information about the program, please contact the Granville County administration office at 919.693.5240 or audrey.hill@granvillecounty.org.

Then, at 4 p.m., the Oxford-Granville Martin Luther King Celebration Committee is hosting “an evening of dialogue, tribute and celebration” at First Baptist Church, 320 Granville St.

Dorothy Wimbush said the committee sends out a special invitation to youth to attend the program, which will include special music and remarks by keynote speaker Granville County Sheriff Robert D. Fountain III.

Essay contest winners will read their winning entries during the program, and musical entertainment will be provided by “Covenant” of Roanoke Rapids and Devon Paylor and “Instrument of Praise.”

The committee chair is Larry Downey and members of the scholarship committee include Candice Sanford, Rev. Faye E. Thorpe, Linda Downey and Evangelist Renita Timberlake.

Donations will be accepted. Checks should be made payable to:

MLK Celebration

P.O. Box 441

Oxford, NC 27565

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The Local Skinny! ‘Next NC Scholarship’ Helps Students Pay For College

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When it comes to paying for a college education, one of the first things for parents and students to know is the difference between scholarships and grants versus loans. A loan has to be repaid; grants and scholarships don’t.

Vance-Granville Community College President Dr. Rachel Desmarais said her school’s financial aid officers at each of the college’s four campuses are ready to help prospective students as they navigate the sometimes choppy waters of paying for post-secondary schooling.

The Next NC Scholarship is just one of the funding streams available to many state residents, Desmarais said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Students in households that make less than $80,000 are eligible for at least $3,000 an academic year at a community college under the Next NC Scholarship. There are several other criteria to be eligible for the Next NC funds, including being a state resident already enrolled in a program and taking at least 6 credit hours.

Close to one-third of VGCC’s traditional student population use some type of financial aid to pay for their tuition and fees, she said.

Whether students are in a path for a certification, a two-year associate degree or want to transfer to a four-year college or university, Desmarais said it’s important to keep student loan debt as low as possible.
“The less debt you can accumulate during that time is important,” she said, adding that scholarships like the Next NC Scholarship and Pell Grants from the federal government both help students be able to afford college.

“They help individuals get that good job and not be stacked with debt,” Desmarais said.

“If you’re spending all your money repaying student loans, you’re not really getting ahead,” she noted.

Many high school seniors and their parents are in the process of completing the all-important Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which opened on Dec. 31, 2023.

VGCC will host a FAFSA Day on Saturday, Jan. 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on the Main Campus in Henderson, Desmarais said. This is a time when families can learn more about the financial aid process and get help completing the online documents. The event will take place in Building 7, with check-in in the front lobby. There is plenty of nearby parking to accommodate participants.

“We’re here to help,” Desmarais said. “We enjoy meeting new folks and helping them walk through the financial aid process. We’re excited about helping people plan for college.”

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Maria Parham To Host Jan. 24 Open House For New Nurses

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Maria Parham Health invites nursing students or recent graduates of nursing programs to an Open House on Wednesday, Jan. 24 to learn about career opportunities in the health care industry.

The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the hospital’s main campus, 566 Ruin Creek Rd., according to information from MPH Market Coordinator Donna Young.

Prospective nurses will get the chance to speak with experienced nurses and health care leaders as they learn more about job opportunities and a variety of career paths that involve nursing.

Visit https://www.mariaparham.com/event/42 to register online.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Start planning your spring garden on paper
  • Consider options to add beauty to your winter landscape.
  • Order new varieties of seed ASAP
  • Don’t wait until spring for landscape projects that include trees and shrubs.
  • Review your garden notebook. Start a new notebook for 2024
  • Start planning now for turf weed management.
  • Check pruning equipment now!
  • Consider switching to battery powered equipment.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! What’s Happening At Perry Memorial Library

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Perry Memorial Library is abuzz with activity during the day, helping patrons with book checkouts and providing a spot for a variety of groups to gather. But have you ever wondered just what goes on after-hours at the library?

If so, Youth Services Director Melody Peters may have just the activity to grab your little ones’ attention. It’s called a Teddy Bear Sleepover and Peters said plans are shaping up for the Saturday, Jan. 20 event.

The library staff continually strives to find host programs and activities that appeal to a variety of folks – from the preschooler through high school-aged students and beyond.

The Teddy Bear Sleepover is one that is geared for the younger kids, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The idea is to have the children bring to the library a favorite stuffed animal, doll or other type of “lovey” and then do some activities before they leave them overnight for a sleepover – the stuffed animals stay overnight, not the children, Peters said, chuckling.

The next day, when parents bring their children to pick up their lovey, they’ll get a photo album filled with all the overnight antics that occurred after the library was closed.

This is just one of the new offerings for younger patrons, and Peters said teens are invited to another new program on Tuesday where they’ll create vision boards.

A vision board, she explained, is a type of goal-setting activity, and teens can “come have a good time…and think about where you want to be in a year, in five years.”

Using pictures from magazines, participants will create their unique vision board.

“When you have it visually, you can look at it every day,” she said.

Another new program will kick off on Monday, Jan. 22. It’s called “Community Read Aloud” and it will be held from 5:30 p.m. to about 6:15 p.m.

“It’s definitely geared to kids who are reading,” Peters said, but there will be volunteers on hand to help those who may be struggling readers. She’ll kick things off by reading from a chapter book while people gather, and then participants will choose their own books to read. Then they’ll have a chance to read aloud at their tables when they break off into groups.

The idea, she said, is that everyone will read aloud and to be more comfortable in a small-group setting.

Check out the library’s complete schedule of programs and services at www.perrylibrary.com.

Email Peters at mpeters@perrylibrary.org if you’d like to learn more about the new programs at the library.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Brake Fluid

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

 

Engine oil, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid – even the most novice vehicle owner can probably figure out where to look under the hood to check for proper levels of these key fluids, vital for proper functioning of any car or truck.

But do you know where to look to check your car’s brake fluid?

It’s another vital fluid that needs checking, just to make sure your vehicle’s braking system works when you call upon it to stop.

Sometimes, a dashboard light will illuminate to let a driver know something may be amiss – other times, it’s that soft, mushy, spongy feeling you feel when you apply the brakes. Whatever the sign, it’s important to get the brake system checked out

The brake fluid reservoir is located on top of the master cylinder, which is usually located in one of the back corners of the engine compartment. The reservoir will usually be marked to reflect maximum and minimum levels.

Still not sure where to look? No problem. Visit one of Henderson’s two Advance Auto Parts locations and the helpful staff can help you locate the brake fluid reservoir.

A few things to remember about topping off or changing brake fluid: it should always be done when the engine is cold. Brake fluid is flammable and corrosive, so extra care is needed to make sure it stays away from heat sources and painted surfaces.

There are different types of fluid on the market, so you should check your owners’ manual to determine which fluid is right for your vehicle, or you can get recommendations from the folks at Advance.

They can also tell you which types can be mixed together and which cannot.

Brake fluid should be a light golden brown color; darker fluids mean it’s time for a change, not just a topping off.

And because it’s considered a hydroscopic fluid – which means it draws fluid from the air – you shouldn’t save opened bottles of brake fluid for later use.

For the do-it-yourselfer there are videos on shop.advanceauto.com to view that can guide you to replace brake fluid.

Topping off brake fluid is not one of the curbside services offered at Advance, but remember that Advance Auto employees will happily test and install batteries, check those pesky engine light readings and replace wiper blades.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o29lPbQYPog

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/car-projects/how-to-do-brake-fluid-change

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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The Local Skinny! Assessing Your Shade Trees

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Shade trees are valuable additions to many yards and landscapes, but just because they’re big and strong, there are several maintenance tips that homeowners can perform – especially in the winter months – to ensure those trees remain healthy.

The roots of shade trees such as oak, poplar and maple extend out laterally well beyond the trunk, said Vance County N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Paul McKenzie. A general rule of thumb is that the roots extend at least to the edge of the tree canopy. For large, mature trees that could mean a 50- to 75-foot circle around each tree.

“It’s important to protect the roots,” McKenzie said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

And those roots are relatively shallow –  12 inches or so beneath the soil – since their main job is to take in nutrients and water for the tree.

Avoid trenching, grading or any kind of construction that could affect the roots of trees in the landscape. Placing excessive mulch on top of roots can also be detrimental, he said.

McKenzie said it’s often tough to grow grass in the shade – there’s simply not enough sunlight and grass doesn’t compete well against the extensive root system of shade trees.

He suggests letting nature take its course and let natural leaf litter build up under those trees. Now that most leaves have fallen, it’s a good time to walk around those trees to look for signs of damage.
“Make sure you don’t see anything unusual,” he said, including trunk damage from lightning strikes or isolated fungal growth.

And don’t forget to look up – “Look up at the canopy to see the branch structure for any broken or dead limbs,” McKenzie said.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension, the N.C. Forest Service or a professional certified arborist can help provide answers to questions about caring for shade trees in your landscape, McKenzie said.

Contact McKenzie at 252.438.8188 or paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu for more information.

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Cooperative Extension: Recycle Christmas Trees To Provide Refuge For Birds, More

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That live Christmas tree that has sheltered gifts under its needled boughs can have a second life once it’s served its purpose for the holidays.

N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Paul McKenzie said those live trees – many of them probably Fraser Firs raised right here in North Carolina – can create useful habitats for birds and other woodland animals right in your landscape.

You’ll want to make sure all the decorations are removed, of course, but once that’s done, the tree can be placed out of the way in your yard – if it’s big enough – or in or near a wooded area.

The trees provide a wonderful refuge for birds and other furry mammals who may be looking for a safe spot to hide from predators, McKenzie noted.

For years, discarded trees have been used along the state’s beaches to add stability to the sand dunes along the coast.

And pond owners also know the benefit of submerging discarded trees to create a protective spot for fish and other water-dwelling creatures.

If none of those options work for you, McKenzie said the trees are considered yard waste, so they can be collected and then sent through the chipper to become compost.