Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 05-10-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for May 10, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email Michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

Name of the Company: Select Products, 1133 Poplar Creek Road, Henderson, NC

Jobs Available: Multiple Positions Open!  Forklift Operator, Maintenance Mechanic, Order Picker/Packer, Shipping and Receiving Clerk, and CDL Drivers.  Skills needed are related to positions, such as certified forklift driving training, or current CDL license, and all positions require good communications skills, ability to work in a fast-paced environment, organization skills with attention to detail, and mechanically inclined with great problem-solving skills.  Full-Time, Shift Hours.

Method of Contact: https://www.selectproducts-usa.com/careers/ – Submit resume online.

 

Name of the Company: Benchmark Community Bank

Jobs Available: Peak Time Relationship Teller.  Monday-Friday Part-Time.  25 hours per week.

Method of Contact: Apply online at www.applicantpro.com/openings/bcbonline/jobs

 

Name of the Company: Salvation Army – Red Shield Club and Community Center

Jobs Available: Openings for Summer Camp Youth Development Professionals.  Supervises and leads youth activities and programs for summer camp.  In charge of conducting indoor and outdoor camp program, maintain records, maintain program facilities, equipment and materials.  High School Diploma or equivalent.

Method of Contact: Apply online through Indeed.com.  Questions call Gina Eaves at 252-438-7107 at the Salvation Army on Ross Mill Road in Henderson, NC.

 

Name of the Company:  Chick-fil-A Restaurant, 200 Trade Street in Henderson NC. 

Jobs Available: Open positions for Cashiers, Drive Thru, Kitchen Help, and Front of House Team.  Part-time and Full-Time, Day and Evening Shifts Available.  Will train the right applicant who is friendly and enthusiastic. 16 years old and older.

Method of Contact:  Apply online at Chick-fil-A.com/careers.  Text the word chicken to 252-359-3232.  Open in-person interviews will be conducted on Thursday, May 12 from 4-6 pm at the restaurant, off Dabney Drive in Henderson, NC.  Show up and automatically get an interview.

 

Name of the Company: Fred’s Towing and Transport

Jobs Available:  Positions that are open are Rollback Driver, Service Technician, Shop Mechanic, Night/Weekend Dispatcher, and Shop Assistant.  Competitive wages offered. Benefits offered:  Medical Insurance, Dental, Vision; Vacation and Sick Time.  Provide on the job training to the right applicants.

Method of Contact: Apply in person at 340 Industry Drive, Henderson.  Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm. Or email Karrie Fogg at karrie@fredstowing.com

 

 Name of the Company: MR Williams, Inc, 235 Raleigh Road in Henderson.

Jobs Available: Opening for Order Selector/Picker.  $31,000 – 37,400 annual salary range.  Full-Time.  2nd Shift needed, Sunday – Thursday starting at 11 am daily.  High School diploma or 2 yrs warehouse experience.  Must be 18 yrs or older. Mus be able to stand for long periods of time and be able to lift over 50 lbs.  Full benefits offered.

Method of Contact: Apply online through Indeed.com.  Questions, call Human Resource Department at 800-733-8104.

 

Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Vipers Head For State Playoffs

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Dixon High School in Onslow County will be taking to the road for their first round state playoff softball matchup against the Vance Co. Vipers.  The Vipers have had a long road as well but not because of travel. The team, coached by Jordan Garrett Wilder, got off to a slow start but built momentum as the season as moved along. At one point the Vipers put together a five game winning streak finishing the regular season with an 8-6 record overall and 7-2 in the conference finishing second to South Granville.  The game, which will be played in Henderson, is scheduled to start at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon.

“We are hoping for a good practice and be ready for tomorrow’s game,” Wilder said.  The final regular season game was to have happened Friday night but was canceled due to the weather. An extra day off may help the Vipers to be ready for the contest against Dixon.

Wilder said her seniors, such as Madison Ayscue and Jasmine Richardson, have been a big reason why the Vipers have been successful this season. “She can play anywhere you put her,” Wilder said of Richardson. She not only leads the team in batting average but also has 15 stolen bases to her credit this year.  Richardson’s ability to play anywhere will help the Vipers tomorrow as the team suffered an injury in a game last week against South Granville when an infielder got cleated and will miss 10 days.

Seniors are not the only reason the Vipers qualified for the playoffs.  Wilder also spoke of the success that sophomore pitcher Blake Vick has had this year. Vick has racked up over 100 strike outs this season.

Wilder said the team’s slow start was due to some players  never having played the sport but she was looking for athletes that could grasp the rules and the game.  She and her staff have taken those players and crafted them into a winning program. One that is getting noticed too.  Even the coaches at South Granville told Wilder the Vipers are heading in the right direction.

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Upcoming Blood Drives Scheduled; Make An Appointment To Give

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-information courtesy of the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina

 The school year is almost over, and it’s about time for afternoons at the pool and family road trips. While summer means fun for many of us, it’s business as usual in hospitals across the country. The need for blood doesn’t take a break, and it’s critical that donors take time to give blood or platelets to ensure a strong blood supply in the coming months.

In thanks for helping boost the blood supply, all who come to give through May 19, 2022, will receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice and will also be automatically entered to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps eight. Details are available at rcblood.org/camper. Those who come to give May 20-31 will receive an exclusive 20-ounce Red Cross aluminum water bottle and customizable sticker set, while supplies last, according to Cally Edwards, regional communications director for the Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina.

Upcoming blood drive schedule by county:

Vance

Henderson

5/18/2022: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Medical Center, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

5/19/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd.

Granville

Creedmoor

5/27/2022: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Ave.

Warren

Macon

5/20/2022: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Macon Baptist Church, 159 Church St.

How to donate blood

Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

 

 

 

TownTalk: Tennis Skills and Skills of Life and Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera

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Sports fans who watch tennis from Wimbledon or the U.S. Open each year may be surprised to learn that 70 percent of the nation’s tennis is played on public courts – in parks or other locations away from private clubs.

That’s according to a couple of tennis aficionados who were on Town Talk Monday to talk about an upcoming event that’s taking place at one such local public park.

Local youth have the chance to participate in a free “skills and drills” tennis clinic at Fox Pond Park in Vance County, one of those public spots where folks can use the courts to learn the game or to hone their skills.

The free clinic is Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to noon for youth ages 5 to 18 – the only requirement is to wear appropriate sneakers or tennis shoes, according to Jerry Edmonds, III, vice president of Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation.

That same morning, two of the courts will be dedicated in the memory of a Henderson junior tennis standout who played at the college level, racking up titles and championships along the way. She spent a lot of time on the Fox Pond courts, and the Henderson City Council last year approved naming courts 1 and 2 in memory of Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera.

ETEF is putting on the clinic in partnership with the City of Henderson and the N.C. Tennis Foundation and U.S. Tennis Association of North Carolina.

The ETEF was established in 2018 as a way to using tennis to provide academic and athletic opportunities for underserved youth in rural North Carolina.  It is based in Henderson.

Edmonds and N.C. Tennis Association Executive Director Kelly Gaines told John C. Rose about the event and the role tennis continues to play in their lives.

Gaines said Barbera was a little younger than she was, but they grew up playing tennis with and against each other in various tournaments and later at Peace College. Barbera was good enough, Gaines noted, that she’d often “play up,” which meant she competed against older players.

“She always knew how to put (the ball) past me,” Gaines said of her longtime friend and colleague with the NCTA. “It is my honor to shine a light on Mary Lloyd,” she said, adding that she is “thrilled” that the Fox Pond Park courts will bear her name.

Barbera died in 2015 at the age of 49.

The ETEF incorporates education when introducing young people to the sport of tennis. The sport supports development of the whole child, Edmonds said, because it incorporates qualities like honesty, fair play and integrity. It helps that players don’t need a lot of equipment to play – just a racquet, some tennis balls and, of course, the right type of shoe.

Gaines said tennis for younger children is like other sports – it’s scaled down to accommodate the youngsters and to allow them to have success early. Starting out, the kids may use a slower ball, a smaller racquet and a shorter court as they build their skill set.

“Tennis is a sport for a lifetime,” Gaines said. Pairing the sport with that education component is a perfect way to increase the possibility of young people continuing to play into adulthood.

“If they start out (playing tennis) as a child, even if they put the racquet down, they’re more likely to pick it back up as an adult,” Edmonds said.

The ETEF pays tribute to Edmonds’s parents, who moved to the area more than 30 years ago and probably taught more than 3,000 the game of tennis in his time here.

Now, Edmonds said through partnerships with agencies like The Salvation Army, Turning Point CDC, 4-H and the local Boys & Girls Club, youngsters can learn about tennis.

“Now they have that tennis component as part of their summer camps as well,” Edmonds said, which means there will be “more tennis racquets in youths’ hands for a longer period of time.”

“We feel a huge obligation to prepare the next generation to keep this legacy going,” he added.

Gaines said that anyone who knew Barbera – whether as a willowy tennis player hitting balls at Fox Pond or as an adult ambassador for the NCTA for 15 years – can recall that infectious smile.

“She believed that tennis was for everybody,” Gaines said, adding that her friend wanted everyone to give the game a try, no matter their ability level. “It is for all of us,” she said.

“The fact that kids will come along and play on those courts – she’ll be smiling at us and we’ll feel her presence.”

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‘Project Give It A Shot’ Works To Educate, Improve Vaccination Rates

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Project Give It A Shot kicked off in Vance County on Thursday as a way to educate people about the benefits of being vaccinated against COVID-19.

The project is not another spinoff from state or federal programs; rather, it’s more of a grass-roots effort from a group of high school and college students who are on a mission to help medically underserved areas try to reach that goal of achieving herd immunity.

Their first stop was at the Henderson office of Granville-Vance Public Health. Three volunteers stationed themselves in the clinic lobby for several hours in hopes of informing clients about the science behind the vaccines and the importance of being vaccinated.

Aanya Sachdeva, a senior at Cary Academy, and Rishi Desni, soon-to-be-graduate of ECU, were joined by local high school senior Justin Gregory. Gregory is set to graduate from Vance County Early College in a few weeks. He heard about the project and reached out to become a volunteer.

“It will allow me to see what it’d be like to work in the area of public health,” Gregory said of becoming a volunteer. He said there are others he knows who may be interested in being trained, too.

From left, Aanya Sachdeva, Rishi Desni and Justin Gregory

What began with volunteers mostly in the Wake County area has branched out in sort of a “phase 2” plan, which means the group will fan out into more rural counties like Vance.

Sachdeva told WIZS News Thursday that she and other volunteers are available to answer questions and to talk about the vaccine to help others gain understanding.

“We want to make it as easy as possible,” she said, for someone to get the vaccine. Sometimes, that means eliminating barriers.

For people without a way to get to a vaccination clinic, Sachdeva said the volunteers have arranged Uber rides. In Vance County, it could mean making an appointment with KARTS. For others who are uncertain about the safety of the vaccines, volunteers can take the time to try to explain in greater detail about how messenger RNA vaccines work. Their information is available in Spanish, also.

Desni, the ECU senior, said sometimes all it takes is patience.

“It’s not like it’s a one, two, three, you’re done” process, he said. As one of the project volunteers, he said taking the time with those who have questions or doubts is a key first step.

Desni said he will continue working as a volunteer after he graduates and hopes to raise awareness and get more shots in arms in counties including Wilson, Wayne and Edgecombe – all closer to him in the Greenville area. Volunteers will continue their work in Vance and spread out into Granville, Warren and Franklin as well.

According to DHHS COVID-19 dashboard data, Vance County has a 57 percent vaccination rate – well below the 70 percent herd immunity goal and below the overall state rate of 62 percent. The more urban counties of Wake, Durham and Orange all enjoy vaccination rates higher than 70 percent, so that’s one reason the Give It A Shot project shifted focus to counties outside the Triangle area.

At first, demand for vaccine exceeded supply. But that has shifted and now the challenge is not availability of the vaccine but having those unvaccinated individuals gaining access to clinics that have plenty of vaccines.

Some people who have interacted with Project Give It A Shot have said they didn’t know how to register to get a vaccine; others said they needed help finding a location. The support from the project volunteers has resulted in 945 vaccinated people, according to its website. And they’re not finished yet.

“Getting the remainder of our population to agree to getting the vaccine will require innovative thinking and building a sense of trust with a world of misinformation. That’s where we come in,” according to a written statement from Project Give It A Shot.

Want to learn more? Visit www.projectgiveitashot.com.

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Planting Vegetable Seeds

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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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Area Churches Participate In Read-Aloud Bible Project With Local Ties

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Members from area churches participated in an activity earlier this week during which they read parts of the Bible aloud – a simple act with profound effects. And although the idea didn’t originate here, there are definitely ties to Vance County.

Lois Murphy, a member of First Baptist Church in Henderson, has helped organize this effort for the past few years – at least six, she said in a telephone interview Friday.

Murphy said nine churches in the Henderson area participated on Wednesday, May 4, but she would be very happy to have more join in. “We try to add some each year,” she explained. Island Creek Baptist Church joined for the first time and were given Lamentations and part of Hosea to read, according to Pastor Johnny Yount.

Each church is assigned a different section of the Bible to read aloud, Murphy said. Her church was assigned Genesis and Exodus, the first two books of the Bible. She and a partner began the day at 8 a.m. and read, taking turns, for 15 minutes until their hour was up. Then two different readers came in and continued until the two books were completed.

One church began at 6 a.m. and continued on until late in the afternoon, she said. Although they didn’t read the entire Bible in one day, Murphy said past participants have said the experience was meaningful.

“We feel that the word of God is very powerful,” she said, “and if we read it to Him, He will listen.”

One church reported that sickness among some participants prevented them from completing their entire reading assignment, so they saved the parts that had not been read and the children and youth finished the readings when they met. “I think that is just marvelous,” Murphy said.

The read-aloud project is intentionally held on the day before the National Day of Prayer, which was observed on Thursday, May 5 this year.

“We would also like to include other towns or other areas,” Murphy said, “because this is something that we don’t care to keep to ourselves.”

Murphy said she is passionate about this project, which she learned about a number of years ago from someone who was friends with the Rocky Mount woman who inspired the project.

And here’s where the local connection comes in: In January 1982, Janice Gravely successfully landed a private plane in a field in northern Vance County. But she wasn’t the pilot – her husband was piloting the plane and suffered a heart attack mid-flight. Gravely was injured, but she was able to crawl to a nearby home to get help.

Gravely wrote a book about this life-altering event which became the catalyst for the project to read the Bible aloud. Gravely died in 2020 and her daughter is continuing her mother’s efforts, Murphy said.

“She said that God spoke to her and asked her to start a day when people would read the Bible aloud,” Murphy said. Gravely’s obituary stated that she created the project as a way to declare the importance of the Bible in our nation’s life.

She died in December 2020 at the age of 99.

Gravely’s book is titled “Won’t Somebody Help Me!” She would have celebrated her 101st birthday Monday, May 9.

Interested in participating in next year’s event? Contact Murphy at 252.432.0681.

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

‘Operation Fan Heat Relief’ Provides Fans To Eligible Elderly, Disabled

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-Information courtesy of N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Aging and Adult Services is partnering with the N.C. Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers to distribute fans to eligible recipients through Operation Fan Heat Relief.

People over the age of 60, as well as adults with disabilities, are eligible to sign up for assistance now through the end of October at local aging agencies across the state, according to information from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Residents in Vance, Granville, Warren, Person and Franklin counties can contact the Kerr Tar Regional COG, 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson at 252.436.2040 or visit their website https://www.kerrtarcog.org/

Since 1986, the relief program has purchased fans for older adults and adults with disabilities, providing them with a more comfortable living environment and reducing heat-related illnesses.

The program is made possible by donations from Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Dominion Resources and Valassis, and allows regional area agencies on aging and local provider agencies to purchase fans for eligible individuals. Local provider agencies can also purchase a limited number of air conditioners based on a person’s specific health conditions.

Last year, DAAS received $85,500 in donations, allowing for the distribution of 3,240 fans and 26 air conditioners.

As individuals age and develop chronic medical conditions, they are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature, and they may also be taking medications that can worsen the impact of extreme heat. Operation Fan Heat Relief helps vulnerable adults at risk for heat-related illnesses stay safe during the summer.
In addition to applying for fans, people ages 60 and older, as well as adults with disabilities, can take the following steps during high temperatures:

  • Increase fluid intake
  • Spend time in cool or air-conditioned environments regularly
  • Reduce strenuous activity during the afternoon
  • Speak with their physician before summer about how to stay safe while taking medication that can affect the body’s ability to cool itself (e.g., high blood pressure medications)

For more details, individuals may contact their area agency on aging or the Division of Aging and Adult Services’ housing program consultant at 919.855.3419.

More information about Operation Fan Heat Relief, including tips on preparing for extreme heat and a list of local agencies distributing fans, is available at www.ncdhhs.gov/operation-fan-and-heat-relief.

Warren Co. Schools Gets $24M Slice Of Lottery-Funded Pie For Capital Improvements

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-Information courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Public Instruction

Warren County Schools is getting $24 million from the state that can be used for school construction, renovation or other capital improvements.

More than two dozen school districts across North Carolina will share the nearly $400 million in new state lottery-funded grant awards, according to information from the N.C. Dept. of Public Instruction.

The grants, awarded under the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund, represent the largest annual allocation under the program, created by the General Assembly in 2017 from state lottery revenues. The grants are in addition to the state’s lottery-supported Public School Building Capital Fund, from which all districts receive an allocation each year.

N.C Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said the needs-based grants are a key support for districts where local tax resources fall short of needs for modernizing or replacing aging school facilities.

“Just as all students in North Carolina need an excellent teacher in every classroom,” she said, “students and teachers need high-quality schools in good repair that help support learning. These needs-based grants are an important boost for many districts and communities – and most importantly, their students.”

Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery, said support for school construction has been part of the lottery since it started in 2006.

“Our state Department of Public Instruction, working in partnership with counties all across our state, is putting this money to work for a great cause. We look forward to seeing all these new schools opening soon,” Michalko aIS.

Robert Taylor, deputy state superintendent for School and Student Advancement, noted that the reach of this year’s grants exceeds those of previous years.

“Not only were we able to award over $395 million, we were also able to touch a district in each of the state’s eight educational regions,” Taylor said. “We were able to support districts in desperate need of replacing entire buildings but did not have the funding to do so. We were also able to support several smaller projects, that while not costing millions such as a building replacement, proved to be equally important in the funding structure for districts. A $2 million renovation is a significant undertaking for a small/low-wealth district.”

The needs-based grant applications were reviewed by NCDPI based on priorities provided in the law, including ability to generate revenue, high debt-to-tax revenue ratio, and the extent to which a project will address critical deficiencies in adequately serving the current and future student population.

Over the last five years, the Needs Based Public School Capital Fund has awarded a total of $739 million dollars to local school districts, providing funding for 60 new K-12 construction projects, including 33 new schools, eight new buildings, and the replacement of 44 existing schools.