TownTalk: Infinite Possibilities Shines A Light On Domestic Violence Awareness

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Erin Carter says events like the one coming up Saturday at Aycock Rec Complex are about more than awareness – it’s a public demonstration of support to show victims and survivors of domestic violence that they aren’t alone in the fight to put an end to what has become all-too-common in society.

Carter and Bretanya Simmons work with Infinite Possibilities, Inc., a place where victims of abuse can go for support and help during a crisis. Carter is a victim’s advocate and Simmons is a court advocate and also works with area youth struggling with domestic violence situations.

The “Walk A Mile In Her Shoes” event will start at 10 a.m., Carter told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

“Events like this show our clients that we are all on the same page,” Simmons said. “It’s important for our clients to see us outside our roles sometimes,” she added.

Carter and Simmons are hoping to see lots of like-minded walkers Saturday. “We are hoping for a great turnout,” Carter said, adding that participants just need to show up, sign in to get a number from the information desk and be ready to walk by 10 a.m.

The main office is in Henderson, and Simmons’s office is in Warrenton, right beside the magistrate’s office.  Clients often are referred to her when they come in to get restraining orders for partners or spouses, she said. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she saw an uptick in clients. But volume fell, she said, as the pandemic wore on: victims were stuck at home with their abusers, she said, and didn’t have an opportunity to seek help.

“Once the world stopped, and the majority of (people) were working at home, we didn’t see as many coming in – they didn’t get that time they normally would to reach out and get help with their situation,” Simmons said.

Those “situations” aren’t limited to physical abuse, Carter said. “Domestic violence is so much more than just physical abuse,” she added. Just because we don’t see bruises or other physical harm, doesn’t mean it’s not domestic violence, she said. There’s emotional abuse, financial abuse, spiritual abuse, as well as cyber bullying.

“That’s why education is so important,” Carter explained. “If we are educated, then we can help someone else.” Being able to create a conversation with someone you suspect may be a victim of domestic violence can be the first step to getting help for that person. “Create a conversation – not a coercive conversation, but an empathetic conversation, a gentle conversation…to provide information, could go a long way to help someone,” she said.

The Infinite Possibilities hotline is 252.425.2492. Learn more at infinitepossibiltiesinc.net or find them on Facebook.

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TownTalk: hmwPreservation Works to Document Historic Architecture

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Heather Slane said matching locations on maps with properties that she actually sees at the end of driveways and through wooded areas is sort of like putting together a puzzle. When the pieces all fit together, the end result is rewarding. But sometimes it can take a while before the picture begins to take shape.

Slane is an architectural historian whose firm, hmwPreservation, has just completed part of Phase 1 of a 3-phase project to update Vance County’s architectural survey.

If the survey were a building, it would be considered historical – the most recent one was completed in the mid-1970’s, she said. And today, the general rule of thumb is that a structure is considered historical if it’s at least 50 years old.

Slane joined host Bill Harris on Tuesday’s Town Talk to discuss the project and the progress being made. The first couple of days, she admitted that she had a bit of a learning curve. “We had to make sure we were looking for the right thing in the right place,” she said about using the maps and lists to match up with the properties they were viewing.

The survey is a result of some federal grant funding distributed to North Carolina to complete architectural surveys in six counties. Slane and her group won the contracts for Vance and Person counties.

There was a survey conducted in the early 1980’s in Henderson, which resulted in the formation of the downtown Henderson Historic District, but Slane said her focus right now is updating the county’s list of historical properties that is maintained at the state’s historic preservation office.

So far, Slane’s work has been to identify the approximately 350 properties previously listed in files, using GIS and other documents to locate the properties.

That part of the work is completed, and she said she and her team plan to return in February to begin Phase 2. Before the work is completed in the spring of 2023, she will have identified properties within the city limits of Henderson, too.

“We drove up and down every road in the county and made a list of all the properties that the state did not already have information on that we can go back and create files for,” Slane said.

She’s mindful of the “No Trespassing” signs, she said, and sometimes just has to photograph from along the roadside. But when a property is in obvious disrepair, showing no sign of being cared for, she said she feels comfortable going in for a closer look.

There are some properties listed that no longer exist, either falling victim to demolition or neglect over the last 50 years. But there are other structures that will find their spot on the updated list, and Slane said schools and churches are two types of architecture that are sure to be included.

“One of the things we always try to document, in addition to the condition of the buildings, are schools and churches,” she said. “Those tend to tell the stories of communities even better than most houses do.”

Something she has noticed in her drives through the county is the abundance of ranch-style homes. Instead of trying to document each individual property, she said she looks for unusual roof lines or other interesting details to include a representative of the style that permeates the rural roadsides.

Slane also is interested in hearing from residents who have a particular story to tell or want to share a remembrance about a particular structure or area.

“I don’t know Vance County all that well,” Slane said, adding that having locals tell her which buildings are important and special for them is a real gift. “It’s always helpful to have people who’ve lived in Henderson for a long time” share information with her. It’s that personal perspective that gives context to the survey.

She will welcome input up until January or February of 2023, just in advance of the completion of the survey. Email her at heather@hmwpreservation.com.

“We want something that’s useful, not just something that’s a file for the state,” she said.

 

 

Town Talk: Gang Free Events Coming To Downtown Henderson

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Vance County middle schoolers have a unique opportunity this Thursday that involves food, gift cards, COVID-19 vaccinations and pumpkins. Lots of pumpkins.

Henderson-based Gang Free Inc. has partnered with Food Lion, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, among others, to sponsor “Pumpkin, Paint and Pizza at Vance County Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 14 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Gang Free founder Melissa Elliott shared details about the upcoming event on Monday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose.

The term “food insecurity” has become a more commonly used familiar phrase recently, but Elliott said it’s less-often associated with children. With great support from Food Lion, she said the first 100 children to arrive will get $50 Food Lion gift cards.

The evening is “designed to bring middle school students and their parents out to a night of creative fun, while also promoting vaccination equity and education,” Elliott said.

Any person getting a first vaccine also will receive a $100 gift card, she noted. A $10 incentive is available for anyone who gets tested for COVID-19.

This three-pronged approach to a community event – fighting food insecurities, vaccine education and (of course) fun – is one way that Gang Free, Inc. strives to be “an answer to challenges… (W)e continue to use innovative ways to educate and empower to keep our community safe,” Elliott said in a written statement to WIZS.

The Hub Zone Tech Initiative also will be on-site to accept donated laptops that will be refurbished and re-distributed into the community.

Vance County Middle School Principal Stephanie Ayscue reached out to Elliott in search of pumpkins, but, through partnerships, the event has become so much more.

Students will have a chance to eat pizza, decorate a pumpkin and take home a gift card for future use.

Elliott said she and Principal Ayscue hope the event will increase community and parent support. “We’re here to support them,” Elliott said, adding that she wants everyone to know that no one in this community has to be hungry and no one has to go unvaccinated.

The idea of vaccination inequity often revolves around misinformation, she said. A key to combat that misinformation lies “in getting the right message into the community.”

Barriers to vaccination, in addition to misinformation, include access to transportation to get to a shot location or access to the internet to make an appointment.

A community outreach team spends a lot of time fanning out to areas known for low vaccination rates to help get the right message into the community regarding vaccinations, Elliott said.

The teams have been to the Williamsboro community, as well as Sandy Creek, and will be hitting South Henderson as well. “If we’re not out knocking on doors, we’re making phone calls,” she said.

 Whether it’s by canvassing pockets of unvaccinated areas in the county, doling out gift cards or providing pumpkins for children to paint and decorate, Gang Free, Inc. has a laser-sharp focus on making people’s lives better.

“We want to continue to be a blessing in the community,” she added.

Gang Free Inc. is sponsoring another event on Friday, Oct. 15 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Henderson, Elliott said.

The Hispanic Heritage celebration will fill up the entire block surrounding 200 Breckenridge St. with the sights, sounds and aromas from a wide range of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Dr. Alice Sallins joined Elliott on Town Talk to speak about the upcoming event.

“We have a strong Hispanic population in Vance County,” Sallins said. “We need to be supportive and to learn about their culture,” she added. With learning comes understanding, including what needs are unmet, she said.

Sallins, chairperson of the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission’s Promotions Committee, said having this event in downtown Henderson shows the community’s involvement in downtown.

It’s not just for the Latinex community, Elliott said. “We don’t want just the Hispanic people to come,” she noted. “We want everybody to come out and participate,” she said.

Visit gangfreeinc.org to learn more.

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

TownTalk: Upcoming Job Fairs In Warrenton And Roxboro Are Open To All

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The Kerr-Tar Council of Governments is hosting a job fair next week at the Warren County Recreational Complex. Desiree Brooks, business services manager for the workforce development board, said more than 20 employers will be on hand at the event, set for Thursday, Oct. 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“One thing we have been taking advantage of is the nice weather,” Brooks told Town Talk host Bill Harris Thursday. She said taking the job fairs into the counties of the region is one way to match prospective employers with employees. Previous job fairs in Vance and Granville counties proved successful, and Brooks said she hopes the Warren event will be, also.

The recreational complex hosts a weekly adult kickball game, and Brooks said she listened to local officials to take the job fair to a spot that gets a lot of foot traffic.

In addition to watching the 6 p.m. kickball game, there will be food vendors on site and the Turning Point CDC Mobile Learning Lab for those who may need computer access.

“We wanted to not just pick a central location,” Brooks said, “but have a job fair in each county.” Of course, the job fairs are promoted across the region, but placing them across the five counties gives everyone a chance to participate.

A job fair is scheduled for Person County in late October, she added.

Employers are motivated, she said, and there are many opportunities for job seekers. “Everybody needs employees,” Brooks noted. “(Employers) want to meet everybody who’s looking for work.”

There are many opportunities in the Kerr-Tar region, especially in the fields of manufacturing and health care, she said.

Prospective employees should know that training through Kerr-Tar’s NC Works can help them gain job skills, too. “It’s not a deal breaker,” Brooks said, for a prospective worker to have most, but not all, of the skills needed for a specific job. “Employers are in such a need…for employees who are trainable and willing to work. We can assist with getting those employees where they need to be,” she said.

In this job market, an employee taking an entry-level job can quickly move up. Pay is higher overall, and competitive wages and sign-on bonuses are just a couple of things to consider when searching for a job.

KARTS is available for those who need transportation. Contact the NC Works office at 919.693.2686 to learn more about how to make an appointment.

Visit NCworks.gov to learn more.

 

 

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

TownTalk: Improving News On Covid 19

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COVID-19 vaccinations are an important layer of defense that health officials recommend to help turn back the tide of coronavirus. Along with hand washing, social distancing and mask wearing, it’s shots in arms that has Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison optimistic about the state of things in her health district.

For the past three weeks, the health district has seen fewer COVID-19 cases, as opposed to the end of August and September when cases were on the uptick just about every single day. She told Town Talk host Bill Harris Wednesday that things seem to be looking up.

“The more people that get vaccinated, the less we’ll see that curve…grow,” Harrison said. And as vaccinations continue to go up, the more people will feel comfortable getting back to more normal activities.

Harrison reiterated what other health experts have stated for some time – the majority of those in hospital and ICU’s now with COVBID-19 are unvaccinated.  “The virus will grow a new case and live for a little while,” she said, “and unvaccinated people are where this Delta variant have found its host.”

Granville and Vance counties both are below the state level for percent positive rates – Granville has a 4 percent rate and Vance is at about 6 percent; the state rate is about 9 percent, Harrison said.

She gives credit to community members who have been good about following the public health recommendations and guidelines. “I’m very proud of our communities,” Harrison said. “And we’re getting better all the time.”

While the Delta variant has gotten a lot of attention, Harrison said there are other variants that scientists are watching. “The good news is, so far, they haven’t spread like Delta. If we can stop this virus in its tracks, it will stop mutating so quickly,” she said.

Vaccines bolsters our immune systems and make our bodies stronger to resist viruses, she said. But the effectiveness  of the COVID-19 vaccines, like so many other tried-and-true vaccines, wanes over time, which is why booster shots are recommended.

There will be a Phizer booster clinic on Oct. 15 at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, Harrison said. Anyone who meets the criteria to get the booster shot may get that booster between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

 

 

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TownTalk: Remembering Jerry Patterson

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WIZS TownTalk remembers Jerry Patterson, a local friend to many who loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and who was a respected businessman.  Obituary script at www.sossamonfuneralhome.com/obituary/jerry-patterson.

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Henderson Fire Dept

TownTalk: Fire Prevention Week

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If you’ve ever been awakened in the middle of the night by that annoying little chirp of the smoke detector signaling the need for a new battery, consider this: that annoying little chirp could be a life-saving sound that could avert tragedy in a real emergency.

October 3-9 is Fire Safety Week, and Henderson Fire Captain Lee Edmonds wants everyone to learn the different sounds of fire safety. For example, a smoke alarm signal is three loud beeps; a carbon monoxide alarm is four continuous rapid beeps.

“Learning the sounds of fire safety is very important,” he said.

In a conversation with John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk, Edmonds suggested that every household have two escape plans, and from different locations in the home. “Every second counts,” he said.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are valuable tools to help homeowners – as long as they are in good working order. A good rule of thumb is to change the batteries when the time changes twice a year.

A new type of smoke alarm has a 10-year life span and there’s no battery to replace, he said. So when it begins to chirp, it’s time to toss and replace.

Residents in the community have the chance to learn more about smoke alarms and more during an event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7. There will be fire trucks and a “smoke trailer” on hand for children and others to view at the former Golden Corral parking lot on North Cooper Drive.

Smoke alarms should be located inside and outside of sleeping and living spaces, Edmonds said. But, he said, smoke alarms should not be located near kitchens or bathrooms, where steam from cooking or showering could cause them to be activated.

Another important tool to have on hand is a fire extinguisher, and Edmonds said the most common type is one that can handle the three main types of fires in households – regular combustible fires, fires caused by flammable liquids and electrical fires.

This “ABC” fire extinguisher will take care of most any type of fire that occurs in a residence, he noted.

By the end of September, there have been 100 fire-related deaths. “That’s a lot and we’re just nine months into the year,” he said. Last year’s total was 120, and Edmonds said the main way to keep that number down is to make sure there are working smoke detectors in the home.

Any Henderson resident who hears that annoying little chirp can call the fire station at 252.4301877 to get help. “Someone will come out and replace the battery or the smoke detector,” Edmonds said.

Visit the National Fire Protection Association website at nfpa.org to learn more about fire safety.

 

TownTalk: Veteran Uses Wood Working To Help Combat PTSD

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Perhaps Walter Craig remembers his father’s admonition as he’s in his workshop building wooden toys for children and others to enjoy. Son, the carpenter and farmer would say, it takes a lifetime to grow a tree, but it only takes an idiot 15 minutes to screw one up.

Craig, a U.S. Army veteran, took up woodworking after finding himself in need of something to keep him out of the recliner and doing something good for others. Today, his toy cars, helicopters and more can be found in 14 states, as well as on Guam and in Australia.

But they’re not for sale. “Then whoever’s got a dollar can buy one,” Craig said. “I get to determine who’s worthy of getting one. He gives them away, sending them to fellow veterans and others who can use a little cheering up for one reason or another.

Craig talked about his time in the military, how it shaped his life after he retired and more on Thursday’s Town Talk, when guest host Phyllis Maynard joined John C. Rose for another program in a series about military veterans and PTSD.

Craig, a retired 1st Sergeant, spent 20 years in the U.S. Army and eventually became a master mechanic. He worked on Cobra, and then Apache, helicopters and was key in the development of the prototype of the “Hellcat” missile.

He credits an older brother – he had 11 siblings growing up – for his decision to enlist in the Army. He followed that brother around Ft. Hood in Texas for a couple of days in the late 1960’s, he said. But his brother was in an armored division and he suggested Craig go into aviation “because it was up and coming.”

Having the experience of being a helicopter mechanic helped Craig ultimately find woodworking. At the time, now retired from his civilian job as a prison employee, he decided he wanted a model of a Cobra helicopter. His search came up empty, so he decided to build one himself.

After that, he built a bunch of wooden toy cars for the local credit union’s toy drive. And from there, his new mission was up and running.

An online visit with an Army buddy prompted Craig to send him a wooden copter. “He was having PTSD problems,” Craig said. “If us vets don’t stick together – who’s going to help us if we don’t help each other?” That wooden replica is a reminder of all the things that he has gone through and survived, he added. It’s a way to say that what he’s going through now is “a piece of cake.”

Craig turned 72 earlier this month, but he celebrated his 19th birthday in Vietnam. Now, more than a half century later, he sees younger combat veterans returning home from tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the mistreated Vietnam vets are the driving force” behind making sure the latest veterans to return home don’t suffer the same fate.

The woodworking for me is a natural spinoff. Didn’t do anything for 3 years. After prison work.

“There are people out there that don’t really want a handout, what they want is a hand up.,” Craig said. “If I can help one man or one woman get over the hard spot they’re in, then it’s well worth it.”

 

 

TownTalk: Fight For Misty BBQ Oct. 2

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She’s done a lot of research since her diagnosis, and Misty Bailey says the heart condition she deals with daily affects 60 out of every 100,000 people in the U.S. That makes cardiac sarcoidosis relatively uncommon. There’s no quick fix, but there are treatments that can help make patients like Bailey feel better. Not well, but better.

Bailey takes upwards of two dozen pills each day and sees a team of doctors to manage her condition and the side effects of medication and the toll all of this takes on her body. She and her husband call those specialists “-ologists.” There’s the endocrinologist, the ophthalmologist, the neurologist, and, of course, the cardiologist, to name just a few.

All this care takes time – and money. And that’s where the “Fight for Misty” team kicks in. A barbecue fundraiser will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2 at Bailey’s church, Harriet Baptist Church, located at 1354 Ruin Creek Road. Pickup is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Baileys, along with Amy Bowling, were on Town Talk Wednesday to talk about the fundraiser and to increase awareness of the disease, which is described as a chronic inflammatory condition, which has no cure.

The barbecue is $10 per pound. There also are t-shirts, stainless steel tumblers and silicone wrist bands – all emblazoned with “Fight for Misty” – available for purchase. Tickets are available before the event, but drive-ups are welcome.

Bailey said she is humbled and honored to feel the support of people, some of which she doesn’t even know. When she sees folks wearing “her” t-shirt, it evokes emotions of appreciation and gratitude. It also keeps her motivated as she learns to live with a chronic health condition.

“They’re spreading awareness and they don’t know me personally – they want to support me (and) they want to help people that need the help,” Bailey said.

“Even for those who I don’t know that have supported me through t-shirt sales, BBQ, and donations, you all have made me feel special. I can’t tell you thank you enough and how much your support means to me,” she said.

In April, Bailey had a port placed so she could receive infusions every six weeks to reduce the inflammation around her heart. Her rheumatologist said this could continue for several years. Sometime within the next five years, she said “Afib will start showing itself,” so that will have to be dealt with. Afib refers to arrhythmia, when the heart doesn’t pump and beat in proper rhythm.

Dealing with all the side effects takes its toll, she said.

“The hardest part of this heart disease is when I am laughing and having a great time,” Bailey said. “Some people start to think, ‘She looks absolutely fine there. It doesn’t seem like she is in any kind of pain. In fact, she is going out having fun!’”

But, she said, she wants to reply, “Did you know that I had to save my energy all week long just to go out that one night?”

As she continues to manage the daily challenges she faces, Bailey said she feels like she is called to be a voice for this disease. “As long as I have the strength to do so, that’s what I will be doing,” she added.

“A lot of people don’t even realize they have cardiac sarcoidosis until it’s too late,” she continued.

“And I was almost that person.”

 

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CultureFEST Downtown Oxford on Saturday

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Downtown Oxford is the setting for Saturday’s CultureFEST, which will showcase a variety of multicultural artistic performances with a street fair vibe – food trucks, crafts and more await participants who visit Littlejohn Street between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Ajulo Othow and Oxford Mayor Jackie Sergent are among the event planners, and they talked with John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk about their hopes for the event, both in the short-term and in the long-term.

The John Chavis Historical Society has sponsored several multicultural festivals in the past few years, but Othow said new partnerships with the city of Oxford and with the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Commission have created new opportunities.

“It just felt like the best time to expand it and bring it into downtown Oxford,” she said, “making it more accessible to the entire community.” Othow said she is grateful to city leaders for making the opportunity available and being willing to partner with the Chavis historical society.

“For me, this is huge,” Sergent said. She has attended the previous multicultural festivals, and marveled at many of the performers, especially the Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble of Durham.

The dance ensemble will perform at CultureFEST, Sergent said.  But there will also be cloggers and Hawaiian dancers as well.

Whether you’re interested in Latino music or learning about the Procession of the Queen, CultureFEST has a little something for everyone.

“Too often, we’re in our own little worlds and we miss out” on experiencing food, music and dance from cultures we may not be familiar with, Sergent noted.

In addition to the Hawaiian dancers, some of the other performers include Mexican folk dancers Dance Ortiz, St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church drummers, a storyteller from Chapel Hill and more.

After the festival concludes, a number of downtown restaurants will be open and serving some unique fare not usually on the menu. “They’ll be offering something that is a little out of the ordinary for them,” Othow said. Downtown Oasis is going to have spanakopita, for example, and Tobacco Wood Brewing Co. is going to offer Caribbean-style jerk chicken.

“We’ve gotten one festival figured out,” Sergent said, referring to the Hot Sauce Contest. “Now it’s time to get another one down – to highlight the talent, tastes, music…that other cultures bring to the table.” CultureFEST will be smaller than the hot sauce festival, but it has the opportunity to grow in the future, she said.

Call 919.693.9133 for more information.

 

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