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SportsTalk 05-13-21 George Hoyle, Kerr Vance Academy

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For the fourth time consecutively the Kerr-Vance Academy baseball team finds itself in the running for another state championship. This weekend Kerr-Vance will take on Grace Christian in Sanford. Kerr-Vance has posted an 11-7 record so far this year while Grace Christian is undefeated at 20-0.

As with most school atletics programs, Kerr-Vance faced challenges to get games in. The school’s Athletic Director, George Hoyle, said one of those challenges was scheduling. He had hoped to get at least ten games in during the baseball season but has managed eighteen so far this year. “I’m thrilled with how this season has gone,” Hoyle said. “We were fortunate with weather and Covid,” Hoyle continued. Kerr-Vance Academy was fortunate with no instances of Covid reported for the team the entire season. This year was the first under head coack Mike Rigsbee. Hoyle said there was a lot of excitement and some uncertainty with a new head coach leading the program.  Hoyle said it was “great to see Rigsbee’s personality and energy come into the program. It was cool to see.”

In regards to Kerr Vance Academy’s successful season Hoyle said, “I can confirm winning is fun.” Even though he enjoys winning Hoyle thinks that seeing the growth of his seniors is far more important than winning baseball games. The school has been quite successful with its athletic programs with KVA winning eight state championships over the last four years.

All of the success has not gone unnoticed as Hoyle has announced he will be leaving KVA to take the athletic director’s position at Thales Academy in Wake Forest. Hoyle has recently become engaged and wasn’t really looking to move but Thales Academy made a good recruitment pitch. “I’m looking forward to the new opportunity and a great challenge,” Hoyle said about moving on to Thales Academy. For the moment, Hoyle and Coach Rigsbee have KVA Baseball on their minds as they head to Sanford to try and bring home one more state championship.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

May Is Mental Health Month; Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Links Community To Services

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TownTalk; 11am; M-F; WIZS Radio —

If you, a family member or friend is struggling with mental health issues – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – a phone call to Cardinal Innovations Healthcare may be the first step to finding help.

May is Mental Health Month, and Thursday’s Town Talk guests discussed a variety of ways that the community can become involved in, learn about, and access services to support families that struggle with mental health challenges.

Monae Davis, member engagement specialist for the Northern Region of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, spoke with John C. Rose Thursday about resources her organization provides.

She was joined by Diana Talley and Gladys Foster-Young, both members of the Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC), a group that advises Cardinal Innovations Healthcare regarding community and member needs.

CFAC members are volunteers who share their unique perspectives to help inform decisions and initiatives that improve the health and wellness of its members, Davis said. The Northern Region group supports Vance, Franklin, Granville, Warren and Halifax counties.

“So many people who are in need of services who may not know how to ask for services,” Talley said Thursday. “We talk to the community, we are present at community activities and functions…and are able to come back to Cardinal and say ‘these are the needs and concerns of the community,’” she added.

Foster-Young said the CFAC role is to monitor development of services, identify service gaps, especially for underserved populations, and submit recommendations to the state for ways to improve service delivery.

Both Talley and Foster Young became involved with CFAC because they have family members with mental health challenges. “We have good days and bad days,” Foster-Young said, “but when we look back at where we are now and where we have come from, it’s a miracle,” she said, of her particular family members’ situation.

Anyone over the age of 18 who either receives Cardinal services or has a family member that does is eligible to be a member of the CFAC. The time commitment is about four hours each month; meetings are virtual because of COVID-19 restrictions, but stipends and reimbursement for mileage are available when in-person meetings can resume.

The Northern Region CFAC meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for June 8, Davis said.

The pandemic has been stressful for everyone, and Talley said it is important to be honest and recognize when it’s time to reach out for help. People may be suffering from depression as a result of unemployment because of the pandemic, she said.  “Everybody needs help from time to time,” she said. Call 252.430.1330 for information.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare does not provide direct services to clients, Davis said; rather, it helps connect members – who receive Medicaid benefits – to the services in the community to address their needs in the areas of mental health, substance abuse disorders and intellectual developmental disabilities.

“There is help available,” Talley said. “Reach out, you don’t have to live with these diagnoses alone,” Talley said. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help.”

Visit https://www.cardinalinnovations.org/About/Committees-councils/CFAC?tab=2 to learn more about the CFAC and how to join the group.

For complete details and audio click play.

(Cardinal Innovations is an advertising client of WIZS.  This story and the embedded audio are not paid ads.  Nothing presented is intended to offer medical advice.  Please speak directly to your provider.)

The Local Skinny! Get Vaccinated May 20 Outside Courthouse

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On Thursday, May 20th here in Vance County, the courthouse will serve as a site to get a covid vaccine.

The Hon. Henry L. Gupton, clerk of court in Vance County, said Granville Vance Public Health would be on site at the courthouse starting at 9 a.m. to provide the vaccine. He said Lisa Harrison, local health director, would be present to answer any questions.

Gupton said, “There is a large docket that day. Maybe folks will come on and take the shot. I’m ready to get the office back open, rather than just being partially open as we are.”

Harrison told WIZS News, “Your health department is committed to getting vaccine out in the community to make it easier for everyone to access. The more people we can vaccinate, the safer we will all be from the severe effects of COVID-19. It is absolutely clear that COVID-19 presents more of a health risk to people than the vaccine. Let us know what questions you have. We are here to serve the public and protect the health of everyone.”

In order to participate, just show up. Enter from the Chestnut Street side of the courthouse along Church Street behind First Presbyterian Church. That’s the side with the most parking. Where to go from there will be evident as Granville Vance Public Health will have a banner in place.

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SportsTalk 5-11-21 Scottie Richardson, Crossroads Christian

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“It’s a great day to be a Colt!” said Scottie Richardson, athletic director at Crossroads Christian after the school’s golf program won the state 1A championship by two strokes on Monday at Bryan Park-Players Course in  Greensboro.  The championship is the first athletic championship of any type ever won by the school. Two years ago Crossroads Christian was runner up in the state.  Richardson gave credit to golfing coach James Darnell. “He’s a local legend,” Richardson said. He went on to say that Darnell has to be part caddy and part psychologist as a golfing coach.

Richardson, who is also head basketball coach at the school, said all of the coaches of the school’s various athletic programs would “trash talk” with each other about which one would win the school’s first state championship but all of the coaches at the school have been very supportive of Coach Darnell and his team.

Speaking about Monday’s championship Richardson said, “It was a great atmosphere when the sun was out.” The tournament had to shut down for an hour and a half due to thunderstorms to rolled through the Guilford County area on Monday afternoon.

Richardson also acknowledged that the golf team will lose some players to graduation this year but feels that the team’s underclassmen are good enough to keep the team competitive in the coming seasons.

Representing the Crossroads Christian School Colts this year at the NCISAA Boys’ State Championship were Caden Woodward, Tyler Darnell, Merritt Cogdill and Colby Taylor.

For full details and complete audio click play.

 

 

TownTalk 5-11-21; KARTS Provides Key Service To Rural Residents

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Irene Johnson, executive director of KARTS discusses the transportation services offered by the agency, the effects of Covid-19 and the need for drivers.

Johnson stressed Kerr Area Rural Transportation Authority operates with a “safety first” approach to everything.

For Broadcast Audio Click Play. Written story below.

 

The term “public transportation” may conjure up images of crowded buses headed across a busy commercial district in a large city, but rural areas have public transportation services that help people get to medical appointments or complete errands in town.

In Vance, Franklin, Granville and Warren counties, 55 KARTS buses travel the country roads to pick up rural residents who rely on public transportation.

KARTS, or Kerr Area Rural Transportation Authority, has been serving the four-county area since 1983, said Irene Johnson, KARTS executive director. She told John C. Rose Tuesday on Town Talk that she wants to spread the word about KARTS.

Anyone who needs a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine can ride for free, Johnson said. “We will make that possible at no cost” to the rider, she said. Just call KARTS at 252.438.2573 after scheduling the vaccine appointment.

Johnson said KARTS buses are on the road Monday through Saturday, and some drivers begin their shifts behind the wheel by 2:30 a.m. Many riders go to dialysis centers she said, and appointments there start as early as 4 a.m.

But KARTS buses take riders to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, too. A scheduler can provide details about schedules and fare costs. Visit www.kartsnc.com for a breakdown of roundtrip fares. A roundtrip fare between 1-10 miles costs $8; a roundtrip fare between 11-20 miles is $10.

Those Around the Town shuttles that scurry throughout Vance County are KARTS buses, too. Johnson said there are designated stops for those shuttles, which generally run between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

COVID-19 restrictions created extra steps for KARTS, including sanitizing machines for the vehicles when they’re off the road, as well adding hand sanitizer stations on each bus. Masks are required to board the bus, and drivers have extras for anyone who needs one.

In addition to transporting people to their medical appointments and grocery shopping, Johnson said KARTS also takes people to work. She said at least four buses deliver workers daily to their jobs at Revlon in Oxford. Johnson estimated that those 55 buses are handling an average of 400 appointments a day, down from as many as 700 at one time.

KARTS, like many other rural transport agencies across the state, need qualified drivers. “We’re comfortable at 400 (trips), but we could use 20 drivers right now,” she said.

Drivers must be at least 21 years old and pass a background check and a drug screen.

“You’ve got to be someone who likes people,” she noted. “The easy part is being behind the wheel – you may be the only person they see all day.”

(KARTS is an advertising client of WIZS.  This article and audio are not paid ads.)

TownTalk 05-10-21 Economics, Jobs, Inflation

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Host John C. Rose discusses economics, employment and inflation including the effect stimulus payments have had, how the lack of employees has effected the shipping of goods and concerns about inflation.

For complete details and audio click play.