Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

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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The Local Skinny! Nobles Talks Latest At The Animal Shelter

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Thanks to a local volunteer firefighter, the animals up for rescue or adoption at Vance County Animal Services may get some extra “likes” that just might land them in their furever home.

Lightning, a male lab mix, is the first animal to be named “Firedog of the Month” on the Facebook page of Watkins Volunteer Fire Department.

Frankie Nobles, Vance County’s chief animal services officer, said “there’s no telling how many people have seen him” since his picture was first posted a few days ago.

Nobles told John C. Rose on Monday’s The Local Skinny! that he gives all the credit to volunteer firefighter Justin Simmons. It was his idea to feature an adoptable pet from the animal shelter on social media to spread the word about the animals.

It’s a great way to “get the animals recognized and get them out of the shelter,” Nobles said. Just last week, the shelter took in more than 30 kittens; luckily, one rescue organization wanted every single one, and Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society was able to transport them last Friday evening.

Having volunteers like Simmons who think outside the box are certainly helpful as the shelter gets more and more animals, whether they come in as strays or as owner surrenders, as in Lightning’s case.

He said volunteers are welcome at the shelter and their efforts go a long way to socialize animals and prepare them for adoption or rescue.

“Volunteers can get out and walk them – it really helps them out a lot,” Nobles said.

He and his staff are making plans to take puppies or dogs on visits to other county offices and to get the dogs more visible in the community with walks downtown, for example.

It helps the dogs expend some energy, gets them out of their kennels for a bit and – who knows – maybe they’ll find a new home in the process.

Find a photo of Lightning on the Watkins Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook page and stay tuned for the next Firedog of the Month.

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The Local Skinny! Maria Parham Health To Host Job Fair On Thursday

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Maria Parham Health is hosting a job fair from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 19. There are a variety of clinical and non-clinical jobs available.

Human Resources Director Randy Toscano spoke with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! and said job applicants could possibly be extended an offer at the job fair.

Applicants should bring a resume and may apply online beforehand, but it’s not necessary, Toscano said. There will be a computer set up in the hospital lobby to apply. There will be information tables from each department set up and the department heads will be available to speak with prospective applicants.

Among the departments that are looking to fill positions are nursing, radiology, registration and labs, he said. Individuals who are interested in a career in the health care industry are encouraged to attend. “You can walk out with a new career,” Toscano said.

There is always a need for phlebotomists, LPNs and RNs, he added, but also in non-clinical areas such as housekeeping, registration and food service.

Register online at https://www.mariaparham.com/

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TownTalk: Crime Stoppers Breakfast Held In Appreciation To Law Enforcement

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The Henderson Vance Crime Stoppers kicked off National Police Week by giving area law enforcement officers a pat on the back – and a complimentary breakfast.

Frankie Nobles is president of the local Crime Stoppers organization and he said Wednesday’s  breakfast included an awards ceremony to recognize a number of people who serve the community.

The event was held at J.R.’s Restaurant 39, and owners J.R. Stainback and wife Harley received Business of the Year award for their efforts to support local law enforcement. The Crime Stoppers group holds its monthly meetings at Restaurant 39, Nobles said, noting the “many things they do for Crime Stoppers and our community.”

Nobles told John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk that Clearview Baptist Church footed the bill for the breakfast, which fed more than 100 law enforcement officers and other local leaders who joined in to say thank you.

“These officers need this recognition,” Nobles said. “They need to know how important they are to our community.”

The breakfast is just a small show of support for the men and women who dedicate themselves to keeping the community safe. “Law enforcement agents…put their lives on the line every day, and the community just doesn’t recognize that enough,” Nobles said.

He said the breakfast gives officers from different agencies the opportunity to mingle and to support each other, too.

“If (that’s) just a little something we can do, that’s what we’ll do,” Nobles said, adding that if the officers can come in and be stress-free for the 30 minutes or so to eat breakfast, “it was all worth it.”

The Henderson Police Department’s Gregory Hunter received the Sam Pearson Memorial Award.

Detective Andrew Bishop of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office received the Tom Long Memorial Award award; Sgt. Akira Alston received the detention officer award and Trooper J.P. Taylor was honored for State Highway Patrol officer of the year.

Heather Lovings, a member of the support staff for Vance County Animal Services, was honored for her work as well. “It’s not always about the officer handling the cases, but also about the support person,” Nobles said.

Nobles said the recipient of the VGCC law enforcement award will receive his award on Friday, so the announcement will be made public at that time.

This is the first year that wildlife officers have joined the group, and Nobles said he hoped they would participate in future events.

 

 

West End Baptist

West End Baptist Church To Host 3-Day Yard Sale May 18-20

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The Baptist Men’s group of West End Baptist Church is hosting a huge three-day yard sale this week. Jerry Parrish invites the community to come join the fun and check out all the items for sale on Wednesday through Friday, May 18-20.

The yard sale will be held at the church, located at 619 Dabney Dr. and will start each day at 7 a.m.

Among the items for sale are a large selection of golf clubs, working vacuum cleaners, a working refrigerator, an assortment of Halloween and Christmas items, as well as yard tools, weed eaters, chain saws, a couple of riding lawnmowers and even a paddle boat.

All proceeds will go to support local and state ministries including ACTS, Rebuilding Hope, Lifeline Ministries, Baptist On Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and GRACE Ministries.

Tri-County Shrine Club Fish Fry Wednesday in Henderson

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The local Shriners Fish Fry is this Wednesday, May 18.

This is the 58th fish fry and local Shriner Donald C. Seifert spoke with WIZS about how the event has evolved over those almost six decades as it continues to raise money for local causes as well as for Shriner’s Children’s Hospitals.

The annual event has been held in numerous spots over the years, many of them at the old Henderson Armory. Patrons had a chance to eat in or take out, as well as visit with friends from across the community.

“It’s been reshaped a bit over the last several years,” Seifert said. The fish fry is held at what he called “the Slaughter building,” located between Mako Medical and Serv Pro on Industry Drive.

Local Shriner Sherby Slaughter provides the site for the fish fry, and Seifert said last year’s take-out option proved successful.

“We just don’t have the space inside to serve patrons,” he said, “and we miss that. We do have the drive-thru set up and it’s worked well.”

Lots of planning goes into the annual fundraiser, well in advance of the event date, which traditionally is the third Wednesday in May. The gates open at 11 a.m. and the goal is to sell about 2,000 plates by the time the fish fry is over about suppertime.

Thanks to some coordination with the nearby Salvation Army, Seifert said there should be no problems with having enough fish. “The Salvation Army has agreed to let us have some reserve product in their kitchen,” he said. “If we start to run low, we’ll have easy access and have plenty of fish.”

Like many organizations, the Shrine Club isn’t as large as it once was, and members rely on volunteers to help keep things rolling on fish fry day, whether it’s delivering plates of 10 or more to area businesses or cooking and packing the food into containers, volunteers play a key role, for which Seifert says his fellow Shriners are grateful.

“My hat’s off to our volunteers,” he said.

The fish fry is a highlight of the club’s year, and its proceeds help support local causes like First Responders and as well as the children’s hospitals that the Shriners are associated with.

“There are so many good causes around, especially local causes that we feel like we’d like to help,” Seifert said. “Of course, the hospitals get a nice donation…but we try to share as best we can.”

Tickets are $10, but you don’t have to have a ticket in advance – just follow the line of traffic out to Industry Drive, pull in, pick up a plate and get a great big “Thank You” from a Shriner.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Local COVID-19 Cases On The Rise

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COVID-19 cases are on the rise across much of North Carolina, and Vance and Granville counties are no exception.

According to information extracted from the COVID-19 dashboard Granville-Vance Public Health website, the number of new weekly positive cases is on the uptick in both counties.

The most recent numbers are for May 7, with 42 cases – 2 of which are reinfections – for Vance County. That is an increase over the 26 cases reported as of April 30.

In Granville County, the May 7 number was 95, with 7 being reinfections. The April 30 number had been 75, according to the dashboard statistics.

In both counties, the number of new cases dropped to single digits in early April, but have since seen increases. Cases in both counties peaked in mid-January, with 865 cases in Vance and 1,155 cases in Granville.

Total cases since March 2020 are 11,936 in Vance and 14,536 in Granville, with deaths from COVID-19 standing at 122 in Vance and 115 in Granville.

With mask requirements now optional in many places and people gathering and congregating with less regard for social distancing, the risk for contracting COVID-19 may also increase.

If you do experience symptoms, you should get tested. And if the results come back positive for COVID-19, health professionals advise to self-isolate for 10 days.

Visit http://www.gvdhd.org/ to learn more.

 

National Police Week Observed May 11-17

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In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley recognized the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers at the local, state and national levels. The annual observance began May 11 and continues through Tuesday, May 17.

“In taking an oath to preserve and protect, law enforcement officers put their lives on the line daily to keep our communities safe,” Easley said in a press statement released earlier this week. “We recognize and appreciate their sacrifice and commitment every day. This week, we take the opportunity, across the country, to honor those law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. We also express our deepest respect and admiration for the families of these fallen heroes.”

Based on information from the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021.  Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.  Nine officers have died in the line of duty in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed gratitude to the law enforcement community. “This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” Garland said.

“We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.  Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read tonight (Friday, May 13) during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8 p.m. Those who wish to view the vigil live online can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF.