Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Site Of Nov. 12 Gift Box Giveaway

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There will be a gift box giveaway this Saturday, Nov. 12 at G.R.A.C.E. Ministries on Burr St., Henderson. All are welcome to participate in coming out to this event is welcome. Organizers said vehicles should enter at 215 Crozier St.

Each box contains various household items valued at more than $100 each and will be available for pickup between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., according to Bobby West with G.R.A.C.E Ministries. The goal is to distribute 500 boxes.

G.R.A.C.E. Ministries is partnering with Rushing Water Outreach to host the community-wide event, “working together to show God’s love.”

Contact West at 252.432.7124 for more information.

 

 

TownTalk: ‘Clearview Today’ Show Airs On WIZS M-F At 10 A.M.

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One of the team members at Clearview Church describes pastor Dr. Abidan Shah as a scholar with a pastor’s heart. That’s a winning combination, to be sure. And the Henderson church has launched a new show called Clearview Today to share his insights and message to others.

John Galantis and Ryan Hill are two members of the Clearview team who help produce the programs that emanate from Clearview, and they spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s TownTalk to shed a little light on the origins of the new show, which can be found Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. right here on WIZS.

Both said they were excited about the new platform, which also gives listeners a chance to interact with Shah each week.

There’s a dedicated phone line – 252.582.5028 – for listeners to make comments or to ask questions. The Friday show answers those questions from listeners, Hill said. “We (will) read and respond as best we can,” he added.

One of the biggest things that drives the Gospel, Galantis said, is God’s call to his people to take the Gospel into the world. “It’s very important that the conversation doesn’t die,” he said.

Hill said the show is another way to take the Gospel into the world. “We build a partnership with the people who are listening,” he said.

Shah and the half dozen or so team members at the church regularly sit down over lunch to discuss important topics, but the team routinely left with valuable life lessons. The podcasts arose from such meetings, and then, Galantis explained, they took it a step further:

What would happen if, instead of five or six people benefitting from Shah’s talks, “it were radically elevated to hundreds of people?”

From there the group created a daily show, related to the Bible, but also relevant to current situations and today’s issues.

The Clearview Today show’s signature line is “engages the mind and heart for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

There are deep truths to be found in the Bible, and Galantis said Shah’s insights are powerful.

“But you don’t need a PhD. to grasp some of these truths,” he said. Shah translates those deep truths that a layperson can understand, all the while enjoying the learning that is taking place.

Both men attribute having a strong collaborative team that engages and strategizes to achieve the common goal of bringing the Word to others.

“We trace God’s hand through all of that,” Hill said.

Galantis agreed. “Sometimes it’s difficult to see God’s hand when it’s happening,” he said. Most of life is looking back and coming to God. When he looks back at where the church was one year, five years, 10 years ago – “that’s how I’ve seen how God has worked.”

Visit www.clearviewtodayshow.com

Community Partners of Hope

Men’s Shelter Open; Donations Needed

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The local men’s shelter opened a month ago – one month earlier than last year. That puts Delthine Watson and others who work with Community Partners of Hope closer to their goal of being able to provide emergency housing year-round instead of just during the winter months.

In a recent update, Watson, who is CPOH’s community network specialist, reported that that the shelter has served 14 different men. “One of our guests has been recommended to move to Hope House and his application is being processed now,” Watson said.

But the shelter still needs support from the community, and Watson said there are plenty of ways to help – from signing up to provide a meal to dropping off cases of bottled water and other snacks and even volunteering to staff the shelter when it’s occupied.
“We’ve had amazing responses for meals, but we do need several meals this month,” Watson said. Use THIS LINK  to sign up to provide a meal. The greatest needs are this weekend – Nov. 12 and 13, Monday, Nov. 21 and Friday, Nov. 25.

Volunteers who can spend the night should sign up two weeks in advance, she noted. Volunteers are needed for Monday and Thursday nights; this allows paid staff to be scheduled if there’s not enough coverage.

Volunteering overnight provides an opportunity to see the shelter in action and helpsgreatly with expenses, Watson said. Consider volunteering individually or forming a two-person team, she said.

“We are taking extreme cautions to prevent the spread of COVID, but we understand that some are still hesitant to volunteer.   Masks are required at all times, hand-washing and sanitizer are emphasized, and of course we maintain safe distance as well,” Watson said.

Details for shelter volunteers are in the signup (CLICK HERE). Watson said she appreciates the coverage that two volunteers from First United Methodist provide for one Thursday night each month and challenges other church groups to consider doing the same for a different night.

Of course, monetary donations always are welcomed, but other things they need to create “go bags” for the clients included bottled water, tea, soft drinks and underwear in all sizes but most especially L, XL, 2X and 3X.

Watson said a complete list of needs is available at www.cp-hope.org.

Please do NOT take donations to the shelter. The shelter is closed during the day and staff is busy during the evening hours helping the men who are there for the night.

Instead, call 252.432.9494 to arrange delivery.

Watson currently is working on grant applications, coordinating with other agencies for partnerships and speaking with churches and civic groups. Call or email her to schedule a talk with a community group at 919.339.1462 or  specialist.cpoh@gmail.com.

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