Home and Garden Show

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

  • The Granville-Vance-Warren Beginner Beekeepers School will be Saturday, February 1st at 9:00am at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Now is a good time to take your gardening equipment out and see if they work. Especially since it is getting warmer. 
  • You need to start planting for your spring garden. When planting, think about the problems that you encountered in  your last planting season.
  • With February approaching, you need to get ready to prune your fruit trees.
  • This is a good time to purchase your seed starting mix. Avoid using garden soil, for best results.
  • Now is the time to clean your planting trays.
  • You still have to continue planting trees and shrubs.

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

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U.S. Attorney For Eastern District Of N.C. Announces Whistleblower Pilot Program

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— information courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina

U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. has announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the EDNC Whistleblower Pilot Program.

“In this office, we are focused on enhancing the identification and prosecution of white-collar crime,” Easley said in a written statement released Friday. “The EDNC Whistleblower Pilot Program achieves that by incentivizing individuals to proactively come forward with information about crimes taking place within corporations.  The benefit to the participant, if qualified, is avoiding prosecution.  We encourage all who may have information on fraud, corruption, or corporate crime, to fill out the short form on our website.”

To encourage early voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conduct and to promote effective enforcement of criminal laws, the office has implemented the EDNC Whistleblower Pilot Program.  The program applies to circumstances where an individual discloses information regarding certain covered subjects identified in the policy to this office, Easley’s statement explained.  Covered subjects include criminal conduct undertaken by or through public or private entities or organizations, including corporations, partnerships, non-profits, exchanges, financial institutions, investment advisers, or investment funds involving fraud or corporate control failures; intellectual property theft and related violations; or offenses affecting market integrity.

The policy also applies to disclosed criminal conduct involving state or local bribery or fraud relating to federal, state or local funds.  The policy does not apply to offenses involving violence.  Provided all policy conditions are met, this office will enter into a deferred or non-prosecution agreement with the whistleblower.

By clarifying the requirements and benefits of such self-disclosure, this office seeks to incentivize individuals (and their counsel) to provide actionable and timely information.  This will, in turn, help us expose more misconduct and better protect the communities we serve.

Find a complete copy of the policy, along with the application at:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/ednc-whistleblower-pilot-program

(Originally posted to WIZS.com Jan. 24, 2025)

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The Local Skinny! Father Daughter Dance Feb. 1 At Henderson Family YMCA

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Fathers and daughters can enjoy a special evening together at the upcoming Father Daughter Dance at the Henderson Family YMCA.

Sponsored by Chick-fil-A, the dance will take place at the Y, 380 Ruin Creek Rd. on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for each dad-daughter pair, but additional daughters can join in the fun for an extra $5. The dance is for girls 5-12 years old and their father or that special male role model in their lives.

Icon Entertainment is providing music for the event.

And don’t forget dinner beforehand! Stop by the Chick-fil-A off Dabney Drive at 200 Trade St. between 5:30 p.m. and 7 for a pre-dance meal. You’ll get one free child’s meal with purchase of an adult meal before heading over to the dance.

Registration is open now and ends Friday, Jan. 31.

Visit https://www.hendersonymca.org/ and scroll down to find the dance under Upcoming Events & Registration.

Contact Director of Membership Tesa Alexander at tesaa@henfamymca.org to learn more.

 

Home and Garden Show

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

  • You need to start planting for your spring garden. When planting, think about the problems that you encountered in your last planting season.
  • Now is an excellent time to plan your 2025 Garden out on paper. Include your Gardening Goals for this year.
  • January is inventory month. Do you have enough seeds, equipment, and supplies to prepare for the gardening season?
  • Be careful to store your garden chemicals in a place where it will not get frozen, especially with weather conditions like snow. The cold temperatures can alter the chemicals.
  • It’s still a good time to take inventory of your seeds. That way you will know what vegetable seeds to order, try ordering a new variety of seeds for the 2025 growing season.
  • You can check out our available publications on vegetables on our website at https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/
  • Consider raising a garden in a raised bed if you think that you do not have much space. 

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

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events at Perry Memorial Library

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Books aren’t the only things patrons can check out at Perry Memorial Library – in fact, the items on the Hat and Mitten trees don’t have a due date!

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said the trees will be up through the end of February and they’re trimmed with warm hats, mittens and probably some gloves for anyone who may need them.

“It’s great to see people use it and just take what they need and not have to ask,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Peters said the community has been generous in their donations of the winter accessories – library staff has already had to refill the trees several times.

Donations can be dropped off at any of the desks throughout the library – adult services, youth services or circulation.

Besides being a cozy spot to search for the perfect reading material, the library is a place where patrons can take some warmth with them when they leave, in the form of winter outerwear.

January’s programming is heating up, unlike the outside temps, and Peters said next week’s Kids Connect will feature a “craft buffet” that will feature a variety of crafting items that kids can use to create to their hearts’ content. Hopefully, the program will get participants outside to take a winter walk to collect items and then come back in and complete a craft. Kids Connect will be held Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m.

Speaking of hearts, the week of Valentine’s Day will feature several programs during what Peters said will be a very busy February.

Teens will find Found Object Art and Fondue in the Maker Space on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. Students in grades 6-12 can enjoy chocolate fondue while they create original artwork from a collection of “found” objects.

And the popular “Teddy Bear Sleepover” happens the day after Valentine’s Day, on Saturday, Feb. 15. Kids bring their favorite stuffed animal “lovey” to the library between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Peters explained, for a sleepover like no other.

“They get into all kinds of things,” Peters said, and library staff are on hand to document all their antics and nighttime adventures when the loveys “have the library all to themselves.”

The children pick up their loveys the next day – maybe at the 2 p.m. Family Story Time program – and will receive a photo album of the night’s activities.

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

 

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The Local Skinny! “Night To Shine” Returns To North Henderson Baptist Church Feb. 7

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North Henderson Baptist Church is pulling out all the stops again this year for a very special prom night. This year’s “Night to Shine” will take place on Friday, Feb. 7, and Pastor Eddie Nutt said the promgoers will get the royal treatment.

The evening is especially for individuals 14 and older with special needs, Nutt said. It’s just one of many events that will take place that day across the country and the world as part of the Tim Tebow Foundation.

It’s only the second time that the local church has participated, but this is the 11th year that the Tebow Foundation has hosted it. It’s always the Friday before Valentine’s Day, Nutt noted. Over the years, more than 625,000 guests have participated in all 50 states and in 72 countries across the globe.

Things will get underway about 6 p.m. at the church, located at 1211 N. Garnett St., Promgoers will walk the red carpet and will be greeted by paparazzi as they make their way into the church building for an evening of music, dancing and, of course, refreshments.

There will be limo rides “if they want to go out and ride around in the community,” Nutt said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

If a lady needs a refresh or touchup of their hair or makeup, she can head over to the hair station or the makeup station, Nutt said. Gentlemen can get a fresh shine on their shoes if they need one.

“They’ll get the complete royal treatment throughout the evening,” he said.

The royal treatment continues as, one by one, Nutt gets to place a crown or tiara on each person’s head to crown them King or Queen of the evening.

“Seeing that look in their eyes as their name is called,” Nutt said, “is a heart-touching moment…to see that expression on their face, that they have worth, value – they are kings and queens in God’s eyes.”

Please pre-register for the evening by calling the church at 252.438.8012 or online at the church website, www.nhbcnc.org.

 

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • The Beginning Beekeepers School will start January 18th, starting at 9am at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. For more information contact the Vance County Cooperative Extension at (252) 438-8188.
  • Use caution. Don’t get caught up in all the seed catalog pictures. You only have so much space in your garden.
  • January is inventory month. Do you have enough seeds, equipment, and supplies to prepare for the gardening season?
  • Now is an excellent time to plan your 2025 Garden out on paper. Include your Gardening Goals for this year.
  • It’s still a good time to take inventory of your seeds. That way you will know what vegetable seeds to order, try ordering a new variety of seeds for the 2025 growing season.
  • Check for cool-season weeds. You can use spot sprays to treat cool-season weeds once it gets warmer.
  • Do your research before you purchase any fruit trees.

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

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The Local Skinny! Kingsberry Takes Oaths Of Office For Dual City Manager, Attorney Roles

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Hassan T. Kingsberry took the oath of office – twice – during Monday evening’s Henderson City Council meeting as he officially assumed the dual role of city manager and city attorney.

The Hon. Henry Banks administered the oaths of office – that of city attorney first, and city manager second.

The room was filled with family, friends and others who had come to witness the ceremony. Kingsberry was selected in early December to be interim city attorney following the retirement of D. Rix Edwards. However, when Terrell Blackmon announced in mid-December that he, too, was leaving his job as city manager, the City Council voted in a split decision to have Kingsberry take on both jobs – full-time city manager and part-time city attorney.

In remarks before he administered the oath of office, Banks said he was “overwhelmed” to see so many people in the audience interested in local government, adding it gave him a “sense of joy and pride.”

Banks continued, he told Kingsberry that his “primary duty will be to provide leadership…but perhaps the most important thing (is) to present to this Council unassailable advice” as its members make decisions.

“Mr. Kingsberry has impeccable professional integrity,” Banks said. “He’s a man of faith and we can’t overlook that.”

In remarks following the ceremony, Kingsberry thanked members of his extended family for being present for the occasion. “I thank God for this moment,” he said. “The other thing I would say is, it is our time.”

He said he is a transparent and honest person and someone who will stand up to critics of Henderson. “…when people ask you about Henderson, and people always say ‘you’re from Henderson…you’re from Warren’…they say, it’s rough. I said, ‘Don’t talk too much, because I’m from there.’ You represent your town.”

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The Local Skinny! Bryan Cohn Sworn In NC House 32

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Bryan Cohn was sworn in last week to begin his term as District 32 representative in the N.C. House, which includes Vance and Granville counties.

Cohn edged out incumbent Frank Sossamon by a final total of 228 votes in one of several close races in the Nov. 5 general election.

Following appeals and challenges, the N.C. State Board of Elections certified the results on Jan. 6.

Although he officially took office Jan. 8 during a swearing-in event that was part of the legislature’s opening day activities, Cohn told WIZS News Monday that a ceremonial swearing-in will take place at McGregor Hall in Henderson Sunday, Jan. 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve the people of District 32 in the North Carolina House of Representatives,” Cohn said in a press statement. “This community has placed its trust in me, and I am committed to working tirelessly on behalf of all residents to ensure our district’s voice is heard and our needs are met.”

“The electoral process demonstrated the resilience of our democracy, and I am proud to represent a district that values fairness and integrity,” Cohn added. “Now it is time to focus on what matters most—working together to create a brighter future for all North Carolinians.”

As the new representative for District 32, Cohn’s legislative priorities include expanding access to affordable healthcare, investing in public education, supporting small businesses, and protecting the natural resources of the Kerr Lake region.

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The Local Skinny! Rise Against Hunger

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This year’s local Rise Against Hunger event organizers are counting on packing 65,000 meals in about four hours on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, and they are hopeful that folks from across Vance and Granville counties will join in the effort.

“It’s about the community coming together” as much as preparing bags of a nutritious mixture that are sent to places across the globe to feed hungry people, said co-organizer Sue Nicholas.

The Rise Against Hunger pack-a-thon returns this year to the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

As of Wednesday, about 75 people had signed up to take part in the Jan. 20 event, but Nicholas said they’ll need more like 300 to make sure they can achieve the 65,000 goal.

But the event isn’t just about packing food to send to other continents, she added. Non-perishable food items will be collected to be shared with ACTS in Henderson and ACIM in Oxford, local food banks that feed hungry people in the two counties.

The set-up for the day is pretty simple – individuals or groups can sign up for one of two shifts, the first is from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and the second shift covers 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

During the two-hour shifts, teams will measure rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and more to create nutritious and transportable bags, each of which will feed six people, Nicholas said.

She and co-organizer Sandra Wiggins have been working through details of the day for the past few months, and there’s a lot of excitement about bringing the community together to work for a common goal.

“It takes all of us to do this – working together is the most important thing,” Nicholas said. “As a community, you come together…for such a great cause – to fight hunger.”

And participants have fun as they get the work done, she added. “Before you know it, we’ve packaged 10,000, then 20,000,” and a gong sounds to celebrate each time 10,000 meals are completed.

“You have fun while doing good,” Nicholas said.

It was 2020 when the event was held at the farmers market, she recalled. “That was the first time (that) it was a big collaboration of folks,” Nicholas said. “There was lots of positive energy from it,” but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed plans for a couple of years. Fast-forward to last year’s event, held at the VGCC Civic Center, when teams packed 60,000 meals.

There’s a fundraising component to the pack-a-thon, too, Nicholas said, and there’s still a considerable amount to go – about $21,000. But Nicholas is confident that folks in the two counties will come together to reach that goal, too.

For those who may wonder just how that money will be spent, Nicholas said Rise Against Hunger has a four-star rating with a charity score of 90 percent, which means money goes to buy the food and then get it delivered.

The main office is located in Raleigh, she said. Rise Against Hunger was started in 1998 by Ray Buchanan, a former Marine and a retired Methodist minister. As a Marine, he saw parts of the world where people struggled to have enough to eat, so he started the organization to help feed hungry people around the world.

Nicholas said the meals that will be packed in Henderson are destined to wherever they are needed the most. A couple of months after the pack-a-thon, she expects to be notified where the pallets of boxed and bagged meals were sent.

“They can end up in any place across the world.”

There’s a QR code to scan to join the team, go to https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/register/?id=701Pj00000DGxfnIAD 

or you can call Nicholas at 252.425.4505 and she can help get you registered.

Visit https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/ to learn more about the organization and its impact.

 

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