The Local Skinny! VGCC Craft Show Fundraiser Is This Saturday

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Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

 

The Vance-Granville Community College Foundation is sponsoring a fall craft show fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 14 to help fill the shelves of the school’s food pantry. The community is invited to come out from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The admission “price” per person is a donation of three food items that can be used in the food pantry – think canned goods, non-perishable items or paper products, organizers say.

VGCC Foundation Associate Director Sheri Jones said more than 45 vendors – many from the four-county area that VGCC serves – will be set up and ready for business Saturday.

“This is a way to stock our food pantry, as we have seen an increase in usage over the last few months,” Jones said.

All proceeds from the event will go toward stocking the shelves of the food pantry, which serves currently enrolled students, as well as faculty and staff.

Call 252.738.3323 or email douglasa@vgcc.edu to learn more.

VGCC students and employees in need of food pantry services may learn more at www.vgcc.edu/food-pantry.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Winterize Your Vehicle

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

When the weather cools off, we think about taking steps to winterize our homes and our wardrobes, but what about our vehicles? There are a few key steps car and truck owners can take now to keep those vehicles in top running order through the cold winter months.

Is your car harder to start in the winter? It could be a faulty thermostat, weak battery or starter issue, said John Stevenson, WIZS’s resident expert.

“The number one thing is to make sure you have the right content of antifreeze,” Stevenson said, “not the level, but the mixture,” he added. A 50-50 ratio is recommended for most vehicles, but let the professionals at Advance Auto Parts help you select the right product for your vehicle’s needs.

Take a moment to get your battery tested, too. Advance can test your battery at no charge.

In anticipation of icy road conditions, taking a moment to inspect your brakes and tires is another way to make sure you stay safe.

And taking a peek under the hood to do a visual inspection on those cables, belts and spark plugs is not a bad idea, either.

One other item that drivers may overlook is washer fluid. There are different formulas, Stevenson said. “There’s all kinds of stuff that you would never think about,” he said. “That’s a good reason to check things out with the folks at Advance.”

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! Vance And Granville Benefit From State Budget Appropriations

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State employees, current and retired, who live in District 32 join others across the state who will see bumps in salaries and retirement checks, thanks to provisions in the budget most recently approved in Raleigh.

In his first months in the N.C. House representing District 32, Frank Sossamon helped secure those provisions, but that’s not all the freshman representative has been busy with.

Sossamon has been involved in attracting a wide variety of programs and projects- with a pricetag of $44 million – to the district.

“I look forward to seeing the great impact these projects will have on my community,” Sossamon said in a press release. “This budget will allow our state to continue to receive recognition as a great place to own a business and live.”

In addition to salaries for teachers and other state workers, the state budget includes $2 billion for water and sewer improvement projects and more than $620 million for behavioral mental health programs. And Sossamon has secured large slices of the budget pie in those two areas to come right here to Vance and Granville counties.

Sossamon spoke with WIZS News Tuesday about being a legislator. “It’s amazing to me the kind of reception I’ve received from the very beginning,” he said, adding that he has been appointed to some important committees, including the powerful Appropriations Committee.

He said he talked with a lot of legislators to make sure District 32 was included in discussions. “I worked hard with every chairman and vice chairman. Not only did we do a proposal for each (project), but I verbally expressed why these projects need to be supported.”

And that hard work seems to have paid off.

Vance-Granville Community College is getting $11.5 million to create an Advanced Manufacturing Center in Granville County’s Triangle North Business Park. “It’s going to be a game changer,” Sossamon said. It will show prospective businesses looking in the area that District 32 can train workers and support business and manufacturing. “This is going to put us in a different position than we’ve ever been in” for recruiting business and industry, he said.

“This makes me feel good that this is now happening and moving forward,” he added.

And $10 million is flowing to the City of Oxford for water improvements with Kerr Lake Regional Water System.

Maria Parham Healthcare Center is getting $5 million to bolster its capacity and ability to improve mental health and substance abuse outcomes.

Other water and sewer projects – including $4 million for Vance County and $5 million for South Granville Water and Sewer round out the 7-figure awards.

Sossamon said the work he does in Raleigh is just part of the overall effort to effect change. “In addition to VGCC, Kerr-Tar COG and economic development leaders, he said “it takes every entity in the district, in each county, every municipality,” he said. “It takes all those, and others, to see these things come to fruition. Everybody has to be going – economically – in the same direction.”

Prospective businesses and industry choose communities for a variety of reasons, not just a pool of trained employees. Education and crime are key indicators, too, and Vance County is getting more than $691,000 to provide the sheriff’s office with body-worn cameras and support equipment. ”We have some appropriation chairs that are pro-law enforcement,” Sossamon noted. “Any time they can support law enforcement, they’re gonna do it.

Sossamon said he predicts the body cameras will be a morale builder for the sheriff and his officers. Having a state-of-the-art department will be a selling point for recruiting, he said.

I’m thrilled for Sheriff Brame,” he said. “I’m elated that this kind of money is coming to the different entities in Vance County to have a better quality of life.”

Hard work lobbying notwithstanding, Sossamon said he is pleased so far with the outcomes for his district.

“I’m trying to do all I can…(for) not just one, but every person.” And that’s what he says he’ll continue to do. “I really want to make our counties better than what they are now.”

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The Local Skinny! Home And Garden Show 10-04-23

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

  • Start preparing for leaf collection. Plan to compost your leaves Do Not Burn Them!!!!!!
  • Save seed from coneflower, sunflower, marigold, rudbeckia, cosmos and others.
  • Check cole crops for insects. Ex Loopers, cabbage worms, Harlequin bugs.
  • Store leftover and collected seed in a cool, dry location.
  • Bring in Houseplants from outside before this weekend
  • If you overseed or reseed your lawn, avoid weed control products according to product instructions.
  • October is a great time to collect your Soil Samples!n 2 week analysis time.
  • Planting trees and shrubs? Start with a tape measure.

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The Local Skinny! Watkins Fire Dept. Fires Up The Grill

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Watkins Volunteer Fire Department is having is fall barbecued chicken and pork barbecue fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 6. Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Link said he and his fellow Watkins firefighters are preparing now to have plates ready beginning about 11 a.m.

Link said their May plate sales went so well that they upped the number of chicken halves to just over 900. Add the 250 pounds of chopped barbecue and you’ve got the makings for a delicious meal.

Chicken plates are $12, chicken/pork barbecue combo plates are $15 and 1-pound containers of pork barbecue are $10.

Prepping for a fundraiser of this type gets volunteers together, all working for a common goal. That fits right in with the philosophy that firefighters are part of a close-knit group.

“We preach brotherhood at the fire department, the fire service in general,” Link said. Whether it’s fire safety training or chopping barbecue and cutting cabbage for cole slaw, Link said firefighters work together like family to produce results.

“Everybody has a job,” Link said. Not everyone has the same skill sets to perform all jobs, but everybody can do something to contribute, he said. There’s an art to putting together a fundraiser like this one, he said. “It was passed on to me and now we are passing on” that knowledge to those young volunteers who may be new to the “craft of the barbecued chicken fundraiser.”

Call the fire department at 252.492.0600 or Link at 252.432.5219 (call or text) to place an order or arrange delivery.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Cole crops may need top dressing with nitrogen.
  • Start controlling fire ants.
  • Check cole crops for insects. Ex Loopers, cabbage worms, Harlequin bugs.
  • Planting trees and shrubs? Planting depth is everything!
  • Control weeds in the garden. One weed left to seed out can produce 1000’s of weeds in your garden next year.
  • Sowing tall fescue? Soil/seed contact is essential.
  • Now is a great time to collect soil samples. Avoid the rush this fall. .2 week analysis time.
  • Fertilizing your lawn? Use a slow release product.
  • If you have vacant areas in your garden consider planting a cover crop. Ex Crimson clover

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Upcoming Events At Perry Memorial Library

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By all accounts, October is going to be busy at Perry Memorial Library. Youth Services Director Melody Peters has outlined several programs designed for tweens and teens that could “spark” an interest – pun intended.

Peters said a dozen young people are already registered for the Tuesday, Oct. 10 Electricity program. The hour-long program begins at 4 p.m., she said, and participants will get to learn about how electricity works from a Vance-Granville Community College instructor.

It’ll be a fun time, but it also can be a way for young people to learn about careers, she said.

“Now kids see a real connection,” she said, between education and future job opportunities in the electrical field.

There’s no charge for the event, but contact Peters if you haven’t already registered at mpeters@perrylibrary.org.

The following week’s Survival Skills program will introduce youngsters to the world of crochet. Yep, crochet. They have all the materials and plenty of space, so just show up if you want to learn how to magically pull yarn with a crochet hook to create handcrafted items.

The annual Fall Festival will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“Last year was such a great time – we had a great turnout,” Peters said. “We’re excited to do it again.”

Children can come in Halloween costumes if they’d like and can enjoy playing traditional carnival games and craft activities.

For a complete listing of all the programs and services at Perry Memorial Library, visit

https://www.perrylibrary.org/

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TownTalk: Public Safety Expo This Saturday

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There will be a lot of action on the lot of the former Boyd auto dealership on U.S. 158 bypass in Henderson as law enforcement agencies from across Henderson and Vance County converge to take part in a Public Safety Expo this coming Saturday, Sept. 30.

Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright said the expo will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include representatives from a wide variety of agencies that promote and protect public safety.

“It promotes a positive atmosphere for all public safety coming together,” Wright said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. “We come together in emergency situations so coming together outside of that…promotes positivity through the county,” he said.

Kids can take part in a bike rodeo through Safe Kids. And there will be a bike helmet giveaway while supplies last. Two bicycles will be raffled off as well.

Those in attendance can enjoy free hotdogs, chips and drinks while they last and the Kona Ice truck is scheduled to join the festivities, too.

“We’re trying to promote something positive here in Vance County, along with the City of Henderson, and partnering with all these agencies,” Wright explained. “It’s an all-around activity for kids and adults.”

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The Local Skinny! Shop With A Cop Now Underway

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, along with the Henderson Police Department and Vance County Sheriff’s Office, has added a couple of twists to the traditional fundraiser that pairs children in the community with law enforcement officers to go on a holiday shopping spree.

This year’s event has expanded to include first responders, firefighters, animal control and the N.C. State Highway Patrol to be a part of the Shop with a Cop and Friends event close to Christmas.

But the fun leading up to the Dec. 19 shopping event has already started, and this is the time for the community to participate, according to Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson.

“We’re all about putting community and businesses together,” Wilkerson said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! By including additional agencies, Wilkerson said she, Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame felt it could be a more inclusive event – “so inclusive that nobody is left out,” she said.

For the next couple of months, the community is invited to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win cash prizes.

But this isn’t an ordinary raffle – it’s called an envelope raffle. “There will be 180 tickets for sale,” Wilkerson explained. “The ticket number is the price you pay for the ticket; however, the ticket number will determine one of four drawings that ticket will be in,” she continued.

Here’s how it works: Say you want to buy ticket #50. You pay $50 for that ticket. BUT, you will be entered in a chance to win cash prizes according to the ticket you purchase. The breakdown is as follows:  Contributors giving between $1 and $40 will be entered to win $200. Contributors in the $41-$80 range are entered for a chance at $500. Those contributing between $81 and $120 will be entered to win $1,000.  And those purchasing tickets 121-180 are entered for a chance for the grand prize of $2,000.

The winners will be announced during a reception on Nov. 14 at Henderson Country Club, Wilkerson said. Anyone who purchases tickets in the 100-180 range get in free; admission for anyone else who would like to attend is $20.

The Nov. 14 reception is a time to celebrate, Wilkerson said. “We just want it to be really fun and (get) geared up for that shopping experience.” The goal is to have at least $5,000 for the children to spend during their shopping trip.

The raffle is a fun way to raise money for the shopping spree, but sponsors also play a role. Wilkerson said sponsors have already donated several thousand dollars.

It’s all for the culminating activity that pairs deserving children with representatives from the various law enforcement and first responder groups, who will go shopping at the Henderson Walmart on Dec. 19.

“We love this fundraiser,” said Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

It’s a great thing to see the excitement of those children’s faces,” Brame told WIZS News Monday. “We’re looking forward to having a great day,” he said, “seeing the smiles on a lot of children’s faces.”

Tickets can be purchased from the Chamber Office, the police department, and the Vance County Sheriff’s office.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood Change Your Oil

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

These days, our vehicles do a good job of telling us when it’s time to change the oil. Most vehicle experts agree that changing the oil in a timely manner is one of the best things a car or truck owner can do to extend the life of a vehicle’s engine.

If you’re the type of vehicle owner who likes to tackle this task yourself, trust the folks at Advance Auto Parts to help you choose the proper type of oil – there are so many options!

Manufacturers may recommend synthetic oil for newer models, but that sweet ’65 Mustang parked in the garage may need a conventional oil.

Remember, think safety first when changing the oil yourself. Even if you don’t need to jack the vehicle, it may be a good idea to put a jack in place, just in case.

And chock the wheels for good measure.

Use a drain pan to catch the oil once the plug is removed – and make sure that the old gasket comes off the block when you remove the oil filter!

Give the oil 15 minutes or so to drain and then you can install the new filter.

DIY’ers know to rub a little fresh oil around the seal, take care not to cross thread or overtighten.

Advance Auto Parts is a great place to bring that reclaimed oil for proper disposal.

Tune in to this week’s Pop the Hood segment for a step-by-step “how-to” for changing the oil in your car or truck.

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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