Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

TownTalk: Classes Offered To Support Family Caregivers

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A six-week online class designed to help family caregivers do the very best they can for their loved ones – and for themselves – is set to get underway in early September and Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments staffer Susan Tucker wants folks to know how helpful the program is. Tucker speaks from first-hand experience: not only did she complete the class, but she went on to become an instructor.

“I know that it works because it worked for me,” Tucker told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. The class is called “Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” and she said the impact it has had in her own life has been transformative. She has been a caregiver to her mother for the past six years and the tools that she learned from the class have proved invaluable.

The class runs on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 6 and continuing through Oct. 11. It is free and designed for any non-paid caregiver; all participants will receive a workbook as part of the class.

Michael Patterson, a family caregiver specialist with Kerr-Tar COG, said participants learn how to take care of themselves as they provide care for their loved ones, which at times can be a delicate balancing act. The class provides information about community resources, as well as techniques and skills necessary to handle and manage stress.

“That’s the wonderful thing about the class – that’s the whole point,” she said, of finding ways to manage the stress of caring for a loved one. It can be incredibly overwhelming, she added, and rarely is the caregiver prepared for or aware of what they’re getting into.

The class is different from other programs that may be focused squarely on the person who requires the care, which may provide a checklist of all the things that should be done for that person to receive proper care.

“(This) class really gives the caregiver the tools to handle their role as a caregiver,” Tucker said. “It puts tools in your hand to perform those tasks so that you can thrive while you’re caring for your loved one.”

The biggest takeaway for Tucker, she said was a feeling of confidence. “II actually felt – all of a sudden – that I could do it. I didn’t feel alone.”

Call 252.436.2040 to register for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class.

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Home And Garden Show

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

Paul McKenzie of the Vance County Extension Service and guest Johnny Coley of Warren County Extension Service discuss paw paws.

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TownTalk: School Board Approves VCS Strategic Plan

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The new Vance County Schools logo was officially unveiled Aug. 1, and school officials took time at Monday night’s school board meeting to share a bit about the meaning behind the color scheme and the graphics.

“The new logo represents the pathway options that students may choose as the letters v,c and s can all be traced in the image,” according to information in the VCS Board Briefs document. There’s a color gradient that moves from greens to blues and that represents the personalized education and pathways available to students, the statement explained.

The school board also approved the 2022-2025 strategic plan, which includes a revised vision and mission for the 16-school district, which serves about 5,000 students from preschool through high school.

The four-point plan lists equity, innovation, high performance culture and experiential learning as driving forces to inform the work of schools, staff and district leadership.

“Vance County Schools provides an adaptable educational setting where learning is a catalyst to the pursuit of dreams in an evolving society,” the vision statement reads.

And the mission states: “Vance County Schools is committed to providing broad experiences and opportunities to stakeholders that enable them to compete globally.”

Visit https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/ to learn more.

Calling All State Fair Competitors: Enter By Sept. 15 Deadline!

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Think you’ve got a blue-ribbon zucchini bread recipe? Want to see how that batch of blackberry jam or fig preserves stands up to state competition? Or do you have an exquisite quilt or other handcrafted item that you’d like to show off a bit?

Then consider entering the 2022 N.C. State Fair competitions, which are open now through Sept. 15.

The Fair will be held Oct. 13-23 in Raleigh. This year’s theme is “So Happy Together,” surely a nod to reclaiming participation in events that had been hindered by COVID-19 restrictions for the past two years.

In addition to the traditional competitions like artwork, honey, livestock, cooking, canned food, flowers and decorating skills, new competitions include ink pen decorated seashells and artwork-inspired floral arrangements, according to information from fair organizers.

“It is exciting to announce new competitions to go along with categories that are always so popular, like decorated cakes and quilts,” said John Buettner, competitive exhibits coordinator. “We have competitions to appeal to a wide variety of individuals from seashell painting, painted rocks, terrarium building, shoe decorating and even coloring sheets. I encourage everyone, and all ages, to check out the competitions because just like the N.C. State Fair itself, there is something for everyone.”

In 2021, more than 36,000 items were entered in competitions at the fair.

Most entry deadlines are Sept. 15. Exhibitors must have registered prior to the entry deadline. Entry forms can be mailed in or exhibitors can enter online using ShoWorks, an online application system that is widely used at fairs across the country.

“Exhibitors can enter at the website or by downloading the ShoWorks app. This will help streamline the process, report results quicker and be a way that exhibitors can manage multiple exhibits at a fair or even several fairs,” Buettner said. “Since this is new, we have provided instructions for entering each competition on our website as well.”

Find more information at ncstatefair.org and click on competitions.

Warren County Farm Tour Oct. 12

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Several agencies are partnering to host a farm-based business tour on Wednesday, Oct. 12 in Warren County. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature three stops that showcase agritourism and agribusiness in the area.

Warren County Cooperative Extension, Warren County Community & Economic Development, Vance-Granville Community College and the VGCC Small Business Center are joining forces for the event, which will begin at 8 a.m. at the Warren County Cooperative Extension Office located at Rafters Lane in Warrenton.

During the tour, which will conclude about 12 noon, participants will visit Matthews Creek Farm, Fowl Play Poultry Farm and Rockin’ E Ranch.

Transportation will be provided and personal vehicles will not be permitted on the tour, according to information from the Warren County Cooperative Extension office. Registration will be capped at 34 participants, so register now to ensure you have a space!

Learn more about the event and register here: http://go.ncsu.edu/wcfarmtour.

For more information, call Cooperative Extension at 252.257.3640 or Warren County Community & Economic Development at 252.257.3115.

Matthews Creek Farm is located on 20 acres near Norlina and its owners offer farm stay experiences, with lodging available or campsite hookups.

Fowl Play Poultry Farm is a free-range chicken ranch in Warren County that focuses on producing a quality product with local feed and tried-and-true techniques.

Rockin’ E Ranch is a horse training and boarding facility in Warren Plains.

City of Henderson Logo

TownTalk: Council Approves Updated Minimum Housing Code

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The Henderson City Council unanimously approved the revised minimum housing code at its meeting Monday, putting in place an updated framework for making sure that dwellings – especially rental properties – are maintained to comply within acceptable guidelines.

“They adopted the code last night with the exception of Section F,” City Manager Terrell Blackmon told WIZS News Tuesday. Section F includes details about local agents, or points of contact, for properties located in the city.

Blackmon said City Attorney D. Rix Edwards is in the process of seeking clarification from the UNC School of Government to make sure the wording in the code is appropriate and follows state laws. “At a later time, that section could be added back to the code, with some adjustments to the language,” Blackmon explained.

During a work session last month, council members reviewed various changes and updates that had been proposed to the existing code; there was some concern about whether the city could require designation of a local contact in case of an emergency repair at a rental home. State law prohibits registrations of rental properties by municipalities and council members wanted to get guidance about the proper language used in the code to ensure compliance with state rules.

At the time, Blackmon said the city may choose to make naming a local contact person voluntary.

Council Member Melissa Elliott told WIZS News Tuesday that the proposed draft had included the word “agent” and council decided to change the term to “point of contact.”

The rationale behind that part of the code, Elliott said, “is just to have someone local that we can reach out to when a landlord has a house that may have an emergency repair or something that needs to be done” and the landlord lives outside North Carolina.

In today’s written correspondence about the outcome from Monday’s meeting, Blackmon said the city could get registered agent information from the Secretary of State’s office or from lease agreements, which residents submit as part of an application to the city’s water department.

The updates to the city’s minimum housing code is just one step that local officials and the larger community are considering as part of revitalization efforts in and around the downtown area.

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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Henderson Collegiate To Host Teacher Career Fair Thursday, Aug. 11

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Henderson Collegiate is hosting a teacher career fair Thursday morning and is offering a $2,000 signing bonus for any of a number of open positions at the K-12 charter school. Prospective applicants don’t need a  teacher license in hand – just bring a resume.

The event will be from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 12 at the school, located at 1071 Old Epsom Rd. in Henderson.

“This is a great career opportunity for a teacher, career changer, or recent graduate,” said Alicia Hawk, director of development at Henderson Collegiate, Inc.

“Henderson Collegiate is one of the top K-12 public charter schools in the state with competitive pay and benefits, and it’s part of the N.C. Teachers & State Employees retirement program,” Hawk added.

Visit https://hendersoncollegiate.org/ to learn more about the school.