Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: Shriners Fish Fry Coming May 14th

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The Tri-County Shrine Club is in the final planning stages of the annual Fish Fry to benefit Shriners Children’s Hospitals. The menu is the same, but Shriner Donald Seifert said the May 14 event will take place in a new location and customers can enjoy an eat-in option.

“We’ve missed the eat-in option,” Seifert said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. But this year, Tony and Tammy Sanford are hosting the fish fry at their business on Raleigh Road, right across from the headquarters of Rebuilding Hope, Inc.

“It’s really a neat place,” he said, adding that the interior of the former Toyota showroom has been transformed into a 1950’s style diner. “Tony Sanford and his wife Tammy have been really gracious to offer their facility,” Seifert said, a central location with easy access and plenty of parking.

Eat in or pick up plates from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $10, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Shriners Hospital for Children, which provides top-quality care – free of charge – to children.

“The cost to them is zero – there’s never a bill,” Seifert said. It’s a cause worth supporting, and the local community has supported the Shriners for 60 years. Seifert said the best he can tell, this will be the 61st year that Shriners and countless volunteers have come together to produce plates of perfectly fried fish with all the trimmings.

“We try to furnish a good plate of fish for the money. I don’t think you can beat it,” he said. “I know you can’t beat the cause.”

Businesses who wish to purchase plates can call Seifert at 252.438.8355 to arrange delivery of 10 plates or more.

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TownTalk: NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey Visits The Studio

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As the commissioner for the N.C. Department of Insurance, Mike Causey keeps his finger on the pulse of the insurance industry for the state and for its citizens, handling everything from rate requests by insurance companies, reports of possible insurance fraud from consumers and keeping an ear to the ground about possible cuts to his department in the upcoming budget.

Causey said it’s important for consumers to reach out to his office – via email, phone call or by visiting the website – it’s the best way he and staff can help.

Legislators often refer constituents to the Department of Insurance to get help with issues, and Causey said he and his staff are only too happy to help.

But right now, he’s got his eye on a budget proposal from the N.C. Senate that effectively eliminates a program popular with senior adults who seek advice about health insurance and prescription drug plans during the annual Open Enrollment period.

It’s called SHIIP – Seniors Health Insurance Information Program – and Causey called it one of the best programs the state has ever had.

More than 800 volunteers across the state help senior adults answer questions during Open Enrollment for Medicare, Medicaid and prescription drug plans.

“We do a lot to help our seniors,” Causey said during a visit to the WIZS studio Tuesday morning.

The federal government is looking to cut SHIIP’s funding, which Causey said is vital. If the Senate budget proposal goes through, it would essentially shut the program down.

“Let’s not cut anything from our much-valued SHIIP program,” he said. The program helps people save money by reviewing their plans each year, Causey said, adding that last year alone, SHIIP helped more than 66,000 people.

“That’s a lot of folks,” he said.

And more folks are on the way – more seniors, in fact. North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states for retirees. “I would urge all retired citizens or anybody to please get in touch with your state representative and your state senator and let your feelings be known” about budget issues or other concerns they need to know about.

“If they don’t hear from you, they don’t know.”

To add insult to injury, the state wants to cut 19 full-time positions from the Department of Insurance. “If anything, we need to add 19 – we don’t need any cuts.”

The Department of Insurance is a self-funding agency.

“Money comes from the Insurance Regulatory Fund, and we bring in hundreds of millions of dollars through that fund to the general fund every year,” he said.

“We’re a money maker for the state,” he noted. “We’re asking for the House and the Senate to take a good look at the Department of Insurance” and what it brings to the table as budget work continues.

Visit www.ncdoi.gov to learn more, email Causey at mike.causey@ncdoi.gov or phone toll-free 855. 855.408.1212.

Whichever method you use, Causey said you’ll get a quick response, and you get the help you need.

“We’re here to help,” he said.

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Jeffrey Percy Hired To Be Vance County Facilities Maintenance Director

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Jeffrey Percy has been named Vance County’s Facilities Maintenance director, succeeding Brad Weatherington, who retired in December 2024.

Percy will begin his new job Tuesday, April 29, according to information from the office of County Manager C. Renee Perry. Percy has more than two decades of experience to the county, and has a background in electronics, project management and facility operations.

“I’m honored to serve the citizens of Vance County in this new role,” said Mr. Percy. “I look forward to using my experience to enhance our county facilities and provide safe, well-maintained environments for our employees and the public.”

Most recently, Percy worked in facilities maintenance at N.C. Specialty Hospital, where he was responsible for ensuring seamless operation and upkeep of healthcare infrastructure.

As Facilities Maintenance director, Percy will be responsible for administrative and supervisory work in planning and directing the maintenance, repair, cleaning and security of county buildings, grounds and other facilities, according to the job description.

In addition to supervising housekeeping and maintenance staff, Percy also will supervise and participate in semi-skilled level trades repairs for carpentry, plumbing and other needs by staff, as well as oversee contracted repairs. The director also oversees building security and courier services.

“We are excited to welcome Mr. Percy to our team. His broad expertise, hands-on technical knowledge, and strong project management skills make him a valuable asset to our county. We look forward to the improvements and innovation he will bring to our facilities operations,” Perry said.

Perry also stated that Percy could play a role as the county considers construction of new jail and EMS facilities.

Special Projects Coordinator Frankie Nobles had served as interim director since Weatherington’s retirement, Perry said.

A Southern Durham High School graduate, Percy earned an Associate of Science degree in Electronics from DeVry University in Atlanta. His technical career began at IBM in Research Triangle Park, where he worked in robotic and test equipment maintenance. As global manufacturing operations evolved, he transitioned into IBM’s purchasing division, where he served as a parts data analyst and Engineering Change analyzer.

Percy advanced into a leadership role with CTG as an account manager, overseeing a large team of contract employees working on-site in coordination with IBM. Later, he spent a decade as a project manager in the reconstruction industry, managing complex restoration projects with precision and efficiency.

TownTalk: National Day of Prayer, May 1st at VCMS

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Local churches and interested individuals are invited to come out on Thursday, May 1 to take part in Vance County’s observance of the National Day of Prayer.

The event will take place on the football field of Vance County Middle School beginning at 6 p.m., and organizer Delilah Marrow welcomes all.

It’s not just one church participating, “we want all of the churches,” Marrow, an ordained minister, said on Monday’s TownTalk.

“Everyone is really glad that we are getting together and having a National Day of Prayer” observance, she said. It’s a time for everyone to come together to pray for the community.

“We are the body of Christ, one church – the church of Jesus Christ,” she said.

“When we pray, something happens…when we, in a city, come together we see the hand of God move. When you pray and believe God, something happens,” she said.

Marrow said the idea came to her during her daily prayers before Easter. A prayer partner provided encouragement to act on her vision, and her pastor mentioned the upcoming National Day of Prayer, observed each May 1.

“That ignited me to move forward,” she recalled. “God just laid out every piece of the puzzle (and) everything began to fall in place.”

To learn more, call Marrow at 252.422.1202.

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Warren County Historical Markers

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The historical marker that bears his name doesn’t have room for it, but James Turner is the North Carolinian who came the closest to being President of the United States.

He only made it as far as Speaker of the House, said Mark Pace, local historian and North Carolina Room specialist at Thornton Library in Oxford. But Speaker of the U.S. House is second in line – behind the vice president – to assume the role of President if circumstances call for it.

As governor, U.S. Senator and state legislator, Turner has his own historical marker, one of 20 that can be seen along major roads throughout Warren County.

Pace and WIZS’s Bill Harris continued their discussion of historical markers in the four-county area in their tri-weekly history segment called Around Old Granville; Thursday’s segment focused on Warren County, which Pace described as one of the most important and influential areas in the state between the Revolution and the Civil War.

The first marker that went up in Warren County remembers Annie Carter Lee – the daughter of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. She and other family members had left their Virginia home because of the war and were staying at Jones Springs, a health resort. She died after contracting typhoid fever in 1862 and was buried in the Jones cemetery in Warrenton. Her remains were moved in the mid-1990’s and placed in the Lee family cemetery.

Her marker was placed in 1936, just one year after the state created the program.

Jacob Holt didn’t get a marker until 1976, Pace said.

“He was one of two really big architects in the boom era” between 1845 and 1861, Pace said.

He designed and built homes – many of which still stand. His interest lay in Greek Revival and Italianate styles, but his own home in Warrenton, Pace said is quite modest and doesn’t resemble the other examples of his work.

Find a complete list of historical markers located across the state at https://www.dncr.nc.gov/

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TownTalk: Child Abuse Prevention Month with S.A.M. Child Advocacy

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If you’ve driven down Garnett Street lately, you may have noticed a tree in the yard of 704 S. Garnett St. decorated with blue ribbons.

Those ribbons, tied to branches and limbs of that tree, have created a ‘Tree of Hope’ this year to observe National Child Abuse Prevention Month, said Cara Gill, executive director of Strength and Mending Child Advocacy Center.

There also are pinwheels planted in the ground and a big inflatable blue ribbon adorning the S.a.M Child Advocacy Center, along with the ‘Tree of Hope,’ a new addition this year, Gill said.

It’s a small way to show support for and honor families and children who have been victims of child abuse.

For Gill and her team at the nonprofit, this is a year-round effort – not just one month out of the year. “We try to go above and beyond any way we can this month,” she said.

Overall statistics surrounding child abuse and neglect are grim, Gill noted. For every report of child abuse, she said, there are two that are unreported.

Vance County is not immune, and, in fact, as a Tier 1 county, there simply aren’t many resources for families and children.

Abuse is a multi-faceted issue that doesn’t always look the same or follow a familiar pattern. From family dynamics to generational abuse or neglect, Gill said part of S.a.M.’s approach is to provide wraparound services to support individuals and families in crisis.

Part of S.a.M.’s role is to connect families with resources to get the help they need.

Another part is the monthly meeting of a multi-disciplinary team that gathers and discusses each family that is seeking help to make sure the particular needs are being met.

“We can’t be a stand-alone center,” Gill said. “The whole point is that every family is getting exactly what they need…for the best outcome.”

One question on the S.a.M. intake form asks whether anyone else in the family has been a victim of abuse or neglect. Seventy-five percent of the time, the answer is yes. Generational abuse or neglect adds another layer to the degree of trauma felt by families.

Since it started in 2016, Gill said S.a.M. has played a role in helping families and individuals get the healing they need and that they deserve.

“We have had kids that are now in college,” she said. “They are doing wonderful things.”

Ninety percent of the victims of abuse or neglect know the alleged abuser, Gill said. It’s so important for parents or guardians to have conversations with their children to help them understand what appropriate contact is and what is inappropriate.

“Have these conversations with your kids,” Gill said, even if it feels awkward.

“You are your child’s first line of defense,” she said. “We’re always here to help out in any way.”

Parents may get an eye roll from their children, but it’s important to know who their child’s friends are. Getting involved in their lives, showing interest in their activities opens up doors to more important conversations in the future, she added.

Visit https://www.samchildadvocacycenter.com/ to find resources. Call 252.572.4112 to learn more or email Gill at cara@samcac.com.

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TownTalk: Local Media Featured Topic In Chamber’s ‘Envision Vance’ Publication

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If the WIZS radio tower or the old Dispatch printing presses could talk, oh, the stories they could tell!

The tower up on the hill outside the studio on Radio Lane has provided transmissions for decades – 70 years, come May 1 when the station came on the air.

And those presses, which produced so many editions of the Henderson Daily Dispatch over the years, have long ceased their operations. The newspaper remains, although “Henderson” and “Daily” have been dropped from the mast head in favor of “Serving Henderson, Vance County and surrounding areas since 1914.”

News gathering has evolved since the tower was installed and that press spat out newspapers, and the longevity of local media in the Henderson area is due, in large part, to these two media outlet mainstays.

John Charles Rose sat down with Dispatch Editor Gary Band to chat about the old days, but also about the importance of healthy community journalism.

Chronicling the history of local media will be featured in this year’s edition of Envision Vance, a publication of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, Band said.

He doesn’t want to “scoop” himself, but Band did say he’d spoken with longtime reporter David Irvine. About what, we’ll learn when Envision Vance is published. Print date is May 31, Band said.

Change is inevitable, and local media is no different. The Dispatch, once a family-owned business, was bought by Paxton Media in 1994, Band said. He came on board in June 2023, and the only office he’s known is the current one on Garnett Street. He actually never visited the former office at the corner of Chestnut and Pettigrew streets, where reporters cranked out stories on manual typewriters, then electric ones, until computers came along. He never stared into “Big” Bill’s office, where stacks of newspapers and other paper filled every nook and cranny and where the paper’s editorials were crafted.

Communities rely on local media outlets to get news that’s important to them – the larger stations and newspapers carry the “big” stories, but it’s the local journalists who inform the community about what’s happening at the City Council meetings or what the commissioners talked about in their work session.

Band said it’s the job of local media “to hold up a mirror to the community.” There’s so much going on here, he added, and there’s no way for a small staff of writers to be everywhere all the time to report all the news.

“I always think I can do more and better,” Band said. And although he’s relatively new to the area, he’s worked for close to 30 years in journalism, so he’s picked up a thing or two along the way.

“You have to be out there…present. You have to love it,” Band said. He plans to continue to help Paxton put out a quality publication and to continue being a critical part of this community.

Reporting the news is critical to inform citizens, Band said. Informing them leads to citizens being more engaged in the life of the community, “more inclined to take part.”

The media, whether it’s print or radio, has an obligation to be a solid, trustworthy and reputable source for news, Rose said. Journalists separate the fact – verifiable, accurate information – from hearsay.

“This is a vibrant community with a long, proud history,” Band said. “We’re going places…things are starting to happen.”

And when they do, you can count on coverage in the pages of The Dispatch and on the airwaves from WIZS.

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Guardians of the Grid: Duke Energy Celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day April 18

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Electricity is essential to everyday life – keeping households cool in summer and warm in winter, the lights on and the computers humming. It’s a complex system of transmission wires above ground and below that keep journeyman lineworkers like Cameron Beck busy on a routine day, never mind after storms or other events that interrupt electricity service.

Beck works with Duke Energy and spent about eight years covering the Henderson area. He and other lineworkers got some special recognition at Duke Energy’s Lineworker Appreciation Day, observed on Friday, Apr. 18.

There are always routine maintenance tasks to complete, Beck said on Monday’s segment of TownTalk. Poles to change out, or maybe an aging transformer that needs to be replaced.

Lineworkers “have to keep the grid running with maintenance, adding new things and serving customers,” he said.

Running power lines to new businesses or a new home under construction is all part of the job.

“We put holes in the ground and string wires to provide a path to electricity where it needs to go and take care of the ones that are there,” he said, with more than a little humility.

Lineworkers have to be ready to be called up in emergency situations, too – whether a pole and wires come down because of a hurricane, a thunderstorm or perhaps a car crash – the reason is secondary to the immediate task of restoring power.

He was among a staging team sent to upstate South Carolina in advance of Hurricane Helene’s arrival to the western part of North Carolina and surrounding areas.

“Helene was a very surprisingly damaging storm,” Beck said, “something that I didn’t expect…I thought it was going to be a little wind and we’d be home in a day or two.” But there were so many downed trees, so much more devastation, he said.

“I was shocked by the devastation, mainly from wind and water,” he said of subsequent visits to western North Carolina where he has family and friends. “I couldn’t believe what it had taken away. It will be a very long time before it gets back to normal.”

Lineworkers are a closeknit group, Beck said, much like police officers and firefighters, it’s a profession that relies on teamwork and camaraderie to get the job done and to make sure everyone stays safe.

“If you’re a lineworker, you share some common experiences and you have a common respect for each other,” he said.

As for safety, he said he’s proud to work for a utility company that puts an emphasis on safety, equipment and training.

“We don’t want to think about things that could go wrong, but that’s the way we keep things from going wrong,” Beck said.

Whether it’s routine work or power restoration after a storm, lineworkers review the basics: hazard analysis, talk about the conditions and other potential challenges that could arise when they’re in the field.

In storms like Helene, they’re at the mercy of the elements, he explained. It could be really hot, or really cold, or rainy – less than ideal. And if you’re part of a crew responding to a disaster like Helene, you may not be familiar with the area or the way the lines are fed – all challenges that must be addressed and dealt with before the work can really get underway.

Beck recalled one night driving home after a busy shift – a summer thunderstorm had blown through, and he was ready to be home. He was almost home when “I see the sky light up with blue,” he said. Just around the next curve, he saw what had lit the sky blue. A tree had taken the lines down, he said, and several spans of wire, poles and cross arms were strewn in and beside the road.

If he’d been traveling just a little faster, he’d have been caught under the tree and the downed lines.

“I knew what had happened before dispatch knew,” he said.

As with any work done during or after a storm, lineworkers must keep one eye on weather conditions as they attend to the task at hand.

“You try to work safely and quickly and get away from there,” he said.

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TownTalk: Warren Farmers Market Opening Day Saturday, Apr. 26

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The Warren County Farmers Market opens Saturday, Apr. 26 and judging from the volume of phone calls Tamara Small has been getting from curious customers, it won’t be a moment too soon.

People are looking forward to starting their Saturday mornings at the farmers market, Small said. She said it’s a great atmosphere, with vendors’ produce and other goods under pop-up tents dotting the parking lot of the Warren County Health Department on Ridgeway Street.

Small said the farmers market folks are fortunate and grateful to have had that central location to set up shop, but next year the market will be located at its new permanent location just a block or two up the road.

The engineering firm that’s been working on the project expects the new farmers market to be ready in March 2026. Passersby can expect to see some groundbreaking and construction work as early as June or July, she said.

Until the new market is ready, Small said residents can stop by the health department parking lot on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 12 noon to pick up local produce and other products like eggs, honey, local beef and pork and so much more.

“Everything comes together beautifully,” Small said. “It is hard work, don’t get me wrong…

but it always ends up being beautiful.” She recalls only one rainy market day last season, and she hopes fair weather prevails this season, too.

Many vendors are returning from last year, but there will be some new faces in the mix, too.

And thanks to a $10,000 grant from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, senior adults can take advantage of Double Up Food Bucks again this year.

Visit the market manager’s info table on market day to get signed up for the program.

“We’re putting more food on people’s plates” and increasing access to healthy, nutritious local food, Small said.

You’ll find Small on market days taking photos to post on the market’s social media platform as one way to get younger people’s attention.

“Hey, we’re here and we’re a great place to shop,” she said. “I want to show people this is the place to be,” Small said. Vendors interact with customers and answer their questions, which builds community and strengthens relationships, she added.

In addition to familiar vendors, customers can look for new vendors that include Happy Chaos Homestead and Coley’s Vegan Treats, among others.

Special Opening Day activities include live music a 10 a.m. butterfly release to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators and there will be a special stationary exercise bike with a paint attachment for people to “pedal paint” butterfly pictures.

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TownTalk: Of Henderson, By Henderson, & For Henderson

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This is John Charles Rose of TownTalk and WIZS Radio. I am of Henderson, by Henderson and for Henderson. Are you?

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