Tag Archive for: #towntalk

TownTalk: Introducing Scout Hughes to WIZS

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During his recent job interview, Scout Hughes was fielding questions about his interests, abilities and long-term goals, but he was also gathering information about his prospective place of business.

Just three days in, Hughes said what he was told during that recent interview is absolutely true: WIZS is a hometown radio station, and his new co-workers are a close-knit bunch.

And although the young broadcaster is not from Henderson, he does have family here, he said during an introductory interview on Wednesday’s TownTalk. His grandfather is Howard Hughes, and his dad is Joe, Hughes’s younger son.

He graduated from Liberty University with a degree in sports journalism, and he worked at the school’s radio station there for 3 ½ years.

“I knew that I wanted to get into broadcasting,” Hughes said, and figured sports would be the way to pursue that goal.

As a new college graduate, Hughes landed a part-time job at radio stations WPAQ and WSYD  in his hometown of Mt. Airy.

There, he covered high school football for nearby Galax, VA, whose team won the 1A championship, and also covered Wake Forest University and UNC football for the two stations.

This year, he’ll be in the booth as the primary play-by-play broadcaster for Vance County High School Friday Night Football, a role he’s looking forward to.

Other duties have been described to him as administrative, which Hughes explains as a “big ‘umbrella’ word for EVERYTHING.”

Welcome to Henderson and to WIZS, Scout!

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TownTalk: Music, Peppers, Pumpkins And More In Granville County

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What do hot peppers, pumpkins and live music have in common? They’re all going to be featured in festivals and events over the next couple of months in Granville County, and Tourism Director Angela Allen shared all the details on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

Main Street in downtown Oxford transforms into a music venue on Friday, Aug. 9. Soule and the Super Band will perform from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bring a lawn chair, get comfy and enjoy the tunes.

A couple of weekends after that, music lovers can head over to the Armory at the corner of MLK Jr. Avenue and Spring Street for the inaugural Next Door Music Festival on Saturday, Aug. 17.

The festival will take place outside on the grounds of the Armory, Allen said. and will feature six bands performing from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Allen said the music festival gained traction after several local business people were tossing ideas around, and the next thing she knew, the idea became a reality. There will be more than a dozen vendors on site with collectibles, toys and games available on festival day. And, she explained, festival proceeds will go to a local charity.

It’s not too early to mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 21, either. That’s the day the annual Creedmoor Music Festival is scheduled to take over downtown Creedmoor, providing lots of music genres from gospel to country and everything in between.

And any time is a good time to visit Cedar Creek Gallery outside Creedmoor, Allen said. The gallery is open seven days a week, and on Aug. 23, visitors will get to see the gallery’s 2024 crop of glass pumpkins, created by local glassblowers. Lisa Oakley’ is set to unveil her limited-edition pumpkin that weekend, as well.

There will be glassblowing demonstrations going on outside, and hundreds of pumpkins ready for purchase in the front room of the gallery through Oct. 31.

Destinations like Cedar Creek Gallery have long drawn visitors from outside Granville County, and Allen said she is pleased to see a similar trend at other events that have taken root over the years throughout the county.

“Thirty or forty percent of the crowd may not even be from Granville County,” she said. She’s delighted to see more people that she doesn’t know at festivals, concerts or retail establishments because it means that more folks are coming from farther away.

Take the annual Hot Sauce Festival, for example.

“It’s the coolest thing that’s SO hot in Granville County,” Allen said. And this year, the festival will span two days – Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7. AND, Allen said, organizers have added a salsa category to the competition.

But that’s not the only new addition. The Friday events run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature glow-in-the-dark putt-putt, vendors and music as a lead-in to the daylong Saturday activities – which this year will stretch from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Kids can enjoy a rock-climbing wall, carnival rides and games in the Fiery Fun Zone, she said.

Adventurous souls can sample all the pepper-inspired tastes, from craft beer to ice cream.

Allen won’t be participating in the popular pepper eating contest, “but I’m brave enough to watch it,” she quipped.

Hot sauce enthusiasts from all over show up for the festival, she said.

“This is the hot spot,” she said.

Visit www.visitgranvillenc.com to learn about all the upcoming events throughout the county.

(This is not a paid ad, but Granville Tourism does advertise on WIZS.com.)

TownTalk: Rebuilding Hope’s Kids’ Construction Camp

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There’s still time to sign youngsters up for next week’s Kids’ Construction Camp at Rebuilding Hope. The three-day camp is free, and Rebuilding Hope’s Director Randolph Wilson says the camp is a fun way to introduce young people to the trades as well as to community service.

The camp runs from Monday, Aug. 5 through Wednesday Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Raleigh Road headquarters.

Children in grades 3-6 will learn how to use hand tools, but also will be introduced to new-fangled equipment like nail guns and screw guns, Wilson said.

They’ll also learn some basics about electricity and plumbing, as well as hanging Sheetrock and laying shingles.

There is a Bible study component, too, which Wilson said is just as important as learning about trades.

“We need to get back to teaching people about trades,” he said on Monday’s TownTalk. Who knows? Maybe this construction camp will be the place where a young boy or girl develops a passion for a particular trade, he said.

“We’re excited – and we have fun. The kids enjoy it,” Wilson said.

Wilson and co-director Tom Wille oversee the various projects and programs at Rebuilding Hope, from next week’s camp to the recent Servants on Site and ramp construction across the area.

The SOS was a huge success, with 85 young people coming together to put six roofs on in just four days’ time.

“We had a great week,” he said. The youth worked all day – with a daily lunchtime devotional with the residents they were helping – and then had a worship service each night.

“It’s a great time of helping people, also a time of sharing the love of Christ in the community they were working in,” Wilson said.

And when the Kids’ Construction campers and SOS participants get a little older, Wilson said he would welcome them to help out with ramp construction – so far this year, teams have built 90 ramps, on a pace to beat last year’s 116 total.

“We can’t keep up with the ramps,” Wilson said, noting that they’ve got a wait list of close to 25 now. “We need volunteers – people who have a passion to get out and help their community.”

Visit https://rebuildinghopeinc.org/ to learn more about how you can help.

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville: Forgotten Historical Figures

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Mark Pace, NC Room Specialist at Thornton Library in Oxford talks about local historical figures that have been forgotten.

 

Henderson Fire Dept

TownTalk: Henderson Fire Department Engages With Community

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Henderson Fire Chief Tim Twisdale calls it “crew integrity” – it’s the way a group of firefighters establishes and strengthens the bond by learning and by doing together, whether it’s shopping in the grocery store or participating in a training exercise.

One way Twisdale promoted this concept recently was by acknowledging the accomplishments of several firefighters who have received promotions, including Donte Richardson and Jack Wilkinson, two firefighters who have been with the department for just a few years.

Richardson joined the department in 2019, and since then Twisdale said he’s found a career path.

“He’s developed into a good mentor,” Twisdale said, adding that Richardson now wears a white helmet, signifying his promotion to captain.

But Richardson also was recognized as the recipient of the city’s employee of the quarter award and the Optimist award.

Twisdale said Richardson epitomizes the traits of an optimist – always upbeat and looking for the good in all situations – which plays a key role in his abilities to provide training and instruction to other firefighters.

Twisdale said he knew Richardon would be “good at influencing the new generation of firefighters” as he watched the young man obtain various certifications and complete trainings over the past few years.

Wilkinson, who joined the department in 2022, has been promoted to fire engineer, Twisdale said.

Not only does an engineer drive the truck to fire calls, Twisdale explained, but he also “is responsible for the equipment on the truck being in good working order. He’s the person standing beside the truck, moving the levers and making sure (firefighters) are protected” when they’re inside a burning structure.

“He is one of the most relied-upon members of the fire department,” Twisdale said.

Richardson and Wilkinson are among 12 firefighters that belong to one of three shifts – A, B, C – and Twisdale said each shift become like a family, spending 24 hours at the time together as they live, work, train and go out on calls together.

Anyone who thinks that firefighters sit around the station, playing cards all day, while they’re waiting for a call to come in needs to think again, Twisdale said.

Between daily training, EMS calls and more, Twisdale said there’s plenty for firefighters to do on any given shift.

Battalion Chief Lee Edmonds and Capt. Randy Owen recently visited the new assisted living facility Bridges at Parkview to conduct some staff training.

Helping staff learn how to handle smaller emergencies, including general fire safety and safe operation of fire extinguishers, for example, could cut down on unnecessary calls.

Both Edmonds and Owen are working with fire inspections, and Twisdale said both men have proven to be a good fit for the department and for the role they play in the community.

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TownTalk: North Henderson Baptist Church One-Day VBS, Backpack Giveaway Aug. 3, 4

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North Henderson Baptist Church has planned two special events next weekend and Pastor Eddie Nutt invites the community to come out and participate.

Nutt joked that he’s trying to keep members of his congregation at church all weekend long, not just in the pews on Sunday but also as volunteers for the one-day Vacation Bible School on Saturday, Aug. 3 and then for the “back to school party” complete with backpack giveaways and a hotdog supper.

The VBS is designed for special-needs individuals and Nutt explained that it’s for all ages. There is no cost to attend the 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. activity, which will include crafts, music, Bingo and, of course, a Bible lesson. The morning will conclude with a meal, he said on Tuesday’s segment of TownTalk.

It’s the first time the church has had a VBS for those with special needs, and it’s an extension of the weekly 9 a.m. service for this population from the community, which Nutt said is “holding steady” with attendance.

“We’ll have plenty of hands-on (from volunteers) to help with crafts, Bingo with prizes for everyone as they learn about God’s love,” Nutt said.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, the church fellowship hall will be abuzz with activity for the back-to-school party, which begins at 5 p.m.

“We’ve had back to school parties for years,” Nutt said, and this year marks the third year for the backpack giveaways. Last year, they gave away more than they had available, but they created a wait list and were able to distribute additional backpacks after making a second run to purchase bookbags and supplies to go in them.

“This year, hopefully we’re prepared for a bigger crowd,” he said.

He does ask that the children who receive backpacks be present at the Aug. 4 event, so Nutt and his church volunteers can share “face to face” the Good News that Jesus loves them.

And be on the listen-out for next year’s “Night To Shine Prom” for special-needs individuals.

It was the first time that the church had hosted the event, so Nutt said they didn’t know how many to expect.

But with between 65 and 70 prom-goers in attendance, along with caregivers and family members who came and stayed for the festivities, Nutt said he was pleasantly surprised at the turnout.

The church applied for, and was accepted, as a site for the February 2025 event, which is traditionally held the Friday night before Valentine’s Day.

North Henderson Baptist Church is located at 1211 N. Garnett St.

 

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Dale Folwell

TownTalk: Folwell Discusses Third Party Administration For Health Insurance

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As this state’s treasurer, Dale Folwell is the steward of public funds eight times the size of the overall state budget  – and that’s only half of what his department oversees.

Folwell has been leading the charge to transition to make Aetna the company that processes insurance claims, replacing Blue Cross NC. This change will take place beginning January 2025.

Folwell will kick off a promotional bus tour across the state to coincide with the upcoming open enrollment period, when individuals typically have the option to make changes in their plans.

The transition does affect members in the Base PPO Plan, Enhanced PPO Plan and High Deductible Health Plan. It does NOT affect Humana Medicare Advantage Plan members.

Health care and retirement are uppermost on the minds of most state employees – “those who teach, protect and otherwise serve,” Folwell said on Monday’s TownTalk.

Think of the transition from one third-party administrator to another like a car, he said:

The car’s body hasn’t changed – individuals will continue to make copayments, etc. to receive care. The engine hasn’t changed – that’s how the state funds the insurance plans. It’s the transmission – how the state settles claims – that will be undergoing the change.

It’s important to remember that Aetna is NOT the insurance provider, Folwell emphasized.

As a TPA, Aetna’s job is to process claims and make sure they’re correct before presenting them for payment.

We’ve always been self-funded, and Aetna, like Blue Cross NC, is simply a “transmitter” to make sure the billing and payment process is smooth and efficient.

If you’ve ever gotten a bill for a doctor visit or medical procedure and have had questions about what you actually owe and what will be covered by insurance, you’re not alone.

Those involved in the transition to Aetna will have to choose a new primary care provider, but Folwell said he’s confident that they’ll be able to keep their current provider without a problem.

“If people are getting the right primary care, and occasionally any physical therapy they may need,” Folwell said, it will help keep people out of hospitals, which is the ultimate goal.

“I continue to think that people are being gouged on health care pricing as well as prescription drug pricing” in North Carolina, Folwell said.

There’s lots going on in health care, he continued. “It’ sad (people) can’t consume health care – it consumes them.”

When people have a higher fear of the bill than the procedure itself, it should be a cause for concern, he said. And action.

Medical bills can be confusing, to the point that you can’t tell if they had a tonsillectomy or an appendectomy.

But it all comes down to paying for the medical care that you get, and Folwell said his department will partner with any hospital interested in transparent health care, high-quality access at a reasonable cost.

The road tour, featuring Aetna-themed vehicles, will kick off in Raleigh at the Department of State Treasurer’s office later this week on Thursday July 25, then will be at the N.C. General Assembly on Aug. 22.

The tour coincides with the Plan’s 2025 Open Enrollment period, which runs from Sept. 30 through Oct. 25.

The Plan and Aetna are ready to meet people in person during the tour, online or by telephone. For those unable to come out in person, the Plan will also be offering numerous webinars and Telephone Town Halls containing the same information as in-person events.

Learn more at https://www.shpnc.org/

 

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TownTalk: Welcome Chapel Pastor Celebrates Anniversary With Aug. 4 Service

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Welcome Chapel Missionary Baptist Church is hosting a special celebration to mark the first anniversary of its minister, the Rev. Dennis White.

The community is invited to take part in the event, which is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m.

White was a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk to discuss details of what will be happening that day. He said any pastoral anniversary is cause for celebration and this one is no exception. “It’s always a drawing card to a church,” he said.

The guest speaker for the occasion will be Rev. Kevin L. Chandler from Trinity Baptist Church in South Boston, VA and the New Sandy Creek Missionary Baptist Church Male Chorus from Keely, VA will perform.

White comes to Henderson from Greensboro, where he founded Faith Walk Baptist Church. The pandemic took its toll on the small congregation, White said, so after 17 years with that church, he accepted the call to Welcome Chapel.

“It was God’s design and God’s plan,” he said. “There’s no better place to be than where God has placed you…I am so excited to be at Welcome Chapel.”

Founding a ministry helped White become a better leader – “I was able to be very involved with every aspect of the ministry…it helped sharpen my leadership skills.”

White describes himself as a humble, faithful, people-oriented pastor. “I love being a pastor and doing it God’s way,” he said.

But he’s also a father – two children and two grandchildren – and a husband – married 32 years – and a counselor by training. Those roles feed into the role of pastor, too.

Having completed a master’s degree in pastoral counseling at Liberty University, White said he considers himself someone who is very approachable to those who seek his guidance. “This day and time, people need counseling in many areas of their lives,” White said.

The church is located at 237 Welcome Ave. in Henderson.

TownTalk: Kerr Tar COG Food Council

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To borrow a phrase from the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Government’s Food Policy that was released in 2020, “food is big business.”

And even if you don’t happen to grow, harvest, transport, distribute or sell any type of food product, you at least eat. So food, indeed, is important.

This is the time of year that backyard gardens are bountiful – when’s the last time you had a juicy red slicing tomato? Unless you grew it yourself, got it from the local farmers market or farm stand, chances are it came from somewhere far away.

Charlie Robinette, with AmeriCorps North Carolina, has been working since last fall to strengthen what currently is considered at best a loose network to bolster the region’s food system.

The five-county Kerr-Tar region’s food policy lists six priorities to help the region establish a more cohesive and collaborative approach when it comes to creating a network for sharing resources about food. View the document here: https://www.kerrtarcog.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Kerr-Tar-Regional-COG-Food-Policy-Final.pdf

Robinette oversaw five different listening sessions in the spring – one in each of the five counties represented by the KTCOG – and from those listening sessions, a 15-member Regional Food Council was created.

Robinette, a guest on Tuesday’s TownTalk, said more than 75 individuals participated and came up with about 200 examples of successes, 200 examples of challenges and had some ideas about what should come next.

The Regional Food Council has met a couple of times already and is planning to meet again next week, Robinette said.

Robinette said the food council’s focus right now is twofold: Increasing access to healthy local foods and also increasing market and capital for farmers.

Farmers want consumers to be educated about where their food comes from and what it takes to get produce and more from the field or greenhouse to the table.

But it’s important for those who have different roles in the food chain to at least have a working knowledge of the entire system, Robinette said.

One way to achieve that is to have a centralized location where anyone can find resources. There are plenty of resources in the region, but sometimes it’s difficult to find information.

“We shouldn’t be replicating efforts,” Robinette said. Rather, a centralized location can direct individuals to agencies that already provide the services they’re looking for.

The food policy identified five “milestones” along the path of creating a regional food system. The first two have been checked off – adoption of a regional food policy and creation of a regional food council.

The next milestone involves an assessment of all available resources, cataloging them and identifying gaps in service.

Learn more at https://www.kerrtarcog.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/KERR-TAR-COG-FOOD-POLICY-PRESENTATION.pdf

 

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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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