The Local Skinny! JPAC Brings A Variety Of Entertainment To The Area

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Whether it’s the glam style of Cher or the allure of rescue dogs doing comical tricks, chances are the Jones Performing Arts Center at Louisburg College has something of interest.

Robert Poole, director of the JPAC, spoke with WIZS’s Bill Harris Monday on The Local Skinny! and listed all the upcoming performances scheduled at the venue.

After almost a year and a half of interruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Poole said “now we’re kind of back up and running.”

Next up is a show by Lisa McClowry, who “looks more like Cher than Cher does,” Poole said. McClowry is a professional singer who tours across the country as Cher, including the obligatory multiple costume changes during the evening’s concert.

The doors open at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $40 for adults to $10 for children.

The “Rhythm of the Dance” is sure to delight, when the National Dance Company of Ireland takes the stage on Mar. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Think Riverdance, Poole said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he added.

The Royal National Dance Company from Tiblisi, Georgia, will perform a free concert titled “Fire of Georgia” on Mar. 30 at 7:30 p.m. The performance will combine folk music from the Repubic of Georgia with classical dance elements. The doors open at 6:30 and the show begins at 7 p.m.

And you won’t want to miss Perondi’s Stunt Dogs on Sunday afternoon, April 16, Poole said.

This group of rescue dogs has been trained to do all sorts of tricks, from jumping through rings to dancing and long jumps. Tickets are on sale now for this show, which is being presented at a family-friendly time of 3 p.m. so parents can bring the kids for a fun-filled afternoon.

Visit https://www.jpacarts.com/ for a complete list of events, as well as ticket pricing and purchase options or call the box office Monday through Friday between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at 866.733.6354.

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Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

The Local Skinny! Recreation And Parks Dept. Gears Up For Spring

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The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Departments has a long list of sports programs that are gearing up for spring and beyond. Jamal Williams spoke with WIZS’s Bill Harris Thursday on The Local Skinny! to run down just a few of the opportunities for children from 4 years all the way through high school.

Basketball tryouts will be held this weekend for two age groups – youngsters in grades 3-6 are invited to come out to the former Eaton-Johnson gymnasium Friday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.; youth in grades 7-9 will have their tryouts on Sunday, Feb. 19 starting at 2 p.m.

There is no fee for this program – and Williams said young people simply need “to show up with a great attitude ready to learn.”

For some, especially the younger children, this may be their first taste of playing organized basketball. Williams said he hopes to be able to form several teams according to age to travel outside Vance County for tournaments or games with similar teams.

“It’s more than just rec league,” Williams said, adding that it will give the players a chance to compete and play at a higher level. “We definitely want to prepare them for the next level,” he added, including school teams.

Tutoring sessions also will be offered to those who make the team – keeping up grades is part of being on the team.

If basketball isn’t your child’s favorite, try soccer. Registration is open now for the rec department’s soccer program. Register online at XX or visit the rec center in person by Mar. 26. The in-county registration fee is $40; out-of-county registrants pay $60, but Williams said a fee waiver is available for eligible children. The soccer league is open to children between the ages of 4 and 18.

But it’s not ALL about the children, Williams said. An adult kickball league is forming for the first time this spring – “I think it’s going to be a fun time,” he said. Players must be over 18 and each team needs a minimum of 10 players. Sign up a whole group or join individually and get assigned to a team. Call the rec department for details about fees and schedules. The plan is to have five teams, Williams said.

T-ball is a sport for children ages 4-6, and it’s a good first step to get them ready for baseball and softball, Williams said.

Last year, more than 100 children signed up for t-ball alone, Williams said, and he hopes to have that many again this year. Getting older youth involved in sports is a goal as well.

It’s hard to compete with video games and other demands that children have these days, but participating in sports is so much more than physical activity and playing games.

Williams said participating in sports builds character, teaches leadership, helps young people make connections and meet new friends, just for starters.

To learn more, contact Williams at 252.438.3408 or jamalwilliams@henderson.nc.gov

Visit https://henderson.nc.gov/departments/recreation_and_parks for a complete list of programs.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • If growing plants in a greenhouse or cold frame when day temps are 70F higher you may need ventilation in your greenhouse or open the cold frame.
  • Fertilize tall fescue, slow release, low P, crabgrass preventer.
  • Record the dates you plant your seed.
  • Get ready to prune fruit trees – 2/25, 10 am, timberlake
  • When growing plants check soil media before watering.
  • Apply preemergent herbicide to flowerbeds.
  • Make sure when growing plants in doors that plants are getting enough light. Provide grow lights if needed.
  • Don’t be late in planting your cool season vegetables. Follow the schedule.
  • Cooperative Extension has excellent vegetable publications.
  • If growing transplants, fertilize every week or so with a water soluble fertilizer, or as foliage color indicates.

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The Local Skinny! Vance County Schools Receives Awards

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For the third year in a row, Vance County Schools has brought home top honors for excellence in school communications, presented to school districts by the N.C. School Public Relations Association.

VCS earned a total of 16 Blue Ribbon awards for outstanding and effective

school public relations, according to information from Aarika Sandlin, VCS director of communication and marketing. The local school district was one of 38 to receive honors at the ceremony held Friday, Feb. 10 in High Point.

“Vance County Schools was recognized in every Blue Ribbon Award category for exemplary work,” Sandlin said in a press statement. “This recognition is an honor for our entire district, as well as a testament to the hard work of our team and the collaboration between departments on a daily basis.”

One of its five gold awards came in the Marketing category and the entry “Center for Innovation: The Hub of Our Community” received a perfect score.

The other four gold award categories and their winning entries were:

  • Photography – Superintendent Bennett Reads Across the District
  • Electronic Media – Moving Forward in our Strategic Plan
  • Special Events and Programs – Business After Hours
  • Digital Media Engagement – Alumni Roll Call: Homecoming 2022

VCS received five silver awards in the following categories:

  • Special Events and Programs – Arts Alive 2022
  • Special Events and Programs – Honoring our Community Partnerships
  • Digital Media and Engagement – New Principal Announcements for the 2022-2023 School Year
  • Photography – Play hard. Laugh louder. Love bigger.
  • Publications- Visual Identity Across the District

VCS received six bronze awards in the following categories:

  • Excellence in Writing – Growing through Accountability
  • Image and Graphic Design – Vance County Schools: A Quick Glimpse
  • Image and Graphic Design – In the Know on the Road
  • Electronic Media: Polly C – A Unique Look at Policies
  • Special Events and Programs – Honoring Wayne Adcock: Auditorium Dedication

Representing Vance County Schools for NCSPRA, in addition to Sandlin, are Brielle Barrow, communications coordinator; Dr. Destiney Ross-Putney, executive director of the Center for Innovation; and Kristen Jeffreys, digital learning and innovation specialist. NCSPRA is a statewide professional organization serving more than 175 members. Its mission is to build support for public education through well-planned and responsible public relations. For more information, visit www.ncspra.org.

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The Local Skinny! Dogs Deserve Better To Hold Quarter Auction

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“Dogs Deserve Better Piedmont” is sponsoring its 3rd annual “Puppy Love” Quarter Auction later this month at The Barn at Vino in Stem.

This chapter of the nonprofit organization is based in Granville County, and it serves neighboring counties including Vance, Person, Wake and Franklin. Lucy Poynton joined WIZS’s Bill Harris Monday to launch a new segment of The Local Skinny! Called “Pets and People.”

The doors open at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, Poynton said. There will be food trucks and vendors on hand in advance of the 7 p.m. auction start.

Tickets are $10, but if you’re interested in attending, don’t wait – 80 percent of the tickets have already been sold.

Poynton said she and her small band of volunteers have been working for the past 3 ½ years or so to help get dogs off tethers.

“We’d drive around and see a lot of outdoor, chained dogs,” she said. The money the group raises pays for materials to construct 10-foot by 20-foot kennels for the dogs, and other items like dog houses, straw for winter bedding and flea and tick collars.

She estimates that the organization has “unchained” close to 140 dogs, distributed hundreds of flea/tick collars and helped with urgent vet care, including spay/neuter, for 65 animals.

They occasionally will help provide spay/neuter services for cats as well, although the focus is on providing items for dogs – from kennels to toys – “anything to make their life a little better.”

The Barn at Vino is located at 3200 Bliss Trail, Stem, NC 27581.

Contact dddpiedmont@dogsdeservebetter.org to learn more

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The Local Skinny! Vance Co. Arts Council Celebrates Black History Month

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The Vance County Arts Council, in conjunction with McGregor Hall, invites the community to come out for an evening of musical entertainment to learn about the history of gospel music.

The show is free to the public and begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at McGregor Hall, and Vance County Arts Council Executive Director Alice Sallins said folks are in for a real treat.

“We’re so excited,” Sallins said. “We want people to come and behold this beautiful production.”

Sallins told WIZS’s Bill Harris that she couldn’t divulge too much about the show because it will be presented at other venues in addition to McGregor Hall.

Thanks to some grant funding, she said the Arts Council was able to bring in some top-quality perfomers and artists who will take the history of gospel music from its roots in call and response, field hollers and spirituals all the way up to its blending of blues and jazz that creates the familiar sound we know today.

“Thomas Dorsey combined those genres of music with spirituals he heard in church,” Sallins said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! “He came up with this moving music that cause people to clap their hands and move their bodies,” she said.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • If growing plants in a greenhouse or cold frame when day temps are 70F higher you may need ventilation in your greenhouse or open the cold frame.
  • Fertilize tall fescue, slow release, low P, crabgrass preventer.
  • Repot your house plants if needed
  • Get ready to prune fruit trees – 2/25, 10 am, timberlake
  • Add compost to the garden or raised beds
  • Sharpen your hand pruners and loppers with a metal file.
  • Use landscape cloth for weed control in raised beds.
  • Plant more pansies.
  • Cooperative Extension has excellent vegetable publications.
  • Apply preemergent herbicide to flowerbeds.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! What’s Happening At Perry Library

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Perry Memorial Library has several opportunities for patrons to observe Black History Month as they take part in interactive workshops, take book walks and go on scavenger hunts.

Youth Services Director Melody Peters ran down a list of activities that are already underway or will be presented during February.

The “pop up” story walk located right outside the library features the classic children’s book “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats, Peters told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! This literary classic is the first children’s book that features an African American child as the main character, she said.

The story walk idea blends activity with learning, “to encourage little ones to read – and walk. When you’re walking and reading and learning,” Peters said, it builds excitement for what’s going to be on the next panel. This story walk will be up all month for families to enjoy.

Speaking of families, Peters said the next family program will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28 and will feature Mama Azia’s African Dance, Drum & Storytelling. This culturally immersive interactive workshop, Peters said.

Participants will have a chance to learn new things, but they’ll also have a chance to dance, Peters said. There are currently about 30 people in the ongoing family program, but Peters said there’ plenty of room for more.

Youngsters can take part in a scavenger hunt to learn more about inventions during Black History Month.

“Kids love a hunt,” Peters said. “They love to find things.” Pick up a card at the Youth Services desk, find all the items and return the card to get a prize.

Adult patrons can opt for a “Blind Date with a Book” in the Adult Services area of the library. Read the first line of novel to get a hint of what the novel may be about while also becoming interested in reading something new.

Next Saturday, Feb. 18, families are encouraged to bring the little ones for a children’s dental health workshop. The workshop will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is presented by CDA Ny’Kirah Street, a student in N.C. A&T State’s health services management program.

Kids can learn how to brush and floss and promote dental health from someone who’s not a dentist…or their parents.

“The key is learning good habits early,” Peters said.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ for a complete list of events and programs at the library.

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The Local Skinny! Around Old Granville with Mark Pace

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Watch out, Oxford. Your tiny neighbor to the south is gaining on you. It will only take a couple of hundred more people to stake the claim of being the largest town in Granville County.

That, according to local historian Mark Pace, who talked with WIZS’s Bill Harris for the “Around Old Granville” segment of The Local Skinny! Monday.

Butner’s growth today, however, pales in comparison to the early to mid-1940’s when the U.S. government built Camp Butner as it was gearing up for World War II.

Pace said William B. Umstead and his brother John were instrumental in getting the federal government to locate Camp Butner in the southwest corner of the county, close to a big city (Durham), but not “too” close, Pace said.

Construction began in February 1942, on more than 4,000 acres of mostly farmland, much of which had been owned and worked by families for 200 years or more.

“It was amazing how quickly it was built,” Pace said. Within five months, there were numerous structures, including an armory, sports building and a water tower, all of which are standing today.

“They had 15,000 people working 24-7 to build that camp,” Pace said. And because it was a federal project, the state’s segregation laws were superseded by federal jurisdiction, which meant that for the first time, African Americans were hired the same as their White counterparts, he added.

Camp Butner was home for thousands of workers, civilian and military, but also for more than 4,000 German and Italian prisoners of war.

“So many farm people had been called up to serve, POWs would go and work farms,” Pace said. “And they’d get paid a little bit, too.”

After the war ended, much of the property reverted back to the landowners, but the footprint of Camp Butner became what is now considered the town of Butner. But until it was incorporated in 2007, the town was run by the state of North Carolina.

“Go to the town hall,” Pace said. “There’s a marvelous museum in the lobby” chronicling the creation of the town that once was known as Camp Butner.

 

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