WIZS Radio Local News Audio 02-09-24 Noon
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When we think of a No. 1 ranked college athletic program, we may think of UNC, Duke or a team from a nationally known institution in other parts of the country. Most people probably don’t think about Louisburg College. Perhaps they should as the Louisburg College Hurricanes softball team is currently the No. 1 ranked team in the country. Eric Lee, who took over the Hurricanes program in 2017, was Thursday’s guest on SportsTalk. “It’s a good job,” Lee said of his position at the college.
Last year the Hurricanes led the nation in homeruns, not just at the junior college level but at every level including NCAA Division I. That’s an impressive achievement for any school but even more so from a small junior college like Louisburg. The college has a rich athletic history with names like Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice, baseball coach Russell Frazier, basketball coaches Enid Drake and Mike Holloman. “I’m honored to be at the school, but I don’t think of myself as being up there with those names,” Lee said.
With the recent success the college is spending $100,000 on upgrading facilities at the school. These upgrades will hopefully lead to more kids wanting to play at Louisburg. “You can recruit here,” Lee said. One of Lee’s goals is to recruit locally as much as possible from not only Franklin County but the surrounding counties of Wake, Vance, Warren and Granville Counties. “We’ve had success recruiting locally. A lot of students want a traditional college experience,” Lee added.
Anyone traveling the area known as Old Granville – that includes present-day Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties – is bound to notice some old churches. Indeed, Vance County is home to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Williamsboro.
The existing building on Stagecoach Road is the oldest frame church in the state, but local historian Mark Pace said it wasn’t given its name until 1825. Before that, it was known as Nut Bush Chapel, and it was not affiliated with any one denomination.
On top of that, it’s not even the original building – that was located about a mile away from the present site.
Those are just a few of the details about one particular church in one particular area of the original Granville County. Pace, North Carolina Room Specialist at Thornton Library in Oxford, no doubt has collected lots of details about lots of churches with deep roots in the area.
Whether it’s Reedy Creek in the far eastern corner of present-day Warren County or Grassy Creek Presbyterian Church along Highway 15 between Oxford and Stovall, religion and the churches built to accommodate the different denominations have been instrumental throughout the history of the area.
The original three denominations, Pace noted, were the Anglicans (which became Episcopal after the Revolution), the Presbyterians and the Baptists.
“All three of them were here by the late 1740’s,” Pace said on Thursday’s segment of Around Old Granville, but added that it’s hard to pin down exact dates.
Circuit riders would come down from Virginia to hold camp meetings and perform mass baptisms. “And then they’d move on,” he said.
Reedy Creek Baptist Church was established in 1743 or 1744, he said, and the Grassy Creek Presbyterian Church in the Gela community was formed by 1750 or 1752.
It wasn’t until 1772 that the current St. John’s Church in Williamsboro was constructed.
“It probably really is Vance county’s most valued relic,” Pace said of the small white church with burgundy shutters.
The Anglicans and the Presbyterians, though smaller in number, were generally more influential in pre-Revolution society, Pace said.
But the Baptists consisted of the working class and they were more of them, he noted.
Arriving a little later on the scene in this area were the Methodists, Pace said. Not only are there plenty of Methodist churches spread out across the area today, but there’s a whole community named for the two men responsible for establishing Methodism in America.
Any guesses?
Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury were sent by John Wesley to spread the word about Methodism to the colonies, North Carolina among them. That’s right – Cokesbury.
Before the Civil War, enslaved people, free Blacks and Whites all worshipped together, he said and enslaved people “could pick what church they wanted to be a member of,” Pace said.
There were numerous Black preachers in the area, among them John Chavis, who was active as a Presbyterian preacher between 1785 and 1835.
Over the years, original church buildings have been replaced for one reason or another, so their congregations are older than the buildings in which they worship, but the role of religion and the distinct denominations that meet on Sunday mornings enjoys a rich history that deserves to be remembered.
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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.
If the memories from that elementary school science lesson about how batteries work are a little fuzzy, here’s a recap: batteries store chemical energy that is changed to electric current that is used to do work.
When you’re talking flashlights and other handheld devices, replacing those AA or AAA cylinders is no big deal.
But when it comes to car batteries, replacement – or recharging – is a horse of a different color.
Those heavy squares with the plastic-capped terminals are nothing to trifle with, so let the professional staff at Advance Auto Parts help you determine whether your vehicle’s battery needs a charge or whether it’s time to replace.
In fact, come to Advance and they’ll check the battery, starter and alternator for free – no appointment necessary.
Do-it-yourselfers can recycle old batteries at Advance and get a $10 gift card good on future in-store purchases.
Those batteries are filled with sulfuric acid, a caustic and flammable substance. Use safety goggles and gloves to protect yourself in case of an accident.
Check your battery every so often to make sure the terminals are free of corrosion, there’s no leakage and the battery itself is properly seated and secure.
There are many choices for batteries, and the staff at Advance can help you decide which type is best for you.
Whether you’re replacing your vehicle’s battery or you need a battery for a golf cart, lawn mower, motorcycle or watercraft, check with Advance Auto to get just the right type for your application.
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 only and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.
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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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Midnight Blue Martial Arts takes center stage in the Business Spotlight on Tuesday’s TownTalk and owner Kimberly Harris invites the community to join her at the karate studio on Saturday afternoon for a Valentine’s Sip and Shop event.
This is the second year for the event, Harris said, which will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the studio, located at 101 N. Garnett St.
Midnight Blue, celebrating 25 years of providing classes in the area, has been in its downtown location since 2008, she said.
The karate studio will be filled with more than 25 vendors from across the area, featuring handcrafted items from jewelry to personalized Valentine’s Day cards for that special someone in your life.
During the pandemic, Harris said she turned to sewing to help keep her busy since she couldn’t get back into the studio to teach.
That pastime turned into something bigger and she took her new business on the road to some vendor fairs. She decided to host her own last year, and this year’s event features some return vendors, as well as new vendors who wanted to get in on the fun.
Bun on the Run will be parked out front and Sadie’s is bringing delicious hot chocolate.
Folks familiar with the karate studio will know that there’s a Black Belt Wall featuring each student who has achieved that level of proficiency.
“We take a picture (of them) in front of the American flag,” Harris said, which serves to motivate students to keep working hard toward their goal.
The students range in age from 2 to 68, but everyone learns a key element through the classes they take: being respectful.
Call 252.767.8398 to learn more about Midnight Blue Martial Arts Academy, LLC or visit https://hendersonkarate.com/
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Hannah Shaw loves kittens.
She’s written numerous books – about kittens – and fosters the fuzzy little furballs whenever she can.
So it’s not surprising that the online influencer calls herself “The Kitten Lady,” and helps to educate the kitten-loving public at https://www.kittenlady.org/
Shaw spoke by telephone from her home in California Tuesday with WIZS co-host Bill Harris in observance of February as National Cat Health Month.
“Any time anything seems a little bit off with our pets, going to the vet is a great idea,” she said, noting that cats’ generally stoic nature may serve to mask a medical issue.
Plus, any cat owner will tell you they’re notorious for hiding when they don’t feel their best.
About 15 years ago, Shaw lived in the Triangle area and first became involved in animal rescue.
The author of the book “Tiny But Mighty” said she started helping shelters in the area with the kittens.
“Things have improved since that time,” she said, but she added that there’s still much work to be done to reduce the unwanted kitten population.
The most obvious way to reduce the unwanted pet population is for owners to spay or neuter their pets.
But, Shaw said, more than three-quarters of all kittens born are born on the streets – that is, nobody owns them.
A whopping 3 million cats find their way to shelters each year, which can put a strain on resources to provide. Many will be euthanized; others will be adopted or go to foster homes.
But during their time in the shelter, they need food, medical care and kitty litter.
Lots of kitty litter.
One litter manufacturer, Cat’s Pride, has a program called “Litter for Good” that donates cat litter to shelters. According to its website, https://catspride.com/litterforgood/, they’ve donated more than 37 million pounds of litter on their way to a goal of 50 million.
Shaw said she’s witnessed pallets of litter being delivered to shelters. “It frees up so much of the budget” for other needs,” she said.
Learn more about Shaw at her website
https://www.kittenlady.org/about.
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