Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: Henderson Fire Dept. Holds Its Own Despite Challenges

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Firefighters, just like everyone else, have been affected by COVID-19 and the restrictions that have been in place for the last year and a half. But unlike so many other workers, firefighters can’t work from home or respond to fire calls virtually.

Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell said his department has faced challenges during the pandemic but he praised his team of firefighters for their loyalty and dedication to their jobs.

“We’ve seen a lot of turnover here recently,” Cordell told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Some staff have moved to jobs in related fields and others have decided to take a completely different line of work.

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After a dip in the number of calls at the onset of the pandemic, he said the department is again responding to an average of 250 calls each month – about 60 percent are medical-related and about 40 percent are fire and rescue calls.

Cordell said his firefighters get good information from the dispatchers, who know the right questions to ask to learn if anyone is COVID-positive that firefighters may come into contact with when they go out on a call.

“We treat everyone as if they are a positive case,” he said, and his firefighters will wear a mask when they are off duty and in public, just to make sure that everyone is staying safe.

As the fire department works to recruit and retain firefighters in the short-term, Cordell said he is hopeful that plans for construction of a third station in west Henderson also will come to fruition.

“We’re still on the table,” he said of the plans for the new station. He and others have been taking with developers and looking at different spots to purchase.

He also said plans to reorganize and reclassify some departments and positions within the department should be brought to City Council for consideration next month.

Battalion Chief Joel Bartholomew is leaving after 15 years of service to become director of emergency services in his native Warren County, a move Cordell called “bittersweet.” He called Bartholomew a loyal and dedicated employee, and added “watching him develop and grow has been a blessing and an honor.”

One step toward “normal” for the department involves Capt. Lee Edmonds, who works with fire prevention education. The pandemic put the brakes on firefighters getting into schools to talk with children about fire prevention. With the start of school just around the corner, Cordell said everyone’s looking forward to restart the “Read A Book With A Firefighter” program. Firefighters read with kindergartners, help them with homework and just enjoy time with young learners.

Cordell said he has a great team who is working hard every day “to keep our feet grounded and trucks staffed and moving to help the people of Henderson.”

TownTalk: Vance County Fireworks and Classic Cars

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Fall is just more than a month away, and its arrival ushers in several events sure to interest locals and tourists alike.

Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson shared details about the upcoming Labor Day fireworks and the 19th annual downtown classic car show and the two tourism development authority representatives said plans are shaping up for a couple of great shows for the whole family.

The Labor Day fireworks show is set for Saturday, Sept. 4 at Satterwhite Point on Kerr Lake.

There will be a DJ providing music during the afternoon and several food vendors will be on hand, including Jerry’s Hotdogs, Peyton’s Place and Frostbites, Hester told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. Vendors should be ready for customers by the middle of the afternoon, and “as soon as they’re set up, they’ll be ready for business,” Hester said.

Dickerson said the fireworks display probably will begin around 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

The July 4 fireworks show was pushed to Labor Day this year because of the uncertainty of when COVID-19 restrictions may be lifted and Dickerson said it’s been almost 20 years since there’s been a fireworks show for Labor Day. State park weekend gate fees are $7 per vehicle.

Hopefully, the recent heavy rains brought by tropical storms won’t create too much of a problem with the lake level. Dickerson said the lake is at 301 feet, just a little above normal.

If water levels are a problem, “we have a backup shoot site, so we’ll be ok,” he said.

Hester said she is trying to look at the rescheduled date in a positive light: “We gave the people of Vance County three different events to go to, because we weren’t doing it on the same night,” she said. “We’re going to make the best of it and have a great celebration” on Sept. 4, she added.

Then in mid-October, a different type of celebration returns to downtown Henderson with the 19th annual Show, Shag, Shine and Dine event. Hundreds of classic cars line the streets for folks to admire on Saturday, Oct. 16.

Hester said there has been a lot of interest in the event, which will kick off on Friday, Oct. 15 with a cruise-in at Kerr Lake from noon to 4 p.m., and then it’s on to Southern Classic Cars on Horner Street in Henderson from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We’re having lots and lots of phone calls,” Hester said. “People are ready to come out and go to a car show.”

Registration for the car show, which is for any make and model 1988 and older, is $20. For owners who want their vehicles included in the judging, the fee is $25. Registration is Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. “We had a huge turnout in 2019,” Hester said. “I think the judges were worn out by the end of the day.”

Listen Here for Full Audio about the Vance County Tourism fireworks and Show Shine Shag and Dine.

TownTalk: Brett Cotter And Relieving Stress

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People react to and cope with stress and anxiety in many different ways – incorporating productive techniques into daily routines is one path that Brett Cotter takes to manage his own stress. The New York-based life coach and author says his strategies expand and complement other forms of care.

Back in 2013, Cotter was inspired to create a workbook to help military veterans. “I was watching the news, seeing a lot of stories about veterans not getting the care that they deserved,” he told John C. Rose and guest host Phyllis Maynard on Tuesday’s Town Talk. He had at the time 15 years of experience in the field of stress relief and trauma recovery and he said he wanted to help veterans while they were waiting for care.

His own dad was a Marine veteran who served in Vietnam. He was helping his son test a new app, and when he finally admitted that it wasn’t really working for him, Cotter got him to agree to try one-on-one coaching sessions to help manage stress.

Those sessions never began, Cotter said. The next day his father suffered a stroke and just more than a week later, he died. Since then, as a tribute to his dad, Cotter said he developed a workbook. “I decided to do something in his name to help guys like him,” he explained. “Whenever I hand a book to somebody, it’s kind of like me and him are working together. I feel really connected to him on a different level.”

There are a variety of ways to tap into Cotter’s expertise, from books and workbooks, individual coaching sessions, mini courses and recorded guided meditation. Learn more at www.brettcotter.com.

First responders and medical personnel have been in the spotlight lately for the additional stress placed upon them during the COVID-19 pandemic, but veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many others experience stress and anxiety as well, Cotter noted.

“Everyone’s different. We meet each person where they’re at,” he said. Some are really app savvy, some want regular meditation exercises and others want a more individualized one-on-one coaching experience.

Maynard, a Navy veteran and local veterans affairs liaison, said she had a positive experience with Cotter’s approach. “He guided me through (painful) memories and he guided me through relaxation,” she said, so when those memories resurfaced, she didn’t have the same painful reaction to them. “He can reach through the emotional and mental layers of obstruction” to help relieve stress, she said.

Trauma and painful memories cover up our true, natural self, Cotter said. As sufferers work to release and relieve the stress within, they release layers of pain, hurt, trauma and much more, he said.

Meditation is a practice that can reinforce the “realignment in our brain and a cleansing of our mind,” Cotter said. When a root memory is uncovered and recognized, other memories “fall like dominoes.”

He is excited about an upcoming event in Rhinebeck, NY called Omega Institute, a weeklong retreat that came about after an online session last spring through The Open Center in New York City. It will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 3.

“It’s kind of like a dream come true,” Cotter said. He remembered attending a retreat in 1999 that, for him, was transformational.

He said he wants others to know they are not alone. “So many of us are feeling the same way,” he said, referring to feeling stressful and anxious. My work is definitely for self-enrichment and self-improvement.”

He described the upcoming retreat as five days of learning how to unlock and release tension, removing layers and layers of old emotions and finding healthy ways to deal with past traumatic events.

“It’s going to change how you perceive reality – like we’re going into the closet and cleaning it all out.”

He explained one method to help relieve anxiety that involves nothing more than completing four statements.

We get anxious when feelings get bottled up inside and then come out sideways,” Cotter said. By filling in the blanks of the statements, those feelings are effectively released and the result is reduced anxiety.

  1. I feel totally overwhelmed by …
  2. The most upsetting part of all of this is …
  3. The worst-case scenario is …
  4. My biggest fear actually is …

Saying the statements aloud and completing them with the immediate worries help to dislodge the tension we feel inside, he explained, which helps to bring us back to feelings of being calm and grounded. “When you express it out loud, you feel the layers release inside you.”

Some people fight anxiety with physical exertion – gym workouts, martial arts, mowing grass. But Cotter says that physical activity is probably a temporary fix. His techniques “melt it from the inside out.”

(This is not a paid ad. The text and audio is informational and not meant to replace or serve as medical advise.)

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TownTalk: The Benefits Of Breastfeeding

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August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month and staff from the Granville-Vance Health Department were on Monday’s Town Talk to discuss the services available to new mothers and mothers-to-be through the federally funded program Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

“Breastfeeding is an integral part of our program,” said Lauren Faulkner, WIC director and who is also a certified lactation counselor.

WIC, a federal program administered through the health department, supports at-risk women and children by providing them with resources, nutritional guidance and more.

Faulkner and Savannah Presley, GVPH lactation coordinator and a board-certified lactation consultant, spoke with John C. Rose about the importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of mothers and babies.

“We have lots of work to do in Granville and Vance counties,” Faulkner said, referring to the numbers of mothers who continue to breastfeed their babies. About 70 percent of pregnant moms start out breastfeeding, but that number drops to just over 40 percent by the time the baby is six weeks old. It drops to 21 percent for those moms who continue to breastfeed their children at six months of age

There are many reasons for this drop, Presley said. Some moms have to go back to work or school and some moms may not have a strong social or family network, she added. .

There’s also the misconception that formula is an equivalent to breast milk, and Presley said the general lack of knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding contribute to a lower-than-desired breastfeeding rate.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that new mothers give their babies breastmilk exclusively – no supplementation – for the first six months, and then continue tp breastfeed until the child is one year old.

“Breastfeeding offers many benefits for both the nursing parent and the baby,” Presley said, including a reduction in risk of various chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes and can burn those extra calories to help women return to their pre-pregnancy weight quicker.

The baby receives antibodies that are critical to ward off health problems from allergies to a range of digestive issues, she said.

“Breast-fed babies tend to be less sick than formula-fed babies,” she said.

It certainly is more economical to breastfeed than it is to buy formula, Presley noted.  There’s no need to buy pricey powdered formula, bottles or other paraphernalia.

She said the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends “exclusive breastfeeding – no other supplementation – for the first six months of life, and (to) continue breastfeeding for a year or longer.”

Continuing to breastfeed until a child is two years or older provides additional benefits, she said, including receiving additional protein and immunoglobulin – the stuff that boosts the immune system. The milk composition actually changes over time to provide appropriate nutrients for the growing child.

But moms aren’t the only ones who can feed a baby breast milk. Mothers can pump milk, which allows others to give the baby a bottle. In addition, “skin to skin” contact is critical for a newborn, Presley said. It helps an infant regulate body temperature and heart rate, as well as  establishing a bond between mother and child to stimulate milk production.

The colostrum that an infant receives after birth is vital and Presley said that, although it’s in small doses, this “liquid gold” is key to getting a baby off to a healthy start.

All appointments are by phone at this time, because of COVID-19 restrictions.

For more information, contact the WIC department in Vance County at 252.492.

3147, and for Granville County, 919.693.1333.

 

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TownTalk: The Story Of The Epsom Community

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The way the story goes, Mr. Simon W. Duke wanted to establish a post office in the store he opened in the area where he lived, referred to by some as Duke’s Corner or Duke’s Crossroad. He had already sent several suggestions to the federal government, but each one was rejected. Seems there already were post offices with the names he proposed.

He shared his failed attempts to Dr. Bennett Perry Alston one day while the two men were in the store. Looking around, Alston suggested the name that ultimately would be approved by the federal government – Epsom.

Mark Pace, area historian and North Carolina Room specialist at Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, shared this story and more about the area on the Vance-Franklin border during the tri-weekly Town Talk history segment Thursday.

Alston supposedly saw a box of Epsom Salts and perhaps somewhat on a whim said, ‘Why don’t you just apply and call it Epsom?’ Pace told co-host Bill Harris. The year was 1887.

There were already many post offices scattered across the area at the time – Bobbitt, Gillburg, Kearney, Pugh’s Hill (in the general area where Corinth-Trinity Church now stands along Highway 401), to name a few, Pace said. But Duke’s post office put Epsom on the map, as it were, thanks to Dr. Alston’s suggestion.

Alston was from the Alston family from Warren County, and Pace said he was probably the most prominent farmer in the area at the time. A veteran of the American Civil War, Alston’s daughter, Margaret, was the last living descendant of a Civil War soldier in this vicinity. She died about 20 years ago.

The area around the Epsom crossroads included about 500 acres that belonged to Simon Duke’s father. It was basically a farming, agricultural community, Pace said, and the families that lived in the area were working-class, middle-class people who went to church on Sundays and raised their families. There were few large plantations, and, consequently, there was not a huge African American presence there, Pace noted.

There are several prominent African American churches in the area – Dickies Grove, Mitchells Baptist and Rowlands Chapel, which Pace said dates back to the late 1800’s.

The Dukes and Alstons were instrumental in establishing a private academy that was in Epsom in late 1800s. Some references to the school includes names Punga Academy and Epsom High School, and the Duke and Alston families brought Elon College alumnus J.T. Cobb to run it.

Other families have with long ties to the community, including the Ayscue family. Pace said he’s seen seven different spellings of that surname in documents he has reviewed. Benjamin Franklin Ayscue, born in 1847, fought in the Civil War and was one of only three soldiers left in his company when they surrendered in Appomattox.

The story goes that Ayscue “made a deal with the Lord” when he was a soldier. If he got back home safely, he would “devote himself to living right for the rest of his life,” Pace recalled.

It seems that family back home presumed he had not survived the war, so he surprised them upon his return. As for that deal he’d made on the battlefield?

He became a deacon at Liberty Christian Church, right there in Epsom.

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TownTalk: NC Special Olympics Busy with Upcoming Events

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The Summer Olympics in Tokyo have just passed, and it will be several years before the Summer Games again capture the world’s attention. But did you know that Special Olympics events are ongoing throughout the year?

For more than 50 years, athletes with intellectual disabilities train, practice and prepare to compete in about 20 Olympic-style events. And Special Olympics of North Carolina touts one of the largest contingents in the world – about 40,000 athletes – who bring a wide range of skills and abilities to the Games.

Madeline Safrit is one of two directors of communications for Special Olympics of North Carolina. She spoke with Trey Snide on Wednesday’s Town Talk program about upcoming events for athletes across the state and how athletes in Vance, Granville and Franklin counties have stayed in touch with their teammates across the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said Special Olympians thrive on having a set schedule, and pandemic restrictions and lockdowns interrupted training schedules. SONC created a virtual program called Partner Up, Power Up last fall and again in the spring to allow athletes to “gather” virtually. “It’s been really challenging to keep that social interaction going for them,” Safrit said. A third Partner Up, Power Up session will launch this fall, even though there are athletes who are able to go back in to in-person training.

Using a fitness tracker booklet, athletes can follow a structured plan and know what class will be held on which day.

The virtual program has involved individuals with and without intellectual disabilities, “partnering together to participate,” Safrit said. She added that 10,000 people participated in the 10-week sessions.

Safrit said the virtual sessions are important for athletes who live in smaller communities. “They can hop on these calls…and can see their teammates. They also are able to train alongside athletes across the state,” keeping them ready for getting back to competition.

The competitions occur year-round, and this year, instead of having one large fall event, the organization will have numerous regional invitationals to keep the size of the group smaller.

During the course of a year, she said athletes participate in 8,000 practices to train for competitions in track and field, tennis, equestrian events, volleyball, sailing, gymnastics, cheerleading and many more. For a list of events and invitationals, visit www.sonc.net.

Vance County is preparing to train later this month for bocce, or lawn bowling and will participate in bocce invitationals in the fall.

“You would not believe how fierce the competition is out there” for bocce, Safrit said.

Safrit mentioned 40,000 athletes in North Carolina, but she also said there are at least that many volunteers that work throughout the year in some capacity to support and promote Special Olympics.

If coaching a sport isn’t your thing, there are other ways to participate, she said. Several fundraiser events are being planned for the fall, including “Over the Edge.” A minimum donation of $1,000 earns you the privilege of rappelling down the Wells Fargo Capitol Center building in downtown Raleigh. It’s a 30-story building – about 400 feet tall, just so you know.

For a $100 donation, those who are a little afraid of heights can enter the world of virtual reality and rappel virtually.

Visit www.sonc.net to learn about other fundraiser opportunities and how to be involved in Special Olympics.

Listen to the entire program here.

TownTalk: The Millstone

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Thank you for listening to WIZS Radio, and TownTalk!

We hope you enjoy listening to today’s show.

 

Families Living Violence Free

Town Talk: Families Living Violence Free Prepares For Event At Rucker Park

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Families Living Violence Free is hosting a back-to-school Kids Day event Saturday, Aug. 14 at Rucker Park in Granville County. Children and adults can enjoy a variety of activities, from food trucks to water games during the Fun Day, which is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to FLVF staff.

LeSha Sneed and Carly Simonton were guests on Town Talk Monday and said the event is all about fun activities for children, combined with some awareness and outreach regarding domestic violence and abuse.

It’s important for young people to be able to make connections with adults who can help, Sneed, youth advocacy counselor for FLVF, told hosts John C. Rose and Trey Snide. She added that school resource officers (SROs) will be present Saturday. Children can’t always remember names, she said, but they can remember faces. It’s important for young people to know adults they can trust if they need to confide in someone about problems they may be facing.

“Kids have to feel safe around you before they’ll open up,” Sneed said. This fun day/fundraiser will help young people make connections with those adults.

Bookbags filled with school supplies will be distributed, and food and gas cards will be raffled off as well, Simonton said. As the adult advocacy counselor at FLVF, she noted that

the last year and a half has “taken a toll, obviously.” Children were learning remotely and parents were either working from home or without jobs altogether. Sometimes, school and jobs are “safe” spots for victims of domestic violence and abuse. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down those havens and left victims isolated from help.

But FLVF stayed open throughout that period, Simonton said, providing virtual options and keeping the 24/7 crisis phone lines operational.

The crisis center has moved to a new location, Henrahand Cottage on the campus of Central Children’s Home, 211 W. Antioch Drive, but its mission remains the same: “giving voice and support to domestic violence and sexual assault victims.”

Although it is located in Granville County, Simonton said their services are open to everyone. FLVF partners with many area agencies, and counselors can make sure clients connect with programs and services most convenient to their location.

“We make sure our clients are covered, no matter what,” Simonton said.

In 2019, FLVF saw 323 “unique clients,” which means that some clients they helped more than once. She said statistics show that by the time a client reaches out to FLVF, they’ve already made seven attempts – on average – to leave a violent or abusive situation. Victims of domestic violence or abuse don’t fit into one age range, but Simonton said the majority of clients they see at FLVF are in the 34-64 age group.

Outreach into the community helps to establish connections that may be needed in a moment of crisis. “It’s a lot easier to open up when you know you have a connection with someone,” Simonton said. This type of outreach event helps establish connections so people “know we’re here from the get-go,” she said. The public needs to see us as a good resource in the community, she added. “We’re literally here for everyone.” All services are free and confidential.

The FLVF Fun Day will be held at Rucker Park, located at 5189 Old N.C. 75, Oxford.

Visit www.flvf.com to learn more. The 24/7 crisis lines are 919.693.5700 (English) and 919.690.0888 (Spanish)

 

For complete details and audio click play.

 

McClary, Purple Heart Recipient, To Speak At Living Stones Church Of God Aug. 8

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Clebe McClary said he enjoys playing golf, a sport he took up later in life, after meeting PGA golfer Billy Casper. It wasn’t the first time he’d met Casper however; the first time was when he was in a military hospital bed, facing a leg amputation.

First Lt. Patrick C. “Clebe” McClary III USMC (Retired) recounted the story to John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk:  He was a platoon leader in the First Reconnaissance Battalion in Vietnam when the Viet Cong attacked. He attributes his very existence today to a visit by the PGA golfer. “He said, ‘I’m praying for you. God’s got a plan for your life. Don’t quit,’” McClary said.

Casper wasn’t for the war, McClary said, “but he was for the troops.”

So when McClary got the chance to meet Casper at the Masters Tournament a few years ago, he took it. And he also took up golf.

He said he enjoys the beauty of the course, and the chance to witness to others while he’s out there.

McClary will be the featured speaker Sunday at Living Stones Church of God Worship Center in Oxford. He is speaking in conjunction with the annual observance of Purple Heart Day on Saturday, Aug. 7.

“Purple Hearts – that’s a medal you don’t want,” McClary said. “You’ve got to get shot to get that rascal,” he said. And he has three of them.

McClary shares his story and the message of having “a personal relationship with a living Savior. Know the Lord. You don’t know when it’s going to be your last day,” he said.

See more about McClary, visit www.clebemcclary.com.

Listen here to the full interview with Clebe McClary.

TownTalk: Turning Point CDC Community Day Aug 7

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Turning Point Community Development Corporation continues its outreach in the area with Community Day 2021 set for Saturday, Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Turning Point Director Chalis Henderson invites schoolchildren to come out for backpacks stuffed with school supplies and enjoy a variety of activities for the whole family.

Henderson was the guest on Wednesday’s Town Talk and shared details of the event with John C. Rose and Trey Snide.

“Everything’s going to be outside,” she said, except the barbershop. Two barbers will be socially distanced in the large multipurpose room of the Turning Point community engagement building, located near the interchange of Norlina and Warrenton roads  in Henderson. Vendors will be distanced appropriately on the lawn. “We will enjoy seeing people, but we definitely want people to feel safe and healthy,” Henderson said.

“We have a large group of community resource vendors – it’s going to be a family-friendly, fun event,” she said. And those 120 backpacks? They’ll be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so come out early.

One note to parents: Henderson said the child should be present to receive the backpack and parents should be prepared to give a name, phone number and the county they live in for the backpack giveaway.

The mobile learning lab will be up and running for the event as well. Henderson said the school bus-turned learning lab has been outfitted with air conditioning, so it will be on the road in August. A couple of young people will be on the bus to provide demonstrations of some of the lab’s functions.

Last year’s Community Day event was cancelled because of the pandemic, which makes this Saturday’s event even more special and important. It’s important for residents in the area to become aware of resources that are available to them, she added.

Established as a community development entity, Turning Point has become a place of empowerment and community engagement. Providing backpacks and having events to share resources are just two ways for Turning Point to “live” its vision statement: We believe rural communities can thrive and flourish.”

Henderson said she was heartened to see so many community members – and parents that are served through Turning Point – show up to bring donations of school supplies to help fill out the backpacks.

The non-profit had gotten the backpacks and a few school supplies, but Henderson said she felt like they needed some more. So she set up a one-week drive to collect supplies and she said there was “an overflow of resources coming in.”

Turning Point will have raffle tickets available on Saturday for the chance to win a complete HVAC system. Tickets are $10, she said. The prize is made possible by Ranes Heating and Air and Henderson said “100 percent of the proceeds go to Turning Point CDC.” The winner will be announced in October. Tickets also may be purchased via a link on its website www.turningpointcdc.org

Also available at the Community Day event are t-shirts emblazoned with the Turning Point vision statement: “We believe rural communities can thrive and flourish.”

 

Turning Point CDC Director Chalis Henderson Interview Audio. Click Play Below.