Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

First Methodist Church

Fall Bazaar, Country Breakfast Saturday At First United Methodist Church

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The United Women in Faith will host their Fabulous Fall Bazaar, Country Sausage Breakfast and Tag Sale this Saturday, Nov. 5 at First United Methodist Church, 114 Church St.

Breakfast will be served from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., but that’s just the tip of the iceberg for the event. The bazaar and tag sale runs from 7 a.m. to 12 noon in the fellowship hall and fellowship building of the church.

Breakfast is $8 and includes a full country breakfast – sausage, scrambled eggs, grits, biscuits, coffee and juice. Tickets available now from church members and at the door.

The breakfast and bazaar will be in the fellowship hall.

The bazaar will have cakes, pies, homemade frozen foods, crafts and a silent auction. The Country Store will be stocked with home-preserved food items.

The UWF Tag Sale Shop will display vintage/antique furniture, rugs, framed prints, glassware, china, silver, gift-quality accessories and holiday décor. The shop is located on the first and second floors of the education building.

Proceeds support local and global mission ministries.

Come to enjoy the food and fellowship and to kick off a fun holiday season!

Remembering Eddie Hicks

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Henderson native Eddie Hicks died Monday, Oct. 31.

Hicks gave back to his hometown in many ways, and he was a long-time employee with the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department. He also partnered with local programs, including Gang Free, Inc., to help young people in the community.

Hicks had said his own life had been influenced by coaches and teachers, as well as his parents. “I couldn’t have been successful (without them). I wouldn’t be who I am right now if it were for (those) folks,” he said in a December 2021 interview with WIZS to talk about having a shelter named in his honor at Fox Pond Park.

The Edward James Hicks Shelter was dedicated in a ceremony on July 29 of this year. “It really means everything to me – it really does,” Hicks said in that 2021 interview. “It brought tears to my eyes,” he said, when he learned that Shelter #1 would be renamed in his honor.

Kendrick Vann, director of the recreation and parks department, spoke with WIZS News Monday and said Hicks was so much more than a parks and rec employee – he was Vann’s godfather.

“He touched so many lives,” Vann said. “He took me on as a godson – that’s how I became a New York Giants fan,” he added, referring to Hicks’s stint with the NFL team.

Hicks was successful, by all accounts. His prowess on the football field as a Vance Senior High Viking got him noticed by college scouts and he earned a scholarship to play at East Carolina University.

He still holds the ECU record for longest rushing yard play – 95 yards. Hicks went on to play professional ball with the New York Giants and he was inducted into the ECU Hall of Fame in 2014.

When his pro career ended, Hicks returned home and picked up at parks and rec, where he had worked as a teenager and as a college student during the summer. His love of community and the desire to give back continued throughout the rest of his life, fueled by the memories of the mentors who had helped him as a youngster.

“Eddie loved the entire community,” said Gang Free, Inc. founder Melissa Elliott. She told WIZS News Monday that Hicks worked “tirelessly to make sure everyone was OK. Eddie was a true hero, leader and the epitome of a servant. Eddie loved God and it showed through his actions,” she said.

Mary Davis Royster Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, Vann noted. Hicks is survived by his wife, Jackie, daughters Jennifer and Karen, and five grandchildren.

“There were so many people who loved Eddie Hicks back then, Hicks said in that December 2021 interview as he reflected on his early years growing up in Henderson. “And I appreciate it.”

The community will feel the loss and remember the compassion Hicks showed to everyone he interacted with.

The Local Skinny! COVID-19 Update

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There aren’t as many people routinely wearing face masks as there were this time last year, which is one indication that things are improving on the COVID-19 front. Or, perhaps people are just plain tired of wearing masks.

But public health professionals study and analyze the public’s health from a variety of perspectives to make sure people stay as safe as possible from disease. It’s important to know the why’s and wherefore’s, but the bottom line is that fewer cases of COVID-19 places both Vance and Granville counties are in the low community level.

Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison and her staff continue to monitor both counties and stay updated on the latest information available.

Both counties, like much of the rest of the state, experienced a real spike in cases in January 2022, but the numbers had begun inching upward by November of 2021. By March 2022, the number of cases had dropped again to about the same levels that were being recorded before the winter surge.

As winter approaches, staying up-to-date on COVID-19 boosters is important, as is getting a flu shot.

Harrison spelled out in her regular COVID-19 update that health professionals must look at indicators other than just numbers of cases.

“Case numbers are not as reliable an indicator as they once were – people can use at-home testing kits and do not report those test results to public health,” she said.

Vaccinations and the all-important boosters also lower the risk of severe illness and death, she said, so looking at trends over time offers a more complete view.

Data indicators that health professionals look at include:

  • Virus particles found in wastewater
  • Emergency room visits for COVID symptoms
  • Health system strain and hospitalizations from COVID-19
  • Vaccines and boosters
  • Surveillance of new Variants
  • CDC COVID-19 community levels by county

And while it’s good news that both counties are in the low community level, Harrison included the following sobering statistics:

Vance County has had 14,655 COVID-19 cases and Granville County has reported 18,006. As for deaths from COVID -19, Vance County reports 130 and Granville County reports 124.

Vaccinations by the numbers:

 

Vance County

  • 68 percent of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • 63 percent are vaccinated with initial series complete
  •  5 percent have received the new booster
  • 24 percent of those ages 5-11 have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • 18 percent are vaccinated with initial series complete
  • 52 percent of those ages 12-17 have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • 45 percent are vaccinated with initial series complete

Granville County

  • 71 percent of those over 5 years have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • 67 percent are vaccinated with initial series complete
  • 6 percent have had the new booster
  • 26 percent of those 5-11 years have had have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • 22 percent are vaccinated with initial series complete
  • 45 percent of those 12-17 years have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • 42 percent are vaccinated with initial series complete

Visit the CDC Data Tracker by County and the NCDHHS COVID-19 Dashboard. Relevant graphs from these dashboards are available on our website at https://gvph.org/covid-19_dashboard/.

Vance County Logo

Jail Health Care Provider Bails, County Looking For Options

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Vance County commissioners approved a recommendation Monday to pay almost $100,000 to a Charlotte-based urgent care company to provide two weeks’ worth of health care services at the county detention center after the company that had the contract to provide care terminated its agreement with the jail.

Sheriff Curtis Brame told WIZS News on Tuesday that he was not present at the meeting, originally scheduled to discuss in closed session an economic development project.

Brame did not elaborate on the reason that Southern Health Partners terminated the contract and stopped providing services to detainees at the jail on Friday, Oct. 14.

“We just didn’t see eye-to-eye on certain things and they made the decision to leave,” he said in a telephone interview.

Southern Health Partners gave a two-week notice, which set in motion a search for a new provider, according to information that County Manager Jordan McMillen gave in his report to the board on Monday.

Three of the four companies that were contacted declined the offer, but a fourth, StarMed, agreed to step in on a short-term basis. The bill for the first week was $52,000 and the bill for the second week is $40,000.

The jail health care item was added to the agenda late Friday, Oct. 21, according to McMillen, when the county got the bill for the second week of service.

“The health department was instrumental in identifying StarMed…and health department nurses were critical in filling the gap over the first weekend until the transition was made,” McMillen wrote in his report.

StarMed has expressed interest in continuing its contract for an additional 60 days, but McMillen said cost is an issue.

“We are continuing to look for a long-term solution which will require the need for a local physician to oversee the program as well as nurses to work in the jail,” he stated.

The county is responsible for funding, but it is the sheriff who oversees the jail and requirements related to secure, provide and maintain health care at the jail, McMillen said.

The money to pay StarMed would come from the county’s fund balance, the report stated.

Commissioners also approved authorizing the county manager to approve additional contracts up to the next 60 days.

Dale Folwell

Folwell Announces One-Month “Bump” In State Employees’ Retirement Benefits

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School systems across the state are offering bonuses of all sorts to attract and retain educators. The Social Security Administration recently announced a bump of more than 8 percent in the amount it pays to folks who receive benefits.

And today, there’s some good news from State Treasurer Dale Folwell that should put smiles on the faces of benefit recipients of retired state employees – they’re getting a supplement, too.

It’s only this month, but it’s a 4 percent bump, and Folwell issued a press release today that coincides with the day that those payments are issued. Retired employees of the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, as well as the  Consolidated Judicial Retirement System, Legislative Retirement System and the Local and Governmental Employees’ Retirement System should see a little extra in their monthly benefits, Folwell said in a written statement.

“When retired state employees and teachers check their bank accounts or open their mail, they will find an additional 4 percent of their annual benefit included with this month’s payment,” Folwell stated.

“The TSERS, CJRS and LRS payments were appropriated by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Roy Cooper. The LGERS payment will come from retirement funds. The LGERS one-time supplement was approved by the LGERS Board on Jan. 27 following my recommendation and is in line with the funding policy. We were able to provide the LGERS benefit without increasing the rates we charge to cities and counties across the state,” Folwell continued.

“While payments starting in November will return to the levels they would have been without the supplemental increase, the October payment will include a much-needed boost for those who served the citizens of North Carolina as we see rising costs in everyday expenses.

I want to thank the General Assembly, retirement boards, North Carolina League of Municipalities, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and staff for recognizing a need and providing those that taught, protected or otherwise served the citizens of North Carolina a timely increase to the October benefit,” the statement concluded.

Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Ranked Among Best For Maternity Care

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 – Information courtesy of Donna Young, Maria Parham Health coordinator of marketing & communication

 

Maria Parham Health has been named to Money Magazine and The Leapfrog Group’s inaugural list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. The rankings are intended to help expecting parents make educated decisions about which hospitals consistently deliver the safest, highest value care for patients and excellence in maternity experiences. Out of more than 2,200 hospitals surveyed, Maria Parham Health was one of 259 hospitals nationwide to earn the first-time honor.

“Maria Parham Health is honored to be among the inaugural list of top hospitals to receive this honor,” said Bert Beard, chief executive officer of Maria Parham Health. “Our hard-working team of physicians, midwives, nurses, respiratory therapists and staff goes above and beyond every day to provide the best possible experience for mothers, babies and their families, and this is well-deserved recognition.”

To qualify for the honor, eligible hospitals were required to carry an A or B letter grade on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assessment for spring 2022. Hospitals also were required to meet specific criteria and achieve national standards related to:

  • Early Elective Deliveries
  • Cesarean Birth
  • Episiotomy
  • DVT (deep vein thrombosis) Prophylaxis
  • Bilirubin Screening
  • High-Risk Deliveries (only applies to hospitals electively admitting high-risk deliveries)

For more information about the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care rankings,

visit https://money.com/methodology-best-hospitals-for-maternity-care/

Local Firefighters Awarded For Rescue In January House Fire

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Firefighters with the Henderson Fire Department were honored Monday afternoon for their role in saving a woman’s life in a January house fire.

NC Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey called each man up to receive the SAVE Award for their efforts, during which Capt. Joshua Bolton received second- and third-degree burns when he entered the house to look for a woman believed to be trapped inside.

“It’s an honor for me to be here today,” Causey told the group of more than 25 family, friends, city staff and firefighters assembled at Fire Station 2 in downtown Henderson.

He called the team of firefighters “daily heroes” who put their own safety at risk each time they respond to a fire call.

The only people who receive this award are those who have helped to save a life.

After the ceremony, Fire Chief Steve Cordell said it is “an honor and a privilege to see these men…be rewarded” for their efforts back in January. “I can’t think of a better group to be associated with,” Cordell added.

Mike Causey (L) gives Steve Cordell (R) a pat on the back and thumbs up

Before Causey called the men up to receive their awards, Assistant Chief Curtis Tyndall recounted the events that occurred on that January evening. Upon hearing that there was one person still in the home, Bolton went into the fully engulfed structure but was unable to locate the victim. Departments 1 and 2 responded to the call, and it was a team effort that resulted in location of the victim, who lay unconscious in front of a recliner in the living room of the single-family home.

Firefighters were able to rescue the woman, who was taken to hospital.

“Capt. Bolton attempted to rescue a trapped victim inside of a burning structure despite the threat of personal injury and attempted to find the trapped victim inside the home,” Tyndall said in his account…(his) split-second decision to sear the rear of the structure without regard to his own personal safety allowed his crew to continue the search and locate the victim where he left off. His decision to enter the structure before the application of water was made for the purpose of protecting the victim from deadly steam that would have been created by the application of water,” Tyndall continued.

In addition to Bolton, Causey presented SAVE awards to:

  • Master firefighter Zack Short
  • Firefighter Devin Sherrod
  • Firefighter William Ramos
  • Firefighter William Breedlove
  • Kyle Holtzman
  • Battallion Chief Tim Twisdale
  • Master firefighter Ren Watkins Hale
  • Captain William Boyd
  • Engineer Dylan Dickerson
  • Master firefighter Trenton Clark
  • Firefighter Jeffrey Pane Watson

Burgess Stepping Down From Chamber In December

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What candidate would be able to satisfy – exceed, even – the qualifications for a job description that could read something like this:

Enthusiastic, motivated individual needed for full-time position. Work includes night meetings, weekend catchup and early morning events. Constant desire to make improvements in the community. People-person skills a must.

That wouldn’t be the easiest job to fill, but that’s just what Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce leaders are faced with, following the announcement that President Michele Burgess is retiring at year’s end.

Burgess possesses all those qualifications, and then some. And though she said she will miss the people she’s had the pleasure to work alongside since July 2019, she said she looks forward to having more family time – especially with two young grandchildren.

She spoke with WIZS News Friday about her previous Chamber experience – all with the local office. You see, this is her third time back. She previously held the job in the mid-1980’s and then again in the mid-1990’s.

“When it’s your hometown, you’re so passionate about it,” Burgess said. She returned in 2019 with the idea that it would be a short-term role. She said the Chamber underwent a bit of a restructure “to try to make it work a little bit better. And we were on this big roll,” she continued. Until COVID-19.

Members sought advice from Chamber officials about how to follow pandemic protocols, she said. “I feel like we did a really good job” of answering questions and keeping businesses and employees safe.

The pandemic has changed the way many organizations operate, and the Chamber is no exception. Burgess said today’s businesses may need different things from their Chamber membership, such as virtual meetings and networking events that target particular professions.

“It’s just a different world,” Burgess said.

When she leaves the office at the end of December, she said she leaves on a good note – the Chamber is functioning at a high level, and Burgess said she feels comfortable stepping down at this time.

Current Chamber Board Chair Ronald Bennett was on the board when Burgess was selected to lead the chamber most recently.

“She’s one that has her job at heart and the people at heart,” Bennett said by phone Thursday. “I can’t say enough good about what all she’s done,” he added.

A search committee is already formed to look for her successor, Bennett noted, adding that the board would be looking for additional volunteers to serve on this committee as well.

Burgess praised the Chamber board for all the support it has given her over the last few years and said she would miss those relationships. “When you have real strong leaders, you’re real thankful,” she said.

Burgess said she will continue to participate in different ways to help her community after she retires.

“I’m still going to be in the Chamber, still going to volunteer and participate,” Burgess  said.

Just maybe between visits to see the grandchildren.

 

 

Trick or Treat

Sheriff: Trick-Or-Treat With Safety In Mind

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Everyone has a role in protecting those costumed trick-or-treaters that soon will be walking along streets and in neighborhoods in search of candy to fill their Halloween sacks.

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame reminds motorists who will be driving along those same streets and in those same neighborhoods to keep a watchful eye out for pedestrians. And he has some advice for parents as well, as they prepare costumes and accompany their children trick-or-treating.

“Halloween is a fun time in Vance County,” Brame said in a press statement with a long list of suggestions for holiday revelers. “But let’s make it a safe time as well.  The major dangers are not from witches or spirits but rather from falls and pedestrian/car crashes.“

The Sheriff reminds all Vance County residents to follow these tips for a safe Halloween:

Drivers should be especially careful as they enter and exit driveways, especially after the sun has gone down.

All children under age 12 should be with a responsible older youth or adult and children should always remain in groups while trick-or-treating. Wait until you get home to eat any treats, and only stop at homes that are well-lit. Never enter the home or apartment of a stranger.

Below is the sheriff’s complete list of suggestions and advice for a safe and fun Halloween:

Motorists:

  • Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
  • Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
  • Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
  • At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.

Parents:

  • While on the prowl for treats, make sure an adult or an older responsible youth will be supervising children under 12.
  • Check the sex offender registry at www.NCSBI.gov when planning your child’s trick-or-treat route. You can view maps that pinpoint registered offenders’ addresses in your neighborhood and sign up to get email alerts when an offender moves nearby.
  • Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow.  Know the names of older children’s companions.
  • Make sure older kids trick-or-treat in a group.
  • Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an established route.
  • Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger’s home.
  • Establish a return time.
  • Tell your youngsters not to eat any treats until they return home.
  • Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.
  • All children need to know their home telephone number and how to call 9-1-1 in case of emergency.
  • Pin a slip of paper with the child’s name, address, and telephone number inside a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from the group.

Technology Tips:

  • Make sure any older children who are trick-or-treating alone have a fully charged cellphone to carry with them.
  • Be sure to check your children’s cellphones and turn tracking features off on cellphone mobile applications not solely accessed by parents so strangers will not be able to access your children’s location.
  • Parents of children who have cell phones may consider having children turn on a mobile tracking application such as Find My Friends or Life360 that allow only individuals selected by parents to safely track their whereabouts.
  • Parents of children who do not have a cell phone may consider allowing children to wear or carry a Bluetooth tracking device with controlled access to your child’s location.
  • Remind your children not to wear headphones or earbuds so they can hear cars approaching on the road.
  • Know when witches and superheroes are outside your front door by using a motion-activated doorbell or mounted cameras like Ring or Nest to notify you of their presence.
  • Also consider using motion sensor lighting around your home to keep trick-or- treaters safe and help alert you when ghosts and goblins are approaching.

Costume Design:

  • Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes.
  • Costumes should be loose so warm clothes can be worn underneath.
  • Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard.
  • Make sure that shoes fit well to prevent trips and falls.
  • Be safe and be seen. If children are allowed out after dark, outfits should be made with light colored materials. Strips of retro-reflective tape should be used to make children visible.

Face Design:

  • Do not use masks as they can obstruct a child’s vision.  Use facial make-up instead.
  • When buying special Halloween makeup, check for packages containing ingredients that are labeled “Made with U.S. Approved Color Additives,” “Laboratory Tested,” “Meets Federal Standards for Cosmetics,” or “Non-Toxic.” Follow manufacturer’s instruction for application.
  • If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings and large eye holes.

Accessories:

  • If your child dresses up as a pirate, ninja or in any other costume that includes accessories like knives and sword, be sure accessories are made from cardboard or flexible materials.  Do not allow children to carry sharp objects.
  • Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape if children are allowed out after dark.
  • Carrying flashlights with fresh batteries will help children see better and be seen more clearly.
  • If children are carrying cell phones, remind them of the flashlight feature available on most smart phones.

While Trick-or-Treating:

  • Do not enter homes or apartments without adult supervision.
  • While everyone is excited for candy, make sure children walk instead of run from house to house. Do not cross yards and lawns where unseen objects or the uneven terrain can present tripping hazards.
  • Walk on sidewalks, not in the street.
  • Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic, if there are no sidewalks.

Treats:

  • Give children an early meal before going out.
  • Insist that treats be brought home for inspection before anything is eaten.
  • Wash fruit and slice it into small pieces.
  • Throw away any candy that is unwrapped or partially wrapped or has a strange odor, color, or texture.

 

Homeowners/Decorations:

  • Keep candles and jack o’ lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.
  • Remove obstacles from lawns, steps, and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
  • Keep candles and jack o’ lanterns away from curtains, decorations, and other combustibles that could catch fire.

Don’t let ghosts and spirits in by leaving your home unattended.

MPH Trunk or Treat Friday, Oct. 28

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Maria Parham Health is holding a drive-through Trunk or Treat next Friday, Oct.28, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the main campus on Ruin Creek Road in Henderson.

This free, completely drive-thru event is open to the public – children will remain in vehicles and hospital team members will distribute candy and treats through open car windows to ensure a safe Halloween experience.

Vehicles should enter the hospital campus via the Ruin Creek Road entrance and follow the signs to the back parking lot. MPH organizers invite other community groups to join in the fun, too.

Any civic, local government or church group that wants to participate by decorating a vehicle trunk and pass out treats should contact Ashley Downing before Tuesday, Oct. 25 at ashley.downing@lpnt.net.