Verne Hill
Wednesday News for December 11, 2024
While 90% of Americans do something to celebrate Christmas, fewer than half usually attend church at Christmastime. A just-released survey from Lifeway Research found just under half of Americans (47%) say they typically attend church services during the Christmas season, with 48% saying they don’t, and 5% saying they are unsure of their holiday plans.
FYI: Interestingly, those who largely skip out on church during the holidays said they are simply awaiting an invitation.
New: Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough sharing new details about the investigation into a student who was shot Tuesday afternoon between the campuses of R.J. Reynolds High School and Wiley Magnet Middle School in Winston-Salem.
The Sheriff’s Office is currently questioning individuals, but no suspects are in custody. Kimbrough confirmed that a male student was shot – was hospitalized but is now recovering.
BTW: Tuesday’s basketball games between R.J. Reynolds and Parkland High Schools were rescheduled for this Saturday afternoon. Varsity girls will play at 2 p.m. and the boys will play at 3:30 p.m.
https://www.wxii12.com/article/rj-reynolds-increased-law-enforcement-wednesday-student-shot/63152442
Wildlife officials in the US are moving to add the iconic monarch butterfly to the list of ‘species threatened with extinction’. The loss of pollinators like the monarch could have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems.
Update from this morning: Albertsons has called off its $24.6 billion dollar merger with Kroger, after a federal judge blocked the mega merger. Now, Albertson’s is suing Kroger for ‘breach of contract’.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/albertsons-calls-off-kroger-merger-sues-for-breach-of-contract
American Red Cross: Local blood drives
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Warren Community Center in Lewisville = 1pm -5:30pm
Mt. Carmel Friends Church in East Bend = 1pm – 5:30pm
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Reynolda Church in Winston-Salem = 10am 4pm
Poplar Springs Christian Church in King = 2:30pm – 6:30pm
Piedmont Federal in Clemmons = 1:30pm 6pm
Finch YMCA in Thomasville = 1:30pm – 6pm
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
The town of Chimney Rock will soon open for business, after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina back in September. ‘Christmas in Chimney Rock’ will run this Saturday (Dec 14) from 10am – 4pm along Main Street.
CityServe is encouraging guests to “adopt a business”. Every dollar donated will go directly to small businesses in Chimney Rock. https://cityserve.us/chimneyrock/
You can catch For King + Country’s ‘A Drummer Boy Christmas Concert’ in theaters LOCALLY (limited run) thru this Thursday (Dec 12).
Have you been out of work due to Hurricane Helene?
Workers who lived or worked in the 39 impacted counties qualify for ‘up to 14 weeks of federal benefits’. Residents in Forsyth as well as Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin have until Jan. 7 to apply for additional Hurricane Helene-related unemployment benefits.
The U.S. Labor Department approved an additional month on Monday, according to the N.C. Division of Employment Security. Details on the News Blog at wbfj.fm.
Applications for benefits can be filed at www.des.nc.gov/dua, or call 919-629-3857 (8am -5pm weekdays)
Reminder: FEMA has extended its application deadline to January 7, 2025 for those effected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
12 additional NC counties are eligible for FEMA assistance.
Homeowners and renters in 12 additional counties including Forsyth, Rowan, Surry and Yadkin who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Helene are now eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance through January 7, 2025.
*The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
You can also apply using the FEMA App or calling toll-free 800-621-3362.
A pair of iconic ruby slippers that were worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” sold for a winning bid of $28 million dollars at auction Saturday.
Heritage Auctions had estimated that they would fetch $3 million dollars, but the fast-paced bidding far outpaced that amount within seconds and tripled it within minutes.
They were one of several pairs that Garland wore during the filming, but only four pairs are known to have survived. In the movie, to return from Oz to Kansas, Dorothy had to click her Ruby Red Slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home.”
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/nation-world/wizard-of-oz-judy-garland-auctioned/
Firefighters are still trying to control a Malibu, California wildfire that caused the evacuation of 20,000 people, including Pepperdine University students, ranchers, and celebrities.
AAA: Winter Weather Prep
Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
Cold weather reduces air pressure quicker.
Check your car battery!
Take advantage of ‘free battery checks’ at local auto supply stores, especially if your battery is over 3 years old. www.weather.gov/rnk/NCWinterWxPreparedness2023
Safety Tip: With bitter cold temperatures, many of us are using small space heaters.
If so, DO NOT plug them into a power strip. Multi-plug power strips are not designed to handle the energy load of a space heater and can overheat – causing a fire hazard.
Festival of Lights at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons 6pm–11pm nightly thru Jan 1.
INFO: https://www.forsyth.cc/Parks/Tanglewood/fol/
Hear the bells. Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign continues through December 24.
To ring those bells (locally) go to Register to Ring.com https://www.registertoring.com/
Support the Angel Tree program https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/winston-salem/christmas
