Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen Recognized For “Outside The Box” Thinking

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Just name the event: whether it’s strawberry picking around Mother’s Day, a drive-through Christmas lights display, the annual hot sauce festival or a kiln-opening at a local art gallery/artist’s workshop, Angela Allen can tell you about it.

All about it.

On paper, it’s Allen’s job to know about such events – she’s the Granville County’s Tourism Development Authority, after all.

But Allen takes that knowledge and kicks it up a few notches, which has earned her recognition during a tourism and local marketing conference held recently in Asheville.

“Angela has brought a big heart, lots of laughter, and so much courage and excitement into every room, virtual or in-person, over the last two years,” said Sarah Benoit, one of the founders and organizers of the DIY Tourism and Marketing Conference.

Allen was recognized for her work promoting Granville County as a tourism destination and her use of innovative community building to create a tangible impact in how current and future visitors view the county and what it has to offer.

Benoit said Allen’s “positive energy, intention to build community, and ability to think outside the box during times of change” help her stand out among tourism officials.

“We are truly grateful she is part of our extended community and deeply appreciate how she shares ideas and uplifts everyone around her,” Benoit added.

The DIY Tourism and Local Marketing Conference is held annually in Asheville and led by co-founders Benoit, Chris Cavanaugh and Justin Belleme. This year the conference organizers decided to recognize three tourism organizations for their work and impact in the communities they serve across the southeast region.

Allen shared the spotlight with Jessica Icenhour Roberts with Mt. Airy Tourism Development Authority and Tami Reist and Angie Pierce from the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism Association.

For more information about the DIY Tourism and Local Marketing Conference, please visit their website:  https://diytourismmarketing.com/.

Visit the Tourism Development Authority website for more information about events taking place across the county: www.visitgranvillenc.com.

Learn About Resources Offered By Infinite Possibilities, Inc. At Jan. 10 Info Session

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The public is invited to a community information session on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at Baskerville Funeral Home chapel to learn more about resources that are available through Infinite Possibilities, Inc.

Baskerville Funeral Home is located at 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson. The hourlong information session begins at 6 p.m.

Infinite Possibilities, Inc. is a nonprofit agency that serves Vance and Warren counties in numerous ways, including providing advocacy for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Other services include a 24/7 hotline, court advocacy, community and youth education, emergency shelter placement and medical advocacy.

Infinite Possibilities has offices in Henderson and Warrenton. Call the Henderson office at 252.431.1926. The Warren County office number is 252. 257.1044.

Careers In Conservation Scholarship Application Open Through Feb. 1

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College students interested in natural resource management can apply for scholarships through the N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation

Applications to the Careers in Conservation Scholarship Program can be made until Feb. 1, 2023, it’s open to students currently studying or who plan to seek a degree in natural resource management or closely related field of study at a college, university or community college, according to information from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

The program’s goal is to increase the number of qualified people committed  to working in the field of natural resource management, thereby supporting the mission of soil and water conservation districts. Recipients will receive $1,000 per school year and must reapply each year for consideration.

This past year, two Granville County residents, Austin Carroll and Susan Huff, received scholarships from the foundation. Both are currently enrolled at N.C. State University. Huff is pursuing a degree in Poultry Science and Carroll is in the Crops and Soil Science program.

Scholarship awards will be announced in April 2023.

Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of recommendation from their Soil and Water Conservation District Board or staff members. For more information, please contact the Granville County Soil and Water office at 919.693.4603.

Apply here: https://ncsoilwater.org/programs/careers-in-conservation scholarship-program/.

City of Henderson Logo

TownTalk: Signs of Positive Growth

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King’s Daughters Park is not the largest park in the area, and it doesn’t have all the amenities as other recreation areas, but what it does have is what is known in the real estate world as a critical asset: Location, location, location.

City officials are looking at ways to increase the park’s boundaries as plans continue to progress for the West End Urban Redevelopment Area (URA).

The Henderson City Council approved a recommendation from city staff to acquire three vacant properties near the park that, if successful, would add to the overall footprint of the park, located on Montgomery Street. Having access to green space promotes public health while preserving the characteristics of the park.

“We’ve got some negotiating to do,” City Manager Terrell Blackmon told WIZS News Tuesday. But the council gave staff permission to move forward to try to buy the vacant properties and refurbish the park as part of the overall redevelopment plan, Blackmon explained.

One of the three property owners has been contacted, but Blackmon said the city is still in the process of contacting the other two.

As plans for the West End URA continue to take shape, the idea is to bring a mixture of rental homes and private residences to the area, while developing business and recreation opportunities within walking distance of where people live.

The URA and other opportunities for redevelopment are part of the city’s overall strategic plan, as well as employee retention.

Blackmon said succession planning plays a role in recruiting and retaining city employees, and it’s one of the points contained in the strategic plan.

The city also approved a new entry-level planning technician position in the development services division, made necessary when the current zoning administrator was promoted to the vacant position of community development manager.

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U.S. Department of Justice

Law Enforcement Officers Training Teaches How To De-Escalate, Defuse Situations For Safety

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The ongoing training that law enforcement officers participate in helps them evaluate situations and when they should use strategies that will reduce the need for force and to keep a situation from getting out of hand. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the N.C. Justice Academy have provided day-long de-escalation, use of force and community engagement training to more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers in the Eastern District of North Carolina between May and October.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael Easley said the training is part of his office’s Civil Rights Initiative. The training “gives law enforcement the tools, tactics and best practices to defuse and de-escalate situations by mitigating the need for or use of force,” Easley said in press statement.

These de-escalation techniques can help to reduce injuries and preserve the safety of law enforcement officers and the public, Easley said.

“In addition to providing training for dealing with ‘in the moment’ situations, the agenda also focused on the benefits of ongoing community engagement by law enforcement to build long-term, sustainable community trust. Taking the time to listen, learn and gain perspective creates a basis for developing collaborative solutions that make our communities safer,” he said.

 Training sessions were offered in Raleigh, Greenville, Castle Hayne, Ahoskie and Fayetteville and  included sessions on addressing use of force incidents, a review of civil rights laws and hate crimes, and best practices in community policing. The community engagement section was led by N.C. Department of Public Safety Secretary Eddie Buffaloe.

The training is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Initiative which includes community outreach and engagement designed to increase awareness of existing civil rights protections and how to spot and avoid civil rights violations.

Cooperative Extension With Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden

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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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Granville Vance Public Health Logo

COVID-19, Flu, RSV: “Triple-Demic” Can Alter Family Gatherings

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Vance and Granville counties continue to be in the low transmission category for COVID-19, but trends are ticking upward in the weeks following Thanksgiving and heading into Christmas.

Some families are having to cancel plans to gather because someone in the group has tested positive for COVID-19, and others are choosing to postpone their celebrations until the New Year.

According to advice from Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison, they’re doing the right thing. “Assess your risk and risk to others when you gather in large groups and stay home any time you have symptoms of illness,” Harrison noted in her most recent health update to the community.  the “triple-demic” combination of COVID-19, flu and RSV can wreak havoc and she reminds everyone to be completely vaccinated and boosted to ward off sickness.

“Although COVID-19 community levels in both Granville and Vance counties is finally at a ‘low’ mark, we are still hearing of a multitude of illnesses circulating like flu, RSV and strep, as well as COVID-19,” Harrison said, “so be sure to stay on alert with fighting off germs, wash those hands regularly, and stay well hydrated.”

The CDC estimates that at least 13 million Americans have already been infected with the flu this season, and more than 100,000 have been hospitalized across the U.S. — this is a larger number than last winter, when many Americans were still following COVID-related precautions. But flu shot uptake this year has been low. Only about a quarter of American adults have been vaccinated, according to the CDC. “Those who haven’t gotten their shot yet should seek one soon, said Dr. Preeti Malani, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan. The sense is that this year’s vaccine is actually a pretty good match to the strain circulating. And much like COVID vaccines, flu shots don’t prevent all infections, but they can help prevent hospitalizations, deaths, as well as transmission,” according to Dr. Malani.

(https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/12/14/1142651228/stay-safe-holidays-covid-flu-rsv-tripledemic).

The health department offers COVID-19 shots and boosters as well as flu shots Monday-Friday at each location of Granville Vance Public Health. The bivalent COVID-19 booster shots by Pfizer and Moderna are available and help protect against the newest variants of COVID-19.

Following recent FDA authorization this month, the CDC has recommended the use of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 6 months through 5 years. Please note that, unlike for older age groups, these products are not eligible for mix-and-match use.

  1. Moderna:Children ages 6 months through 5 years who previously completed a Moderna primary series can now receive a Moderna bivalent booster 2 months after their final primary series dose.
  2. Pfizer:Children ages 6 months through 4 years who are completing a Pfizer primary series will receive a Pfizer bivalent vaccine as their third primary dose. Effective immediately, the third dose of Pfizer (monovalent) is no longer authorized for this age group.

The numbers:

  • In Vance County, 64 percent of individuals have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 58 percent have completed the initial series and 14 percent have received the updated booster.
  • In Granville County, 68 percent of individuals have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 64 percent have completed the initial series and 16 percent have received their updated booster.

Stay updated by checking 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/. 

NCDOT

NC DOT Offers Safety Tips When Driving During “Bomb Cyclone”

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-information courtesy of N.C. Department of Transportation

People should check real-time driving conditions before traveling anywhere throughout the holiday weekend, as a winter storm is forecast to bring bone-chilling cold, rain, heavy winds and possible snow and ice in some locations.

Those conditions could make travel dangerous in North Carolina from the mountains to the coast.

The N.C. Department of Transportation has prepared for the storm. It has  more than 2,200 employees who are specially trained to use hundreds of trucks to remove snow and ice from roads. The agency has prepared its trucks and equipment in advance of this weekend’s winter storm. The NCDOT can store up to 179,000 tons of salt and sand and 1.8 million of brine to treat roads.

“Our staff is ready to clear roads of snow and debris as needed, but travelers need to be prepared, too,” said J. Eric Boyette, NCDOT secretary. “This storm could make it quite dangerous to be outside driving. Everyone should be prepared and be safe.”

If you do choose to travel this weekend, NCDOT recommends the following safety tips:

  • Be sure your vehicle is running well, has at least a half tank of gas and is equipped properly for changing conditions.
  • Keep on hand a supply kit with an ice scraper, extra windshield wiper fluid and anti-freeze, as well as a first-aid kit, blankets, flashlights, drinking water, and a basic automotive tool kit with jumper cables and flares.
  • If possible, leave early for your destination.
  • Allow extra time for your trip, regardless of the route you choose.
  • Drive slowly and maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles.
  • Approach bridges and overpasses with caution as they may accumulate ice first.
  • Come to a complete stop and yield the right of way when approaching an intersection where traffic lights are out. Treat this as a four-way stop.
  • Other tips can be found on NCDOT’s “Driving in Winter Weather” webpage.
  • For real-time travel information, visit DriveNgov or follow NCDOT on social media.

Road Construction Halted

To ease travel, the NCDOT will temporarily halt most construction activity along major highways to keep traffic flowing for holiday travel.

Construction along interstates, U.S. and key N.C. routes will be suspended from Friday morning until Tuesday evening to help reduce delays.

Construction also will be halted starting the morning of Dec. 31 through the evening of Jan. 3 for motorists traveling during the New Year’s Day holiday. Some projects will continue with work that doesn’t impact travel lanes, and other long-term lane closures will remain in place on certain projects.

Weather Could Impact Other Transportation

High winds and rough seas along the coast could cause schedule interruptions on some or all North Carolina ferry routes. Travelers should check with their terminal of departure before heading out this weekend.

As of Thursday, there are no plans in the coming days to stop or delay any of the state’s passenger rail trains. For the latest train schedules, please visit NCByTrain.org.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.