Save $193 with the coupons inside today! The Wilson Times WEEKEND EDITION Online Daily • Printed Tuesdays and Fridays | MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER — A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION SINCE 1896 | wilsontimes.com | Friday, May 14, 2021 | $2 Pipeline prompts gas pump panic By Brie Handgraaf can’t just park here and wait for he initially didn’t believe he’d Jernigan Oil Co. driver [email protected] gas,” said manager Navi Pooni. have trouble filling his tank to James Early connects | 252-265-7821 “It is not even in the under- drive about 200 miles a day for hoses to refuel Grocery ground tanks yet.” sales calls throughout the re- Door’s underground Before Jernigan Oil Co. driver Some were loyal customers gion. storage tanks. Brie James Early could even get of the Marathon station at the The Colonial Pipeline was Handgraaf | Times out of his truck to deliver gas corner of Nash Street and For- shut down in a cyberattack last Wednesday, eager drivers clam- est Hills Road, but others simply week. The hack didn’t result in a bered to secure a spot beside the saw the elusive signs of avail- gas shortage, but it did lead to a Grocery Door gas pumps. able gas and joined the lines. “Give it 10 more minutes. You Patrick VanLandingham said See GAS, Page 7A WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS CORONAVIRUS CRISIS Vaccines Cooper-Suggs: Teacher available assistants ‘vital’ for ages Bill would place 12 and up TAs in all K-2 By Olivia Neeley [email protected] classes | 252-265-7879 By Drew C. Wilson The Wilson County Health [email protected] Department is now offering | 252-265-7818 Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for youths age 12 and older. County Educators say teacher as- health officials say they have sistants are “critical” in setting 300 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, elementary-age students off on and appointments are available the right foot when it comes to beginning Friday from 1-6:30 reading. p.m. Wilson County Schools has “We know there is an interest 75 teacher assistants assigned in the 12 and older age group, to 14 elementary schools, but and so now that the Pfizer vac- that’s not enough to have a full- cine has been approved for that time teacher assistant in every age group, we are happy to be K-2 classroom. able to offer it starting this Fri- A bill cosponsored by state day,” said county Health Direc- Rep. Linda Cooper-Suggs, D- tor Teresa Ellen. “As with prior Wilson, could change that. vaccination efforts, we feel that House Bill 420, the K-3 Read- starting to vaccinate this age ing and Literacy Improvement group will help us to take anoth- Act, would appropriate funds er great leap toward immunity.” for local school districts to Ellen said the health depart- provide a full-time teacher as- Teacher assistant Marilyn Glover helps students in a reading micro group within Jennifer Clark’s Rock ment will hold these by-appoint- sistant in every kindergarten Ridge Elementary School kindergarten class. Drew C. Wilson | Times ment-only clinics each Friday. through second grade class- To schedule an appointment, room. to combat low literacy rates, those teacher assistants to help on K-3 classroom enrollment, call 252-360-0500. Walgreens which especially impacts our our children.” according to Amber Lynch, is also offering the Pfizer vac- ‘A TRULY CRITICAL POINT’ low-income children,” Cooper- Cooper-Suggs said she was director of public relations for cine for teens. Information and Suggs said. “Providing that appalled in 2013 when the Wilson County Schools. scheduling is available on the Cooper-Suggs, a board-cer- additional one-on-one support Republican-controlled state “Schools that receive Title agency’s website. tified teacher who retired from in the classroom can bolster a legislature removed roughly I funds may elect to provide The Moderna vaccine is avail- Wilson County Schools in 2007, child’s engagement and help 8,000 teacher assistants across more teacher assistants than able for individuals 18 and older, spent another 13 years substi- their literacy levels.” the state. the state allotment,” Lynch and residents can schedule tuting at all grade levels. Cooper-Suggs said the state “Some 88% of students who said. “Information about a Friday appointment at the “I have a heart and compas- must improve its public school fail to earn a high school diplo- teacher assistants varies by health department. sion for teaching,” Cooper- systems. ma were struggling readers in school because principals The Wilson County Health De- Suggs said. “What I have seen “Teacher assistants are a third grade,” she said. “So be- have the ultimate decision on partment has joined the state’s is that one-on-one and small vital part of that, especially tween kindergarten and third where teacher assistants are “Bringing Back Summer” cam- groups helps students in their those that are trained,” she grade is a truly critical point. assigned.” paign. math and reading assignments. said. “Students who don’t read Students who aren’t proficient “We are strongly encouraging That is critical. Teacher assis- proficiently by the end of third readers when they begin fourth MICRO GROUPS our citizens to get the COVID-19 tants are just so important.” grade are four times more grade, as much as half the cur- vaccine,” Ellen said. “We have Teacher assistants make likely to drop out of high school riculum they will be taught will Rock Ridge Elementary seen such a positive impact just learning more accessible, she compared to their peers who be incomprehensible.” School teacher assistant Mari- in this county, where our posi- said. are proficient readers. And Teacher assistants are allo- “Policy is an important tool that is the reason why we need cated to school districts based See ASSISTANTS, Page 7A See VACCINE, Page 7A WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS ‘We have more space than students’ By Drew C. Wilson whether to repair aging schools During a Monday special clines in average daily member- [email protected] or build new ones. meeting for long-range plan- ship. | 252-265-7818 The Operations Research and ning, Mills said enrollment de- Currently, building use is con- Education Laboratory, part of clines call for a review of facility siderably lower than capacity, The Wilson County Board N.C. State University’s Institute use rates. with the gap projected to widen Wilson County Schools of Education has tasked Su- for Transportation Research “Our capacity exceeds the by 2030. Superintendent Lane Mills, left, perintendent Lane Mills with and Education, performed a usage of many of our school fa- “The one thing that stands and Wilson County Board of engaging a research consultant 2020 study for Wilson County cilities,” Mills told school board out regardless of level is that we Education Chairwoman Christine to produce more detailed infor- Schools that examined enroll- members. have plenty of space,” Mills said. Fitch listen during a Monday mation on school capacity and ment trends and forecast build- Mills said elementary schools discussion on future school facility usage and run the numbers on ing use rates. account for the majority of de- See STUDENTS, Page 7A needs. Drew C. Wilson | Times Weathercast With Albert Thomas Jr. Preview of FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY the week posted Tuesdays. Preview of the weekend Increasing Clouds Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny posted Saturdays. wilsontimes.com HI 70 LO 45 HI 74 LO 49 HI 75 LO 54 2A THE WILSON TIMES | wilsontimes.com Friday, May 14, 2021 No tax hike in county’s $108.1 million proposed budget By Olivia Neeley [email protected] | 252-265-7879 Wilson County property owners won’t see a tax hike under County Man- ager Denise Stinagle’s proposed 2021-22 budget. On Monday, Stinagle presented her recom- mended budget to MakeMake itit county commissioners. The spending plan in- cludes capital improve- ments to public schools, happen.Happen. the community college, Wilson County Manager Denise Stinagle presents the 2021- 22 proposed county budget to county commissioners on detention center, emer- Monday. Contributed photo gency services, county network infrastructure and other government PROPOSED BUDGET ized soon. buildings. HIGHLIGHTS “We are utilizing the The current property Needs-Based Public tax rate of 73 cents per • 3.5% raise for county School Capital Funds, and $100 in property valua- employees. reserves are available to tion is unchanged in the • Funding to add four manage future debt pay- manager’s budget. This paramedic positions for ments for the 25% local represents the 14th year Wilson County EMS. match,” Stinagle said. where taxes haven’t in- • $425,000 for one re- She added that the creased. placement ambulance, county is “eager” to re- The proposed county an EMS quick-response ceive a comprehensive budget totals roughly vehicle and a remount am- facility plan from the Registration is $108.1 million, a $4.5 bulance. Wilson County Board (252) 291-1195 million increase from • $695,000 for 21 sher- of Education to prepare the year prior. The fund iff’s office replacement for “safe and welcoming wilsoncc.edu balance allocation is vehicles. environments to support OPEN NOW! 12%, or roughly $13.4 student needs.” million. EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS The county’s largest A LOOK BACK expenditures continue to • Stinagle allotted $1 be human services at 32%, million toward Wilson Stinagle gave commis- education at 25% and pub- County Schools’ capital sioners a rundown on lic safety at 24%. needs and roughly $23.1 capital projects funded million for the school from last year’s budget, PROPOSED BUDGET GOALS system, which is a 3% in- which include: crease. • Upgrades to the court- “We have worked over • Stinagle allocated Wil- house’s aging elevator, the past several years son Community College’s flooring replacement and in systematically sched- $416,000 capital needs the addition of an elec- uling capital building request and slightly more tronic access system.