Robert Hawkins graduated high school in 1981 and he’s pretty much stayed in the field of academia since he left Henderson to attend Appalachian State University as a new undergraduate.
His experiences growing up in Vance County, along with his extensive research in the field of social work and especially the effects of living in poverty, have served Dr. Robert Hawkins throughout his career.
Hawkins will become vice dean of the UNC-CH School of Social Work on July 1 and he was a guest on Thursday’s TownTalk to discuss his new role, his research and growing up in the area.
Although his primary role will be administrator – think of it like being a chief operating officer – in dealing with day-to-day activities, he said he’ll use his research into how people deal with poverty, the effect of poverty on individuals and on society, to inform how he functions as an administrator.
“Poverty is so much more than whether or not you have money,” Hawkins explained. He also wants to learn about people’s lived experiences in poverty and the processes that people go through that allow them to survive in poverty.
“My research is central to what I believe social work research should look like,” he said. “We look to move people to a better place” where they can thrive and rise beyond their current situation.
Hawkins said he would definitely use his own life experiences, as well as his experience as a researcher to help drive his decisions and the initiatives he wants to be involved in.
While the School of Social Work doesn’t make policy, it can be a resource to help policymakers in the legislature. The decisions that are made will be the result of a team effort, he said, adding that he views his role as a service position – a support position – rather than a position of power.
“My job will be to make sure the School of Social Work is doing the best it can and being the best it can be,” Hawkins said. “I will be making decisions with a lot of other people.”
Having faculty members with strong policy backgrounds can help evaluate existing policies and those that are being created, not to influence policy-making but help people understand which policies may be most effective and why.
He was attracted to the newly created vice dean position by the spirit of community and the chance to collaborate in making decisions within the realm of social work – and the impacts that can be felt within the state and maybe across the nation.
The idea of being able to “implement a vision that you’ve created together” is most appealing, he added.
The UNC School of Social Work is ranked fourth in the country, on the campus of one of the foremost public universities in the nation. “Who wouldn’t want to be there?” he said.
The idea of social justice is something that trained social workers have done for decades, Hawkins said. “When we talk about social justice, we’re talking about how people equitably exist in society. It’s the shared human worth of all people – it’s not controversial, or at least it shouldn’t be.”
Talking about social justice is just one of the things that Hawkins said he enjoys about his work. “Social work has given me opportunities that I could have never imagined,” he said. A true social worker is a researcher, someone who can resolve conflict, engage in mediation and who can understand everyday human behavior.”
He said he thinks about this a lot and one area he keeps circling back to is education. He remembers one high school English teacher who really helped him and believed in him and his potential. “That person guided me in the right direction,” he said.
Then, teachers were not so over-stretched, he said, and they could pay closer attention to students’ needs, especially their educational needs.
“Do teachers today have the time to pay that kind of attention to their students? I’m sure many do, but it’s something that we should be encouraging and helping teachers accomplish. We’re not seeing that out in the world right now.”
With family still living in Henderson, Hawkins finds himself in Henderson fairly often. He loves to stop in at his favorite barbecue restaurant (he didn’t identify it, but did reveal that he grew up just a ways from Skipper’s Forsyth’s).
He recalled his childhood, growing up in a house near Satterwhite Point without running water and working in tobacco fields.
In 1980, he said the family was able to move from that house to a mobile home. “This was a big deal,” he said. That move marked a significant economic change for his family. “For me, it wasn’t a step down – it was a step up.”
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TownTalk: Hawkins Named Vice Dean of UNC School of Social Work
/by Laura GabelRobert Hawkins graduated high school in 1981 and he’s pretty much stayed in the field of academia since he left Henderson to attend Appalachian State University as a new undergraduate.
His experiences growing up in Vance County, along with his extensive research in the field of social work and especially the effects of living in poverty, have served Dr. Robert Hawkins throughout his career.
Hawkins will become vice dean of the UNC-CH School of Social Work on July 1 and he was a guest on Thursday’s TownTalk to discuss his new role, his research and growing up in the area.
Although his primary role will be administrator – think of it like being a chief operating officer – in dealing with day-to-day activities, he said he’ll use his research into how people deal with poverty, the effect of poverty on individuals and on society, to inform how he functions as an administrator.
“Poverty is so much more than whether or not you have money,” Hawkins explained. He also wants to learn about people’s lived experiences in poverty and the processes that people go through that allow them to survive in poverty.
“My research is central to what I believe social work research should look like,” he said. “We look to move people to a better place” where they can thrive and rise beyond their current situation.
Hawkins said he would definitely use his own life experiences, as well as his experience as a researcher to help drive his decisions and the initiatives he wants to be involved in.
While the School of Social Work doesn’t make policy, it can be a resource to help policymakers in the legislature. The decisions that are made will be the result of a team effort, he said, adding that he views his role as a service position – a support position – rather than a position of power.
“My job will be to make sure the School of Social Work is doing the best it can and being the best it can be,” Hawkins said. “I will be making decisions with a lot of other people.”
Having faculty members with strong policy backgrounds can help evaluate existing policies and those that are being created, not to influence policy-making but help people understand which policies may be most effective and why.
He was attracted to the newly created vice dean position by the spirit of community and the chance to collaborate in making decisions within the realm of social work – and the impacts that can be felt within the state and maybe across the nation.
The idea of being able to “implement a vision that you’ve created together” is most appealing, he added.
The UNC School of Social Work is ranked fourth in the country, on the campus of one of the foremost public universities in the nation. “Who wouldn’t want to be there?” he said.
The idea of social justice is something that trained social workers have done for decades, Hawkins said. “When we talk about social justice, we’re talking about how people equitably exist in society. It’s the shared human worth of all people – it’s not controversial, or at least it shouldn’t be.”
Talking about social justice is just one of the things that Hawkins said he enjoys about his work. “Social work has given me opportunities that I could have never imagined,” he said. A true social worker is a researcher, someone who can resolve conflict, engage in mediation and who can understand everyday human behavior.”
He said he thinks about this a lot and one area he keeps circling back to is education. He remembers one high school English teacher who really helped him and believed in him and his potential. “That person guided me in the right direction,” he said.
Then, teachers were not so over-stretched, he said, and they could pay closer attention to students’ needs, especially their educational needs.
“Do teachers today have the time to pay that kind of attention to their students? I’m sure many do, but it’s something that we should be encouraging and helping teachers accomplish. We’re not seeing that out in the world right now.”
With family still living in Henderson, Hawkins finds himself in Henderson fairly often. He loves to stop in at his favorite barbecue restaurant (he didn’t identify it, but did reveal that he grew up just a ways from Skipper’s Forsyth’s).
He recalled his childhood, growing up in a house near Satterwhite Point without running water and working in tobacco fields.
In 1980, he said the family was able to move from that house to a mobile home. “This was a big deal,” he said. That move marked a significant economic change for his family. “For me, it wasn’t a step down – it was a step up.”
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Calculating Your Property Tax Bill
/by WIZS StaffWhether you reach for a sharpened No. 2 pencil and a piece of paper or choose to tap numbers into your phone’s calculator, it’s time to do a little math to at least have an idea of what your tax bill may look like.
Although neither the city nor the county has adopted the new budgets, the recommended budgets have been received. The City Council got a 158-page budget document earlier this month and the Vance County Board of Commissioners got a 138-page budget document on Monday, May 28.
Now comes the time when each body of elected officials has budget work sessions and holds public hearings to hear citizens’ comments about the budget particulars; budgets must be approved before July 1.
The city’s budget includes a property tax rate of 55 cents per $100 valuation; the county’s budget includes a property tax rate of 61.3 cents per $100 valuation.
As both the city council and county commissioners review the budget, it’s possible that some changes will be made before the final budget is adopted.
However, if you’re itching to see what your tax bill could be, you can play around with the current tax rates that are contained in the proposed budgets.
Now here’s where some basic math comes in to play. Consider this scenario:
Let’s say your property is valued at $100,000.
But there’s one more important step: You must divide your property value ($100,000 in this example) by 100 because the tax rate is per $100.
$100,000 divided by 100 = $1,000
Using this scenario, county residents would multiply $1,000 by .672 to get $672; city residents would multiply $1,000 by 1.163 to get $1,163.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 05-30-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover Bedtime Problems, Pt. 1
/by Bill HarrisListen 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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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 05-29-24 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
TownTalk: Proposed County and City Tax Rates
/by WIZS StaffNow that city and county elected officials have gotten recommended budgets from the city and county managers, it’s time for budget work sessions and public hearings to hear citizens’ comments before the final budgets are adopted.
State law requires that local governments must adopt their budgets before July 1, when the new fiscal year begins. June 1 is Saturday and July 1 is on a Sunday, giving leaders 20 business days to complete the difficult work of making any adjustments to the budget documents before the budgets are adopted.
The Vance County Board of Commissioners officially received the $57 million-plus budget just Monday from Manager C. Renee Perry.
This is Perry’s first budget presentation to this board of commissioners, and she told WIZS News said it was her decision to go with a revenue-neutral budget. The proposed property tax valuation is 61.3 cents per $100 valuation. The current valuation is 89 cents per $100, but the most recent reappraisal process has boosted the total property value by $2 Billion – to $4.9 billion from $2.9 billion.
The Henderson City Council received a $45 million budget from City Manager Terrell Blackmon earlier this month. The budget includes a 55-cent per $100 valuation – 10 cents higher than the revenue-neutral rate of 45 cents per $100 valuation.
The recommended city budget does not include any funding for McGregor Hall, which had requested $75,000. At Monday’s public hearing, there was a suggestion that was floated to give McGregor Hall a one-time $75,000 grant, provided other stipulations are in place – including having a current Council member on the voting board of the entertainment venue.
Numerous McGregor Hall proponents spoke at the Monday public hearing to voice their support of providing funds to the performing arts venue.
Like the city budget, Perry’s budget to county commissioners does not include any funding for McGregor Hall. It also doesn’t include funding for capital projects like jail renovations or a new EMS station.
“I’m not sure if they will change it, but I don’t plan on recommending an increase … I will be clear about items that can’t be funded without a tax increase,” Perry said to WIZS.
The 2024-25 county budget is less than 1 percent higher than last year’s budget – it’s larger by about $347,000. In her presentation, Perry stated that the budget was a conservative one.
The county will hold a public hearing as part of its Monday, June 3 meeting and budget work sessions on Monday, June 10 and Thursday, June 13 – all beginning at 6 p.m.
The city’s next budget work session, previously scheduled for Thursday, May 30, has been cancelled.
The next city meeting is set for Monday, June 3.
The 158-page recommended city budget document can be found at https://henderson.nc.gov/. Under the Departments heading, click on Finance to go directly to the dropdown box where the document is located.
The 138-page recommended county budget can be found at https://www.vancecounty.org/. Under the Departments heading, click on Board of Commissioners and locate the file in the dropdown box on the right side of the page.
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Maria Parham Health Hosts Appreciation Lunch for Local Law Enforcement and Firefighters
/by WIZS StaffThe smell of burgers grilling will be wafting across the campus of Maria Parham Health Thursday as hospital staff hosts the 2nd annual Burgers for Badges to honor local law enforcement officers and firefighters.
Law enforcement officers and firefighters are invited to pull around to the back entrance of the hospital between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and, with a quick flash of their badge, will receive a complimentary meal as a token of gratitude for their service and dedication, according to hospital officials.
Attendees will be treated to a delicious burger with all the toppings, accompanied by scrumptious sides and dessert. This event is a gesture of appreciation from Maria Parham Health to the brave men and women who work tirelessly to keep the community safe.
“We are immensely grateful for the selfless service and sacrifice of our local law enforcement officers and firefighters,” said Bert Beard, CEO at Maria Parham Health. “This event is our way of expressing our heartfelt appreciation for their unwavering commitment to our community’s safety and well-being.”
Please note that this event is exclusively for law enforcement and fire personnel. Maria Parham Health kindly requests attendees to respect this guideline.
MedAssist OTC Medicine Giveaway May 31 At Warren Armory
/by WIZS StaffThe Warren County Health Department is partnering with NC MedAssist and Triangle North Healthcare Foundation to host a free over-the-counter medicine giveaway on Friday, May 31, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The event will be held at the Warren County Armory Civic Center located at 501 US Hwy 158 Bus E in Warrenton. The NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program provides medicine items including allergy, cough and cold, pain relief, vitamins and children’s medicine. Vendors will also be on-site to provide free health screenings for children and adults as well as information on a variety of health topics.
No appointment or registration is needed. You must be 18 years or older to receive medicines. Dr. Margaret Brake, health director of Warren County Health Department, welcomes the event to the community. “I am excited to have this wonderful event to come back to the county,” Brake said. “Sometimes it is expensive to buy these types of medicines from the pharmacy so I invite everyone to come and get some free medicines for themselves and their family. You do not need bring an ID or income verification to qualify for this program.”
Vance County Commissioners Receive $57M Budget
/by Laura GabelThe Vance County Board of Commissioners received the 2024-25 budget recommendation Tuesday afternoon. The budget totals more than $57 million and achieves a revenue-neutral tax rate of $61.3 cents per $100 property value, down from the current rate of 89 cents.
It took about 15 minutes for Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry to present the budget – $57,848,373 – to commissioners, noting several highlights on the revenue and on the expenditure sides. An additional $2.3 million will be used from the General Fund balance.
Roughly half of the county’s revenues – more than $26 million – is projected to come from property taxes, and the recent revaluation figures bumped up by $2 billion the county’s total property value – from $2.9 billion to the current value of $4.9 billion.
Commissioner Tommy Hester commended Perry on the budget and said he didn’t remember the county having a lower tax rate. “You’ve put together an outstanding budget without hurting the taxpayer,” Hester said.
Commissioner Chair Dan Brummitt said he appreciated Perry presenting a revenue-neutral budget.
Another highlight is a reduction in the county’s fire tax rate, from 8.9 cents to 5.94 cents – also revenue-neutral, Perry said.
The proposed budget is less than a 1 percent increase over last year’s budget, Perry noted in her presentation.
But the budget as it currently stands provides no money for jail renovations, McGregor Hall, the Around Town Shuttle (KARTS) or a new EMS building.
County departments put in requests for funding totaling $60.2 million, but the budget funds $57.8 million of those requests, which includes items like new vehicles for the sheriff’s office, a transport vehicle for the jail and a 166,000 ambulance remount.
Other expenditures include roughly $400,000 for the creation of a code enforcement department.
County staff will get a 4 percent cost-of-living adjustment.
Commissioners will have a public hearing on the budget at the June meeting, which will be held Monday, June 3 beginning at 6 p.m. Commissioners will hold budget discussions on Monday, June 10 and Thursday, June 13. The meetings will begin at 6 p.m. State law requires local governments to adopt a new budget by July 1.
Tune in to TownTalk Wednesday at 11 a.m. to hear details of the county budget.
The 138-page budget document can be viewed at www.vancecounty.org/. Click on Departments and then Board of Commissioners to locate the file.
TownTalk: Author Rosetta Canada-Hargrove Publishes Two Books
/by Laura GabelIt was when she first moved to the Henderson area, some 40 years ago, that Rosetta Canada-Hargrove started writing her first book. But, as with so many people, “life” intervened and papers and notes got put away in boxes for later.
As it turns out, “later” was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her husband and daughter encouraged her to pull out those boxes of paper and give it a whirl.
Now living in the Triad area, Canada-Hargrove has published not one, but two works of fiction. And they are part of a trilogy, so she’s gathering steam to create the third – and final – installment.
The first book, “Urban Beginnings,” is a short novel – only about 50 pages, she said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.
“After Urban Beginnings,” published just last month, weighs in at 170 pages.
Inspired to leave a legacy for her grandson, Canada-Hargrove said she started putting the pieces of the first book together. Both books are works of fiction, but they both contain messages that resonate with many people who find themselves in difficult relationships.
The story line has Kingston, a woman in her mid-20’s married to the love of her life, Giovanni, who Canada-Hargrove describes as a “womanizer.”
But Giovanni’s family was mixed up in the Mafia and Kingston decides to move South where things should be better.
Only they weren’t.
The message in the second novel is simple: “A person does not have to stay in a situation,” she explained. Kingston stays with her first husband “because he has some issues, but she is just an enabler,” Canada-Hargrove said.
Book Number Three, as yet untitled, has been in the works for a few weeks now. “It’s going to bring everything together,” its author promises. “I wanted to do it in three parts to keep people in suspense,” she said.
People have sent her messages thanking her for writing on the topic. And while she said the topic isn’t explicitly domestic violence or abuse, she wants readers to have a takeaway that they don’t have to stay in a relationship that is unhealthy.
It’s a dramedy, she says of the trilogy. “There’s comedy in there, there’s tears in there,” she said.
The books are available on Amazon.com.
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