H-V Emergency Operations

TownTalk: Short To Retire As Director Of Emergency Operations

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Brian Short, director of Vance County emergency operations, is retiring at the end of May. But you won’t find him on the golf course or puttering around in the yard for very long – he’ll begin a new state job just four days after he turns over his local duties to Vivian Lassiter, who will serve as interim director.

Short and Lassiter were guests on Thursday’s TownTalk segment to talk about the state of emergency operations in the county and what may lie ahead.

“With the exception of being a husband and a father,” Short said, “this is the most important thing I’ll do in my life.” He started out in 1991 as a part-time 911 dispatcher and rose through the ranks to become its director in 1998.

“I’ve got a lot of faith and a lot of pride in this agency,” Short said. Lassiter said she’s been preparing for this new role as interim director and said she feels confident because of the way Short has prepared her.

“Brian’s worked with me one on one…I feel as ready as anyone else. I believe I’ll do fine (but) I’ve got big shoes to fill.”

Short said he always tried to make sure the emergency operations staff was ready to work outside their comfort zones “so they’d be ready to grow and progress when the opportunity presented itself.”

Having the safety and welfare of close to 50,000 people is a heavy burden, he acknowledged, but he has great confidence in the people who run the 911 call centers and everyone else who responds to emergency situations.

“They’re the ones in there on the front lines, making split-second decisions, making the right calls,” he said.

Today’s local 911 dispatchers have the best equipment and technology available, Short said. You may find bigger operations functioning in larger cities, “but you won’t see one with any more or better technology than what we have,” he added. “We try to always be on the cutting edge.”

Lassiter knows all about that technology – she’s currently the acting operations manager for the 911 center and occasionally fills in as a 911 operator when needed.

“I just enjoy saving lives,” she said. And that desire was only heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I wanted to do more,” she said.

She plans to keep the agency running just like it’s running now. “I think the way that we do things and involving the community is the right thing to do,” she said.

CLICK PLAY for TownTalk broadcast with Brian Short and Vivian Lassiter!

 

TownTalk: Kerr Lake Regional Water Systems Keeps The Water Flowing

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A recent groundbreaking ceremony at the city’s water treatment facility is a tangible indication that all the t’s have been crossed and the I’s dotted to set in motion an expansion project that will, once completed, double the facility’s output to as much as 20 million gallons of water a day.

This is good news for the current 55,000 customers who rely on the Kerr Lake Regional Water System, but Water Resources Director Christy Lipscomb said increased capacity also will allow for growth.

Lipscomb was a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk and explained just what the almost $80 million expansion project would involve and when it is expected to be completed.

“I am very excited,” Lipscomb said. “This will give us more tools in our toolbox to treat the water and some of the things that show up in the water.

As water testing improves, the EPA and the state set forth regulations that water systems must comply with. “We have to meet (the regulations) and know that it’s going to be safe for the customers,” she said.

The existing system is what Lipscomb calls a “conventional” system, and the plan is to add on to the current building to add a super pulsator system – or Super P, for short.

“It’s like the conventional system, but it runs more efficiently and effectively,” she said of the Super P.

And while there presently no problems with contaminants in the water, having this newer style of system with activated carbon will help if problems arise in the future.

If all goes according to plan, the project will take between 20 months and 30 months to complete, but it will allow for up to 20 million gallons of water a day to be treated and returned to customers for use.

The City of Henderson is the managing partner of the regional water system and has a 60 percent ownership; the city of Oxford and Warren County each have a 20 percent ownership.

Right now, Lipscomb the different entities aren’t using all the water that is allocated to them on paper, which helps the system stay ahead of the game.

On an average day, the water plant treats 7.1 million gallons. When that capacity more than doubles, it could be a game-changer for the area.

Once there is more capacity, customers like Henderson, Oxford and Warren County can use that as a drawing card for economic development.

The plan is to use the Super P as the main treatment source, but keep the conventional system as a backup, just in case. And then, later, a second Super P would be installed and the conventional system would be decommissioned, Lipscomb said.

She said customers shouldn’t see any disruptions in service or changes in water quality because of the expansion.

“They shouldn’t experience anything disruptive,” she said, adding that the city would send out notices if something were to occur that would affect water customers.

CLICK PLAY to hear Christy Lipscomb TownTalk Broadcast!

Henderson Fire Dept

TownTalk: Henderson City Council’s Fire Department Update

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The Henderson Fire Department enjoys a rating that puts it among an elite group of fire departments across the country, and Acting Fire Chief Curtis Tyndall said he was proud to present information about how the department measures up to industry standards during Monday’s City Council meeting.

Tyndall thanked the city for helping the fire department provide the city with the level of service to its residents.

The ISO rates fire departments on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best. Insurance companies use the grade to help determine insurance premiums.

The Henderson fire department has a level 2, which puts it in the top 4 percent of departments across the country.

The areas that are considered during the ISO rating include emergency communications, fire departments, availability of water and community risk.

According to Tyndall, 78 percent of the city is with a 1.5-mile radius of a fire department.

The city has been discussing for the past several years the possibility of adding a third fire station to serve the western part of town.

In an email sent to WIZS Tuesday morning, Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke commented on Monday’s meeting and about the city’s finances.

“We have spent our money on recurring costs, salaries, and the budget is about to get much tighter,” Daeke wrote. “Taking action sooner, rather than later, would save on future costs,” referring to the construction of a third fire station.

CLICK PLAY for WIZS TownTalk Broadcast!

 

TownTalk: CultureFest Coming To Oxford This Weekend

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CultureFest is coming to downtown Oxford and organizers hope that all those who take part in the festivities will leave with a greater appreciation not just for diversity, but for all the things that different world cultures share in common.

“It’s back and bigger than ever,” said Ajulo Othow, one of those planning the event. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and a postponement from last fall because of an impending hurricane, the festival will resume for its second year in the Littlejohn parking lot in Oxford.

Oxford Mayor Jackie Sargent and Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen joined Othow on Monday’s TownTalk to discuss highlights of the festival, which will take place Saturday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A variety of entertainment is scheduled each half hour, which Othow said represents cultures from around the globe. St. Cyprian’s African Drummer group kicks things off at 11 a.m., and Sergent said she plans to stick close to the stage so she can enjoy all the performers throughout the day.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn some new things…celebrate each other and learn commonalities,” Othow said. Her mother, the late Dr. Helen Othow, had the original vision for CultureFest. “I’m proud to be able to continue the work she started.”

The festival has taken on a larger community feel since it found its downtown spot, with collaborators including The John Chavis Society, the City of Oxford, Granville Tourism, Downtown Oxford Economic Development Commission, Granville Ed Foundation, Mary Potter Club, Granville Museum and NC Arts Council all contributing to the event.

“I am really proud of this particular festival,” Allen said, adding that she expects folks from outside Oxford and Granville County to come to the festival. “It’s an awesome time to invite people into Granville County,” she said, while uniting folks who already call Granville County home.

There will be food trucks, more than 20 vendors with crafts and more, as well as children’s activities and demonstrations like tortilla making and much more during the daylong festival, making it a real interactive event, Allen said.

“Many hands have gone into making this a successful celebration and a community event,” she added, and that she hopes it becomes a fixture among the city’s festivals.

 

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville: The History Of Area Newspapers

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It wasn’t that long ago that people had to wait until the local daily or weekly hit the front stoop, sidewalk or mailbox to get the latest news and information. In today’s world of breaking news reports and computers that, with a few keystrokes, pull up news from across the globe, the physical newspaper has really taken a hit.

There have been dozens and dozens of newspapers published across the Old Granville area over the years, and Thornton Library’s North Carolina Room Specialist Mark Pace talked about some of them with WIZS’s Bill Harris on the Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.

A number of print newspapers continue to provide local news and community journalism for their coverage areas, including The Dispatch in Henderson, the Oxford Public Ledger, Butner-Creedmoor News, Warren Record and Franklin Times.

But do you know about the Gold Leaf, a newspaper printed in Henderson by Thad Manning?

“He really kind of changed newspapers in this area,” Pace said of Manning, who came from Halifax County, NC in 1881 and began the weekly newspaper.

Until then, newspaper publishers were more “fly by night” operations, bringing in printing presses on the back of trucks and setting up shop in storefronts in small towns.

During World War I, there was such a demand for news that Manning started a weekly paper in 1914 called the Dispatch. It later became a daily, was owned and operated for decades by three generations of the Dennis family, and it currently publishes three times a week under its original name, The Dispatch.

Henderson had another publication called the Henderson Semi-Weekly Index, which Pace noted became popular enough to be replaced by the Weekly Index. Not surprisingly, issues of that publication have not been located for the years 1861-1865, because of the chaos brought by the Civil War and the scarcity of newsprint.

Much like today’s wire services – think Associated Press and Reuters – newspapers shared copies among themselves and published stories that would be attributed to the original source. Pace said that’s how researchers can piece together information about long-gone newspapers. The credit line “taken from Gillburg News,” for example, confirms the existence despite the fact that no physical copy of the Gillburg News exists, Pace explained.

The newspapers of yore contained information that today may seem insignificant or trivial – visiting relatives and a story about someone’s unusually large potato won’t be seen in today’s newspapers. But Pace said it can really help piece together what a community looked like at the time and it can help genealogists with their research, too.

Pace implores anyone with old newspapers – or other printed information that may seem obsolete – to bring it to the library before hauling it to the landfill so he can take a look. There just may be something of interest there.

Two good resources for finding microfilm or copies of old newspapers are https://www.newspapers.com/ and the NC Digital Heritage Center at https://www.digitalnc.org/

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TownTalk: What’s Happening In May In Granville County

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If the phrase “a rolling stone gathers no moss” applied to a geographic entity, then Granville County would be that moss-less stone. The array of activities is dizzying, and Tourism Director Angela Allen shared just a glimpse into what’s in store for May on Wednesday’s TownTalk with WIZS’s Bill Harris.

First up is Quittin’ Time in downtown Oxford, which kicks off May 4 stretches across May and June on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Area restaurants and other retail outlets have joined forces to create what Allen called a “little version in downtown Oxford of Spanish-style tapas dining.” Patrons can stroll from spot to spot, ordering up small plates and specialty drinks along the way.

“For me, Quittin’ Time takes it up to a whole ‘nother notch,” Allen said. “We really want people to think of this as a gathering time – a great excuse to get outside.”

Participating businesses include:

  • Strong Arm Baking Co.
  • Main St. Oasis
  • The Hub on Main
  • Milano’s
  • Orpheum
  • Harvest
  • Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.
  • Oxford Oaks Distillery
  • Uptown 101

Find details about menus and more on Visit Downtown Oxford’s Facebook page.

Other upcoming events in Granville County include:

  • Granville Little Theatre’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” which runs consecutive weekends beginning the weekend of Friday, May 5. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and there will be a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15, with tickets for students, seniors over 65 and veterans $10. The shows will be held in the auditorium of City Hall, located at 300 Williamsboro St. in Oxford.
  • Butner’s Friday Movie in the Park – Bring lawn chairs and blankets to Gazebo Park on Central Avenue in Butner on Friday, May 5 to enjoy the family movie “The Sandlot.” There will be free popcorn and water, courtesy of a local church, Allen said. The movie begins about 8:15 p.m., so make sure you get there early to get all set up. Just in case the weather doesn’t cooperate, the movie will move to the Soldiers Memorial Sports Arena.
  • Alive After Five – The kickoff will be Thursday, May 11, a raindate from the original date in late April. Everything else is the same – Things crank up at 5 p.m. with The Konnection Band and then The Orpheum will host an “after party” until about 11 p.m.
  • CultureFest – Saturday, May 13 is the date for this year’s CultureFest, which celebrates world cultures with food trucks, vendors, performers and demonstrations. From cloggers and African drummers to the art of tortilla making and blacksmithing, the area around Littlejohn Street in downtown Oxford will come alive with tastes, sounds, sights and aromas from all around the world. “It’s a wonderful experience to get together (to) learn about other cultures and enhance your love for your own culture,” Allen said.
  • Cedar Creek National Teapot Show – The Creedmoor gallery puts on this show every three years, Allen said. It kicks off on May 20, but the teapots will be on display through September. While many are functional, Allen said that some of the teapots are quite artistic. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 1150 Fleming Rd. off Hwy 15 outside Creedmoor.

 

Find all these events and more at www.visitgranvillenc.com, or follow Granville Tourism on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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TownTalk: Henderson Kiwanis Club Celebrates 100 Years

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The Kiwanis Club of Henderson observed 100 years of service to the community during a special celebration that featured proclamations by city officials, reflections on the civic group’s history and a reminder of the club’s mission to be advocates for children.

Art Falkner, current president of the local Kiwanis Club, was a guest on TownTalk to discuss the club’s past – and its future.

“Not many clubs can say they’re a hundred years old,” Falkner said. “It’s a major milestone.”

The civic organization received its charter on April 16, 1923, just eight years after the very first club was formed in Detroit, Michigan. Today, the international organization has a place for individuals from elementary-school age to adult and boasts of having a presence in close to 100 countries around the world, with 600,000 members in 8,000 clubs.

One upcoming fundraiser event is a golf tournament, scheduled for May 25 at Kerr Lake Country Club.

Just this year, Henderson Collegiate started a Key Club for its high schoolers, Falkner said.

The Kiwanis mission is “molding good kids into exceptional adults,” he said. The Key Club is just one way to help support this mission.

Helping young people understand how to give back to their communities through civic clubs and organizations also can be a way to promote membership in clubs when those young people leave school and head out into the world.

“Just like other civic organizations, we’re losing membership,” Falkner said. But despite lower numbers – the club has 12 members now, down from a high of up to 70 – the club continues to help make a difference.

Falkner said there’s no telling how much money the club has raised throughout its history, but during the 1990’s, Falkner said longtime club treasurer Bill Cox kept meticulous financial records of all the fundraiser projects, and he estimated that the club contributed $75,000 to local projects that directly benefit children just during that 10-year period.

Thinking back on some of the past Kiwanis projects, Falkner said the annual azalea sale was always popular, as were the peanut sales and everyone remembers the funnel cakes that the club sold in front of Frazco on Garnett Street during Colorfest.

“We sold azaleas in pretty much any empty lot in town,” Falkner said with a chuckle. Same for peanuts.

“We’ve bagged peanuts in just about any open place we could find,” he recalled. During the peak of the peanut sales, club member Bob Leggett was a good resource. “He used to let us set up a stand right out there at the entrance to Leggett’s, the department store that was located in Henderson Mall.

Throughout its 100 years of existence, the focus has been on young people. “We’ve supported children throughout,” Falkner said, providing scholarships for high school graduates and in 2014 endowed a scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College in honor of longtime member Robert J. Turner.

Recent projects include providing dictionaries and other sets of books to all 3rd grade classrooms across the county.

The club meets on the first and third Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. for dinner at the Henderson Country Club. “We would love to have visitors come,” Falkner said. “We need young people and new ideas.”

As the club enters its second century of service to the community, members acknowledge the successes of the past and the hope of the future in comments that appeared in the program of the April 22 celebration:

“We take a moment to reflect on the service and dedication of the hundreds of Kiwanians from our community who have preceded us. The Kiwanis Club of Henderson has a remarkable history of assistance to the children of Vance County and a proud legacy of service to our community Looking forward, the Club will continue its efforts to recruit new members so that we may continue our traditions and work in Vance County. May we continue to be guided by the call to Work and Build. On Kiwanis, on Kiwanis – there is work to do!”

Scan of Full Program

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TownTalk: Watkins VFD Plans BBQ Fundraiser

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Watkins Volunteer Fire Department’s upcoming barbecue and chicken fundraiser on Friday, May 5, is one way the firefighters have to help make sure the residents inside their fire district – and beyond – have everything they need when it comes to fire, EMS and other services.

Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Link said this is one of two fundraisers the fire department undertakes each year, with a filler fundraiser in between.

Plates of barbecue or grilled chicken, with potatoes, slaw, bread and dessert, are $12. Plates with both barbecue and chicken are $15 and a pound of barbecue is $10, Link said.

The sales begin at 11 a.m. and they’ll serve it up until it’s all gone. Patrons can eat in or take out.

Watkins Volunteer Fire Department is located at 1590 Horseshoe Bend Rd., Henderson.

Link said Monday on TownTalk that Watkins, like other volunteer departments in the county, receives county funding for operations and to help pay for paid staff, but it’s not enough. Watkins gets $100,000 from the county, which comes from the county’s fire tax.

He estimated that between 15 percent and 20 percent of the department’s funding comes from the community in the form of fundraisers. The firefighters are always looking for ways to be frugal, Link said, and “getting more bang for our buck.”

The firefighters respond to all types of calls, not just fire calls, he said. There’s also EMS calls, and then there are the collisions and wrecks that happen within the district, too.

Link said departments like his use volunteers in creative ways to try to make sure there’s someone in the firehouse at all times. Nights and weekends are problematic, but Link said it’s important to provide the best coverage possible. “It takes some creativity to fill those gaps,”he said.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to have the firehouse staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year long. In the meantime, they’re doing the best they can.

“We make sure we’re using everything that the county is providing us, and taxpayers are providing for us,” Link said. “Everyone pays the same tax rate and deserves the same level of service.”

The fire department uses some of the funds for trainings like an upcoming workshop scheduled at the Vance County Rescue Squad about electric vehicles.

Fred’s Towing is going to do the training, which will help firefighters get up to speed on differences between EVs and traditional gas-powered vehicles.

“EV fires are an entirely different monster,” he noted, adding that they require lots more water than the routine vehicle fire call.

“This specialized training comes at a cost,” Link said, but it’s essential to keep firefighters training updated.

“The end goal is to provide the best service that we can to the taxpayer, to the customer,” Link said. Sometimes that means accepting changes, like when service areas change. There are multiple areas across the county that used to be covered by one department and now it’s covered by another.

“We’re passionate about who we serve,” Link said. “As a department, (with) some things you gotta bite the bullet and let it go – and be the second responder.”

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Community Resource Festival

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By all accounts, Thursday’s Community Resource Festival at the Vance-Granville Civic Center was a success as hundreds of participants visited more than 60 vendors to learn about services they provide and more. For Michelle Walker, this event was the culmination of months of planning with community partners to help local residents learn about available programs and services that are right here for the asking.

Walker is the sales and account manager with Huff Consulting. She and other key planning partners invested time and energy into Thursday’s result, and she couldn’t be more pleased.

“As long as I have the opportunity, I’m going to do things like this to help people,” Walker told WIZS as she surveyed the activity around her. Walker and others no doubt have poured their heart and soul into making this festival a success, and Walker could barely hold back tears as she watched community agency representatives interact and connect with individuals from the community.

Huff Consulting is a recruiting firm that works with a wide range of employees – from day laborers to corporate executives, Walker said, adding that her company has recognized the struggles that face many in the community. “Everybody has a need,” Walker said on an earlier TownTalk broadcast to promote the event. And this resource festival is a way to bridge the gap between available resources and the folks who are looking for them.

Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson said things got off to a good start in the morning and continued throughout the afternoon.

“We have absolutely packed the house,” Wilkerson told WIZS during the initial hour of the resource festival. During the planning process, she said, she and other organizers had a vision to bring under one roof community resources for the public to come and get information.

Sixty-plus organizations appeared from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – there were representatives from fire and police departments, as well as churches, non-profits and businesses from Vance and Granville counties. The event was free to attend, and more than 150 people were in attendance around 11 a.m., visiting the various information tables located throughout the Civic Center.

The Vance and Granville Chambers of Commerce, along with VGCC and Huff Consulting, teamed up to put on the festival.

VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais said she didn’t hesitate when she was approached with the idea for a community resource festival.

“We think of ourselves as a convener and a catalyst,” Desmarais said in an interview during the Thursday event. “The community is serving its constituents – this is how we all get better…and do better.”

This event was just one more way to empower people to care for themselves as they networked with community businesses, non-profits, churches and other resources in the area. “Whatever their goal may be, they’re welcome here. We want (the community) to remember that Vance Granville really does care.”

Granville Vance Public Health – As the name implies, the agency serves the two counties, and Tayshah Josey was on hand to discuss a variety of programs available to residents. From family planning and maternal care to STD and HIV testing, Josey said the health department is here for the community.

Josey said a new program designed to reduce infant mortality will be rolled out in the next few months. Participants who complete a infant safe sleep training will get rewarded with a new crib.

HIV test kits are available at the health department, too. These are home kits and individuals can request two free kits within a 90-day time frame. The STD clinic is available for walk-ins, but appointments also are available.

Family planning clinics use a sliding-scale for payment, Josey added. Visit https://www.gvph.org/ to learn about all the services GVPH provides.

Maria Parham Health – Donna Young, MPH marketing director, was on hand to network and provide information about the hospital, which enjoys high marks from Leapfrog, a national organization that measures patient safety. “We got an A for the Fall of 2022,” Young noted, which means that hospital staff puts patient safety first.

Whether getting care at the Duke-accredited cancer center, heart catheterization lab or any of the other departments, patients can be assured they’ll be taken care of.

Young said she fielded questions on a variety of topics at the resource festival, including inpatient rehab services. Whether you’re speaking to her in person or contact her via email at Donna.Young@lpnt.net, Young said you’ll get the answers you need.

“Every one of those inquiries goes straight to my inbox,” she explained, and she then routes each question to the right person to answer the question.

State Farm – In addition to medical care, a community needs other services as well, including insurance. State Farm Insurance Agency in Henderson provides the full range of insurance services in the area, and local agent Margier White had her sister, Davida Rascoe, with her at the vendor table Thursday.

State Farm is all about helping people when they’re in trouble, Rascoe said. “You need someone who cares,” she said, “who have your concerns at heart.” Her sister does a great job at making sure they cover whatever you need.”

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame was in attendance, among other area law enforcement agencies.

“This is an awesome opportunity for citizens,” Brame said Thursday morning. Many agencies –  the sheriff’s office among them – also has applications available at the community resource festival.

Granville Health System – Granville Primary Care offers a complete range of services, from pediatrics to geriatrics, and Renita Timberlake said the Butner office offers primary care as well as express care services. A team of 10 providers in the Oxford office also works with businesses to provide services like drug screens for employees and workers’ comp claims.

Gail Barnes-Hall is the director of the Harold Sherman Adult Day Center, which provides respite care for those who care for loved ones with physical or cognitive issues. The center is open Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Barnes-Hall said. Participants get three meals a day and participate in engaging activities, all while giving their caregivers a break from their care-giving duties.

Visit https://ghshospital.org/ to learn more.

HubZone Technology Initiative – Bryan Davis and Mark Williams work with HubZone, whose mission is twofold – refurbishing donated laptops and distributing them to those who need them, which keeps them in use and out of landfills.

“We help bridge the digital divide,” Williams said Thursday morning. The donated laptops have their data wiped before they’re converted to Chromebooks and donated to local nonprofits.

“We serve them so they can help the broader community,” Williams said.

Davis started out with HubZone as a photographer – until they found out he had experience with refurbishing computers himself.

Learn more about HubZone, located at 208 N. Garnett St., at https://www.hubzonetech.org/

Henderson Family YMCA – Tesa Alexander is membership director for the Henderson Family YMCA. The Y, located at 380 Ruin Creek Road, is the only Y in the four-county area, and Alexander said joining fees were waived for anyone who signed up at the resource festival.

“We try to partner with the community and make it a better place,” Alexander said. “We build our community by working with one another.” The Y will sponsor “Healthy Kids Day” Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vendors, food trucks and more will be on hand at the Y to celebrate the nationwide observance.

Guardian Ad Litem, 9th Judicial District – Samantha Branch is supervisor of the guardian ad litem program for the 9th Judicial District, which includes Vance and Granville counties. April is Child Advocate Month and Branch said her agency is always looking for volunteers to be a voice in the court system for abused and neglected children. “The goal is to get children back with their family unit,” Branch told WIZS. “We gather information and report back to the court (about) what is going to be in the best interest of the child.”

Visit www.volunteerforgal.org to learn more.

 

TownTalk: VGCC Concert Band To Perform Monday Night

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Join the VGCC Community Band for its spring concert at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1 at McGregor Hall. Director Brian “Doc” Miller says the 40-plus member band will perform in the style of a good, old-fashioned band concert. And if you look closely, you may see an unusual percussion instrument that Miller himself will play for one selection.

The audience will be invited to sing along with a “nice and brisk” rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner, the band will continue with the state song of North Carolina, “The Old North State.”

Other selections include an overture from a movie called “The Cowboys,” Miller said on TownTalk. The movie was a dud, but composer John Williams’s music has endured. “It’s a great piece of music,” Miller said.

More along the tradition of the high school band concerts of yore are “In A Chinese Temple Garden” and a waltz called “Song of Love” from the 1921 musical “Blossom Time.”

Miller also will lead the band in another of what he calls a classic American march – the National Emblem March by E.E. Bagley, who composed the music in 1906.

And stay tuned for the concert finale, a piece originally created for the organ and transcribed for the band by UNC’s band director back in the 1920’s and ‘30’s.

“It’s a real barn burner,” Miller said. “It’s a technical challenge but I think the audience will enjoy it.”

That seems like a lot of music to pack into one hour, but that’s the goal, Miller said, remembering advice given long ago to always leave the audience wanting more, not wishing it were already over.

Will there be Sousa?

As long as Miller has a say, that answer will always be a resounding and emphatic Yes!

“Nothing beats a good old-fashioned Sousa march,” he said.

But what about that unusual percussion instrument?

It’s a typewriter – an Underwood Model 5 typewriter, to be precise –  and it’s from Miller’s personal collection.

Miller will yield the baton to Sam Morgan to perform with the band in its performance of Leroy Anderson’s classic “The Typewriter,” which he composed in the 1920’s.

 

Want to join in the fun and play with the VGCC Community Band? It’s open to all. Call 252.738.3371 to learn more.