Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Farmers Market Advisory Board Meeting Thurs, Aug 12

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market Advisory Board will meet Thursday, August 12 at 2 p.m.

The meeting will take place at the Farmers Market at 210 Southpark Drive in Henderson, just off Beckford Drive.

These meetings are open to the public.

For additional information, call 252 438 8188 or email paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

While public attendance is meant for observation, to be sure you can speak with others there after the meeting.  Hanging around after a meeting is a good way to see if new things may be on the horizon for the market and a chance to provide some input if there are things you would like to see.

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

Safe Routes Program Encourages Biking And Walking To School

There may be a couple of bike racks outside some school buildings in the area, but gone are the days that students’ bicycles fill those racks during the day while children are in class. The familiar crosswalks still function, but they are more for students getting out of cars than for those who have walked from their nearby homes.

Kisha High recognizes that rural areas and small towns may face challenges when they encourage children to walk or bike to school, but the Safe Routes to School program does more than just promote those practices.

High is the Safe Route to Schools program coordinator for the Kerr-Tar COG. She spoke with WIZS News about all the ways her program can have positive impacts on schoolchildren – on or off school campuses.

“The name can be misleading,” High said. “It’s not just about school – you’re a pedestrian when you’re in the parking lot at the grocery store.” By sharing information about safety practices when people are in areas where there also are vehicles, High said the program can improve overall safety and health.

The program is funded by federal and state departments of transportation. It’s a non-infrastructure grant, so her efforts are largely aimed at outreach. Whether it’s a Back To School event or a walking competition within a particular school, she’s willing and ready to participate or help organize.

She will be at the Back to School Bash in Oxford tomorrow, for example, raising awareness about how important it is to be healthy and how important it is to be safe.

Although the program’s mission is to promote walking and biking to schools, she added the words “where possible” to take into account that there aren’t many sidewalks in rural communities and schools are in more centralized locations.

But children may still walk to bus stops, for example, and it’s important for them to understand safety rules, she said.

Friendly competitions are one way to promote walking as a way for children to exercise. High said students at West Oxford Elementary in Granville County used pedometers last spring to track their steps. They calculated their mileage in a “Walking to Tokyo” race in advance of the Olympics.

Whether walking to school, in the store parking lot, or the neighborhood, safety should be top of mind, High said.

“We’re all pedestrians at some point during the day,” she added.

For more details, listen below.

Cooperative Extension with Jamon Glover: Redirecting

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

 

TownTalk: Turning Point CDC Community Day Aug 7

Turning Point Community Development Corporation continues its outreach in the area with Community Day 2021 set for Saturday, Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Turning Point Director Chalis Henderson invites schoolchildren to come out for backpacks stuffed with school supplies and enjoy a variety of activities for the whole family.

Henderson was the guest on Wednesday’s Town Talk and shared details of the event with John C. Rose and Trey Snide.

“Everything’s going to be outside,” she said, except the barbershop. Two barbers will be socially distanced in the large multipurpose room of the Turning Point community engagement building, located near the interchange of Norlina and Warrenton roads  in Henderson. Vendors will be distanced appropriately on the lawn. “We will enjoy seeing people, but we definitely want people to feel safe and healthy,” Henderson said.

“We have a large group of community resource vendors – it’s going to be a family-friendly, fun event,” she said. And those 120 backpacks? They’ll be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so come out early.

One note to parents: Henderson said the child should be present to receive the backpack and parents should be prepared to give a name, phone number and the county they live in for the backpack giveaway.

The mobile learning lab will be up and running for the event as well. Henderson said the school bus-turned learning lab has been outfitted with air conditioning, so it will be on the road in August. A couple of young people will be on the bus to provide demonstrations of some of the lab’s functions.

Last year’s Community Day event was cancelled because of the pandemic, which makes this Saturday’s event even more special and important. It’s important for residents in the area to become aware of resources that are available to them, she added.

Established as a community development entity, Turning Point has become a place of empowerment and community engagement. Providing backpacks and having events to share resources are just two ways for Turning Point to “live” its vision statement: We believe rural communities can thrive and flourish.”

Henderson said she was heartened to see so many community members – and parents that are served through Turning Point – show up to bring donations of school supplies to help fill out the backpacks.

The non-profit had gotten the backpacks and a few school supplies, but Henderson said she felt like they needed some more. So she set up a one-week drive to collect supplies and she said there was “an overflow of resources coming in.”

Turning Point will have raffle tickets available on Saturday for the chance to win a complete HVAC system. Tickets are $10, she said. The prize is made possible by Ranes Heating and Air and Henderson said “100 percent of the proceeds go to Turning Point CDC.” The winner will be announced in October. Tickets also may be purchased via a link on its website www.turningpointcdc.org

Also available at the Community Day event are t-shirts emblazoned with the Turning Point vision statement: “We believe rural communities can thrive and flourish.”

 

Turning Point CDC Director Chalis Henderson Interview Audio. Click Play Below.

Crossroads Christian School

SportsTalk: Trey Snide Named Cross Country Coach At Crossroads Christian

Many people know Trey Snide as the host of the “Beach Music Blast” and “SportsTalk” on WIZS Radio. Some may have bought some advertising from him. Anyone who knows Trey also knows he is a true sports fan.  What they might not know is that Trey coaches not only one team at Crossroads Christian but, now, two teams.

In addition to being the head baseball coach at the school, he has now been named head coach of the school’s cross country team. Trey brings experience from his time as a student who ran track for Lees-McRae College in the North Carolina mountains.  When asked what that experience as an athlete in college gives him as a coach he said, “Never Give up even though you may feel like passing out.”

He has his runners at Crossroads Christian up early to run. Practice currently begins at 7:30 in the morning, and while that may seem early, he says the beautiful countryside where his players practice makes it much better. “Hills, water, woods, dirt, grass…everything you would find in competition,” Trey says of the area.

Coaching cross-country is different than coaching baseball or other team sports.  Trey said it is more about the individual and finding ways for the individual to improve.

His team will have some pieces already in place with a 1A All State Runner and the team will looking to get the most from his and the other members of the team this season.  The coach in Trey says, “They may say they can’t do anymore, but as a coach, you try to get a little bit more. Give me everything you’ve got.”

WIZS congratulates our own Trey Snide, the new cross country coach at Crossroads Christian.

For complete details and audio click play.

Local News Audio

WIZS Radio Local News Audio 8-4-21 Noon

Thank you for listening to WIZS Radio.  Your Community Voice!!

Click Play Below.

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Vance County Schools Logo

For Now, Vance County Schools Maintains Face Covering Requirements

Vance County Schools resumes this week and so a statement on masks was needed now, before the scheduled August 9 board of education meeting.

That statement online at vcs.k12.nc.us reads:

“Vance County Schools will maintain our current face covering requirements for all students and adults in all buildings with students. The Board of Education will revisit this at the August 9th Board of Education meeting.”

As Public Information Officer Aarika Sandlin reminded WIZS News Tuesday afternoon, the VCS Early Start School Calendar shows open house for Wednesday, August 4 and the first day of school as Thursday, August 5.  Vance County Early College High School uses the early start calendar.

The VCS Year-Round Calendar lists the first day of school as Monday, August 9.  EM Rollins STEAM Academy is the only year-round school but is in session, in person before the board of education meeting.

The VCS online statement also says:

“Vance County Schools would like to remind all of our families that we will be back to school face-to-face 5 days a week for the 2021-2022 school year. Should your child wish to participate in virtual learning, they may do so by transferring to our virtual school, Vance Virtual Village Academy, which does require a one-year commitment.”

VCS Traditional Calendar Schools start Monday, August 23.

Nearby to the west, all Granville County Public Schools students and staff will be required to wear face coverings on all school property when school starts later this month, following a board of education decision made during its regular monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 2.

The Granville decision came following a presentation from Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison and GVHD Medical Director Dr. Shauna Guthrie about the COVID-19 Delta variant.

Vance County Schools officials also rely of Harrison and Guthrie and GVPH, and the VCS board is likely to be provided much of the same information as was presented in Granville County.

Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Pender Announced As New Vance County High Football Coach

Henderson, N.C. – The Vance County Board of Education has approved Wilbur Pender as the new Head
Football Coach at Vance County High School.

Coach Pender is a Franklin County native who graduated from Franklinton High School before continuing his football and academic career at Catawba College. Following his collegiate playing career as a defensive lineman, Pender pursued a career in education and coaching where his experience includes positions as a Math teacher and assistant football coach at East Montgomery High School, Northern Vance High School, Olympic High School, and Clover High School (South Carolina).

He will be joining Vance County High School after most recently serving as the Head Football Coach at
Granville Central High School this past school year. “Coach Pender is a great leader and role model who takes his responsibilities as both a teacher and a coach very seriously” said Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Joe Sharrow of Pender. “He is extremely intelligent, has a passion for teaching, and has demonstrated the ability to establish positive relationships with students, staff, parents, and community members. Having grown up in the area and having previously taught and coached at Northern Vance High School, he is familiar with our schools and community and we are very excited to welcome him back. I have no doubt he will be a strong addition to the Viper family.” Pender will replace Hunter Jenks, who coached the Vipers for just one season.

“I am beyond excited to get started at Vance County and really dive in and invest in the future of the program.” Pender said in a statement. “I’m grateful for the opportunity from Principal Horner, Athletic Director Sharrow, and Vance County Schools for trusting me to lead the Vipers. I loved my time at Northern Vance working with the kids then and now with both schools as one I feel this place is set up for sustainable success on and off the field. There are not many one high school counties left in the state and it’s truly the best situation to have. I can’t wait to get the youth program and middle school program involved with us because we are one family. Go Vipers!”

The Vipers are set to begin the 2021 season at home on August 20th in the County Line Clash rivalry game with Warren County High School

For complete details and audio click play.