The Local Skinny! Immunizations For Children Returning To School

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-information courtesy of N.C. Department of Health and Human Services

As children across North Carolina head back to school this month, the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services reminds families that vaccinations are an important part of back-to-school success and overall health and well-being.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes August as National Immunization Awareness Month to highlight the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life.

Whether children are homeschooled or attend a public, private, charter or religious school, state laws require they stay up-to-date for certain vaccinations based on their age, as recommended by the CDC.

Gov.Roy Cooper also proclaimed August as Immunization Awareness Month in North Carolina. Alongside the proclamation, the NCDHHS is partnering with health care providers and stakeholders in a statewide awareness campaign to help ensure school-age children are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

“Following CDC recommendations to control the spread of all vaccine-preventable diseases is an essential piece of both child and family well-being,” said Dr. Zack Moore, state epidemiologist. “NCDHHS is helping health care providers, parents and guardians take this essential step to protect children’s health in school and at home.”

Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as chicken pox, meningitis, measles, pertussis (whooping cough) and others are still seen across North Carolina. Keeping children up to date on vaccinations is the best way to keep them healthy and reduce unnecessary absences from school.

Children who are uninsured can still be vaccinated at low or no cost through the Vaccines for Children program which offers free vaccines to children through 19 years of age. “Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective and successful means available for preventing disease and death,” said Steven Gunn and Karin Szymanski, co-chairs of North Carolina Immunization Coalition.

“They help protect vaccinated individuals and our entire community by reducing and preventing the spread of infectious diseases.” Teens also face unique risks related to communicable diseases. “As children move into their preteen and teen years, they become more susceptible to certain diseases, making it especially important to stay current with immunizations. At the same time, preteens and teens tend to have fewer visits to their doctor’s office, increasing the chance that they are not up to date,” said Dr. Dimitrios Hondros, president of the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians. “This decrease in immunizations accelerated among adolescents during the pandemic, when stay-at-home orders went into effect.”

“You can use any health care visit, including for sports or camp physicals, school health assessments, checkups and sick visits to receive vaccines,” said Dr. Christoph Diasio, FAAP president of the N.C. Pediatric Society. “Talk with your pediatrician or health care professional to make sure your kids are protected against vaccine preventable diseases.”

NCDHHS encourages parents to talk with their child’s healthcare provider about recommended vaccinations. During that same visit, parents can talk with their physician about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine for their children ages 6 months and older. Many pediatricians and family practitioners will provide the COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible family members, as well as teens, during that same visit.

Visit MySpot.nc.gov for more information about COVID-19 vaccines.

The CDC has more information and resources for parents and guardians, including a list of all vaccines required for school attendance from kindergarten through high school.

Find out more at immunize.nc.gov/family

 

 

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Start planting your fall garden. Ex Collards, yellow squash, turnips, broccoli, squash
  • Freezing is a great way to preserve many summer fruits and vegetables that requires no special equipment. For many vegetables, it’s simply a matter of blanching them in boiling water and then storing in plastic freezer bags. Others such as peppers and fruits can simply be cut up and frozen.
  • Keep weeds and grass under control. Use straw mulch to shade out the weeds
  • Harvest vegetables at their peak of flavor. A common newbie mistake is to leave cucs, beans, squash, okra and other fruit on the plant for too long.
  • With recent rains your garden soil maybe too wet to work check moisture by taking some soil and rolling it into a ball then drop it if it completely breaks up the soil is dry enough to till.
  • Any time you use a pesticide, check the instructions for rainfastness.
  • Avoid the rush and start taking your soil samples now!
  • Keep grass clippings out of the compost pile.

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The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 08-02-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for August 2, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email Michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

Business Name – Henderson Collegiate School

Job Opening –  Work at a high performing NC K-12 public charter school serving over 1300 students in Henderson.  Offering a $2000 teacher signing bonus.  Immediate openings for the following positions:  Elementary Lead Teacher, Elementary Teacher Assistant, High School ACT Prep Teacher, High School English Teacher, High School Spanish Teacher, College Counselor, Middle School Art Teacher, Middle School Science Teacher, ESL Teacher, Special Education Teacher, and many other positions.

How To Apply – Contact Kate Liddle, Director of Talent Acquisition by phone 252-820-2070.  Email resume to kliddle@hendersoncollegiate.org .  Apply online at Careers Page, https://hendersoncollegiate.org

 

Business Name – Accounts Receivable Clerk

Job Opening –  An Accounts Receivable Clerk is needed to research and process unapplied payments, credits, and past due balances following new ERP system implementation.  Provide support to the Accounting Department in collecting payments and working with past due accounts.  Excellent data entry skills required.  Applicants need to have strong written and verbal communication skills, telephone and customer service skills.  Acumatica experience preferred.  High School Diploma or equivalent required.  Associates Degree preferred.  Full-Time. Salary is $14-$16 per hour.

How To Apply – Contact Michele Walker at Huff Consulting LLC – Email your resume to michele.walker@huff-consulting.com.  Or apply online at their website  https://huffgrp.com .

 

Business Name – Vance-Granville Community College

Job Opening –  Senior Accountant Position.  The position requires supervisory oversight and responsibility for the financial accounting of accounts payable, payroll, and Foundation operations and activities of the college.  Duties are focused on performing detail-orientated accounting work.  This position supervises a staff of three employees and reports to the Associate Vice President of Finance.

How To Apply –  Apply online at https://www.vgcc.edu, click on top tab jobs@vgcc.  Or contact Kevin Tompkins, VGCC Human Resources Department at 252-492-2061 or email resume to tompkinsk@vgcc.edu.

 

Business Name – Vance County Government

Job Opening –  Multiple positions are open with the Vance County Government.  These include, but not limited to:  Senior Center Program Assistant IV and Social Worker II; Social Services Accounting Specialists I, Social Work Program Administrator II, Processing Assistants; Fire Department part-time firefighters/engineers; and EMS full and part time Paramedics.

How To Apply – Apply online at www.vancecounty.org, or email resume to Argretta Johen, Director of Human Resources at  ajohen@vancecounty.org.

 

 

Business Name – Maria Parham Health

Job Opening –  Lab Phlebotomist Position Open.  $500 Sign on bonus for qualified candidates.  Various shifts available.  Experience is preferred.

How To Apply – Apply online at www.mariaparham.com/careers.

 

Business Name – NC Works in Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren, and Person Counties – Job Fair

Job Opening – Multiple job openings will be available from 25+ employers on site at Hix Complex, 313 East Spring Street, Oxford, NC on Wednesday, August 10th from 10 am – 2 pm.  This is an excellent opportunity to bring multiple copies of your resume and talk one-on-one with area business and industry who have many job openings.  There will be drawings for gift cards and prizes for those attending and registering.

How To Apply – For additional information, contact NC Works at 252-438-6129.

 

Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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The Local Skinny! Turning Point CDC Sponsors Community Day

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The 12th annual Community Day, sponsored by Oasis of Hope Ministries and Turning Point CDC, is shaping up to provide fun, food and free stuff for families across the four-county area.

The free, outdoor event will take place Saturday, Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their location on Old Norlina Road, just across from Skipper’s Forsyth’s, said Kate Delahanty, director of community engagement for Turning Point CDC.

Thanks to a recent school supply drive, there will be more than 120 backpacks loaded and ready for distribution on a first come, first served basis, Delahanty said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

In addition to children’s activities, there will be numerous vendors and agencies present to share educational resources and provide information to families.

“Each year, it’s just gotten bigger and bigger,” Delahanty said of the Community Day. COVID-19 cancelled the 2020 event, and Delahanty said the group was excited to return in 2021 to bring communities together and have a day of celebration. The Community Day is “a way to engage the communities we serve,” she said.

Attendees who come hungry have their choice of several different food trucks, including Chewly Delicious Jamaican, Soul bachi – a fusion of Soul Food and Hibachi-style Japanese food and Dessert Lewis Express ice cream.

Comedian Annie Perry will perform standup at 10:30 a.m. and then Michelle Ragland Wright will get folks moving with a Zumba class at 12:30 p.m. DJ Reese will provide music throughout the day, Delahanty said, as children and adults alike enjoy lawn games and a fun new scavenger hunt. Guests will visit various vendors to get answers to questions on the scavenger hunt card and then turn in the cards for prizes.

“We’re always thinking of new ideas for the next event,” Delahanty said. She offered special thanks to the 2022 sponsors, PNC and WellCare.

Visit https://www.turningpointcdc.org/ to learn more or follow the group on Facebook.

 

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City Council Reviews Proposed Minimum Housing Code; Could Approve At Aug. 8 Meeting

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The stage is set for the Henderson City Council to possibly approve a revised minimum housing code at their August meeting. Updates to the code were reviewed during a called meeting of the City Council at noon on Wednesday, and Mayor Eddie Ellington told WIZS Thursday the changes in code are needed and called current enforcement “mediocre at best.”

Ellington said the city needs more code officers to address the challenges of enforcement. “This has been an ongoing 20-year troublesome problem that is holding our city back and we’ve paid the price for it, especially with our older neighborhoods,” Ellington said to WIZS News Thursday.

But there were some concerns about some of the details contained in the document, such as requiring property owners to designate an authorized agent and provide that information to the city. City Attorney D. Rix Edwards is consulting the N.C. League of Municipalities/School of Government to determine what city leaders can and cannot ask of rental property owners. State law prohibits municipalities from having any type of registration of rental property owners, and City Manager Terrell Blackmon said Thursday that he hopes to get clarification about the language contained in the revised code.

Blackmon told WIZS that the intent simply is to have a person to contact in case of an emergency regarding a rental property.

“At this time, we are considering just making it voluntary for all landlords as we await legal interpretation,” Blackmon said. “This is a work in progress, but there will be changes to the current code,” he added.

Council member Garry Daeke said he thought most of the ordinance is good, but he said there are a few things to check on to ensure due process.

He said he felt it premature to call for additional code enforcement staff at this time. “That question is legitimate, at another time, and for our manager and staff to propose to Council once the process is finished and they submit a plan of action,” Daeke said.

Although Daeke had to leave the meeting before it concluded, he said Thursday that he also has concerns about the point of contact. “We need it, but the lien issue isn’t the answer,” he said.

Despite what he described as a “chaotic” meeting, Daeke said he felt he and his fellow Council members made a good start to address the code challenges.

Council member Sara Coffey echoed Daeke’s sentiments. “I’m real happy that we are moving forward with issues that we have been burdened with for quite some time now,” Coffey said in a written statement to WIZS.

“We still have a few tweaks and are going to have all that done by our August meeting,” she continued. “It be great to work together to help our citizens and our city to be more productive for the betterment of all.”

Another concern related to an increase in penalties assessed as a result of inspections resulting in code violations.

Blackmon observed that the City Council has decided “not to sit on their hands and do nothing. The penalties already exist and the increases are not out of bounds with the General Statutes.”

Ellington said the city’s future depends on clear action from Council and others.

“The business constituents have spoken, as noted by their submitted letter to the City and also being in attendance (at) every meeting since,” he stated. “We as leaders are faced with as I’ve said, ‘hard truths’ and difficult decisions. But the future direction of our City depends upon it. This is expected from us as a municipality.”

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • When your  garden receives heavy rainfall open rows to let excess water drain out.
  • Be cautious using herbicides with long-term control.
  • Keep hydrated when working in the garden. Drink water and take rest breaks!
  • Begin making plans for fall landscape projects, especially tree and shrub plantings.
  • Continue your fruit spray program. Be mindful of the harvest interval before you spray especially if you think you will harvest fruit soon.
  • Keep an eye out for yellow jacket nests, especially when mowing.
  • Use trash bags  to help keep deer out of your garden, electric fence is best.

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The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 07-26-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for July 26, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

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Business Name – PNC Bank

Job Opening –  Full-Time Bank Teller needed at the PNC Bank – Main Retail Branch on Chestnut Street in Henderson. Applicant will provide exceptional customer service, accurately perform high volume customer banking transactions, educate customers on new technology and develop banking product referral opportunities through strong customer relationship skills. In lieu of a degree, a comparable combination of education and experience (including military service) may be considered.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://careers.pnc.com/global/en/job/R108573/Teller

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Business Name – The Hair Loft

Job Opening –   Currently searching for a Salon Assistant and for an experienced licensed Stylist.  Great opportunity for a current cosmetology student or recent cosmetology grad to get hands-on experience as a Salon Assistant.  An experienced, licensed Stylist who may be looking for a career change, a more convenient location, or who wants to grow her skills would be an excellent candidate.  The Hair Loft is located at 116 East Dabney Drive in Henderson.

How To Apply – Apply online at http://www.thehairlofthenderson.com.

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Business Name – Huff Consulting. LLC

Job Opening –   This employment consulting company is searching to fill a vacancy for their client – Assistant Plant Manager in Henderson.  Applicants will need 3+ years of manufacturing supervision experience.  Previous machine operator experience is a plus.  Must work well with a team-oriented environment. Ability to establish quality control programs.  This is a salaried, full-time position.  $60,000-$65,000, depending on experience and qualifications.  Monday-Friday. Day Shift.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://huffgrp.com.  Click Job Seeker Tab and scroll down to click on Assistant Plant Manager-Henderson.

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Business Name – Variety Wholesalers, Inc/Roses Stores

Job Opening –  Immediate opening for a full-time Merchandise Planner. The Planner is responsible for meeting and improving financial objectives.  The Planner will be responsible for creating top-down and bottom-up financial plans and in season forecasting for multiple departments.  The ideal candidate will identify business risks and opportunities to maximize sales, profitability and inventory turn objectives. BA/BS degree required plus 2-4 year experience in a similar position.  Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://www.rosesdiscountstores.com and click on Careers.  Or apply online at www.indeed.com.

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Business Name – Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunities, Inc

Job Opening –  Currently accepting applications for Energy Auditors/QCI Inspectors.  Energy Auditors are responsible for conducting comprehensive and precise residential home energy assessments for Weatherization and HARRP Programs in accordance with program standards and uploading all information into the required computer programs.

How To Apply – Apply in person at the FVW Opportunities office, located at  180 South Beckford Drive or email your resume to tjefferson@fvwopp.com or apply online at www.fvwopp.com/job-openings.

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Business Name – Vance County High School

Job Opening –  Hiring now for instructors for Culinary Arts, Agriculture, Special Education Teachers, and Computer Technician and others.  Offering a $5,000 signing bonus.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://northcarolina.teach.org/organizations/vance-county-schools.  Or Contact Principal Rey Horner at 252-430-6000.

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Business Name – Vance County Schools

Job Opening –   Looking to make a difference in the lives of students every day?  Vance County Public School System has immediate openings for 7 full-time and 4 part-time Cafeteria Assistants.  Experience in commercial or institutional food service, school setting preferred; High school diploma or equivalent; vocational training; OR a combination of education and experience; Cashier skills required; ServSafe® Certificate or NC Safe Plates Certificate preferred.

How To Apply – Apply for the Child Nutrition positions (as well as others) online at https://vcsnc.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx.

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Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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The Local Skinny! Duck Derby Is Just Around The Corner

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The 13th annual Ducky Derby is set for Garnett Street in mid-September and Garry Daeke said that after a couple of years of making adjustments because of COVID, the Derby is returning with a full complement of associated festivities.

“This year, we are back to doing  a full street fair and festival,” Daeke told John C. Rose during Monday’s The Local Skinny! segment. There will be food trucks, music and more along Garnett Street beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17. The race commences at 2 p.m.

The Derby is an annual fundraiser for Franklin Granville Vance Smart Start, and as FGV Partnership Development Coordinator, Daeke said it’s become a fun time for families and others in the community as well.

FGV staff and board members have tickets for sale – $5 a duck, or purchase a Quack Pack to get 5 ducks for $20. Spend $100 for a “flock” of 25 tickets, Daeke said.

Daeke offered appreciation for the fire department, for their help in turning Garnett Street into a “river” on which the rubber ducks float to the finish line, and to Greystone Concrete Products for their assistance in “releasing” the ducks – from the back of one of their cement mixer trucks.

First prize is $1,000, second prize is 52 weeks of Chick Fil-A, third prize is a $250 gas card and the prize for the last duck to cross the finish line is $100.

In addition to purchase of rubber duck contestants, FGV is accepting sponsors for the event. Sponsorship levels are:

$500 – Super Duck

$250 – Feathered Friend

$100 – Quacker Backer

Buy your ducks today! — https://my.cheddarup.com/c/fgv-smart-start-2022-duckyderby or scan QR code below

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The Local Skinny! Around Old Granville: Place Names In Warren And Franklin Counties

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In a continuing discussion of local communities with odd names or curious origins, Bill Harris and Mark Pace Thursday again shone the spotlight on Franklin and Warren counties in the Around Old Granville segment of The Local Skinny!

Harris had been studying a 1911 map that Rand McNally had published and tested Pace’s knowledge about communities, some of which would no longer make the cut to be included in current maps of the area.

There’s Union Hill, for one, which was in the vicinity of Rocky Ford down in Franklin County. It had a post office from around 1834-38, Pace said.

Then there’s Brookston, named for the Brooks family, which originally was in Warren County but got redrawn at some point into what is now Vance County.

Jack, in Warren County near Littleton, was named for Jack Johnson, postmaster for the short-lived post office there. It’s just one of numerous areas that sported the first names of prominent or affluent people of the day, Pace said.

He mentioned others, including Margaret, Catesville and Drewry.

Have you ever heard of Lumdsen, an area between the Tar River bridge and Kittrell in Vance County? Pace said his research has turned up no family with that surname in Census records, but he said the name could have come from someone who worked for the railroad that came through the area.

In cases where there were no stations for the trains to stop, “people would literally tie a white handkerchief to a tree” to indicate that the conductor needed to stop and pick up passengers. The area known as Lumsden could have been named to honor a rail official, he added.

Shocco Springs in Warren County had a post office from the early 1830’s to 1866. This area became known as Lickskillet, an amusing name for an area that, before the Civil War, counted among its residents some of the most prominent and affluent families around.

Communities sometimes got named by wealthy landowners that lived nearby, like Odell in Warren County – named by the Alston family as an homage to the family castle in England.

But oftentimes, it was a post office in a particular area that helped communities get their names.

One spot in Warren County was Mountain View, Pace said. Situated between Macon and Vaughan, the Riggan family provided a half dozen or so of Mountain View’s postmasters between 1879 and 1929.

At one time, there were 32 post offices sprinkled throughout Warren County. This would have been before the introduction of rural free delivery, when people had to go to a central spot to pick up their mail. Often, that local spot was inside a country store, he added.

Franklinton has one the oldest, continually used post offices in the area, Pace noted.

 

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Keep your garden journal up to date
  • If you plan to renovate your lawn, start making preparations for this now! Ex Soil test, seed.
  • Keep hydrated when working in the garden. Drink water and take rest breaks!
  • Check your garden twice a week for insects and disease. If you need ID of garden problems Call Cooperative Extension 252-438-8188
  • Continue your fruit spray program. Be mindful of the harvest interval before you spray iespecially if you think you will harvest fruit soon.
  • If you are canning or freezing your vegetables Cooperative Extension has recommendations to help you preserve your fruits and vegetables
  • Use trash bags to help keep deer out of your garden, electric fence is best.

 

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