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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library 04-02-24

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There’s lots going on at Perry Memorial Library in April – some of them are the regular monthly favorites, but there are some time-sensitive activities as well that are being targeted at children on Spring Break and for everyone interested in next week’s solar eclipse.

Youth Services Director Melody Peters said kids on spring break should check out Wednesday’s arts and crafts activities at 11 a.m.

There will be lots to do, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

“We’re definitely going to have a couple of tables for painting,” Peters said. There will be beads for necklace making, foam crafts and teens can fashion their own jewelry.

“There are a lot of options for various ages,” she said.

Most kids will be back in school on Monday, Apr. 8, but that’s not stopping the library from participating in the Statewide Star Party to view the eclipse.

The fun begins at 1:30 p.m. and runs through 3 p.m. and there will be half a dozen or so activity stations for individuals to take part in. The height of the eclipse will occur at 3:16 p.m., Peters said, and she’s got those special glasses for anyone who comes to view at the library.

“We crave those natural events that shake us up,” she said. “People are going to be able to see it – it’s not made up – it’s real!”

The activities are STEAM centered and participants will learn more about the sun, moon, and what exactly an eclipse is before they get to witness it in person.

They “get to see something in real time,” Peters said. In this world of AI and all things virtual, this is a big deal. North Carolina will not experience a total eclipse, but 86 percent is pretty good, she said.

Teens can return to the library the next day – April 9 – at 4 p.m. to create a special type of poetry – black out poetry. Books that would otherwise be discarded because of disrepair are used to create poems.

“I hope kids come,” Peters said. “I love what you can do (with) recycling old books. It becomes art.”

No need to register – just show up at the library to participate.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

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Vance County To Welcome New Budget And Finance Director Monday, April 1

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Vance County has selected a new Budget and Finance director. Stephanie Williams will begin her new role on Monday, Apr. 1 and she said she’s “ready to get to work.”

Williams comes to Vance County from Durham County Schools, where she served as director of Fiscal Operations, according to a press release from Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to be joining the team at Vance County government,”, Williams stated. “I look forward to working with everyone to continue the work and build upon the dynamic services provided to the community while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”

With a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from N.C. Central University, Williams has a background and 18 years’ experience in the finance and accounting fields, which includes internal audit, capital funding, budgeting, bank administration, school finance, bank reconciliation and bond projects.

Perry said, “I am more than thrilled to bring Ms. Williams on board with the rest of the Vance County team. Stephanie’s education and experience are a perfect fit for our needs right now.”

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Business Spotlight – City Auto

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When he was 16, Tony Lamancusa bought a Dodge Charger, and the first thing he did was make it better by taking off the intake and putting in a bigger one. Everything went according to plan. Intake, check, Carburetor, check. Spark plugs, rewiring, check.

But when he turned the key, nothing happened.

“Nobody ever told me anything about firing order,” Lamancusa said, recalling how it took several weeks for him to find someone to help him diagnose the problem and share that all-important firing order – six numbers that Lamancusa still remembers: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

Details are so important when it comes to service and repair on vehicles, and that story is a reminder for Lamancusa as the owner of City Auto and Truck Stop on Andrews Avenue.

His engineering background, coupled with his passion for rebuilding muscle cars really comes in handy with the full-service center.

From the routine stuff like inspections, oil changes, brakes, tires and belts to engine and transmission work, Lamancusa said he and his employees can handle it. They also work on boat trailers, semi trailers, RV’s, go-carts and forklifts.

Lamancusa said he values customers’ time and he strives to take care of their vehicles while they wait. “We try to get people in and out as quickly as we can,” he said.

And, he’s hiring.  Apply in person.

Stop by the shop to talk with Lamancusa to find out about the wide array of services they offer. He said he’s got very competitive prices – if you’ve got the parts and simply need them installed, that’s fine, you’ll just be charged for labor. They specialize in most American made cars, he said, stressing that they’re not an import shop.

“We run a clean shop and we honor what we do,” he said.

Call City Auto and Tire at 252.492.1195. Online at cityautoandtruckcenter.com

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Recently, City Auto and Truck became a Penske dealer, so customers can reserve and pay online and then come pick up the truck.

As a business owner, Lamancusa likens himself to an orchestra conductor: being at the front desk, he interacts with the public, handles the phones and now Penske customers. “I’m the conduit that everything flows through,” he said.

His background in electrical engineering is a perfect complement to the hands-on work that comes with running a shop like City Auto.

“Working with my hands, and my (engineering) knowledge, putting machines together – the two go well together,” he said.

 

Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Communication, Part 3

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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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Home And Garden Show; Farmers Market Opens Soon

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— On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Extension

On your mark, get set…Go! To the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, which opens on Saturday, Apr. 20.

Market Manager Pat Ayscue and Cooperative Extension Director Wykia Macon welcomesthe public to the 2024 season at the market, where local vendors will share fruits, vegetables, meats and much more throughout the growing season.

Ayscue manages the Vance County market, but she knows only too well all the work that goes in to making sure that quality products are available at the market each week.

Not only did Ayscue grow up in a farming family, but she married into a farming family.
“You look at the produce in a whole different light when you have planted and harvested it (too),” Ayscue said.

There’s a new sign out front that Ayscue said should go a long way to remind passersby of the schedule and hours of operation, which continue to be Saturdays beginning April 20 and then adding Wednesdays beginning June 5.

The Spring Fling will be held Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and there are sure to be plenty of unique Mother’s Day gifts available for purchase to go along with the produce and baked goods that fill the market each week.

One popular crop that should be available on opening day is the strawberry crop. This year’s forecast is good, Ayscue said, noting that growing conditions have created slightly smaller vines, which may mean the plants will use extra energy to put into juicier, bigger berries.

The farmers market always has room for more vendors, and Ayscue encourages anyone interested to come out and talk to her to learn details.

She also creates an email list each season to share information about what’s new at the market as well as recipes to create with all the fresh produce that’s available.

And market vendors also accept senior vouchers and EBT.

Ayscue said she looks forward to welcoming returning vendors – and new vendors – to this year’s market “family,” and said the 2024 market will have something for everyone.

Visit https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/vance-county-regional-farmers-market/ to learn more.

 

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SportsTalk: Yount Battles Rain And Injuries With Vance Charter Soccer

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Weather has certainly been a problem for local sports teams. Johnny Yount,  girls soccer coach at Vance Charter, is no exception. “The entire field has been unplayable for much of the season,” Yount said on Wednesday’s SportsTalk.  “There’s not a lot we can do about it,” he continued.  Vance charter has cancelled two games due to rain. They should have played seven games but so far have only managed to get five soccer matches in.  Missed games are difficult to make up. So far though, Vance charter is 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference. He says the team is young with four seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores and three freshmen. They’ve had to make a lot of changes this season as well due to injuries. Yount said it does create opportunities and he continues to ask the team to challenge themselves on the field. Yount added that “what I want is winning student athletes versus winning records.” Additionally, Yount says the team is still finding its chemistry, though and he wants them to have fun and engage.

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SportsTalk: KVA Finds WIns On The Baseball Field

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Practices cancelled and losing games from the schedule are just a couple of the problems that Mike Joyner, Athletic Director at Kerr-Vance Academy, has faced this season. It’s been a challenging year for Joyner and KVA with all of the rain that has happened this spring. “Seven of the first 10 games were rained out,” Joyner said. But it’s not just the rain and it’s not just the missed practices, “it’s juggling the schedule to find officials,” Joyner said on Wednesday’s SportsTalk.  Despite the rain and despite all of the events that have been cancelled this season, KVA finds itself at 5-1 in baseball.  They lost their first game but now have been on A five  game winning streak. Recently KVA’s baseball team took a trip to see Rutgers take on UNC in Chapel Hill, which Joyner described as a great trip for the team.  As for his girls soccer team, he says the team is young and inexperienced and although the team is winless so far this season, he hopes that further games will help them find a few victories as the year continues. KVA is on spring break next week but will return to action in April.

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