TownTalk: Recap Of Friday Shooting
A recap of the shooting that took place Friday on Garnett St.
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TownTalk: Hauntings Of Old Granville
One of the reasons the stately old home known as Cedar Walk in Williamsboro fell into disrepair was because of the ghost that inhabited the premises.
And the Neal House in Epsom rode the poltergeist wave right in the early ‘80s, about the time the movie of the same name was popular – you know, objects flying around, dishes flung from their shelves.
And then there’s the legend of “Hatchet Man,” who wanders the general area of Oxford Road near the local country club.
Mark Pace and Bill Harris talked about these phenomena – and more – during Thursday’s tri-weekly history show on TownTalk.
Did prominent physician Hutchins Burton really haunt Cedar Walk? Who knows. But according to the writings of local historian S.T. Peace, Burton was hanged in the house, Pace said. And members of families who later lived in the house reported hearing all kinds of strange noise over the years, and seeing a ghost in the hallway downstairs.
“It got to the point,” Pace said, “that nobody wanted to rent the house.” And, unoccupied, it fell into ruin.
Whether you’re one who believes in the supernatural or chooses to find logical explanations for the seemingly inexplicable, the stories you hear – especially around Halloween – are interesting, to say the least.
The house known as Pleasant Hill in Middleburg, later called Rivenoak, was purchased by a young couple who moved in and set about restoration work, which including wiring it for electricity for the first time.
Joel Holloman Carroll was born in that home and lived his entire life there. He was a real creature of habit, and was known to strike a match against the same door frame near the kitchen each evening to light a lamp before before bedtime.
Carroll died there, and during the restoration, passersby would swear they saw a light shining through his bedroom window. The young couple’s ebullient Golden Retriever refused to cross the area that led to that same bedroom. And the couple’s young child would remark about a man standing nearby when there was nobody there.
- You could possibly explain those away – the light was a reflection from something, the dog was just being, well, a dog. And a child can have a vivid imagination.
And Hatchet Man? The story goes that if you go over to the country club section of town into a particular area that once had been a dead end, dirt road, and cut off your car, Hatchet Man would show up, Pace said.
- Maybe that’s someone’s overactive imagination or maybe that was a story created to keep pesky teenagers off manicured greens.
But what about the poltergeist of Neal House?
“Dishes move, things fly off the table – literally fly-through-the-air kind of stuff,” Pace said. He was a student at ECU when he read a story in the student paper about the home.
“It was really active stuff,” he said, recalling some of the stories being told about that house.
Hear more stories in the full interview at wizs.com
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TownTalk: Ghost Hunting With Michael La Chiana
About this time each year, TVs in living rooms everywhere are filled with scary movies and TV shows about spooky things to entertain viewers. But there’s a big difference in the shows that are designed for entertainment and the shows that Michael La Chiana is producing.
La Chiana, a paranormal investigator and researcher, is dedicated documenting the “real” stuff.
His first show, “The Heritage Hunters: Journey Through the Past” was released last year and he told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Wednesday’s TownTalk that it’s already gotten 900,000 views.
His second show is due out next month, he said. The show can be found on Prime Video he said.
There’s nothing wrong with those scary movies and shows about ghosts, but La Chiana said he reminds folks that there IS a difference: “what you see on TV – unless it’s a true documentary, is not real.”
When he investigates paranormal phenomena, he said he looks at every angle to prove – or disprove – what’s going on.
“I love to debunk everything that I can so I can find real evidence that’s there,” he said. That unexplained creak or pop could be a loose floorboard or clanging water pipe inside a wall.
He is pretty much a one-man production company – he investigates, films, writes, edits, produces – so his second episode has taken a couple of years to complete.
“I’m very thorough and I dig deep,” he said.
The second episode delves into the history of Tom Dooley, who was a real person hanged for a murder in North Carolina back in the 1860’s.
Yes, that Tom Dooley, that the Kingston Trio sang about in their hit song of the same name. La Chiana found Laura Reed, a Nashville recording artist who covered a rock version of the song, and she said he could include it in his show.
“To have original music is great,” he added.
The upcoming episode investigates the jail where Dooley was held for a long time, and La Chiana said he’s “captured so many things over the years.” He uses sophisticated recording equipment during his research and investigation, and said he especially enjoys hearing what he can capture on the audio recordings.
“What we’ve captured is insane,” he said of the upcoming episode featuring the legend of Tom Dooley. “We’ve asked several times ‘Who killed Laura Foster?'” La Chiana said. “We got a male voice telling us the name,” he added.
There’s VP – voice phenomena – that you can hear with your ear – and then there’s EVP – electronic voice phenomena – those sounds that are best heard on audio recordings.
La Chiana said he prefers to investigate alone or with as few people as possible, to be able to stay focused on the presence or disturbances in a particular place.
Future episodes of the show will feature real places, La Chiana said. “Places you can actually go…and check out yourself,” he said.
When he went to investigation the mysterious Brown Mountain Lights in the western part of the state, he said he was intrigued.
Could those lights be a natural phenomenon – an energy that comes up out of the ground?
“It’s very fascinating,” La Chiana said, adding that such phenomena are “not so ghosty and more of a mystery – I like those types of things, too.”
TownTalk: Military History Show Coming To Henderson – Oxford Airport
Military buffs from near and far are more than likely to be found Saturday at the 7th annual Military History Show at the Henderson-Oxford Airport, which will feature military re-enactors, a variety of vehicles used during wartime and other activities.
What started out as a way for Harry Coombs to display his collection of military items has evolved into a day-long family-oriented event that gives back to the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee.
The show – open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – is free to the public, but Coombs said there will be a donation basket at the entrance for those who wish to contribute.
Last year’s event raised $2,100 that is used to provide services for veterans in Granville and surrounding counties, and if history repeats itself, this year’s event will top that.
There’s a silent auction packed with close to 100 items that folks can bid on, and Coombs told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk that he would welcome bidding wars, since all proceeds will go to benefit veterans.
There also will be a 50/50 raffle taking place during the day.
Another popular item is a helicopter ride, courtesy of Total Flight Solutions of Louisburg. Tickets are $40 a person for a ride. If you’ve got your heart set on having a bird’s-eye-view of the surrounding countryside, Coombs suggests arriving early – there’s usually a wait.
“Take advantage of it if you can,” Coombs said.
As the chopper takes off and lands nearby, a contingent of military re-enactors will be on the ground, representing different time periods – “from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War and everything in between,” Coombs said.
They’ll be in uniform, with equipment and gear for each time period represented.
There also will be weapons demonstrations throughout the day. “They fire blanks, so it’s all safe,” Coombs assured.
And if you’ve ever wondered what a World War II Half Track looks like, you’ll get your chance to see it up close and personal. Coombs’s 1938 BMW motorcycle will be on display, too.
There will be food vendors on hand, as well, so come hungry.
Details on the upcoming Military History Show at Henderson-Oxford Airport taking place this Saturday.
TownTalk: Thinking Of The Oxford Community
Thoughts about the recent shooting in Oxford.
TownTalk: Huggins To Appear As Ariel At McGregor Hall
As opening night approaches for McGregor Hall’s production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” Victoria Huggins may be the first to say she’s leading a charmed life.
After all, she’s been preparing for the lead role of Ariel in the upcoming stage performance, but that’s not an unfamiliar place for her to be in – she also portrayed Belle in “Beauty and the Beast,” which ran at McGregor Hall in 2018. And she wore a crown in real life just a few years ago, when she was Miss North Carolina.
Huggins spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s TownTalk and said she is thrilled to be back at McGregor Hall performing in another Disney classic.
Tickets are available at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ for the six performances Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 4-6. Tickets for a special event for young people, “Under the Sea,” also are available. That event will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at McGregor Hall. Tickets are limited, so make your purchase soon!
Schoolchildren from across the state will get first peek at the show with two performances on Thursday – both of which are sold out, Huggins said.
“For some, it will be their first theatrical performance,” she said of the audiences that will be entertained on Thursday.
Ariel will be at Chick-fil-A in Henderson on Tuesday, Nov. 1 for a meet-and-greet of sorts, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. No purchase is necessary, and children will have a chance to have their pictures taken with the beloved Disney mermaid.
For Huggins, the chance to play a second Disney protagonist has been nothing short of magical.
“I have admired these characters my entire life,” she said. Like so many other young boys and girls, Huggins said she learned wonderful life lessons from watching Ariel and Belle – “they continue to teach us as we become adults,” she said.
Everybody loves Ariel for so many reasons, Huggins explained. “She was courageous to follow her dreams…we all relate to her,” she said.
Huggins was Miss North Carolina in 2017-18 and she said that she recently completed her master’s degree from UNC-Pembroke debt-free because of the scholarships she received.
She now works for the NC Chapter of the Alzheimers Association, her own dream being realized because she is turning a passion into a career. Huggins is keenly interested in the influence of music and the therapeutic effect it has on Alzheimers patients.
Call the McGregor Hall box office at 252.598.0662 to learn more.
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The Local Skinny! Maria Parham To Host Breast Cancer Screening
As part of its observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Maria Parham Health is offering free clinical exams to promote education, prevention and early detection.
MPH Cancer Center Director Kim Smith said staff will be available to walk participants through the process, literally greeting you as you walk into the hospital and then making sure the process goes smoothly. The screening event will take place Thursday, Oct. 27 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
There will be snacks and other goodies, as well as giveaways and door prizes, too, and Smith encourages women to bring their families, neighbors or anyone who may benefit.
“Knowledge is definitely power,” echoes hospital social worker Hope Breedlove. Whether the news is all good, or whether there needs to be some follow-up diagnostic care, “knowing what we need to do to be healthier gives us a sense of power in our lives,” Breedlove said.
Both women spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
Anyone who attends the event will be seen, a doctor will discuss the results with the client and then staff will review any next steps that need to be taken. Follow-up care will be scheduled if necessary.
In addition to the exams, the event is designed to educate people about how to be healthy, Smith said. “We know that early detection is what saves lives,” she said, while stressing the importance of getting screenings done in a timely fashion.
Smith said staff will walk participants through the entire process, “and provide support every step of the way.”
This event, as with previous events, requires no advance registration and follows COVID-19 recommendations, including wearing masks to maintain a safe environment for all.
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TownTalk: Granville Gears Up For A Spooktacular Halloween And More!
Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen needs a big calendar, but she may wish she had an even bigger one especially for fall, given all the events that take place across the county between September and the end of the year.
“We are in full swing for (the) fall season,” she told John C. Rose on Thursday’s TownTalk. From pumpkin farms and corn mazes, downtown trick-or-treating to a concert in support of bees, there truly is something for everyone packed in to a short time frame.
Dixon Farms, located just beyond the Granville County Expo Center on Highway 15 South, is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. A ticket gets you a pumpkin of your choice, not to mention access to all kinds of fun outdoor activities for the youngsters – a petting zoo, corn maze and tractor rides, just to name a few.
Dixon Farms announces their fall festival will take place this Saturday, Oct. 22, beginning at 10 a.m.
A little further down in the southern part of the county, William Lyon opens his pumpkin patch on Saturdays and Sundays (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) for folks to find the perfect pumpkin, as well as take part in a hay ride and navigate a corn maze. Lyon’s farm is located at 1563 Will Suitt Rd., Creedmoor.
For those who want a little nighttime adventure should drive over to the Granville Haunt Farm, where Grey Blackwell has assembled ghosts and ghouls – benevolent and otherwise – to entertain carloads of folks who drive through.
On Friday and Saturday evenings in October, you can “get a little scare on,” Allen said. This popular destination features scenes from iconic Halloween movies – scary ones and not-so-scary ones, she noted. “It really is a great mixed bag,” she said.
Bonus: The Haunt Farm will be open on Sunday, Oct. 30 and Monday, Oct. 31 to thrill, frighten and entertain.
The star of the Halloween season for many youngsters is trick-or-treating, and families can visit participating downtown retailers in Oxford for their “Spooktacular” between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Downtown Creedmoor merchants will sponsor their trick-or-treating event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Butner’s Covenant Life Church will be at Butner Athletic Park for a trunk-or-treat from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., where folks can get free kettle corn, cotton candy and hot drinks as they enjoy the various decorated trunks that will fill up the parking lot.
A new event called Bees and Boos will take place at Highrock Farm on Enon Road outside Oxford. The Granville County Beekeepers’ Association is hosting this event, which will be held in two parts – a family fun festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then “a flat-out costume party beginning at 6 p.m. The fun festival is free, and will feature a variety of vendors and a lot of honey-based products, among other activities.
The costume party is a ticketed event and will include a concert by rising Nashville musician Zach Top. Visit https://fb.me/e/2WZSRGiOm to purchase tickets or find the Granville County Beekeepers Association on social media.
Allen said if you’ve always wanted to try mead, honey beer or experience a candy apple bar, this is the event to check all the boxes.
If you have any energy left when October’s events are completed, join the
Granville County Chamber of Commerce for the annual “Cluck ‘N Shuck” seafood extravaganza on Nov. 4 at the Granville County Expo Center. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling the Chamber office at 919.693.6125 or online at https://granville-chamber.com/
The next day, Saturday, Nov. 5 marks the Creedmoor City Golf Championship at South Granville Country Club. This event begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start. The SGCC is partnering with Creedmoor Parks and Recreation and will max out at 80 golfers. Registration is $60 per golfer. Trophies will be awarded for the top players in each division, Allen said.
Bonus: register NOW to play golf and get $10 off the purchase of a Cluck ‘N Shuck ticket.
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Town Talk: The Success Of Show, Shine, Shag And Dine
By all accounts, last weekend’s Show, Shine, Shag & Dine was a success – the perfect fall weather welcomed tens of thousands of people to Vance County and Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson couldn’t be happier.
But they probably are happy that another event is in the rearview mirror, too.
The Vance County Tourism Authority duo spoke Wednesday with John C. Rose on TownTalk to to give a follow-up of all the festivities, which required hours, weeks and months of planning, Hester noted.
Things got underway on Friday with a couple of cruise-ins, one at Satterwhite Point in the afternoon and a second at Charles Bowman’s Southern Classic Cars in downtown Henderson on Friday evening.
Hester estimated more than 200 cars came out to the lake, where lunch was available and a DJ providing music.
“You’d think that it was full,” Hester said, “then a group of cars would leave and another car club would come in.”
Dickerson concurred. “Attendance was excellent – it was one of the largest I can recall seeing in a number of years. Hester said at the height, there were probably 25,000 to 30,000 people on Garnett Street, enjoying food, vendors and, of course, the cars.
“It was packed,” Hester said. “Part of the time it was wall-to-wall people.”
Those who came to downtown Henderson saw a mixture of old, new and new-again events, they said.
One new event was the Jeep Jam, and Hester said 15 Jeeps drove in for the day.
“I think you have to keep the history of the event, but you also have to keep it relevant, and that will make an event stay fresh,” she said.
The Jeep Jam is an example of a new event, and the return of the race cars – more than 16 or so – goes into the “new-again” category.
Comments about the 20th annual event, on social media posts and personal comments into the tourism office, have been overwhelmingly positive, she said.
The 50-some volunteers, along with collaboration from the city and county and the support of the tourism board, all contributed to the festive atmosphere and how smoothly things ran.
And the support from downtown merchants was unsurpassed, Hester said.
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TownTalk: Domestic Violence Awareness Event This Weekend
The statistics are staggering: Every minute in the United States, 20 people are being physically abused by an intimate partner.
In the past year, Vance County’s Emergency 911 received 1,107 calls related to a domestic disturbances or disputes, according to Debbie K. Scott, domestic violence coordinator and gang resource specialist for the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
Of those calls, 336 were assaults, 70 involved a weapon and unfortunately one of those calls involved the death of a male victim.
These cold, hard facts are just part of the story of domestic violence awareness, and Scott said the sheriff’s office is teaming up with Clearview Church for the 4th annual event to shed light on a subject that for too long has remained in the shadows of society.
The “Think Community” event will begin at 3 p.m. at Clearview Church, located at 3485 Hwy 158 Business in Henderson.
This year’s theme is “Break the Silence – Stop the Violence” and Scott told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk that there will be several guest speakers and performers on hand, including pastor Roy Burroughs and the Work In Progress Gospel Choir, Sgt. Myron Alexander with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office and Keisha Valentine, a survivor of domestic violence.
“We’re looking forward to having a great program,” Scott said.
Whether you are a victim of domestic violence or you suspect someone else may be, it’s important to speak up and speak out, Scott said.
Valentine’s son witnessed her attack – she was shot multiple times at point-blank range – and it was her son who phoned 911 to report the incident.
“He was strong enough to speak up and make that call,” Scott recounted. Victims of abuse must not give up, she said. “You have to speak up – you can’t be quiet. You have to stand up against it…(and) try to get help.”
Victims can speak to other family members, a co-worker, a best friend – anyone who can provide support.
Valentine will share her story at Saturday’s event, and Scott said she hopes that others find strength as a result of hearing it.
“Come and break the silence,” she said. “We can put a dent in (domestic violence) and we can confront it.”
Domestic violence may begin with something as simple as hurtful words or disrespect, Scott explained. Saying hurtful things and intimidation tactics can escalate to emotional and physical abuse.
The weekend event is a way for the community to show its support, Scott said. “It’s a way to stand with the victims, support the surviviors, (and) help us continue to educate and confront this issue” as well as learning from hearing victims’ stories of survival and grieve collectively for those who have lost their lives to domestic violence.
Scott said support from local organizations helps to promote awareness about domestic violence. Last year, the Henderson Woman’s Club won a regional award for the work it did to donate bags of items to victims of domestic violence.
Participating in meaningful ways shows others that domestic violence “is not invited in our community – it’s unwanted and we will not be quiet any more.”
To learn more, contact Scott at 252.738.2235 or email her at dscott@vancecounty.org.
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