Mike Waters

District Attorney Michael D. Waters Issues Statement On Granville Sheriff’s Office Investigation

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Editor’s note: WIZS News received the following statement from District Attorney Michael D. Waters on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. In the email that contained the attached press release, Waters stated, “Because of the content, it is imperative that the press release be made available in its entirety.  I do not have any further comment on this matter.”

Below is the statement Waters released, followed by the letter from Wake DA Lorrin Freeman, which he referred to in the statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN ITS ENTIRETY 

Statement of District Attorney Michael D. Waters

This past Sunday, November 16, 2025, my attention was directed to a statement posted to social media by candidate for Granville County Sheriff, Charlie Noblin, Jr., regarding his October 27, 2021, resignation as the Sheriff of Granville County. I am addressing the specific allegations as directed towards my conduct as District Attorney in that I inappropriately collaborated with Granville County Attorney Jim Wrenn in asking for Charlie Noblin, Jr.’s resignation. This is not an endorsement or commentary on the fitness for office of any candidate for Granville County Sheriff.

In November 2018 I requested the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts appoint a prosecutor to advise the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation during an investigation into the conduct of Sheriff Brindell B. Wilkins, and a very few members of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office.

The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts appointed Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman to advise law enforcement, make charging decisions, and prosecute cases that arose from the investigation. Prosecutorial discretion rested entirely with Wake County District Attorney Freeman from November 2018 forward.

Sheriff Brindell B. Wilkins was indicted in October 2019 on indictments drawn by Wake County District Attorney Freeman. Brindell B. Wilkins stepped down from office, and Chief Deputy Sherwood Boyd fulfilled the duties of sheriff until a new sheriff could be appointed. Shortly thereafter, Charlie Noblin, Jr. was appointed Sheriff of Granville County by the Granville County Board of Commissioners for the unexpired term. Charlie Noblin, Jr. announced his candidacy for the Office of Granville County Sheriff.

I was personally and professionally familiar with Charlie Noblin, Jr. having known him most of my life. Charlie Noblin, Jr. was not involved in the allegations regarding Brindell Wilkins’ solicitation to murder Deputy Josh Freeman or the misappropriation of seized property by Brindell Wilkins and a small number of deputies. During Charlie Noblin, Jr.’s time as the appointed Sheriff we communicated frequently about work and our employees freely communicated about cases without interference from Sheriff Noblin.

Wake County District Attorney Freeman advised me that the investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation had expanded to include the falsification of training records among other things. Initially, four deputies and the Sheriff were implicated. Except for Brindell Wilkins and Chad Coffey, the other three deputies implicated in the falsification of training records continued to serve under Sheriff Noblin. Additionally, one other deputy involved in the possible misappropriation of evidence and making false statements to federal investigators continued to be employed. The decision to continue to employ these individuals was at the sole discretion of Sheriff Noblin.

The District Attorney’s Office does not take positions on whether a person is employed by a law enforcement agency or office. The law requires the District Attorney’s Office to assess the credibility of all witnesses including officers and make necessary disclosures to defendants and the Courts. In more serious cases, the District Attorney’s Office must report misconduct directly to North Carolina Criminal Justice Training and Standards or North Carolina Sheriffs’ Training and Standards.

On October 6, 2021, Charlie Noblin, Jr. informed me that he had a possible life-threatening health issue.

That same day Wake County District Attorney Freeman sent me a letter which is attached hereto. The letter stated that in preparation for trial a cooperating witness disclosed that Sheriff Noblin “participated in submitting a firearm qualification record (Form F-9A) to the North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission that was false, in that it reflected that he had met all firearm qualification requirements as required annually, when in fact he had not, during a period when he was on medical leave.” As this was an ongoing investigation, I was not at liberty to share this information except in the circumstance that Sheriff Noblin would be called as a witness.

On October 20, 2021, I understood Charlie Noblin, Jr. had surgery to address his diagnosis. I checked on him after his surgery.

On Friday, October 22, 2021, Wake County District Attorney Freeman contacted me by phone and stated that she intended to present indictments regarding this falsified F-9A form unless Sheriff Charlie Noblin, Jr. resigned. Under any circumstance, she would notify North Carolina Sheriff’s Training and Standards about the falsified training record.

I understood the allegation to be that Charlie Noblin, Jr. signed a F-9A form acknowledging qualification scores when in fact he had not participated in the qualification course. This time coincided with a time that I knew Charlie Noblin, Jr. to have been injured in the line of duty, and on extended medical leave. I was also aware that Charlie Noblin, Jr. had participated in several law enforcement interviews including discussions about other officers potentially subject to indictment, and Charlie Noblin, Jr. had not disclosed this issue. I also understood that Charlie Noblin, Jr. had never been asked about his personal training record, and it was not alleged that he lied to investigators in response to any specific question.

On the morning of October 26, 2021, I attended a meeting at the invitation of Granville County Attorney Jim Wrenn at his office and knew Sheriff Noblin would be in attendance. It was our intention to discuss the allegation of the falsified training record.

Sheriff Noblin drove himself to the meeting, and was in a somber mood regarding his health, but otherwise appeared to be of sound mind and thinking clearly. Granville County Attorney Wrenn told him of the allegation and Sheriff Noblin did not refute the allegation Wake County District Attorney Freeman disclosed to us; that he didn’t attend firearms qualification and yet signed the F-9A form indicating he had completed the required qualification.

Granville County Attorney Wrenn told Sheriff Noblin that the County Commissioners were deeply concerned by his certification of a F-9A for training he did not complete; his failure to disclose the issue and his failure to take disciplinary action against Granville County Sheriff’s Office employees who had engaged in extensive falsification of records. Sheriff Noblin asked if the commissioners wanted him to resign. Granville County Attorney Wrenn replied that the decision was his to make, but he should consider the best interest of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Granville County. Sheriff Noblin asked if Wake County District Attorney Freeman would prosecute him if he resigned. Granville County Attorney Wrenn stepped out and called Wake County District Attorney Freeman. Granville County Attorney Wrenn returned to the room to report that Wake District Attorney Freeman indicated that if Sheriff Noblin resigned, she would report the falsification to Training and Standards but would not prosecute him.

In good faith and in my role as what I considered to be a friend, I advised Sheriff Noblin that he could cite his health issues, and resign without having to make a public disclosure, and avoid Wake County District Attorney Freeman submitting an indictment.

In my role as District Attorney in advising law enforcement, I also stated whether he resigned or not, the information would be submitted to North Carolina Sheriff’s Training and Standards and could be revealed in the upcoming trial of former Granville County Deputy Chad Coffey.

I was informed later that evening that Charlie Noblin, Jr. resigned effective Wednesday, October 27, 2021.

I have spoken to Charlie Noblin, Jr. several times since this day. Charlie Noblin, Jr. never brought up this subject to me.

This social media post has generated substantial comment including the dissemination of false information as to the judicial proceedings against other former employees of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office.

With respect to the six employees mentioned in this release:

Federal authorities and Wake County District Attorney Freeman declined to prosecute a detective for his role in the misappropriation of evidence, and lying to federal investigators. That detective resigned prior to this office making a credibility determination. Should he return to law enforcement, those credibility allegations would be addressed prior to him being called to testify. Wake County District Attorney Freeman declined to prosecute a second detective involved in the falsification of records because of his cooperation. This office addressed his credibility issue and although he is no longer in law enforcement, an appropriate disclosure will be made should he be called to testify.

Four additional Sheriff’s Office employees were charged in connection with the falsification of records. All these cases have concluded, and they have surrendered their law enforcement certification.

Keith Campbell plead guilty and received a deferred prosecution in exchange for his cooperation. Chad Coffey and Brin Wilkins were tried and convicted of felonies. The Court of Appeals overturned the convictions citing defective indictments. Rather than face new indictments, both Chad Coffey and Brin Wilkins plead guilty to related misdemeanors. Sherwood Boyd accepted responsibility at an early stage and plead to misdemeanors for his role in the falsification of records.

Brindell Wilkins plead guilty as charged for his role in encouraging the murder of former deputy Josh Freeman. Brin Wilkins completed his sentence.

Editor’s note: The following is the letter from Freeman, addressed to District Attorney Waters and cc’d to Jim Wrenn, county attorney

October 6, 2021

Dear Mr. Waters:

As you are aware, for several years, I have been working with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation in an investigation that involves your Granville County Sheriff’s office. Consistent with my sustained practice during this investigation, I am writing today to notify you of information recently obtained during this investigation which could be considered a required disclosure under U.S. v. Brady and U.S. v. Giglio and their progeny. A former employee and cooperating witness in the investigation has disclosed that the current Sheriff Charles R. Noblin participated in submitting a firearm qualification record (Form F-9A) to the North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission that was false in that it reflected that he had met all firearm qualification requirements as required annually when he in fact had not during a period of time when he was out on medical leave. I have attached a firearm qualification record (Form F-9A) for convenience so that you can review the acknowledgement of qualification scores language that must be signed by the officer. I have confirmed that these forms were submitted for Mr. Noblin for the period in question with scores recorded for each of the required qualifications with signed acknowledgements indicating that he certified them. The report concerning this fraudulently executed form is consistent with other reports we have confirmed as to other members of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and of which I am notifying you in separate letters.

It is important to note that at the conclusion of this investigation these allegations will be reported to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission so that they can investigate them and if necessary, take appropriate action consistent with the Commission’s rules and regulations.

This matter is an ongoing investigation. As such, I would ask that you limit further dissemination of these allegations only as far as is necessary for you to uphold your ethical and constitutional obligations in the prosecution of cases in your district. As you are aware, the cases in which Mr. Chad Coffey has been charged have been scheduled for trial to begin January 18, 2022 there in Granville County. At this time, I would expect these allegations may form part of the evidence in that matter.

Sincerely,

N. Lorrin Freeman

Wake County District Attorney

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Editor’s  Note: If you would like to review the documents, you may click here or anywhere here you see underlined to do so.

Granville County Commissioners Approve $25K Grant For Dill Air Controls Expansion

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— Information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

A Granville County manufacturing firm is expanding its footprint with a 20,000 square-foot addition to its existing facility.

The Granville County Board of Commissioners recently approved an incentive grant to Dill Air Controls Products for an expansion project at their Oxford facility.  Following a public hearing, commissioners unanimously approved an incentive package for an estimated $25,799. The grant will not exceed 65 percent of county tax revenues generated by Dill Air Controls for real and personal property. The final grant amount could change based on the actual tax revenues generated.

The expansion will result in the creation of new full-time jobs, a trend that is expected to continue as the product line increases as a result of the company’s expansion. Dill last expanded in 2016, creating twenty three new jobs and investing over $1.6 million in capital.

The project is expected to result in a projected total investment of $6.5 million. This includes a capital  investment of $4.5 million in real property improvements and $2 million in associated business personal  property, according to information from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

“Dill’s decision to expand operations at their Oxford facility continues to illustrate that our manufacturers have the advantage of stability and longevity for their operations in Granville County,” said Granville County Economic Development Director Charla Duncan. “Our Board of County Commissioners continues to show support to Dill with this grant, which sends the message that not only is Granville open for new business, but we value the role our existing industries play in our local economy. Where we can support them, we will.”

Founded in Ohio in 1909, Dill moved to North Carolina in the 1960s and has operated in the Oxford area for the past 20 years. The company employs more than 180 people and is one of Granville County’s top 20 employers. Dill is a global exporter that designs, develops, and manufactures products for an array of industries, including both the automotive and aviation industries. Dill’s customer base includes notable brands like NASCAR, Bridgestone, Caterpillar, Goodrich, Goodyear, Kawasaki and Honeywell.

To learn more about Dill Air Controls Products, visit https://www.dillvalves.com/

 

TownTalk: Fall in Full Swing with Granville County Tourism

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Granville County is squeezing a lot into an already-busy time of year, but Granville Tourism Authority Director Angela Allen encourages the community to jump in and embrace the seasons – you can walk, trot, run, eat, shop, march and drive your way through the various programs and events that will take place in the next few weeks as the holidays approach.

Downtown Oxford retailers are preparing for Christmas with a Holiday Open House Saturday, Nov. 15. You’ll see festive storefronts dotting the downtown district, who want to entice folks to shop local this season.

“Here in Granville County, we’re welcoming the season,” Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

Get all the tastes of Thanksgiving a week early at Thorndale Oaks on Nov. 18. Make reservations by calling 919.603.3701. The cost is $32.95 for adults and $19.95 for children.

The City of Oxford has refurbished its auditorium and rebranded it the OX Theater. Located within the municipal building at 300 Williamsboro St., the theater will host Shana Tucker on Thursday, Nov. 20 for “An Evening of Sade,” The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tucker is a cellist and a vocalist and, along with a band and backup singers, will entertain the audience with the smooth, sultry sounds of the singer popular in the mid-1980’s and 1990’s.

Burn some calories in advance of that Thanksgiving meal with the 20th annual Turkey Trot to benefit Area Congregations in Ministry, the local food bank. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. for the 9 a.m. event, which sends walkers and runners along a 2-mile path from Oxford United Methodist Church down College Street to the Masonic Home for Children and back.

Four cans of food or a monetary donation to ACIM gets you in – make plans to join in the fun to support the food bank mission of feeding hungry people in Granville County.

Once Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror, it’s full-steam ahead to all things Christmas, and Allen reeled off an impressive list of events that begin before all the leftovers are gone.

“I’m excited for the holiday season,” Allen said, “because that’s when I feel our community really sines and comes together – we’re creating community and memories.”

Find out all the details at https://visitgranvillenc.com/, but here’s a partial list of what’s happening in Granville County:

  • Granville Christmas Farm – opens Friday, Nov. 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Get tickets at https://www.granvillechristmasfarm.com/. The farm will open daily the week before Christmas through New Year’s Eve.
  • Corn Hill Farm – a local tree farm that will have a special Christmas Connection on Friday, Nov. 28, complete with arts and crafts for the kids, vendors, food and Santa from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visit https://cornhillfarms.com/
  • Back to the OX Theater for Celtic Angels on Dec. 1. The show starts at 7 p.m. Then it’s Nashville Noel on Dec. 14. Visit https://www.oxfordnc.org/ to purchase tickets.
  • The Lighting of the Greens and Parade in Oxford is Friday, Dec. 5 beginning at 4 p.m. The parade begins at 7 p.m. The City of Oxford also will have its tree lighting on Dec. 5.
  • Parade season continues with parades in Creedmoor and Butner on Saturday, Dec. 6 – Creedmoor in the morning and Butner in the afternoon.
  • Christmas Buffet Dinner at Thorndale Oaks on Saturday, Dec. 6. It’s a full buffet, $58.95 Children 12 and under: $24.95 Children 5 and under are free. Call 919.603.3701 or 919.725.5201 to reserve your table.

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Sassafras Fork Township

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OK, local history buffs, here’s a question for you:

What do the Declaration of Independence, inventor of a Space-Age portable stereo and the poet Langston Hughes all have in common?

Ready for the answer?

Sassafras Fork township.

Northern Granville County residents may be more familiar with Sassafras Fork than others, but back in the 1760’s, Sassafras Fork encompassed the general area now known as Bullock, Grassy Creek, Gela, Stovall and Soudan, just across the NC/VA border.

WIZS’s Bill Harris and local historian Mark Pace talked about what that area used to look like in the recurring TownTalk segment “Around Old Granville.”

Now, here’s how those three seemingly unrelated items intersect in northern Granville County:

The town of Stovall recently held a Harvest Festival, featuring a celebration of one of its famous residents, John Penn. Penn was one of the state’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence and he moved from Virginia to North Carolina in part because there were too many lawyers where he was from in Virginia, but also because his wife’s family lived near Sassafras Fork.

Now, about that Space-Age portable radio…

Pratt Winston, who died in 2024, was an entrepreneur and inventor. He created the iconic Weltron radio product line, which sold all over the world into the late 70’s.

Winston’s home, Rose Hill, originally was part of the Speed holdings, still stands.

Pace said it’s probably the oldest brick home in the area, having been built around 1834. The two-story Greek Revival-style home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Ready to make the connection between Sassafras Fork and Langston Hughes?

“Shaw School was so well known back in the 1940’s and ‘50’s, Pace said, that it was able to attract numerous speakers of some renown.

The poet Langston Hughes, of Harlem Renaissance fame, visited the school in 1953 for a poetry reading, Pace said.

At the time of Hughes’s visit, Stovall was enjoying a population of close to 500, but over time, that number dwindled.

The 2010 Census reported just more than 400 people living in Stovall, and that number dropped to 324 in the 2020 count.

But Stovall once boasted a booming economy for the times – with a funeral home, doctors, a bank, factories, lumber mill, hotel, numerous churches and a railway station. There were close to 800 people living in Stovall in the 1920’s, Pace said.

A man named John Stovall gave land to have the rail depot put on his land, which is what prompted the name change from Sassafras Fork to Stovall, he said.

 

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City of Oxford

City Of Oxford Nov. 4 Election Results

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Oxford Mayor Guillermo Nurse won re-election Tuesday, defeating challenger Jim Crawford by 251 votes.

The final count Tuesday night was 1,107 for Nurse – 56.31 percent –  and 856 – 43.54 percent – for Crawford, according to unofficial results on the N.C. State Board of Elections website.

Karen McGhee, Scotty Brooks, Kate Kelly and S. Quon Bridges were the top four vote-getters to earn seats on the City of Oxford Commission.

Brooks and Bridges are incumbents; McGhee and Kelly are newcomers to the board.

Voter turnout for the Oxford municipal elections was just over 26 percent – 3,887 of 14,852 voters cast ballots, according to NCSBE.

McGhee got 1,198 votes, Brooks got 1,103, Kelly got 954 and Bridges got 911.

The other candidates for city commissioner were:

Martha Wrenn – 881 votes

Courtney Crudup – 719 votes

Sandra Compton – 662 votes

All results are unofficial until they are certified in the Nov. 14 canvass.

 

City of Oxford

Oxford Police Chief Patricia Ford Resigns

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The City of Oxford announced Tuesday afternoon the resignation of Police Chief Patricia Ford.

Ford was the first female captain and the first female chief for the Oxford Police Department. She leaves with 29 years of service in law enforcement.

City commissioners thanked Ford for her dedication to the police department and to the community during the city’s Public Safety Committee meeting on Nov. 3 for her long-standing commitment to the citizens of Oxford.

“I appreciate the support the entire board has given to the pd; It means a lot to me. My leadership philosophy has always been different. Instead of standing at the top and letting direction trickle down, I believe in standing at the bottom to lift everyone up. My role has always been to support the officers and staff who serve this community every day.”

No further details were released.

 

VGCC Foundation Gets $3,000 Grant From Food Lion Feeds For Food Pantry

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— Information courtesy of Vance-Granville Community College

 

The Vance-Granville Community College Foundation has received $3,000 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help students experiencing hunger. The Feeding the Hungry grant supports The Foundation’s efforts by purchasing food items that will ultimately help tackle food insecurity among our students. In addition, the grants support community feeding partners by helping neighbors increase their access to nutritious food and providing nutrition education to eliminate health risks for those experiencing food insecurity.

The VGCC Foundation aims to reduce food insecurity through its food pantry that serves students at all VGCC campuses. The campuses are located in Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties. The food pantry is a one-stop shop for food and hygiene items for students and is sustained through a partnership with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Food Lion, fundraisers, donations of items and monetary gifts. The Foundation will be able to use this generous gift from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to purchase food items and support healthy eating initiatives for its students.

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity across its 10-state footprint. Established in 2001, the foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $18.1 million in grants.

Apply By Nov. 30 For Chamber’s 2026 Leadership Granville Class

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce is taking applications for the 2026 Leadership Granville class. Over the course of nine months, participants get a chance to explore the county where they live or work through hands-on experiences, leadership training and networking opportunities.

The program costs $450 for Chamber members; $500 for non-members.

Applications are due to the Chamber by Nov. 30. The orientation takes place in late February, and the program concludes with a graduation ceremony in November.

Click Here to Apply.

To learn more, contact the Chamber at 919.693.6125 or email granvillecountychambernc@gmail.com

Veterans And Military Families Health And Resource Fair Coming To VGCC Civic Center Nov. 1

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UPDATE OCT 23:

The upcoming health and resource fair for military veterans and their families is going to be bigger this time around because organizers have cast a wider net to include those in Vance, Warren, Franklin, Person counties along with Granville County.

“It’s so important for us to bring these resources to the veterans and to their families,” said co-chair Lyn Breisacher of the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee. She and fellow co-chair Anne Williams have planned the event, which will take place at Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The space will be full of vendors and agencies eager to share resources and information to help veterans and their families with all types of services, from educational opportunities and financial services to employment, housing and social services.

Representatives from the Veterans Administration will be there to answer questions about claims, benefits and other services.  Additionally, Walgreens will be offering free flu vaccines to all attendees, including any VGCC student who wants to get the vaccine. Refreshments will be available, too, along with door prizes. Thomas Grill will have its food truck on site, and veterans will receive a discount on their food purchase, Breisacher said.

Veterans should bring their military ID or DD-214, especially if they intend to check on the status of a claim or to start a claim with the VA at their mobile unit, which will be set up to help vets and families, she said.

Individuals can talk to a real person, “one on one, face to face,” Breisacher said, instead of exchanging emails and making phone calls to try to get information about services and claims.

“This makes it a whole lot easier and adds a personal touch,” she said.

The resource and health fair kicks off a month-long national observance of military veterans and families, and Breisacher said it’s just one way to show support for veterans.

Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and many organizations and municipalities plan ceremonies on that day – 11-11 at 11 a.m. – to honor those who have served in the military.

“We want to salute them the whole month,” she said. Operation Green Light is another way communities can show support, she noted. Replace your porch light or other outdoor light with a green light bulb and let it shine during November.

The Committee welcomes all the veterans in our area to take advantage of this event.

Contact Lyn Breisacher at 919.693.8947 or Anne Williams at 919.892.5471 to learn more.

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UPDATE OCT 14:

November is just a few short weeks away, and the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee is gearing up to celebrate Veterans and Military Families Appreciation Month with an event on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

The committee is hosting a Veterans Health and Resource Fair, open to all area veterans.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there will be a variety of exhibitors on hand to provide information about all types of services of interest to veterans, from educational opportunities and financial services to employment, housing and social services.

Representatives from the Veterans Administration will be there to answer questions about claims, benefits and other services.

additionally, Walgreens will be offering free flu vaccines to all attendees.  Refreshments will be available, too, along with door prizes.

The Committee is looking forward to welcoming all the veterans in our area to take advantage of this event.  Also, if you’re an agency or organization who has resources available for these veterans and you haven’t been contacted by one of our committee members, please contact Lyn Breisacher at 919.693.8947 or Anne Williams at 919.892.5471.

Stovall Harvest Festival and Celebration of John Penn Saturday, Oct. 25

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North Carolina boasts three signers of the Declaration of Independence, one of whom was John Penn, born in Virginia, but married a Granville County gal and lived on a farm near Stovall.

As the nation’s 250th anniversary draws near, the town of Stovall is hosting a Harvest Festival and a celebration of John Penn on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The festivities run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include “modern-day” attractions like a cruise-in at the brand-new North Granville Senior Center, Kid Zone with bouncy houses and games, Halloween-themed activities and the customary food trucks juxtaposed with an appearance by the esteemed Mr. Penn himself, who will arrive in a horse-drawn carriage to bring remarks to those gathered.

Local historian and Penn reenactor Mark Pace will perform as Penn at 12 noon and again at 2 p.m., discussing America’s revolution, the Declaration and impending war with England.

The very first state historical marker was placed in Stovall back in 1936 to recognize John Penn.

Stovall leadership and others in the community have joined forces to pay tribute to a good harvest and to a history not shared by many communities across the nation.

The town of Stovall is located on Highway 15 North, less than 10 miles from Oxford. The public is welcome and invited to come out and celebrate – there’s something for everyone!

Here’s a breakdown of events:

STOVALL HARVEST FESTIVAL EVENT TIMELINE

• 11:00 – 11:15 a.m. – Opening Ceremony – Main Stage

• 11:15 a.m. – Cake Walk – Rural Medical Center Front Lawn

– Trunk or Treat – Stovall Methodist Church

– Classic Car Cruise‑In – North Granville Senior Center

• 11:30 a.m. – SVFD Gear Demonstration – Stovall Community Park

• 12:00 p.m. – John Penn Reenactment by Mark Pace – Stovall Library (30–45 mins)

• 12:45 p.m. – SVFD Hose Demonstration – Stovall Community Park

• 1:00 p.m. – Cornhole Tournament – Behind Town Hall

– Costume Contestants gather at Main Stage

• 1:30 p.m. – Costume Contest (12 and under; prizes for Scariest, Cutest, Most Creative) – Main Stage

• 2:00 p.m. – John Penn Reenactment by Mark Pace – Stovall Library (30–45 mins)

• 2:30 p.m. – SVFD Extinguisher Demonstration – Stovall Community Park

• 2:40 p.m. – Pie in the Face – Main Stage

• 2:45 p.m. – Raffle Drawing – Main Stage

• 3:00 – 3:15 p.m. – Closing Ceremony – Main Stage

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