You better watch out, you better not cry, you better tune in to WIZS.com, I’m tellin’ you why: Santa Claus was a special guest on Thursday’s TownTalk.
WIZS’s own Steve Lewis and Bill Harris spoke with the Jolly Old Elf himself, and learned, to their great relief, that their names are NOT on this year’s Naughty List.
“I believe you’ll both be very pleased with the outcome on Christmas morning,” Santa reported.
Santa spared a few moments for the phone call, but admitted that there’s still a lot to do to get ready for his global trek Sunday night.
“It’s a very busy time, very busy indeed,” Santa said, followed by the iconic “Ho, Ho, Ho,” which he practiced throughout the interview.
The reindeer, he reports, are “fat and sassy and ready to roll” but he did say that those reindeer stay in shape in the off-season with the help of some capable trainers.
Santa’s got his own personal trainer, too. “I’ve tried to stay as svelte and strong as possible,” he said, but every year he has to go on an eating binge to recapture that classic round holiday profile that makes for such a comfy lap for all the good little girls and boys.
Santa’s Workshop has really outgrown its greater North Pole location, sort of like urban sprawl, so “everything within the Arctic Circle is part of the Christmas world,” he said. With that expansion, the workshop has various CEOs and CFOs who help make things run smoothly. But Santa said he’s still the chairman of the board and president of the whole shebang – after all, he’s got a reputation to uphold.
We in the Northern Hemisphere are used to seeing Santa in his cold-weather duds because Christmas comes during our wintertime. But it’s summertime in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s warm, which presents a wardrobe dilemma for St. Nick.
“I start out with the fur-lined jacket and boots and end up with a rather attractive Aloha shirts, Bermuda shorts and sandals,” Santa explained, which make it “much more comfortable south of the Equator.”
No matter what side of the Equator you call home, Santa has one request:
“I would like to ask everyone to love one another and respect one another…and stay off the Naughty List.”
It’s a tough job to keep the Naughty List updated, and Santa would rather have more names recorded on the Nice List, but it’s a job he and his team are willing to do each year.
He said he’s got a big ol’ pile of coal up at the North Pole, just in case someone needs a gentle reminder.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 12-27-23 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Oxford Seeks Input On City Marketing Strategies Via Online Survey
/by WIZS StaffThe City of Oxford and the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation are working to create a brand identity and marketing strategy to promote Oxford as a place to live, visit and conduct business.
Part of the effort will include creation of a dedicated brand to promote Downtown Oxford as a unique destination, according to information from Sabrina Richards, communications specialist for the city of Oxford.
Richards stated that city leaders will hold public workshops in 2024 to gather input from the community as the strategies are developed.
Complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OxfordNC.
Henderson Police Searching For Woman Reported Missing On Christmas Day
/by WIZS Staff– information courtesy of Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow
***LOCATED***
Henderson Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a woman who was reported missing on Christmas Day.
Cora Ayscue, 45, was last seen in the vicinity of Lincoln Street on Dec. 14, according to information from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow.
Police are provided information about Ayscue’s vehicle, which Barrow described as a 2008 dark blue Nissan Sentra with North Carolina plate KFM 256.
Anyone who has seen Ayscue or the vehicle is asked to contact police at 252.492.0202.
Oxford Official Completes REDI Training From N.C. Rural Center
/by WIZS StaffAlyssa Blair, Downtown Development director for the City of Oxford, is among the most recent class to complete the Rural Economic Development Institute.
REDI, the N.C. Rural Center’s flagship leadership development program, is a three-month training program that offers participants resources and tools they need to tackle economic and community development issues facing rural North Carolina, according to a press statement from Bill Holmes, senior director of communications for the Rural Center.
In a press statement, Sabrina Richards, communications specialist for the City of Oxford, said “Alyssa’s participation in REDI reflects her ongoing commitment to professional growth and her passion for promoting economic development. We have no doubt that the knowledge and skills she has gained through this program will be invaluable in her role as Downtown Development Director and will continue to benefit the City of Oxford.”
Now in its 32nd year, REDI has trained more than 1,100 leaders across the state. As a graduate of REDI, Blair now joins that extensive alumni network that spans all of North Carolina’s 100 counties and includes graduates from the Rural Center’s other leadership training program, Homegrown Leaders. Many of the center’s leadership alumni are active in state and local government and in philanthropic, nonprofit and small-business sectors, as well as in faith- and community-based organizations.
“We had an amazing REDI class this year made up of a diverse group of participants from various sectors representing 18 different North Carolina counties,” said Olaunda Green, director of leadership training for the N.C. Rural Center. “Something magical happens when you put individuals into a room, who seemingly have nothing in common, but after going through this program, relationships form, connections are made and lifelong partnerships are created.”
Rural Center President and CEO Patrick Woodie delivered the final remarks of the graduation ceremony and encouraged the new graduates to return home to build bridges.
“Congratulations to this year’s class of REDI graduates for investing in yourselves and your communities through this valuable training,” Woodie said. “Rural North Carolina needs leaders like you willing to look at challenges in a new way, and we know you have many successes ahead of you.”
To learn more, visit https://www.ncruralcenter.org/.
Franklin County Names Matt Masters As New EMS Director
/by WIZS Staff-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III
Franklin County has named Matt Masters as Emergency Medical Services director. He will begin his new job on Jan. 2, 2024.
Masters has close to three decades of experience with emergency medical services in Wake County.
“I am excited to join Franklin County as the EMS Director and use my more than 29 years of EMS experience to navigate our team into the future,” Masters said in a press statement from Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III.
Masters was District Chief, Field Training Officer and Paramedic for the Wake County EMS System – supervising daily EMS operations within the department and field operations throughout the county. Prior to that, he served as a Shift Supervisor and Paramedic for Six Forks EMS from 2002-2007 and as an Assistant Chief and Paramedic for Knightdale EMS. In each of his previous positions, he provided supervision, directed operations and assisted in annual budget preparation.
“Matt brings a wealth of supervisory EMS experience which will be extremely valuable to Franklin County,” said County Manager Kim Denton.
Masters graduated from Lenoir Community College with an associates degree in Emergency Medical Services and an associates degree in Emergency Management. He has also obtained a Paramedic certification from Wake Technical Community College.
Cooperative Extension: Recycle Christmas Trees To Provide Refuge For Birds, More
/by WIZS StaffThat live Christmas tree that has sheltered gifts under its needled boughs can have a second life once it’s served its purpose for the holidays.
N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Paul McKenzie said those live trees – many of them probably Fraser Firs raised right here in North Carolina – can create useful habitats for birds and other woodland animals right in your landscape.
You’ll want to make sure all the decorations are removed, of course, but once that’s done, the tree can be placed out of the way in your yard – if it’s big enough – or in or near a wooded area.
The trees provide a wonderful refuge for birds and other furry mammals who may be looking for a safe spot to hide from predators, McKenzie noted.
For years, discarded trees have been used along the state’s beaches to add stability to the sand dunes along the coast.
And pond owners also know the benefit of submerging discarded trees to create a protective spot for fish and other water-dwelling creatures.
If none of those options work for you, McKenzie said the trees are considered yard waste, so they can be collected and then sent through the chipper to become compost.
VGCC Foundation Food Pantry Gets $1,500 From Food Lion Feeds
/by WIZS Staff– information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel
The Vance-Granville Community College Foundation got a $1,500 gift for its food pantry from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation.
The grant supports the Foundation’s efforts to help students who may be experiencing food insecurity, according to information from VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.
The food pantry is a one-stop shop for food and hygiene items for students across the four campuses and is sustained through a partnership with NC Food Bank, fundraisers, donations of items and monetary gifts. The VGCC Foundation will be able to use this generous gift from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to purchase food items and support healthy eating initiatives for its students.
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity across its 10-state footprint. Established in 2001, FLFCF provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, FLFCF has awarded more than $18.1 million in grants.
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Food Lion, based in Salisbury, NC. Established in 2001, the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to eliminating hunger. The charitable foundation has provided more than $18.1 million in grant funding, helping to nourish communities with fresh food for backpack programs, Kids Café’s, and other hunger-relief programs as well as funding for long-term programs to help shorten the lines at food banks. The charitable foundation partners with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief agency, in addition to local food agencies serving the 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states in which Food Lion operates. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com/pages/food-lion-feeds.
The Local Skinny! Fire Safety During The Holidays
/by WIZS StaffIt’s easy to get distracted during the holiday season when we’re off our regular routines – children are out of school and family or friends are visiting. We’re in and out of the house, juggling errands, cooking meals and still hoping to get a couple more days’ enjoyment out of the Christmas decorations. This time of year, it’s especially important to think safety first to avoid potential problems.
Perhaps the biggest safety post-Christmas household safety hazard are those live Christmas trees that have been decorated with strings of lights and other ornaments. In some cases, the trees have been inside – drying out – since Thanksgiving Day, for those of us who like to enjoy holiday decorating for a while before Dec. 25. Most likely, the tree that you bought in early December was cut in late November, so it’s been drying out now for a few weeks, despite your best watering efforts.
Take care to make sure those strands of lights are in good working order, and the extension cords that snake around from the tree to the nearest outlet.
Did you know that unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires?
Check – and double-check if you’re that type of person – to make sure that the stove and oven are turned off before you head off to run errands!
This time of year, folks like to use candles to add a festive aroma. That Balsam Cedar sure smells good, and so does the Holiday Peppermint.
Christmas is the peak day for candle fires – did you know? On Dec. 25 each year, there’s an average of 35 fires – about 2.5 times the daily average. Second highest day? Christmas Eve.
Over the course of a year, the NFPA said 33 percent of fires are caused by candles. In December, however, that number jumps to 46 percent.
In three of every five candle fires, the candle was too close to something that could catch fire.
Falling asleep without extinguishing the flame was a factor in 10 percent of home candle fires and 12 percent of the associated deaths.
Cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires (49 percent) and home fire injuries and the second-leading cause of home fire deaths.
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires.
Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
CLICK PLAY!
TownTalk: Christmas Traditions And A Visit From Santa
/by Laura GabelYou better watch out, you better not cry, you better tune in to WIZS.com, I’m tellin’ you why: Santa Claus was a special guest on Thursday’s TownTalk.
WIZS’s own Steve Lewis and Bill Harris spoke with the Jolly Old Elf himself, and learned, to their great relief, that their names are NOT on this year’s Naughty List.
“I believe you’ll both be very pleased with the outcome on Christmas morning,” Santa reported.
Santa spared a few moments for the phone call, but admitted that there’s still a lot to do to get ready for his global trek Sunday night.
“It’s a very busy time, very busy indeed,” Santa said, followed by the iconic “Ho, Ho, Ho,” which he practiced throughout the interview.
The reindeer, he reports, are “fat and sassy and ready to roll” but he did say that those reindeer stay in shape in the off-season with the help of some capable trainers.
Santa’s got his own personal trainer, too. “I’ve tried to stay as svelte and strong as possible,” he said, but every year he has to go on an eating binge to recapture that classic round holiday profile that makes for such a comfy lap for all the good little girls and boys.
Santa’s Workshop has really outgrown its greater North Pole location, sort of like urban sprawl, so “everything within the Arctic Circle is part of the Christmas world,” he said. With that expansion, the workshop has various CEOs and CFOs who help make things run smoothly. But Santa said he’s still the chairman of the board and president of the whole shebang – after all, he’s got a reputation to uphold.
We in the Northern Hemisphere are used to seeing Santa in his cold-weather duds because Christmas comes during our wintertime. But it’s summertime in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s warm, which presents a wardrobe dilemma for St. Nick.
“I start out with the fur-lined jacket and boots and end up with a rather attractive Aloha shirts, Bermuda shorts and sandals,” Santa explained, which make it “much more comfortable south of the Equator.”
No matter what side of the Equator you call home, Santa has one request:
“I would like to ask everyone to love one another and respect one another…and stay off the Naughty List.”
It’s a tough job to keep the Naughty List updated, and Santa would rather have more names recorded on the Nice List, but it’s a job he and his team are willing to do each year.
He said he’s got a big ol’ pile of coal up at the North Pole, just in case someone needs a gentle reminder.
Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Consequences Overview
/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.
Click Play!