If Micah Sharpe can get young people to buy in to 4-H at an early age, the chances are better that they’ll stick with it through their teenage years. And if some of those youngsters are interested in learning their way around a kitchen to create healthy, nutritious foods, the Vance County 4-H Youth Development agent said they’ll be able to whip up something a little more exotic than Oodles of Noodles.
A team of local 4-Hers from Vance and Warren counties participated in the “Got To Be NC” festival competition back in May and they represented themselves well, said Nitasha Kearney, who works in the Granville County Extension Office’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.
Kearney and Sharpe teamed up to guide the young chefs-in-training on the path to the competition, called the Dinah Gore Healthy Food Challenge. The kids learn the 4-H curriculum from Sharpe and then Kearney came in with her EFNEP curriculum.
The new classes for youth begin on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 5:30 p.m., with the ultimate goal of being in the 2025 competition and bringing home the gold. The classes are free.
“My very first lesson is going to be on food safety,” she said. There are four simple rules: Clean, Separate, Chill, Cook.
Team member Kadin Bowden can attest to that. The 11-year-old Vance Charter student said he learned that “you wash your hands before you touch anything in the kitchen – 20 seconds with soap and water.”
Bowden said he’s learned a lot about cooking and enjoys cooking for his family. Knowing the rules of cooking – using the right temperatures and knowing the right way to cook different items keeps foods “safe for you to eat and not get sick.”
He and his teammate and brother Timothy, see their dad Ken Bowden show off his cooking skills in his food truck T&K Best Bites in Town.
“He taught me all the basic stuff about cooking like Miss Nitasha and Mr. Sharpe,” Kadin said. Breading catfish, cooking eggs, chicken, hotdogs and more, Kadin and Timothy have a role model close by to emulate.
Team Captain Jaque Oliver said he took his role seriously. “I want to try to help as a team,” Oliver said. “Let them have fun, have a nice time, but don’t let anybody down.”
In the competition, the team had to create a salad with a homemade dressing within the prescribed 40-minute time limit. They were given a list of ingredients and one “mystery” ingredient. The final product looked pretty impressive, he agreed, especially since they added some pork balls and fresh strawberries and blueberries.
The setting for the competition didn’t really resemble those popular cooking shows on TV, but there was a nice-sized table that all the team members could fit around to do prep work, Oliver said.
In their own preparation before the competition, Kearney estimated that the team already had created 40 different recipes. “We expect rice, we expect pork chops,” Kearney said, referring to probable foods they’d be working with in the competition. “We don’t expect goat cheese.”
The final product must be healthy and delicious, but the team also must utilize food safety skills in its preparation.
Jamera Oliver is Jaque’s 12-year-old sister and also a member of the team. She said she’s a bit of a party planner and said she’s likely to create healthy dishes as a result of what she’s learned in 4H.
She’s got plenty of experience helping her parents with holiday food prep – turkey and mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, and candy apples at Halloween. She said pasta dishes are pretty easy and so is stir fry, but her favorite dish to make is lasagna.
She likes the idea of working with a team to create food. “I feel like these things will help me out through life,” she said, meaning not just cooking, but also other things too, like making new friends. “It was fun working with everyone here, being a team.”
Kearney said “fun” is a key ingredient in cooking and preparing meals that she relishes sharing with her community.
“I feel like this job was made for me,” she said. “The fact that I get to show my community how to cook, prepare healthy foods, (and) how to have fun” while doing it, is icing on the cake.
Visit https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/ to learn more about 4-H in Vance County or call the office at 252.438.8188.
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Certified Organic Producers Eligible For Cost-Share Program Up To $750
/by WIZS Staff– information courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Organic growers in North Carolina can apply for partial reimbursement of the cost of becoming certified or for recertification through a program offered by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Growers certified or recertified between Oct. 1, 2023 and Sept. 30, 2024, can apply for assistance through the program, according to information from the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Applicants can be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the cost of organic certification per category,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and I would encourage growers and handlers to submit their applications early.”
Under the grant, operations can be certified and reimbursed in four separate categories: crops, livestock, wild crop and handler/processor. The maximum reimbursement per category is $750.
The program is for the 2023-24 season and is funded through a $135,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 31.
To apply, growers must provide a completed application, along with detailed invoices/statements from the certifying agency listing all National Organic Program certified costs, proof of payment, a substitute W-9 form and a copy of your certificate or letter from your certifier if this is a new certification. All charges must be for USDA organic certification. The application can be downloaded at
https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/marketing/marketing-grading-services. Growers can also apply through their local Farm Service Agency office.
Application and required documents can be mailed, faxed or emailed to the NCDA&CS Organic Certification Cost Share Program, Attn. Heather Lifsey. For questions, contact Lifsey at 919.749.3337.
Three Arrested Following Report Of Gunshot Into Occupied Vehicle
/by WIZS Staff-information courtesy of Henderson Police Chief Marcus W. Barrow
Three men were arrested Wednesday following a report of gunfire involving two vehicles on a city street. No injuries were reported, according to a press release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow, and it is believed to have been an isolated incident.
On Aug. 28, at approximately 12 noon, it was reported that someone in a dark-colored Jeep SUV discharged a weapon into another vehicle near South William Street and Chavasse Avenue.
Investigators with the Henderson Police Department quickly developed information that led them to obtain a search warrant for 1722 Lynn Ave., where the suspect vehicle was located.
During a search of the residence, multiple firearms were located and recovered, leading to the detainment and subsequent charging of multiple people.
Djhante Blash, of 1722 Lynn Ave. was charged with possession of Schedule II and possession of a firearm by a felon. Blash was remanded to the Vance County Detention Center without bond, pending his first court appearance.
Nigel Malik Torres, 23, of Franklin County was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to kill and discharging a weapon into occupied property. Torres was remanded to the Vance County Detention Center without bond, pending his first court appearance.
Kobe Isaiah Allen of Winston Salem was charged with possession of firearm by convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm. Allen received a $50,000 secured bond and was transported to the Vance County Detention Center.
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SportsTalk: Vance County’s Coach Elliott Previews Rocky Mount Game
/by Scout HughesSportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and George Hoyle talk with Vance County Head Football Coach Aaron Elliott as they prepare for Rocky Mount on Friday night.
Vance County travels to Rocky Mount for Week 2 of the 2024 season Friday, August 30th and you can hear all the action on WIZS 1450AM, 100.1FM, and online at wizs.com with pregame starting at 6:50 p.m. and kickoff thereafter at 7:00 p.m.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 08-29-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffLocal News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.
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Cooperative Extension with Wykia Macon: August Recap and September Preview
/by WIZS StaffCooperative Extension
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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TownTalk: Budding Chefs Can Sign Up For 4-H Cooking Teams
/by Laura GabelIf Micah Sharpe can get young people to buy in to 4-H at an early age, the chances are better that they’ll stick with it through their teenage years. And if some of those youngsters are interested in learning their way around a kitchen to create healthy, nutritious foods, the Vance County 4-H Youth Development agent said they’ll be able to whip up something a little more exotic than Oodles of Noodles.
A team of local 4-Hers from Vance and Warren counties participated in the “Got To Be NC” festival competition back in May and they represented themselves well, said Nitasha Kearney, who works in the Granville County Extension Office’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.
Kearney and Sharpe teamed up to guide the young chefs-in-training on the path to the competition, called the Dinah Gore Healthy Food Challenge. The kids learn the 4-H curriculum from Sharpe and then Kearney came in with her EFNEP curriculum.
The new classes for youth begin on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 5:30 p.m., with the ultimate goal of being in the 2025 competition and bringing home the gold. The classes are free.
“My very first lesson is going to be on food safety,” she said. There are four simple rules: Clean, Separate, Chill, Cook.
Team member Kadin Bowden can attest to that. The 11-year-old Vance Charter student said he learned that “you wash your hands before you touch anything in the kitchen – 20 seconds with soap and water.”
Bowden said he’s learned a lot about cooking and enjoys cooking for his family. Knowing the rules of cooking – using the right temperatures and knowing the right way to cook different items keeps foods “safe for you to eat and not get sick.”
He and his teammate and brother Timothy, see their dad Ken Bowden show off his cooking skills in his food truck T&K Best Bites in Town.
“He taught me all the basic stuff about cooking like Miss Nitasha and Mr. Sharpe,” Kadin said. Breading catfish, cooking eggs, chicken, hotdogs and more, Kadin and Timothy have a role model close by to emulate.
Team Captain Jaque Oliver said he took his role seriously. “I want to try to help as a team,” Oliver said. “Let them have fun, have a nice time, but don’t let anybody down.”
In the competition, the team had to create a salad with a homemade dressing within the prescribed 40-minute time limit. They were given a list of ingredients and one “mystery” ingredient. The final product looked pretty impressive, he agreed, especially since they added some pork balls and fresh strawberries and blueberries.
The setting for the competition didn’t really resemble those popular cooking shows on TV, but there was a nice-sized table that all the team members could fit around to do prep work, Oliver said.
In their own preparation before the competition, Kearney estimated that the team already had created 40 different recipes. “We expect rice, we expect pork chops,” Kearney said, referring to probable foods they’d be working with in the competition. “We don’t expect goat cheese.”
The final product must be healthy and delicious, but the team also must utilize food safety skills in its preparation.
Jamera Oliver is Jaque’s 12-year-old sister and also a member of the team. She said she’s a bit of a party planner and said she’s likely to create healthy dishes as a result of what she’s learned in 4H.
She’s got plenty of experience helping her parents with holiday food prep – turkey and mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, and candy apples at Halloween. She said pasta dishes are pretty easy and so is stir fry, but her favorite dish to make is lasagna.
She likes the idea of working with a team to create food. “I feel like these things will help me out through life,” she said, meaning not just cooking, but also other things too, like making new friends. “It was fun working with everyone here, being a team.”
Kearney said “fun” is a key ingredient in cooking and preparing meals that she relishes sharing with her community.
“I feel like this job was made for me,” she said. “The fact that I get to show my community how to cook, prepare healthy foods, (and) how to have fun” while doing it, is icing on the cake.
Visit https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/ to learn more about 4-H in Vance County or call the office at 252.438.8188.
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Home And Garden Show
/by WIZS StaffOn the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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Medical Arts To Host Truentity Seminar For Senior Adults Thursday, Aug. 29; RSVP To Attend
/by WIZS StaffMedical Arts Pharmacy is the location Thursday for an hourlong event called “Healthy Aging Days,” designed to help senior adults live their healthiest lives.
Representatives of Truentity Health, a Raleigh-based company dedicated to transforming community pharmacies into modern clinical hubs, will share information aimed at seniors on topics including essential health practices, chronic disease management, nutrition and the benefits of a growing trend in health care – remote patient monitoring.
The event begins at 10 a.m. at Medical Arts Pharmacy, 253 Ruin Creek Rd. Sales and Marketing Manager Cara Kirby encourages those interested in attending to RSVP at 252.492.3404.
The session is designed to empower the aging population with the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their health, according to information from Mike Desai, co-founder and CEO of Truentity.
Staff from the Henderson Family YMCA also will be on hand to offer exercise routines tailored explicitly for seniors, focusing on a holistic approach to healthy aging.
This free community event underscores Medical Arts’ commitment to enhance the well-being of residents in Henderson and surrounding areas.
According to information on its website, a mission of Truentity Health is to “revolutionize community-based healthcare by transforming independent pharmacies into dynamic clinical hubs in just 14 days. Recognizing that Medicare patients visit their pharmacists six times more often than their doctors, we leverage these frequent interactions to create powerful clinical connections.”
Remote patient monitoring piggybacks off the recent popularity of telehealth meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically used to monitor patients with chronic conditions like cardiac disease, diabetes and asthma, healthcare providers are using digital medical devices to collect data about blood pressure, pulse rate and blood glucose, among others. The data is electronically transferred to providers for quicker care management when the need arises without coming into a medical office or hospital.
Visit https://truentity.health/ to learn more about its programs and services.
WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 08-28-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffLocal News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.
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TownTalk: Frank Sossamon – Litter Clean Up Program
/by Laura GabelIn speaking with constituents across Vance County, State Rep. Frank Sossamon said he picked up on a familiar theme: litter.
“Litter kept coming up as our Number 1 problem,” Sossamon said. “It’s a plague on our county.”
And he’s making a connection with the trash that fouls the roadsides and public safety. A public safety task force is being assembled to strengthen a community-wide partnership of agencies and organizations to help improve the situation.
Overgrown trees or debris that obscures road signs, public safety issue. Trash blowing across the highways and interstates, public safety hazard.
“If we’re going to tackle it, we’re going to tackle all of it,” Sossamon said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
A good first step is the kickoff of a litter campaign that will take place on Friday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. at the city’s Operations Center on Beckford Drive. Sossamon said there have been litter pickups before, but this is the first full-on campaign in the area.
“We’ve got to change the mentality of our citizens,” he said. Illegal dumping along roadsides, throwing fast-food containers from vehicles, junk cars cluttering yards – are just a few examples of what needs to be addressed through education and through awareness.
Groups ranging from civic organizations and churches to the local Chamber of Commerce and the local school district are all part of the community-wide partnership.
And the city is going to implement an “adopt-a-block” program to encourage residents to tidy up even a small section of the city. “Hopefully we can get every block adopted,” Sossamon said. A couple of fringe benefits of getting outside to pick up trash include extra physical activity and getting to know our neighbors, he said.
“The potential is to make the community even healthier,” he said.
Sossamon is putting stock in the younger generation for everything from reminding their elders not to litter to sending letters to the editor about cleaning up streets, sidewalks and roadways.
A letter-writing campaign provides extra benefits as well, he said. “It helps them academically, improves their critical thinking,” but youngsters also can take pride when they see their name in print.
“The schools have already opened the doors for us to come in,” Sossamon said, adding that trash containers painted with children’s handprints are in place as a way to build capacity.
“Education is what we’re after,” Sossamon said, and the public safety task force will be driving that home in as many places as possible.
The goal is to not to have more and more groups who fan out into the county to pick up trash. The goal is to have fewer and fewer litter sweeps because there is less trash to pick up.
We’ve all probably witnessed a driver or passenger in the vehicle in front of us throw something out the window, and Sossamon said NCDOT’s “Swat a Litterbug” campaign is one way to discourage littering.
If you see someone throw out trash and can get the vehicle’s license plate number, you can submit it to the NCDOT and the car owner will get a letter to report the offense. The letter is just a warning for the first offense
“The second time, you won’t get a letter, you’ll get a citation,” Sossamon said. The link to report a litterbug is https://www.ncdot.gov/litter/default.aspx
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