Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey on Rates and More

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Anyone who owns a vacation home or rental property may know the difference between a homeowner’s insurance policy and a dwelling policy. They are two distinct types of coverage, and N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has successfully negotiated an agreement that provides for a rate increase of 8 percent for dwelling policies.

The Rate Bureau had requested a 50.6 percent increase, but as the head of what Causey calls a consumer advocate agency, it’s his job to keep an eye on the bottom line to make sure that people who want and need insurance have access to the best information to make decisions about coverage.

“My job is to protect consumers…to make sure they’re getting a fair shake and (insurance) companies are financially solvent so that they can pay claims when needed,” he said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

Although the rates vary across the state – higher rates in counties along the coast and lower in some of the western counties, Vance County’s rate is just over half of that 8 percent level, Causey said – 4.8 or 4.9 percent.

The new rates take effect on Nov. 1.

Renters need to remember, however, that a dwelling policy is for the structure; renters still need to consider renters’ insurance to protect their personal property against, loss, theft or damage.

Causey explained that, as insurance commissioner, he is only able to offer two responses to a Rate Bureau for a rate request: yes or no.

So far, in his 8 years, his answer has always been “no,” which puts the request on a path that involves going to court. The dwelling policy rate request had been scheduled for later this month, but it was canceled when an agreement was reached in May.

“I’ve beem criticized for not going to court,” Causey said, but court cases are expensive and those costs get passed along to taxpayers. The way he sees it, “getting as close to 0 as you can get – that’s much better than going through that court process.”

So far, a request for a homeowner’s insurance rate increase is still on for October. During the required public comment period, Causey said he received more than 25,000 comments – not surprisingly – asking that rates not go up.

“I heard the message loud and clear,” Causey said.

With his consumer advocacy hat on, Causey reminds current policy holders to review their coverage regularly, shop around and choose financially sound companies that will be able to pay claims.

Make sure you ask your insurance agent about deductibles and make sure you ask for replacement value coverage.

“If you don’t have replacement value coverage, you’re not going to be happy with your claim,” he said. Having this type of coverage may cost a few dollars more in premiums, he said, but “it’s worth its weight in gold.”

Oh, and don’t fall for TV and internet ads. Choose local agents with local companies, he said.

Email him at mike.causey@ncdoi.gov, visit www.complaint.ncdoi.gov to file a complaint or phone the department 855.408.1212.

“We’re here to help and that’s the message I want to get out,” Causey said.

 

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TownTalk: Renee Perry’s First 8 Months As County Manager

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Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry has been on the job for eight months, and during that time, she’s had plenty of issues to deal with – filling vacant positions, finalizing the county’s budget and getting up to speed about ongoing challenges involving possible restructure of the fire services, a revaluation and dismissal of a key county official.

For a “glass-half-empty” person, navigating these sometimes choppy waters could be overwhelming. But Perry’s glass seems to always be  at least half-full, and when she came on board, she said she was “excited to begin the journey.”

Perry’s first day on the job was Nov. 1, 2023, having been the deputy county manager in Halifax County.

She viewed numerous director vacancies in four county departments not as negatives, but as opportunities to build her leadership team and move forward. One director took another position within the county, another left citing family needs, and others left the county to pursue other opportunities. The finance director, however, was dismissed in February 2024 amid a cloud of suspicion of fraud and other allegations that remain under investigation.

And, one by one, those vacancies have been filled: Budget and Finance director, Animal Services manager, Planning director, Elections director.

On Tuesday, Perry announced that Ferdinand Rouse would begin his role as the county’s economic development director on Monday, July 15.

All the while, Perry was putting together the county’s budget with the added wrinkle of considering results of a property revaluation that occurs every 8 years and guiding commissioners to set a palatable tax rate that would allow the county to continue planning several capital projects, including a new jail, EMS building, 911 call center and more.

And there’s still four months until Perry celebrates her first year of occupying the county manager’s office.

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TownTalk: Medical Arts Named MVP – Most Valuable Pharmacy!

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Medical Arts Pharmacy has been awarded the 2024 Dan Moudry Most Valuable Pharmacy award from a national pharmacy cooperative.

Chocky White accepted the award on June 24 during the annual business meeting of the Independent Pharmacy Cooperative in New Orleans.

The IPC has been around for more than 40 years – almost as long as White has been operating as a pharmacist.

He came to Henderson in 1971, fresh out of pharmacy school, and set up shop. What began as a one-man show has evolved into a staff of more than 40, including six pharmacists.

White places a priority on establishing and maintaining good relationships with his customers. “We love interacting with our patients,” he said on Wednesday’s segment of TownTalk. “We feel like that’s the most important aspect of our business.”

Daughter Cara White Kirby, who also is the company’s vice president, said her dad is a stickler for excellent customer service, encouraging – and expecting – everyone on the payroll to over-deliver in that department.

White said Henderson had seven independent pharmacies when he came on the scene. “It was slow growth for me the first 10 years or so,” he recalled. “But I gradually earned people’s support…and have grown steadily over the past 50 years. It’s been my lifetime job and I’ve loved every second of it.”

When IPC reps contacted Cara to make sure her dad would be at the pharmacy when they came to visit, she said it wouldn’t be a problem – if the pharmacy’s open, her dad’s there, she said.

“We knew we were finalists,” she said, “but when they came with balloons and a cake,” she knew something else was afoot.

“I was shocked,” said Chocky. “I thought it was somebody’s birthday.” Cara said there was a whole group of folks filming and taking photos while the pharmacy staff was helping customers and filling prescriptions.

The resulting video was shown at the meeting last month during the award presentation. “They did a beautiful job of showing off our pharmacy inside and out,” Chocky said.

The Wisconsin-based IPC is a network of more than 2,000 members who purchase pharmaceuticals, equipment and merchandise available for purchase at the independent pharmacies.

“We have a very large inventory here,” Chocky said, which benefits customers who need meds or other equipment quickly – even after-hours.

White’s been known to be at the store on nights and weekends – even Christmas Day last year.

“We’re not always open, but we’ll be here if you need us. We do whatever it takes to serve our customers,” he said.

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TownTalk: Hicks Serves As Governor’s Page

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Connor Hicks is a young man with goals and aspirations. As the 17-year-old prepares to begin his senior year at Henderson Collegiate, he’s got his eyes not just on graduation, but on what he’ll be doing after he gets that well-earned diploma.

In order to graduate, Henderson Collegiate requires its seniors to complete a project. Hicks was doing a little online research using resources from school counselors and he came upon something that piqued his interest: the Governor’s Page Program.

“I thought it would be a good opportunity so I applied,” Hicks said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

He was part of a group of fewer than a dozen others selected to participate in the program during the week just following Memorial Day. He spent May 28-31 in Raleigh and said he got to visit different departments of state government and see how government functions and who’s in charge – from the governor and lieutenant governor on down.

He didn’t get to meet Gov. Roy Cooper, but Hicks said he did learn how to be a better teammate – “how to be a member of a team.”

He may want to review those notes if his post-graduation plans come to fruition as he hopes: if all goes according to plan, Hicks will be joining the U.S. Marines.

“He makes me and his dad both real proud,” said his mother, Margaret. “Since he was about 11 or 12, that’s all he wanted to do – go in the service.”

His dad served in the Navy, he had uncles in the Army and his brother was in the Air Force, but Hicks said he’s got his sights on the Marines.

“It makes me feel like I’m doing something that’s bigger than myself,” he said, adding that he takes pride in knowing that he will be part of a branch of the military service that will defend the United States and its freedoms.

“It makes us really proud that he wants to go and serve his country,” his mother said.

Learn more about the Governor’s Page Program at https://governor.nc.gov/governors-page-program.

 

 

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville: Area Architects, Part 2

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Historical architecture enthusiasts may be able to take a look at a structure and determine quickly who designed or built it. Take Jacob Holt, for example. The homes he built in and around Warren County in the 1840’s echoed Holt’s interest in Greek Revival and Italianate architecture.

Back then, it was common for one person to design, construct and finish interiors of homes, with help from area craftsmen and artisans, said local historian Mark Pace. Pace and WIZS co-host Bill Harris continued a discussion Wednesday about area architects from the pre-Civil War era to the 20th century.

Albert Gamaliel Jones, a contemporary of Holt, was known as a house carpenter, and, like Holt, drew from the classic Greek Revival and Italianate to create the buildings’ style.

He built homes like the Fuller Home in Louisburg, Ivy Hill near Hollister and Lake O’ The Woods in Warren County.

But, Pace said, he was also noted for numerous public buildings, including the 8-columned main building at Chowan College, the main building at Louisburg College and Wesleyan Female College.

“Sometimes it’s a little tricky to see where Holt stops and Jones starts,” Pace noted. Their styles are similar enough that one could be mistaken for the other.

Fast forward to the 20th century and Pace said a Virginia man – trained as a draftsman – became a registered engineer and set up a business in Henderson. The man was Eric G. Flannagan and his business – Eric G. Flannagan and Sons remained in operation until 2001, Pace said.

You don’t have to go far in Henderson to find a Flannagan building.

Pace has referred to the elder Flannagan as “the Jacob Holt of the 20th century.”

Flannagan’s style was a beaux arts style, sort of a post- Art Deco, Pace explained. Take Henderson High School.

What makes it beaux arts are the focus on symmetry and the details – gargoyles on the façade and embossed books under each window – that create that unique style that Pace said is a Flannagan hallmark.

Other area structures include the Methodist Church in downtown Henderson, the original Henderson fire station and the former municipal building beside it, the Orange Street School in Oxford and the main entrance to the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford.

Between Flannagan and his sons Eric Jr. and Stephen, the business has more than 600 homes and other structures to their credit.

When the business closed in 2001, the treasure trove of plans and blueprints were donated to N.C. State University and East Carolina University. And the North Carolina Room at the Richard Thornton Library in Oxford is the recipient of half a dozen boxes from the firm’s archives.

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TownTalk: New Senior Center Planned For Stovall

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Over the course of the next 12 months or so, the town of Stovall is going to be the site of some groundbreaking activity – literally.

A new senior center is going up at the corner of Oxford and Main streets, and local officials agree that the proposed location is perfectly placed to get a lot of use by folks who live in the northern part of the county.

The $3 million project has cleared all the initial pre-construction hurdles, and Granville County’s Senior Services Director Kathy May said work should begin this month, with an estimated completion date of August 2025.

May and Stovall Town Commissioner Jeffrey Stovall were guests on Tuesday’s TownTalk, and both agree that the new senior center will change the landscape of the tiny town located just a few miles north of Oxford on Highway 15.

The 4.5 acre-tract is situated across from the Stovall library and medical center and is nestled between Stovall Baptist Church and Town Hall.

And although the idea has been about seven years in the making, May said the timing is just right.

Did you know that Granville County has the largest percentage of people in the 50-59 age range? “I was shocked when I found that out fairly recently,” May said.

Forty percent of the county’s population is 50+, a demographic May and her staff know quite well. Residents over 50 are eligible to participate in senior center programs and events; services like transportation, congregate meals and meal delivery are for residents 60 years and older.

As residents “age in” to the services that the county’s senior center provides, May said it’s important to have a facility that can accommodate multiple activities at once.

The current senior center has been in service since the mid-1990’s, and while it’s a nice building (with original hardwood floors), May said it’s basically a single 1200-square-foot room, with no functional outdoor space other than a gravel parking lot.

The new center, by contrast, will have multiple spaces, a walking path and plenty of room outside that eventually will be home to a couple of pickle ball courts.

“A senior center is like a home away from home,” May explained. It’s a place where senior adults can reconnect with old friends and meet new ones, learn how to stay healthy and it keeps them from sitting at home being lonely, she said. The center staff can help connect them with vital community resources, another bonus.

They eat meals together, play games, attend workshops and take classes through the Creative Lifelong Learning program.

May said she plans to hold some of the CLL classes at the new center in Stovall.

“It’ll be great for seniors and the community as a whole,” Stovall said. “I really do think it’s going to bring the town together. He was elected to the town board of commissioners in the last election, and he said town leaders are working hard to make Stovall a place where young families want to live.

“We’re trending upward,” Stovall said, adding that the senior center creates a “confidence booster for us to continue to do the right thing.”

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The Local Skinny! Involving Churches In Mental Health Education

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A bill introduced by Rep. Frank Sossamon that would get the faith community invested and involved in tackling mental health issues has passed the House in an almost unanimous vote, leaving passage by the Senate and then the governor’s signature before it can become law.

Sossamon said a pilot program is all set to be rolled out in Vance and Granville counties, which he represents – he’s just waiting for the bill to clear the last two hurdles. If all goes well, the plan is to have a program kickoff in September.

“We’ve got our notebook ready with all the material,” Sossamon said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! “But we can’t do anything until it’s signed into law.”

The bill creates three levels of certification that churches can participate in to help their congregations and the larger community with education about mental health topics and resources available in the area.

More than 30 churches and other faith-based organizations are already signed up, according to information in Sossamon’s monthly newsletter to constituents.

The first level includes an orientation for church leadership to become familiar with resources in the area, Sossamon said, as well as inviting a pastor to preach about a different topic each month. Hearing about, say, depression from the pulpit or in Sunday School classes may help to remove the stigma of mental illness, he said. “It demystifies mental illness…and is also liberating” for someone who may be suffering in silence. It lets them know they can have a conversation with their pastor, or others in the church. “That in itself brings healing,” Sossamon added.

The next level of certification involves a quarterly training on mental health and level 3 involves specialized mental health first aid training and training to recognize someone who may be in crisis or expressing suicidal thoughts.

“We are still in the midst of a mental health crisis in North Carolina,” said Representative Frank Sossamon. “This program provides a unique opportunity to tap into the compassion and dedication of our faith communities to support their fellow citizens. By leveraging the trust and connections that churches have within their communities, we can make a meaningful impact on mental health care and support.”

Pastors in Vance and Granville counties can sign up HERE to get on the official list and receive kickoff information and program updates. If you are outside of Granville County or Vance County and interested in participating in the program, keep on eye on Sossamon’s monthly newsletter to know when the program will expand to other counties.

Sossamon and bill sponsors urge all North Carolinians to contact their state senators and express their support for HB 982. By advocating for this bill, you can help ensure that it becomes law and that our faith communities are empowered to play a vital role in addressing the mental health crisis.

View the bill text here and see its progress here.

To learn more about the faith-based program or to sign up for Sossamon’s monthly newsletter, visit https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/zdADBdY.

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TownTalk: Introducing Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent Michael Ellington

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When Michael Ellington was getting his plant nursery up and running a few years ago in neighboring Granville County, he turned to a trusted source – his local cooperative extension agent – for guidance as he built his business literally from the ground up.

That agent was Johnny Coley, and Ellington said he provided so much more than technical support. “It opened my eyes to what extension could do for me” beyond those technical aspects.

And now, as the agricultural agent for Vance County, Ellington said he’s using a three-pronged approach to his new role: Support, Strengthen and Sustain.

Ellington and Vance County Cooperative Extension Director Dr. Wykia Macon shared their vision about how the various extension agents can help residents in a variety of ways.

“There’s a lot more to agriculture and I think people are finally starting to wake up to that,” Ellington, a Henderson native, said on Monday’s TownTalk. After he left Vance County, he got a master’s degree at Virginia Tech and then spent some time in Charlottesville before coming back to the area and starting Notta Farm and Nursery, LLC.

He got reacquainted with Vance County when he became a vendor at the regional farmers market; “I really enjoyed reaching out to customers” and engaging with them.

From there, it wasn’t a big stretch to decide that he could engage with others in the community as an extension agent.

He and Macon met at a vendor meeting, and that’s when the seed was, um, planted – pun intended.

Ellington said it’s important the folks know that extension is supportive of their efforts and “is still a great resource for them,” but he wants to strengthen agriculture’s roots and create new producers as they create greater sustainability in the county.

“We want people to know that extension is going to be there for them and will be for the long haul,” he said.

Macon said she and staff have plans to make the regional farmers market a place where people want to be, not just for a few minutes to pick up some fresh produce, but a place that provides other opportunities for young and senior residents alike.

As a vendor for several years at the farmers market, Ellington said he noticed that customers were either seniors or very young. And he wants to change that, “get people cooking again,” he said.

Whether with food trucks or by offering samples of local produce used for meal-making or just for snacks, extension has some plans to get more people to visit the market.

“There are exciting things coming,” Macon said.

In his first four weeks on the job, Ellington said he’s been out in the community he grew up in, shaking hands and getting to know people. He hopes to cultivate associations with other agencies and groups to promote awareness.

“It’s important for us to get out in front of people,” Macon added. Whether it’s a church group, a community center or an apartment, Macon said she and her staff want the community to know that the farmers market accepts senior vouchers and EBT, for example, and that 4-H isn’t just for kids who want to learn about farming – they can learn about STEM, robotics and more.

Visit https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/ to learn more.

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American Flag

TownTalk: Wise Community To Celebrate 4th Of July

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Everything’s all set for the 23rd edition of the Wise July 4 Independence Day parade and festival. Mary Ann Perkinson, one of the organizers, said participants can enjoy live music, children’s activities and food and craft vendors after the parade passes by, but she’s not spilling the beans about the parade – “You’ll have to come see what they are – we’re not going to tell all of our secrets,” Perkinson said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

Bring a chair so you can sit under the shade of the trees in the church yard or under the pavilion at Wise Baptist Church, she said. Feature Attraction will be performing during the festival, which begins as soon as the last parade entry passes by.

They’re still taking entries, so anyone with a pretty, shiny car to show off or a wagon pulling grandchildren is welcome to phone Gary Paynter 252.438.0574. (No motorcycles or four-wheelers, she said.)

The parade begins at 10 a.m., so entrants need to be lined up earlier than that just across U.S. 1 from Bruce Parkinson’s home, Perkinson said. The parade route will follow U.S. 1 and will end right at the old school at Wise Baptist Church.

There’s plenty of parking there for people, and Perkinson said she and other organizers figure there will be upwards of 5,000 people who stop in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The parade and festival got its start in 2000, and since then, they’ve only missed one year. Yep, one parade was sidelined because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be different foods for sale, including homemade ice cream in flavors like peach, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.

“It’s just a fun day for everybody,” Perkinson said. Organizing it is “a lot of work, but we do it because we love our community and we hope people will come.”

For more information about parade entry, vendor space or the car show please contact Gary Paynter at 252.438.0574, Danielle Edgerton at 252.204.2605 or Mike McCray at 919.604.3081.

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TownTalk: Men’s Shelter Closing In On New Home At Former City Road Methodist Church

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The nation celebrates Independence Day next week, and just a few days later on July 8, the emergency men’s shelter is planning an independence day celebration of its own – that’s the day the shelter leaves its current location and clients will call City Road Center of Hope home. Darryl Jones, the shelter’s program manager, said the building is going through the final phases of meeting all the code requirements, and Monday, July 8 should be the day when the shelter will be operating at the new location.

An official ribbon-cutting is planned for August, but until then, the larger shelter can serve more clients. The current shelter is full, Jones said, with 11 men housed there.

This day has been a long time coming, and Jones said this is not the end of a project, but rather, just the beginning.

The 365 Dream Team project seeks to find 365 donors to give $365 a year to help the shelter stay open 365 days a year.

“Without you all, we wouldn’t be doing this – you are our backbone and we still need your support,” Jones said when he was a guest on a recent TownTalk segment.

Area churches, organizations and individuals provide support through financial contributions, providing meals or other supplies the shelter needs.

And area restaurants help provide food for shelter clients, too. “We’re so thankful for them and for the churches,” Jones said. “I’m pleased and overwhelmed with joy and happiness” that all these people are coming together to help the mission of helping men overcome life’s challenges and get back on their feet.

Visit www.cp-hope.org to learn how you can help. Make a financial donation, sign up to provide a meal, or volunteer.

Send tax-deductible contributions to:

Community Partners of Hope, Inc.

P.O. Box 1791

Henderson, NC 27536

Please note in Memo Line 365-2024-05

 

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