GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - More than 3,500 “Happy birthdays!” are wished to new babies at ECU Health every year, and while the goal is to send the family home as soon as possible, some infants need further care.
At the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital, everything comes in a smaller size. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to these tiny patients. “The sickest of the sick will come here because we have all of the pediatric subspecialties that we need to help address any concerns,” said NICU medical director Dr. Ryan Moore. “We have just higher level of capabilities.” Premature babies and infants needing specialized care come to the NICU for help to grow from Dr. Moore and his staff. Thanks to years of funding from the Children’s Miracle Network, they have the technology to make that happen. One of the NICU’s most used tools are isolettes that mimic a mother’s womb. “Having the ability to maintain their temperature is so much easier with this technology,” said NICU nurse manager Allyson Yelverton. “We have the option to wean them out of actually staying in an isolette, all computerized thanks to this program.” Close by is another gadget thanks to donations from CMN: a NIC-View camera giving parents a nonstop live feed of their new additions. “They really are awesome,” said Lyndsey Odom, a nurse on the floor. “I can’t imagine going back to not having them and having parents that live 45 minutes or an hour away, even longer, and not being able to see their babies while they’re at work. I can’t imagine going back to that.” Parents are taking note of these improvements. Some travel from other counties specifically for these technologies. With more patients, comes the need to expand, and that is fueled by donors. “They can help with building new spaces so we can support even more babies than we do now,” explained Dr. Moore. “It feeds right back into the children’s hospital and the community.” When those babies get all the help they need from the isolettes, they head right where they belong: home. “It is so great to see them from where they start to where they are ending up,” said Dr. Moore. “They go through so much, some of these babies, but when they do make it home, it’s just amazing to look back over the story and see what they’ve accomplished.” On their way out the NICU doors, each child receives a parting gift from the Children’s Miracle Network. Silver chains full of charms sit around their necks, each one symbolizing the milestones they’ve conquered and the village that got them there. You can help more babies celebrate birthdays at Maynard Children’s Hospital! Just click here to learn more about how you can help.
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NASH COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - What started out as a completely normal family dinner in early May soon turned into a test of skill and bravery for one Nash County student.
When gunshots flew across a Chili’s restaurant in Rocky Mount on May 6th, 17-year-old Mariah Poland says she did what most people couldn’t: she sprung into action to save a life. Poland already juggles a lot on her plate. She has a job, goes to church, takes college classes, and is graduating in just a couple of days from Southern Nash High School. And Poland has a dream: to be a nurse and help take care of other people. “Even the most simple things as brushing your teeth and brushing your hair... a lot of people can’t do that,” Poland said. “They can’t take care of themselves so they have to have someone there for them to do it.” Poland enrolled in a nursing fundamentals class throughout high school where she practiced bedside manners and learned how to perform CPR. “When we started clinicals, I realized maybe that was what I needed to do: become a nurse and take care of people,” Poland said. Yet it wasn’t at a hospital or in a college classroom where Poland says her skills were put to the test. It was at a family dinner spot in Chili’s. “I sat down and started eating my cheeseburger and I hear this loud noise,” Poland recounted. “It literally sounded like someone had threw a plate across the restaurant and it just shattered on the floor. And there was just a girl standing there holding a gun, pointed at the lady that was bleeding out on the floor.” Police say the shooter was Nytica Battle. She has since been charged with first-degree murder among other charges. A stray bullet hit a teenage Chili’s employee. He was able to make it to the back kitchen, and once the scene was safe, Poland says knew that was where she needed to go. “I couldn’t find a first aid kit or anything so I grabbed some gloves out of the kitchen and I grabbed some towels,” Poland remembered. “I put the towels on his leg and held a lot of pressure up there for like ten minutes. I had his belt wrapped around it.” The boy was hospitalized and has since recovered. Now, the graduating senior is focused on what’s next. She has applied for a patient services assistant job at Nash General. “Hopefully I’ll be able to go ahead and get my foot in the hospital,” Poland said. First though, Poland will head to high school graduation. She is a part of the Pirate Promise program that will allow her to start classes at Nash Community College and transfer to East Carolina University to pursue nursing.
OAK CITY, N.C. (WITN) - Deputies in Martin County are being credited for saving a man’s life after a home caught fire.
It happened around 9:15 p.m. Saturday on South East Avenue in Oak City. “I just think it could happen to anybody!” said neighbor Samuel Thompson. When deputies arrived, they learned from family members that Solomon Baker was still inside. A relative was trying to get Baker out through a window that was too small. ADVERTISEMENTOne sergeant tried to remove the window to get the man out, while another went in through the back door, but couldn’t get to Baker because of the heavy smoke. Deputy Justin Barr and Deputy Seymour Whitaker got inside through the kitchen and crawled nearly through the entire house to get to the bathroom. “It’s just something that comes with the job,” said Whitaker. “We run into different things every day. We just have to be prepared to do what needs to be done. " Once there, they guided Baker through the smoke and outside to safety, according to a news release. ADVERTISEMENT“There was no way he was coming out of that small window. So, we went in the back and without thinking about it we just went in and got him,” recalled Barr. As they were getting out of the burning home, Oak City Fire and EMS were arriving, deputies say, and firefighters were able to bring the fire under control. “I actually used to be a volunteer firefighter so I used that thinking to make sure we got below the smoke so we were able to see and stay calm,” said Barr. “With my partner there, we had our backs. We knew how to get back out, and we knew each other would be able to help each other out.” Baker was checked out by EMS, while the relative trying to get the man out through the window, and one of the sergeants was treated for cuts. ADVERTISEMENTNow, neighbors are focused on helping Baker get back on his feet. “I don’t know how he got it. I don’t care how he got it. All I know is, he’s a citizen of Oak City, he’s my neighbor, and I’m going to help out as much as I can,” said Thompson. No word yet on what started the fire.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Eastern Carolina cyclists rode in silence Wednesday evening in honor of riders who have been killed or injured on the road.
The Ride of Silence is a worldwide event advocating for safer streets for cyclists. Eastern Carolinians taking part rolled out at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenville Bike Company on Clark Street. Steven Hardy-Braz mounted his bike for the first time since a crash almost left him dead. The thing he loved most, cycling, became one of his hardest moments to overcome. “In life, we have to make sure our fears don’t dominate us, but we can overcome them,” Hardy-Braz said. “But we always need to take precautions and be safe.” Hardy-Braz followed that mantra and organized a Pitt Counter chapter of the 12-mile Ride of Silence. In the East, cyclists have formed a strong community. “We just enjoy being out in the country on our bikes, fellowshipping with each other, just talking and having a good time out in the open,” cyclist Johnny Fleming said. Four feet of space is the law in our state that motorists have to give room on the road. Hardy-Braz sees that as an ultimate liability. “If I’m going to be a responsible husband, father, friend, brother, son... I need to be careful, and I always have to outweigh the dangers of anything I do in life versus the enjoyment,” Hardy-Braz said. “But for me, it’s a recreation or a choice in transportation. Other people, it’s the only choice they have.” Hardy-Braz advocates for everyone moving on two wheels, but cyclists know they have a responsibility on the roads too. “Follow all the traffic laws, ride with the traffic, and don’t weave in and out in traffic,” he said. “That’s what I do when I’m riding.” After 12 miles of silence, the riders had a lot on their minds. “Just thinking about being able to ride free, have fun, remembering some of the people that got injured just trying to cycle on the highway,” Fleming said. People can see pictures from those who participated in the ride across the globe by searching the hashtag: #RideofSilence2022 on social media.
WASHINGTON, N.C. (WITN) - New improvements are underway for an airport in the East that caught the attention of state lawmakers.
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore and state Rep. Keith Kidwell were among the leaders shoveling the first scoops of dirt at the Washington-Warren Airport, symbolizing the start of the aerospace future of Beaufort County. With $20 million of state funds promised to the airport, Washington-Warren Airport Manager Earl Malpass joined the crew with a promise. “The quality of life for the employees is going to go up dramatically,” Malpass said. With Eastern Carolina situated about halfway between New York and Miami, the improvements are anticipated to keep the good news coming. “An expansion of the airport, of course, is going to allow folks to travel into the region easier. It’s going to allow you to have larger jets, you’re going to be able to have more aircraft parked here,” Moore said. “But it’s also going to allow an opportunity for industries or companies that are centered around aviation to be able to open here.” The money comes from a General Assembly allocation originally presented to the airport in December 2021. “We’re talking about hundreds of jobs per firm, so that’s going to multiply,” Malpass said. “It may not be ginormous with something like Amazon, but for Beaufort County, you get a thousand good-paying jobs and that’s going to make an impact.” Aviation jobs hope to offer upward mobility and competitive salaries to the communities around the airport. “One of the challenges that a lot of rural counties, like this county, like where I live, is that folks will sometimes graduate high school or graduate college and they struggle about where are they going to work? Where are they going to find a job?” Moore said, “and the aviation industry is one of the fastest-growing areas of the economy. " The $20 million appropriation isn’t just going to benefit the future employees of the airport, but also those currently working the tarmac. Equipment upgrades like lights on the runways and better aircraft taxi tractors are included in the plans. The current fleet of aircraft at the Washington-Warren Airport is made up of mostly single-engine planes, with one multi-engine plane, one jet, and one helicopter also part of the mix. Future plans include expanding aircraft capacity and also branching into the marine industry, providing access for houseboat and yacht owners along the coast to the skies.
BATH, N.C. (WITN) - As summer approaches in the East, more outdoor activities are on the horizon, but one group of avid cyclists says everyone who shares the road needs to be on the lookout.
Monday, that group rode in solidarity for their friend who suffered extreme injuries earlier this month when she was riding her bike. “The drivers here, generally, are very considerate of cyclists. We’re lucky. We hear horror stories all over the place,” said Jill Paxson’s friend Liane Harsh. About halfway through the month of April, Paxson was involved in her own horror story, a crash with a pickup truck on River Road in Washington. She broke 17 ribs, each of her limbs, her jaw, her collar bone, her sternum, and was hospitalized in the ICU for over a week. With hefty medical bills racking up, the cyclist’s friends mounted their bikes, over the bridge from Washington to Bath, and bought shrimp platters to help her out. “I was out on a ride just out here the other day and I was like, ‘What can I do to help? What can I do to have a positive influence to help her out?’” said a fellow cyclist, Jeff Staton. “This is what came to my mind. We discussed it with the guys and thought this was perfect.” Cars and bicycles shared the drive-thru lane to get their dinners, all with the injured rider on the minds. “She always says, when we’re going into the wind or we’re going up a little hill, she always says, ‘And we’re climbing!’” recalled Harsh. “So, all weekend long that was kind of the phrase. We hit some really strong headwinds and we’d quote Jill.” Also on their minds, was a warning sign to be careful out there. “It just reminds me that we all need to take that extra moment to double-check, look before you turn, listen before you turn. You can hear cars sometimes before you see them,” said Harsh. For, now, they wait for the day they can ride the roads of the East with their friend once again. Paxson’s friends have raised nearly $25,000 to assist with her recovery and medical bills through a GoFundMe page. Last week, Paxson was taken off of her ventilator for periods of up to four hours and she was moved to a long term care facility where she’ll undergo intensive rehabilitation. Although there is a difficult time ahead of her, the rider’s family is happy to see her responsive. WITN is waiting to hear back from Highway Patrol about the details of this crash.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - After dedicating a career to serving the public, one Eastern Carolina firefighter is being repaid for his actions in his time of need.
Jack Mozingo was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and hundreds of hungry people bought barbeque plates from Mission BBQ to help pay his medical bills. “As far as being a first responder, it takes a very special person to do that,” said Pactolus firefighter Jimmy Barber. “I’m very honored to be a part of the brotherhood of being a first responder in Pitt County.” As the crowd licked their plates clean, these emergency service professionals smiled knowing every dollar spent on their dinner was going into the hands of a Greenville family in need. “It is absolutely awesome the support that these guys are giving to their fellow brother that has come down with cancer,” added Barber. Mozingo spent 14 years fighting flames in Greenville and 15 years in Kinston. Now, he fights a new beast: pituitary carcinoma, cancer so rare, no treatment plans exist in previous patients. “Sadly, firefighters have a much higher rate of cancer than the general public,” explained Greenville Fire Chief Carson Sanders. After fighting the disease for years, the medical bills add up. “He’s exhausted a lot of the funds that are available through the state of North Carolina and through some local charities,” said Sanders. “So, we have to try to find some creative ways to support him and get him some money.” Fundraising at Mission BBQ Wednesday night, all of the money raised will offset Mozingo’s medical debt. In true firehouse fashion, the night ended with a family meal. “They spend a third of their lives with these people. They are dependent on them,” said Sanders. “Every day we depend on each other for our lives. We depend on each other and make sure that we care.” The latest tumor detected by Mozingo’s oncologist came up on a routine scan earlier this year. Although he is early in the process of fighting against this cancer, the fundraiser was evidence of just how well supported he is. “As you can imagine, spending that much time with people, you know all about their families. You know all about their histories, the good and the bad,” said Sanders. Station One is still accepting donations at their South Greene Street firehouse. Checks are to be made payable to the Greenville Firefighters Benevolent Fund and will be delivered to the Mozingo family. The cooks at Mission BBQ will fire up their smokers to raise money for Greenville first responders again on Thursday night . All sales made then will benefit Greenville Police and their Cop fund for workers that fall into hard times.
MARTIN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - People in Martin County in need of safe drinking water will soon see that flowing.
Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-D) was in the East Wednesday to present county leaders with a check to improve the water system there. With the water system infringing on residents’ most basic needs, the money is expected to change lives. “We would benefit greatly from having a source of potable water,” said Martin County resident Early Whitehurst, Jr. For Whitehurst and his neighbors, if they want freshwater, they have to treat their well supply with a myriad of salt and minerals to make it safe. But Whitehurst says most of his neighbors are retirees that can’t afford the added sodium in their meal plans. “So, it’s kind of a dietary issue, along with the rust and the appliance issues,” added Whitehurst. The county applied for a federal grant through Butterfield’s office. Wednesday they received a big check, in more ways than one. “There’s nothing more important than safe, clean water,” expressed Butterfield. “So many communities now are suffering from contaminated wells and aquifers are being infiltrated with toxins and the water is not safe.” Nearly $3.5 million was allocated to improve county water systems through a Community Project Fund grant. The money will help bare another load for Whitehurst and his neighbors. For those on a fixed income, added bills to clean their well supply don’t make budgeting easy. Whitehurst says the water bill can be an additional $60.00 to $100.00 a month to factor in, and he has a suggestion for the next issue to tackle. Right now Whitehurst says he has to pay for satellite TV, Dish internet, and a landline phone all separately. “We feel if we could get broadband in the community, we could combine all three items on one bill,” said Whitehurst. Congressman Butterfield’s office will be taking a look at the next round of appropriations submissions for the 2023 fiscal year soon. The deadline to submit proposals comes at 5:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon. From those submissions, the congressman can select up to 15 project funding requests for further consideration.
HYDE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - An Eastern Carolina man is dead after his wife says he tried to kill her.
Denise Blount called 911 as she said the man chased her with a gun through her home in Swan Quarter. Blount says her husband’s behavior follows a pattern. On March 4th he was arrested for assaulting her. Per his release he was ordered to eliminate contact and stay off of her property. The woman says her husband camped out across the street from her home for at least 30 days, stalking her. Domestic violence advocates in Hyde County say that controlling behavior is a sign of abuse. “I know it’s hard for some people. They’re scared, they don’t have anywhere to go, they can’t support themselves,” said Debbie Douglas, a Hyde County Hotline domestic violence advocate. One in every four women experience severe intimate partner violence across the country. The Hyde County Hotline tries to plant seeds of hope in victims. “People would probably be surprised at what goes on behind closed doors,” said Douglas. Denise and Nat Blount were married for 48 years., but Denise says she thought Nat was going to kill her on Tuesday. Hyde County Sheriff’s deputies say in a standoff with the man, he aimed his gun toward them. Ten year sheriff’s deputy veteran William Waters then fatally shot the man. “We do what we can, but transportation, jobs, housing, is a problem down here,” said Douglas. With Hyde County’s rural landscape and sometimes limited resources, domestic violence advocates stress the importance of identifying signs of abuse. “If they’re bossy, if they’re trying to control everything, isolate them from their friends and family, those are signs of domestic violence,” advised Douglas. “Domestic violence isn’t always hitting. There’s also emotional abuse.” Using these signs, the hope is to save survivors from further harm. Nat Blount’s shooting death is being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation, per the Hyde County sheriff’s request. The SBI’s findings will be sent to District Attorney Seth Edwards’ office for final review. Until then, Deputy Waters will remain on paid administrative leave. If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence, you can call the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233. You can also visit the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website at nccadv.org.
PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - The state is imposing new suspensions for the poultry industry as High Path Avian Influenza infections are on the rise.
Tuesday, North Carolina’s state veterinarian, Dr. Michael Martin, put a pause on all poultry shows and mass public sales. More than 350,000 birds have been euthanized this week in the state, but the total number of birds affected is still unknown as with each new positive site, the state broadens its testing parameters. Martin is tightening the reigns on bird gatherings, all in an attempt to beat the clock on migration patterns of infected wild birds out of the state and to keep cross-contamination as subdued as possible. Feed store owners now wonder what this might mean for their industry. “If there was a ban on commercial sales, that’s going to impact us pretty heavily,” said Greg Cannon, the owner of a hardware and feed store in Farmville. Cannon sold the last chick of his most recent order, but with high path bird flu ripping through the country he wonders if it is safe to order more. “We certainly have been concerned about it, but we’ve sold some chicks this year,” said Cannon. “We usually sell about 600 chicks a year out of the store.” Seven commercial farming operations across Johnston and Wayne Counties euthanized more than 90,000 turkeys and more than 280,000 chickens in the past week. “What we’re seeing with the spread of this virus in our commercial birds and also what we’re seeing nationally, shows that there’s a lot that we still have not learned about how this virus actually sheds,” said Martin. His office most recently placed a suspension on all poultry shows and live public sales of birds but relief came for Cannon and other feed store owners. “This is not for, like say pet stores and that type of thing, but we’re talking about open sales, auctions, swaps, poultry shows,” explained Martin, “Those types of things, where we have a large group of people that are coming together with maybe a mixed group of birds.” Cannon acts diligently to keep his product safe from infection saying, “I want to make sure when we order our [hatchlings] that we get them immunized before they come here.” All the while, he tries to keep the local industries afloat through the threat. “I do have some farmers that have chicken houses and they are concerned about it,” continued Cannon. “They obviously don’t handle my chickens and don’t get around my chickens when they are here.” Biosecurity is essential to containing bird flu. Humans are safe from contracting the virus, but they can easily transmit infection if say they handle a sick bird and then touch other birds without washing up first. The best thing for commercial and backyard flock owners to do is to limit their flock’s contact with other birds as much as possible. At one time that excluded common backyard songbirds, but now the state says to err on the side of caution and quarantine your flocks whenever you can. Infected birds do not pose a threat to the food supply, but Martin says no contaminated flocks will make it to processing centers because the risk of further infecting more flocks is too high. |
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