Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

N.C.’s Ag Impact Keeps Growing…And Growing

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-information courtesy of N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Maybe you’ve seen the bumper sticker that reads “If You’ve Eaten Today, Thank a Farmer.”

The impact that farmers and farming have in this state is huge. And Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler has put that statement in measurable terms – for the first time, the economic impact of agriculture and agribusiness industry in North Carolina has topped $100 billion.

The exact figure, in fact, is $103.2 billion.

The numbers come from Dr. Mike Walden, N.C. State University economist and professor emeritus. These numbers reflect the economic value of growing, processing and delivering food, natural fiber and forestry products, Troxler said in a press release, and were calculated using the latest USDA statistics.

“When I took office in 2005, the economic impact of agriculture and agribusiness was $59 billion and $100 billion seemed like a good goal to work toward,” Troxler said. “In 2016, I made a prediction that North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness industry would soon reach $100 billion,” he added.

“I’m proud to say that we’ve reached that goal and surpassed last year’s economic impact by more than 11 percent. Reaching this milestone is a big accomplishment for everyone in agriculture and agribusiness and proves how much we can accomplish when we are all pulling together.”

Agriculture is North Carolina’s No. 1 industry, employing about one-fifth of the state’s workforce. Last year’s economic impact figure was $92.9 billion.

“We are blessed to have a strong, resilient, and engaged agriculture community that includes farmers, agribusiness owners, commodity associations, agricultural associations and effective leadership in the North Carolina General Assembly,” Troxler said. “I can assure you we will set new goals and keep North Carolina agriculture growing.”

NC State Board of Elections

Specifics On New Voter Photo ID Rules

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In response to the state’s new voter ID law, the state board of elections has issued information that may be helpful for citizens to keep in mind before their next trip to the polls.

Voters will be asked to show a photo ID, starting with the 2023 municipal elections. A driver’s license or other photo ID will be accepted.

Those without a photo ID can get a No Fee ID Card from NCDMV and soon, it is expected that a free ID will be available from your local board of elections office.

When a voter checks in to a polling place, poll workers will ask for an ID, and they are supposed to look to make sure the photo reasonably resembles the voter; the address doesn’t have to match the voter registration records

It is important to note that all voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. Those without an ID will use the ID exception form and a provisional ballot.

For complete details, visit ncsbe.gov/voter-ID and “FAQ: Voter ID” to learn more.

Michele Burgess Named George Watkins Citizen Of The Year

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Michele Eaves Burgess has been named the George Watkins Citizen of the Year by the Occoneechee Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Burgess officially received the honor at an awards ceremony Thursday in Henderson. This award is Scouting’s premier event and major fundraiser in Vance County, and honors extraordinary community leaders in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the quality of life in the Eno River District and who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law, according to a press release issued by the Occoneechee Council.

“I am honored to be recognized by our community for my involvement and dedication to making Vance County a better place for our future leaders and today’s youth,” Burgess said in a prepared statement. “Being selected to receive this award, named for Mr. George R. Watkins, Sr., who I admire and have had the pleasure to work with for many years is very special to me. George and his family have set a positive example of how volunteerism and giving back makes such an impact.”

In presenting the award, Ronald Bennett, event chairman, praised Burgess for the energy and excitement she brought in her role as president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. She recently retired but Bennett said Vance County and the surrounding communities are better places because of her efforts through the Chamber.

Burgess has led the Chamber three different times over the years. Tem Blackburn, who shared remarks Thursday evening, was on the interview committee that chose Burgess over others. Although she had less experience than those other candidates, there was something that clearly set her apart, he said.

“In the years that followed, whenever I needed help on a project for the Library, the YMCA, the public schools, anything of benefit to the community I called Michele and I always felt she was not only glad to help, but she was so glad I had called her and asked her to help,” he said.

Nancy Bobbitt also spoke about her friend and told those gathered that Burgess “has never faltered in her love and support of this community.” Through Burgess’s leadership over the years, the Chamber established Leadership Vance and Business After Hours, Bobbitt said. And Burgess was the first Chamber executive from Henderson to graduate and receive certification from the National Institute of Organizational Management.

“She always has a smile and good word for everyone she meets,” Bobbitt said. “She has a wealth of experience and ability to lead others to do their best to make Henderson and Vance County live up to its potential.”

Blackburn said Burgess has been working on behalf of Vance County and its residents to build community. It’s a lot of work, but Burgess has a way of approaching tasks that makes them a bit more enjoyable, Blackburn said.

“Speaking for myself, and for many others who have worked with Michele over the years, she has made it not only rewarding, but great fun!”

 

 

 

Chamber’s “Local Ladies In Leadership” Program Set For June 8

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Registration is now open for the next “Women in Business” session.

Vance County Economic Development Director McKinley Perkinson will be the speaker for the second in a series titled “Local Ladies in Leadership.”

Perkinson will bring updates and information about local trends in economic development.

The lunch and learn will begin at 12 noon on Thursday, June 8, in the Farm Bureau Room at Perry Memorial Library.

This is an opportunity for women in the community to hear first-hand how the community is growing and what is in store for the future of Henderson and Vance County.

Contact Vanessa Jones, director of programs for the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at vanessa@hendersonvance.org by June 5 to register. The fee is $20 a person.

Call the Chamber office at 252.438.8414 for more information.

CNA Anna Williams 2023 Mercy Award Winner For Maria Parham Health

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— Information courtesy of Donna Young, Maria Parham Health’s Marketing & Communication Coordinator

Maria Parham Health recently announced that Anna Williams, CNA, is the 2023 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

“At Maria Parham Health, we share Lifepoint’s commitment to making communities healthier, and we recognize this is supported by the good work and service of our employees on and off the job,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “We are extremely proud to recognize Anna for her efforts on behalf of our patients and our community. She goes above and beyond each and every day to ensure that every person she encounters receives the highest level of care and compassion.”

Beard continued, “Anna has been a certified nurse assistant for more than 17 years with Maria Parham. For the entirety of her work at MPH she has remained at the bedside. Anna is part of the heart and soul of our inpatient services and punctuates the importance of every member of the care team, and the profound impact that one strong team member can have on others.”

Williams also was recognized by her pastor as a leader whom the community looks to for guidance. She is part of the prayer ministry at Union Chapel Holy Church, and for more than 30 years has helped the sick in her church, as well as those who have lost family members by providing food, transportation, financial assistance or just some sympathetic company in a time of need.

Upon receiving this recognition, Williams responded, “I enjoy my job and find happiness in seeing patients progress and return to health. It allows me to be a beacon of light in the lives of others.”

Each facility winner will be in contention for the companw-wide Mercy Award, which will be announced in August during a ceremony in Nashville, TN.

NC DMV Notes Changes For Teen Drivers

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Parents with teen drivers, take note: there are some changes coming to the graduated driver licensing program, and the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles wants to make sure a trip to your local DMV office goes as smoothly as possible.

The General Assembly passed a bill that went into effect earlier this week which requires teen drivers to have their Level 1 learner permit for 6 months before they get their provisional license. Other requirements remain the same: drivers must be at least 16 years old, log 60 hours of driving time, pass a road test and show printed proof of insurance in the teen driver’s name.

This could lead to bottlenecks at the local DMV, as demand for road tests increases so teens can get provisional driver licenses.

“We ask for your patience as we work to accommodate the thousands of teen drivers that are suddenly eligible to take a road test and receive their Level 2 provisional license,” Goodwin said.

One reminder: road tests, which teen drivers must pass to achieve the Level 2 license, will not be scheduled after 4 p.m.

Customers who need to make an appointment for a road test or conduct DMV business as a walk-in have a new tool which will show the current average wait time at their local DMV office. Find it on the https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices. Customers can now hover over the icon marking each driver license office and a box will pop up with the current walk-in wait time. The wait time is defined as the current average length of time from check-in until the customer is called to the workstation for service.

“I’m very excited about this new tool that will show customers the walk-in wait time at driver license offices so they can make an informed decision on which office to go to, or whether to try again another day,” said DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. “This tool will be most useful in the afternoon when our 115 driver license offices are serving walk-ins only.”

During COVID-19 restrictions, the long-standing requirement that teen drivers have their permits for 12 months was temporarily shortened to 6 months; that requirement lapsed at the end of 2022. Furthermore, beginning Jan. 1 2024, the 6-month period will permanently extend to 9 months.

Another change to the graduated driver license process allows Level 2 permit holders to be able to drive one passenger under 21 who is not a family member, if they are being driven directly to or from school. This is in addition to the existing provision allowing one passenger under 21 that is a family member.

Schedule an appointment at https://skiptheline.ncdot.gov/

 

FarmsSHARE Program Connects Small Farmers, Local Residents With Fresh, Healthy Foods

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FarmsSHARE is a program that was started in 2020 by Carolina Farm Stewardship Association as a response to COVID-19. And now, almost three years later, federal and state agriculture officials have funded the program to keep it going – and even expanding its reach to help underserved communities increase its access to fresh, local-grown foods.

Working Landscapes, a Warren County non-profit agency, is one of FarmsSHARE’s  hub partners that provides fresh, locally grown produce to three locations in Vance and Warren counties.

FarmsSHARE began as a way to help connect people with healthy food, but it also was a way to provide financial support to small businesses during the pandemic shutdown.

State agriculture officials have gotten $7.6 million to keep the program up and running, working with 15 hub partners and more than 200 community-based organizations across the state to obtain and distribute 133,000 boxes of local food. The farms and food hubs also receive assistance to enter new markets for local food.

Working Landscapes works with local partners Turning Point CDC in Henderson, as well as the H.O.P.E. Regional Medical Clinic and Loaves & Fishes Ministries, both in Warren County.

ByWay Foods Hub is one aspect of the Working Landscapes operation, works out of two downtown Warrenton locations. The primary location is on Franklin Street, on a repurposed historic site that once housed a cotton gin and flour mill.  That’s where the fresh-cut vegetable operation is based. It’s also where the team manages the CSA-style program provides fresh, healthy foods to community residents.

“Creating more opportunities for North Carolinians to source local products from North Carolina farmers is beneficial all around, for consumers, farmers, and our local food supply long term,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Expanding FarmsSHARE…is expected to strengthen and expand our efforts and allow food hubs to connect and develop relationships with socially disadvantaged farmers, small farmers, and small businesses to the benefit of local farmers and communities.”

Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan. Questions regarding how to participate as either a farmer or distribution site should be sent to Kana Miller, Local Food Distribution Coordinator, kana@carolinafarmstewards.org and 919.542.2402 ext. 831.

Upcoming Blood Drives In The Area

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May is Trauma Awareness Month, and American Red Cross encourages individuals to sign up to give blood at upcoming local drives as a way to help in situations where every second counts.

Blood products – blood, plasma and platelets – can provide lifesaving care, but hospitals often struggle to keep sufficient supplies on hand.

Did you know that Type O is the universal blood type? Donors who have Type O Negative blood are especially needed now, according to information from the local Red Cross office in Raleigh.

Type O Negative blood can be used in emergency situations when there’s no time to determine a patient’s blood type; Type O Positive blood can be transfused to Rh-Positive patients of any blood type.

As a thank-you, all donors who come in to give blood between now and May 19 will get a $10 e-gift card. And anyone who gives at any time during the month of May will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to the MLB All-Star Game in Seattle, WA.

The prize package includes two tickets to the 2023 MLB® All-Star Game® thanks to the support of Fanatics, round-trip airfare, four-night hotel accommodations, a $750 gift card and more. Additionally, those who come to give May 20-31 will receive an exclusive Red Cross beach towel, while supplies last.

The prizes are just a small way to say thank you to donors who give blood, but the larger reward is knowing that your donation helps keep hospital blood banks full and ready to help in the event of a medical trauma.

Visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1.800.733.2767).

 

Upcoming blood drives:

 Vance

Henderson

5/15/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

5/23/2023: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Henderson Family YMCA, 380 Ruin Creek Rd.

5/30/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Central Baptist Church, 2574 Ruin Creek Rd.

Granville

Creedmoor

5/26/2023: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Ave.

Franklin

Louisburg

5/22/2023: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Senior Citizens Center, 279 S. Bickett Blvd.

 

VCS hosts Young Women’s Empowerment Conference

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-information courtesy of Brielle Barrow, VCS communication coordinator

A group of business leaders and professionals joined forces to share their knowledge, expertise and paths to success recently for the first Young Women’s Empowerment Conference sponsored by Vance County Schools.

The conference was designed “to inspire and empower middle and high school students to be their best selves and to prepare for their journey into young womanhood,” according to a press statement from Brielle Barrow, VCS Communication Coordinator.

The event was held Friday, April 28 at the Center for Innovation. More than 200 middle and high school students were on hand to hear from the six keynote speakers and to participate in a variety of mini breakout sessions with the women.

Among those present to speak at the conference were Margier White, KaKeasha Richardson, PA-C, Cameshia Gavin, Kayachtta Hawkins-Bullock, DDS, Heather Kenney and Kemira Venable.

MPH Earns Another Leapfrog “A” For Patient Safety

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-information courtesy of Donna Young, MPH Marketing & Communication Coordinator

Maria Parham Health has earned another ‘A’ in hospital safety from a national watchdog group that rates hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for protecting patients from preventable harm and errors.

This latest grade from The Leapfrog Group is primarily for the time during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. MPH received an A from the same group last fall.

“This outstanding result represents the work and collaborative efforts of our entire care team and partners over the years,” stated MPH CEO Bert Beard. “We are very proud to have sustained this high standard and will continue to work to provide access to high quality care for the region. With just over a quarter of the hospitals across the country receiving an A, we thank our communities for entrusting us with their care and for the opportunity to serve them at this high level.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national organization assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

“This new update of Hospital Safety Grades shows that, at the national level, we saw deterioration in patient safety with the pandemic,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of the The Leapfrog Group. “But this hospital received an A despite those challenges. I congratulate all the leaders, staff, volunteers and clinicians who together made that possible,” Binder said in a press release from MPH Marketing & Communication Coordinator Donna Young.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.  Grades are updated in the fall and spring each year.

To see Maria Parham Health’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HosptialSafetyGrade.org. and follow The Leapfrog Group ofn Twitter, Facebook and via its newsletter.