The Local Skinny! Geranium Lane Bridge Wash Out

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When it rains, it pours. And in the case of last week’s local soaking thanks to Tropical Storm Debby, sometimes part of your road washes away.

That’s just what happened on Geranium Lane in Kittrell, but quick thinking and some creative problem-solving helped the eight or 10 households regain access to their road, which is the only way in or out of their neighborhood.

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame told WIZS that the families would have been stranded, had it not been for first responders that included members of the Kittrell Volunteer Fire Department and Chief David Woodlief.

They, along with Fogg’s Towing and J & J Logging, helped place a temporary bridge over the portion of the road that was washed away Thursday as Tropical Storm Debby made her way north across the state, spawning tornadoes in nearby Franklin County and keeping many Vance County residents concerned as the rain continued to soak the area all day.

Logging companies place temporary bridges to help their heavy equipment on and off property that is being logged. Now one of those structures is in place to allow families along Geranium Lane to get to and from their homes.

 

The Local Skinny! Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

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Granville Vance Public Health Logo

The Local Skinny! Granville Vance Publilc Health Updates Social Media

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Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison and her team maintain a laser focus on community health and providing services that improve residents’ well-being. But there’s a newly formed team within the health department that has the task of tweaking the ways that people in the community learn about the wide scope of services available at the health department.

As a result of that teamwork, the GVPH social media presence is going to have a new look in the next week or so, and Harrison said it’s just one way she and her staff are working to be effective community partners.

“We want to make sure that we’re in lockstep in communicating in our two counties,” Harrison said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! “Social media is how we do that these days.”

Over the course of the next week or so, they’ll be finishing up the final details before the launch, Harrison said. For those who already follow GVPH on social media, there’s nothing special that needs to be done. The address won’t change, despite the fact that the health department will be using a new hosting site.

And for that younger demographic that prefers Instagram over Facebook, no worries – GVPH has you covered.

“We’re trying to do both and connect them in real time,” Harrison noted.

There are always lots of exciting things happening at the Vance and Granville locations, and it’s important to share them with the public.

Whether it’s a reminder to get a flu shot, the latest COVID-19 booster or any number of other programs the health department offers, Harrison said social media platforms are a way to push that information out.

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

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • Farmer’s Market
  • Beekeeper’s August Meeting
  • Tropical Storm Debby
  • Garden Flooding
  • Food Preservation Techniques
  • Lawn Renovation
  • Planning for Fall Gardens
  • Lawn Safety 

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Perry Memorial Library

Perry Memorial Library – Summer Reading Program Big Success

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Participants of the first Story Time at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market will be nice and dry Wednesday morning (or were nice and dry depending on when you are reading this) and safe from the rains from Tropical Storm Debby.

It’s National Farmers Market Week, and Perry Memorial Library is joining in the celebration by hosting Story Time, beginning at 10 a.m.

Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters said the market provides a great location to take story time on the road. “It’s a gorgeous facility – bright and airy…and covered,” she said on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny!

The story time program is geared for children 0-5, and Peters hopes the forecast of rain won’t dampen participation.

Participation in the library’s summer reading program was spectacular, Peters said.

More than 2,000 children and adults attended 50-plus programs over two months, she said.

They read and read, and read some more, logging 144,000 minutes in their reading logs.

“We were rockin’ and rollin’,” she said. No need to grab the calculator – that is 2,400 HOURS of reading over the summer. Wow!

She said it was great to hear from folks who were returning to the library after a long hiatus. Others were bringing grandchildren, and still others were young people who may not have been gung-ho about reading.

Youngsters who expressed such a sentiment to Peters didn’t get a lecture about how important reading is. Rather, she asked them what they’re interested in and then helped them find books on the topic. The general attitude went from ‘aww, man, do I have to read?’ to ‘ can we have some more books?’ and Peters couldn’t be happier.

“When kids get excited (about reading), I’m ready to give more,” she said. “Now, they’re coming to the library…that’s a ‘win-win’ for me.”

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more about the programs and services available at your local library.

WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM

The Local Skinny! Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

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Salvation Army

The Local Skinny! Salvation Army

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Major Beth Mallard is the Salvation Army’s new Corps officer serving at the Henderson location.

The organization made the announcement in mid-June; Mallard is one of a couple of dozen corps officers that assumed their new assignments across the Carolinas.

Mallard succeeds the husband-wife team of Captains Joshua and Amanda Keaton, who served at the local Salvation Army for about two years before accepting new roles as district youth secretaries for the organization’s Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi district.

The Salvation Army’s mission is to meet human needs in the name of Jesus Christ.  In addition to having church services at the Rock Mill Road facility, the Salvation Army also runs a food pantry, after-school program and a Family Store & Donation Center at 218 Raleigh Rd.

There will be a huge furniture sale on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m at the site of the former family store at 222 W. Montgomery St.

Tune in at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13 when Maj. Mallard will be a guest on TownTalk.

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The Local Skinny!: Police Chief Barrow Updates Two Murder Cases

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Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow said a months-long murder investigation has resulted in a suspect being taken into custody in California.

“After slightly over three months of tireless effort from our investigative division, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, we are relieved to say that Antarious Tebron Harrington, age 28, has been taken into custody by the U.S. Marshal Service in California,” Barrow said in a written statement to WIZS News late Wednesday.

The shooting occurred on the evening of Apr. 15 during an altercation on Julia Avenue. Alston was taken to a local medical facility, where he later died.

At the time of the shooting, local police investigators obtained warrants for Harrington’s arrest, who was then out on pre-trial release on felony drug charges.

Further details were not immediately available.

Henderson police also have made two additional arrests in another shooting death that happened last week.

Christopher Joyner, 26, died on July 25. Police found Joyner in his car and discovered that he had suffered a gunshot wound. The car was located in the roadway between Beck Avenue and Ford Street on West Andrews Avenue.

 

Police arrested Qui’terrious Alston, 23, and Jadda-kyss Alston, 21, both of Henderson, in connection with the incident. Each was charged with First Degree Murder and placed at the Vance County Detention Facility without privilege of bond.
“We are tremendously grateful of our community for providing assistance in this investigation,” Barrow said in a statement to WIZS News. “Your continued support is making a difference.”

Nineteen-year-old Jah-meer Spann, of Henderson,  was arrested earlier and also charged with murder. He was remanded to the Vance County Jail without privilege of bond.

 

Home And Garden Show

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

  • Farmer’s Market
  • Fall Gardens
  • Water in the garden
  • Insect control
  • Food Preservation 

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The Local Skinny! Vance County Schools New App Student Information System

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Vance County Schools is among a group of public school districts and charter schools across the state in Phase 1 of a new student information system.

NC Student Information System – NC SIS – is coming on line over the next couple of years, and Vance County parents and students are among the first test drive the new system powered by Infinite Campus.

VCS Chief Officer of Communication & Innovative Support Aarika Sandlin and Chief Officer of Technology Marsha Abbott discussed the changeover and what it will entail on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Sandlin said families will no longer use the PowerSchool app, and should upload the Infinite Parent app available through the Apple Store or Google Play. Students, likewise, will download the Infinite Student app.

Abbott said each of the programs contains a wealth of tools for students and parents to use, from accessing attendance, to online assignments and grades, and more.

The new system will allow parents to enroll students online, eliminating the need to  travel to the central office.

“Our goal is to make things as accessible as possible,” Sandlin said, “with no barriers.”

Parents still have the option of enrolling their child in person, but they will no longer be required to do so, if they have the app on their mobile device.

“We are not taking away any form of communication,” she added, “we’re simply adding ways.”

Abbott said the new system also allows for communication with teachers and parents, at any point during the year, can update information such as phone numbers and address to maintain the most updated information.

Visit the school’s Facebook page to find out more or visit https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/  to learn about upcoming Open Houses for year-round schools and schools on the traditional calendar. Aug. 7 is the first day for year-round students; students in schools on traditional calendars return Aug. 26.

Find all three 2024-25 calendars at https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/calendar 

 

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Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Program At Farmers Market Matches Funds To Boost Purchasing Power

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The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is filled with fresh local produce on Wednesdays and Saturdays, just waiting to be scooped up and featured on dinner tables across the area.

The market has added a couple of programs that other markets across the state are using to help seniors and others stretch their dollars. The SunBucks and Senior Double Up Food Bucks programs are both ways to encourage eating healthy foods while supporting local farmers and the local economy, said Vance County Cooperative Extension Director Dr. Wykia Macon.

“It seemed like a natural fit because we accept EBT at the Farmers Market and now with Double Bucks, when someone uses their EBT card, we match EBT purchases dollar-for-dollar,” Macon told WIZS News.

Those who use SunBucks and Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) will have their dollars doubled, too, she said.

“It came about after seeing other markets doing the program and realizing that we should be offering the same to our community,” Macon said.

“Since this is our first time with the program, we will learn as we go. Right now, we are limiting the match to $20 per day, so someone could visit the market on Wednesday and Saturday to receive up to $40 Double Bucks per week while we are open on Wednesdays.”

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation offers a grant that provides the matching funds, which, although not unlimited, will allow for many residents to use the benefits before the end of the market season, Macon explained.

Clearview Church Hosts ‘Night of Gospel Praise’ Aug. 4

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Clearview Church is hosting a “Night of Gospel Praise” Sunday evening, featuring Jimmy and the Sound Barriers among other performers who will present a Gaither-style concert to benefit Anchor of Hope.

The evening begins at Sunday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. at Clearview, located at 3485 Hwy. 158 Business. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

Barrier and wife Kay are just two of the individuals teaming up to put on the event. Kay leads the church’s Anchor of Hope ministry, which provides support to those near and far. The prayer group involves about 70 women who lay hands on and bless the blankets before they are delivered to those in need. It’s a symbol of God’s love, she said, and that those who have reached out for prayer are not alone.

“We try to reach out to people going through trials and storms in their life,” she said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

One aspect of the ministry involves praying over blankets that are distributed to those battling illness or other life-altering events.

In addition to the blankets, the ministry provides food gift cards and gas cards to help with essential items when disaster strikes.

“It’s a comfort to know that people are praying for you,” Jimmy Barrier said. The proceeds from the Sunday concert goes directly to the ministry.

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