The Local Skinny! Around Old Granville: History Of Cedar Walk

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Think about it for a minute: Is is easier to remember what you ate for breakfast this morning or to visualize in your mind the house where you grew up? Many historians rely on people’s long-term memories to piece together the past, and that is exactly what Mark Pace did to try to learn more about Cedar Walk, a home in Williamsboro that was torn down in 1967.

He and WIZS’s Bill Harris talked about the origins of the home, which was called Blooming Hope when it was a school for girls during its early days. During the Depression era, it was the oldest house standing in Vance County, Pace said during the Around Old Granville segment of Thursday’s The Local Skinny!

Pace, North Carolina Room Specialist at the Richard Thornton Library in Oxford, said he was able to talk to some folks who’d lived in the house in the 1940’s and ‘50s who were able to describe the interior floor plan. The Library of Congress has photographs of the home taken in the 1930’s that show a fairly plain, two-story frame home with a covered front porch.

“It’s a shame it’s not here – it’s associated with so many important people,” Pace said. Revolutionary War leaders, a former governor and the minister who helped establish the Presbyterian Church in the state have ties to Cedar Walk, so named because of the lane of cedar trees that lined the walk up to the home.

By most accounts, the home probably was built around 1780, Pace said, based on the style and size of the structure. If the structure were still standing, the wood could be aged using tree-ring dating, he added, but most likely it would have been a contemporary of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which was built in 1773.

It was later purchased by Col. Robert Burton, who had fought in the Revolutionary War.

Burton was a businessman and UNC has a ledger in which he recorded some of his business dealings, Pace said. One notable entry is the sale of a horse to a fellow named Daniel Boone.

One of Burton’s nephews came to live at Cedar Walk. His parents died and Hutchins Burton came to live at Cedar Walk. He became North Carolina’s 22nd governor, serving from 1824-1827.

When the Bullock family bought the home in 1828, they made an addition to the home, which Pace described as “one of the great old plantation houses in Vance County.” Although the house no longer stands, the land remains in the Bullock family.

The house fell into disrepair, probably for a couple of reasons, Pace noted. One reason was the lack of electricity, which would have been a costly endeavor. But the second reason, he said, is because people said the house was haunted.

Visit the Library of Congress website and search “Cedar Walk” to see photographs.

 

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TownTalk: Classes For Caregivers

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A six-week online class designed to help family caregivers do the very best they can for their loved ones – and for themselves – is set to get underway in early September and Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments staffer Susan Tucker wants folks to know how helpful the program is. Tucker speaks from first-hand experience: not only did she complete the class, but she went on to become an instructor.

“I know that it works because it worked for me,” Tucker told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. The class is called “Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” and she said the impact it has had in her own life has been transformative. She has been a caregiver to her mother for the past six years and the tools that she learned from the class have proved invaluable.

The class runs on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 6 and continuing through Oct. 11. It is free and designed for any non-paid caregiver; all participants will receive a workbook as part of the class.

Michael Patterson, a family caregiver specialist with Kerr-Tar COG, said participants learn how to take care of themselves as they provide care for their loved ones, which at times can be a delicate balancing act. The class provides information about community resources, as well as techniques and skills necessary to handle and manage stress.

“That’s the wonderful thing about the class – that’s the whole point,” she said, of finding ways to manage the stress of caring for a loved one. It can be incredibly overwhelming, she added, and rarely is the caregiver prepared for or aware of what they’re getting into.

The class is different from other programs that may be focused squarely on the person who requires the care, which may provide a checklist of all the things that should be done for that person to receive proper care.

“(This) class really gives the caregiver the tools to handle their role as a caregiver,” Tucker said. “It puts tools in your hand to perform those tasks so that you can thrive while you’re caring for your loved one.”

The biggest takeaway for Tucker, she said was a feeling of confidence. “II actually felt – all of a sudden – that I could do it. I didn’t feel alone.”

Call 252.436.2040 to register for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class.

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McGregor Hall

TownTalk: Love Of Performing Keeps Alston And Manhattans On Stage

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The smooth, sultry sounds of The Manhattans is a balm for anyone who grew up listening to R&B and Henderson’s own Gerald Alston has helped to create that sound for, well, a few years now.

Alston will perform this Friday evening, Sept. 2 at McGregor Hall alongside Troy May and newcomer Lawrence Newton, with the band East Coast Connection providing the accompaniment.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Purchase tickets at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/

Alston, now 70, talked with WIZS’s Bill Harris on Wednesday’s Town Talk, and said he is always happy to perform in the place where he got his start.

“Over the years that I’ve been singing, we’ve always been well supported by my hometown,” Alston said. “It’s a joy to me to be able to come home and perform for friends, family and fans.”

Earlier this month, the group celebrated its 60-year anniversary. Although the faces may have changed over those six decades, the sound remains true. Alston joined the group at the young age of 17 and he said his love of singing is what keeps him going. “My love of singing and love of family,” he said.

He became lead singer in 1970 and has never looked back. Concert goers can expect to hear some of the group’s biggest hits – think “Shining Star” and “Kiss and Say Goodbye,” just to name a couple.

“We’ll be adding a couple of songs that we don’t usually do,” but are regional favorites, he hinted.

Over the years, as vinyl albums made way for cassettes, CDs and now streaming platforms, Alston said he and his group have enjoyed how the “old” fans come together with new fans to appreciate the music they create.

“Social media and Internet radio have been our friend,” he readily acknowledged, adding that fans can download particular songs to create their own playlist and don’t have to depend on traditional radio stations or other traditional formats.

If all goes according to plan, the Manhattans will have 35 or 40 shows this year, bouncing back after the COVID-19 pandemic. Their latest single, “Get It Ready,” climbed high on the soul independent charts, and Alston said he expects the group’s touring schedule to continue to pick up speed.

“The point is that we love singing and God has granted us the ability to still be doing it,” he said.

Having said that, however, Alston did suggest that touring the country and the world to perform can be tiring.

They recently did a two-day gig with the O’Jays down in Florida, he said, playing Tampa one night and then Miramar the next. “Believe me, the traveling is what gets you,” he said. “Traveling takes its toll on you at times.” Between early flights and late check-ins, sound checks and finding a spot to eat – and then heading back to the venue for a two-hour show, Alston said it’s not as easy to bounce back at 70 as it was earlier in his career.

As for Friday night’s venue, McGregor Hall, Alston is seriously pumped.

“Mark Hopper… has done a wonderful job,” he said. “McGregor Hall is one of the best venues that we’ve played – the sound is great, the hall is beautiful…and the staff there is top-notch.”

McGregor Hall is on the smaller side of venues where the Manhattans have performed – dwarfed certainly by the Houston Astrodome and the Atlanta Braves Stadium, where the group has performed to crowds of between 30,000 and 40,000.

 

Alston said he prefers the smaller venues because of the closer, more intimate setting they provide – there’s literally less space between the fans and the stage. “I love being close to my fans and the audience,” he said.

But whether in an intimate setting or a cavernous sports arena, the response from the audience is the same. “They give you that energy,” Alston said, “their appreciation for our music and their support” pumps up the performers and makes it all worthwhile.

“At some point, I may slow down with the work,” Alston said, perhaps picking and choosing performances. “But I think I’ll always be singing.”

 

 

TownTalk: Coming Together To Improve The Community

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The Henderson Police Department’s Tony Mills wears a couple of hats – he’s a detective but he also serves as a liaison with state and federal law enforcement agencies to make sure those strong partnerships are in place among the different entities.

But Mills also is from Henderson, and he calls Henderson home, which just strengthens his resolve to make the city he serves even better.

Mills was one of the speakers at last week’s gathering of business and community leaders sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, and he spoke Tuesday with John C. Rose on Town Talk.

In reflecting on his remarks during the Aug. 26 meeting held at Clearview Church, Mills was optimistic.

“I’m as excited as I’ve ever been, being a resident of Henderson, and calling Henderson home, and being an employee for the city of Henderson and working for the Henderson Police Department…seeing this group wanting to come together with the city and work with the city council,” Mills said he has plenty of hope for the Henderson’s future.

Having business leaders come together to voice concerns as well as offer support and suggestions may be just what the community needs to stay on the path toward progress. Having the business and private sectors working in concert with law enforcement is a positive step.

“The Henderson Police Department is a small department,” Mills readily acknowledged. But that doesn’t cloud his opinion of its capabilities. “I will put the Henderson Police Department and its men and women that serve the citizens of Henderson against any police department in the continental United States. That’s their work ethic, that’s their drive to make their community a better place,” he said.

As a liaison with agencies at the state and federal levels, Mills has the opportunity to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the local district attorney’s office and Drug Enforcement Agency, among others.

“It takes all of us to work together,” he said, to reach those desirable outcomes of getting the bad guys off the streets and making communities safer.

But once an arrest is made, the wheels of justice sometimes turn slowly. State courts and federal courts may view similar crimes in different ways, he said. “You may get more time in state court for just selling heroin,” he noted. “But throw a gun into the mix, and you’re going to get more time in the federal system.”

Routinely, these external partners meet with local law enforcement to discuss the best way to proceed with prosecution. “We come up with a solution and send it up the avenue that’s going to make the community a better place,” he said.

Being a team player with these other law enforcement partners pays dividends for local departments like Henderson’s, Mills said, because they often have resources that just aren’t available or realistic for smaller forces.

Through collaboration, however, smaller departments often can have a bigger impact when it comes to getting bad guys off the streets – which is one thing that is important to business leaders and private citizens. And business leaders and private citizens are a part of the collaboration effort, he said.

“I wish I didn’t have to tell them that we need their help,” Mills said. “I wish we could get it done by ourselves, but we can’t…everybody needs to do their part.”

If you observe something that just doesn’t look right, or makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck, he said, you need to report it. Even those seemingly insignificant things could be a missing piece of the puzzle that law enforcement officers have been investigating for a while.

 

 

The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 08-30-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for August 30, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email Michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

Business Name – Perry Memorial Library

Job Opening – Library Assistant Opening.  Seeking candidate to perform clerical and paraprofessional support duties at public library in downtown Henderson on Breckenridge Street. Requires good computer skills, part-time (19 hours/week), some nights and weekends, $12 an hour.

How To Apply – Apply online at www.vancecounty.org, use Job Postings tab at top of page.

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Business Name – Franklin-Granville-Vance Smart Start

Job Opening – Open position for a Program and Contracts Coordinator/Evaluator.  Applicants needed to monitor contract compliance and program efficiencies of all Smart Start funded programs. The successful candidate will also serve as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director.  A Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Human Service related field is required.  Requires experience in programs serving young children and families. With prior experience in program evaluation, statistics, data analysis, and training groups in self-evaluation.

How To Apply – Submit cover letter, resume, and FGV Smart Start, PO Box 142, Henderson NC 26536 or email whunt@fgvsmartstart.org.  Applications can be downloaded from website www.fgvpartnership.org.

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Business Name – Versatrim

Job Opening –  Customer Service Representative. To provide information in response to inquiries about products and services, and to handle and resolve complaints.  Must be an enthusiastic individual who can listen to customer service issues and thenoffier a uniques and innovative solution to each problem. Must be 18 years old+  Monday – Friday, 9 am to 6 pm.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://versatrim.com/customer-service-rep.html.

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Business Name – Carter Bank in Henderson

Job Opening –  Financial Services Representative.  Engages and connects with customers, gathering customer information to acquire new relationships and grow/retain existing relationships while providing exceptional customer service to help resolve any questions or issues related to customer accounts or bank products and services.  Full-time.

How To Apply – Apply online at https://www.cbtcares.com, under careers tab at top of home page.

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Business Name – ServPro (Franklin, Vance and Granville County)

Job Opening –   Administrative Assistant. Full-time.  Monday – Friday.  8 am – 5 pm. Perform all office administrative tasks related to customer calls, job management and tracking, scheduling of jobs and customer satisfaction activities. Perform basic accounting duties relating to accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and banking. Perform general office duties such as drafting correspondence, filing and creating reports.

How To Apply – Stop by the ServPro office in Henderson, at 260 Industry Drive to submit application or apply online at www.indeed.com.

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Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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