Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
This week’s segment shines some light on the mystery of seed patents and announces an upcoming seed saving workshop.
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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The Vance County Board of Commissioners has scheduled a legislative hearing for Monday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. to receive public comments about two topics surrounding data centers – including the possible adoption of a 60-day moratorium and the proposed zoning ordinance amendment that deals with data center development.
The meeting will be held in the commissioners’ meeting room, located on the second floor of the county administrative office building, 122 Young St.
According to published legal ads notifying the public about the hearings, the moratorium ordinance being considered would address “the acceptance, processing, and approval of development applications for data centers submitted after the adoption of the moratorium within Vance County.
Questions can be directed to Vance County Planning Department at 252.738.2080. For more information, visit
https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/planning-and-development/planning-board
or
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Wayne Rowland, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
Fire resistant landscape can protect your home from wildfires.
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At its Sept. 2 meeting, the Vance County Board of Commissioners Public Safety Committee got an update on repairs being made at the jail.
Frankie Nobles reported on a long list of repairs, replacements and demolition that have been made thus far and said all the maintenance items that had been noted on jail inspections have been made.
“We’re in good shape,” Nobles said in reference to addressing deficiencies that included broken locks, doors, missing ceiling tiles, peeling paint and more throughout the facility.
Sheriff Curtis Brame said that he feels more comfortable about the safety of sheriff staff and detention center staff in light of the repairs and upgrades that have been made.
But he reiterated that if something’s not done about the staffing shortage – 16 to 18 openings at the jail alone – he won’t be satisfied.
“People get complacent, people get tired,” Brame said of the overworked detention center staff during the meeting. “Until we get our staffing up to par, not only at the detention center, but also at the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, we’re going to continue to have these issues and these problems.”
Salaries need to be more competitive to attract quality employees. The repairs that have been made have helped to reduce incidents at the jail, and that may entice more people to apply to work there.
“We have minimized assaults, we have minimized and improved officer safety,” Brame said. It’s vital to get the staffing levels up as the county prepares to build a new detention center. Brame said people need to be hired now so they’ll be trained and ready when the new jail opens.
The current jail remains over capacity, for reasons that include backlogs in the court system, repeat-offender detainees not able to post bond and a lack of beds in the state prison system.
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Jamon Glover, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
Today we talk about how you adjust to life after your children are grown up.
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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
The Vance County Cooperative Extension Building is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536
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Asking for help comes easily for some and not so easily for others. When it comes to asking for help with mental health challenges or addiction issues, Katie Lee often sees reluctance wrapped in shame.
Lee, a registered nurse and program director at Vance Recovery, helps raise awareness about programs that are available in the community to encourage people to seek help and get on a path to recovery.
“I don’t think recovery should be shameful,” she said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
Addiction and mental health struggles affect individuals differently, and treatment plans are not a one-size-fits-all, either.
MOUD – which stands for Medications for Opioid Use Disorder – is one course of treatment. In a nutshell, people addicted to opioids are given a substitute medication that reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Methadone is commonly used – Lee calls it “the gold standard” for that type of medication that controls cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
“The point is for it to stop withdrawals,” she said. Patients start slowly and gradually increase dosage amounts until they attain the desired results.
“It takes a lot of patience and a lot of time,” Lee said.
At Vance Recovery, a team of health professionals work to provide wraparound services for the clients they serve. From counseling services to education and awareness, Lee said it’s important to understand what clients need to be successful.
Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of sharing results of a positive drug screen to share exactly what kind of substance they used.
“They buy a bag of whatever it is they’re going to consume, thinking it’s fentanyl,” Lee explained, “and come to find out, it’s a mixture of a bunch of other things.
Xylazine and medetomidine – are two medications that are showing up in street drugs these days. They’re both veterinary medications, and they are being substituted for fentanyl. Lee said they can create deep wounds that are slow to heal. Those wounds lead to infection, which can lead to sepsis, which can lead to death.
One of the withdrawal symptoms of medetomidine is heart attack, “so we’re dealing with a really, really nasty beast,” she added.
These drugs aren’t just showing up in big cities or in other parts of the country – medetomidine is in Henderson, too.
Lee said she’s had patients who have tested positive for the drug.
And while prevention takes up a big chunk of energy surrounding the drug use and abuse issue, Lee said her experience as a nurse leads her to focus on the “now,” the people struggling right now.
Unfortunately, the situation is becoming one of generational drug use. Parents use in front of their children, then the children use and the cycle continues.
“These kids are growing up around it,” Lee said.
“Our kids are getting off the bus not knowing if they’re going to have to Narcan their parents,” explained. “That is a real problem here, but people don’t talk about it…you would be surprised at how many children know how to use Narcan.”
And while Narcan is effective with fentanyl overdoses, these veterinary medications are proving trickier. Awareness and prevention through educating and informing young people is one approach, but removing the stigma around recovery and getting help for people caught up in the web of addiction must be another approach.
The numbers speak for themselves. Lee shared some data at a recent Chamber-sponsored Women in Business event that show treatment effectiveness over time.
Measuring the percent of local patients in the Vance Recovery program and the percent of negative fentanyl results (that is, no fentanyl in drug screenings) were promising:
People in treatment for less than 30 days: 47 percent negative
31-90 days – 36 percent negative
91-180 days – 41 percent negative
181-270 days – 49 percent negative
271 days -1 year – 56 percent negative
1-2 yrs – 55 percent negative
2-5 yrs -64 percent negative
5+ yrs – 72 percent negative
September is National Recovery Month and Vance Recovery is partnering with the City of Henderson and Freedom Bridge to host an event on Breckenridge Street to celebrate those in recovery and to share educational resources and more for the community.
It takes place Saturday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features activities for the kids, guest speakers, food trucks, vendors and more.
Vance Recovery is located at 932 W Andrews Ave. Visit https://www.morseclinics.com/our-locations/vance-recovery or contact Katie Lee at
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— submitted by Maria Parham Health
A child’s hospital stay can be difficult and frightening, especially when that stay stretches from days into weeks or even months. Sometimes, something as simple as a new stuffed animal, a box of crayons or a sticker book can provide a welcome distraction and a little bit of comfort.
Maria Parham Health is inviting the community to help bring that comfort to children at Duke Children’s Hospital through a special toy drive taking place September 8–22.
The effort was inspired by a member of the Maria Parham Health family whose young daughter recently spent time receiving care at Duke Children’s Hospital. During her stay, the family discovered firsthand that the hospital has a need for toys and other simple activities for children who may be hospitalized for extended periods.
After seeing how much a simple toy could mean to a child during a difficult hospital stay, the family wanted to turn that experience into an opportunity to help other children.
“Knowing how much joy a simple toy can bring to a child during a difficult hospital stay, we wanted to find a way to help other children experience that same little moment of happiness,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “We hope our community will join us in showing others love through the gift of toys.”
Community members are encouraged to donate just one or two basic, new toys. There is no need to purchase anything elaborate or expensive. Suggested donations include:
**Collection boxes will be available at Maria Parham Health in the lobby throughout the drive, September 8–22. Toys can be dropped off between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. **
Following the collection, Maria Parham Health will deliver the community’s donations to Duke Children’s Hospital.
The toy drive is a simple opportunity to make a meaningful difference. For a child spending weeks or months in a hospital room, a new toy can offer a moment of fun, a creative outlet, a comforting companion and a reminder that people are thinking about them.
Maria Parham Health encourages community members, employees, families, churches, schools, civic organizations and local businesses to participate by donating whatever they can.
One toy. One child. One moment of joy.
Together, our community can help bring a little more comfort, happiness and hope to children when they need it most.
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