On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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Funding improvements to the regional water system are being approved at a steady trickle, and city leaders are managing the various projects that could ultimately have a price tag twice the size as was originally quoted, pre-COVID.
The Henderson City Council approved a couple of resolutions at its Aug. 19 meeting that will bring $16.5 million to keep working on the Kerr Lake Regional Water System to bring its production to 20 million gallons of water a day as well as other related infrastructure projects.
Council member Garry Daeke told WIZS News in a telephone interview that the city has the money necessary to complete the regional water system expansion, having received $10.8 million from the N.C. Dept. of Environmental Quality for the water project and $5 million in grant funding with support in July 2022 from State Sen. Lisa Barnes.
An additional $1 million is being allocated to address lead mitigation in the city’s water lines from the state’s drinking water revolving fund.
Water Resources Director Christy Lipscomb continues to manage the projects and keeps city leaders informed about progress.
As spelled out in the City Council’s agenda package, the city was originally approved for a state revolving loan of more than $31.8 million for the water system upgrade project, but NCDEQ has kicked in another $10,890,172 to help the system reach its full capacity of 20 million gallons per day. This addition brings the total thus far to $50,783,172.
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When a fire call comes in, time is of the essence. And if Steve Falkner is around, you can bet that he knows the quickest route to get from the firehouse to the scene.
Falkner began his 40th year with the Henderson Fire Department last week, and his colleagues celebrated the milestone with the person they affectionately know as “Chicken.”
A social media post shows Falkner sitting behind a big cake and fellow firefighters surrounding him, along with text which reads, in part, “…we all know him as someone who is full of great experience and knowledge…”
In a phone conversation with WIZS News Monday, Falkner said he wasn’t really sure of the origin of his nickname, but it may have come from the mid-to late 1980’s when he was a fire dispatcher – before the days of the 911 call center.
He may or may not have been known to run around the fire department like a chicken with its head cut off, he said.
The first to add his comments to the post was Fire Chief Tim Twisdale, who said Falkner was the source of advice, humor and help to all. “He is like a walking encyclopedia of history and knowledge of our area,” Twisdale continued. “He definitely keeps things going at the fire station.”
For his part, Falkner said the celebration was “a very, very nice thing they did for me.” He’s worked with some good leaders in the fire department since he first came on the scene in 1984.
By 10 a.m. Monday, the post had 76 comments, and by 3 p.m. Monday, the number of reactions to the post had swelled to 353.
In the words of Chief Twisdale, Falkner is “a joy to have around. Here’s to 40 and many more!”
Congratulations to Steve Falkner for his four decades of service to the community.
The Local Skinny! Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:40 a.m.
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Local arts programs are getting some financial assistance for 2025 in the form of grant awards from the North Carolina Arts Council.
The Vance County Arts Council will receive $34,728 for a Grassroots Arts Program, and the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation, Inc. – that is to say, McGregor Hall – is the recipient of a $21,000 sustaining support grant, according to information from the N.C. Arts Council.
McGregor Hall is one of 85 new organizations to get flexible funding through an expanded category called Sustaining Support, which more than doubles the agency’s investment in work that promotes stability and sustainability in the arts sector.
Vance County’s $55,728 is part of more than $11.5 million that is being distributed across the state. A total of 366 grants were awarded to nonprofit arts organizations, schools, after-school programs, municipalities and artists in all 100 counties this year. The grants range from $5,000 to $338,000.
This year’s grant awards significantly increase the N.C. Arts Council’s investment in small and mid-sized arts organizations.
Funding priorities went to projects that emphasize community outreach and audience engagement, connect K-12 students with a variety of artists and disciplines, notably traditional arts of North Carolina, as well as to projects that foster public-private partnerships to weave local support with state and federal funding and those that provide outreach to military veterans and their families.
In Granville County, for example, a project called Military and Veterans Healing Arts will get $10,000 to create a veteran artist-led community based mural project and accompanying educational activities.
The Granville Educational Foundation will get $46,631 for a Grassroots Arts Program, bringing the total in Granville County to $56,631.
“The record number of applications we received this grant cycle signals that artists are inspiring audiences and producing arts experiences that make our state a wonderful place to live, work, and visit,” said Jeff Bell, the Arts Council’s executive director. “I thank Governor Cooper and the General Assembly for championing our arts and culture sector. The arts deliver more than $2 billion in economic impact annually to our state and are a powerful tool to uplift entire communities.”
“The arts are woven into the fabric of our state’s identity, and as I travel across North Carolina, I see firsthand how much the creative sector contributes to the cultural and economic vibrancy of cities, towns, and regions. When the arts flourish, communities flourish,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson.
Franklin County was awarded $55,946 for a Grassroots Arts Program.
In Warren County, the school district will receive $22,965 for its Grassroots Arts Program.
See the complete list of FY2024-25 grant recipients at https://www.ncarts.org/fy2024-25.
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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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Perry Library has had several locations during its 99 years and 11 months of providing book-lending services to the area. And now, as library staff and the community prepare to celebrate 100 years, Youth Services Director Melody Peters says she’s weaving a birthday theme into a number of programs leading up to a very special celebration.
Some residents may remember visiting H. Leslie Perry Library when it occupied the columned building across from the old courthouse; others may have gone to the library when it was on Rose Avenue. But 205 Breckenridge Street has been the home of Perry Memorial Library since 2006, and Peters said it will be the site of a 100th birthday party on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There will be a bounce house, circus performers, food trucks, and a DJ and live music. The community is invited to come out to celebrate a century of having a library to enjoy, she said.
Other children’s programs leading up to that centennial celebration, however, will include a birthday theme.
Pre-school aged children will get to make pom pom launchers at the kickoff event of a STEM program geared toward kids not yet in school. Participants also will be decorating Play-Doh cupcakes at the first of a monthly gathering that includes hands-on activities for youngsters, Peters said.
Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn about its programs and services and to view a calendar of events.
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John Mattocks, program director at Vance Recovery, told county commissioners the opioid treatment center’s marketing campaign can be a little tough: individuals who are in recovery and beating the addiction odds aren’t usually the ones giving testimonials.
“Our successes are invisible,” Mattocks told commissioners at the Aug. 5 meeting. “All of my failures come with red and blue lights,” he said, referring to involvement with law enforcement and medical personnel.
“We are the gold standard for treatment,” Mattocks said, adding that the 50 percent success rate is “crazy good.”
But Mattocks and his staff at Vance Recovery want to better educate the public about the facility and the programs it offers. Currently operating at its location on Dabney Drive, plans are well underway to move to a state-of-the-art facility at 932 W. Andrews Ave.
“We’re hoping to move by Oct. 1,” Mattocks told WIZS Monday. They’re waiting for one last checkoff from the DEA to make sure the new location is safe and secure for clients and for the community.
As soon as that last inspection is completed, Mattocks said, “we’ll be moving with gangbusters.”
The clinic is moving because it needs more space to provide treatment to clients, he said, adding that Vance Recovery is the only opioid treatment program in the area. They work with other agencies, like Rural Health Group, and Vision Behavioral Health to help connect services to the people who need them.
Vance Recovery is a for-profit business, and just one of numerous clinics owned by Dr. Eric Morse, a nationally acclaimed leader in the field of opioid treatment and recovery programs.
“Every day we are fighting the twin epidemics of opioid use and opioid overdose and death,” he said.
One of the goals is to avoid emergency room visits and legal interventions for people who are in crisis, he said.
He said that without the diversion services that RHA provides, he knows there would be individuals who would have had to be sent to an emergency room for help.
“Right now, it’s a real blessing to our community” to have RHA, he said.
Visit https://www.morseclinics.com/locations/vance-recovery to learn more.
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— For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.
Cleaning the exterior of your car or truck may sound pretty basic – sort of like writing instructions for how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – but when you break it down step by step, you may realize that doing things in a certain order produces better results.
The shelves at Advance Auto Parts are filled with cleaning products from detergent to bug and grime remover, wheel brushes to soft chamois cloths. If you’re unsure about just which products to choose, consult the professional staff at Advance Auto to get steered in the right direction.
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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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce golf tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, promising an afternoon of fun and fellowship as teams make their way through the links at Henderson Country Club.
Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson said she’s looking for at least 24 four-member teams to take part, so business and industry leaders, that’s your cue to get those teams formed and registered!
And the Chamber is accepting sponsorships, too – there are many different levels to choose from and lots of opportunities to have your business name and logo displayed throughout the event.
“It’s a great way to market your business – it’s a great marketing tool,” Wilkerson said on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny!
Margier White and State Farm are this year’s presenting sponsor, and Wilkerson invites others to join White by becoming a sponsor at a variety of other levels.
This marks the 26th golf tournament sponsored by the Chamber, which Wilkerson said alternates between HCC and Kerr Lake Country Club.
“It’s a fun day,” she said. Teams tee off in the afternoon, so there’s plenty of time to get in some work in the morning before reassembling the team on the golf course – all for a good cause.
The Chamber enjoys a membership of more than 300 members, and Wilkerson said she feels fortunate that new members come on board all year long. She and fellow Chamber staff offer a variety of classes and other types of engagement sessions to accommodate all members.
Call the Chamber at 252.438.8414 or email Wilkerson at sandra@hendersonvance.org to learn more about becoming a golf tournament sponsor or to register a team.
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