The Local Skinny! Brick Power Team Hosts Weight Lifting Event

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The Brick Power Team is hosting a “Beast On The Bench” power lifting meet next month, and it’s power lifting with a purpose – raising money to help two local women who have helped so many in the community.

Harry Orr, executive director of the Brick Power Team, said every penny raised at the Oct. 26 meet will be given to Sara Coffey and Marsha Ranes, both of whom are facing health challenges.

The meet will be held at the Brick, located beside Freedom Life Church of God, 1001 Martin Creek Rd., Henderson.

“They’re real dear to me and to a whole lot (of others) in the community,” Orr said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Both Coffey and Ranes have helped him with everything he’s ever done, Orr said, so it’s only fitting that he and his organization offer help in return.

In fact, Coffey herself was among the 2022 class inducted into the North Carolina State Strength Sports Hall of Fame for the support she’s provided over the years to the sport.

At one time, he said, power lifting was a big sport, and there’s a renewed interest lately among participants and those who just enjoy watching.

Entry fees are $50 for adults and $40 for teens. Spectators pay $5, and children 12 and under get in free.

Contact Orr at 252.432.4196 or by email at horr2553@yahoo.com to get registered and to learn details about the different classes and age brackets for the meet.

Weigh-ins will be held Friday, Oct. 25 from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Rules will be reviewed at 9:15 a.m. and the meet will begin at 10 a.m.

Trophies will be awarded for first and second place.

 

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Might get an early fall
  • Sept. 5 – Training for Category B for Private Pesticide
  • Vance & Warren Beekeepers will meet Monday September 9 @ 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market
  • The time for planting tall fescue is now!
  • Renovating or starting your new lawn
  • Pecan Trees Fertilization
  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market is closed on Wednesday for the season. Open this Saturday from 8am-1pm

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! 100 Years Of Perry Memorial Library

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One hundred years ago, the very first librarian at the brand-new library in Henderson probably couldn’t have imagined all the events and programs that take place under the roof of today’s library.

That librarian would probably have been too busy shushing patrons and peering over reading glasses perched low on her nose.

When Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters imagines the library of the future, she paints a picture that includes outdoor benches outfitted with solar power to recharge devices and envisions the library as a community hub – a place where people can find information, from books or by other means.

The future is not that far away, in fact.

Peters has priced those benches – about $10,000 each – and the community college has its own booth inside the library where prospective students can learn about the enrollment process and more.

Come celebrate 100 years of the library on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Peters said there will be food trucks, carnival games and much more to mark the first hundred years of the public library in Henderson.

“At the time, it was the largest gift given in North Carolina to fund a library,” Peters said. The land was given first, then came the money to build the library.

Libraries of the future may incorporate more virtual events, e-books and more non-traditional forms of getting information, but Peters said nothing can replace walking into an actual library and holding an actual book.

She’s witnessed grandparents bringing grandchildren in to the library and reminiscing about library visits when they themselves were children.

“I don’t want kids to hit 18 and never have come to the library,” Peters said. “This community loves and supports its library…it’s a beautiful gift (and) we’ve kept it going for 100 years.”

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

 

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Three Arrested Following Report Of Gunshot Into Occupied Vehicle

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-information courtesy of Henderson Police Chief Marcus W. Barrow

Three men were arrested Wednesday following a report of gunfire involving two vehicles on a city street. No injuries were reported, according to a press release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow, and it is believed to have been an isolated incident.

On Aug. 28, at approximately 12 noon, it was reported that someone in a dark-colored Jeep SUV discharged a weapon into another vehicle near South William Street and Chavasse Avenue.

Investigators with the Henderson Police Department quickly developed information that led them to obtain a search warrant for 1722 Lynn Ave., where the suspect vehicle was located.

During a search of the residence, multiple firearms were located and recovered, leading to the detainment and subsequent charging of multiple people.

Djhante Blash, of 1722 Lynn Ave. was charged with possession of Schedule II and possession of a firearm by a felon. Blash was remanded to the Vance County Detention Center without bond, pending his first court appearance.

Nigel Malik Torres, 23, of Franklin County was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to kill and discharging a weapon into occupied property. Torres was remanded to the Vance County Detention Center without bond, pending his first court appearance.

Kobe Isaiah Allen of Winston Salem was charged with possession of firearm by convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm. Allen received a $50,000 secured bond and was transported to the Vance County Detention Center.

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Preparations for planting tall fescue
  • Carolina Lawns Publications
  • Buying your seeds for your fall garden
  • Central Piedmont Planting Guide Publication
  • Paying attention when selecting your turf fertilizers
  • Trying to purchase non root-bound transplants
  • How to be careful when using landscaping equipment
  • The time for fruit to become ripe
  • Turning your compost pile

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The Local Skinny! Kerr Lake Regional Water System

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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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The Local Skinny! Steve Falkner’s 40th Year at Henderson Fire Dept.

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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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The Local Skinny! N.C. Arts Council Grant Awards

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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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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Weeding your garden
  • Fall garden planting
  • Update garden journal
  • Food Preservation Techniques
  • Lawn Renovation
  • Transplant sources
  • Lawn mower maintenance

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Perry Memorial Library

Perry Library To Celebrate 100th Birthday

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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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