Tag Archive for: #warrencountynews

State Highway Patrol

Driving This Holiday Weekend? Remember: Booze It And Lose It

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State and local law enforcement officers will be out in force over the holiday weekend and beyond as part of the “Labor Day Booze It & Lose It” campaign, so as you plan to enjoy a last summertime hurrah, make sure those plans include having a designated driver. Don’t drink and drive.

Increased patrols and checkpoints will be conducted statewide through Sept. 10, to keep impaired drivers off North Carolina roads. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein helped lead Monday’s kickoff event at the Davidson County Rest Area off Interstate 85 South.  “Keeping people safe has to be Job One for all of us,” Stein said. “If you drink and drive, you will get caught. Protect yourself and others – never operate a motor vehicle if you’ve been drinking.”The “Booze It & Lose It” campaign aims to eliminate impaired driving using outreach and stepped-up law enforcement efforts. Nearly every law enforcement agency in North Carolina participates in the 29-year-old campaign.   “This Labor Day, we want you to plan ahead by arranging a sober ride home from any festivities that might involve alcohol or other impairing substances,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program, a part of the N.C. Department of Transportation. “Law Enforcement will be working extra patrols during this campaign to keep all motorists safe by catching those who don’t heed this message. There’s really no excuse.”

Alcohol is a leading contributor to fatal crashes in North Carolina, according to crash data compiled by the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. Between 2017 and 2022, North Carolina has averaged more than one alcohol-related vehicle fatality each day. Last year, there were 462 alcohol-related fatalities on North Carolina roads and 16 of those deaths came during the Labor Day period.

AAA Offers Reminders About Sharing The Road With School Buses

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-information from N.C. Department of Insurance and AAA

More than 1.5 million students across the state started a new school year today and AAA and the N.C. Department of Insurance have some important reminders when it comes to sharing the roads with buses transporting their precious cargo – schoolchildren.

It’s not new information, but the reminders bear repeating this time of year, with school bells ringing in Vance, Granville and Franklin counties. Schools on year-round calendars, charters  and Warren County schools have been in session for a few weeks, but many other young people have enjoyed summertime for a bit longer.

N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey also serves as Chair of Safe Kids N.C.,  and he reminds everyone to keep safety in mind when walking, driving or riding the bus to school.

“We all have an important role to play in keeping our children safe,” said Causey. “Drivers need to be on the lookout for crowded crosswalks and school buses on the road and parents need to talk to their children about the importance of traveling to school safely. It only takes one mistake to cause a tragic injury or death to a child.”

Statistics highlight the need for a call to action. On a typical day, more than 14,000 school buses carrying nearly 800,000 students operate on North Carolina roads. According to DOT, there were 1,075 crashes involving school buses in 2022. A total of 786 people were injured and eight people died.

There were also 5,189 charges for speeding in a school zone and 968 charges for failure to stop for a stopped bus.

In addition to the safety concerns these charges carry, they also hold repercussions to motorists’ auto insurance premiums. Passing a stopped school bus can result in the motorist adding four insurance points to their policy and potentially doubling their auto insurance premiums.

As part of  its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign, AAA reminds motorists to:

  • Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
  • Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
  • Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
  • Share the road with bicyclists. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist.
  • Talk to your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occurs during the after-school hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Get evidence-based guidance and tips at TeenDriving.AAA.com.

Motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arms extended. The only exception is on a divided highway with a raised divider. Here’s a breakdown of the rules of the road as they relate to buses:

  • Two Lane Street – All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
  • Multi-Lane Paved Median – All drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
  • Divided Highway – Traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus.

Students who are walking or riding their bikes to school have some important safety reminders as well.

Walkers:

  • Pay attention at all times. Avoid texting or wearing headphones, so you can detect nearby traffic.
  • Use sidewalks where available. If not, walk against the direction of traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.
  • Make yourself easier to be seen by wearing reflective, bright colored clothing.

Bicyclists:

  • Wear a helmet and neon or bright colored clothes.
  • Ride in the same direction as traffic and stay as far to the right as possible. Use bike lanes when you can.
  • Do not wear headphones so you can detect approaching traffic.
  • Cross the street at intersections. Do not pull into the roadway from between parked cars.

SportsTalk: Elam Goes To The Dogs

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Jim Elam has been fortunate to have two long careers.  The Warren County native spent over 20 years as an educator and coach.  He started in Johnston County at Princeton High School, and after getting married, decided he wanted to be closer to home.  His desire to return to Warren County would land Elam the head football coaching position at Halifax Academy and then in Roanoke Rapids where he coached the middle school football team.  It was while he was there that he became interested in training dogs.

“I learned from my father,” Elam said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  He read books to add to his knowledge not knowing he would be able to turn his interest into a new, second career.  He sees a lot of similarities between coaching young people and training dogs.  “Some are more difficult and some are easier,” Elam says.

Elam says training for puppies begins at six weeks of age and at seven weeks he explains it is important to socialize them.  “The sit command is the place to start,” says Elam.  At seven months the formal training begins.

If you are interested in learning more about training retrievers, contact Jim at Lake Country Retrievers at 252-432-2245, on Facebook or at www.lakecountryretrievers.com.

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Charla Duncan Appointed To State Economic Development Advisory Council

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Charla Duncan, director of Warren County Community and Economic Development, was recently appointed to represent the North Central Prosperity Zone on the North Carolina EDPNC Economic Development Advisory Council. This council provides advisory direction and support to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC).

Duncan was appointed to fill the seat of Harry Mills, recently retired economic development director of Granville County. She will join Michael Haley, executive director of Wake County Economic Development, in representing the North Central zone on the 16-member council.

Haley is executive director of the Wake County Economic Development Office.

The state has eight prosperity zones, determined by the N.C. Department of Commerce, which subdivide the state geographically to provide localized support for economic development projects.

The North Central prosperity zone includes Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin, as well as Person, Alamance, Orange, Durham, Wake, Nash, Edgecombe, Chatham, Wilson, Lee, Harnett  and Johnston counties.

“It’s an honor to represent the needs of this region to the state’s economic development arm,” stated Duncan. “I’m pleased that leadership has been intentional about selecting representation from both rural and urban communities, and I look forward to working with a really stellar group of development professionals across the state.”

For more information about EDPNC, visit their website at https://edpnc.com/. For information about Warren County Community and Economic Development, visit www.warrencountync.org.

NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina Voters Will See ‘No Labels’ On Future Ballots

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North Carolina is now among a group of 10 states that has recognized the No Labels movement.

The State Board of Elections voted 4-1 over the weekend to allow the No Labels party to appear on ballots alongside the more traditional descriptors of Democrat, Republican, Independent and Unaffiliated.

In a June 2023 interview with WIZS, Pat McCrory, one of the national co-chairs of the movement, said he is in favor of more choices for voters.

“And if No Labels does come up with a President/Vice President team as an alternative for voters, dissatisfied with the options from traditional parties, make no mistake: “It’ll be to win, not to be a spoiler,” the former N.C. governor said on the June 20 TownTalk segment.

North Carolina joins nine other states – Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah – that have approved No Labels to appear on ballots.

“The No Labels movement has achieved a significant milestone, winning ballot access in 10 states,” said civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin J. Chavis, national co-chair of No Labels. “This is a historic victory for Americans who have said loud and clear they want more choices at the ballot box. The spirit of democracy is winning in America today.”

During that TownTalk interview, McCrory said No Labels seeks to provide a common-sense approach to address challenges that mainline parties find little on which to compromise.

“I’m a conservative who believes the more competition, the better.” Divisions and failure to find compromise among political parties only create chaos, he said back in June.

With a focus on common-sense policy solutions, practical compromise and cross-party collaboration, the No Labels movement has spent the past 13 years working to give voice to America’s commonsense majority.

Visit https://www.nolabels.org/ to learn more.

Warren County Native Serves In U.S. Navy

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  • Information courtesy of Navy Office of Community Outreach

A Warren County native serves as master-at-arms for the U.S. Navy in Pearl Harbor and has stated that the lessons he learned growing up in rural North Carolina have helped him throughout his 20-year career.

Chief Petty Officer Michael Atkins, of Littleton, is assigned to Commander Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific operating out of Pearl Harbor.

“I joined the Navy because of a family tradition of service,” Atkins said in a press statement from the Navy’s office of Community Outreach.

Atkins, a 1997 graduate of Warren County High School, said he is proud to help others succeed in their careers and in life. “Being a part of an organization like the Navy is not about an individual, it is a team effort.”

“I come from a small town and we had a lot of respect for others and treating others how you want to be treated,” he said.

“Each of our sailors is an ambassador for the United States,” Atkins said, “whether they are the most junior seaman or an admiral.”

Atkins and the sailors he serves with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.

As Atkins and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.

“To me, serving in the Navy means carrying on a tradition of our nation’s history that goes back hundreds of years and I am now part of that history,” said Atkinss.

Atkins is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I would like to thank my parents, Charles and Linda, my wife, Maria, daughter, Natasha, and countless mentors and service members I have served with for supporting me and giving me guidance along my career,” added Atkins.

With 90 percent of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the Internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.

“Our mission remains timeless – to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat-ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence, and committed to superior leadership at every single level,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of Naval Operations. “This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy.”

SportsTalk: Hunt Prepares Eagles For Football

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The Warren County High School Eagles’ progress as a football team can be easily traced by looking at the number of wins over the last three years. Two, four and, last season, seven. Those seven wins last year put the Eagles in the state high school playoffs.  Victor Hunt, Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Warren County, points out that those seven wins came with a struggle: overcoming an injury bug. “We were down to a fourth string running back,” Hunt said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  The injuries caused Warren County to get off to a slow start last year and put players who were not ready to play on the field. Hunt hopes that experience along with many returning players from last year will mean that the Eagles can improve on last year’s playoff team.

Warren County kicks off their season on Friday, August 18th against Vance County in Henderson.  “It’s a rivalry game. The loss last year haunts us.  It really hurt and it really stung, ” Hunt said of the last minute Vance County win.

He has 47 players on the roster this season and is pleased with the number of kids who have turned out. “Winning helps but it has a lot to do with what is going on culturally at the school,” Hunt said about athletic participation.

As athletic director, Hunt has also kept things moving along for volleyball and cross country.  The Eagles’ volleyball team has back to back conference championships and Hunt is looking for a threepeat in that sport.  Last year also saw the cross country team bring their first conference championship back to Warren County High School as well.

You can hear the matchup between Warren County and Vance County here on WIZS beginning at 6:50pm Friday, August 18th.

CLICK PLAY!

 

Local Elections Office Ready To Provide Voter ID Cards For Those Who Need One

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UPDATED Aug. 10 – 12:30 p.m.

Registered voters who do not have an acceptable identification for voting in NC can now go to their county board of elections office to get a free photo ID.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Melody Vaughan said Wednesday afternoon that her office is ready to help voters who find they need one of the cards. There is an application that voters must complete before they will be issued an ID, Vaughan stated.

“We can provide this service Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.,” Vaughan said in an email to WIZS News, with the exception of Friday, Aug. 11 and Aug. 14 and Aug. 15. Staff will be attending a conference out of town and no ID cards will be processed on those days.

Most voters have a driver’s license, which is an acceptable form of photo ID to present to poll workers in order to cast their votes.

If you have a driver’s license – or other acceptable form of photo ID – you don’t need to get one from the board of elections office.

If however, you need a photo ID, you can come to your county’s board of elections office during business hours to request one. In most cases, the cards can be printed and issued right then and there, according to information from the North Carolina State Board of Elections office. Some counties, however, may need to mail the cards or let voters know when the card is available for pickup.

Find a list of acceptable forms of photo ID here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id

A voter need only provide his or her name, date of birth and last four digits of their Social Security number to get the ID. With that information, they’ll have a photograph taken and the process is complete.

In addition to the photo, the card will have the voter’s name and registration number. It will expire 10 years from the date of issuance.

County boards of elections can issue cards during regular business hours, except for the period following the last day of early voting through Election Day.

 

Warren Co. Memorial Library

Warren Library Gets $28,500 Grant To Better Serve The Community

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Thanks to a grant totaling more than $28,000, the Warren County Memorial Library is kicking off a plan to seek community input that will expand the services it provides to patrons.

The $28,500 grant comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and is administered through the State Library of North Carolina. The IMLS provides funding to agencies affiliated with the State Library by using a population-based formula.

“This assessment will help the library to gather feedback from the community on how to best serve the residents in Warren County,” stated Library Director Christy Bondy.

“We want to expand our services as much as we can,” Bondy said. “To do that, we need to find out where our blind spots are. We’re looking for creative ways to serve the community and want to see everyone’s basic needs get met when it comes to literacy. But as libraries evolve, we’re here to help people in whatever way we can.”

The information gathered through the surveys and focus groups scheduled for the fall will be used to learn what services patrons use, but Bondy said it also will help learn why the community is not using the library.

“We will use the survey and focus group input to learn what services and resources the community is using, as well as what services are being provided that the population is unaware of,” Bondy said. “The feedback will also aid us in determining what could be added to improve the overall experience.”

The assessment will be conducted by Rethinking Libraries, LCC, a library consulting firm that helps clients to see their institutions differently and embrace changes to become more vibrant, 21st Century libraries. Rethinking Libraries has been involved in numerous facilities projects, strategic planning processes, building programs and other consulting work with hundreds of libraries across the United States. Clients range from small rural public libraries to large urban facilities.

The needs assessment portion of the project kicked off Aug. 4; paper copies are available at the library’s circulation desk; complete the online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WCMLPRMedia.

The Warren County Memorial Library is located at 119 S. Front St. in Warrenton. For more information, visit www.wcmlibrary.org.

State Fair 2023 Taking Applications For ‘Farm Family Of The Day’

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-information courtesy of the N.C. State Fair Office

 

The N.C. State Fair is looking for 11 farm families to recognize during the fair for its Farm Family of the Day, presented by Tractor Supply Company. Nominations are being accepted through Sept. 15.

If you are proud to be an N.C. farmer, work hard to contribute to the state’s No. 1 industry and love both farming and the N.C. State Fair, your farm family could be one of the lucky ones selected.

Families recognized as Farm Family of the Day honorees will be awarded an N.C. State Fair gift basket including fair tickets to use on any day of their choice during the 2023 N.C. State Fair, ride passes and additional swag from Tractor Supply Company and the N.C. State Fair.

Families will be chosen by both nomination and application. Applications can be found at https://www.ncstatefair.org/2023/Attractions/FarmFamilyOfTheDay.htm.

The “Farm Family of the Day” program, sponsored by Tractor Supply Company, is returning for its third year to recognize and celebrate more of our state’s rich agricultural heritage and the farm families that are behind our $103.2 billion agriculture and agribusiness industry.

“The State Fair’s earliest beginnings sought to elevate the understanding of new agricultural practices and technology. Helping people make the connection between farming and the food that they enjoy is one of our top missions at the N.C. State Fair each year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

“Thanks to Tractor Supply Company, we can help tell the story of our farmers because they are the individuals out there every day working to grow the food, fiber and fuel that we need to survive.”

The 2023 N.C. State Fair will run Oct. 12-22 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The fair offers an experience unique to North Carolina for all who attend, and is an unparalleled value with free entertainment, thrilling rides and games, thousands of animals, endless family activities, competitions, vendors and creative deep-fried delights.

For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org.