Tag Archive for: #thelocalskinny

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events at Perry Memorial Library

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Books aren’t the only things patrons can check out at Perry Memorial Library – in fact, the items on the Hat and Mitten trees don’t have a due date!

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said the trees will be up through the end of February and they’re trimmed with warm hats, mittens and probably some gloves for anyone who may need them.

“It’s great to see people use it and just take what they need and not have to ask,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Peters said the community has been generous in their donations of the winter accessories – library staff has already had to refill the trees several times.

Donations can be dropped off at any of the desks throughout the library – adult services, youth services or circulation.

Besides being a cozy spot to search for the perfect reading material, the library is a place where patrons can take some warmth with them when they leave, in the form of winter outerwear.

January’s programming is heating up, unlike the outside temps, and Peters said next week’s Kids Connect will feature a “craft buffet” that will feature a variety of crafting items that kids can use to create to their hearts’ content. Hopefully, the program will get participants outside to take a winter walk to collect items and then come back in and complete a craft. Kids Connect will be held Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m.

Speaking of hearts, the week of Valentine’s Day will feature several programs during what Peters said will be a very busy February.

Teens will find Found Object Art and Fondue in the Maker Space on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. Students in grades 6-12 can enjoy chocolate fondue while they create original artwork from a collection of “found” objects.

And the popular “Teddy Bear Sleepover” happens the day after Valentine’s Day, on Saturday, Feb. 15. Kids bring their favorite stuffed animal “lovey” to the library between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Peters explained, for a sleepover like no other.

“They get into all kinds of things,” Peters said, and library staff are on hand to document all their antics and nighttime adventures when the loveys “have the library all to themselves.”

The children pick up their loveys the next day – maybe at the 2 p.m. Family Story Time program – and will receive a photo album of the night’s activities.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

 

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Invasive Plants In Forests

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

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The Local Skinny! “Night To Shine” Returns To North Henderson Baptist Church Feb. 7

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North Henderson Baptist Church is pulling out all the stops again this year for a very special prom night. This year’s “Night to Shine” will take place on Friday, Feb. 7, and Pastor Eddie Nutt said the promgoers will get the royal treatment.

The evening is especially for individuals 14 and older with special needs, Nutt said. It’s just one of many events that will take place that day across the country and the world as part of the Tim Tebow Foundation.

It’s only the second time that the local church has participated, but this is the 11th year that the Tebow Foundation has hosted it. It’s always the Friday before Valentine’s Day, Nutt noted. Over the years, more than 625,000 guests have participated in all 50 states and in 72 countries across the globe.

Things will get underway about 6 p.m. at the church, located at 1211 N. Garnett St., Promgoers will walk the red carpet and will be greeted by paparazzi as they make their way into the church building for an evening of music, dancing and, of course, refreshments.

There will be limo rides “if they want to go out and ride around in the community,” Nutt said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

If a lady needs a refresh or touchup of their hair or makeup, she can head over to the hair station or the makeup station, Nutt said. Gentlemen can get a fresh shine on their shoes if they need one.

“They’ll get the complete royal treatment throughout the evening,” he said.

The royal treatment continues as, one by one, Nutt gets to place a crown or tiara on each person’s head to crown them King or Queen of the evening.

“Seeing that look in their eyes as their name is called,” Nutt said, “is a heart-touching moment…to see that expression on their face, that they have worth, value – they are kings and queens in God’s eyes.”

Please pre-register for the evening by calling the church at 252.438.8012 or online at the church website, www.nhbcnc.org.

 

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • The Beginning Beekeepers School will start January 18th, starting at 9am at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. For more information contact the Vance County Cooperative Extension at (252) 438-8188.
  • Use caution. Don’t get caught up in all the seed catalog pictures. You only have so much space in your garden.
  • January is inventory month. Do you have enough seeds, equipment, and supplies to prepare for the gardening season?
  • Now is an excellent time to plan your 2025 Garden out on paper. Include your Gardening Goals for this year.
  • It’s still a good time to take inventory of your seeds. That way you will know what vegetable seeds to order, try ordering a new variety of seeds for the 2025 growing season.
  • Check for cool-season weeds. You can use spot sprays to treat cool-season weeds once it gets warmer.
  • Do your research before you purchase any fruit trees.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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The Local Skinny! Kingsberry Takes Oaths Of Office For Dual City Manager, Attorney Roles

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Hassan T. Kingsberry took the oath of office – twice – during Monday evening’s Henderson City Council meeting as he officially assumed the dual role of city manager and city attorney.

The Hon. Henry Banks administered the oaths of office – that of city attorney first, and city manager second.

The room was filled with family, friends and others who had come to witness the ceremony. Kingsberry was selected in early December to be interim city attorney following the retirement of D. Rix Edwards. However, when Terrell Blackmon announced in mid-December that he, too, was leaving his job as city manager, the City Council voted in a split decision to have Kingsberry take on both jobs – full-time city manager and part-time city attorney.

In remarks before he administered the oath of office, Banks said he was “overwhelmed” to see so many people in the audience interested in local government, adding it gave him a “sense of joy and pride.”

Banks continued, he told Kingsberry that his “primary duty will be to provide leadership…but perhaps the most important thing (is) to present to this Council unassailable advice” as its members make decisions.

“Mr. Kingsberry has impeccable professional integrity,” Banks said. “He’s a man of faith and we can’t overlook that.”

In remarks following the ceremony, Kingsberry thanked members of his extended family for being present for the occasion. “I thank God for this moment,” he said. “The other thing I would say is, it is our time.”

He said he is a transparent and honest person and someone who will stand up to critics of Henderson. “…when people ask you about Henderson, and people always say ‘you’re from Henderson…you’re from Warren’…they say, it’s rough. I said, ‘Don’t talk too much, because I’m from there.’ You represent your town.”

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The Local Skinny! Bryan Cohn Sworn In NC House 32

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Bryan Cohn was sworn in last week to begin his term as District 32 representative in the N.C. House, which includes Vance and Granville counties.

Cohn edged out incumbent Frank Sossamon by a final total of 228 votes in one of several close races in the Nov. 5 general election.

Following appeals and challenges, the N.C. State Board of Elections certified the results on Jan. 6.

Although he officially took office Jan. 8 during a swearing-in event that was part of the legislature’s opening day activities, Cohn told WIZS News Monday that a ceremonial swearing-in will take place at McGregor Hall in Henderson Sunday, Jan. 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve the people of District 32 in the North Carolina House of Representatives,” Cohn said in a press statement. “This community has placed its trust in me, and I am committed to working tirelessly on behalf of all residents to ensure our district’s voice is heard and our needs are met.”

“The electoral process demonstrated the resilience of our democracy, and I am proud to represent a district that values fairness and integrity,” Cohn added. “Now it is time to focus on what matters most—working together to create a brighter future for all North Carolinians.”

As the new representative for District 32, Cohn’s legislative priorities include expanding access to affordable healthcare, investing in public education, supporting small businesses, and protecting the natural resources of the Kerr Lake region.

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The Local Skinny! Rise Against Hunger

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This year’s local Rise Against Hunger event organizers are counting on packing 65,000 meals in about four hours on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, and they are hopeful that folks from across Vance and Granville counties will join in the effort.

“It’s about the community coming together” as much as preparing bags of a nutritious mixture that are sent to places across the globe to feed hungry people, said co-organizer Sue Nicholas.

The Rise Against Hunger pack-a-thon returns this year to the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

As of Wednesday, about 75 people had signed up to take part in the Jan. 20 event, but Nicholas said they’ll need more like 300 to make sure they can achieve the 65,000 goal.

But the event isn’t just about packing food to send to other continents, she added. Non-perishable food items will be collected to be shared with ACTS in Henderson and ACIM in Oxford, local food banks that feed hungry people in the two counties.

The set-up for the day is pretty simple – individuals or groups can sign up for one of two shifts, the first is from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and the second shift covers 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

During the two-hour shifts, teams will measure rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and more to create nutritious and transportable bags, each of which will feed six people, Nicholas said.

She and co-organizer Sandra Wiggins have been working through details of the day for the past few months, and there’s a lot of excitement about bringing the community together to work for a common goal.

“It takes all of us to do this – working together is the most important thing,” Nicholas said. “As a community, you come together…for such a great cause – to fight hunger.”

And participants have fun as they get the work done, she added. “Before you know it, we’ve packaged 10,000, then 20,000,” and a gong sounds to celebrate each time 10,000 meals are completed.

“You have fun while doing good,” Nicholas said.

It was 2020 when the event was held at the farmers market, she recalled. “That was the first time (that) it was a big collaboration of folks,” Nicholas said. “There was lots of positive energy from it,” but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed plans for a couple of years. Fast-forward to last year’s event, held at the VGCC Civic Center, when teams packed 60,000 meals.

There’s a fundraising component to the pack-a-thon, too, Nicholas said, and there’s still a considerable amount to go – about $21,000. But Nicholas is confident that folks in the two counties will come together to reach that goal, too.

For those who may wonder just how that money will be spent, Nicholas said Rise Against Hunger has a four-star rating with a charity score of 90 percent, which means money goes to buy the food and then get it delivered.

The main office is located in Raleigh, she said. Rise Against Hunger was started in 1998 by Ray Buchanan, a former Marine and a retired Methodist minister. As a Marine, he saw parts of the world where people struggled to have enough to eat, so he started the organization to help feed hungry people around the world.

Nicholas said the meals that will be packed in Henderson are destined to wherever they are needed the most. A couple of months after the pack-a-thon, she expects to be notified where the pallets of boxed and bagged meals were sent.

“They can end up in any place across the world.”

There’s a QR code to scan to join the team, go to https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/register/?id=701Pj00000DGxfnIAD 

or you can call Nicholas at 252.425.4505 and she can help get you registered.

Visit https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/ to learn more about the organization and its impact.

 

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • “Do You Want to be a Beekeeper?” Workshop, will take place on January 13th, at 6pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers Association will meet on January 13th, at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • The Beginning Beekeepers School will start January 18th, starting at 9am at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. For more information contact the Vance County Cooperative Extension at (252) 438-8188.
  • Soil samples right now are $4 a sample.
  • Review your 2024 Garden Journal. Look back at your journal entries to see what went well and what did not go as well in your garden last year.
  • Now is a good time to check your house plants to see if they need repotting. 
  • It’s still a good time to take inventory of your seeds. That way you will know what vegetable seeds to order, try ordering a new variety of seeds for the 2025 growing season.

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! Perry Library Kicks Off 2025 Youth Programming

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It’s a New Year at Perry Library and staff have planned some exciting programs to offset winter’s cold – from gluten-free volcano construction to Wii games in the teens’ Maker Space.

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said that in addition to the return of program staples like Mother Goose Story Time for youngsters 0-5 years at 11 a.m. on Thursdays, library patrons can take part in First Fridays for preschool groups beginning this Friday, Jan. 10.

Technically, Jan. 10 is the second Friday, but Peters told WIZS’s Bill Harris that the New Year’s holiday created a slight scheduling wrinkle.

The initial First Friday activity targets children ages 3-5 involves making a volcano, Peters said, using baking soda, almond flour (so it’s gluten-free) and vinegar. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. and lasts about a half hour, and Peters said it covers all the bases for engaging preschoolers in hands-on activities while exposing them to science – on this case, the chemical reaction created by mixing baking soda and vinegar.

The Lego STEAM club and gaming club meet on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and it’s a time for children to get their imaginations flowing as they creatively build with those iconic colorful plastic bricks. Teens gather in the Maker Space for games on the Nintendo Wii.  But for the younger kids, there’s the “regular, good old-fashioned” board games – “Don’t Break the Ice!” is a particular favorite, Peters said. The library also has a Pokémon game for young people to join in the fun of collecting those still-popular trading cards first introduced in the mid 1990’s.

Find out more at https://www.perrylibrary.org/.

 

The Local Skinny! Variety Wholesalers To Add Big Lots To Its List Of Stores

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Henderson-based Variety Wholesalers is acquiring hundreds of Big Lots stores and a couple of distribution centers, practically doubling the number of retail stores it operates in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Add Big Lots to the 380 or so Roses, Roses Express, Maxway, Bill’s Dollar Stores, Super 10, Super Dollar and Bargain Town stores that currently are operated by Variety Wholesalers.

The deal is part of a sale announced Dec. 27 to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners which  enables the transfer of between 200 and 400 Big Lots locations to Variety Wholesalers, according to information provided by Big Lots, Inc.

Big Lots filed for bankruptcy in September 2024.

Lisa Seigies, Variety Wholesalers’ president and CEO, said, “We are excited to partner with Gordon Brothers to provide a path forward for the Big Lots brand and hundreds of its stores. We look forward to working with members of the Big Lots team to realize the exciting opportunities ahead.”

Bruce Thorn, Big Lots’ president and chief executive officer, said, “The strategic sale to Gordon Brothers and the transfer to Variety Wholesalers is a favorable and significant achievement for Big Lots that reflects the tireless work and collective effort of our team. This sale agreement and transfer present the strongest opportunity to preserve jobs, maximize value for the estate and ensure continuity of the Big Lots brand. We are grateful to our associates nationwide for their grit and resilience throughout this process.”

Rick Edwards, Gordon Brothers Retail Partners’ Head of North America Retail, said, “We are pleased to reach this strategic agreement with Big Lots and partner with Variety Wholesalers to achieve a path forward that allows Big Lots to continue to serve customers with extreme bargains and an outstanding shopping experience.”

 

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