TownTalk 1-26-21 Shooting Incident Results In Death Of Horse
Host John C. Rose discusses a shooting incident that occurred in Henderson resulting in the death of a horse.
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ACTS of Henderson Fish Fry Fundraiser February 1st
When was the last chance you got to help a local food pantry by, well, eating?
Area residents will get that exact opportunity at the Feb. 1 fundraiser at 220 Restaurant to benefit Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS).
Lee Anne Peoples, executive director of ACTS, said tickets are $8 each and are available now. Advance sales are preferred, Peoples said, but not required. The fundraiser plates include trout, French fries and cole slaw. “We’d love for people to come and join us,” she said. The fundraiser is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
ACTS, located at 201 S. William St., has been a beehive of activity, she told host John C. Rose during Monday’s Town Talk. “We’ve seen about double the amount of people in the last few months than we saw prior to COVID.” The fundraiser will help the organization continue to provide hot lunches on weekdays as well as hep to keep the pantry stocked.
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“We’ve been serving between 120 and 160 or 170 (people) Monday through Friday,” Peoples said of the hot lunch program. She and cook Thomas Blackwell are the only paid staff, she added. “We’re almost completely volunteer-driven,” Peoples said. “We would not be able to do what we do without volunteers.”
More lunches are headed out the door each day because people are taking food to family, friends and neighbors who need the assistance. “COVID has increased the numbers of people we’ve been serviing, but it has decreased the number of volunteers,” she said.
Peoples said tickets are available at ACTS from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. – and ACTS will happily take donations to help fill the pantry, too. In short supply are items like canned fruits and vegetables, 1-pound or 2-pound bags of rice or beans, boxes of crackers packaged in plastic sleeves such as saltines. Also needed are gallon-size cans of food that can be used for lunches, she said.
Of course, monetary donations are always acceptable, Peoples said. Mail checks to ACTS, P.O. Box 25, Henderson, NC 27536.
The last 220 fundraiser to benefit ACTS sold between 800 and 1,000 tickets, People said. ACTS board members have tickets for sale. Board members, in addition to Peoples, are: Hope Breedlove, Gwenn Bridges, Ulice Hill Evans, Pam Jackson, Candy Moore, Connie L. Markham, Jack Richardson, Abidan Paul Shah, CeCe Tucker, Linda Weaver, Argatha White-Vass and Rev. Johnny Yount.
ACTS is very fortunate to have such a dedicated board, she said. “They really care about their community,” said Peoples. “It’s so important to have people like that in a leadership role,” she added.
To learn more, call ACTS at 252.492.8231 or email Peoples lapeoples@actsofhenderson.org.
Tar River Land Conservancy Intern and Tree Planting Opportunities
The Tar River Land Conservancy office takes up just a small parcel of land in downtown Louisburg, but Executive Director Derek Halberg isn’t confined to the four walls of a building – his job takes him outside to make sure that land in and around the Tar River is protected.
On Thursday’s Town Talk, Halberg shared some upcoming events with Town Talk host Bill Harris that the public can participate in to further develop a tract in Stem, in southern Granville County.
Tomorrow, as well as next Friday and Saturday, the land conservancy will sponsor a tree-planting event, he said. Saplings will be planted along some small streams that feed into Lake Holt, which provides drinking water to southern Granville County. The group is spear-heading this effort to plant hardwoods like oak and hickory along the stream, Halberg said. Please contact Tar River Land Conservancy if you would like to come out and help plant trees. Participants will receive instructions on where and when the event will take place.
“Trees play a vital role in being able to filter out water that may run off an agricultural field, and capture soil, sedimentation or runoff as well as nitrogen and other fertilizer components.” Halberg explained. The saplings also provide benefits to wildlife, he added.
“We make it as easy as possible for folks” Halberg explained. “We dig the holes ahead of time, we provide all the tools, and really try to make it an experience that people enjoy and feel like they’re getting involved in the conservation work that we do,” he said.
Another opportunity for area college students is a summer internship with the land trust, Halberg said. Each summer, the staff of 3 full-time and 2 part-time employees grows by two young people who complete a 12-week paid internship. Visit the website at www.tarriver.org to find a full description of the program. The application deadline is Feb. 1.
College students pursuing degrees in natural resources, agriculture or forestry disciplines , as well as recent graduates, are encouraged to submit an application; the internships provide an opportunity to “get involved in the nuts and bolts of the operation – they get out in the field (and help) with management and monitoring of various properties,” Halberg said. “They actively get involved and see the inner workings of a professional organization like ours and then take their experience and move on to other things,” he noted.
The Tar River Land Conservancy, established in 2000, works in eight different N.C. counties through which the Tar River flows. The Tar River begins in Person County and winds its way east toward Pamlico Sound.
“Our mission is pretty straightforward,” Halberg said. “We try to preserve land in undeveloped states for perpetuity.” This includes land that may be in farmland or timberland production, which he said would continue in that state for a long time. “It also involves preserving land that is important for wildlife, for water quality, for drinking water that supplies local communities, he said. “And, increasingly for our organization, finding ways to acquire and get properties preserved and open them up to the public with trails and other ways for people to actually get out and enjoy nature,” Halberg said.
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Not all the 22,000 acres of land now held in conservancy are located along the Tar River. The Stem tract, for example, where the saplings are being planted, feeds into the Neuse River Basin, or Falls Lake watershed area. The bulk of the acreage is in Granville County, Halberg noted, adding that his group has been able to work with partners to plan public access areas such as nature trails in several areas in southern Granville. He hopes one will be open in the spring, and several others in May or June of 2022.
One of the completed areas is Wilton Slopes, which has walking trails at that portion of the Tar River along Highway 96 between Oxford and Wilton, Halberg said. That tract, he added, “has given us a glimpse of portions of the river that would be quite stunning to provide access to if we can do it.”
Halberg said Tar River Land Conservancy plans for the long-term. Whether landowners come to them for information or whether the conservancy reaches out to landowners, the value in sitting and talking about how their property can be preserved is important.
There are two ways that the land can enter into conservancy: Tar River Land Conservancy buys the property from the willing owner; the landowner signs a written conservation agreement. In the latter case, the land conservancy holds the easement and can control development, but the landowner retains ownership of the property.
“We try to be strategic,” Halberg said. “We look to try to preserve land in the right places (to protect) rare wildlife and fish species. His group works with other organizations like the N.C. Natural Heritage Program and the N.C. Wildlife Commission to locate areas that may need protection and stewardship that the Tar River Land Conservancy can provide.
For some people, he explained, “land is an important part of their heritage and they want to see if it might be possible to work with us and preserve it.
Visit www.tarriver.org to learn more.
TownTalk 1-19-21: MLK Virtual Celebration VGCC Jan 26
The public is invited to join a virtual panel discussion next week that will focus on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event will be hosted by the Vance-Granville Community College Men’s Achievement Academy, with the support of Rho Beta Lambda of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., according to Dr. Jeffrey Allen, VGCC Dean of Student Retention and Success.
Allen appeared on Tuesday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose and gave details about the upcoming event, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26. Visit www.vgcc.edu to find a link to register for the Zoom panel discussion.
“We feel like we have assembled a great wealth of knowledge to discuss the life and legacy of Dr. King,” he said during an interview recorded earlier Tuesday morning.
Panelists include Dr. Jim Harper, Chair of the History Department at North Carolina Central University; Dr. Doris T. Williams, retired professor and VGCC Board of Trustees member; Rev. Dr. William T. Ramey, retired educator, pastor and VGCC Board of Trustees member; Judge Adam Keith, Vance County District Court judge; and Sara Bell, instructor of Humanities at VGCC. N.C. Rep. G.K. Butterfield also will give remarks, Allen said.
Although honoring the legacy of the slain Civil Rights leader is a large part of what the panel will discuss, he expects that the panelists also will challenge the attendees, “really pushing them to live the legacy of Dr. King,” he said. “The whole goal is we want to be informative, we want to empower people; and the other piece is we want to inspire people to continue to bring change,” he added.
Click play for Dr. Jeffrey Allen on TownTalk. Story continues below…
Empowering people to unite and to be a force for change are ideals King strived for, Allen said. “It’s our job now as citizens to carry his legacy, moving forward, so we can continue to fight the fight for civil rights for all,” he added.
Servant leadership is another of King’s ideals that Allen wants to emphasize.
“This is a great opportunity for us just to remind ourselves of his legacy of social justice and service to others and civil rights for all…(to) refresh our memory to go out and be empowered and inspired to do great things in our community,” Allen said.
This graphic and the cover graphic courtesy of VGCC.
Students in the Men’s Achievement Academy at VGCC experience servant leadership, Allen noted. The mentoring program is in its second year and, although it targets first-year students and minority males, it is open to any male who wants to be a part of the program.
The feedback so far has been positive, he said. “They love the program, they love participating, even in this virtual environment, they really appreciate the support that their mentors have given them during this pandemic,” Allen said.
Allen and his team plan and support a variety of initiatives, all designed to support students be successful in college. They oversee tutoring, academic advising and academic support, as well as counseling, student activities and athletics. “The college has done an excellent job…to support students and we’re continuously working and looking at thing that support student achievement.,” he said.
Register for the event at:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aaujgLAHTHOqt07ZAcIKeg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
For more information, contact Dr. Jeffrey Allen at allenjl@vgcc.edu.
(This is not a paid advertisement.)
TownTalk 1-18-21: MLK Day of Service, Marcia Allen and Vance Dem Party
Members of the Vance County Democratic Party and other local officials braved cool, breezy conditions Monday to demonstrate servant leadership by collecting non-perishable food items for two agencies.
Marcia Allen, chair of the Vance County Democratic Party, said the group sponsored the event in conjunction with the National Day of Service as part of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. All donated items will be given to Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS) and The Help Center of Vance County, Allen said during Monday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose.
“That’s our goal – to let our community know that we care,” she said. “We have to care about each other. It doesn’t matter what your affiliation is… as a party, we care about each other, and we want to help as much as we can,” she explained.
These two agencies were chosen, Allen said, because they are receiving a lot of clients at this time. She recently toured the ACTS storage center and noted that “their cupboards are getting a little bare.” ACTS also serves lunch daily. Their efforts to fight food insecurity, as well as those of The Help Center, are worthy recipients of the food drive. “We want to make sure they at least have something on the shelves to share with the community,” Allen said.
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Didn’t make it to drop off a donation of food during the Monday drive? No problem. Allen said donations can be dropped off at Shear Magic, 1224 Dabney Drive and Angela Thornton, first vice-chair of the Vance County Democratic Party, will accept them any day except Monday, when the salon is closed.
Vance Sheriff Curtis Brame participated in the event, held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the Perry Memorial Library. “It’s a great day,” he said, “and truly an honor to see different organizations, different denominations, people gathering peacefully, as Dr. Martin Luther King wanted us to,” Brame said. The food drive is a great cause, he added, as a way to honor the King legacy.
Henry L. Gupton, Vance County Clerk of Superior Court, agreed. “We don’t mind being in the cold for what we’re doing today,” he said. “Any day is a good day to serve,” Gupton said.
Recalling Dr. King’s message that everyone can be great because everyone can serve, Allen said that the work done to help in the community transcends political parties and other differences. “If we look at each other as family, then we’re going to be kind, and cordial and helpful toward each other.”
The King holiday has been celebrated on the third Monday in January since its inception in 1986. The slain civil rights leader’s philosophy of peaceful protest and servant leadership remains relevant today, Allen said. “We should have that at the forefront of our being. We are here to serve – to serve each other.” And, she added, she will “still have this servant mentality tomorrow,” even though the holiday has passed.
Allen encouraged other Democrats to become active in the local party, noting that there are openings at the local precinct level. Contact Allen at vancedemocrat@gmail.com. The local party is planning to host monthly community projects as one way to increase service at the community level, she said.
TownTalk 1-14-21 History/DNA/Genealogy with Mark Pace and Shannon Christmas
For some people, just hearing or reading the term “mitochondrial DNA” conjures up fond (or not-so-fond ) memories of high school biology class; for genealogy enthusiasts, however, mitochondrial DNA and other genetic tools can provide crucial information to help fill in a family tree.
Take the family tree of Shannon Christmas, for example. Christmas used genetic testing to find a common ancestor that goes back to his seven-times great grandparents. And he ought to know – Christmas is a nationally known genetic genealogy influencer. He appeared on Town Talk Thursday with host Bill Harris and guest host Mark Pace, genealogy specialist in the North Carolina Room at Richard Thornton Library in Oxford.
Christmas, who phoned in from Maryland, has local ties to Warren County. He discussed Thursday different types of genetic testing and the importance of understanding what each can provide when researching family history.
Christmas specializes in genetic, colonial American, and African-American genealogy in Virginia and the Carolinas, according to information on the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society website. He uses autosomal DNA to verify and extend pedigrees, assess the veracity of oral history, and reconstruct ancestral genomes. His Through The Trees blog is for genealogy enthusiasts interested in learning about new technologies to aid in research genealogy.
Before purchasing a DNA test, Christmas said, people should know a little bit about the different types of DNA. “Think about what it is they want to learn because that will determine which test is appropriate…think about what questions you want to answer and then match your question to the right DNA test,” he said. For example, only women pass mitochondrial DNA on to their children; both men and women have x-DNA, he continued, but it has a “unique inheritance pattern. Women pass down x-DNA to all of their children…men only pass x-DNA down to their daughters.”
Continued below. For audio click play…
Something called autosomal DNA, however, reflects all of one’s ancestry. “That is the type of DNA that we tend to find to be most powerful for many of our genealogical questions because it covers so much information,” Christmas said. Children get one set of autosomal DNA from their mother and one set from their father, he explained. Typically covering the previous five generations, autosomal DNA can be used to trace back further. It was what he used to tie back to his seven-times great-grandparents.
Documents such as wills, deeds, Bibles and other historical records are very useful in tracking down ancestors, Pace and Christmas agree, but genetic information adds another dimension that can confirm or disprove what may be written in a family Bible or otherwise recorded on paper.
Another question to ask yourself before submitting a DNA test is “Do you want to know the whole truth?” he said. “DNA tests can reveal family secrets and secret families,” which can create a whole new line of inquiry and, Christmas noted, “not everyone reacts the same way to the truth.”
Christmas agreed that the genetic testing offered through genealogy websites and other companies are pretty consistent and reliable with providing information about which continent you’re from, but less so when drilling down to region or country within a continent. “One has to take that particular part of the test with a grain of salt,” he said. Genetic testing is “extremely accurate at predicting relationships, and matching individuals as relatives. And that is the part of the test which is most useful in genealogy,” he said.
Choose a genealogical DNA test to build out a family tree, he advised. “Go straight for the full mitochondrial sequence,” he said, which will show your mother’s mother’s mother’s side. Because it mutates very slowly, the mitochondrial DNA can find a perfect match, but a common ancestor may be beyond the typical five-generation scope. An autosomal DNA test will match you up with relatives to confirm things you already know.
Something that genetic testing cannot discern, however is cultural identity. There are individuals who have documents which connect them to native Americans, for example, Christmas said. Although the cultural connection exists, that doesn’t mean that genetic testing can prove a connection. “Genetics is one thing, but cultural traditions and kinship go beyond the scope of genetics.”
The North Carolina and genealogy room at Thornton Library is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Call the library at 919.693.1121 to make an appointment to visit. Contact Pace at mark.pace@granvillecounty.org.
TownTalk 1-13-21 “Which Set of Fools”
Which set of fools do you believe in?
Politics. Social Media. Censorship. Division. Unity.
Click Play Below…
Hungry Heroes is at it Again
Amanda Riggan is at it again – the founder of Hungry Heroes BBQ returns to Henderson Thursday, this time to stock refrigerators at the sheriff’s office, fire department and EMS agencies.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Riggan has had to make some adjustments in the way she shows her appreciation for law enforcement personnel. Since 2018, she has been firing up her Traeger grill and cooking up meals for law enforcement officers and firefighters.
One new program is called “Stock the Fridge,” and that’s what she’ll be doing in Henderson later this week.
Armed with everything from bottled water, Gatorade, chips and other snack items, Riggan will visit the Vance County agencies. “I always buy what I like…I think I like the good stuff,” she remarked during Tuesday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose. “They never complain,” she said, of those whose fridges get stocked.
(To Listen to Riggan and Owen on TownTalk, Click Play…)
“I wish we could actually serve and shake hands and give hugs, but we can still bless people,” she said. Her Hungry Heroes program came to Henderson in September 2020, partnering with local restaurant Skipper Forsyth’s Bar-B-Q to provide meals to the Henderson Police Department and the Henderson Fire Department. This time, she said, she will deliver the snack items as a way to show her appreciation for the tireless service they provide in their community.
Randy Owen, a friend of Riggan’s and fire technology coordinator at Vance-Granville Community College, agreed. Owen also appeared on Town Talk Tuesday and said when the two were discussing a return visit, they agreed that serving a meal may not work as well this time, given the spike in COVID-19 cases being experienced in Vance County and statewide. “Maybe this will put a smile on their faces,” he said, referring to the delivery of the beverages and snacks.
Although she misses the face-to-face meetings that Hungry Heroes created before the pandemic, Riggan said she hopes the Stock the Fridge project will serve the purpose until she can get back to doing what she loves – interacting with all those who serve their communities on the front lines, whether in a police uniform or firefighter gear. “I’ll be back as soon as this COVID is over and we’ll serve real food — we’ll serve barbecue and not just snacks” she promised.
Until then, the grab-and-go snacks hopefully will be a welcome addition to the fridge or pantry that firefighters and deputies can get on their way back from a call or take with them when they leave.
In addition to the local agencies, Riggan’s Hungry Heroes serves active military and veterans. She went to Fort Scott in Kansas back in November and was responsible for three meals a day for a weeklong event that entertained a group of combat veterans on a hunting expedition.
Owen, who coordinates training for 58 agencies in the Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties, noted that the firefighters don’t just put out a fire and then head back to the station. “They are dealing with people if they have to bet people out of the house,” he said. “Their job is also to console…to get the Red Cross involved…It goes a lot deeper than just going and putting the fire out,” he explained.
“These agencies step up to the plate every time,” Owen said. “It’s not just to fight fires, but it’s to serve the community and I appreciate them so much. They are my heroes. And Amanda thinks the same way I do.
Visit www.hungryheroesbbq.com to learn more.
Tribute to Coach Wilton Baskett; Friend, Mentor, Father Figure
Long-time high school basketball coach and Vance County native Wilton Baskett died Saturday. He was 62.
Baskett retired in March 2020 after 37 years of coaching and teaching, much of that time with Vance County Schools. Baskett was head basketball coach at Northern Vance High School and won his 400th game with the Vance County Vipers last season.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2021 at Jones Chapel Baptist Church in Norlina. A viewing will be from noon to 4 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2021 in the chapel of Davis-Royster Funeral Home in Henderson. He was born in Vance County to Almorine Brandon and the late Nathaniel Baskett. Survivors, in addition to his mother, are children Wilton E. Baskett II and Amy L. Baskett and their mother, Linda R. Perry.
Friends and colleagues remembered Baskett during Monday’s Town Talk. He was a friend and mentor to many throughout his 30-plus years of coaching, including Joseph Sharrow and Chad Wilson, current athletic director and men’s basketball coach, respectively, of Vance County High School. Baskett’s son, Wilton E. Baskett II, joined the program and said his father loved the game of basketball. Just as importantly, he loved that the game could expose young people to much more beyond high school, from playing college ball to being a successful adult.
L-R Wil, Amy, Coach. Family, a father’s day meal at a nearby restaurant. Selfie photo by Amy Baskett
Wilson told Baskett’s son that he would work to carry on Coach Baskett’s legacy on and off the court. “Your dad was way more than just a coach to me,” Wilson said to the younger Baskett. Wilson was a player for Coach Baskett at Northern Vance High School, and said that he was a positive male figure in his life when he needed one. “It’s just been a wonderful blessing on my life,” Wilson said, to have worked with Coach Baskett. “More than anything,” Wilson continued, “for putting faith in me. Wilson graduated from Northern Vance and went on to play at Louisburg College and Livingstone College. Wilson credits Coach Baskett for giving him the confidence to go beyond high school and then to come back to become a coach himself.
Wilson took over as head coach of the Vipers following Baskett’s retirement. He coached at Vance-Granville Community College for three years before returning to his high school alma mater to be a varsity assistant and coach of the JV team.
Now athletic director for Vance County High School, Joseph Sharrow was athletic director for Baskett’s cross-town rival Southern Vance. “I have nothing but respect…for Wilton Baskett and his wonderful family,” Sharrow said. To be able to remember him “as a friend and former colleague is an honor.”
Sharrow recalled when the two high schools played each other in the 2018 conference final. “He must have gotten them in the gym over Christmas because “they went on a tear in January,” Sharrow said of that Northern Vance team. “Little did we know it would be the last time the two schools would play” each other, he said. The following year the two schools were consolidated to create Vance County High School. Sharrow became athletic director and Baskett the men’s basketball coach, a relationship they shared for two years before Baskett retired.
Baskett’s 400th win came as coach of the Vance County Vipers. When he retired in March, he had accumulated 402 wins. Win 400 came in a matchup with East Chapel Hill High School on Feb. 4, 2020.
More story below. Click Play for TownTalk Tribute to Coach Baskett.
Sharrow last spoke with Baskett in November and said his friend and colleague seemed to be enjoying retirement. “It was great to be able to talk with him,” he added. The somewhat unusual relationship between Baskett and Sharrow – first as opponents of inter-county rivals, then as colleagues working together to bring the two schools’ programs together under a single county high school – made for a winning combination. The Vipers won a conference championship in their first year, Sharrow said. Add to that the 400-victory milestone also was great, but Sharrow was quick to add that Baskett wasn’t looking for individual attention. “He (coached) because he loved the kids. He knew he had a gift for making a difference in people’s lives and I think that just says a lot about Coach Baskett.” For everybody else, achieving that 400th win was an enormous milestone, Sharrow continued. “For him, it was just another day at the job. That was the kind of guy he was.”
David Hicks was athletic director at Northern Vance during the time that Baskett was head coach. Wilton had a system for basketball,” Hicks recalled during an interview on Monday. “He had a knack for being able to get guys to buy in to what he wanted to do,” he added. “He was demanding of his players and students in a good way.”
Greg Ackles coached the Southern Vance team that faced Baskett’s squad in that conference final in 2018. Now the coach at Wake Forest High School, Ackles spoke with Trey Snide on Monday’s Sports Talk. Asked about a favorite memory of Coach Baskett, Ackles said: “The best thing was also the most frustrating thing, and that was coaching against him.” As a coach, you have to believe what you do is going to work, he added, saying that Coach Baskett stuck to his philosophy of running a few plays but running them well. To this day, Ackles said that Northern-Southern matchup to claim the conference title is still the best game he’s been a part of as a coach.
More story below. Click Play for SportsTalk Tribute to Coach Baskett.
Was his father tough? “He could see more in you than sometimes you saw in yourself,” Baskett said of his father. “His goal was to bring the best out in you because he saw the best in people. He saw your potential and I think tough meant that you still had work to do…tough was if he expected something out of you or if he expects you to be able to do something. He was tough on you because he knew you were capable…he wanted you to believe in yourself.”
But for all his toughness, Coach Baskett did a lot off the court to help his players continue to play after high school. He helped prepare highlight reels and more, Hicks said.
One “extra” that Baskett did was take a group of young men to Catawba College every summer for basketball camp, Hicks said. “He had kids falling out of the ceiling wanting to go to camp…He would have open gym for try outs and you couldn’t get in. There would be 75 guys in there on all six courts.”
The “Wilton System” paid off over the years. Baskett’s teams won five regular season conference titles, six conference tournament championships. He received conference Coach of the Year honors three times, the most recent being 2018, the year his Northern Vance High Vikings topped rival Southern Vance.