Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
Tag Archive for: #thelocalskinny
The Local Skinny! Henderson Oxford Airport Flies High
Chris Welsh likens the Henderson-Oxford Airport to a rest area along the interstate – when a traveler needs to stop, that blue road sign announcing that a rest area is ahead is a welcome sight.
Welsh and his wife, Amanda, have been the fixed-base operators at the airport for the past several years, and he said things are – pardon the pun – looking “up.” Traffic at the airport with its 5,500-foot-long runway is up, he said. And he points to a few reasons for why that is so.
Because the couple can offer maintenance on the aircraft – which other local airstrips do not provide – Welsh said pilots will fly in if they need to get something like a landing gear tire fixed.
But he also said they have seen an increase in small planes coming in since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think a lot of businesses have started (using private aircraft) since COVID – we’re seeing more 4- and 6-seaters coming in for business,” he told John C. Rose today during Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! “And Mako is flying all the time – at least three or four times a week, and I know they’re coming out here at night,” Welsh added, even though he and his wife typically are not there for their arrival.
The pilots communicate on the radio frequency, follow standard traffic patterns, land and then just park the aircraft and follow the sidewalk to the building and parking lot beyond.
Since beginning their jobs there, the Welshes have overseen a couple of project completions, including a runway lighting upgrade and an extra row of hangars, where 10 additional planes now call home.
Some larger aircraft also have flown in – like a King Air 12-passenger turboprop – that previously had used the airstrip in Clarksville, VA. But that runway was shortened by 900 feet recently, which makes landing a larger aircraft a bit more difficult.
“The landing is usually more of the problem,” Welsh said, “because you have to slow down, right?”
Revlon flies a Gulfstream aircraft that is similar in size to a commuter plane, Welsh said. It uses the airport regularly, along with private travelers.
“You could probably land a 737 here,” he said. The problem, however, comes after the landing. “It’s probably too heavy for the pavement,” and then there’s the issue of what kind of vehicle would be available on the ground to tow it.
That rest-area concept Welsh alluded to plays into the airport’s support role for nearby Raleigh-Durham International, which could divert aircraft to the Granville County airport if the need arises.
Raleigh has a couple of flight schools, and Welsh said more student pilots are using the local runway in their training.
“In the first 10 or 15 hours of learning, you don’t need any distractions,” Welsh said. He is a seasoned pilot himself and he also has a commercial license to operate a drone.
“If you’re practicing repetitive landings, you can do three or four here in an hour,” he noted. A student pilot would get half that amount at RDU – and they’d have the added stress of watching for incoming aircraft using the same runway.
Welsh said the airport is home to a couple of flying club airplanes – a Cessna and a Piper – that are based here as part of the RDU flying club. “You can join the club if you’re not a pilot,” Welsh said. “It’s basically the cheapest way to rent an airplane.” Individuals can use the planes to accumulate training hours toward their license, rent it to fly over the lake or take it to the beach for a couple of days. The planes can stay gone overnight, he said, but most of the time they’re tucked back in the hangars after each outing.
Visit www.flyhnz.com to learn more.
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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Small Woodlots
Got wood? Or, more precisely, small wood lots? If so you may want to develop a management plan for those lots. “There are over two million acres of woodland holdings in lots of less than 20 acres,” said Wayne Rowland, Vance Co. Extension Agent. The majority of these holdings are owned by 341,000 families and are unmanaged. These woodlands provide environmental, economical and social benefits to both owners and communities.
According to Rowland, management is a step by step process and developing a management plan is essential for these small lots. He recommends assess the land and the intent to help with development of a management plan.
The basic elements of developing a management plan includes goals and objectives for the property in question, preparing a property map, inventory the property and write a description of the land in question. It also should include activities and a schedule. Additionally, Rowland suggests a legal property description, ownership information, property history and contact information for forestry professional, particularly if they have designed the management plan. Lastly Rowland says establish priorities for the property based on the type of land it is and what the property owner wants to do with the land.
For more information contact Wayne Rowland at the Vance Co. Extension office at 252-438-8188. You can hear the Vance Co. Extension Report on WIZS at 11:50am Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and the Home and Garden Show on the Local Skinny! with Rowland and Paul McKenzie at 11:30am on Wednesdays.
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
The Local Skinny! Louisburg College Graduate with Vance Co. Roots Honored
A Long Island, NY councilman with local ties got a surprise on Veterans Day from a VFW post whose members he had come to honor for their service.
During his summer vacations to visit his grandmother in Townsville, it’s probably safe to say that Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews didn’t imagine the career path that would take him to Glen Cove, NY on Long Island and playing a role in the politics there.
Those summers in Townsville, which he referred to as “away camp,” were spent working in the tobacco fields. He graduated from Louisburg College in 1981.
In 2020, he was elected to the Glen Cove City Council, which is where VFW Post 347 is located. In recent years, Stevenson-Mathews visits with the local post on Veterans Day to thank them for their bravery and dedication in service to their country, according to a press release about the turn of events for Stevenson-Mathews.
This year, he arrived at the post for the ceremony with “I’m Proud to be a Veteran” lapel pins, which he distributed to each member present, the statement explained. In a surprise twist, prior to the start of their standard service, it was the councilman who was celebrated. The VFW members surprised Stevenson-Mathews with a plaque honoring him for his meritorious and distinguished service to their post.
“I was truly surprised and humbled to be presented with such an important and distinguished honor,” said Stevenson-Mathews. “To be acknowledged by veterans, who sacrificed so much in their own lifetimes is a true honor and will be something I will always cherish.”
Stevenson-Mathews is a public relations consultant as well as an acting and vocal coach and he recently created a Facebook page for the local VFW. He also was one of the first on the scene recently when the post building caught fire. The Facebook page has allowed the post to garner support – and the funds – needed to rebuild, according to VFW member and trustee Joseph Moores.
“Gaitley has been a tremendous help to all veterans, especially our VFW Post 347,” Moores stated. “He touches base with us before important meetings to ensure our voice will be heard. Gaitley is a loyal friend and we wanted everyone to know how much we appreciate him.”
Stevenson-Mathews, a native of Red Springs, NC, grew up with a strong sense of civic duty, faith, and commitment to community. His family also served in the military. His brother, retired Colonel J. Hunter Mathews, Sr., served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. His father, James H. Mathews Sr., who is originally from Townsville, NC, served in the Navy during World War II and his mother, Jean Gaitley Mathews, served in the Cadet Nurse Corps.
Stevenson-Mathews has not forgotten his North Carolina roots. “I continue to draw on the inspiration of my professors at Louisburg College and thanks to having spent summers in Townsville (NC) as a young teenager, I am appreciative for having seen and learned the value of hard work and of supporting family and community.” “I will always value my years growing up in North Carolina,” said the councilman.
“I knew both of Gaitley’s parents,” said Louisburg resident and former Louisburg College professor Janet Taylor. “It does not surprise me at all that Gaitley is so committed to his community on Long Island. He was certainly raised with a strong sense of the importance of serving others.
Stevenson-Mathews is the son of the late Jim and Jean Mathews of Red Springs, the nephew of Doris and Lewis Reavis of Warrenton and of the late Alma and Richard Mathews of Henderson, and the grandson of the late Martha Catherine Riggan Mathews of Townsville.
Home And Garden Show 12-22-21
On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
- Review your garden journal,what went well, and not well, most important what did you learn?
- What if you missed fescue fertilization in late November?
- Check holiday plants for moisture.
- What if you haven’t planted your pansies?
- Inventory your seed before ordering more seed.
- Prepare, clean and organize seed starting supplies
- Build a small greenhouse or cold frame to raise your own transplants for 2022
- Research fruit cultivars before planting.
- Check water under your christmas tree each day
The Local Skinny! Gear & Beer Brings Something Different To Downtown Henderson
Curious about why there’s a kayak hanging out on Garnett Street? Stop in to Gear & Beer, a new business in downtown Henderson.
The “beer” part of the name requires no explanation, but just what kind of gear are we talking about?
Carol Terwilliger spoke with WIZS’s Trey Snide on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny! to tell folks what to expect when they stop in to her store, located at 234 S. Garnett St. Her establishment is featured in the recurring “business spotlight” segment.
The gear on the shelves includes anything campers or other lake visitors may need, from toothpaste to kayaks.
With Kerr Lake a short trip away from the downtown area, Terwilliger wanted to provide a store that has all those lake essentials, as well as a few extras.
As for why she chose downtown to locate her retail space, she said, “I could really see the potential” of downtown Henderson and she said she wanted to do her part and to be a part of the revitalization effort.
It’s an easy drive for campers to come pick up gear and it’s also a fun place to come enjoy some down time after work.
She’s just finished a lounge area in the back, where patrons can sip a craft beer and play Giant Jenga, Connect Four and corn hole.
Speaking of craft beer, Terwilliger said that the store will feature a different North Carolina brewery each quarter. This quarter, it’s Gizmo Brew Works from Umstead Industrial Park near Research Triangle Park
There are 10 different varieties available for purchase.
The store is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit www.gearandbeernc.com to learn more.
Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden
There’s nothing quite like picking a fresh apple or a peach right from the tree and taking a big bite. If you’d like to be able to do that right from your back yard then prepare to spend a lot of time and effort to get that big bite. Paul McKenzie of the Vance Co. Extension Service says that this is the cold, hard truth when it comes to back yard fruit crops.
“It can be incredibly rewarding,” McKenzie says of the work required for apples, peaches, nectarines and plums. An intensive spray program is required. Approximately 10 to 15 applications per year is usually needed to keep pests away from these fruit trees. “If you don’t follow through with, then you don’t have success,” McKenzie said.
However, McKenzie does have some other ideas for those who don’t have the time or energy for such intensive work but still want to have a fruit crop in their backyard. These crops will still require some work but not as intensive. McKenzie says growing figs is relatively easy with little or no pest control required. Pruning is simple as well and fig trees are reliable producers. Additionally, McKenzie suggests Muscadine grapes, blackberries and blueberries. The biggest effort required is installation and soil prep but little pest management is required. Once the prep work is done, the rest of the work is fairly straight forward.
Lastly, McKenzie also suggests strawberries. “They are easy to manage,” McKenzie said. Some soil and site preparation is required but McKenzie said that after the first planting you can expect to harvest berries for up to three years.
For more information on back yard fruit crops contact McKenzie at the Vance Co. Cooperative Extension Service at 252-438-8188.
The Cooperative Extension Service Report can be heard on WIZS at 11:50am Monday, Tuesday and Thursday as part of the Local Skinny! The Home & Garden Show with Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie can be heard every Wednesday during the Local Skinny at 11:30.
The Local Skinny! Granville Co. Appoints New Sheriff
John Blackwell Hardy, III was appointed (today) Monday to be the Granville County Sheriff by the board of commissioners, but part of the terms of his appointment include him not running for sheriff in 2022 and not publicly endorsing any candidates for the seat.
Hardy is a graduate of J.F. Webb High School and UNC-Chapel Hill. The board announced its selection at a special called meeting this morning (Monday). He fills the remainder of the term of Charles R. Noblin, Jr, who resigned on Oct. 27, 2021. That term ends on Dec. 5, 2022, according to county attorney Jim Wrenn.
Hardy will assume all duties and powers of the position following the administration of the oath of office.
He has served for a few months as a deputy sheriff in the Court Security Division with the Granville County Sheriff’s Office, according to a statement from Granville County, and has held numerous jobs within the law enforcement community, including about three years in the patrol division for the Oxford Police Department, where he achieved the rank of corporal.
He received his certification in Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) from Vance-Granville Community College and has more than 25 years of military and law enforcement experience. He began his career in 1987 with the North Carolina Army National Guard. Hardy was an infantry officer in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve for 17 years, achieving the rank of major.
Concurrently, through much of his time in the Army Reserve, Hardy completed 25 years of service in federal law enforcement as a correctional officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (assigned to FCC Butner) and a deputy U.S. marshal assigned to the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Speaking on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, County Attorney Jim Wrenn stated, “the Board of Commissioners made a concerted effort to recruit a qualified individual to shepherd the Sheriff’s Office through this transitional period until the citizens of Granville County have the opportunity to choose their preferred candidate in the upcoming elections.”
In a written statement, Wrenn said “the board of commissioners believe that John Hardy will continue his distinguished career of public service by successfully guiding the Sheriff’s Office to the conclusion of the current term in the dedicated and professional manner shown throughout his career.”
The commissioners chose Hardy based on his extensive supervisory leadership and educational accomplishments, including his distinguished service as an infantry platoon Leader with the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Executive Officer and Company Commander with the 108th Training Division of the U.S. Army Reserve, acting supervisory deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service, and acting sex offender investigations coordinator and member of the Critical Incident Response Team with the U.S. Marshals Service, according to the press statement.
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The Local Skinny! County Commissioners Minutes Review
Local meeting minutes are like a system of checks and balances. You get a recap of news, a chance to double check anything that may have been missed and the words written as the entity in question saw it.
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Plain and simple, I love reading meeting minutes for the locally elected boards, commissions and councils … particularly for the school board, the city council and the county commissioners.
It’s to last month’s Nov. 1 Vance County Board of Commissioners meeting that we turn to today on WIZS for The Local Skinny! Just another chance to dig around in the dirt and to learn more about what’s going on in Vance County.
These are direct quotes from the meeting minutes found online at vancecounty.org. This is not the whole meeting minutes but rather highlights that read as newsworthy at this time.
“The Vance County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, November 1, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the commissioners’ conference room, Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.”
…
“Public comments were heard first. Mr. Ron Regular spoke about a WRAL report regarding the Vance County’s Sheriff’s Office and the three employees who were indicted. He also stated that he would like to see high speed internet available throughout the county.
“Mr. John Miles expressed his concerns with the Sheriff’s Office continuing to pay three employees who are on administrative leave due to being indicted by a grand jury. He asked the board how long are they going to allow this to continue.”
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“Mr. Chase Wingate with Open Broadband was next on the agenda to provide the quarterly project report for the county’s broadband initiative as well as an activity update. He explained the trouble they have had with delays in receiving equipment and stated that it was slowly improving.
“After lengthy discussion, Chairman Brummitt expressed his concerns with agreement milestones not being met. Mr. Wingate responded that he anticipates a great deal of progress to be made soon.”
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“Committee Reports and Recommendations section
“Properties Committee – Surplus Property Offer from Vance County Schools. Mr. McMillen stated that the committee reviewed a letter from the school board seeking to surplus Western Vance School and offering the property and the old two story Eaton Johnson building to the County. Both properties are no longer needed or necessary for public school purposes, and in accordance with NC General Statute 115C-518, the school system is required to offer the properties to the county before attempting to sell the properties. The committee discussed the possibility of utilizing the Western Vance property for a rural park in the future, but did not see an immediate need for the county to take ownership of either property offered. The committee recommended providing a written response declining interest in taking ownership of either property.”
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“From the County Manager’s Report
“Vaya Health Transition and Regional Board Appointments. Mr. McMillen advised that Vaya Health anticipates finalizing their consolidation with Cardinal Innovations January 1, 2022. Vaya anticipates approval from the DHHS Secretary of their alternative board structure in the coming days. A total of 31 counties are in the Vaya catchment area and their intent is to create four regions of counties. Vance County would be in region four with Granville, Franklin, Person, Caswell, Alamance, Chatham, and Stokes County. Maps of Vaya counties and region designations were provided to the board. Mr. McMillen stated that each of the counties are to appoint two members to the regional community board and each of the four regional boards will appoint two members to the newly consolidated and reconstituted Vaya Health Board. Additionally, four members will be appointed to the Vaya Board by the Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC), one will be appointed by the DHHS Secretary, and up to eight at-large seats will be appointed by the current Vaya Board. Vaya is aiming to have the board in place by January 1st. Vance County will need to appoint two members to the regional community board at the December board meeting. One member must be a commissioner and the second member can be a commissioner, DSS Director, Health Director, Law Enforcement representative, or County Manager.
“Chairman Dan Brummitt expressed his interest in serving in this capacity.”
Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.