Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Small Orchards
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Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 12-07-23 Noon
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SportsTalk: Vance Charter Girls Basketball Off To A Strong Start
The Vance Charter Girls Basketball team is off to a 4-1 start this season and head coach Brian Howard is kind of happy about it. “The one part in the 4 -1 isn’t very satisfying,” Howard said on Thursday’s SportsTalk. That “1” part that Howard refers to is a 49-47 loss to Falls Lake. “We left points on the free throw line and missed points in transition,” Howard added.
This week Vance Charter defeated Granville Central 58-10 in a game that saw Vance Charter’s Alaina Bullock record 14 points and 9 steals. “We preach defense. I’m a defensive-minded coach,” Howard said about allowing only 10 points in the game.
Vance Charter has been putting solid teams on the court over the last several years but Howard feels that they are all quite different. “This year’s team is one of the most connected, due to chemistry, I’ve had,” Howard stated.
Next up for Vance Charter is East Wake Academy on December 15th.
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SportsTalk: KVA Prepares For Holiday Tournament
Mike Joyner, Kerr Vance Academy athletic director, has reason to be happy with the school’s Fall sports programs. “Every team made the playoffs,” Joyner stated on Thursday’s SportsTalk. Now that fall sports have come to an end, the winter sports season is kicking into high gear. The Spartans have one win to their credit in boys basketball and the girls team is struggling with injuries at the moment but an upcoming holiday tournament at the school will give both squads a chance to rebound. The tournament takes place next weekend. “Big crowds and lots of alumni are expected,” Joyner said.
Joyner also singled out cheerleading coach Elizabeth Wilson. “The cheerleading squad has tripled in size,” Joyner said. One of the highlights of the upcoming basketball tournament will be the Spartanettes who are cheerleaders from lower grades, Almost like a JV cheerleading squad. They have several opportunities to perform routines with the older girls throughout the season and the tournament will provide the Spartanettes a chance to show off their skills. Again, the tournament begins Friday, December 15th at Kerr Vance Academy.
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The Local Skinny! Vance County Commissioners Meet
Dan Brummitt is the newly elected chair of the Vance County Board of Commissioners. The District 4 representative was selected in a 5-2 vote during the Dec. 4 regular monthly meeting.
Leo Kelly was elected vice chair in a 4-3 vote.
Brummitt thanked outgoing chairperson Yolanda Feimster for her time as chair, saying it’s been a “very trying year,” mentioning the search for a new county manager as one of the challenges on the county’s plate. “Thank you for your leadership through this process,” Brummitt continued.
The commissioners got an update on the two instances of elevated lead reported to the county by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
The samples were taken from residential taps as part of a routine lead service inventory. The next step, most likely, is to take samples from the water system. The county now is waiting to hear back from the state about what will occur next.
In her report, County Manager Renee Perry asked commissioners to consider allowing the fire department to purchase personal protective equipment that will most likely be needed before preliminary results of the fire study are released in early 2024.
In her first few weeks as county manager, Perry said she has been meeting with various department heads within the county government. The budget that was approved in June included a freeze on capital expenditures, and Perry asked the commissioners to allow the fire department to purchase the PPE.
Brummitt, who also chairs the Public Safety Committee, said this request should be reviewed by the Public Safety Committee before a decision is made. The next meeting of Public Safety Committee is Dec. 20.
Brummitt told Perry that the committee had asked fire officials for a complete inventory of equipment, with expiration dates noted.
As part of the ongoing employee engagement efforts, County Finance Director Katherine Bigelow recognized Kathy Hope, who has worked in the finance department since July 2021, when Bigelow said “we stole her” from the Department of Social Services. Hope began working with DSS in December 2006 as a Medicaid caseworker.
Bigelow said Hope is a “truly exceptional” employee who doesn’t merely complete her work, but she elevates her work to a higher level. Her innovative thinking, unwavering dedication and positivity make her a valuable member of the county’s team.
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TownTalk: Amedisys Seeks Volunteers For Hospice
COVID-19 restrictions affected just about every aspect of society, including the volunteer pool at Amedisys, a home health and hospice care agency that provides help to patients in hospice and respite care for their caregivers.
“Before COVID, I had volunteers,” said Roberta Freeman, regional volunteer coordinator for Amedisys, which serves the four-county area. Freeman was a guest on TownTalk with WIZS co-hosts Bill Harris and Steve Lewis.
Freeman said she is working to build back the volunteer program and shared details about how people can become involved.
Some of the attributes of an ideal volunteer fall under the category of soft skills, including being compassionate and having a heart for those who are in end-of-life care. Amedisys kicked off a holiday campaign to recruit volunteers called “Hope for the Holidays.” Freeman said it is her hope that people will give the gift of time to serve as a volunteer.
Direct-patient volunteering involves being matched with a patient or caregiver and then working out a schedule for regular visits, which could tasks such as running errands, light housework, caring for lawns or gardens, or even picking up prepaid grocery orders.
Anyone 16 or older can apply to volunteer, but individuals under the age of 18 aren’t allowed to visit homes unsupervised. There are plenty of administrative type jobs, too, including general office work, maintaining social media and representing Amedisys at community events.
Want to learn more? Contact Freeman at 225.412.7759 or email her at
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MPH Gets Accreditation For Treating Patients With Chest Pain
-information courtesy of Donna Young, Maria Parham Health Market Coordinator, Communications & Marketing
The American College of Cardiology has recognized Maria Parham Health for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. Maria Parham Health was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation in December based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.
“Maria Parham Health has demonstrated its commitment to providing Henderson/Vance County with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Maria Parham Health with Chest Pain Center Accreditation.”
Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center Accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms. They have streamlined their systems from admission to evaluation to diagnosis and treatment all the way through to appropriate post-discharge care and recommendations and assistance in patient lifestyle changes.
“As part of Duke Lifepoint Maria Parham is proud to offer “A” level care to the region and chest pain accreditation is one part of our commitment to evidenced based medicine and delivering the highest quality care possible within our offered services,” stated Bert Beard, Maria Parham Health CEO. “We appreciate our entire care team and affiliated providers for leading the way in this effort.”
The ACC offers U.S. and international hospitals like Maria Parham Health access to a comprehensive suite of cardiac accreditation services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital financial performance. These services are focused on all aspects of cardiac care, including emergency treatment of heart attacks.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. The most common symptom of a heart attack for both men and women is chest pain or discomfort. However, women are more likely to have atypical symptoms. Other heart attack symptoms include, but are not limited to, tingling or discomfort in one or both arms, back, shoulder, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, unusual tiredness, heartburn-like feeling, nausea or vomiting, sudden dizziness and fainting.
Hospitals receiving Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care, developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. Improved methods and strategies of caring for patients include streamlining processes, implementing of guidelines and standards, and adopting best practices in the care of patients experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians, and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.
Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Your Gift Matters
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TownTalk: Dabney Drive NC DOT Project
All signs point to growth for the city of Henderson in the not-too-distant future. Whether you’re talking new subdivisions or urban revitalization, bringing back passenger rail service or finally widening a major congested artery through a heavily commercial district, Henderson is getting ready for change.
Change is considered a necessary evil by some, a vital component for progress by others. Either way, most would agree that change is inevitable.
Drivers who make their way along Dabney Drive have long experienced backups and congestion, and the N.C. Department of Transportation has had a widening project on its State Transportation Improvement Plan for a while, but Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon said the project could see some activity soon.
Funding is in place for the project based on the current 2024-2033 STIP, Blackmon told WIZS News Tuesday via email.
The plan originally called for portions of Dabney Drive to become a divided highway, with plans for a “peanut” shaped roundabout at the intersection with South Garnett Street down to the Dorsey Road/Oxford Road area.
Blackmon said city leaders met with DOT officials on Nov. 2 to discuss the $56.7 million project, which will commence in January or February 2024 with a public meeting. If all goes according to the timeline, an environmental document would be ready by September of 2024, followed by right-of-way acquisition, with construction underway in 2028.
“Plans remain very similar to what was originally proposed,” Blackmon stated. The concept includes upgrading the existing Dabney Drive for eastbound traffic and use the existing Corbitt Road/former railroad corridor for westbound traffic, he added.
“Dabney Drive is a critical artery for the city of Henderson,” Blackmon told community leaders in July 2022 during his “State of the City” address. “That widening project needs to happen as soon as possible.”
View the STIP plan here and scroll down to page 59 for Dabney Drive project details.
Ten years sounds like a long time, but when you’re talking about completing major projects like the Dabney Drive expansion and creating a downtown train station for commuter and passenger rail, a decade can go by quickly.
In light of Sen. Thom Tillis’s announcement Tuesday of $1 billion being earmarked for the the S-Line corridor that will ultimately bring a stop in Henderson, the opportunity for even more downtown development and growth is almost certain.
City leaders are planning next steps for the location of a downtown train station that could serve as a springboard for Henderson to be a destination for train travelers to dine, see a show and enjoy other downtown amenities that haven’t even been thought of yet.
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Home And Garden Show
On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
- Remove dead plant debris from the landscape and garden. This will help prevent diseases from overwintering and being a problem next year.
- Except for perennial flowers, which can support beneficial insects.
- Check Christmas tree water reservoirs daily
- Visit public gardens over the winter.
- Keep poinsettia looking good during the holidays and place them in bright light but not direct sunlight. Avoid cold drafts,heat vents. Don’t over water.
- Continue planting trees and shrubs.
- Soil samples are now In peak season they are $4 per sample.
- Continue planting pansies.
- Start ordering your seed catalogs or go online to seed company websites.
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