Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

Registration For Warren Youth Sports League Open

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Registration is now open for fall youth sports leagues for Warren County Parks and Recreation. Cheerleading, soccer, flag football, and tackle football are being offered, according to information from Warren County officials.

Registration can be completed online at any time, and at the Warren County Parks and Recreation office Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The office is located at 113 Wilcox St., Warrenton.

In addition, there are special registration dates scheduled at the parks and rec office:

  • Thursday, July 21, until 7pm
  • Saturday, July 30, 9am-11:30am
  • Monday, Aug. 1, until 7pm

Youth interested in tackle football must register by Aug. 1. The fee is $15. Warren County will accept registration for ages 10-12 to compile a team to play in the Halifax-Northampton Youth Football League. This league requires a physical and the form can be obtained from the parks and recreation office at time of registration or by requesting it in advance to be emailed. Completed forms must be submitted no later than Aug. 1 to the parks and recreation office.

Register for cheerleading and flag football by Aug. 8. The fee for each of those sports is $10. Both groups are for young people ages 6-12.

Soccer is open to youth ages 5-18, and registration for Start Smart Soccer for children ages 3-5 will be Aug. 1-31.

For more information, visit the website or call the office at 252.257.2272.

TownTalk: Preview Of Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society Cruise-In

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The upcoming Ruin Creek Cruise-In is the perfect time to celebrate the successes of a collaboration of public and private agencies whose mission is to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats in the area.

The Cruise-In will be held on Saturday, July 30 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the former Boyd dealership, 284 U.S. Hwy 158 Bypass. Admission is free to the public; all proceeds will benefit the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society.

RCAPS founder and president Brandon Boyd said the Cruise-In is the group’s largest fundraiser of the year. This year’s presenting sponsor is Vance County Department of Tourism.

“Not only is it a fundraiser event, but it’s also a time of community fellowship for people in our area to get together and share an evening of safe and enjoyable fun together,” Boyd said in a written statement to WIZS News.

“This is a time we get to see all of our generous donors that allow the work of Ruin Creek to take place and gives us the opportunity to simply tell everyone, ‘thank you,’” Boyd added.

The Cruise-In is surely an event for human enjoyment, but the real winners are the hundreds of dogs and cats that find their way to rescue organizations for foster care or for adoption.

Vance Animal Services Director Frankie Nobles said RCAPS, working alongside his staff, has been a valuable partner.

In the last six years or so, the number of dogs and cats coming through the animal shelter has basically been cut in half – from more than 3,000 a year to last year’s count of below 1,800, Nobles told John C. Rose during Tuesday’s Town Talk.

“We’re seeing that number of animals drastically dropping,” he said, but over the past several weeks, the daily intake is a dozen or more animals. “The shelter is seeing a lot of intakes,” Nobles added.

But RCAPS programs like the Friday Freedom Rides get animals out of the shelter, freeing up space and reducing the need to euthanize animals because there simply is no room to house them.

“The more money they can raise, the more animals we can help get out of here,” Nobles said. Some of that money is used to pay for the transport, but RCAPS also helps offset the cost for the shelter’s spay and neuter program, as well as provide vet care for sick or injured animals who are brought in to the shelter.

County residents who receive government assistance – like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – can qualify to get their pets spayed or neutered for free through the shelter. The only out-of-pocket expense for eligible pet owners is their animal’s rabies shot, $5 at the shelter or $10 on the day of the spay or neuter procedure.

Residents who don’t qualify for the free spay or neuter services can still get their animals fixed at a reduced rate – $50 for male cats and $60 for female cats, and $70 for male dogs and $80 for female dogs.

Nobles said they’ve done more than 400 community animals – and that doesn’t include those animals that are in the shelter.

The spay/neuter program, coupled with education programs in the community, Nobles said the unwanted pet situation has improved.

“That’s our goal – to reduce that number as low as we can get it,” he said.

In just a few months, the shelter will celebrate six years at the new facility on Brodie Road. Nobles said he appreciates the work of Lead Officer Megan Cottrell as well as Animal Service Officers Chris Vick and Waverly Saunders.

Heather Lovings is the shelter’s office assistant and ever-present volunteer Ellen Wilkins provide invaluable service to keep the office running smoothly.

Nobles said RCAPS volunteers Michelle Wood and Taylor Pitkowsky are a big help, too.

The Cruise-In is a chance to say “thank you” to the community for its support of the work of all the staff at the shelter and the volunteers at RCAPS. Last year’s crowd was in the 3,200 to 3,500 range, and organizers are hoping to exceed that number.

Classic and collector cars from all across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia will be participating in this event, and local vendors will offer a variety of craft items for sale as well. Vehicle owners can register and check in beginning at 1 p.m.

Stock car racing television broadcaster and classic car enthusiast Mike Joy will be on hand for the festivities, as will Richard Petty’s “Petty Garage,” a traveling display with some of the latest gizmos and gadgets from the world of car racing. There will be demonstrations of some of the equipment for participants to enjoy, too.

South Hill’s Shep Moss and Party Time Music will provide musical entertainment during the Cruise-In, Boyd said, and there will be raffle drawings for prizes throughout the evening.

 

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State Highway Patrol

Campaign To Reduce Speeders In Effect Through July 24

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Most drivers, whether they admit it or not, have driven at speeds higher than the posted limits.

You’re late to an appointment or to pick the kids up at school or a sports practice – the excuses may vary, but the results of speeding remain the same – the increased risks of crashes, injury and loss of life.

Law enforcement officers across the state are participating in a “Speeding Wrecks Lives” campaign through July 24, part of a national initiative in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“Speeding-related crashes are at all-time high levels across the country, including North Carolina, and one proven way to prevent speeding is an increased law enforcement presence on the roads,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “Campaigns like these are key pieces to decreasing crashes, even as we work on more long-term solutions such as safe road design, safer cars and quality driver education.”
Speeding is a major cause of injuries and deaths on North Carolina roadways. Last year, 424 people died in speeding-related crashes across the state. Moreover, speed was a contributing factor in nearly a quarter of all fatal crashes in 2021. Males under 39 account for nearly half of all speeding-related crashes.
To be safe, drivers should always avoid speeding. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate curves, makes it more difficult to stop a vehicle and increases the risk of crashes and injuries because other vehicles and people might not be able to judge distance correctly.

View more statistics on speeding in NC here.

The Local Skinny! Upcoming Blood Drives

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There are several blood drives scheduled for the area, and the American Red Cross could use your help. June’s donations were down by 12 percent, and donations are desperately needed to prevent a blood shortage this summer, according to information from Cally Edwards, regional communications director for the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina.

Following is a list of upcoming blood drives in the four-county area:

Vance

Thursday, July 21

  • 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.,Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd., Henderson
  • 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Rd., Henderson

Granville

Friday, July 22

  • 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Ave., Creedmoor

Warren

Friday, July 22

  • 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Norlina Fire Department, 102 Center St., Norlina

Franklin

Saturday, July 23

  • 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Maple Springs Baptist Church, 1938 NC Hwy 56 E, Louisburg

There are several ways to register to give blood, Edwards said in a press release. Donors can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit http://RedCrossBlood.org  or call 1.800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

Save time at the appointment by completing the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online. Before you arrive. Visit

https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/manage-my-donations/rapidpass.html

or use the blood donor app to complete the pre-donation checklist.

Individuals who donate blood during the month of July are entered into a chance to win a Shark Week merchandise package, thanks to a partnership with Discovery. The package includes a beach bike, smokeless portable fire pit, paddle board, kayak and a $500 gift card to put toward additional accessories.

All donors who come in between July 21-24 get a Shark Week t-shirt while supplies last, she said.

 

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TownTalk: Barnes And Allen Speak At GOP Event

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Two candidates vying for election in the upcoming midterm election were in Henderson recently and spoke to a partisan crowd about what’s at stake in November.

N.C. Sen. Lisa Stone Barnes, R-District 11, is seeking re-election, and she was welcomed at last month’s Vance County GOP fundraiser. Barnes faces Democratic challenger Mark Speed on the November ballot.

District 11 includes Vance, Franklin and Nash counties. She and her husband live in Nash County and grow sweet potatoes.

“This election is so important,” Barnes told the group of several hundred in attendance at the June 24 event. “We have a chance to regain the super majority in the House and in the Senate, she said, which would eliminate the conservatives’ worry about the governor’s veto.

“We have so much to be thankful for,” Barnes said, heaping praise on the U.S. Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, a decision that had come down earlier in the day. She called the Court’s ruling a “victory for the American republic (which) returns power to the states, where it belongs.”

Trey Allen, one of two Republican candidates for two N.C. Supreme Court seats, echoed Barnes’s sentiments for Republicans to reclaim the super majority in the General Assembly.

In his remarks, Allen reminded those in attendance that the State Supreme Court “has the last word in interpretation of state law.”

Allen, who currently is the general counsel for the state’s Office of Administrative Courts, said judges are the servants of the law not the masters of the law. As a state Supreme Court justice, he said it would be his job to “follow and enforce the law, not rewrite the law.”

Allen stressed the need for “strong Constitutional conservatives” serving both on the state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

If voters elect Republicans in these races, Allen said “we’ve got the change to add to the majority on the Court of Appeals and to take the majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court.”

Allen will face Democratic incumbent Associate Justice Sam J. Ervin IV on the November ballot.

 

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Yellow Jackets

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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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SportsTalk: Hoyle Leaves Duke For Mississippi St.

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Wil Hoyle, son of Henderson’s Wilson Hoyle, has been a key player for Duke University’s baseball team but will be heading to Mississippi St. for his final year of college eligibility next season.  Hoyle entered the transfer portal. His change of schools is all about new challenges and, as Hoyle puts it, “experiencing something new at Mississippi State.”

Hoyle had nothing but wonderful things to say about his time with the Blue Devils lavishing praise on the staff, coaches and the relationships that he has formed at Duke. He also didn’t neglect his studies while there either garnering two degrees including a Masters in Management Studies.

On the field, Hoyle had 17 RBI and 4 home runs with a batting average of .207 and a .333 on base average for the 2022 season.  “I wasn’t ready to be a batter,” Hoyle said of starting at Duke a few years back. He was a diligent defensive player but putting on weight and getting stronger has helped him on the offensive side, and Hoyle excels at switch hitting which adds value to his team.

Hoyle received extra eligibility because of covid and its effects on sports scheduling during 2020. When the baseball season was shut down that year, Hoyle said there were heavy emotions in the locker room.  He had just had a break out game just prior to the shutdown, and Duke was ranked 8th in the country at the time. Duke and Hoyle survived covid and won the ACC Championship last season. “That’s something I will never forget,” Hoyle said.

Now, with one year left in his college career, Hoyle says he will play whatever role that is needed at Mississippi State.  While Duke is a major college power in basketball, Mississippi State is that type of school in baseball. Duke’s baseball stadium seats only 2,000 people but at Mississippi State he will play in front of 15,000 fans.  It’s a big step for the Durham native, but he is looking forward to family coming from Henderson and Durham to see him play at Mississippi State just as they have come to games at Duke.

For more on Hoyle at Mississippi St. baseball, visit a wonderful SI article we also turned up. https://www.si.com/college/mississippistate/baseball/mississippi-state-baseball-transfer-commitment-wil-hoyle-duke-blue-devils

AND CLICK PLAY FOR OUR WIZS INTERVIEW WITH WIL!