Jamon Glover, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
We talk about how once in a while you can give your child the opportunity to teach yourself something, maybe something that they are passionate about. We also speak about the positive effects of doing this.
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When it comes to supporting local business and industry, folks would be hard-pressed to find an organization around here that does a better job of promoting all the positives right here in Henderson and Vance County than the Chamber of Commerce.
And the way Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson sees it, a major role of the Chamber is to accentuate the positive while creating lasting connections that strengthen the community.
“We’re motivators,” Wilkerson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. Chamber members are encouraged to get involved in the community and form those partnerships with others that serve to make everyone better.
“The networking, the people that you meet are going to help you,” she said. “It’s about partnership.”
Leading by example, Wilkerson said the Chamber has teamed up with Vance County Tourism to bring Miss North Carolina 2025 Sophia Kellstrom as the featured speaker at the Jan. 28 Women in Business luncheon.
Registration for the event is $20 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members; call the Chamber office (252.438.8414) and register with Vanessa Jones no later than Jan. 23. The luncheon begins at 12 noon at the Henderson Country Club.
And men, don’t let the “Women in Business” title scare you away – Wilkerson invites you, too!
“We are kicking the New Year off right,” she said of Kellstrom’s visit to Henderson.
“I am thrilled that this young lady has granted us this opportunity to sit down with us and engage,” she continued.
In addition to being crowned Miss North Carolina 2025, Kellstrom founded “Pennies from Heaven” when she was just 8 years old to fight food insecurity among children and is the author of “Sophie the Superhero” a children’s book that encourages kindness and helping others.
Whether it’s presenting events like Women in Business or any number of other events from ribbon-cuttings to Shop With A Cop And Friends, Wilkerson said she and the Chamber staff are grateful and appreciative of the Chamber Board of Directors for the support they provide throughout the year.
Outgoing Board Chair Scott Burwell passes the torch to Dr. Abidan Shah of Clearview Church and Wilkerson said she looks forward to his leadership role.
The new board chair picks out a theme to weave into his or her term, and she’s eager to hear what this year’s theme will be. Whatever the focus, rest assured that it will include a lot of red, white and blue as a nod to the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
Another popular program in the community is Leadership Vance, now in its 35th year. This program isn’t just for newcomers to the area, Wilkerson said. Lifelong residents who have completed the class have commented about how much they learned during the seven-month long class. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 27. Find the application and an information brochure on the Chamber website https://www.hendersonvance.org/
“This is one of my favorite things,” Wilkerson said, noting that the selection process has become a bit more competitive. With a cap of 18 participants, the selection committee has an increasingly difficult time each year. And it is a pretty big time commitment for participants – a couple of sessions each month that have the class touring businesses, schools and learning about the county’s history, government and more.
“It’s so much that we introduce you to and make connections,” she said. Two recent Leadership Vance graduates – Sam Seifert and Kenia Gómez-Jimenez – serve on the Henderson City Council.
Leadership Vance can claim at least a small part in their decisions to run for political office, but Wilkerson said the program helps participants see and understand the community and how they can contribute – whether it’s running for a seat in local government or simply knowing where available resources are.
“We have so much positive in this community,” Wilkerson said. “We tend to talk about the negative,” but the goal, she said, is “to go out and spread positivity. That’s the whole thing that we try to do…and it’s working.”
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The Jan. 13 Community Information Session at Baskerville Funeral Home, LLC will be all about Medicaid 1915(i) services, and how these services provide support for families and individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, autism, mental health and substance use needs.
The presenter will be Diandra Hyman-Graham, client service manager for Advantage Care in Home Services of Henderson, according to information from Charlie Baskerville.
Attendees will learn about the services, get guidance on eligibility and the application process and how Advantage Care in Home Services may be able to assist with respite and Community Living Supports.
The session is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the chapel of Baskerville Funeral Home, 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson.
On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
The Vance County Cooperative Extension Building is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536
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– information courtesy of Maria Parham Health Public Information Officer Donna Young
Maria Parham Health has implemented limited visitation effective immediately in response to elevated levels of respiratory viruses in the region. The decision was made to help protect the health and safety of patients, visitors, and employees while continuing to provide high-quality, compassionate care.
While Maria Parham Health recognizes the important role visitation plays in a patient’s healing and emotional well-being, these temporary measures are necessary to reduce the risk of respiratory illness transmission within the hospital.
“We understand how meaningful it is for loved ones to be present during a hospital stay,” said Bert Beard, Chief Executive Officer of Maria Parham Health. “However, with respiratory viruses currently at an elevated level in our community, these precautions are a responsible step to help protect our patients, our staff, and the families who trust us with their care. We appreciate the community’s understanding and cooperation as we prioritize safety.”
Current visitation guidance includes:
Exceptions to these visitation restrictions may be considered on an individual basis and will be determined by the Charge Nurse or House Supervisor after hours.
Maria Parham Health thanks patients, families, and the community for their continued dedication to helping provide a safe environment for all.
For updates or additional information, please visit Maria Parham Health’s official communication channels.
Visit https://www.mariaparham.
The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved a budget amendment Monday that will continue covering expenses for detainees held in jails outside the county and other costs stemming from challenges associated with the current state of the detention facility.
Sheriff Curtis Brame and detention center co-administrator Capt. Shannon Hawley appeared before commissioners at the regular monthly meeting to request that funding continue as the county makes decisions about repairs to the existing jail while making plans to construct a new facility.
In the spring of 2025, the state declared that the jail be depopulated – between the physical condition of the jail itself and a staffing shortage, the maximum number of detainees was slashed from more than 100 to 20.
Since that time, with improvements, repairs and better staffing, the jail houses 45 detainees. But there are 100 or more who should be housed locally but are farmed out to other jails willing to take them. That comes at a cost to the county, however.
“The county has invested an inordinate amount of money…a ridiculous amount of money,” Hawley said, but it’s necessary.
“We ask that we continue to fund housing our inmates outside the facility until a new facility can be built,” he added.
Brame said his staff is “scrambling…hurting each and every day,” adding that he worries about the safety of his officers working at the jail, as well as the safety of the detainees.
County Manager C. Renee Perry said the county has spent roughly $1.2 million since April, including $732,000 in emergency pay and $324,000 in repairs to the jail.
Commissioner Dan Brummitt said he’d visited the jail recently and sees “substantial” improvements but added there’s a long way to go. The electronic doors do not work, for example, creating a risk to personnel and to detainees.
“These are things that have got to be done…(we) don’t have a choice,” Brummitt said.
The repairs are projected to be completed in November 2026, Perry said, but noted that the jail capacity would only be 90. The problem will persist, she said, until there is a new facility.
Commissioners also approved a spending cap of $2.93 million to complete the repairs to the existing jail facility as part of the design-build concept being used to bring the jail up to speed as it moves forward with plans for new construction.
The approval places a cap on spending for the renovation/repair portion of the project at $2,938,278.
Commissioners also approved a plan submitted by the local ABC Board to remodel and expand the ABC store on Beckford Drive.
ABC Board Chair Jerry Stainback said the expansion could take up to one year to complete, but he anticipates being able to pay off any financial obligation quickly.
In 2007, when the current store was approved, the ABC Board was able to pay off the note four years early.
The plan calls for a 4,500 square-foot expansion of the current store. “We can’t pay for it all in a year, but we can get it paid in significantly less than 10 years,” Stainback predicted. He said the store does $6 million in sales each year.
Commissioners also approved an updated fiscal operations policy, which had been brought before commissioners at an earlier meeting. Commissioner Tommy Hester made the motion to approve the policy. Commissioner Brummitt voted against.
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The holiday decorations are down, the kids are back in school and winter programming at Perry Memorial Library is returning to full swing. Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters and staff welcome patrons of all ages to the library for some social interaction and literacy fun.
Mother Goose Storytime fans can return Thursday morning, Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. Later that afternoon, kids can enjoy Lego Fun from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. One scheduling note is the Thursday afternoon story time, Peters said. She is pushing the start time back to 4:30 p.m., which she hopes will be a friendlier time for families with children.
Speaking of fun, Fun Fridays launch this Friday, Jan. 9.
Baby Rave runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the youngest kiddos, 0-2. There’ll be dancing and movement to music, complete with party lights and bubbles, Peters said.
The morning morphs into Parachute Play at 11:30 a.m. for a half hour of games and songs for children ages 3-5.
Fridays are busy at the library, with the Home School Social Hour cranking back up at 1 p.m.
This program helps connect homeschooling families – adults and children alike – allowing them to meet new people while they get together to share resources and other areas of interest.
Peters said she hears from homeschooling families routinely who want to find ways to connect with others. “If you’re new to the area, you may not know others nearby,” she said.
It’s a short program, just 30 minutes or so, but Peters said it’s all about parents and children engaging in the story together.
The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and continues on Jan. 13, Feb. 3, Mar. 3 and April 7.
Check out all the library’s programs and activities at https://www.perrylibrary.org.
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Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
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