Tag Archive for: #thelocalskinny

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Perry Memorial Library Activities Heat Up As Summer Approaches

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There’s a “sit-in” planned for next week outside Perry Memorial Library, but it has nothing to do with protests – it’s a Community Read-In, and Youth Services Director Melody Peters says it’s a great way for folks to come out to show support for all the benefits of reading.

The invitation is open for anyone and everyone to gather on the lawn outside the library from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25. Bring a lawn chair and bring your favorite printed material – whether that’s a book, magazine or newspaper – and enjoy reading with your neighbors.

Peters said she got the idea for the “read-in” at a recent community meeting where the discussion centered around ways to help the community move forward. “We need to show solidarity around something positive,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

“Reading is positive. It’s peaceful. We want to see people reading,” she said. “In a world of electronics and AI, we need books.”

There’s another program taking place in the community that is gaining traction. There are book baskets located across the county that contain three different books that are free for the taking – it’s another effort to bring books to folks who may not be able to get to the library and to support the idea that reading is an enjoyable pastime. Peters said the program is proving to be successful. “It is so exciting…the books are moving,” she said.

This is the first time she’s doing this program, and she’s pleased so far. “You put things together and you never know how it’s going to work” until  it gets going, she said.

The book baskets are located at Perry Memorial Library and at the following spots:

  • Aycock Recreation Center
  • Carolina Peanut Factory
  • Duke Primary Care Henderson
  • Henderson Family YMCA
  • Oasis of Hope Ministries
  • Sadie’s Coffee Corner
  • Starbucks, 1522 Dabney Dr.
  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market
  • Vanco Outdoor Equipment, 296 US 158

 

But reading isn’t the only thing that Peters is promoting – Saturday, June 21 is the Vance County Arts Council’s ‘Make Music Day’ and the library is the place where the day-long event will kick off.

“We’re having a musical storytime this Saturday at 12:30,” Peters said. Participants will sing songs, read stories about music and even make their own musical instrument with dry rice, a plastic egg and colorful duct tape.

Visit https://vanceartscouncil.com/event/make-music-day-saturday-june-21-2025/ for a full list of events for Make Music Day.

If you’re still looking for some fun reading activities, bring the kiddos to Family Storytime at the library on Sunday, June 22 at 3:30 p.m. The theme is “Summer” and Peters said they’ll read a story about summertime and an accompanying craft activity.

Throughout the summer, Peters said Tuesdays and Thursdays are “the” days for programming and activities.

On Tuesday, June 24, a local mobile petting zoo – yes! A mobile petting zoo called Zoo on the MOOVE will bring some of their favorite furry friends for a fun, interactive visit that begins at 11 a.m.

“These are their animals,” Peters said of the owners. “They love their animals and they want to share them with others.” Kids (and grownups, too) will get to interact with the animals and the owners will share information about them.

Then, at 4 p.m., staff from the Vance County Animal Shelter will bring some of their favorite dogs and cats who are looking for that “furever” home for a visit. Peters said the cats and dogs are always a big crowd favorite. Kids will get a chance to make dog toys out of old t-shirts and socks.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/home to see a complete listing of programs and activities taking place at the library.

 

 

 

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The Local Skinny! ‘Make Music Day’ featuring Jimmy & The Sound Barriers

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Throw your lawn chairs in the car and head out to Kerr Lake Country Club on Saturday, June 21 to celebrate “Make Music Day” for an open jam session with Jimmy and the Sound Barriers.

The event is the culminating activity to a day full of music throughout the county, promoted by the Vance County Arts Council and the NC Arts Council, said Jimmy Barrier on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Food and beverages will be available for purchase for the concert, which runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“I’m going to have a core band,” Barrier said, but he’s opening up the stage to others who want to join in and sing. “Gospel, country, R & B – if we know it – we’ll be glad to play it for you,” Barrier added.

“We’re just going to have a great time,” he said. “Just come on out and listen to some music. If you’ve ever wanted to come out and sing, we’ll play it and you sing it.”

Barrier, who plays stand-up bass, will be joined by Keith Aiken on dobro, J.W. Sanders on banjo and Chip Dixon, guitarist and vocalist.

Kerr Lake Country Club is located at 600 Hedrick Dr., Henderson, NC 27537

Visit https://vanceartscouncil.com/event/make-music-day-saturday-june-21-2025/ to learn more.

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Mrs. Lula Shearin’s 75th Birthday Celebration Concert

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Jordan Shearin got a big hint from his grandmother, Mrs. Lula Shearin, about what she wanted for her birthday. It’s not the sort of present that can be wrapped in pretty paper with big bow, however.

Mrs. Lula Shearin is getting a gospel concert for her 75th birthday, and it’s open to all in the community to enjoy.

The program will be held on Saturday, July 5 at White’s Grove Christian Church, 328 St. Tammany Rd in Norlina. The doors open at 3 p.m. and the concert will begin at 4 p.m. Pastor Daryn Thomas is the emcee, and numerous groups are scheduled to perform.

“She’s been talking about it since last year,” Jordan Shearin said. “I said, ‘OK, Grandma, I’m going to make it happen for you.’”

Jordan, one of Shearin’s four grandsons, said his grandmother’s actual birthday is July 1. The concert isn’t a surprise, he said, but it will be something that shows how much she means to her family and to the community.

“She’s honorable, she’s humble…so sweet in her own way, and everybody loves her,” Jordan said. “She does a lot for people,” and he said this is a way “to give her her flowers while she can smell them.”

He called his relationship with his grandmother “like no other. My grandma helped my mom raise me,” he said, and she still takes time to help him when he needs it.

“She paved the way for me,” and the concert is a way for him to let her know how much she means to the family.

“There is nothing like a grandmother’s love. I love her dearly and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her at all. This will make her feel real special.”

Groups scheduled to perform are Faithful, The Gospel Disciples, The Terain Family, Men of Faith, The Gospel Harmoneers, Sister Shirley McCaden & Co. and The Soul Lifters.

Contact Jordan Shearin at 252.820.5878 to learn more.

Mrs. Shearin’s children are Julian Smith, Diane Shearin-Terry and Roberta Shearin. In addition to Jordan, her grandchildren are Deshawn Smith, Julian Smith,III and Jeremy Smith.

Mrs. Shearin also has one great-grandchild, Ariana Smith.

She has three living siblings: Robert Seward, Emmanuel Seward and Elizabeth Williams and she was married to Elijah Shearin, Jr.

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The Local Skinny! Oxford Armory Farmers Market Off To A Strong Start

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The Oxford Armory Farmers Market has gotten off to a good start. In just a few Saturdays, organizers say the open-air market has had about 2,400 visitors. That number makes Wendy Tatum very happy, and hopeful for future sustainability.

Tatum is the Food and Built Environment associate with Granville County Cooperative Extension, a new position supported by N.C. A&T State University.

Using information from a 2022 needs assessment, Tatum assembled a core group of volunteers to create a place for local producers could sell their produce and farm products. What began as a series of pop-up markets in downtown Oxford morphed into dozens of vendors setting up shop on the grounds of the Armory.

“We’re very much centered around agriculture,” Tatum said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! with WIZS’s Scout Hughes. The market is open on Saturdays May through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Craft vendors are at the market on the third Saturdays of each month.

She credits strong partnerships with the city of Oxford, the Granville County Board of Commissioners, the Kerr-Tar COG Food Council and many volunteers to get off on a positive note and to have such strong support from the community.

“We wanted a place that was highly visible,” Tatum said, in the choice made for the location of the market. “We needed it to be a walkable space – and comfortable,” she added. The Armory, located at 105 W. Spring St., is just a block or so away from the main downtown area of Oxford.

With a grant for $8,500 from Triangle North Healthcare, Tatum said the market buys produce from vendors at the end of the market day to stock the “Farm to Fridge” coolers located in library branches in the county.

Visit https://granville.ces.ncsu.edu/oxford-armory-farmers-market/ to learn more about the market or call Tatum at 919.603.1350.

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Home and Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is now open on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.
  • Honey Extraction Day will be on June 7th at 4pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Water your plants according to soil moisture and not by how the plants look.
  • Check your garden twice a week for insects and diseases.
  • Always read the chemical label before applying that chemical to any plants.
  • Use Personal Protective Equipment according to the chemical label.
  • Keep lawn mower cutting height no lower than 3 inches for fescue lawns.
  • If you have young children or grandchildren, teach them how to work in the garden. They are our future gardeners.
  • Cooperative Extension has excellent publications for most fruits and vegetables.
  • Use row covers to protect your garden from wildlife.
  • Continue your fruit tree spray program according to the label directions of the product that you are using.
  • Keep your garden journal up to date.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension 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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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Vance County Reads with Perry Memorial Library

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Have you seen those baskets with books when you pop in the local coffee shop or the farmers market? Those books are for you! It’s part of a new program called ‘Vance County Reads’ sponsored by Perry Memorial Library.

There are 10 locations throughout the county where copies of three different books can be found, each one targeting a specific age range.

And Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters said everyone’s invited to a big celebration at the end of July to meet the two local authors whose books are among the selections in the baskets.

Lots of communities have group reads, Peters told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! She and library staff developed this program as a way to reach people who may not have occasion to visit the library itself.

“We tried to do what is a nice fit for the community,” she said.

The books are free to take, and you can bring them back after you’ve finished reading them so others can enjoy them, but it’s not required.

The goal is to get people excited about reading, she said.

Local author Curtis Harvey, Jr.’s book titled “The Perfect Pair” is geared for younger children through elementary school-aged youth.

“Super Pancake” is a graphic novel geared toward the middle school and older group, and local author Angie Ellington’s “Autumn at Apple Hill” is the book selected for adults.

Of course, anyone may choose to read any of the books, Peters noted.

Harvey and Ellington are scheduled to be at the July 29 celebration, which will be held at the library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Find the book baskets at Perry Memorial Library and at the following locations:

  • Aycock Recreation Center, 307 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson
  • Carolina Peanut Factory, 394 Zeb Robinson Rd., Henderson
  • Duke Primary Care Henderson, 480 Ruin Creek Rd., Henderson
  • Henderson Family YMCA, 380 Ruin Creek Rd., Henderson
  • Oasis of Hope Ministries, 2565 US 1/158 Hwy., Henderson
  • Sadie’s Coffee Corner, 324 S. Garnett St., Henderson
  • Starbucks, 1522 Dabney Dr., Henderson
  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market, 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson
  • Vanco Outdoor Equipment, 296 US 158, Henderson

Visit www.perrylibrary.org to learn about all the programs and services the library offers.

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The Local Skinny! Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation’s ‘Tennis and Dentist’ Event Saturday, 10 AM – 2 PM

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The Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation is hosting a “Tennis and Dentist” event on Saturday, May 31 to combine learning about the sport of tennis and the importance of good oral hygiene.

Things will get underway at 10 a.m. at Fox Pond Park, 375 Vicksboro Rd. and will continue until 2 p.m., according to Dr. Jerry Edmonds, who founded the organization with his wife Dorcel in 2018.

In case of rain, the event will move to Aycock Rec Center, Edmonds said.

The tennis clinic is free and is open to youth between the ages of 5 and 18.

Participants will learn tennis fundamentals, learn about dental health and get lunch, too.

Racquets and tennis balls will be provided.

Tennis is a relatively inexpensive sport, and there are public courts all around just waiting to be used. All tennis players need is a racquet, a can of balls and a good pair of tennis shoes and they’ll be all set.

The Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation is a nonprofit that combines tennis, academics and nutrition to strengthen young people for success.

Visit https://www.edmondstennis.org/ to learn more about the organization.

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Home and Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is now open on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.
  • Monitor rows in garden open ends of rows that have water pooled up in them.
  • Check tomatoes for leaf spot diseases. You can prune all leaves below the first fruit set.
  • Monitor tall fescue for brown patch disease, especially if you fertilized later than March 15th.
  • Treat fire ants now. Use fire ant bait.
  • Keep lawn mower blades sharp.
  • If you have young children or grandchildren, teach them how to work in the garden. They are our future gardeners.
  • Consider drip irrigation in your garden.
  • Use row covers to protect your garden from wildlife.
  • Continue your fruit tree spray program according to the label directions of the product that you are using.
  • Keep your garden journal up to date.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension 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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Maria Parham Oncology Director Kimberly Smith Honored With Mercy Award From LifePoint Health

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— courtesy of Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Health is proud to announce that Kimberly Smith, RN, BSN, Director of Oncology, has been named the hospital’s recipient of the 2025 Mercy Award, the highest honor given to a LifePoint Health employee.

The Mercy Award, named in memory of LifePoint Health’s founding chairman Scott Mercy, recognizes one individual at each LifePoint facility who exemplifies the company’s commitment to making communities healthier through extraordinary compassion, dedication and service.

With nearly 20 years of service at Maria Parham Health, Smith has dedicated her career to caring for others, serving in multiple departments including Med/Surg, Labor &  Delivery, Inpatient Rehabilitation, and most notably, Oncology—where her light shines brightest.

“Kimberly is the kind of person who makes an immediate impact wherever she goes,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “Her unwavering dedication to our patients, her team, and  our entire community is truly inspiring. Kim doesn’t just show up to do her job—she lives out our mission every day. We are incredibly proud to recognize her as our 2025 Mercy Award  winner.”

Kimberly is known for going above and beyond, making herself available to support not only patients but also their families and fellow employees. Outside the hospital, she is deeply involved  in community outreach efforts, regularly organizing initiatives to provide food, clothing and resources to those in need.

She plays a key role in organizing the hospital’s annual Cancer Survivor’s Dinner, hosts awareness events focused on cancer education, and partners with organizations like the Henderson Fire Department’s Boot Drive and the Angel Fund to ensure patients receive both financial and emotional support during their treatment journey.

Those who work with Kimberly consistently describe her with words like “compassionate,”  “committed,” “selfless,” and “kind” —qualities that reflect the very spirit of the Mercy Award.

Maria Parham Health congratulates Kimberly Smith on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for being a beacon of hope, healing and humanity within the hospital and beyond.

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Home and Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is now open on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.
  • Cooperative Extension has publications on most vegetables and fruits that can be grown in  the central piedmont of  North Carolina call 252-438-8188 or come by the Cooperative Extension Offices during 8:30am til 5pm M-F.
  • Harvest herbs frequently. Young foliage is more tender and flavorful Clipping promotes new growth.
  • Sharpen Garden hand tools with a file, makes chopping weeds much easier.
  • Treat fire ants now. Use fire ant bait.
  • Try electric fencing to keep wildlife out of your garden.
  • Identify your insects on plants before buying a control chemical.
  • Consider drip irrigation in your garden.
  • Use row covers to protect your garden from wildlife.
  • Continue your fruit tree spray program according to the label directions of the product that you are using.
  • Monitor strawberries closely. They ripen quicker than you know.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.      

Thank you to our caller for calling in and leaving a question!

The Vance County Cooperative Extension 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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