Screen-Free Kids
Kids spend too much time on screens! Screen time includes television, videos, computers and computer games and smartphones. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the White House Taskforce on Childhood Obesity recommend no screen time for kids under age two and less than two hours a day of educational programming for older kids.
But we know that many kids spend much more time than that in front of a screen. According to the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, on any given day 29% of babies under the age of one are watching TV for 90 minutes and 23% of these kids even have a TV in their bedroom. Time with screens increases rapidly after the first year. Between age one and two, 64% are watching over two hours a day, and 36% have a TV in their bedroom! By the time kids are eight, they average about seven hours of screen time daily!
Excessive screen time is linked to increased BMI and childhood obesity, irregular sleep patterns, delayed language acquisition, and less time interacting with parents. Kids who reduce screen time are less likely to be obese, have a healthier diet, do better in school, and are more physically active.
As parents, we set limits and examples for screen time. Start reducing your screen time and replace it with healthy active behaviors.
A great place to start is to remove the TV from bedrooms. Make the bedroom a screen-free zone, by moving all TV’s and computers to a family room.
Set firm limits for TV watching, video games and phone and computer use. You might want to track just how much you and your family use screens, and reduce usage for everyone. Track your use for a week, and don’t forget to add in smartphone use, computer use, gaming use and TV viewing. It can add up to a lot more hours than you realize.
Have a family conversation about how much screen time you have, and come up with ideas together to reduce your time. Find other activities to do together, think about outside games, family puzzle or game night, reading books or listening to music. There are loads of things to do together as a family instead of everyone plugged into a separate screen.
Pledge to turn off the TV during dinner. Make use of dinner time to talk about your day with your family.
When you do watch TV, be active during the time you spend watching. Do yoga, stretch, walk on a treadmill or in place. Have a family competition to see who can do the most sit-ups during a commercial break.
Try not to use screen devices as a reward or a punishment as this can make the devices seem even more important to your kids.
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood encourages everyone to reduce screen time by having a screen free week. Their website, www.screenfree.org has tips and pledge cards you and your child can use to help turn off your screens for a week. Try eliminating or reducing your screen time for a week. You might just be pleasantly surprised how much fun you can have without screens.
VGCC Honors Student-Athletes at Banquet
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College celebrated Vanguard student-athletes at the college’s annual Athletics Banquet, held on March 23 in the Civic Center on the Main Campus.
VGCC Coordinator of Student Activities & Athletics Jermiel Hargrove praised the students for their hard work, both on the court and in the classroom. He recognized, in particular, the women’s volleyball team captain, Hannah Arneth of Oxford, and the men’s basketball team co-captains, Mitch Beck of Raleigh and Kenneth “KJ” Finley, Jr., of Louisburg. Arneth announced she would be continuing her volleyball career in the next academic year at Piedmont International University in Winston-Salem.
From left, VGCC women’s volleyball Head Coach Jessica Smith, student-athletes Hannah Arneth (Defensive Award), Gabrielle Gilley and Amber Newton, and Assistant Coach Kelley Perdue. (VGCC photo)
VGCC Volleyball Head Coach Jessica Smith and Assistant Coach Kelley Perdue presented awards to their players. Hannah Arneth received the Defensive Award. Stormi Abernathy of Leasburg received the Offensive Award. She was also named to the Second Team All-Region and placed second in the Region X conference for total points, Coach Smith noted. Brittany Trivette of Oxford received the “Hustle Award.”
Other volleyball team members recognized included Gabrielle Gilley of Creedmoor, Amber Newton of Louisburg, Autumn Wortham of Henderson, Jessica Wortham of Henderson and team manager Jordan Edwards of Louisburg.
From left, VGCC men’s basketball Head Coach DeMarcus Oliver, student-athletes Calvin Malik Manley, Cora Mbaye, Kalin Jackson (Most Improved), Assistant Coach Eladio Espinosa, student-athlete KJ Finley (Team Leadership Award), Assistant Coach Anthony McCrimmon and student-athlete Mitch Beck (Vanguard Award). (VGCC photo)
Vanguards Men’s Basketball Head Coach DeMarcus Oliver and Assistant Coaches Anthony McCrimmon and Eladio Espinosa presented awards to their student-athletes. The Vanguard Award went to Mitch Beck for excellence in representing the team and VGCC. The Team Leadership Award was presented to KJ Finley. Kalin Jackson of Henderson received the Most Improved Award.
Other basketball players recognized included Obray Rufus of Charlotte, LaQuad Holden of Henderson, Calvin Malik Manley of Louisburg, Bernard Gregory of Petersburg, Va., Cora Mbaye of Raleigh, Kaeson Mayfield of Durham and Brandon Eatman of Wilson.
Current or prospective students interested in participating in VGCC athletics during the 2018-19 year should contact Jermiel Hargrove at hargrovej@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3246.
Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market Opening on Wednesdays!
/by WIZS Staff—Information courtesy Tracy Madigan, VCRFM
Beginning Wednesday, May 16, the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, located at 210 Southpark Dr. in Henderson, will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Chef Gavin Jackson will be at the Market with his food trailer, Gavin’s Grub Hub, serving breakfast starting at 8 a.m.
Jackson’s menu includes shrimp & grits, biscuits & gravy, quiches and breakfast style potatoes.
For additional information, please contact:
Market Manager: Tracy Madigan @ 252-598-0814
Extension Agent: Paul McKenzie @ 252-438-8188
The Farmers Market building is available for rent. Contact Tracy Madigan for pricing and available dates.
**VCRFM accepts and welcomes SNAP/EBT**
Brookston Baptist Church Observing Women’s Day Service, Sun. May 13
/by WIZS StaffThe Brookston Baptist Church in Greystone will be observing their annual Women’s Day Service during morning worship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at 11 a.m.
Rev./Dr. Almice Floyd-Gill, pastor of Blessed Trinity will be the guest speaker.
All are invited to attend.
City of Oxford Finance Committee Meeting, Thurs. May 17
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford
The Finance Committee for the City of Oxford will reconvene on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 1:15 p.m. in the Training Room, 1st Floor, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street. This is a continuation of the recessed Finance Committee meeting that was held on Friday, April 27, 2018. The purpose of the meeting is to continue work on the FY 2018-2019 Budget.
All those interested are encouraged to attend.
Economic Development Update 05/09/18
/by CharleneTown Talk 05/10/18
/by LarryNews 05/10/18
/by LarryCooperative Extension with Jean Bell 05/10/18
/by CharleneScreen-Free Kids
Kids spend too much time on screens! Screen time includes television, videos, computers and computer games and smartphones. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the White House Taskforce on Childhood Obesity recommend no screen time for kids under age two and less than two hours a day of educational programming for older kids.
But we know that many kids spend much more time than that in front of a screen. According to the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, on any given day 29% of babies under the age of one are watching TV for 90 minutes and 23% of these kids even have a TV in their bedroom. Time with screens increases rapidly after the first year. Between age one and two, 64% are watching over two hours a day, and 36% have a TV in their bedroom! By the time kids are eight, they average about seven hours of screen time daily!
Excessive screen time is linked to increased BMI and childhood obesity, irregular sleep patterns, delayed language acquisition, and less time interacting with parents. Kids who reduce screen time are less likely to be obese, have a healthier diet, do better in school, and are more physically active.
As parents, we set limits and examples for screen time. Start reducing your screen time and replace it with healthy active behaviors.
A great place to start is to remove the TV from bedrooms. Make the bedroom a screen-free zone, by moving all TV’s and computers to a family room.
Set firm limits for TV watching, video games and phone and computer use. You might want to track just how much you and your family use screens, and reduce usage for everyone. Track your use for a week, and don’t forget to add in smartphone use, computer use, gaming use and TV viewing. It can add up to a lot more hours than you realize.
Have a family conversation about how much screen time you have, and come up with ideas together to reduce your time. Find other activities to do together, think about outside games, family puzzle or game night, reading books or listening to music. There are loads of things to do together as a family instead of everyone plugged into a separate screen.
Pledge to turn off the TV during dinner. Make use of dinner time to talk about your day with your family.
When you do watch TV, be active during the time you spend watching. Do yoga, stretch, walk on a treadmill or in place. Have a family competition to see who can do the most sit-ups during a commercial break.
Try not to use screen devices as a reward or a punishment as this can make the devices seem even more important to your kids.
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood encourages everyone to reduce screen time by having a screen free week. Their website, www.screenfree.org has tips and pledge cards you and your child can use to help turn off your screens for a week. Try eliminating or reducing your screen time for a week. You might just be pleasantly surprised how much fun you can have without screens.
Brame to Face Pulley for Vance Co. Sheriff; Ellis & Hartness Keep Their Seats
/by WIZS StaffThe unofficial results of Tuesday’s primary election are in and Vance County residents have selected their Democratic candidates for the November 6, 2018, general election.
With 56 percent of the votes, Democratic candidate Curtis Brame will face off against Republican challenger Charles Pulley for the seat of Vance County Sheriff. Brame received a total of 2,646 votes in the primary election – 1,431 on election day, 1,201 through one-stop early voting and 14 by absentee ballot.
Sheriff’s candidate Billy Gooch received a total of 1,379 votes, or 29 percent, while candidate Melissa Elliott ended the day with 661 votes, or 14 percent.
Vance County Board of Education incumbents Margaret Ellis (Dem) and Ruth Hartness (Dem) won the majority of votes to retain their seats as representatives for District 6 and District 7 respectively.
Ellis received 394 votes, or 76 percent, beating out challenger Omega Perry’s 125 votes, or 24 percent.
Hartness received 579 votes, or 69 percent, beating out challenger Marcia Allen’s 262 votes, or 31 percent.
Overall numbers indicate that of the 25,536 voters registered as a Democrat or as unaffiliated in Vance County, 4,691 voted in Tuesday’s election. This represents approximately 18 percent of eligible registered voters.
Any candidate who filed that is unopposed in Vance County will be on the November 6th general election ballot.
Posted election results are considered unofficial until official results are released later next week.
Click here for a breakdown of voting totals by precinct.
Granville County Relay for Life – This Friday, May 11!
/by WIZS StaffThe annual Granville County Relay for Life event will be held Friday, May 11, 2018, at JF Webb High School’s track field, 3200 Webb School Road in Oxford.
A Survivor’s Reception will begin at 4:30 p.m., with opening ceremonies starting at 6 p.m.
Businesses, schools and churches are encouraged to “paint the town purple” the week of Relay. Most downtown businesses are displaying the Relay promo poster.
Oxford Baptist Church Youth will be selling large purple bows to businesses for $6 each. Contact Cindy Joy or Martha Denny at (919) 693-5181 or email csjoy@embarqmail.com for additional information.