Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Watkins Volunteer Fire Department Fundraiser Oct. 4

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The Watkins Volunteer Fire Department is cooking up plans for its fall fundraiser. Come out to the fire department, 1590 Horseshoe Bend Rd., on Friday, Oct. 4 to enjoy barbecued chicken, pork barbecue and more.

The fundraiser will begin at 11 a.m. and customers are welcome to eat in or take out.

Plates of barbecued chicken OR pork barbecue, complete with boiled potatoes, sauce, slaw, bread and dessert are $12 each; choose a combo plate with chicken AND pork for $15. One-pound containers of pork barbecue are available for $10 each.

Grace Ministries Hosts “Too Beautiful For Earth” Program Oct. 5

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Grace Ministries will host the third annual “Too Beautiful For Earth” event on Saturday, Oct. 5 at its 215 Crozier St. location.

The event will be held from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and is held to honor babies who have lost their lives due to medical complications including miscarriage, preterm birth, stillborn, birth defects, SIDS or any type of pregnancy loss.

Come out to support this effort and the families affected by this type of loss. There will be speakers, crafts, a raffle and more.

Dr. Roddy Drake Recipient Of Order Of The Long Leaf Pine

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With family, friends and colleagues looking on, W. Rodwell Drake, M.D. – Roddy – became the most recent recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Rep. Frank Sossamon presented Drake with the framed award Thursday morning on behalf of N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper.

“It’s important to recognize people who have served us and served us well,” Sossamon said in remarks before presenting the award. “Dr. Drake is one of those who’s made an impact,” he said.

Recipients of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine are selected for long-standing service to their community and to the state. Sossamon said he’d heard Drake characterized as “’the epitome of what a family physician should be’ – what a compliment,” he said.

Drake grew up in Warren County and long-time resident of Henderson, practiced medicine at Henderson Family Medicine from 1975 to 1991, when he became director of the Granville-Vance Health District.

After the ceremony, he told WIZS News that he appreciated hearing all the kind comments that came from long-time friends and from family members.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” Drake said, but “the real satisfaction is in knowing that you’ve done a good job and that you’ve been supported by a good team of workers and support from friends and others in the community that makes it all possible.”

He retired from his role as GVPH director in 2012, but Drake currently serves as interim medical director in Nash County.

“I’ll always be involved,” he said. “It’s in my blood…that’s just the way it is. Medicine has been an important part of my life.”

Friend and local attorney Jerry Stainback read a resolution that he crafted to honor the occasion, signed by several dozen friends and colleagues, to recognize Drake for “his lifelong work and standard of work, and that his friends, colleagues and coworkers desire to honor him for his outstanding achievements as a friend to all whom he meets” and for “unfailing and faithful service to his community and State.”

In his role as district health director, Drake said he always tried to make sure he made the community a priority. But over the years, he had the chance to participate in a number of statewide committees and played a large role in creating guidelines and decision-making.

Gov. James B. Hunt appointed him to the N.C. Advisory Council on Cancer Coordination Control, and he served two four-year terms working with Dr. Joseph Pagano of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer He also was a steering committee member at the N.C. Institute of Medicine to develop a 10-year plan to improve health outcomes.

Lisa Harrison, who succeeded Drake as GVPH director, also served on that steering committee. In the nomination letter, Harrison wrote, “We all applaud Dr. Drake.  We appreciate his dedication to the health of others and to the health of these rural communities. His leadership still makes such a positive difference.”

Harrison brought greetings Thursday morning from the health department – and a card signed by many staff members – and said she is grateful for “all of the wonderful things that Dr. Drake has done to keep communities healthy.”

In his remarks to those gathered, Drake said a community is strengthened by all its connections. “It takes a strong community to make good things happen,” he said. “I am so connected with all of you, not only in work, but in board work and tremendous long-lasting friendships.”

As the ceremony was winding down, Drake stood at the podium a second time to exercise his new authority as a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine – the privilege to recite the state’s toast whenever and wherever he so chooses.

Here’s to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here’s to “Down Home,” the Old North State!

(WIZS News would like to credit and thank Jean Thompson, Dr. Drake’s sister, with providing additional help to WIZS for this story and for the pictures you see.)

Red Cross: September Is National Preparedness Month

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As meteorologists along the East Coast track the season’s next predicted hurricane, the American Red Cross of North Carolina reminds residents during National Preparedness Month that taking a few minutes to plan ahead can have a big impact on how you, your family and your household fare during weather events.

Whether it’s a hurricane with storm surge and flooding or wildfires and extreme heat, families across the country need to make sure they’re ready in case of an emergency.

“Disasters can happen at any time, often without warning, changing lives forever in just minutes,” said Rebecca Pittman, Regional Disaster Officer for the North Carolina Region. “As we experience more extreme weather, it’s critical to help protect your loved ones and National Preparedness Month is the ideal time to get your household ready for emergencies.”

Pittman said individuals can get ready for disasters by making a plan to stay safe, gathering important supplies and knowing how you’ll stay connected in case family members become separated for one reason or another.

Follow these steps to prepare for emergencies:

  1. Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe. If you may need to leave, think about where you will go, how you will get there, where you will stay and what you’ll take with you. Plan well in advance if you’ll need help leaving or use public transportation.
  2. Next, gather and organize critical supplies — like food, water and medicine — into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit. Your go-kit should include three days of supplies that you can take with you. Your stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications, if possible.
  3. Customize your kit to meet your household’s specific needs. If you have young children, don’t forget formula and diapers. If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, bowls, litter and a litterbox.
  4. Make a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down. Write down important phone numbers on a contact card and carry it with you.
  5. Finally, download the free Red Cross Emergency app for real-time weather alerts and expert advice in both English and Spanish. And don’t forget to sign up for free emergency alerts from your local government to get critical information during local emergencies.

This year, experts forecasted active wildfires and hurricanes — predictions that are proving to be true. In July, Hurricane Beryl broke records as the earliest Category 5 storm ever recorded and in early August, Hurricane Debby brought widespread flooding to much of the East Coast. So far in 2024, 2.7 million more acres of land have been burned by wildfires compared to all of 2023. Plus, 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record according to experts. Altogether in 2024, the U.S has experienced 19 climate disasters, each with losses of over a billion dollars — more than double the average from the last 40 years.

When these disasters happen, the Red Cross is there providing food, shelter and comfort to ensure no one faces such a difficult time alone. To help families better cope with increased extreme weather, the Red Cross is also enhancing our support for those who need it most and increasing our capacity to respond to non-stop disasters.

“The best defense during an emergency is to be prepared, and that’s true for both our individual families and our entire community,” said Pittman. “During National Preparedness Month, consider donating to help people affected by disasters big and small, or making an appointment to give blood. If you have the time, take a first aid class or put on a red vest and join us as a volunteer.”

Visit redcross.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to learn more today.

Maria Parham Health To Add Robot To Surgical Team

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– information courtesy of Maria Parham Health

Operating rooms at Maria Parham Health are going to have an extra set of hands available to assist with surgical procedures when the da Vinci Xi comes on board.

The surgical system, a product of Intuitive, will be able to assist with providing state-of-the-art minimally invasive care across a wide array of procedures, including gynecologic, urology and general surgeries, according to information from MPH Public Information Officer Donna Young.

“Our team is excited to integrate the da Vinci Xi® system into our surgical offerings,” said Bert Beard, CEO at Maria Parham Health. “This innovative technology not only enhances our ability to perform complex surgeries with greater precision but also ensures better outcomes and faster recovery for our patients.”

But the robot, like all members of the surgical team, needs a name, and the community is invited to enter a “Name the Robot” contest. Visit the Maria Parham Health Facebook page and send a private message with your entry – along with your name, phone number and email.

All entries received before Thursday, Sept. 26 will be entered in a drawing to win a pair of tickets to the Sept. 27 “Extreme Illusions & Escapes” show at the Jones Performing Arts Center in Louisburg.

A $100 Amaon gift card will be awarded to the person who comes up with the winning name for the robot. The winner will be announced on Nov. 4 at a “Meet the Robot” event.

Since its introduction in 1999, the da Vinci surgical system has been used in more than 775,000 procedures worldwide, demonstrating its effectiveness and reliability as a surgical option for many patients in good health.

The da Vinci Xi® system integrates a sophisticated surgical console with four interactive robotic arms, proprietary EndoWrist® surgical instruments, and a high-definition three-dimensional  visual system. This advanced setup allows surgeons to perform complex operations with unmatched precision and control.

The da Vinci system combines the surgeon’s expertise with robotic precision, allowing for tiny, controlled movements that would be difficult to achieve with human hands alone. This enables complex surgeries to be performed through smaller incisions, resulting in less tissue damage and shorter recovery times for patients.

Equipped with four robotic arms and a versatile range of surgical tools, the da Vinci Xi system enhances a surgeon’s ability to perform various procedures, including:

  • Appendicitis
  • Colon cancer
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Hernia repair and other soft-tissue surgeries

The minimally invasive nature of da Vinci surgery offers numerous advantages:

  • Lower risk of infection
  • Reduced blood loss
  • Less trauma to surrounding healthy tissue
  • Decreased pain
  • Smaller scars
  • Faster recovery

For more information about the da Vinci Xi® surgical system and to learn about minimally invasive surgical options at Maria Parham Health, please visit MariaParham.com.

(Maria Parham is an advertising client of WIZS and WIZS.com. This is not a paid ad.)

Gateway CDC To Host Community Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 24 To Discuss Local Issues

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Gateway Community Development Corp. will sponsor a community town hall event at its 314 Garnett St. location Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Topics for discussion include key issue that affect residents’ daily lives – public schools, community safety and the rising cost of living, according to information from Gateway CDC.

Local leaders, educators and law enforcement officials will be on hand to share updates, answer questions and gather input from residents.

Gateway representatives call this gathering an opportunity to have an open dialogue on how to improve schools, strengthen neighborhood safety and address the economic challenges that many families face.

“Come share your thoughts, hear from experts, and help shape the future of our community,” Gateway stated in information received at WIZS News. Light refreshments will be served.

Register to attend at https://www.mobilize.us/cohnfornc/event/695434/.

VCS Students Complete Tiny House; First Open House Sept. 20

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For the next two Fridays, the Vance County High School parking lot will be the location of an Open House.

Wait. In the parking lot?

Yep. That’s where the Tiny House is located, and high school CTE students built it.

And it’s for sale.

The open house events will be held Friday, Sept. 20 and Friday, Sept. 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to information from Vance County Schools.

CTE stands for Career and Technical Education and includes the trades that are responsible for home construction. Students on the Construction Path performed the work.

There is a minimum bid of $25,000. Sealed bids must be received by VCS Chief Finance Officer John Suther, 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson, NC 27537 no later than noon, Oct. 1, 2024.

This tiny home is 30-foot by 12-foot vinyl-sided building that has a total of 360 square feet. There’s a tankless water heater and laminate flooring throughout. The full bath includes toilet, vanity and shower.

Learn more about the tiny house at the following link: https://bit.ly/vcstinyhouse

Vance Hires Jeremy T. Jones As Assistant County Manager

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Vance County will have a new assistant county manager on Oct. 1, 2024. Jeremy T. Jones will join County Manager C. Renee Perry and other county staff, bringing more than 10 years of experience in public service and law enforcement to the job.

“I am honored to step into this new role and continue my commitment to public service,” said Jones. “I look forward  to working with the talented team here at Vance County to enhance the quality of life for all our residents and foster a safe, thriving community.”

As assistant county manager, Jones will provide strategic guidance for the county’s public safety departments, maintenance, solid waste and animal services while also streamlining operations, improving service  delivery and ensuring the county continues to meet the needs of its growing population. Additionally, he will serve as the county’s public information officer

“We are thrilled to have Jeremy join our team,” Perry said in a press statement.

“His extensive background in law enforcement and management will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our county’s services and ensure the safety and well-being of our residents.”

Jones’s background in public safety will be a wealth of added knowledge with the many public safety projects that are forthcoming. Jones also has a great deal of experience as a public information officer and has a reputable reputation for interacting with the media.

Jones has been employed with the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office since June 2017 as the Administrative  Sergeant but started his career in December 2013 with the Elizabeth City Police Department. Jones holds a Bachelor  of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Elizabeth City State University, a Master of Science degree in  Administration from Central Michigan University and has completed the Administrative Officer’s Management  Program through N.C. State University.

TownTalk: Night Out Against Crime Tuesday, Oct. 1

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The community is invited to the Henderson-Vance County Night Out Against Crime that will be held Tuesday, Oct. 1 beginning at 5 p.m. along Breckenridge Street near the police station.

Local law enforcement agencies and other first responders will join a host of community partners and resource groups that serves as a way to build rapport with civilians and strengthen working relationships among those who protect and serve.

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame said the event “is a great opportunity to get to know them and them to know us.” Too often, Brame said, children interact with law enforcement officers in domestic or otherwise violent situations.

The Night Out Against Crime gives adults and children alike the opportunity to chat and share a positive experience.

Henderson Police Capt. Joey Ferguson said the opening ceremony begins at 5 p.m., and then folks will be free to visit the various booths and tents – and enjoy a free meal of a hotdog, chips and drink. Child attendees will get a swag bag full of goodies as well.

“Last year was really good and we hope this year’s even better,” Ferguson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Brame said he looks forward to the networking opportunity the Night Out Against Crime creates. He makes it a point to visit schools each week “to meet kids where they’re at,” and the annual Night Out event provides another chance for children to see uniformed officers up close and personal.

Ferguson said, “We really enjoy having the opportunity to engage community members – and especially kids,” and Night Out helps shine a positive light.

“They’re not seeing us when they’re at their worst,” he said, “when they’re going through a traumatic situation.”

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NC State Board of Elections

State Board of Elections: Sept. 20 Deadline For Counties To Send Absentee Ballots For Military, Overseas Voters

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  • Information from the N.C. State Board of Elections

All 100 county boards of elections must send absentee ballots to eligible military and overseas citizens who requested them for the 2024 general election on Friday, Sept. 20, under a new schedule released by the State Board of Elections.

The board also set Sept. 24 as the date to start sending absentee ballots to other voters who have requested ballots by mail, including those who use the Visually Impaired Portal to request and return their ballots.

This schedule ensures that North Carolina will meet the federal law requirement to distribute ballots to voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) by the 45th day before the election – Sept. 21.

County boards were prepared to send absentee ballots out on Sept. 6, the deadline for absentee ballots to be sent under state law. However, rulings by the N.C. Court of Appeals and N.C. Supreme Court required election officials to remove the We The People party line from the presidential contest on the ballot, including the party’s presidential nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and vice-presidential nominee, Nicole Shanahan.

In North Carolina, any registered voter can vote using an absentee ballot after submitting a request for the ballot. Voters can request their absentee ballot at votebymail.ncsbe.gov. The deadline for absentee requests is Oct. 29. However, election officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot soon, so it can be completed and returned to the voter’s county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. Election Day – Nov. 5.

Through Thursday, more than 166,000 voters – including more than 13,600 military and overseas voters – have requested ballots in North Carolina.

During the past week, State Board staff, county boards of elections staff and voting system and printing vendors have worked to code, design, proof and print new ballots without the We The People party line. Staff have worked to devise contingency plans to ensure that ballots could be delivered as soon as practicable.

Due to the timelines for the printing, delivery and assembly of all absentee ballots in every county, the State Board concluded that the only way to meet the federal deadline for military and overseas citizens was to establish separate dates for distributing absentee ballots.

Election officials will first focus on distributing the military and overseas citizen ballots, which is a smaller group of ballots. Currently, about 8 percent of 2024 absentee requests are from military and overseas citizen voters.

State Board staff have arranged for special on-demand ballot printers to be positioned around the state to fulfill any orders for military and overseas citizen ballots for counties whose orders from their print vendors will not arrive in time for those ballots to be prepared for mailing by next Friday. These special printers can print any ballot style approved for use in the state. There are nearly 2,350 different ballot styles statewide for this election.

Meanwhile, staff will work over the weekend and through next week to prepare the online portal for electronic delivery and return of ballots that is available for military and overseas citizen voters. Nearly 90 percent of military and overseas citizen voters opt for this electronic ballot delivery feature.

This plan allows time for the much larger orders of absentee ballots for all other voters to be printed and delivered to the county boards in time for counties to prepare their outgoing absentee ballot packages for mailing on Sept. 24.

“This schedule is only possible because of the hard work of elections professionals across this state that will continue throughout the next week,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Because of them, we expect to meet the federal deadline for ballot delivery, and North Carolinians can finally start voting in this important election.”

The State Board has received many questions about the statewide cost of reprinting ballots. Preliminary estimates show the costs vary widely by county, depending on how many ballots must be reprinted and other factors. Estimates range from a few thousand dollars in some smaller counties to $18,000 in Caldwell County, $55,100 in Durham County and $300,000 in Wake County, home to the most registered voters in the state.

Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2024 general election in North Carolina:

Sept. 20: Ballots distributed to military and overseas citizen voters who have requested them.

Sept. 24: Absentee ballots distributed to all other voters who have requested them.

Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).*

Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.

Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).*

Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).

Nov. 5: General Election Day.

Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).*

*Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.