Had a lot of fun on TownTalk Monday taking calls, talking about stimulus checks, Facebook and keeping up good spirits.
WIZS Radio broadcasts Town Talk, a locally produced public affairs program, including local phone calls, each Monday through Thursday, except holidays, from 11 a.m. until 11:29 a.m. Town Talk is hosted regularly by John Charles Rose.
TownTalk on Friday is a quiz show, game show, trivia show and contest for prizes from 11 a.m. until 11:55 a.m.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/towntalk.png265504John C. Rosehttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngJohn C. Rose2020-04-20 22:14:552020-04-20 22:54:39TownTalk 04/20/20: Local Calls; Stimulus Checks; Facebook; Keep Up Good Spirits
Debbie Scott, niece of Lt. Walter Fuller, Jr., the first person to die in Vance County from complications of COVID-19, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
Scott contacted WIZS directly to pay tribute to her uncle, who passed away on Easter morning, Sunday, April 12, 2020, at the age of 72, following a confirmed positive case of the virus.
Fuller was well-known and respected in the community as a former Henderson Fire Department (HFD) lieutenant who retired with over 28 years of service in 2000, said Scott, and served as a “father-figure” to many, herself included.
Long-serving Henderson firefighter Lt. Walter Fuller, Jr., passed away on Easter morning, Sunday, April 12, 2020, at the age of 72, due to complications of COVID-19. (Photo courtesy the family of Fuller).
“Most people would know him as Lt. Walter Fuller, Jr., but we knew him in the family as Uncle Peewee,” Scott said. “That was his nickname because he only weighed three pounds when he was born.”
Prior to his decades-long service with the HFD, Fuller served as a firefighter for two years in Philadelphia before returning home to Henderson.
According to Scott, Fuller was also a professional photographer who captured joyful moments for his family and community members at weddings and other special occasions.
“He was a good person who went about doing good deeds; his profession was saving lives. He was a father, grandfather and great grandfather, and he was a wonderful uncle,” Scott said. “He was brave; he was the rock of our family and our hero. We looked up to him.”
While Scott would prefer Fuller to be remembered for his service to the community as opposed to his distinction as the first Vance County death due to COVID-19, she also warned listeners of the dangers of the virus.
“This virus is very serious and dangerous. I think we should do everything we can to follow protocol at this time. The way you have to deal with this is painful – you can’t see your loved one, talk to them or even be in the same building with them. No one wants to experience this.”
Scott said the healthcare workers at Maria Parham Health, Fuller’s ICU nurse, in particular, were instrumental in providing comfort during an emotional time for the family.
“We called his nurse for two days, and she was so wonderful. She gave him messages for us. We wanted him to know we loved him; he couldn’t talk. I called her back yesterday to thank her for what she did.”
In a touching surprise to Scott, WIZS reached out to Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell and former chief Danny Wilkerson, both who worked with Fuller for years, for comment.
Chief Cordell had this to say about Fuller, “He was a good, Christian man. When I came to work at the fire department in 1992, Lt. Fuller was a fire engineer, and I worked under him for my first six months. Lt. Fuller took me under his wing and taught me the ropes. I will always appreciate the effort he put into me as a young, 20-year-old coming in the door.”
Cordell continued, “I was able to see Lt. Fuller go from fire engineer to fire lieutenant over fire prevention, and he excelled in that position; he made a tremendous impact on young kids. He was able to take the enthusiasm that he brought every day to the job and use that to educate young kids and adults on fire safety.”
Wilkerson said, “He was a great person and a very good firefighter. He was at the fire department a few years before I started in 1975. Being a new firefighter, he gave me a lot of guidance, and I really took that to heart. He is also one of the first African-American firefighters that the Henderson Fire Department had.”
“The one thing Walter did that really stood out to me,” Wilkerson added with a chuckle, “was that he was all for enforcing the City’s fire lane and handicapped parking. I believe he wrote more fire lane and handicap parking violations than any firefighter or police officer at the time.”
Wilkerson’s final thoughts on Fuller echoed Scott’s sentiments expressed during the interview, “The thing that I always respected about Walter is that he put God first, then his family and then his fire department family, and he would tell you that is how your priorities in life should be.”
To hear the interview with Scott in its entirety, including comments from Cordell and Wilkerson, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Walter-Fuller-Jr..png265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2020-04-16 17:02:192020-04-16 17:02:19Town Talk 04/16/20: Tribute to Lt. Walter Fuller, Jr., Fire & COVID-19 Fighter
North Carolina State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Folwell, who has served as NC State Treasurer since 2017, is recovering after being hospitalized for five days with COVID-19. “I am thankful for all the caregivers, God, my family, and the prayers and thoughts that got me through this,” Folwell said.
He also expressed appreciation for the healthcare workers who encouraged him through the recovery process. Folwell said doctors and nurses offered emotional support while he was separated from his family due to the strict no visitor policies currently implemented at many hospitals.
Cleared by doctors and health officials to resume his duties, Folwell reassured listeners that the state pension plan is “one of the most conservatively managed in the country, if not the world.”
“Last time we talked [WIZS Town Talk January 23, 2020], we were reassuring people that we were still in the check delivering business, and that’s still the case,” stated Folwell. “Obviously, we’ve had a lot of market volatility since then, but our state pension plan is in great shape, and we continue to be in the check delivering business.”
As of earlier this week, the state pension plan was down approximately 4.2% for the calendar year, while the S&P 500 was down by almost 14%. For the fiscal year that began June 2019, the state plan is up .6%, while the S&P is down approximately 5%. While down, Folwell said he is encouraged by the fact that the state plan is still currently outperforming the stock market.
To help offset some of the losses, Folwell said the state is “looking at some of our cash balances and taking advantage of some of the opportunities being presented to us. Those who depend on this – those that teach, those that protect and those who otherwise serve – will not have to think about this.”
Calling the current economic downturn a “combination of 9/11 and the Great Recession, all combined into one,” Folwell admitted, “Revenues are down, expenses are up, collections are down, and it’s just not a good circumstance for any business.”
Following today’s interview with WIZS, Folwell addressed the current state of the pension plan, among other treasury-related topics, in a monthly “Ask Me Anything” session open to media representatives.
The monthly calls are an opportunity for reporters to ask Folwell questions about N.C. Department of State Treasurer (DST) initiatives, including the Retirement Systems Division, the State Health Plan, the State and Local Government Finance Division and the Unclaimed Property Division.
Audio of the monthly “Ask Me Anything” calls is available by clicking here.
To hear the interview with Folwell in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health (MPH), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Beard reported that MPH has tested 150 people for possible COVID-19 infection at this point, with 14 positive cases. Of those positive cases, Beard said a “handful” have been admitted for treatment.
“Anyone who is a rule out is treated like someone who is positive for it until we get a negative test,” said Beard. “Our ability to test and get quick results has improved vastly since the start of this six weeks ago.”
According to Beard, a new partnership with Mako Medical Laboratories, along with recently approved testing, has reduced turnaround time for results from several days to approximately 24-hours.
While Beard said MPH and its staff are well-prepared to handle a possible increase in patients, the hospital is currently experiencing a lull in numbers. “We are seeing a lot less volume currently at the hospital. I think people are rightfully concerned and aren’t coming in if they don’t have to.”
With Granville Vance Public Health announcing the first COVID-19 death in Vance County – a 72-year-old male with pre-existing health conditions who died Sunday – Beard said he couldn’t stress enough the importance of continuing to take safety precautions.
“Continue to observe stay at home orders from the governor and the president. Continue to observe good infection prevention practices – handwashing hygiene, no touching your face and social distancing. Be mindful of your interactions when you have to go out.”
To do its part in mitigating the spread of the virus, Beard said the hospital enacted a zero visitor policy with a few exceptions: pediatrics, end-of-life care and mother/baby.
Visitors and MPH employees are also currently required to enter the hospital through either the main or emergency entrance, where their temperature is checked with an infrared thermometer. Visitors are also given a cloth mask – many donated by members of the community – to help stop the spread of infection.
“I am hopeful that on the back-end of this, people will have, not a new-found, but re-found respect for our first responders and frontline healthcare workers,” Beard said. “It is wonderful to see the outpouring of support and love for these people; I hope that element is held in the wake of this event.”
To hear the interview with Beard in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/wizs-featured-image-town-talk.png210400Larryhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngLarry2020-04-08 15:17:182020-04-08 15:30:21Town Talk 04/08/20: Community Call-In, Local Support in Face of COVID-19
Jerry E. Edmonds, III, vice president of Workforce Development and Community Engagement at Vance-Granville Community College, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Serving in this new position since the fall, Edmonds supports economic development for the region and oversees training programs that respond to community needs and prepare students for workforce success.
In addition, Edmonds leads the development of VGCC partnerships with businesses and government agencies and coordinates outreach and marketing.
“The position of workforce and community engagement is a relatively new combination of functions,” Edmonds said. “Our president, Dr. Rachel Desmarais, was certainly futuristic in her assessment that community engagement would be more and more a part of our community college function.”
Workforce development is what has been traditionally referred to as continuing education, Edmonds explained, and includes public safety, short term healthcare courses such as CNA and phlebotomy, and the college’s new truck driver training, among other programs.
The VGCC Small Business Center also falls under the Workforce and Community Engagement umbrella and has become more visible to the public and business community in recent weeks with the economic repercussions of COVID-19 closures.
Sheri Jones, director of the Small Business Center, appeared on WIZS Town Talk last week to discuss her work with local businesses during the health crisis, which has included assistance with small business loan information.
Along with the Small Business Center, VGCC offers customized training programs specific to the local area. Edmonds admitted that not everyone in the community has been aware of these services in the past, a task that he sees as part of his and his team’s role in marketing the college.
“Marketing is an area that we really have to do a little better job as a community college system in getting the word out about the great programs and great work that we do on a daily basis,” Edmonds stated.
Echoing a sentiment shared by Desmarais in previous WIZS interviews, Edmonds said the system is doing just that by focusing on workforce development with individual community colleges training residents for local employment opportunities.
“The NC Community College System has recently embarked upon a marketing campaign with the tagline that North Carolina community colleges are all about ‘Hire Education’ to use a play-on-words’ of ‘higher education,’” said Edmonds. “At the end of the day, all of our programs, be they on the continuing education side or be they on the curriculum side, seek to give students a living wage employment.”
To hear the interview with Edmonds in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Louis Panzer, executive director of North Carolina 811, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.
Known for its “Call Before You Dig” slogan, NC811 has provided the public with a communications link between local utility providers since 1978.
With April being recognized as Safe Digging Month, Panzer said now is the perfect time to discuss the legal requirement of having utilities marked before digging.
Panzer explained that NC law requires anyone engaging in excavation or demolition activities to contact NC811 at least three working days prior to starting the work. NC811 will then notify the member facility owners within your area of excavation or demolition requests.
The member facility owner then has three working days to provide a response and to mark any underground facilities that may be in conflict with the work area. Only publicly owned lines will be marked by the facility owner; private lines will not be indicated.
NC811 services are provided to residents free of charge and are designed to protect both the safety of those digging as well as the integrity of the telecommunication and utility networks underground.
“So many people rely on services that we sometimes take for granted,” said Panzer. “Telecommunication has increasingly become important, especially during this time where more people are working from home. People are sheltered in place and their children are at home being educated online.”
With an average of five conflicting utilities around your home or business, Panzer said it is better to contact NC811 and ask questions before engaging in even commonplace outdoor projects such as gardening or planting shrubbery.
Steps in the 811 utility location process include:
Call 811. Before calling, have information ready such as your address, property specifics, the area you wish to have located, any special considerations, etc. For a full listing of the required information, click here.
Wait the required time. NC law requires that a three working day notice be given to the utility owners before you dig. Member facilities have three full working days, beginning the first working day after the notice is given, to mark the area requested for underground utilities or to notify the excavator of no conflict in the area.
Check Positive Response. Positive Response is both a by-phone and online means for the utility members of NC811 to provide information regarding the status of your location request. Click here for more information.
Respect the marks. The underground facilities located on your property will be identified by color-coded paint, stakes or flags and should not be disturbed.
Dig with care. If damage occurs, notify the facility owner directly. You can also dial 811 to report damage to underground facilities. In the event of a gas release, remove yourself from the area immediately and call 911 to report.
For more information on NC811, call by simply dialing 8-1-1, download the 811 app or visit www.nc811.org.
To hear the interview with Panzer in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NC-811-Safe-Digging-Month.png265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2020-04-06 16:56:202020-04-06 16:56:20Town Talk 04/06/20: NC811 Director Reminds Public to ‘Call Before You Dig’
Dr. Stephen Pearson, co-owner and operator of Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Pearson, who teaches classes online at UNC-Chapel Hill and Utica College, and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in global business organization leadership, followed up on his Town Talk interview from last week.
While Thursday’s Town Talk focused on tips for working efficiently from home, Pearson utilized today’s segment to address the importance of employing proper online security measures when working remotely.
Much like the current social distancing model is being encouraged to help prevent human illness, Pearson explained similar practices should be used to protect computers and other electronic devices from viruses.
“Make sure you aren’t migrating viruses into your corporate network while you are working from home,” said Pearson. “You want to make sure you are using a platform that you have some control over.”
To have control over your technology and what your company’s network may be exposed to, Pearson suggested the creation of separate user profiles for each individual on a shared computer. “This ensures your work profile and your children’s gaming profile are separate, for example, and lessens the chance of interaction between the two.”
Other suggestions, per Pearson, include keeping corporate files on an external storage unit connected to your computer and installing a good antivirus program that updates daily.
Another suggestion to protect both your computer and your bank account is to beware of scams related to COVID-19. Much like disasters of the past, including 9/11 and hurricanes, the coronavirus pandemic is bringing out fraudsters who prey on peoples’ fears and generosity in a difficult time, said Pearson.
Pearson suggested not opening emails from institutions that you did not initially contact for information and doing some research before donating to any online site as primary ways to protect yourself from fraud.
For businesses looking for loans during the shutdown, Pearson suggested sticking with known and trusted sites such as www.SBA.gov or contacting the VGCC Small Business Center for further assistance.
Fake loan sites with “requirements” such as a $2,500 loan application fee are already being reported and trusted sources can help determine the legitimate from the fraudulent.
To hear the interview with Pearson in its entirety, including additional security suggestions, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
Sheri Jones, director of the Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) Small Business Center, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
U.S. Small Business Administration Loans
In discussing the various ways the VGCC Small Business Center is working with local businesses during the current health crisis, including assistance with loan applications, Jones emphasized that time is of the essence.
“The best advice I can give is to go ahead and apply now; don’t wait,” Jones stated. “People are applying and getting approved, but this situation is unprecedented. We don’t know how long the funds will hold out and how many are going to apply.”
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to small businesses in all states and territories that are suffering economic injury as a result of the virus.
Terms for these Economic Injury Disaster Loans range from 15 to 30 years and the total loan amount is considered on a case-by-case basis. According to Jones, for-profit businesses will pay 3.75% interest, while non-profits will pay 2.75%.
“These loans are available directly through the Treasury Department with no third-party lender involved,” explained Jones. “Most businesses are eligible to apply.”
According to the SBA’s website, the disaster loans may be used for fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid due to the disaster’s impact.
VGCC Small Business Center’s “Coronavirus Business Ready” Webinars
In an effort to further support local businesses and offer encouragement, the VGCC Small Business Center has scheduled a series of free, live webinars entitled “Coronavirus Business Ready – Protecting Your Small Business.”
Each part addresses various areas of concern that all businesses are currently facing. The remaining webinars include:
Keeping Customers & Employees Safe During Unsettling Times –
Participants must register at least two days prior to each session with a valid email address in order to receive the webinar login information. After registering, the link will be sent approximately 24 hours before the event, and a reminder email will also be sent approximately an hour prior to the start time.
To hear the interview with Jones in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/VGCC-Logo.png265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2020-03-31 15:01:392020-03-31 15:01:39Town Talk 03/31/20: VGCC Small Business Director Discusses SBA Loans, Webinars
TownTalk airs M-F on WIZS, Henderson at 11 a.m. Listen at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / streamed live at wizs.com and with Tunein and on smart connected devices and speakers.
NC Gov. Roy Cooper; Covid-19; Executive Order 121; Where you can go; Stay at Home
Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington, message of assurance and request for adherence to Exec Order 121
Vance County Schools meal pickup for the week; One day this week; March 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/wizs-featured-image-town-talk.png210400John C. Rosehttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngJohn C. Rose2020-03-30 11:54:402020-03-30 11:54:40TownTalk 03/30/2020 (Places You Can Go)
