TownTalk: N.C. Court Of Appeals Seat 12 Contest

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The following is part of WIZS’s continuing coverage of the upcoming general election on Nov. 5. In-person early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 17 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 2.

Carolyn Thompson

The N.C. Court of Appeals is the second-highest court in the state, and as the name implies, the 15 judges that make up the court sit on three-member panels to review lower court rulings.

Judge Carolyn J. Thompson was appointed to Seat 12 in September 2023 by Gov. Roy Cooper, and she’s on the ballot in the upcoming election to retain that seat.

The State Supreme Court is the highest court in the state, but the majority of cases are determined by the court of appeals and go no further, Thompson explained.

Opinions coming from the appeals court impact the entire state, she said. “It’s a last resort for a lot of cases,” she added. “We are an error-correcting court,” she said.

The judicial races are statewide races and the judges serve 8-year terms.

She said she’s the best candidate for the job because she has extensive legal and judicial experience, and she’s “already there, doing the hard work for all of North Carolina… I uphold the law and the Constitution equally – it doesn’t matter your ZIP code or your background.”

She suffered a narrow defeat in 2022 in her bid for a seat on the court of appeals, and before her most recent reappointment to the appellate court, spent about nine months as deputy commissioner of the N.C. Industrial Commission, which she described as a quasi-judicial role that hears workers’ compensation issues and cases of tort claims from incarcerated people.

Over the past year, Thompson said she’s written 96 opinions for cases she and her fellow judges on the panel have heard.

The panels get about 30 cases per month, and Thompson said she’s required to author at least eight. Her 27 years of experience on both sides of the bench, Thompson said, gives her knowledge of criminal, domestic and civil cases. “You can only do that kind of work when you’ve been experienced in it,” she said.

There’s no room for partisan politics in the decisions made by the appellate court. “We never even know party affiliations…we just see issues that need answers,” she said.

Although state law requires judicial candidates to list their party affiliation, Thompson, a Democrat, said she doesn’t allow political rhetoric to interfere with her work on the appellate court.

“We have to stay independent,” she said. “We are an independent branch of government.”

With her roots working for women and children in domestic court, Thompson said she’s a longtime advocate for survivors of domestic violence.

“I can’t serve in that capacity any more because I’m now a judge ruling in cases…once you become a judge you can’t practice law any more.”

Thompson, a licensed and ordained minister, is the author of “Abigail’s Veil: A Domestic Violence Handbook for Clergy and Church Leaders.

She gives credits to her family for helping her stay focused. She’s a wife, a mom and a grandmother, and those roles are as important to her as her role as judge.

“They keep me centered,” she said. “They keep me focused on why it’s important to fight for justice.”

Visit https://judgecarolynthompson.com/ to learn more about the candidate and visit https://www.nccourts.gov/ to read some of her opinions and find a livestream link to the hearings.

Tom Murry

Tom Murry describes himself as a conservative who believes that the original words of the Constitution mean what they say.

Murry is a candidate for Seat 12 of the N.C. Court of Appeals, a seat currently held by Judge Carolyn Thompson. Thompson was appointed in September 2023 to that seat, and state law requires that she be elected to keep it.

As her challenger, Murry said his experience as an attorney and an assistant district attorney – as well as time spent on the Morrisville Town Council and in the N.C. House – would help him in his role as appellate court judge.

“I understand the three branches of government,” Murry said. “I think I can stay in my lane as a judge.”

When he was a law student at Campbell University, he said he got to see a three-judge panel in action. And, as a prosecutor for the 11th Prosecutorial District, he had a case that was appealed – and affirmed – by the very court that he now seeks to join.

Murry said half of the cases that come to the N.C. Court of Appeals are criminal cases, and he said his time as a prosecutor will help him if he is elected. He has experience working in the courtroom and working with local law enforcement.

State law requires that judicial candidates’ party affiliations be included on ballots, but Murry said there’s no place for partisan politics in the courtroom.

“I’m going to be listed as a Republican on the ballot,” Murry said, but as a judge, he will wear a black robe. Like the camouflage he dons on National Guard Drill Weekends, the robe is neither blue nor red, he said.

“When judges issue rulings based on their political views it undermines the public’s trust in our courts. It’s extremely concerning to me. There are other branches of government that are responsible for policy and making the law. Judges need to be restrained and focused on the issues at hand, not how they want them to be,” Murry said.

“I believe that Lady Justice has a blindfold for a reason,” he said, adding that he will administer the law “without favor, delay or denial…same facts, same law, same outcome – that’s equal protection under the law and that’s what we’re called to do.”

Visit https://www.jointom.com/ to learn more.

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TownTalk: District 1 Candidates For County Commissioner

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The following is part of WIZS’s continuing coverage of the upcoming general election on Nov. 5. In-person early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 17 and the lone contested county race is for the District 1 seat on the Vance County Board of Commissioners.

Democratic incumbent Carolyn Faines is seeking re-election and faces opposition from Republican challenger William Heitman. 

Carolyn Faines

Carolyn Faines probably has some stories she could tell from her 20+ years in public education. For the past five years, Faines has taught business at Bunn High School in Franklin County, but education is something that takes up a lot of space in her head and her heart.

But she’s got room as well for Vance County and the people who live here, many of whom – like her – have been here their whole lives.

She has master’s degrees and is currently pursuing credentials to become an administrator, but she’s also been a bus driver, teacher assistant, a data manager, a bookkeeper within public schools.

“Education has always been a big part of my life,” she said. “I believe in education. love teaching – it’s one of my passions.”

Faines is the District 1 incumbent on the Vance County Board of Commissioners, first elected in 2016. She also is the founder of I Believe God Outreach Church in the Williamsboro community.

On the issues:

Property tax revaluation – “I think eight years is entirely too long,” she said. Faines said she initially backed the revenue-neutral budget, but ultimately determined that the county had so many projects that needed to be funded, so she voted for the 10-cent tax increase during the budget process.

“I felt like there were things that needed to get done,” she added.

Jail – “The jail is in a bad shape,” Faines said. It is run down, she continued, and said that something needs to be done to improve conditions.

“Regardless of the reason they’re there, they’re still people,” Faines said.

Fire study – “We are still in a lot of discussion,” Faines said, noting an upcoming joint meeting later this month with the public safety committee and the fire safety committee.

“We make sure that our people are safe, as we look at redistricting, (as we) look at our volunteer fire departments (and) Golden Belt.”

She said she’d love to see all fire departments have 24/7 coverage. “To me, that would be wonderful,” she said. “Taking care of our citizens is first.”

Faines said she loves her role as a county commissioner and she said she keeps people top of mind with every vote and every decision she makes.

“The policies that I vote on are what I believe will help the people of Vance County,” she said.

“My heart is in it – that the people get what’s best. I love it because this is where I was born and raised…and I’m glad to be a part of the Vance County team.”

William Heitman

William Heitman has lived in Vance County for just over a decade, having moved from Durham and putting down roots on four acres of land in the northern part of the county.

“There are good people here…I have good neighbors,” Heitman said during an interview with WIZS News, recorded for broadcast on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

“After I retired, I decided I wanted to try to give something back,” he said. So he threw his hat into the ring to represent District 1 on the county board of commissioners.

He’s a newcomer to politics, and describes himself as a conservative. He feels the management skills he honed during his years as a pilot, flying 747 jets all over the globe, will be useful if he’s elected. He retired with the rank of captain.

“As a captain on a 747, you have a crew – sometimes a double crew -,” Heitman said. “You have to manage people” and keep them focused on the task at hand.

He said he knows how to take, and accept, responsibility to have good outcomes.

On the issues:

Property tax revaluation – Heitman said he’s in favor of changing the revaluation from every 8 years to every 4 years. “I’m sure it worked well for many years,” he said. He is not in favor of bringing evaluators from more urban areas like Raleigh and Cary to a rural area with no local oversight.

“There weren’t local people taking care of local people,” he said, adding that he would not have voted for the property tax rate that commissioners approved.

“I would have voted against it, absolutely,” he said.

Fire study – Heitman said he’ll need to do a little more research into the status of the fire study. “I have caught wind of this fire issue that the commissioners wanted to take a county funded fire department and put it back to a volunteer fire department…there are, I’m sure, other parameters to take into consideration.”

Since he’s retired, Heitman said he’ll have the time needed to get out into the community, talk to people and get the facts.

Jail – The current situation with the jail is another matter for further research, and Heitman said he’s interested in taking a look at the current facility, and talk to law enforcement officials like the sheriff and police chief to find out what the needs are.

If he’s elected, Heitman said he’s going to be looking into where taxpayers’ money is being spent. “This is where I have to get in there and start digging,” he said.

He also is keen to work on the county-wide problem of littering, citing roadside trash from fast-food restaurants that folks toss from their cars.

He said he wants residents to take more pride in their county. Tourists and lake visitors would take away a better impression of their time in the county. But first, he said, it’s important to “change people’s attitudes towards where they live.”

“I have ideas and ideals,” Heitman said, “that I want to make Vance County better, a destination for people to come and visit, and leave feeling good about it.”

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Business Spotlight: AdVance Joint Regeneration

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Most anybody experiencing knee pain, brought on by injury, arthritis or something else, probably would choose any therapy or procedure over the more invasive option of surgery.

With surgery, there’s some expected post-op downtime, then perhaps rehab – weeks of recovery, even in the best of circumstances.

For some, however, AdVance Joint Regeneration offers an alternative: it’s called visco supplementation and Clinical Director Brad Johnson said the procedure often delays or prevents the need for surgery.

“To delay or prevent surgery is always a good thing,” Johnson said.

Their specialty is knee joint injections, and Johnson said it’s covered by most insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. As the clinic’s director, it’s part of his job to answer patients’ questions, handle insurance and generally make sure the place runs smoothly, Johnson said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

An initial exam and x-rays, followed by an arthrogram – injecting a bit of dye into the joint – helps staff determine good candidates for the joint injection of hyaluronic acid.

Joints like knees are encapsulated, which keeps the body’s natural lubrication contained within the joint and doing its job. Johnson said his staff uses a fluoroscope during the arthrogram to make sure the dye stays within the encapsulated joint and that there is no damage that would cause it to leak out.

The hyaluronic acid is “very similar to what’s in your joints already,” Johnson explained. During the arthrogram, as the dye is injected, the examiner “can see it moving around and staying in place. As long as it doesn’t migrate, she can go ahead and do the treatment.” Physician Assistant Katheryn Lordy and Andrew Stock, M.D. staff the Henderson clinic.

In case the tests show some damage, there’s a way to “trick” the brain into cleaning up the damaged tissue to promote healing using the patient’s own blood platelets.

A platelet rich plasma is injected into the damaged joint, Johnson said, which triggers the brain to start repairing the tissue.

Patients receive five weekly injections and go home with a knee brace to support and gently realign the knee and leg. Sometimes, they’ll need physical therapy or a home exercise device to help improve range of motion, but that’s about it as far as post-injection care goes.

“The downtime is basically none,” Johnson said. Patients “can basically go back and do what they want to do and what they’re comfortable doing.”

Contact AdVance Joint Regeneration at 252.572.2944 to make an appointment for a no-obligation consultation. Visit https://advancejointregeneration.com/ to learn about all the services offered.

This WIZS Business Spotlight is not a paid ad. However, the business featured is an advertising client of WIZS Radio.

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TownTalk: Information On The Upcoming Election

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There are several ways to cast your vote in the upcoming November general election – all well before the first Tuesday in November.

In-person early voting begins next Thursday, Oct. 17, at two polling sites in Vance County – the former Eaton Johnson gym on Beckford Drive and Aycock Rec Center on Carey Chapel Road.

Early voting continues on weekdays through Nov. 1, and concludes with Saturday voting on Nov. 2, according to information from the Vance County Board of Elections. The polling sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each weekday through Nov. 1 and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.

County residents who still need to register to vote have a couple of options – if you want to vote on Election Day – Nov. 5 – you need to register by 5 p.m. this Friday – Oct. 11.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 is the deadline to request an absentee ballot from the board of elections. All absentee ballots must be received by the board of elections no later than 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5.

Same day registration is available at the early-voting sites as well.

Elections officials remind voters that whether they vote in person early, by mail or on Election Day, poll workers will ask voters for a photo ID. For many voters, this will be a driver’s license, but there are other acceptable forms as well, including a free ID available from the county board of elections office or NCDMV. Voters without ID can still vote by filling out a form explaining why they can’t show ID, or by casting a provisional ballot and showing their ID at their county board of elections office by 5 p.m. Nov. 14, according to state board of elections officials.

In addition to the high-profile national and statewide races, Vance County voters have a couple of contested races that will be decided, including one seat on the board of county commissioners.

District 1 incumbent Democrat Carolyn Faines faces Republican challenger William Heitman; the other three commissioners – District 2’s Valencia Perry, District 5’s Leo Kelly, Jr. and District 6’s Yolanda Feimster are running unopposed.

Tune in to WIZS TownTalk at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9 to hear separate interviews with Faines and Heitman.

Three members of the Vance County Board of Education face no opposition in the upcoming election – District 3’s Dorothy Gooche and District 5’s Linda Cobb are running for re-election. District 4’s Ayana Lewis, appointed to the seat in Feb. 2024, seeks her first election to the board.

Incumbent State Rep. Frank Sossamon, a Republican, is seeking a second term for the District 32 seat that includes Vance and Granville counties. He faces opposition from Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn, a former Oxford Town Commissioner, and from Libertarian candidate Ryan Brown.

A portion of Vance County is in House District 7, which has Republican incumbent Matthew Winslow facing two challengers in the upcoming election – Democrat Jesse Goslen and Libertarian Party candidate Gavin Bell.

In the District 11 State Senate race, State Sen. Lisa Stone Barnes faces off against Democratic challenger James Mercer.

In a judicial race with local interest, incumbent Carolyn J. Thompson seeks to retain her seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals. She faces challenger Tom Murry in this race. WIZS will air recorded interviews with Thompson and Murry on Thursday’s TownTalk at 11 a.m.

When voters enter the voting booth with their ballots, poised to exercise their Constitutional right, there may be some down-ballot races that include candidates whose names don’t ring a bell.

The N.C. State Board of Elections website offers a wealth of information for registered voters, including a voter guide to judicial races and even a sample ballot for voters to preview.

Visit www.ncsbe.gov to access all this information and more.

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TownTalk: MHCO Homecoming Oct. 11-13

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The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford has been in the business of caring for children for more than 150 years. Coming off last year’s sesquicentennial celebration, MHCO Administrator said Year 151 shines just as brightly as last year.

“It’s been an incredible journey and it’s just getting started,” Otis said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

Alumni, Shriners, pit masters and more will converge on the historic campus next weekend for the annual Homecoming, which runs Oct. 11-13.

“This whole event is (a way) for the home to say ‘thank you’,” Otis said. Thank you to the community, thank you to alumni, Shriners and all the people who support the mission of the home.

Things kick off on Friday, Oct. 11 about 5 p.m. when the barbecue team get organized for the next day’s featured food. One team travels from Delaware each year to support MHCO, Otis said.

The community is invited to come out and mingle and then stay to hear music by Brightest Light, which takes the stage about 6 p.m.

Come back early the next day, Otis said, because everything kicks off about 10 a.m. There will be amusement rides for the kids – free of charge – and then the anticipated parade begins at 11 a.m.

This year’s parade route is different, so anyone who wants to watch needs to park on the MHCO campus and find a space along the main campus drive area – the parade will NOT take place on College Street, he noted.

He encourages parade watchers to bring a chair. There will be parking attendants and golf cart shuttles for those who need a ride from their cars to the middle of campus.

The barbecue pit opens at the conclusion of the parade and folks can sample meats and sides from the teams who’ve been cooking and preparing for hours.

“You give us a donation, we’ll give you a plate,” Otis explained.

Other activities include tours through the museum galleries at Cobb Center and one of the residential cottages, too. Cory Luetjen & the Traveling Blues Band performs in the afternoon and the day’s activities will conclude about 3 p.m.

There are so many things to see and experience during the course of the weekend’s activities, which Otis said is the result of a lot of work and preparation from staff and residents alike.

“Having the kids involved is an experience for them,” he said. They can enjoy all the fun of the weekend, but they can also take pride that they helped get things ready.

Just like the Shriners Hospital, the children’s home provides care for children without asking families to pay for anything, Otis explained.

Donations of any kind – from school supplies and money to fund a weekend excursion to remembering MHCO in your estate – Otis said it’s all put to good use to help provide children with the tools they need to be successful – in school, in their career and in life.

Otis said he’s always interested in hearing from married couples who think they want to be cottage parents.

Visit https://mhc-oxford.org/ to learn more.

 

Perry Memorial Library

TownTalk: Perry Memorial Library Events Going on in October

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Ask Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters what her favorite time of year is, and you’ll get an energetic, enthusiastic “Fall!” every time.

Peters is pulling out all the stops for events and programs for October, from tried-and-true favorites to new activities designed for on-the-go families.

This Friday, the library will begin its “First Fridays STEM Club” geared for preschoolers. The half-hour program runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the theme is Sounds. Participants will make egg shakers using rice, and they’ll make a kazoo with cardboard tubes, wax paper and a rubber band.

She’ll do a repeat of that program later in the day for homeschool groups and families to take part in. That session will begin at 1 p.m., she said. Adding a session for homeschool groups is just another way the library is helping to meet the needs of the community, Peters noted.

Now in her third year as Youth Services Librarian, Peters said she often hears that busy families simply can’t make it to daytime programs at the library.

So, she’s planning an evening Pajama Story Time for Tuesday, Oct. 8 to accommodate those folks. The story time, which lasts about 30 minutes, begins at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s been offered in the past, but this is the first time I’ve offered it,” Peters said.

The library will host a fall festival again this year, and Peters said participation has grown over the course of her time with the library. Families are invited to take part in all the carnival-style games – there will be something for everyone, she said. The festival will be on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

And stick around from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., because they’re planning a Trunk or Treat in the parking lot for kids to experience on their way from the festival back to their cars.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

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TownTalk: Make A Joyful Noise ACTS Benefit Concert

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The fourth annual concert to benefit ACTS will take place Saturday, Oct. 12 at McGregor Hall in Henderson and will feature musical performances by area groups and and churches.

The doors open at 6 p.m. for the “Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord” event. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and all proceeds will go to ACTS, Henderson’s food pantry and soup kitchen, said ACTS Board Member Linda Weaver.

A partial list of those performing include God’s Men of Harmony, First Baptist Church of Henderson, Rep. Frank Sossamon, Clearview Worship Team, Evelyn Couch and Tracy Dalton, one of three paid ACTS staff members, Weaver said.

Tickets are $5 and are available now from board members and at the ACTS facility, located at 201 S. William St.

Tickets also will be available at the door; children 12 years and younger get in free. Weaver said empty pots and pans will be circulated through the audience during the concert for a love offering. Pots and pans because, well, ACTS is a soup kitchen and food pantry!

In 2023, Weaver said the soup kitchen served up 46,257 plates at lunchtime from 11 a.m. and 12 noon. The pantry also prepared an additional 552 boxes of food that to help provide food to 1,442 individuals, which represents about 30,000 pounds – 15 tons – of food distributed to people in need.

An additional 11,000 plates of food was delivered to seniors/disabled in the community through their Mobile Meals program. And 25 backpacks were delivered each week to L.B. Yancey Elementary as part of the Backpack Buddies program.

It’s a huge volunteer effort and Weaver said she’s usually there every day during the week, but there’s always a need for more volunteers.

“I try to be there most days,” she said. “We have a lot of good people who come to volunteer – we couldn’t do this without the volunteers.”

In addition to cooking meals and boxing food items for distribution, volunteers also pick up food from all county Food Lions, as well the local Chick fil a and Starbucks and Strong Arm Baking Co. in Oxford.

Thankfully, they don’t have to purchase much food, Weaver said, adding that they do buy ingredients if the kitchen needs them for meal preparation.

What they do need is donations of canned beans like black beans, black eyed peas and pinto beans, and any canned vegetables EXCEPT corn and green beans, which they have in plentiful supply.

Canned meats like chicken and tuna also are needed.

Non-food items like bleach and that Dollar Tree staple Awesome! also are on the wish list.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/ACTSofHenderson/ to learn how you can help, from dropping off donations to becoming a volunteer. Or call 252.492.8231.

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TownTalk: Rebuilding Hope, Hurricane Helene Relief

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Rebuilding Hope, Inc. is using one of its warehouses as a staging area and has two trailers ready to load up with much-needed supplies that will be delivered to western North Carolina that was ravaged by flooding and mudslides last week by Hurricane Helene.

Robbie Parham, one of the chaplains at the local nonprofit, said RHI has connections with several churches in the affected areas, including Crab Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, where Kevin Long is pastor.

Parham said one trailer left today for Hendersonville, loaded with beds, generators and some food – leftover #10 cans of potatoes and string beans from last week’s chicken plate fundraiser.

“When you have a storm like this, people feel like they want to help,” Parham said. “The problem is getting the assets there” where they can be put to use.

Large organizations like Samaritan’s Purse and Baptists on Mission are already hard at work getting supplies to devastated areas like Asheville and other areas where so many people are out of electricity and water.

“Rebuilding Hope has the ability to mobilize,” Parham said, and the doors will be open to the whole community to help get the trailers filled. Normally open 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Parham said RHI is extending its hours to 5 p.m. to accept donations. Drive to the rear of the building to the back warehouse and someone will be available to take your donations.

Rebuilding Hope plans to get to the smaller towns now, Parham said, to help lessen the “logistical nightmare” of getting supplies from the big cities to those less populated areas where the need is just as great.

Some people just aren’t comfortable making online donations, Parham said, adding that actually purchasing items and dropping them off at Rebuilding Hope gives people peace of mind that their donation will go where it is most needed.

Many of those who will deliver the loaded trailers are disaster-trained, Parham said. “They feel led to hit the ground when disasters happen.”

Visit https://rebuildinghopeinc.org/ or call 252.438.5132 to learn more.

Here’s a list of items that are most needed at this time:

  • Bottled Water
  • Packaged nonperishable foods
  • Peel top canned foods
  • Paper plates
  • Plastic forks & spoons
  • Paper towels
  • Toilet Paper
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Wet wipes
  • Disinfectant wipes
  • Multipurpose cleaner
  • Large trash Bags

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TownTalk: HPD Press Release Regarding Saturday Night Shooting

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Press Release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow

Just before midnight on Saturday, September 28th, a fight started inside Tiffany’s of Henderson, 110 S. Garnett Street. The altercation continued outside where it was reported that at least two individuals brandished firearms and discharged them.

Law Enforcement was in the immediate area, and was alerted to the situation before 911 was ever called.

The gunfire resulted in five individuals being injured and seeking medical treatment at various area medical facilities. Only two individuals are still under medical treatment and are in stable condition. All others have been discharged.

Investigators of the Henderson Police Department are still working on the details of what occurred and will update this press release as information becomes available. We would like to thank the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office for all that they did in this situation.

We are grateful for the cooperation we have received thus far, but if anyone else has any information they wish to share, please contact us at 252-438-4141, Crime Stoppers at 252.492.1925, through the P3 app, or through Facebook Messenger.

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TownTalk: Granville County Gears Up for Fall

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Take a sip of that pumpkin spice latte, a bite from that pumpkin spice doughnut or a whiff of that pumpkin spice air freshener – fall is in the air and that means all things pumpkin in and around Granville County.

Just ask Granville Tourism Authority Director Angela Allen: She’s on a mission to celebrate pumpkins and everything else that goes along with fall, whether it’s the Granville Haunt Farm, glass pumpkins at Cedar Creek Gallery and everything in between.

The Granville Haunt Farm kicks off its 2024 Horror Safari season this weekend – purchase tickets in advance for Friday or Saturdays throughout October at https://www.granvillehauntfarm.com/.

Allen said the spooky fun gets started right around dark and continues through until the last tickets are sold at the 11 p.m. time slot.

Granville Haunt Farm is located at 4534 U.S. Hwy 15 South, about one mile from I-85 Exit 202 at Hwy 15 just outside Oxford.

Just up the road is Dixon Farms, located at 3025 Dixon Farm Rd., which celebrate pumpkins in a more traditional style. They’ll be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. For a $15 admission price, you’ll get to take home a pumpkin and enjoy all kinds of entertainment for children and adults alike, including a corn pile, general store and more!

Allen said Cedar Creek Gallery in Creedmoor is all set to have folks wander through a pumpkin patch of a different sort – the whole front of the gallery is filled with beautiful glass pumpkins created by local artisans.

The gallery is open seven days a week. Visit https://cedarcreekgallery.com/ to learn more.

This coming weekend, come out to the Lord Granville Harvest Show in Butner to see all kinds of farm implements, wander among local vendors and sample lots of good food, including homemade ice cream and sherbet.

There will be an antique tractor show, live demonstrations and a cake baking contest – a little something for everyone.

Admission is $5.

To learn about all the events upcoming in Granville County, visit https://visitgranvillenc.com/.

(This is not a paid ad.)

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