Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

SportsTalk: Jaguars Ready To Face Vance County

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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th 

Carrboro Head Coach Ken Lathan joins Scout Hughes and George Hoyle on SportsTalk to talk about the upcoming game against local Vance County.

Vance County will host Carrboro in their Pink Game to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness for Week 10 of the 2024 season on Friday, October 25th and you can hear all the action on WIZS 1450AM, 100.1FM, and online at wizs.com with pregame starting at 6:50 p.m. and kickoff thereafter at 7:00 p.m. 

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The Local Skinny! Positive Parenting Program

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Parents everywhere can probably remember a time or two when their children created a stressful situation – maybe it was a tantrum on the toy aisle or the nightly shriek of “NO!” at the mention of bedtime or bathtime.

What’s a parent to do?

Kimiko Williams is the coordinator of Postive Parenting Program – Triple P, for short – for Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties and she said it’s a program worth checking out.

The program helps parents reduce stress. “Parenting can be very, very stressful,” Williams said, whether you’re a new parent or a parent with vast experience.

“You want to enjoy raising your children,” she said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

But stressing out over bad behavior and power struggles does not bring much pleasure, she said.

Triple P is an evidence-based program that helps parents identify their strengths and then come up with strategies that build on those strengths – it’s not a one-size-fits-all program. And there’s no cost involved.

“Every parent has strengths to bring to the table,” Williams said.

“Children feed off of what we are giving out,” she continued, adding that the more tools and strategies in a parent’s tool belt can serve to lessen those power struggles and lower incidents of misbehavior.

Confident parenting skills create more confident, self-sufficient children.

“It’s all in how you interact with the child,” she said. Fussing and yelling detracts from the bonding that takes place between a parent and child.

“We all need help when it comes to parenting,” Williams said. Finding strategies that promote kindness in the way parents interact with their children helps reduce stress levels of the adult and of the child.

Call Williams at 919.496.2533 (ext. 2335) to learn more about Triple P and to find a practitioner near you.

 

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TownTalk: Vance County Retirement Community Designation Ceremony

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With Kerr Lake as a backdrop, local officials and community leaders witnessed Vance County receiving its official designation as a certified retirement community. It joins 17 other communities across the state, marking an achievement that has been some years in the making.

In welcoming remarks, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry called the designation a significant milestone in the life of the community. “It’s not just a badge of honor,” Perry said, “it’s a testament to the vibrant quality of life, welcoming spirit and rich resources that make Vance County a wonderful place to live, work, and now – officially – retire.”

Visit NC’s Andre Nabors said North Carolina attracts people who are looking for “small town Americana” in retirement. But they aren’t quite ready to sit in rocking chairs, he said. “Some are looking to start businesses…and be great volunteers in the community as well.”

With amenities that include Kerr Lake, as well as McGregor Hall, quality health care facilities and proximity to larger cities, Vance County is poised to be a destination for retirees.

It’s a win-win situation: retirees enjoy what the county offers and the county enjoys the boost in economic development that accompanies an infusion of residents.

Through VisitNC, N.C. Department of Tourism markets the designated retirement communities. And Nabors was quick to point to the economic impact that retirees have before and after they make the all-important decision about where to live in retirement.

“Before they make a decision to call another place home, they’re going to visit four to seven times before they make a decision,” Nabors said. “That’s tourism dollars” that come in the form of gas tank fillups, lodging, dining in local restaurants and visiting coffee shops.

“They’re in their ‘fun’ phase,” he continued, describing youthful retirees as folks who may want to start a small business or engage in community and civic activities.

“North Carolina is continuing to be an asset for those who are looking to view their Golden Years in another location,” Nabors said. With this new designation, Vance County will be included in marketing materials, like a new RetireNC guidebook that will be placed in the state’s nine welcome centers and visitor centers.

Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson said the chamber predicts positive results from the retirement community designation. “We’re not selfish. We want to share our beautiful community with others. I believe this designation will put a welcoming spotlight on us,” she told the group gathered for the presentation.

Vance County’s new Economic Development Director, Ferdinand Rouse, agreed.

The designation “reflects progress we are making to a prosperous future where all residents, whether starting a career or enjoying retirement can thrive…I look forward to what’s next in Vance County.”

 

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Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Sage Teacher Archetype

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Cooperative Extension 

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext. 

  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Saturdays 8am-1pm.
  • 4-County 4H Poultry Show and Sell Event will be this Saturday, October 26, the sell will start at 3:45pm and the auction will start around 6:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Vermiculture and Vermicomposting with Earthworms Workshop taking place on Monday, November 4th, starting at 6:30pm, led by Wayne Rowland. It will be at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • We might get a touch of frost as the temperatures get lower. You need to prepare your frost protection now.
  • Now is a good time to gather materials if you are planning for new shrub and flower planting beds. 
  • Now is a good time to plant your mums and pansies.
  • Fire ants are still around. So be aware of them!
  • Check your crops for insects.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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TownTalk: County Tax Rate Discussion

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In a follow-up to recent criticism aimed at the recent tax-rate increase adopted by Vance County by a concerned citizens group, Manager C. Renee Perry told WIZS News Wednesday that she is working with County Attorney Jonathan Care to determine next steps.

Representatives of the Concerned Citizens of Vance County addressed the board of commissioners during the public comment portion of the Oct. 7 meeting. Commissioners only receive comments during that time and do not respond.

“…we haven’t decided what action to take as far as a response goes,” Perry said in an email to WIZS.

In remarks during that public comment period, citizen Caroline Burnette asserted that the commissioners were violating public meeting laws by not having written minutes of the June 13 work session. Minutes are supposed to be voted on or adopted by a majority of the board, she said.

Perry said minutes of that June 13 work session will be taken to the board at its Nov. 4 meeting for approval; once approved, the clerk to the board will post the minutes to the website.

“Historically, official minutes have NOT been kept for budget work session, work sessions, or committee meetings,” Perry told WIZS. “Moving forward, we will keep official minutes for all budget work sessions, work sessions, and committee meetings.”

Burnette also said she wanted commissioners to allow county residents to pay the taxes they paid in 2023 and “to direct the tax administrator to take no action on delinquent taxes if the 2023 amount has been paid.”

Perry said commissioners “have not indicated that’s a direction they want to take.”

The foreclosure process can begin when a property owner is two years behind in paying taxes.

According to information on the Vance County Tax Administration’s webpage, tax bills not paid by Jan. 6 will be charged a 2 percent interest on unpaid taxes due.

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TownTalk: Masonic Home For Children Homecoming Recap

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The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford welcomed throngs of visitors to its campus last weekend for annual Homecoming festivities, which included activities for the kids, live music, food and tours of some of the facilities.

And don’t forget the parade, said MHCO Administrator Kevin Otis.

“The weather cooperated and a lot of people seemed to really have a great time,” Otis said Wednesday on TownTalk.

A couple of dozen barbecue teams got all set up on Friday in advance of the Saturday cookoff, which began shortly after the traditional parade.

The parade route, however, wasn’t the traditional march down College Street onto the campus – this year’s parade was contained on the campus itself. And Otis said it all worked out fine.

“It was a very good parade, with a lot of people coming to watch it,” he said.

“The entire parade route, even though it was short, had a lot of people” lining the drive to check out all the entries.

Otis was pleased with the community support, from school bands and Scout groups to dance teams and cheer squads.

Visitors got a chance to tour the chapel, museum galleries and even one of the residential cottages. Otis said he has received positive feedback from those who said they appreciated learning more about the children’s home and what it offers young people and families.

“What we’re doing is helping families in need,” he said, whether it’s caring for children while parents work to get back on their feet or grandparents who become guardians of their grandchildren.

Otis said cottage parents co-parent with biological parents or guardians to make sure the children’s needs are being met while in residence at the home.

But there also is an independent living program for young adults ages 18-21 who may be struggling to make it on their own. They get set up in their own apartment while learning how to become independent.

“We’re doing a lot of good work and not just for local kids, but all over North Carolina.

Learn more at 919.693.5111 or visit https://mhc-oxford.org/.

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4-H Logo

TownTalk: The Evolution of 4-H

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Most anybody who has participated in 4-H at one time or another can probably remember what the four H’s stand for.

If you came up with Head, Heart, Hands, Health, give yourself a pat on the back.

And although its roots are based in agriculture-related programs, today’s 4-H clubs are pivoting to embrace the growing fields of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math.

Micah Sharpe is Vance County’s Extension agent for 4-H Youth Development. Sharpe said on Tuesday’s TownTalk segment that 4-H clubs tend to reflect the counties in which they operate.

“We still have farming, poultry,” Sharpe said, but 4-H’ers are also “coding robots, flying drones (and) using iPads to create digital marketing.”

4-H is for young people between 5 and 18, and Sharpe said programs and activities can look different, depending on the age group.

The 4-H Clover Buds, as the 5- to 7-year-old group is called, tend to get more hands-on, fun activities, Sharpe said. They’re eager to learn but their attention span is short.

Tweens and teens can sit still a bit longer, so they can handle discussions about topics including civic engagement and the importance of voting, for example.

Sheronika Sharp is the STEM specialist at Vance County Cooperative Extension, and Sharpe said he values their collaboration to create programs, trainings and more.

Sharpe said he has programs that can be taught in school settings, but it can be challenging to gain inroads in that program delivery method.

He said he likes to talk about his 4-H programs and curricula with school counselors, Career and Technical Education teachers, and principals; he trains teachers to carry out the programs as after-school activities, so even if he cannot be there, instructors will know what to do.

Sharpe did not grow up with 4-H – in fact, his first exposure to the program was last year.

But it hasn’t taken long for him to realize the benefits 4-H offers young people.

He tells them, “You’ve got to do what’s right for yourself,” but he follows up with “It’s cool to be knowledgeable.”

Whether they’re learning the basics of cooking through the Dinah Gore challenge or learning to fly drones, 4-H brings together head, heart, hands and health to support young people along their journey to adulthood.

To learn more, contact Sharpe at 252.438.8188, mosharpe@ncsu.edu or even just drop by the office at 305 Young St.

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