Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Perry Memorial Library Plans A Busy June For Kids

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Young patrons who come to Perry Memorial Library, check out some books or other materials and then leave are missing out on a bunch of fun programs and activities that all happen inside the library.

Melody Peters, the library’s youth services director, reeled off a good-sized list on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

This summer’s reading program is called “All Together Now,” has its official kickoff from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13.

There will be carnival-style games, snacks and some cool swag for participants, including creating an origami butterfly to add to a mural.

Beginning June 14 and continuing on Wednesdays in June and July (except the week of July 4), Cooperative Extension representatives are going to have a Lunch and Learn from 12 noon to 2 p.m. The program is for youth in grades 6-8 and they’ll learn to cook something different each week. Register for the program with an email to ndkearney@ncat.edu.

Mother Goose Story Time resumes next week as well, with activities for the little guys, Peters said. There’s a 10 a.m. slot that is opening up on Thursdays at 10 a.m. for groups like day care centers and others; the 11 a.m. story time is for the public, she said.

Later on Thursdays – from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – the Lego club meets at the library. Summertime activities include special challenges for the builders, as well as a variety of team-building exercises, all while enjoying playing with Legos. This club is for children in grades K-8.

The library will become a movie theater for awhile on June 20 when library staff present “Up,” a Disney Pixar film that Peters said is a perfectly wonderful flick. The movie begins at 2:30 p.m.

On June 27, the Greensboro-based bang “Big Bang Boom” will perform at the library beginning at 11 a.m.

Teen patrons – those youth in middle and high school – haven’t been left out, Peters said. She has created a coupon book, which encourages them to complete activities and get vouchers for free stuff from local vendors.

“We want kids to come in,” Peters said, and enjoy the library. Some of the activities, in addition to reading books, include telling a librarian a joke and creating a chalk drawing on the sidewalk and snapping a pic to share with library staff.

The goal is to submit two completed coupons each week in exchange for the gift voucher. The completed coupons will be put in the mix for a raffle of ear buds at the end of the summer.

“The more coupons in the box, the better the chance to win the raffle,” Peters said.

Read about all the programs and services at Perry Memorial Library at https://www.perrylibrary.org/

 

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City of Henderson Logo

Proposed City Budget Includes 3.8-Cent Tax Increase, $3 Hike In Sanitation Fees

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The Henderson City Council is expected to adopt the 2023-24 budget at its June 12 meeting, with a few adjustments that have been made since the proposed budget was presented on May 8.

Those changes include a 3.8-cent tax increase, a $3 increase in sanitation rate and 50 percent reduction in non-payment fees for water/sewer customers, from $50 to $25.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon said the tax increase would mean an extra $318,437 in additional revenue for the city. The increase in sanitation fees will add $196,200, Blackmon said.

Council member Lamont Noel told WIZS News Friday afternoon that the council had reached consensus on the changes over the course of a string of budget work sessions, the most recent of which included a public hearing that took place Tuesday, May 31.

No member of the public spoke for or against the proposed budget at the public hearing, and no member of the council said anything of substance during the May 31 meeting.

A June 5 budget work session that had been announced on the city’s website has been cancelled, according to information from Blackmon Friday afternoon.

The next chance for the public to comment on the budget will be during a public hearing scheduled to take place at the beginning of the June 12 City Council meeting.

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These proposed increases would be the first since 2014, and Blackmon said there could be a slight increase in the water rate as well, now that financing for the Kerr Lake Regional Water System has been secured. That increase hasn’t been determined yet and it’s still being studied.

“Additional revenues will help sustain a stable fund balance to balance the budget and to help meet increased costs related to salaries, utilities, supplies such as chemicals, and other expenses impacted by inflation,” Blackmon stated Friday.

He added that the Council has a policy of maintaining a 30 percent fund balance available in reserves during periods of declining revenues, to be used for emergencies and unforeseen expenses.

It may take a couple of years before the budget is “revenue neutral,” he added. The upcoming county tax revaluation will take effect in January 2024, so that could mean more dollars coming to the city coffers, which would keep the fund balance at a healthy level.

The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Belts and Hoses

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

Getting ready for that annual vacation and you’ve made a mental to-do list before you pile in the car for that much-needed getaway:

Lights turned off and front door locked? Check.

Stopped by the bank for some cash? Check.

Grocery store for snacks and drinks for the ride? Check.

Popped the hood looking for cracked belts or bad hoses?

Umm, well, no.

Michael Puckett of the Advance Auto Parts store on Raleigh Road says if you see bubbles along hoses or cracking along your vehicle’s belts, it’s probably time to replace them. A blown hose or broken belt can leave you stranded, delaying your arrival to that vacation destination.

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, Advance offers a loaner tool program to its customers to handle hose clamps and that all-important belt tensioner tool that helps you thread the belt in place.

Not a DIY-er? No problem.

“We have some local shops that we can recommend,” Puckett said, to send customers in the right direction.

It’s important to do a visual check of belts and hoses, but drivers also need to pay attention to those squealing noises coming from under the hood. It could mean a bad pulley or tensioner.

Paying attention to unusual sounds and looking for signs of wear are two good ways to avoid breakdowns and keep your vehicle running well and keeping you safe.

The information contained in this post and accompanying audio 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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Home and Garden Show

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

  • If tomato’s lower leaves are showing signs of leaf spot and tomatoes have set fruit you can take off those leaves below the small tomatoes .
  • It’s not too late for container gardening.
  • Continue your fruit tree spray regimen.
  • Check current references when doing any food preservation, especially canning.
  • Continue your succession vegetable planting
  • Learn the optimum harvest time for the fruits and vegetables you grow.
  • Your vegetables may need a topdressing
  • Protect yourself from ticks and mosquitos.
  • Check garden for pest and disease and ID the pest before purchasing a control.
  • What to do about moss.

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The Local Skinny! Humane Society Addresses Pet Care Inequality

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There are so many up-sides to having pets – dogs, cats and a whole range of animals bring so much joy and happiness to their “people.” Our furry friends depend on their owners to provide them food, shelter and medical care.

But what happens when money is tight?  Where can pet owners get help?

Amanda Arrington, with Access to Care of the Humane Society of the United States, spoke with WIZS’s Bill Harris on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! to talk about some options.

Arrington said that HSUS has some long-standing programs – including Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) – that provide direct services to pet owners who live in poverty or in underserved areas of the nation.

There’s a new program called “More Than A Pet” whose mission is to address some of the inequalities that pet owners face.

“This is not a new problem,” she said, “but inflation and the pandemic have exacerbated the issues.” Barriers to basic care and access to resources include transportation, language, time and finances.

People love their pets and so many get treated like family, so when pet owners can’t provide food or medical care for whatever reason, it causes emotional and mental distress, Arrington said.

Pet owners who are facing any of these challenges should look for help locally, she suggested. Animal service providers and shelters may be able to offer some relief.

“We can’t promise access to everyone,” but the HSUS does have a list of resources on its website that could help.

The HSUS is working on a national level to distribute food and supplies across the nation to those in need. In 2022 alone, in partnership with Chewy, more than 500 truckloads of pet food valued at $22 million were delivered across the country.

Visit https://www.humanesociety.org/more-than-a-pet to learn more.

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The Local Skinny! American Legion To Host Memorial Day Service

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It’s a sobering sight to see those white crosses that dot the grassy area outside American Legion Post 60 in Henderson. Whether you just drive by over the Memorial Day weekend holiday or attend the annual service at Post 60 on Monday at 10 a.m.

Post Commander Ted Grissom wants people to remember why those crosses – numbering more than 150 – matter.

Each cross represents someone from Vance County who has died while serving in the Armed Forces, from World War I to the present, Grissom told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The ceremony will be brief, he said, but the main reason to gather will be “to honor our heroes remember their achievements and service, and to thank them” for their ultimate sacrifice to their country.

“Many didn’t volunteer,” he said, but were called to be part of something bigger than themselves – they were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways” to protect and defend this country, our freedom and way of life.

“Our gathering in Henderson is just one small spark in the flame of pride that burns across the nation on Memorial day and every day,” Grissom said.

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Maria Parham Volunteer Services Masquerade Jewelry and Accessories Sale

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FOR OUR SPONSOR

Home And Garden Show

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

  • Scout your garden at least twice a week for insects and disease
  • Be cautious with weed killers that provide several months of control. They can damage trees and shrubs through root uptake. Check the instructions and stay the recommended distance away.
  • Keep up with your weeding. Small weeds are much easier to control.
  • Harvest herbs frequently.
  • Attention: Beekeepers You may want to construct electric fence to protect hives from Bears
  • For cut flowers, harvest early in the day, keep cool, place in water ASAP, select newest fully expanded blossoms.
  • Honey bees are still swarming if you see a swarm call Cooperative extension 252-438-8188
  • Protect yourself from ticks and mosquitos.
  • Keep your garden journal updated. You are getting busier each day in the garden and you need to record what you have done in the garden each day.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Reading And Tennis Come Together At Perry Memorial Library

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Perry Memorial Library is bringing tennis back to the gallery for a fun-filled event that gets kids learning about the sport through reading and exercise.

Melody Peters, the library’s youth services director, said a crew from Edmonds Tennis and Education Foundation is taking a second swing at a workshop designed for young people ages 5-18. They aced last year’s event, and Peters said they’ll be back this year to serve up some more fun.

The Tennis Book Read takes place on May 31 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

And, not to worry, there will be tennis racquets in the gallery, she said.

“They tell me they have it all under control,” Peters said, reassuringly.

ETEF volunteers will be on hand to work with the young people to learn the basics of tennis.

The Edmonds family established the nonprofit youth development organization in 2018 and uses the game of tennis to provide academic and athletic opportunities to underserved youth.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more or email Peters at mpeters@perrylibrary.org.

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The Local Skinny! Keeping Pets Fit And Trim

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When it comes to caring for our pets, local veterinarian Dr. Aleksandar Besermenji says the simplest solution is often the best solution when it comes to reducing obesity – portion control and exercise are key components in maintaining dog and cat health.

“We do see a lot of animals with issues of extra weight,” Besermenji said on Tuesday’s recurring Pet and People segment of The Local Skinny! Besermenji practices at Franklinton Animal Hospital on U.S. 1 in Franklinton.

Just like in humans, it’s not good for dogs and cats to have an “unhealthy accumulation of body fat,” Besermenji said. And just like in humans, dogs and cats that consume more calories than they expend in energy end up with fat reserves in their bodies.

The key is prevention, he noted. “Feed them what the (label) says and nothing more.”

Granted, that’s easier said than done, but if pet owners don’t oversee what their pets are eating, it opens the door for problems – especially insulin resistance and diabetes in cats and joint and bone problems for dogs.

Exercise is as important as diet when it comes to maintaining healthy weights. As pets age, however, they may be less energetic. And that may be a time to revisit the type and amount of food they eat.

A little bit of canned food is ok – on occasion – but it’s not a good idea to feed only canned food. “When they crunch on those kibbles, it helps to scrape the tartar off” teeth, Besermenji said, emphasizing the importance of dry food in a pet’s diet.

Franklinton Animal Hospital is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Call 919.341.1055 to learn more.

 

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