Telessie McGhee Honored By Prince Hall Grand Lodge Masonic Group Aug. 9

Telessie McGhee is being honored by the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of North Carolina & Jurisdiction, Inc.

A celebration of service and testimonial is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Durham Hilton, 3800 Hillsborough Rd., Durham.

Tickets for the event are $60.

Contact the hotel at 919.383.8033 to make a lodging reservation. Mention “PGWP McGhee Testimonial” to receive a special room rate.

The following web address (https://mwphglnc.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Telessie-McGhee-Testimonial-2025.pdf) has a QR code for tickets to the testimonial dinner.

TownTalk: Keeping Teen Drivers Safe

Teens are four times as likely to be in a car crash and three times as likely to die in a crash, according to information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on crash testing and safety tests on vehicles, and rates them according to those results. The IIHS is fully funded by the automobile insurance industry and provides information to policy makers and departments of transportation about how to make roadways safer.

Joe Young, IIHS director of Media Relations, cited four main – and familiar – factors that contribute to car crashes: distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and failure to use seatbelts.

Now that most schools are out for the summer, there’s a greater likelihood that more teen drivers are on the road, and they’ve got friends or family as passengers.

“Looking nationwide, we see about 30 extra teens dying each month in crashes” during the summer, Young said.

“In North Carolina, we do see crash deaths are a little bit above (the national) average,” he said.

They may be driving to places they’re less familiar with – like the beach or other vacation spot, Young said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day has become known as the 100 deadliest days of the year, Young said, for the simple fact that more cars are on the road, and some of those cars are being driven by inexperienced drivers. Throw in one or more of those four factors and it all adds up to be a more dangerous driving environment, Young said.

And while awareness plays a role in reducing car crashes, Young recommends several additional tangible steps for parents and teens to take. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Choose a safe vehicle for your teen to drive. Keep them out of the smallest vehicle that may not offer great protection, and out of the largest vehicles that may prove more difficult to handle out on the road. A mid-size “boring” car that provides good crash protection is ideal, Young said.
  • Vehicles get safer every year. Don’t put teens in an older vehicle, he said, acknowledging the fact that parents may think that an older model may be a good option for the pocketbook.
  • Keep a teen driver out of a vehicle that has a lot of power, like a “muscle” car or even a new EV choice.
  • Parents are in charge and can set rules above and beyond what state laws require. North Carolina has a graduated driver license that places limits on when a new driver can drive, among other things.

“Our reminder to parents is to get to know the laws in your state, but feel free to make your own rules,” Young said.

“And set a good example” for teen drivers. “They’re always watching.”

Visit www.iihs.org to find a list of cars for drivers of all ages based on safety considerations. Download a teen driver contract template as well.

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Wise Independence Day Parade & Festival Friday, July 4

Organizers of the Wise Independence Day Parade & Festival are preparing for a day full of fun for the whole family and this year, the event will be held on Friday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Danielle Edgerton and Gary Paynter are two of the organizers, which includes a parade, live music from Feature Attraction Band and a churchyard full of kids’ rides, food and craft vendors and more.

The parade entries will line up beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the home of Bruce Perkinson and will set off along the parade route at 10 a.m. sharp. The route ends at Wise Baptist Church and the festival will continue until 2 p.m. on the church grounds. Frank Gustkey Sr. is this year’s grand marshal.

Want to be in the parade, the car show or want to be a sponsor? Call

Gary Paynter at 252.438.0574 or Danielle Edgerton at 252.204.2605.