TownTalk 5-24-21 Vance Co. Schools
John C. Rose and Bill Harris discuss Vance County Schools including graduation, Dr. Anthony Jackson’s resignation and the search for a new superintendent.
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TownTalk 05-20-21 Dan Pezzoni, Historic Architecture Connects Families Then and Now Through Stories
(Cover Photo Credit: Bill Garrett)
Dan Pezzoni says he always looks in the closets of the houses he visits – but it’s not because he’s nosey. He’s looking for clues that may help him better understand the history of the structure and shed some light about the people who once lived there.
Pezzoni writes about historical architecture and is currently working on a book about Franklin County architecture. He spoke with Bill Harris and Mark Pace Thursday on Town Talk about projects he’s worked on and how his love for historic architecture has grown over the years.
He said he’s written or edited a dozen or so books about a particular county or region’s historic architecture.
He admits that his alma mater, Virginia Tech, had a modernist focus in its school of architecture, but as a new graduate he learned that every state has a program to record historic architecture. He has worked extensively in North Carolina and Virginia, but has also spent time in Nevada for work. There are some “really cool” ghost towns and silver mines in Nevada that date back to the 1860’s, he said. “If you look really closely, they’re really well constructed buildings,” Pezzoni added.
Ghost towns and silver mines aside, Pezzoni said his work is as much about the stories of the people associated with the building as the building itself.
His work in Franklin County began in late 2019 and early 2020, following completion of an architectural survey. Although a book doesn’t always follow completion of a survey, folks in Franklin County decided to have one published.
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The homes are part of the “heritage of the people who lived in Franklin County going back 200-plus years,” he said. The connection between the people who loved the home then and those who love and care for the home now provide a powerful connection to ensure the home will continue to be cherished.
Pezzoni said he finds that owners of old homes want to have that special connection – “they get excited about the history of their house, their farm,” he said.
Although editing can sound kind of dry or technical, Pezzoni said he wants to pull together information from multiple architectural surveys – from the 1970’s to as recent as 3 or 4 years ago – into one cohesive compilation, writing in the most engaging way possible.
Sometimes the surveys uncover previously unnoticed structures, he said, or the surveyors may have been influenced by local guides who were interested in a particular style or area. Plus, the maps that were used years ago were aerial maps, so “if you have an abandoned house in a pine forest, it’s not going to show up” on a map.
That’s why he always looks in closets – there may be a scrap of fabric, or a name of a child who dared carve or write his name and a date in a spot where Mama or Daddy would never see.
That’s the kind of information that Pezzoni can use to more precisely re-create the home’s history.
TownTalk 05-19-21 Pacific Organics Supplies Mulch, Potting Mixes Up and Down East Coast
The name can be a little confusing, Bobby Oakley admits, but Pacific Organics is not based on the West Coast: it is a Henderson-based company, alive and well, creating container potting media from pine bark.
Oakley, who has been with Pacific Organics since its inception in 2004, is getting ready to retire, but he told John C. Rose Wednesday on Town Talk that the business continues to thrive, even during a pandemic.
In fact, business has really ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oakley called it “the Covid effect”: “Who knew that the pandemic would dramatically increase sales?” he recounted Wednesday. “Apparently people stuck at home, a lot of them thought about putting plants in the ground,” Oakley said. He said 3,500 truckloads have been shipped up and down the East Coast this year.
Increased demand for the products that Pacific produces – premium potting mix, pine bark media bases and mulch – created a slightly stressful situation for Oakley in the past year, because it meant having to find additional raw materials and then additional transport.
Oakley said Henderson was a perfect location for the business because of its proximity to interstates for shipping and to saw mills and paper mills, which generate the pine bark that they need to create their mulch and mixes.
The pine bark, a by-product of the mill processes, serves as the key ingredient for the Pacific Organics products. They ship in bulk or in loose form – there’s no packaging at their facility, which sits on 23.5 acres on Peter Gill Road.
Oakley said he loves the nursery business and the nursery supply business. When he was contacted by one of the co-founders back in 2004, he was interested in better serving an underserved market. Plus, he said, although he had a great job at the time, he was “bored.”
“I’m Interested in exploring the next phase of my life,” Oakley said of his retirement.
All I know is I’m going to the beach a lot, and read a lot,” he said. Maybe he’ll even play a little golf again. But being bored will not be on his to-do list.
Visit www.pacific-organics.com to learn more.
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TownTalk 5-18-21 Mobile Learning Lab “Open Bus” Event May 22
Chalis Henderson gives credit where credit is due. And Henderson credits her father for coming up with an idea that is finally coming to fruition – the Creating Success Mobile Learning Lab.
What used to be a mode of transportation to take students to and from school now brings the school to the students – it’s a former bus.
The public is invited to come check it out on Saturday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oasis of Hope Ministries, 2495 US 158 bypass in Henderson. There will be a deejay playing music, as well as food and lawn games for the whole family to enjoy.
Henderson was Tuesday’s guest on Town Talk and told host Trey Snide how the idea for a mobile learning lab came about. She is the executive director of Turning Point Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit whose mission is to be a catalyst for development and empowerment of residents in Vance, Warren, Granville and Franklin counties.
She and her father were talking a few years ago about how they could expand the building where the church was holding its education program. Henderson said she thought of maybe hauling in a shipping container to the church, but then her father said, “Why don’t you use a bus?” That’s when the idea of a classroom on wheels began, she said.
Warren County government gave them the money to buy the bus, and over the past couple of years, that bus has been transformed.
“We want everyone to come out and witness the lab firsthand,” Henderson said. The computers are in place, and there will be a slideshow that will “paint the story of the development of the learning lab,” she said.
They ripped out the bench seats and created a flexible-space classroom equipped with laptops – a comfortable space for children and adults, Henderson said. “It’s been such a rewarding process to see it develop,” she said. “We know it’s going to be a great resource for the community.” Whether it’s children learning something new about technology, or having a session for grownups, Henderson said she anticipates that anyone who participates will leave feeling smarter and more empowered.
Turning Point CDC works to bring resources to rural communities and to bridge the gap that exists between those resources and the people who may need them.
Visit www.turningpointcdc.org to learn more.
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TownTalk 05-17-21 To Wear Or Not Wear A Mask
Host John C. Rose discusses whether or not to wear a mask following recent CDC guidance.
May Is Mental Health Month; Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Links Community To Services
TownTalk; 11am; M-F; WIZS Radio —
If you, a family member or friend is struggling with mental health issues – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – a phone call to Cardinal Innovations Healthcare may be the first step to finding help.
May is Mental Health Month, and Thursday’s Town Talk guests discussed a variety of ways that the community can become involved in, learn about, and access services to support families that struggle with mental health challenges.
Monae Davis, member engagement specialist for the Northern Region of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, spoke with John C. Rose Thursday about resources her organization provides.
She was joined by Diana Talley and Gladys Foster-Young, both members of the Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC), a group that advises Cardinal Innovations Healthcare regarding community and member needs.
CFAC members are volunteers who share their unique perspectives to help inform decisions and initiatives that improve the health and wellness of its members, Davis said. The Northern Region group supports Vance, Franklin, Granville, Warren and Halifax counties.
“So many people who are in need of services who may not know how to ask for services,” Talley said Thursday. “We talk to the community, we are present at community activities and functions…and are able to come back to Cardinal and say ‘these are the needs and concerns of the community,’” she added.
Foster-Young said the CFAC role is to monitor development of services, identify service gaps, especially for underserved populations, and submit recommendations to the state for ways to improve service delivery.
Both Talley and Foster Young became involved with CFAC because they have family members with mental health challenges. “We have good days and bad days,” Foster-Young said, “but when we look back at where we are now and where we have come from, it’s a miracle,” she said, of her particular family members’ situation.
Anyone over the age of 18 who either receives Cardinal services or has a family member that does is eligible to be a member of the CFAC. The time commitment is about four hours each month; meetings are virtual because of COVID-19 restrictions, but stipends and reimbursement for mileage are available when in-person meetings can resume.
The Northern Region CFAC meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for June 8, Davis said.
The pandemic has been stressful for everyone, and Talley said it is important to be honest and recognize when it’s time to reach out for help. People may be suffering from depression as a result of unemployment because of the pandemic, she said. “Everybody needs help from time to time,” she said. Call 252.430.1330 for information.
Cardinal Innovations Healthcare does not provide direct services to clients, Davis said; rather, it helps connect members – who receive Medicaid benefits – to the services in the community to address their needs in the areas of mental health, substance abuse disorders and intellectual developmental disabilities.
“There is help available,” Talley said. “Reach out, you don’t have to live with these diagnoses alone,” Talley said. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help.”
Visit https://www.cardinalinnovations.org/About/Committees-councils/CFAC?tab=2 to learn more about the CFAC and how to join the group.
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(Cardinal Innovations is an advertising client of WIZS. This story and the embedded audio are not paid ads. Nothing presented is intended to offer medical advice. Please speak directly to your provider.)
TownTalk 5-12-21; NC Lawmakers Toting Guns
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Guns carried by NC Lawmakers.
TownTalk 5-11-21; KARTS Provides Key Service To Rural Residents
Irene Johnson, executive director of KARTS discusses the transportation services offered by the agency, the effects of Covid-19 and the need for drivers.
Johnson stressed Kerr Area Rural Transportation Authority operates with a “safety first” approach to everything.
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The term “public transportation” may conjure up images of crowded buses headed across a busy commercial district in a large city, but rural areas have public transportation services that help people get to medical appointments or complete errands in town.
In Vance, Franklin, Granville and Warren counties, 55 KARTS buses travel the country roads to pick up rural residents who rely on public transportation.
KARTS, or Kerr Area Rural Transportation Authority, has been serving the four-county area since 1983, said Irene Johnson, KARTS executive director. She told John C. Rose Tuesday on Town Talk that she wants to spread the word about KARTS.
Anyone who needs a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine can ride for free, Johnson said. “We will make that possible at no cost” to the rider, she said. Just call KARTS at 252.438.2573 after scheduling the vaccine appointment.
Johnson said KARTS buses are on the road Monday through Saturday, and some drivers begin their shifts behind the wheel by 2:30 a.m. Many riders go to dialysis centers she said, and appointments there start as early as 4 a.m.
But KARTS buses take riders to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, too. A scheduler can provide details about schedules and fare costs. Visit www.kartsnc.com for a breakdown of roundtrip fares. A roundtrip fare between 1-10 miles costs $8; a roundtrip fare between 11-20 miles is $10.
Those Around the Town shuttles that scurry throughout Vance County are KARTS buses, too. Johnson said there are designated stops for those shuttles, which generally run between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
COVID-19 restrictions created extra steps for KARTS, including sanitizing machines for the vehicles when they’re off the road, as well adding hand sanitizer stations on each bus. Masks are required to board the bus, and drivers have extras for anyone who needs one.
In addition to transporting people to their medical appointments and grocery shopping, Johnson said KARTS also takes people to work. She said at least four buses deliver workers daily to their jobs at Revlon in Oxford. Johnson estimated that those 55 buses are handling an average of 400 appointments a day, down from as many as 700 at one time.
KARTS, like many other rural transport agencies across the state, need qualified drivers. “We’re comfortable at 400 (trips), but we could use 20 drivers right now,” she said.
Drivers must be at least 21 years old and pass a background check and a drug screen.
“You’ve got to be someone who likes people,” she noted. “The easy part is being behind the wheel – you may be the only person they see all day.”
(KARTS is an advertising client of WIZS. This article and audio are not paid ads.)
TownTalk 05-10-21 Economics, Jobs, Inflation
Host John C. Rose discusses economics, employment and inflation including the effect stimulus payments have had, how the lack of employees has effected the shipping of goods and concerns about inflation.
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TownTalk 5-5-21 VGCC Applied Technologies
Vance-Granville Community College offers an array of certificate and degree classes under the heading of Applied Technologies – from welding to mechatronics, these programs are designed to put students on a new career path or gain additional skills in their current field of work.
Robinette Fischer chairs VGCC’s applied technology department. She and Rusty Pace, who heads up the school’s welding program, discussed the various areas of study available at the college with John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk.
Welders are in short supply in the four counties that VGCC serves, Pace said. “There is a shortage of qualified welders,” he said. On top of that, the average age of a qualified welder is late 50’s or close to 60 years, so as more workers reach retirement age, industry will be looking for replacements.
Students in the welding program can earn a two-year degree or diploma, and Pace said evening classes offered at Main Campus provide convenience for those who may be working during the day.
Fischer said she fields calls regularly from businesses and industries asking for candidates to fill job openings. Electricians, heating and cooling (HVAC) technicians and welders are just a few of the jobs that are in demand.
Andrew Lynam of Youngsville, seen here in the Welding shop on VGCC’s Main Campus, is the college’s recipient of the North Carolina Community College System Academic Excellence Award for 2018. (VGCC Photo)
“The jobs are out there,” Fischer said. “And they pay well.” More women are applying to these programs, she said. “We’re trying to market more to women and make it understood that (they are) as capable as anyone else,” she said. “There’s no reason that women can’t go into those occupations and be successful.”
Pace said students who complete the welding program at VGCC will leave qualified in one of several areas of welding and must meet American Welding Society standards. Successful completion of the program prepares students for at least an entry-level welding job.
Other programs in the applied technologies department offer certificates, diplomas and degrees.
The carpentry program is being offered again after a pause, Fischer said. Other areas of study include electrical system studies for residential and commercial wiring, automotive, HVAC, mechatronics and electrical engineering (geared to a manufacturing environment that includes motors and other types of controls).
Whatever the program, Fischer said students have access to help all along the way. “If you’re wanting to go from ground zero to the top, we’re here for you and we’ll make that possible,” she said. We’ve got people to help you from the time you come in and say what program you’re interested in, getting you registered and started,” Fischer continued.
Pace said he and his fellow instructors help students not just have a job in welding, but have a career in welding. “The best place to start is at Vance-Granville,” he said.
Classes start May 24 for the summer term; the fall semester begins Aug. 16. Visit www.vgcc.edu to learn more.
(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS and WIZS.com. This is not a paid ad.)
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