Verne Hill
Monday News for February 17, 2025
Today is Washington’s Birthday (also called Presidents Day).
Today is a Federal Holiday. No banks. No mail. Some schools out today. Fun fact: Presidents’ Day has long been associated with things like furniture and mattress sales. https://clark.com/save-money/february-deals/
Wintry mix likely on Wednesday. The potential exists for a significant winter storm with snow, sleet and ice over much of central North Carolina including the Piedmont Triad Wednesday through early Thursday. *Listen to WBFJ for updates from the National Weather Service.
Deadly flooding. Water levels were still rising on some waterways in Kentucky and other portions of the Ohio Valley flooded over the weekend. And now snow and dangerous cold is coming. The storm claimed the lives of at least 11 in Kentucky.
More than a month’s worth of rain deluged much of Kentucky in less than 24 hours, which led to deadly flooding. CNN
The Winston-Salem Fire Department posted that 14 members of their ‘Swift Water Rescue Team’ have been deployed to Kentucky to assist. They left out early Sunday morning.
Special event to honor two gifted ladies in our community
Arts Spotlight is honoring Meredith Worley and Suzy Sheets, emphasizing their years of commitment to teaching dance, at the Smith Civic Center in Lexington this Saturday, Feb 22 (7pm). Dance performances will showcase Alumni and current students of CrossMovement Dance, alumni of Sheets Dance Academy as well as Lexington Senior High School. This is a ticketed event ($10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under)
*Proceeds to support The Evelyn Harris Performing Arts Scholarship, which provides scholarships to Davidson County students pursuing the performing arts. Details at www.harrisscholarship.org
Tree Care Workshops at area Forsyth County Libraries this week (FREE)
Come learn about the importance of the Persimmon tree, which is native to our area.
Free persimmon saplings will be available (one per person)!
Monday (2/17) @ Forsyth Central Library, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday (2/18) @ Carver School Branch Library, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.
Wed (2/19) @ East Winston Heritage Center, 11am – noon.
Thurs (2/20) @ Southside Library, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.
Friday (2/21) @ Reynolda Branch Library, 11am – noon
Email kwsb@cityofws.org with any questions you have!
Hosted by Keep Winston Salem Beautiful and the City of Winston-Salem. Link on News Blog.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560408939287
At the Box Office: “Captain America: Brave New World” = open at #1 in theaters.
“Paddington in Peru”, ‘Dog Man’, “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Moana 2″ all kid films doing very well at the Box Office. Since 2023, the animated kids’ film genre has the best hit rate in Hollywood. Almost all animated kids’ films are doing well at the box office and they’re dominating streaming too! https://www.boxofficemojo.com/
*Check out MOVIE REVIEWS from Focus on the Family at /www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews
‘The Unbreakable Boy’ hits theaters this coming weekend (Feb 21).
The Unbreakable Boy’ is based on the true story of Austin LeRette, a boy with both a rare brittle-bone disease and autism. But what makes Austin truly unique is his joyous, funny, life-affirming worldview that transforms and unites everyone around him. Rated PG.
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/why-audiences-will-love-the-unbreakable-boy.html?
American Red Cross: Local blood drives for Monday, February 17, 2025
Kernersville Wesleyan Church on North Main Street = 2pm – 6:30pm
Tabernacle Baptist Church on Johnson Street in High Point = 2:30pm – 7pm
Schedule your blood donation appointment TODAY at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/
Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS
Artist news. Brandon Lake will step into the ‘circle’ at the Grand Ole Opry – for the very first time – this Wednesday (Feb 19). FYI: Brandon Lake will perform “Hard Fought Hallelujah” along with country singer Jelly Roll LIVE at the Opry stage!
https://www.opry.com/show/2025-02-19-grand-ole-opry-opry-100-at-7-pm?u
NASCAR: William Byron takes the checkered Flag at Daytona 500 last night.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/16/sport/william-byron-daytona-500-spt/index.html?utm_source=cnn
House Bill 87 (or Cell Phone-Free Education bill) was introduced in the State House last week. If the House bill passes, school districts across the state would have to have a cellphone-free policy. https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/piedmont-triad/north-carolina-house-bill-introduced-to-ban-cellphones-in-class/
The FAA is next in line, impacted by widespread job cuts in the federal workforce. Many of the probationary employees being terminated include those who maintain radio and computer systems and develop new flight procedures. Note: The latest firings do not include air traffic controllers, who are in short supply. Praying for all now without a job.
Note: Officials have set their sights on probationary workers, typically employed for less than a year, because they have fewer job protections and lack the right to appeal.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/16/politics/faa-employees-fired-trump-administration/index.html
Related headline: DOGE (Elon Musk’s so called Department of Government Efficiency) is seeking access to the Internal Revenue Service’s highly sensitive taxpayer data system. The IRS, which contains private data on millions of Americans’ tax returns, Social Security numbers and banking information, is the latest agency to be targeted by DOGE as it seeks to significantly reduce the size of the federal workforce and root out what it characterizes as waste, fraud and abuse within the government. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/politics/doge-irs-taxpayer-data/index.html
