Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Town Talk 05/07/20: Public Health Director Encourages ‘Vigilance in New Normal’

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Lisa Harrison, director of Granville-Vance Public Health, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

With Phase I of NC Governor Roy Cooper’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions beginning Friday at 5 p.m., Harrison said it is important that the public remain vigilant in the “new normal” of washing hands frequently, wearing face coverings while out in public and maintaining physical distance when possible.

Informing listeners that coronavirus is transmitted through air particles in a process known as aerosolization, Harrison said wearing a mask is one way to protect others from your germs.

“Your mask protects everyone around you from your aerosolized particles and someone else’s mask protects you from their aerosolized particles,” explained Harrison. “Wearing a face mask to keep your germs to yourself is a beautiful sign that you care about other people.”

While COVID-19 is not thought to be spread through food, Harrison said it is important when preparing meals to practice good hygiene such as hand washing, thoroughly cleaning utensils and properly wiping down surfaces that food may touch.

With fever, coughing and shortness of breath remaining the primary symptoms of coronavirus, Harrison said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also added muscle pain, sore throat, chills and loss of taste and smell to the list of possible indicators.

“We have learned that the coronavirus affects everyone differently. One person may get a couple of these symptoms, while another person may experience more of these symptoms. The large majority of people that get coronavirus will not have severe illness, will not need oxygen and will not need to go to the hospital. More than 95 percent of the population who get coronavirus will have mild or moderate illness,” Harrison stated.

Protecting the remaining five percent of the population is the primary purpose of COVID-19 restrictions. “The reason we are taking precautions is for the rest of the population that will have severe illness, will need oxygen at the hospital and are in danger of losing their lives,” said Harrison.

This vulnerable population includes those who reside in congregate living areas such as prisons, nursing homes and group homes; people over the age of 65; and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, severe obesity and those on dialysis.

With two percent of coronavirus patients dying from related complications, Harrison said a common link on death certificates has been the presence of a previous underlying health condition.

“We want to make sure we protect all of these vulnerable populations that have a much greater risk of severe illness and death,” Harrison said.

For additional information on COVID-19 and updated statistics, visit the Granville-Vance Public Health website at www.gvph.org and the CDC website at www.cdc.gov.

To hear the interview with Harrison in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Town Talk 05/06/20: Pat Christie Inducted Into Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Pat Christie, 2020 inductee into the Carolina Beach Music Awards Hall of Fame appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

The mood was jovial as WIZS Beach Blast host Trey Snide interviewed Christie, who happens to be his father-in-law.

From Durham, NC, Christie said he started playing the guitar when he was nine-years-old and has been involved with several bands throughout his music career, including The Spring Fever Band, The Fabulous Hot Dog Daddy O’s and The Castaways.

The Castaways were inducted as a group into the Beach Music Hall of Fame in 2014, but Christie said his induction as an individual this year caught him by surprise.

“I am very humbled, honored and pleasantly surprised,” said Christie. “I actually found out on my way home from Myrtle Beach. Peter Carpenter, the president of the Carolina Beach Music Association announced it on the radio. It means so much to me because beach music has been such a big, big part of my life.”

Good friend and fellow Daddy O’s and Castaways bandmember Phil Doc Wilson called in to Town Talk to surprise and congratulate Christie on his induction, as well as to give him a bit of a ribbing.

Pat Christie (pictured above) inducted into the 2020 Carolina Beach Music Awards Hall of Fame.

“I want to tell you what I’ve told you the whole time I’ve known you,” Wilson said to Christie. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you, but wait a minute, I’m older than you are!”

Wilson then commented on his long-standing friendship with Christie, congratulated him for his accomplishment and jokingly asked if the induction meant the two could now stop competing with one another.

Christie responded with a laugh and said, “Don’t you know when you’re nominated for the Hall of Fame they put you out to the big Beach Music pasture.”

Snide, whose Beach Music Blast on WIZS was inspired, in part, by Christie and his connection to Beach Music, said he was extremely proud of his father-in-law.

“I am trying to find the words to best explain how excited and proud I am of Mr. Pat,” Snide said. “He is extremely humble. As you can hear in the audio I did with Mr. Pat, he did his best to try and give credit to others. This is the man I respect, look up to and am proud to call my father-in-law.”

Snide continued, “We celebrate his success in this world we call Beach Music and his induction in the 2020 Beach Music Hall of Fame. Carolina Beach Music would not be the same without Mr. Pat Christie. For his passion, his dedication and all the years spent on the road in bands such as The Castaways, The Fabulous Hot Dog Daddy O’s and others, we officially say thank you. Thank you for being you, and thank you for making Beach Music great.”

Be sure to listen to the Beach Music Blast live on WIZS 1450 AM, 100.1 FM or at www.wizs.com (click Listen Live) from 12 until 1 p.m. every Monday – Friday.

To hear the interview with Christie in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Town Talk 05/05/20: Community Leaders, Clergy to Lead Local Day of Prayer – May 7

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Rev. Frank Sossamon with South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Sossamon announced that while necessary changes will be made for the sake of safety during the COVID-19 situation, the 69th Annual National Day of Prayer is still scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2020, and will be honored locally.

Instead of larger crowds physically meeting in spots around Vance County, as has been the norm in previous years, community leaders will meet at designated locations.

Their prayers and conversation will be broadcast to the public in two separate services on WIZS 1450 AM, 100.1 FM, or by clicking “Listen Live” at www.wizs.com.

The afternoon service will begin at 12 p.m. and the evening service will start at 7 p.m.

This year’s theme is “Pray God’s Glory Across the Earth,” and Sossamon encouraged all churches to help spread the word of the prayer rally to the congregations.

“It’s one of the few times the entire community is called upon to pray together, and even to pray publicly,” Sossamon stated. “I think the public aspect of prayer is very important and powerful. We didn’t want to let this go just because we couldn’t physically gather this year.”

The schedule for the 12 p.m. service on May 7 is as follows:

  • Maria Parham Health – Rev. Frank Sossamon and MPH CEO Bert Beard
  • City Hall – Rev. Rhonda Pulley and Mayor Eddie Ellington
  • ACTS – Rev. Dr. Ron Cava and Lee Anne Peoples
  • Vance County Courthouse – Rev. Joseph Ratliff and guest

The 7 p.m. service includes music and a study of the “seven mountains of prayer,” including church, family, education, government, business, military and media.

The schedule for the 7 p.m. service on May 7 is as follows:

Welcome, Statement of Purpose and Opening Prayer

Music

Seven Mountains of Prayer #1 – Church

Comments – Rev. Dora Dorsey, Retired Pastor

Prayer – Rev. Bobby Fletcher, Pastor of First Methodist Church

Seven Mountains of Prayer #2 – Family

Comments – Denita DeVega, Director of Vance County Social Services

Prayer – Goldie Davis, Income Maintenance Administrator, Vance County Social Services

Seven Mountains of Prayer #3 – Education

Comments – Dr. Anthony Jackson, Superintendent, Vance County Schools

Prayer – Dr. Trixie Brooks, Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction – VCS

Seven Mountains of Prayer #4 – Government

Comments – Jordan McMillen, Vance County Manager

Prayer – Gordon Wilder, Chairman of Vance County Board of Commissioners

Seven Mountains of Prayer #5 – Business

Comments – Michele Burgess, Director of Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

Prayer – Michele Burgess or guest

Seven Mountains of Prayer #6 – Military

Comments – Archie B. Taylor, Retired Military

Prayer – Archie B. Taylor or guest

Music

Seven Mountains of Prayer # 7 – Media

Comments – Nancy Wykle, Publisher/Editor of The Daily Dispatch

Prayer – John Charles Rose, Owner/Operator of WIZS AM Radio

While the day of prayer has been led by the clergy in the past, Sossamon said he and other members of the Vance County Ministers Community Partnership, the group responsible for planning the annual prayer day, thought it would be more poignant this year to include community leaders.

“We discussed it and thought ‘why don’t we actually take people from those areas of the community and let them speak to us about their area and have a prayer?’ People will want to tune in to WIZS and listen. I think it will educate and inspire you, and you’ll certainly benefit from the evening,” Sossamon commented.

In addition to tuning in, Sossamon said he encourages families to honor the spirit of the day by “getting in their car and driving to these seven mountains to pray. Drive to a business or a building, park in the parking lot and pray for the institution and those who work there.”

To hear the interview with Sossamon in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Town Talk 05/04/20: Kerr Tar Area Agency on Aging ‘Still Here’ for Seniors, Caregivers

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging’s Harvey Holmes, family caregiver resource specialist, and Michele Brigandi, aging projects coordinator, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

With current COVID-19 social distancing measures in place for the protection of at-risk populations such as the elderly, Holmes and Brigandi said times are difficult for both seniors and their caregivers.

“Social isolation is a huge issue for seniors right now with many programs closed or limited for their safety,” said Brigandi. “Seniors in our area value their time at the Senior Centers engaging in friendships, daily interactions and physical activities.”

Brigandi said she has been impressed with how diligently the Senior Centers in the Kerr-Tar area, which includes Franklin, Granville, Vance, Warren and Person counties, have worked to ensure nutrition programs for seniors continue even while other programs are temporarily suspended.

With in-person congregate meals shifted to home delivery, Brigandi said Senior Center staff and volunteers have risen to meet the challenge of providing nutritious food and necessary hygiene supplies to those isolated in their homes.

“I have talked to staff for the nutrition program and they are seeing first-hand the effect this is having on our seniors,” stated Brigandi. “Depression and boredom are huge; many also suffer from dementia, anxiety and mobility issues. If you have a senior in your life, I encourage you to reach out often – daily, if possible – to check on them.”

With many Senior Centers closed and programs such as adult day care and respite care currently unavailable or limited, caregivers who rely on these services are also feeling overwhelmed.

“A lot of times it’s hard for caregivers to ask for help or admit they need help,” Holmes commented. “Both myself and the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging want to be that rock for caregivers and to assure them that we’re still here. We are still only a phone call or email away.”

Noting a possible stigma with the term “social distancing,” Holmes said he is encouraging the public to view it more as a physical distancing. “Be physically distant instead of socially distant. You can be social and stay connected with others by phone or online,” said Holmes.

Holmes encouraged seniors and caregivers to stay “socially connected” with the Agency on Aging via Facebook, Twitter, or the organization’s website at kerrtarcog.org/departments/aging. You may also call the agency at (252) 436-2040 for additional information or with questions.

2020 Kerr Tar Senior Games

Brigandi, who is also the coordinator for the Kerr Tar Senior Games, clarified that the games have been canceled for 2020. Both athletic events and performing arts activities were originally scheduled for spring 2020.

“We are tentatively planning a celebratory get-together or banquet for the end of September,” Brigandi said. “We want to recognize seniors in the area, offer fellowship and entertainment and recruit participants, hopefully, for next year’s Senior Games.”

To hear the interview with Holmes and Brigandi in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Vance County Animal Shelter Cleared; All Inhabitants Find Homes

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Vance County Animal Services Chief Frankie Nobles appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

Nobles was pleased to announce a first in his over 10 years of service with the Vance County Animal Shelter – a complete clearing by either rescue, fostering or adoption of all animals this past weekend.

“It’s never been completely empty since I’ve been here,” said Nobles. “We are excited. We got every animal to a home, and it was an amazing weekend.”

Nobles said it was a combination of the hard work of shelter staff and volunteer organizations, and fewer animals being taken in during COVID-19 restrictions, that made this possible.

You can listen to the interview here from WIZS Radio.

The shelter is currently responding to emergency calls only, such as injured or aggressive animals, and has used some of the downtime for needed shelter maintenance.

“We’ve worked so hard to get to the point of clearing the shelter. When COVID-19 happened, that was our time to catch up and get ahead of the ballgame. It’s getting to be summertime, and that’s when we see most of our animals coming in,” Nobles said.

Nobles explained such a feat would not be possible without volunteer organizations such as the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society of Henderson, NC. “We joke around here and call ourselves the dream team just because we are a big team of people that work well together, and it works like a dream.”

To hear the interview with Nobles in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

TownTalk 04/30/20: Shopping Angels Offers Grocery Delivery to Those in Need

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Scarlette Walker, NC State Coordinator for Shopping Angels, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Shopping Angels is an entirely volunteer-based program that was founded in mid-March by Jayde Powell, an undergraduate pre-med student at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The premise is simple: volunteers grocery shop for individuals who are especially at-risk for COVID-19 and/or those with other health issues, seniors, parents of young children and those who are self-isolating due to possible COVID-19 exposure. Requested groceries are delivered to the recipient’s home with no additional fees added; all the recipient pays is the price on the grocery receipt.

The program quickly gained global attention, has been featured on national news programs and now includes over 7,000 volunteers.

Walker, a Vance County resident, said she was inspired by Shopping Angels’ spirit of service. “When I heard about it, I was interested in it because I wanted to be able to help my community. I have a heart for the elderly and those shut-in and in need. I see this as an opportunity for me to reach out and help others.”

Volunteers are matched with recipients and will contact them for their grocery list. Wearing a mask and gloves, volunteers will then go grocery shopping, bring the groceries to the recipient’s door, return to their car and call the recipient to let them know their groceries have arrived. This method protects both volunteers and recipients alike and follows social distancing guidelines, said Walker.

Volunteers keep in touch with recipients throughout the process and, upon delivery, recipients exchange cash for their items. Walker stated clients are never expected to pay more than the exact cost of the groceries and volunteers will not ask for gas money, tips or delivery fees.

To make this service a reality in Vance County, both volunteers or “angels” and those requesting service are needed. “If we get volunteers together to get this up and running, we could be ready to go in a few days,” Walker stated.

Walker added, “Right now, Shopping Angels as a whole has more volunteers than people requesting services. We need help in reaching the portion of the community that is shut-in and may not have access to the internet.”

To volunteer, to request service or to become a sponsor, visit www.shoppingangelsglobal.org and complete the appropriate form. For those without computer access, those who need assistance with the forms or with general questions, please contact Walker directly at (252) 226-0131. If Walker is unavailable, please leave a voicemail.

Walker said she can see Shopping Angels becoming a permanent fixture globally and locally. “I think it will continue and there will still be a need for these services long after COVID-19.”

To hear the interview with Walker in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

TownTalk 04/29/20: GVPH ‘Virtual Town Hall’ COVID-19 Session (Audio/Video)

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH) hosted a “Virtual Town Hall” session live via its Facebook page today at 11 a.m.

GVPH Director Lisa Harrison, GVPH Medical Director Dr. Shauna Guthrie and Oxford Mayor Jackie Sergent addressed the on-going COVID-19 epidemic and answered questions that were submitted by the public.

Live for our Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19 in Granville County!

Posted by Granville Vance Public Health on Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Questions the government and health officials addressed in the session included:

Q: Is there mapping available that would show COVID-19 cases by location in the county?

A: That is not currently available because the population in Vance and Granville counties does not have a lot of variability in zip code. The numbers aren’t as high as more populated counties such as Mecklenburg or Wake.

Q: Why is GVPH not sharing the number of COVID-19 tests administered on its website?

A: The number of tests administered continues to increase and is hard to capture. One reason is that there are many providers – private practices, hospitals, health departments and groups in primary care – offering the test. Also, the Electronic Disease Surveillance System does not require labs and physicians to enter negative results, only positive.

Harrison reported that while there is not an official number, more than 500 tests have been administered across Vance and Granville counties.

Q: Will GVPH let us know if we’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive?

A: It depends on the level of contact. Anytime someone tests positive, GVPH receives an alert. They contact the person who tested positive to see who they’ve been in contact with 2-3 days prior to symptoms starting. The biggest concern is those that have been in close contact with the infected person, either by standing closer than six-feet together for an extended period of time and/or being in a small room together.

People who are deemed at-risk are notified and advised to stay home and quarantine for at least 14 days.

Q: Have those who previously tested positive for COVID-19, and have since been lifted from isolation, been retested?

A: No, they have not been retested. GVPH is following the CDC’s guidelines to determine when a person is no longer contagious. The general rule is a person is considered no longer contagious when it has been at least seven days since testing positive and they’ve had no fever for 72 hours and symptoms have greatly improved.

Q: What can we do to make residents take stay at home and social orders seriously?

A: We need to keep emphasizing that the virus can be spread whether a person has symptoms or not; many are asymptomatic. We also need to be less quick to blame others and examine our own behaviors.

Q: Does our community have enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – gowns, masks and gloves?

A: Yes, so far the requests that have been made have been fulfilled. There are also many volunteers in the community providing these supplies and their support is greatly appreciated.

Q: Have residents with COVID-19 at Pelican Health Nursing Home in Henderson been moved to another facility?

A: There are 66 residents and 150 staff (full-time, part-time and contractors) associated with Pelican Health Henderson. All residents and many of the staff were tested within 48 hours of identifying the first positive resident. All the residents who tested positive and are symptomatic have been isolated.

To hear the session in its entirety, including additional Q&A, please watch the video contained in this article, or visit the Granville Vance Public Health Department’s Facebook page (click here).

Click below for TownTalk audio:

 

TownTalk 04/27/20: Restaurant 39 Reopens With Full Menu for Takeout

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

J.R. Stainback, owner of Restaurant 39 in Henderson, appeared on the first segment of WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

Reopening today after a 30-day shutdown, Restaurant 39 will offer its full menu for takeout including vegetable casseroles, chitlins, country fried steak, baby flounder and fried catfish.

 

The restaurant’s hiatus was due mostly to slow sales when COVID-19 restrictions were first put into place. “We tried to do ‘to go’ for two weeks and sales were down 90-percent,” explained Stainback. “I’m hoping, opening back up, that people have gotten a little more use to the situation and how things are operating.”

The restaurant, located at 946 G West Andrews Avenue in the Crossroads Shopping Center, is accepting call ahead or Facebook orders. You may also drive to the restaurant and place your order with an employee in the parking lot.

To place an order by telephone, please call the restaurant’s main line at (252) 572-2661 or the alternate number at (919) 584-2251. The dining area of the restaurant is currently closed to customers, so orders will be brought directly to your car.

Stainback said bottled drinks should be available with takeout orders beginning this Wednesday and to-go menus have been printed and will be handed out to the community.

While he hopes the takeout order route will generate more business this go-around, Stainback said every step of the process has been difficult – from securing needed supplies to overcoming public fears of the virus and food contamination.

According to the CDC, coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread from person-to-person through respiratory droplets. Currently, there is no evidence to support that transmission of COVID-19 is associated with food. For more information on the virus and food safety, please click here.

“This COVID-19 stuff is something I’ve never seen before in all of my years in the restaurant business,” Stainback said. “I’m sure a lot of businesses are suffering, but the restaurant industry is really suffering. I wouldn’t be scared to say that the only ones suffering more than the restaurant business are beauty shops, nail salons and barber shops. It is a really trying time for everyone.”

Stainback said it is the people who have been supporting the restaurant since it opened in 2017 that will get the business through these tough times. “I want to say thank you to everyone in the community, the City of Henderson and the County of Vance. Everyone has been a great supporter of the restaurant since we’ve been here.”

To hear the interview with Stainback in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Carolina Panthers – Mick Mixon Audio Interview

/by

The Panthers drafted seven defensive players, and the general reports indicate it was a successful plan, including those from Matt Rhule, the new head coach, and from General Manager Marty Hurney.

Mick Mixon, play by play announcer of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, joined WIZS TownTalk on Monday to discuss the latest NFL draft.

Of the present internal disruption within the Panthers organization, with a new coach, new owner and a lot of player turnover, Mixon spoke also of the present world disruption of covid-19 and said, “You can count on me not to over dramatize athletics…It really doesn’t mean that much when set against the backdrop of nurses and doctors and scientists and healthcare workers and the really essential things in life.

“However, let’s just call this too for what it is.  In the south, football isn’t just what we do.  It’s part of who we are, and it’s part of how we come together.  So, I think we’re kind of starving for a little bit of football.  At least that’s the way it feels to me around Panther Nation, and the draft was great.  Just to be able to have some new Panthers, how about that?  Seven new draft picks, all defensive players.”

With the NFC South loaded with talented quarterbacks like Drew Brees and now Tom Brady, the Panthers’ selections being all defensive, while it was not the plan, indicates the importance of improving the defense now as expressed by the Panthers’ leadership and their draft board.

The NFL logo and the overall organization has to be top 1o in terms of global recognition and branding, but it’s not too big to fail.  Mixon said, “I think what we may need to do is be patient.  I think the NFL needs to not put a stake in the ground (after a successful draft), and say, ‘Boy, thank Goodness that’s over.  Happy days are here again.’  There’s a lot of distancing yet, a lot of work, a lot of sand that needs to sift through the hour glass so to speak, but I know conversations have been held about — What would the world be like with a shortened season?  What would the world be like with games with no fans in the stands.  These are hard pills to swallow.”

The NFL will figure it out, Mixon said, and right now time is on the side of professional football.

Full Interview Audio:

Town Talk Logo

Town Talk 04/23/20: Callers Discuss COVID-19

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL