Tag Archive for: #towntalk

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Town Talk 08/29/19: Medicaid Deadline Approaches, DSS Adds Evening Info. Session

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy WIZS’ Town Talk and a Vance County DSS press release

An evening informational event has been scheduled through the Vance County Department of Social Services to guide local Medicaid recipients through the process of selecting a health plan and primary care provider. The evening session will be held at Vance County Department of Social Services and is scheduled for:

  • September 10, 2019: 6 -8 p.m. Vance County Department Social Services, 350 Ruin Creek Rd, Henderson, NC

It is recommended that recipients who are senior citizens bring a trusted family member or friend to assist in the selection process.

If unable to attend this event, an outreach specialist is available for assistance at the Vance County Department of Social Services, 350 Ruin Creek Rd, Henderson, NC from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Assistance will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Vance County is in the first phase of the Medicaid Transformation, with recipients to be enrolled by a September 13 deadline. Changes to Medicaid requirements will take effect on November 1, 2019.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services notes that there are several health plans Medicaid recipients can choose from.

For a list of doctors for each health plan, or to enroll, visit ncmedicaidplans.gov, use the NC Medicaid Managed Care mobile app or call 1-833-870-5500. A language line is also available.

For eligibility information or for questions about Medicaid’s new requirements, contact Cathy Hope, 252-492-5001 x 3221, Shelonda Boyd, 252-492-5001 x 3266, Shalonda Daye, 252-492-5001 x 3204, Vance County Department of Social Services, at 252-492-5001.

To hear more on Medicaid changes and requirements, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 08/28/19: Community Events Show Law Enforcement in ‘Different Light’

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Sgt. Marti Stewart, with the Henderson Police Department, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss local law enforcement’s participation in the annual “Cops on Top” fundraiser as well as Vance County’s observance of the National Night Out Against Crime.

Stewart said these and other such community events allow the public to see law enforcement outside of their traditional roles. “These events let people see us in a different light. We, in turn, get to meet people and participate in community events.”

Cops on Top

Chick-fil-A of Henderson, the Henderson Police Department, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, WIZS 1450AM/100.1 FM and other community organizations will once again team up for the annual “Cops on Top” fundraiser for the Special Olympics of NC.

The event will be held at Chick-fil-A of Henderson on Thursday, September 5, 2019, from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Officers and deputies will be collecting donations at the restaurant’s drive-through and side entrances. Money raised will cover the expenses Vance County athletes incur while participating in the Special Olympics.

“Look into your console, look into your dash where you throw change after paying for something. We’d appreciate it if you drop that spare change in the bucket for us,” said Stewart.

The event will also provide entertainment for families including a bouncy house in the Chick-fil-A parking lot and face painting courtesy BoHo the Clown with Character Antics.

Kids are sure to enjoy guest appearances by Henderson Fire Department’s Sparky the Fire Dog and the Chick-fil-A cow, along with a special guest appearance by Muddy the Mudcat from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m.

Stewart reiterated that all money raised goes directly to Special Olympics of NC and not law enforcement departments.

Night Out Against Crime

Vance County’s Annual Night Out Against Crime will be held Tuesday, October 1, 2019, from 5 until 8 p.m. in front of the Henderson Police Department on Breckenridge Street. In case of rain, the event will be held Tuesday, October 8.

Stewart encouraged the community to bring the family out for presentations and displays by the Henderson Police Department, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers, Henderson Fire Department, Vance County Fire and EMS, NC State Highway Patrol, Vance County Schools and many other agencies and organizations.

Bleachers will be set up for participants to enjoy performances by the Badd Boyz and Lady Badd Boyz Social Club of Henderson, line dancers, Ballet Arts Dance Studio, Midnight Blue Martial Arts, Vance County High School’s JV cheerleaders and South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church’s gospel group.

Free hotdogs will be served and bouncy houses and activities for children will be available.

To hear Stewart’s interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 08/27/19: Oxford’s Huntsboro Hemp Company Discusses CBD

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Huntsboro Hemp Company’s Garrett and Katie Brewer, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Vice President of Product Development respectively, were on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss CBD and their production process.

CBD, or cannabidiol, continues to gain popularity among the general public as a potential, and more natural, remedy for anxiety and inflammatory-related disorders. So popular has it become that you can now ship it online from Synerva.

While producers and distributors of CBD refrain from making specific health claims, the Brewers said customers’ testimonials include reports of relief of everything from headaches and joint pain to more chronic conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Industrial hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of the cannabis species and does not provide the “high” typically associated with the THC compound found in its “sister” plant, marijuana.

According to Katie, industrial hemp must contain 0.3% or less THC to be considered legal.

“Testing is very crucial in our industry,” said Garrett. “We get certificates of analysis, which are lab reports essentially, from the time the flower is in the field all the way until it gets to the consumer. So we test at every stage of the process – from ingredients to final product.”

Garrett explained that it is this strenuous testing and dedication to providing quality ingredients, that makes Huntsboro Hemp Company unique. “That is what sets us apart – the way we make our recipe. Every time you get a bottle, you are going to get the exact same experience.”

Huntsboro Hemp currently offers three products including tinctures – used as drops placed under the tongue, bath “bombs” that enter through the skin by soaking in a bathtub and local honey infused with CBD to be consumed orally.

Huntsboro purchases hemp from local growers, including their own family farm, to ensure a pesticide and herbicide-free product that is sold at local retailers.

For the sake of transparency, Katie explained that not only does the company provide a superior product but is also dedicated to keeping the process as local as possible, even using Durham-based lab Avazyme, Inc. as their testing facility.

In a testament to the popularity and growth of the CBD industry, the Brewers quickly outgrew their first location established in 2018 and have recently set up headquarters at 123 Williamsboro Street in downtown Oxford.

Katie said the new building offers a wonderful view and provides “an office, room for production, space to meet with vendors, an area to host events and puts us right in the middle of downtown.”

To learn more about Huntsboro Hemp Company, please visit huntsborohempco.com.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

To hear the Brewers’ interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 08/26/19: VGCC’s Continuing Education Provides Skilled Local Workforce

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Dawn Michelle Tucker, Dean of Adult Basic Skills and Continuing Education at Vance-Granville Community College, was the guest of honor on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk.

Celebrating 50 years of serving and educating the community, Tucker said the college continues to excel because it adapts to the changing needs of both residents and employers alike.

Dawn Michelle Tucker, Dean of Adult Basic Skills and Continuing Education at Vance-Granville Community College, was the guest of honor on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk. Celebrating 50 years of serving and educating the community, Tucker said the college continues to excel because it adapts to the changing needs of both residents and employers alike. (WIZS photo)

“While there are careers that require a two-year or four-year degree, there are also careers that require a specific skillset or certifications,” said Tucker. “VGCC’s Continuing Education Department works to quickly ascertain the needs of the workforce and then builds a skilled workforce for the employers.”

In fact, Tucker said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais has been committed to providing an educated workforce to meet the current and future needs of local employers since taking the helm in January.

“One of Dr. Desmarais’ visions is that we meet the needs of our workforce in a short-term, workforce development kind of way,” said Tucker.

On the Adult Basic Skills side of the house, Tucker said the majority of jobs now have a minimum requirement of an Adult High School Diploma or High School Equivalency (GED).

“When you complete an Adult High School Diploma or receive your High School Equivalency, you are laying the groundwork to an employer that you are capable of completing a basic level of education. They know if you complete a high school credential then you have a certain level of academic skill,” explained Tucker.

Offering programs primarily to adult learners 18 years and older, VGCC provides High School Equivalency classes free of charge at all four campus locations. Daytime and evening classes are available.

Other programs and areas that fall under the Con. Ed. umbrella include Fire and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement Training, Occupational Extension, Occupational Healthcare, Personal Enrichment and VGCC’s Small Business Center.

For more information on VGCC’s Continuing Education division or to register, please visit www.vgcc.edu/coned, register in person at any campus location, or call (252) 738-3324/(252) 738-3345.

To hear Tucker’s interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 08/22/19: Short Discusses Changes to 911 Infrastructure, Hurricane Season

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

For Thursday’s edition of Town Talk, WIZS’ John Charles Rose took a “virtual radio tour” through the Henderson -Vance Emergency Operations Center with director Brian Short.

The Emergency Operations Center includes both the 911 Center and Emergency Management, an entity typically activated during weather-related events.

911 Center

When asked to describe a 911 telecommunicators typical day on the job, Short said a day usually consists of an assortment of loud music, larceny, shoplifting, shots fired, medical and fire calls.

“You name it, if it has a blinking light on it, we dispatch it; it all comes through us,” said Short.

Telecommunicators typically work a rotating schedule of 12-hour shifts and are extensively trained to handle the unique nature of their jobs.

“Telecommunicators are considered trainees for an entire year,” Short explained. “They take part in advanced training programs that involve in-house training, federal training, on-the-job training and certifications.”

Emphasizing the importance of good training, Short said, “Every time they answer the phone, they have the potential of talking to a person that is having the worst day of their life. We have to make sure they are prepared, trained and ready to handle any incident that is thrown at them.”

Short and staff will undergo additional training next week when the Vance Co. 911 Center makes the switch to a new infrastructure on Wednesday, August 28.

Known as “Next Generation 911,” this new telecommunications system provided by AT&T will allow for faster digital communication between the public, participating 911 centers and emergency personnel.

In addition to faster call processing, Short said the Next Generation infrastructure will eventually allow for video chats with callers, improve 911 texting speed and provide faster identification of GPS coordinates.

In a field where seconds can mean the difference between life and death, Short said new technology is constantly improving the emergency management game.

“AT&T won the state-wide contract for NC to provided Next Generation 911, so once all 911 Centers in the state are converted, it will allow us to back each other up, transfer calls and more effectively communicate,” said Short.

While technology continues to improve response time, Short reminded the public that saving 911 for true emergencies can also help.

“People should call 911 for urgent, life-threatening emergencies, to report a fire, to report an injury, to request an ambulance or to report a crime either in progress or that just occurred,” said Short. “911 should not be used to ask for telephone numbers, to see if a relative is in jail or to see if an event is still being held in bad weather, just to name a few.”

Short said nonemergency calls are often “politely” handled by telecommunicators but have further-reaching implications for callers reporting true emergencies. “What you have to understand is if we are tied up on something that’s not an emergency, it could potentially affect the time it takes us to answer an emergency call. Let’s keep 911 for emergencies only.”

Emergency Management

With hurricane season being in full swing and winter weather following not too far behind, Short and staff are paying close attention to weather forecasts.

“This time of year, we always keep an eye on the Atlantic Basin. It’s the last thing I look at before I go to bed and the first thing I check when I wake up,” said Short.

Fortunately, Short said the latest tropical development currently has a low potential to become a hurricane and is not a major concern for the local area.

If it was a concern, or when the next hurricane does threaten Vance County, Emergency Management staff, elected officials, appointed officials and public safety officials will meet in a specially-designated emergency room.

“The room becomes the hub of all activity at the command level,” Short said. “We sit down at the table and we make collective decisions for the good of the community.”

Short said weather drives “everything” involving Emergency Management services, which in turn affects call volume at the 911 Center. In fact, he said the highest spikes in 911 call volume are almost always traced back to inclement weather events, further demonstrating the importance of keeping 911 calls limited to true emergencies.

To hear Short’s interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Downtown Henderson

Town Talk 08/21/19: City of Henderson Names Walters Full-Time DDC Director

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

With the recent hiring of Kathy Walters as the full-time director of the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission (DDC), the City of Henderson is one step closer to reestablishing its North Carolina Main Street Program status.

After eleven years of employment with the State of NC, Walters officially returns to the City of Henderson and the DDC on Monday, September 9.

For the past several years, the DDC director’s position has been funded on a part-time, contract-only basis, an arrangement that prevented Downtown Henderson, in part, from being reinstated in the Main Street Program.

“We are extremely delighted and fortunate to have Kathy on full-time with the DDC again,” said Board Chair Benny Finch. “She’s had about 10 years of experience working with the City and she’s very familiar with Downtown Henderson and the Main Street Program.”

A part of the Main Street Program from the mid-1980s until approximately 2010, a time that included Walters first tenure as director in the 90s, a lapse in the completion of requirements cost the downtown area the coveted distinction.

According to Finch, the benefits provided to a Main Street community are well worth the time and effort that the commission is investing in the three-year re-certification process.

“It is a three-year [overall] process and we are more than halfway there,” Finch said. “We expect to successfully complete all requirements by 2020. This will get us back into the Main Street Program which provides design expertise, as well as grant and networking opportunities.”

Citing her experience with maintaining Main Street status in the past, Finch said Walters was also instrumental in developing the Embassy Square area that now includes Perry Memorial Library, McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and the Henderson Police Station.

In September 2017, Henderson was one of three NC towns selected by the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center to receive up to three years of technical assistance for the recertification process.

Walters has already made it clear she is the right person for the job, according to Finch, as she has taken the initiative to meet with NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center director Liz Parham in Raleigh before her official day as DDC director even begins.

“We’re happy that Kathy has already taken the step to meet with Liz and to get the ball rolling on that part of the process,” Finch said.

In an email to WIZS, Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington echoed Finch’s sentiments:

“We are pleased to welcome Kathy Walters back to the City of Henderson as our new Downtown Development Director,” Ellington wrote. “In our current fiscal year city budget, we allotted funding to provide for a full-time downtown director. It is necessary to ensure a vibrant downtown and re-entry into the North Carolina Main Street Program now that we have this person in place. Kathy, with her experience, knowledge and passion for Henderson, was the ideal candidate and we are looking forward to a bright future while preserving our past.”

To hear further discussion on the hiring of Walters and the future of downtown, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Town Talk 08/20/19: Vipers Kick Off Friday Night Football With Game Against Bunn

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

It’s officially football season, and WIZS has you covered locally with “Vance County Friday Night Football” live every Friday evening on 1450AM, 100.1 FM, and via live stream at www.wizs.com. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m.; kickoff and play-by-play coverage begin at 7 p.m.

Also, be sure to tune-in to WIZS’ weekly Coach’s Corner Show each Friday at 1 p.m. This week, to kick off the season, the Coach’s Corner will originate live from Citizens Pub and Grill in downtown Henderson.

WIZS’ own John Charles Rose and Trey Snide were on Tuesday’s edition of Town Talk to provide an overview of the Vance County High School Vipers’ second overall athletic season and first season as part of the Big Eight 3A Conference.

Playing in their first game this Friday evening, August 23, 2019, the Vipers take on the Bunn Wildcats at home. The Vipers finished with a 4 – 7 record in their first season of play as a combined high school last year.

The first four games of the season are nonconference matches; conference play in the Big Eight 3A begins with a game against the Chapel Hill Tigers on September 27.

The final game of the regular season is scheduled at home against the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves on November 8.

The Vipers will also face the East Chapel Hill Wildcats, Southern Durham Spartans, Orange Panthers, Northern Durham Knights and Northwood Chargers in conference play.

Snide, who enters his third year covering Friday Night Football for WIZS, said Vipers Coach Darry Ragland is excited about this season, especially quarterback Samein Burwell.

“This is the first year Burwell has had a complete off-season and workout program,” said Snide. “In the sixth, seventh or eighth game of the regular season, that’s when Burwell finally had a full year under his belt under the brand new offense the Vipers were bringing with Coach Ragland.”

Snide said Ragland has expressed “excitement about Burwell’s potential” and hopes to improve on last year’s record of 1,800 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

On the Wildcats end, second-year Bunn Head Football Coach Bradley Murphy spoke with Snide and said the Vipers can expect his team to bring “hustle and effort” to Friday’s match.

“We are going to come and give our best effort and best hustle on and off the field,” Murphy said. “I tell my boys all the time if they give their best, I’ll be proud of them at the end of the game regardless of the final score.”

Snide said the outcome of this first game, along with additional nonconference games scheduled against the Warren County Eagles, J.F. Webb Warriors and Roanoke Rapids Yellow Jackets, will set the tone for the Viper’s season.

“We are going to see what this team is all about, especially in the first four games leading up to the Big Eight Conference. These are teams we should be able to handle pretty well if the offense and defense can play on the same playing field,” Snide said.

Snide and WIZS’ other “colorful” cast of Vance County Friday Night Football announcers are looking forward to rooting on the Vipers this season. In fact, Rose said he can document coverage of what is now known as Vance County Friday Night Football back to at least 50 of the station’s 64 years on the airwaves.

“None of this is about us, however,” said Rose. “This is about the school, this is about Vance County, this is about the listenership, but most important, this is about the student-athletes. WIZS cannot wait to highlight the student-athletes – the quarterbacks, the defensive players, as well as the coaches and assistant coaches.”

To hear the Vance County Friday Night Football Town Talk discussion in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Salvation Army

Town Talk 08/19/19: Salvation Army Welcomes Derrick & Odessa Smith

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Vance County’s Salvation Army recently welcomed new leaders Lts. Derrick and Odessa Smith, a husband-and-wife team last stationed in Alamance County.

The Smiths take over for the recently retired Captain Rick Langley and wife Angie who headed the local Salvation Army operation since 2012.

Odessa, who has been a part of the Salvation Army since she was four years old, said it was her experience and love for the ministry that attracted husband Derrick, originally of Duplin County, to serve.

“I’ll be honest, when she first invited me, I thought we were having church at a thrift store,” Derrick recalled with a laugh. “I remember vividly going to the Salvation Army for the first time and the people just came around and loved me like I had been there for 20 years!”

The Smiths have arrived at a transitional time for the local ministry, specifically with the opening of a new facility and ball fields encompassing a 40-acre lot on Ross Mill Road in Henderson. The new building will be located near Mako Medical Laboratories and Vance Charter School.

According to Odessa, the facility is expected to be completed in mid to late October with a ribbon-cutting and building dedication ceremony to follow in November.

The new facility will allow for more space for what the Smiths have identified through studies to be one of the greatest needs of the community – youth services.

“One of the biggest needs is youth development,” explained Odessa. “We would like to have after-school programs, mentoring programs and partnerships with local schools and other community organizations.”

In an interview with WIZS prior to his retirement in June, Rick Langley stated that the new facility will include a community center, gym, full-size commercial kitchen and two ball fields – baseball and soccer.

In addition to hosting Salvation Army-related games, the ballfields will double as the home field of the neighboring Vance Charter School Knights.

While construction is underway on the new building, the Salvation Army will continue to operate from its 355 Alexander Avenue location in Henderson.

The former Salvation Army Store, located at 222 W. Montgomery Street in downtown Henderson, is currently used for storage and provides the space needed to organize larger donations such as furniture, according to Derrick.

The new Salvation Army Store, located at 218 Raleigh Road in Henderson, recently held a one-day anniversary sale on August 10.

“We both want to thank the community for showing up,” Derrick said. “We had folks lining up at 8 a.m. waiting for the sale to begin at 9 a.m. It was a very successful day.”

According to Derrick, one of the highlights of the day was talking to people and making them aware of just how much their purchases were helping the community. “I don’t think many people know this, but 85 cents of every dollar spent goes back to help people in this community.”

“We’ve already seen that we have a very generous community here,” said Derrick. “It helps us to fulfill the Salvation Army’s mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination.”

To hear the Smiths’ Town Talk interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

 

Town Talk 08/16/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

 

Town Talk 08/15/19

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm