Kerr-Tar COG Young Adult Hiring Event Is April 29; All Job Seekers Welcome

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Despite its title, the Kerr-Tar COG’s 4th annual Young Adult Hiring Event scheduled for Tuesday, Apr. 29 at the Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre is rated for All Audiences.

Job seekers of any age are welcome said NC Works Business Services Representative Stacey Williams, one of the job fair’s organizers.

The job fair will run from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Williams said. So far, upwards of 40 employers will be on hand to chat with prospective job seekers about careers and positions available at their companies.

The job fair geared for students began during the time of COVID-19 restrictions, Williams explained, as a way to connect high school juniors and seniors not necessarily interested in attending college with local businesses and manufacturers and other employers – in an outdoor setting.

The location proved to be popular, and this is the fourth one planned in the outdoor setting.

“It’s easy to get excited about this event,” Williams said, adding that the students bring an energy that he finds contagious.

Not everyone is looking to go to college, and this hiring event is one way the Kerr-Tar COG can assist future employees learn more about prospective employers. “We’re trying to provide alternatives to those that are not interested in college,” he said.

His #1 piece of advice to job seekers? A positive attitude.

“Your attitude will take you far,” he said. Paired with determination and drive create an employee profile that employers are looking for. “You have to show up, you have to be ready, you have to be prepared and you have to be positive,” he said.

Job seekers need to do a little interviewing of their own, Williams said, when considering a particular field of work that employers should keep in mind.

“They’re looking for something that’s going to be a solid position for them,” he said. An entry-level job that can turn into something bigger and better is desirable. Companies with strong foundations, stability and a solid pay scale also are what employees are looking for.

Williams, a Henderson native, said he is happy to be back home where he is able to serve the community he grew up in. “It’s an awesome feeling to be able to support someone find a career.

Schools from all five counties in the Kerr-Tar region are planning to bring groups of students to the hiring event; other individuals from the area are welcome to just come out to the Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre, 336 Raleigh Rd., Henderson between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. No prior registration is needed.

To learn more, visit https://www.kerrtarcog.org/

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(This story text was originally published on Friday, April 25 based on the interview you can hear above. However, the interview did not air on WIZS until Monday, April 28 on TownTalk, recorded for presentation at that time.)

The Local Skinny! Working Conditions for City Employees

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City of Henderson employees will receive a survey in a few weeks to give feedback about working conditions.

As City Manager/City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry explained to Council members at the April 14 meeting, the survey will be anonymous – employees will not be asked to give their names. Kingsberry told Council members that some employees and some directors had shared some concerns with him, so he suggested a survey would be in order.

Kingsberry told WIZS News Wednesday that a working conditions survey is standard practice in other places where he has worked. “I want to make sure staff is comfortable and thriving as we work together for the betterment of the City.”

He said the specific statements or questions that will make up the survey are still being worked on, but he expects that department heads will receive their surveys next week and the rest of the staff will be receive theirs around the mid-May mark.

As for what actions may result, Kingsberry said, “We will see how staff responds and address the issues that need to be addressed to ensure a healthy climate and work culture.”

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Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Integrated Pest Management For The Home Garden Workshop will be on May 5th, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Plant transplants on cloudy windless days.
  • Top dress your raised beds with compost or aged manure plus some slow release fertilizer and incorporate that mixture before planting.
  • Remember your personal protective equipment such as a wide-brim hat, a long sleeve shirt, gloves, etc.
  • Lawnmower safety read the owner’s manual, protective eyewear, hearing protection, NO EXTRA Riders.
  • If you limed in the fall, you might want to take another soil test to see if the PH has changed.
  • Identify insects before you spray. It could be beneficial! Bring us the insects and we can identify them for you.
  • Purchase a good rain gauge.
  • Purchase healthy transplants.
  • If you are purchasing transplants directly from the greenhouse, keep plants outside for a few days before planting.
  • Check areas for mice. Greenhouse, storage, and shed.
  • 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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The Local Skinny! Broadband Internet Initiative Brings More Access To Vance County Residents

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Vance County is set to get about $3.4 million of a $41 million funding pie as state and local leaders work with utility companies further shrink the gap to internet access.

N.C. District 32 Rep. Bryan Cohn said this latest project will bring broadband internet access to an additional 1,327 homes and businesses in the general area of Kerr Lake north of I-85 and south of 85 toward Kittrell.

If homeowners were to foot the bill, it could cost as much as $2,500, Cohn said on Tuesday. Having this kind of grant funding makes it more affordable for everyone, including the utility companies responsible for providing the service.

Brightspeed is the service provider for this particular project, which has a completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. That gives construction crews about a year and a half to get the work done.

It’s one of several projects and programs designed to bring broadband internet service to rural areas.

“We’re trying to close the gap at every opportunity with every available program and resource that we have,” Cohn said.

As the project nears completion, Brightspeed will inform customers within the new service zone through mailers, flyers and even door-to-door canvassing to let them know about what they’ll offer and what the price will be.

Whether it’s enhanced coverage or new service, Cohn said having access to broadband internet service is becoming increasingly essential for households and businesses.

“We need to provide that opportunity to get that infrastructure to every home,” he said. “

You almost can’t do business today without access to the internet – and good, reliable internet…it’s a necessity, not a luxury.”

And while 99.75% of homes within Vance County have broadband availability, the percentage of those who have accessed it is lower – more like 82 percent, he said.

These programs will help lower costs for qualifying residents who may be on fixed incomes, Cohn said.

It’s not just a matter of closing that gap in getting utilities to homes, but it’s about
“helping people get connected to it and not have to break the bank doing it.”

 

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VGCC Logo

The Local Skinny! Job Fair Coming to VGCC

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More than 50 employers are expected to attend Vance-Granville Community College’s Spring Graduate Career Fair Thursday, and organizers are excited to see how the networking will take place between those who are looking to fill positions and those who may fit the bill.

With graduation just a few weeks away, VGCC Director of Career Services & Experiential Learning Dr. Krystal Foxx said representatives from nonprofits, government agencies, manufacturing, industry are just some of the employers that will be present at the career fair, which takes place in the VGCC Civic Center from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Thursday, Apr. 24.

“As we consider the economic impact, we consider that now, more than ever, employers are looking to grow their work forces and expand, this is a great opportunity for any job seeker,” Foxx said. “Come out and see what’s available.”

VGCC Career Development Specialist Lorene Allen said planning for the career fair is a months-long process, including preparing students for what to expect on the actual day of the event.

Organizers had a Career Impact Day last week and had different people come to campus to help coach students on resume writing and share strategies about how to conduct themselves when speaking with a prospective employer.

The Dress for Success mobile boutique came, too, and students were able to get free outfits.

VGCC has a Career Clothing closet as well, and it will be open this week for students to come choose an appropriate interview outfit.

The career fair isn’t just for students, however. The public is welcome to attend. There is an online registration, but participants can register on site, too.

The first 100 to register in advance will get a swag bag filled with goodies and freebies.

Employers and vendors who participate in the career fair are invited to a luncheon at the conclusion of the event from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Contact Foxx at foxxk@vgcc.edu to sign up for that.

Employers should reach out to careerservices@vgcc.edu or phone 252.738.3466 to register. Visit the career services website to learn about all services at: Career Services Page. Visit VGCC Spring Career Fair 2025 | Handshake

 

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The Local Skinny! Rebuilding Hope Chicken Plate Sale Coming Up April 25

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Rebuilding Hope, Inc. is having its spring chicken plate fundraiser Friday, Apr. 25. For the price of $10 a ticket, customers will get half a chicken, potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert, thanks to lots of volunteers who will be working behind the scenes to get food prepared and packaged for takeout.

Stop by the RHI headquarters between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to pick up to-go plates. Or, said RHI Co-Director Tom Wille, businesses that call and place an order for five or more plates can have them delivered.

Rebuilding Hope, Inc. has kept its price at $10 – “that’s our price and we’re sticking to it,” Wille said. Everybody is trying to save a little bit these days, and he said he hopes keeping the price at $10 a plate will be helpful to families.

Wille estimated that between 150 and 200 volunteers will have had some role in the fundraiser after all is said and done. “This is an awesome operation,” he said, “and it really speaks to what Rebuilding Hope, Inc. is all about – a team effort.

From cake bakers and slicers to the folks on the assembly line who place the meal in containers, the volunteers show up and show out.

And then there’s the grillers – “they appear from nowhere with their cookers,” Wille said.

“These guys know what they’re doing. They come together and have a good time doing it,” he added.

The end result? Chicken that’s cooked to perfection.

Whether during the twice-a-year chicken plate fundraiser or at other times throughout the year when Rebuilding Hope is helping others, the mission of the ministry is “designed to be the feet of Jesus in the community,” he said.

In addition to the roofing repairs and wheelchair ramp construction that the construction ministry is known for, they also help churches support members in need. Rebuilding Hope, Inc. supplies the materials and the tools, and the churches supply the workers to help get that ramp built or some other project around the house.

“We’re loving on the people where they’re at,” Wille said. “We’re here to point people to Jesus.”

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Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Integrated Pest Management For The Home Garden workshop will be on April 28, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. Wayne Rowland will be hosting this workshop.
  • Read the back of seed packets lots of useful information. Ex: days to maturity, how to plant.
  • Top dress your raised beds with compost or aged manure plus some slow release fertilizer and incorporate that mixture before planting.
  • Read the label on all chemicals before you purchase them to see if it is the right product for the job.
  • When setting out transplants put a cardboard collar around the transplant to prevent cutworm damage.
  • If you limed in the fall, you might want to take another soil test to see if the PH has changed.
  • Identify insects before you spray. It could be beneficial! Bring us the insects and we can identify them for you.
  • Purchase a good rain gauge.
  • Purchase healthy transplants.
  • If you are purchasing transplants directly from the greenhouse, keep plants outside for a few days before planting.
  • Check areas for mice. Greenhouse, storage, and shed.
  • 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! Perry Memorial Library Celebrates Earth Day, National Poetry Month

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Perry Memorial Library is teaming up with Vance County Cooperative Extension and Safe Routes To School to promote Earth Day 2025.

Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters invites the public to come out on Tuesday, Apr. 22 at 4 p.m. No registration is necessary – just come on out and have some fun!

Peters said there will be plenty of hands-on activities for youngsters as they learn about how to care for the planet and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.

“We just want to celebrate Mother Earth,” Peters said, adding that there will be opportunities projects to create bird feeders and plant seeds in a cup, both of which can be taken home when they’re completed.

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and the activities can take place outside. Safe Routes to School will bring a Story Walk to share and kids can take part in a scavenger hunt, too.

Then on Tuesday, Apr. 29, the library will be the site of an evening of poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month.

Peters said she’s visited Vance County High School to do programs, but this time, the school’s chorus and library club are coming to the library to share a program highlighting poetry and the spoken word.

Members of the Library Club are always helpful when they come to the library, and Peters said if you have never heard the VCHS Chorus perform, you should definitely come hear them on the 29th.

“They have a beautiful sound,” Peters said, adding that their voices, lifted together, just seem to fill the entire gallery area.

Bringing groups into the library to present programs improves and strengthens community partnerships. Peters isn’t shy about approaching groups or individuals, and the answer is usually a resounding ‘yes’ to the request.

It’s just another way to inform the community and raise awareness about resources located right here in the area.

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

 

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The Local Skinny! Tasker Fleming on MerleFest 2025

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The campus of Wilkes Community College once again transforms into a sprawling concert venue later this month when MerleFest 2025 cranks up for four days of pure musical fun.

MerleFest 2025 begins Thursday, Apr. 24 and continues through Sunday, Apr. 27.

Tasker Fleming, host of the Front Porch Bluegrass Show that airs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays on WIZS said that folks who attend MerleFest will surely get their money’s worth – different musical groups will take to stages large and small, indoors and out, during the course of each day.

One local group, The Barefoot Movement, is scheduled for four performances on Friday, Apr. 25. They’re just one of the dozens of performers – from Bonnie Raitt and the Avett Brothers to Asleep at the Wheel and Peter Rowan – included in this year’s lineup.

singers, players and pickers

And if the musical variety weren’t enough, there will be vendors galore selling all kinds of items from food to musical instruments for the thousands of attendees expected.

When Fleming attended the music festival a couple of years ago, he said one thing that struck him was the relaxed atmosphere that existed between the musicians and the audience.

“When they get off the stage, they hang around and talk to you,” he said. “You won’t get that at a normal concert.”

Visit https://merlefest.org/ to learn more.

 

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The Local Skinny! County Attorney Explains ‘Design/Build’ Concept For Jail Repairs

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners have approved a pathway for county staff to proceed with a “design/build” process to make necessary repairs to the jail as it weighs further options for construction of a new detention center.

County Attorney Jonathan Care explained to commissioners at their Monday meeting why he recommends this “new” approach be used for the repairs and expressed the need to move quickly, based on a letter from the state citing, among other things, the poor physical condition of the jail.

Care spelled out options for the short-term repairs needed at the existing jail while pursuing design and construction options for a brand-new jail; the consensus at Monday’s meeting was to use the design/build process for the repairs. Care told commissioners staff could have everything in place by the next meeting, if not sooner, to put that plan in motion.

One of the main components of the design/build approach, he explained, has both the construction side and the design side collaborating on the project instead of hiring an architect to design and then a construction team to build.

“I think that is the absolute best way to move forward,” Care said, “and that is my recommendation to move forward with repairs to our current facility.”

The design/build approach begins with a request for qualification – an RFQ – instead of a request for proposals – an RFP, which often results in awarding projects to the company who submits the lowest bid.

He said the design/build process won’t be the cheapest way, but it should result in fewer change orders during construction and fewer issues that inevitably pop up.

With the repairs, however, “time is as much of a factor as cost is.”

A jail is not something that should be pieced out and parceled, Care said.

“We need to know, down the road, that we’re going to have a facility that isn’t such a unicorn that we’re reliant on one person” to come in and make needed repairs, he said, referencing the problem with broken doors at the jail.

“I can tell you, unfortunately, we’ve experienced some of that in our current facility with updating, remodeling and building…that isn’t working for us, and it’s costing us dearly now.”

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