Tag Archive for: #thelocalskinny

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 open Saturdays from 8am-1pm.
  • Soil samples are needed, avoid the rush. 2 week analyis time.
  • Keep that garden journal updated daily.
  • Winterize any equipment that you are not going to use until next spring.
  • Harvest sweet potatoes before we have a frost.
  • Check fall vegetables for insects. Cabbage worm and harlequin bugs.
  • Start preparing for leaf collection season. Do you have a compost bin?
  • Clean up planters and get ready to plant pansies.
  • Harvest pumpkins if they are mature.
  • Get your copy of the Central Piedmont Vegetable Planting Guide.
  • Get frost protection ready now.
  • Check houseplants, dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

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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The Local Skinny! KRCV Calling for Minimum 2-Year Statewide Data Center Moratorium

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More than 50 people showed up Monday morning to a press conference held by Kerr Regional Citizen Voices, which expressed support for a minimum two-year moratorium on data center development in the state.

The press conference took place at a location on U.S. 158, close to the 500+ acre tract that is being considered for a hyperscale data center. According to organizers, this is the first of several press conferences to be held across the state that will call state lawmakers to put in place at least a two-year moratorium on data center development.

The application was approved by Vance County late last week, coincidentally, but the press conference had been planned before that application approval was made.

Those in attendance heard from a handful of people who shared their remarks and their unique perspectives with regard to data center development.

Although this particular data center project is at the heart of the opposition, speakers expressed discontent about the county process for discussion, consideration and approval of economic development projects. Speakers called for transparency about prospective projects before decisions are made.

Warren County’s Deborah Ferruccio has been involved with grassroots environmental justice efforts for close to 50 years and said that counties in North Carolina and Virginia that share the Roanoke River Basin – Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston – need to join forces.

“Once again, we are forming a regional alliance,” Ferruccio said. “We’re in this together. She said data center development will have a “devastating impact” on the affected areas, from natural resources, tourism and recreation to water availability and increased electricity demand.

Vance County resident Hope Crabtree spoke about the need for county government leaders to be more responsive to citizens’ requests for information.

“We’re not asking for special treatment, we’re asking for responsible government,” Crabtree said. She further stated that the public should have the opportunity to request and receive information about proposed projects before decisions are made.

She said progress should not come at the expense of those who have to live with the consequences of development.

Other speakers included nearby resident Angie Thornton, retired biomedical researcher Hope Taylor and Vance County resident Kristin Somerville.

Visit www.kerrregionalcitizenvoices.com to learn more about the group, its mission and how you can participate or email Info@kerrregionalcitizenvoices.com.

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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 open Saturdays from 8am-1pm.
  • The Vance-Warren Beekeepers Association will meet on Monday, October 12th, starting at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Time to collect soil samples, avoid the rush. 2 week analyis time.
  • Keep that garden journal updated daily.
  • You can still plant tall fescue.
  • Order spring bulbs now.
  • Check fall vegetables for insects. Cabbage worm and harlequin bugs.
  • Start preparing for leaf collection season. Do you have a compost bin?
  • Cleanup greenhouses and high tunnels.
  • Put a board under growing pumpkins.
  • Get your copy of the Central Piedmont Vegetable Planting Guide.
  • Fall vegetables need at least 1 inch of rain or irrigation per week.
  • Check houseplants, dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

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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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Fall into Great Activities at Perry Memorial Library

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Middle schoolers have a new program they can participate in at Perry Memorial Library – that program kicks off Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 7 and will continue on the first Wednesday of each month through May, said Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters.

The library is teaming up with The Poe Center of Raleigh to provide a “lounge” atmosphere where the youngsters can talk and learn about mental health.

“You need to have a sound mental health just like you need a sound body,” Peters told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

For too long, she said, people considered mental health separately from overall physical health. But just like the saying, “you are what you eat,” she said, “you are what you think,” too, she said.

The first topic is mindfulness – the idea of being fully “present” in the moment, focusing your thoughts and feelings.

Deep breathing and meditation are just a couple of ways to practice mindfulness, and Peters said learning effective techniques is important when it comes to handling stress and navigating tough times.

“Being able to control that with breath, with simple things that you can learn, will carry you really far in life,” Peters said. “The sooner you learn these skills, the better off you’re going to be.”

Mental Health Lounge for Middle Schoolers – Wednesday, October 7 – 4:30 – 5:30pm

Another fun activity aimed at teens in grades 6-12 happens Monday, Oct. 12 during Teen Time, which runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Come out and paint some pumpkins while viewing the film “Twitches.”

Visit www.perrylibrary.org to view a full schedule of programs and events for children of all ages taking place at the library, located at 205 Breckenridge St.

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(The audio and text contained in this post are not medical advice.)

The Local Skinny! Dyed Diesel Fuel on Highways

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Amid rising fuel costs, Gov. Josh Stein today directed N.C. Department of Revenue Secretary McKinley Wooten to provide penalty relief from prohibition on the highway use of red dye diesel fuel through the end of 2026. Stein also wrote to the Internal Revenue Service requesting federal penalty relief for the use of the same fuel. Because many of North Carolina’s agricultural producers have stores of non-taxed dyed diesel fuel on hand for off-road use, suspending enforcement of this penalty will lessen financial pressure on farmers by allowing on-road use during this year’s harvest, which is the most fuel-intensive period of agricultural production.

In a press release issued Thursday, Stein said “North Carolina farmers have been feeling the squeeze of tariffs, drought conditions, crop loss, and skyrocketing diesel prices. And our families are struggling with the cost of groceries. Today I am working to ease the burden on farmers during their most fuel-intensive time of year and reduce the upward pressure on the cost of food. I urge the federal government to join me in providing the same relief to North Carolina farmers and families.”

Revenue Secretary Wooten said, “The North Carolina Department of Revenue is committed to implementing the Governor’s directive and will continue to be responsive to the critical needs of North Carolina taxpayers.”

North Carolina Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding said Stein’s action is greatly appreciated, saying it provides farmers “timely and meaningful relief as they face record-high diesel prices at harvest time.”

Harding said farmer report diesel expenses as their main concern during what has already proven to be a challenging year. Stein’s action, he said, comes less than a day after Farm Bureau and the state’s agricultural community sent a letter to the governor to ask for help.
“…we are truly grateful for these effective and practical measures toward protecting and preserving North Carolina’s farm businesses,” Harding said.

Throughout September, diesel prices have reached record highs, with the price per gallon reaching $6.25 in North Carolina. Domestic inventories of diesel reached the lowest point in recorded history this month, with 107.9 million barrels on hand, according to the US Energy Information Administration. These high prices present significant hardship for North Carolina farmers as they begin conducting the harvesting operations that are critical to ensuring North Carolina’s farm goods reach markets abroad and our own tables here at home. Agriculture is North Carolina’s biggest industry, employing one out of every five North Carolinians and generating $117 billion in annual economic activity.

Click here to read letter to Governor Stein’s letter to North Carolina Department of Revenue Secretary Wooten.

Click here to read Governor Stein’s letter to the Internal Revenue Service.

Click to read the letter from the NC Farm Bureau and the coalition of agricultural and timber producers.

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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 open Saturdays from 8am-1pm.
  • Time to collect soil samples, avoid the rush. 2 week analyis time.
  • Check fall vegetables for insects, aphids, loopers, cabbage worms, and harlequin bugs.
  • Lawn renovation season is now! Plant tall fescue. Use a three-variety mix of fescue seed.
  • Irrigate newly planted grass seed.
  • Collect any fallen fruit that is on the ground. This practice will help prevent diseases in your orchard.
  • Start a compost bin. Cooperative Extension has excellent composting publications.
  • Keep your garden journal updated each day you work in your garden.
  • Put a board under growing pumpkins.
  • Get your copy of the Central Piedmont Vegetable Planting Guide.
  • Fall vegetables need at least 1 inch of rain or irrigation per week.
  • Check houseplants, dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

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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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Wrapping Up September, Ushering In October at Perry Memorial Library

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The theme for the Thursday, Oct. 1 Story Time at Perry Memorial Library is Firefighters, and Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters has lined up the perfect “show and tell” afterward – a shiny red firetruck courtesy of the City of Henderson.

The story time is at its regular time of 11 a.m. and the firetruck will be parked in the Winder Street parking lot outside the library at 11:30 a.m. Peters hopes lots of kids will come to the story time and then head outside to explore the truck.

Later that day, Henderson native Curtis M. Harvey, Jr. will bring his latest children’s book to the afternoon Story Time crowd at 4:30 p.m. “The Roots of Rhythm,” Harvey’s third children’s book, explores the history of Black music in the United States.

“It’ll be a busy week,” Peters told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny.

Other activities during the week include the September Read-Out at Fox Pond Park. The community is invited to come out to the park, located at 467 Vicksboro Rd., and celebrate the joy of reading between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The bookmobile will be on site, and there will be free books and coloring sheets to share. This program is a collaboration with the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department, the city of Henderson and Pathways 2 Peace.

A couple of new programs are on the calendar for the fall, including a Writer’s Workshop from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the second Tuesdays of each month. The first one will be Tuesday, Oct. 6 in the Maker’s Studio. It’s for young people of all ages, Peters said.

And then the library is hosting some “lounge” sessions for middle schoolers that will focus on mental health.

Peters said research and new ideas are pointing to the need for young people to have a more relaxed setting to talk about their feelings. In collaboration with the Poe Center in Raleigh, Peters said the “lounge” time will provide that relaxed setting to learn and share about topics ranging from mindfulness to navigating social media.

The topic of the first session on Wednesday, Oct. 7 is Mind 101, a discussion about navigating the concept of mindfulness. Other sessions include discussions about online safety and social media, media myth busting, standing up to bullying and more.

Peters said today’s young people face a barrage of information coming at them, and it’s vital that they have the critical-thinking skills needed to tell what is real from what is not.

“It’s a whole different world,” she said. “I want to be able to give kids these skills – in a safe space.”

Visit www.perrylibrary.org for a complete list of programs and events the library offers.

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The Local Skinny! Watkins Fire Dept. BBQ & Chicken Plate Sale October 2

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The cooks at Watkins Volunteer Fire Department aren’t shying away from a challenge – the chicken and barbecue plate fundraiser back in May sold out, so they’re upping the ante for this Friday’s fundraiser in hopes for another sellout of 1,800 plates.

The plates will be ready for pickup at 11 a.m. and are $12 for chicken OR barbecue with two sides, bread and dessert or $15 for a combo plate with two sides, bread and dessert.

Eat-in customers have a choice of iced tea, lemonade or water, as well as a variety of desserts, said Watkins Chief Brandon Link.

One-pound containers of barbecue is available for $10 a pound.

Link said they moved 1,000 plates during the first hour at the May event and ended up selling out the 1,600 plates by mid-afternoon. In fact, the past five sales have sold out, so don’t wait until the last minute to stop by the department at 1590 Horseshoe Bend Rd this Friday, Oct. 2.

“A sellout is what we shoot for,” Link said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

They’ll take pre-orders so they’ll be ready for you to come and pick up. And, as usual, deliveries of 10 or more plates is an option, too.

The two fundraisers are the major sources of funding for the department, and Link praised the community for its continued support with preparation and by purchasing plates.

“They put in their time…advertise for us and advocate for us,” he said.

“It’s a bunch of work, but it’s fun,” he said.

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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 open Saturdays from 8am-1pm.
  • We have some rain. Now is the time to collect your soil samples. It should take 2 weeks of analysis time.
  • Check the germination rate on grass seed bags. Look for 90% germination rate.
  • Lawn renovation season is now! Plant tall fescue. Use a three-variety mix of fescue seed.
  • Obtain your Carolina Lawns publication before you renovate your lawn.
  • Use newspaper or cardboard to keep down weeds in your garden rows.
  • Use row covers to protect young transplants.
  • Keep your garden journal updated each day you work in your garden.
  • Put a board under growing pumpkins.
  • Get your copy of the Central Piedmont Vegetable Planting Guide.
  • Get your vegetable publications from Cooperative Extension.
  • Check houseplants, dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

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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The Local Skinny! Henderson City Council Agrees on Granite Benches for Veterans Memorial

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American Legion Post #60’s Hartwell Wright appeared before the Henderson City Council and was almost apologetic about it, prefacing his request with a comment along the lines of “you’re probably tired of seeing me here.”

But it was Council Member Garry Daeke who spoke up first, making a motion that was seconded by Council Member Michael Venable to approve Wright’s request: permission to purchase and install eight 5-foot long polished granite benches, putting the finishing touches on the newly installed Veterans Memorial on Breckenridge Street outside the Henderson Police Department.

“We’re prepared to order them,” Wright said, keeping good on Post 60’s plan to first create the memorial and then install benches that will provide visitors a comfortable spot to view the monument and reflect on what it represents.

Interim City Manager Kendrick Vann said Kelley Wade Perdue proposed the addition of a POW/MIA flag on the Purple Heart flagpole, recently dedicated in honor of former City Council Member Sara Coffey.

Perdue was not at the Council meeting, Vann said, because she was at the Vance County Board of Commissioners’ meeting making a similar request of county leaders.

In a statement to WIZS News Tuesday, Perdue provided an update on the project.

An event is being planned for Veterans Day – Nov. 11 – to celebrate, honor and recognize Vance County as a POW*MIA County, with the hope that a flag will be permanently displayed at the Veterans Memorial. The ceremony will begin at 8 a.m.

The commissioners approved a resolution presented by Perdue at its Sept. 14 meeting and Friday, Sept. 18, the POW/MIA flag replaced the Purple Heart flag for the National Day of Recognition, Perdue said.

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