Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Firewood From Woodlots

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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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TownTalk: Contacting NC DOT To Resolve Roadway Issues

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If the heavy rains and high winds earlier this week have created problems along state-maintained roadways, it’s important to let the N.C. Dept. of Transportation folks know about them so proper repairs can be made.

In days gone by, a quick look in the phone book could have produced a local number to call, but it’s not that simple any more.

Or is it?

These days, a quick online search can yield good information about how to report problems. WIZS is making that search one click closer for you: click on https://www.ncdot.gov/contact/Pages/default.aspx to go straight to the NC DOT “Contact Us” page and find out everything you need to know about reporting a problem.

Whether it’s a dead tree hanging ominously over a road, a clogged culvert, pothole or an animal carcass in the roadway, this page can help get the problem to the right folks at DOT to handle the situation.

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SportsTalk: KVA Prepares For Playoffs And Spring Sports

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For Kerr-Vance Academy’s athletic director, Mike Joyner, it’s been a long fall season.  Basketball tournaments and the holidays have all contributed.  Joyner, who was a guest on Thursday’s SportsTalk, said the season is going well.  “Our boys basketball team has won two conference games in a row,” Joyner said.  The most recent victory was Wednesday night against Halifax.  The boys team is just over .500 for the season.  Meanwhile, the girls and JV teams have already qualified for the state playoffs. “The playoffs should start with the first round on February 13th,” Joyner added.

Joyner also looked ahead to spring sports. “Our baseball team should be able to contend,” Joyner said.  The team was a solid playoff team last year and lost no players to graduation and the same can be said for the school’s golf team, while girls soccer will bring back almost all of the players from last year.

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TownTalk: Carolina United For Change Prepares Packages For Homeless Shelters

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Come Monday, Jan. 15, communities all across the nation will host events and sponsor service projects to pay tribute to slain Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

And for the third year, Carolina United for Change, located right here in Vance County, is calling on fellow residents to drop off care packages that will be delivered to local homeless shelters.

Joseph Brodie and other volunteers will be outside Perry Memorial Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to accept monetary donations as well as much-needed items such as cleaning supplies, hygiene items and toiletries.

“We’re trying to keep our focus on the homeless shelters,” Brodie said on Thursday’s TownTalk, “to provide them with the articles they need.”

In addition to Hope House, ARC House for Men and Lifeline Ministries, Brodie said Gang Free had recently opened up additional spaces for folks experiencing homelessness in the community.

As with any household, Brodie said the shelters can use dish soap, disinfectants and other cleaning products. And they always need toilet paper, he added.

“Last year was a huge success,” Brodie said. Numerous churches helped by pulling in with donations during the drop-off event.

The Carolina United for Change mission statement is inspired by King’s philosophy to lend a supporting hand to help the poor and needy and to protect the rights of all people.

“It all starts in the communities,” Brodie said, “to have a better place for young people to grow up in.”

Contact Brodie at 252.762.3364 to learn more.

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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Flat Tires, Spare Tires

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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

OK, you consider yourself a good car owner – you keep the oil changed, make sure the filters get replaced when they need replacing and you even have a litter bag stashed in the backseat to help keep the interior tidy.

But when’s the last time you checked the spare tire?

Thursday’s Pop the Hood segment could be called “Pop The Trunk” because it’s all about that item resting in a well under trunk lining.

Is your vehicle’s spare tire a full-size tire, just like the other four? Or is it one of those “donuts” that are useful enough to get us to a repair shop or back home?

A small-size tire – that “donut” – is designed for short distances and is rated for speeds of about 45 mph.

It’s not the same as a full-size tire, so drivers who must use this type of spare tire should be mindful to take it slow and to get it replaced as soon as possible.

If you’ve never had a flat tire, count yourself among the lucky ones (and knock on wood, for good measure). And if you’ve never had to use your spare tire, just remember: It’s been sitting in the same location for awhile, so it may need some air. Just because it’s not one of the four tires currently in use, doesn’t mean it deserves to be ignored. You should check periodically that the spare is properly inflated, too.

There are other products available at Advance Auto Parts to help in case of a tire emergency. Let the helpful Advance staff help you find a plug kit or a can of Fix-a-Flat that you can stash in the trunk alongside that spare – just in case.

 

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Tools For Parents

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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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TownTalk: Coker Takes Over As Chief Of Animal Services

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The vast majority of pet owners do the right thing and provide everything their animals need to live healthy, happy lives as furry members of the family.

And while Vance County’s new Animal Services Chief William Coker acknowledges this to be the case, he said that for those pet owners who don’t, there are county ordinances in place to protect animals.

“I think the biggest thing is educating the community on proper animal welfare and the county ordinances” in place to protect animals from maltreatment.

Once a dog is placed in a pen or put on a chain in the yard, it instantly becomes totally dependent on people for food, water and shelter. And it’s up to Coker and his officers to make sure all the animals in the county are afforded the minimum standards.

He said he chooses to de-escalate situations that may involve improper pet treatment, but he’s not afraid to fall back on county ordinances. Dogs must have a dog house, for example, and access to fresh water and they must be fed once a day – those are the minimum standards in place for the county’s canines.

After animal services officers give pet owners a couple of warnings and still fail to comply, the officers can issue citations.

Educating the community can come in many forms, Coker said on Wednesday’s TownTalk: he said he’d like to get into the schools and talk to young people about proper animal care. He also said he wants to emphasize getting dogs and cats spayed and neutered to reduce the unwanted pet population.

When his officers go out on a call, he asks that they promote the spay/neuter program, which often can be at a reduced cost for those that qualify.

Coker said he’s always had a passion for animals, and when he learned of an opening at animal services, he applied and was hired on in 2013. He worked with former chief Frankie Nobles for five years, and he said he learned a lot from his time working alongside Nobles.

He and Nobles stay in close contact and Coker said it’s reassuring to know that Nobles, now the county’s Special Projects Coordinator, is just a phone call away.

“I don’t like seeing animals mistreated,” Coker said. Just the other day, he came to work and found a dog tied outside the office door. As much as he hates for that to happen, he said the alternative – just turning the dog loose – wasn’t a good option either.

“As long as I’m chief of animal services, I’ll never turn away a surrender.”

Learn more about Vance County Animal Services at https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/animal-control/

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Home And Garden Show

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

  • January is the inventory season to check your seed chemicals, garden equipment.
  • If you are shopping for lawn & garden equipment, consider the rechargeable options.
  • Plan landscape projects now
  • When planning landscape projects, consider impacts on tree root zones.
  • Write down garden problems you had in 2023 Contact Cooperative Extension.
  • Begin monitoring lawns for cool season weeds
  • Check pruning equipment now!
  • Visit public gardens even in winter!
  • Construct a small greenhouse.

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