Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Library

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Programs at Perry Memorial Library will be slowing down next week as Christmas approaches, and things were going to be “up in the air” – literally – today at 4 p.m., when the StoryUp! Aerial Theater of Durham comes to town for a performance.

It’s something new for 2023, said Youth Services Director Melody Peters, and that’s just the start for new programs and events for the New Year at the library.

“We’ve got some new things coming,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! with WIZS co-host Bill Harris. “We’re really excited about that.”

In addition to resuming regular programs like the Mother Goose story time on Thursday mornings, the library will host a community read-aloud on Monday nights beginning in January.

Peters said she hears patrons, including teachers, parents and grandparents, voice concerns about young people’s waning reading habits.

“Either they aren’t reading for enjoyment or pleasure, or they’re not reading at the appropriate level,” Peters said. “I want to get people reading together – listening to each other read,” she added. The idea is to build young readers’ confidence and fluency.

We use different hemispheres of our brains for listening and for reading, Peters said. When you read aloud, there’s more information exchanged across both hemispheres which builds literacy and reading fluency.

The idea is for Peters to read one chapter of a chapter book to the group for the first 15 minutes of each hour-long session. Then the group will divide randomly to tables and they’ll take turns reading to the group. There will be volunteers on hand to help less confident readers if they need it.

“I want to hear people reading for 45 minutes,” Peters said. “I want to make it a positive things (and) don’t want anyone to feel bad about their reading ability,” she said. “This is a new approach – we’ll see how it goes.”

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ for a complete listing of events and programs.

The library will be closed Dec. 23-26 for Christmas, as well as Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

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Cooperative Extension With Paul McKenzie: What Works In The Garden

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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: Community Prayer Night Is This Friday

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Tiffany Jones, founder of Community Uplift Project, takes her mission seriously – and literally. She is planning a Community Prayer Night for Friday, Dec. 15 and Jones said its purpose is to spiritually uplift the community.

It’s called “Light the Way” and it begins at 7:30 p.m. at the offices of the local nonprofit at 105 S. Garnett St.

There will be food, special music, games for the children and prayer, she told WIZS co-hosts Bill Harris and Steve Lewis on Monday’s TownTalk.

When Jones says there will be food, she clarified: no finger foods, no hors d’ouevres for this community prayer night – everyone in attendance will get a plate full of supper. When they leave, they’re gonna be full spiritually and full literally, she said.

“Everybody leaves with something,” Jones said, “spiritual or tangible.”

Newscasts and news feeds are full of bad news – crime, wars, shootings, she said, the community prayer night is one way she can offer people hope.

“We just want to make sure people are uplifted at this time of the year,” Jones said.

Community Uplift Project was founded in August 2019, when Jones was unable to work because she was suffering from lupus. She was hosting yard sales to earn some money, she recalled. “I was sitting on my mother’s porch,” Jones said, “and the Lord said ‘give it all away.’”

Confused but obedient, Jones said she began posting photos of the items she was now giving away rather than selling.

People responded to her posts and she began to deliver the items to those who needed it.

“The more I did it, the more God gave me,” Jones said. “With the vision He gave me…I was just obedient to the vision.”

Jones is a self-professed giver – “just a little girl from the ‘hood with a big dream,” she said. She accepted the call to ministry more than 10 years ago and has never looked back.

She works with Headstart during the day, but can usually be found at the Community Uplift Project by 4:15 or so. Email her at CommunityUpliftProject2020@yahoo.com

or phone her at 252.425.6056.

 

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S-Line Rail Corridor

The Local Skinny! S Line Rail Corridor Receives Over $1 Billion

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Apparently, $1 billion doesn’t go as far as it used to. At least as far as the S-Line passenger rail line goes, that number – a 1 followed by NINE zeroes – will get the train from Raleigh to as far north as Wake Forest. That’s still 28 miles or so from Henderson.

President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week that North Carolina would get a whopping $1.09 billion in federal grant money to build the first segment of the S-Line, a high-performance passenger rail line that will ultimately connect North Carolina with Virginia and points in the Northeast.

WIZS News spoke with NC DOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner late last week  to find out what the project means for the state, and for Henderson and Vance County – basically the halfway point between Raleigh and Richmond.

Orthner said Henderson is “a critical location on the line…(which, when completed)  will be on one of the most advanced transportation networks in the country.”

The whole project covers 162 miles, Orthner said. While there is existing rail along many stretches, it’s a project that will need to be built in phases. If DOT engineer could wave a magic wand to create all the bridges and other structural components needed to bring the passenger rail service through the state, it surely would shorten the process.

Alas, state DOT officials are just trying to get the train out of Raleigh and north to Wake Forest in this first phase of the massive project.

“We will pursue grant funding and extend service as we do it,” Orthner said, adding that DOT is already planning for the next phases to reach Henderson and beyond.

As for Henderson’s part, Orthner said, being ready for what’s coming, he’s pleased. “We are really excited about Henderson,” he said.

City leaders have been learning about mobility hubs and transportation hubs as they prepare and plan for what passenger rail service can add to the city’s growth and tourism opportunities.

The trick is to use existing tracks up and down the East Coast for passenger rail service without impeding the freight service that uses the same railways.

Train travel is growing in popularity – there’s record ridership between Raleigh and Charlotte, Orthner noted – and he said there is a true interest by the public in rail transportation.

“It’s safe, productive, comfortable and it’s just really a great way to travel.”

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Small Orchards

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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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SportsTalk: Vance Charter Girls Basketball Off To A Strong Start

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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

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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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