Eastern Living January 2020

EASTERN

LIVING N O RT H

C A R O L I N A

Our Stories Taylor’s Exxon: Still Serving

A lligator Delivery: You’ve Got Mail

Jaguars: Just Play

Thank you Eastern NC for a great Two Years of Business!

Matthew Sessoms

COME TEST DRIVE YOURS TODAY! Formerly Dixie Motor Company

ATTHEW

ESSOMS

104 West Blvd-Williamston • 252-792-2154 “Where Customers Send Their Friends”

Best prices and service in Eastern North Carolina!

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Hours: Sales: Monday thru Friday-8:30 am to 6 pm Saturday-9 am to 3 pm

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Service & Parts: Monday thru Friday 7:30 am to 6 pm Saturday from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm

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The Pharmacy will resolve insurance issues and call your doctor for refills in advance...

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3

LET’S EXPLORE.

WE COVER THE PLACES YOU KNOW & LOVE AND THE PLACES YOU SHOULD GO & LOVE!

o rt f u a e B

Gates

Hyde

Halifax

PG. 38

PG. 12

on N o r t h a m p t PG.22 4

B e rt i e

PG. 26

2 PG. 3

H e rt f o r d

PG. 30

M a rt i n

Tyrrell

Edgecombe

PG. 42

PG. 18

Nash

PG. 6

PG.16

PG. 8

Washingto

nPG. 46

FEATURES

48. A FINAL FOR THE AGES

52. DAISY AWARD WINNER

New film highlights 1970 state title series

Jessica Pierce displays kindness and compassion as ER Nurse

ON THE C OV E R

A scene from beautiful Conaby Creek in Washington County.

Photo by Doward N. Jones Jr.

54.

OUT & ABOUT

Events happening in and around the 12 counties

58. VIEWS FROM OUR 12

VOL. 12, NO. 1 JANUARY 2020

Havens Gardens Park in Beaufort County

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS Publisher Kyle Stephens kstephens@ncweeklies.com

60. ALL IN A DAY’S TRIP

66. GRANDMA’S KITCHEN

Join the Kinston Renaissance

Recipes for comfort food

Editor Thadd White twhite@ncweeklies.com Creative Services Director Michelle Leicester mleicester@ncweeklies.com Layout & Design Becky Wetherington

70. BIOGRAPHY

74. REEL STORIES

Don Torrence, coach & mentor

Mike Sweeney talks fishing for striped bass

beckyweth@gmail.com Copy & Photo Editor Jim Green jgreen@ncweeklies.com Advertising Executives

Staff Gene Metrick gmetrick@rmtelegram.com Sarah Hodges Stalls shstalls@ncweeklies.com Leslie Beachboard lbeachboard@ncweeklies.com Deborah Griffin dgriffin@ncweeklies.com William F. West bwest@rmtelegram.com Editorial Contributors Corrine Luthy Sandy Carawan Doward Jones Jr. Sylvia Hughes Sarah Davis Mike Sweeney Alan Campbell Meghan Grant Andre Alfred John H. Walker Cal Bryant

Lou Ann Van Landingham lavan@ncweeklies.com Jessica Mobley

76.

MARK IT!

The history of Rocky Mount Mills

78.

PARTING SHOTS

jmobley@ncweeklies.com

Thadd White reflects on the hows and whys of this edition.

lsmith@rmtelegram.com

Lewis Smith

Eastern North Carolina Living Magazine P.O. Box 69, Windsor, NC 27983 252-794-3185 twhite@ncweeklies.com

Eastern North Carolina Living is published by APG Media Eastern NC, and is a subsidiary of the Bertie Ledger-Advance, Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald, Tarboro Weekly and Rocky Mount Telegram.

5

EDGECOMBE COUNTY

FOLKS FLOCK to buy

heirloom collards STORY BY JOHN H. WALKER PHOTOS BY ALAN CAMPBELL

A

lthough

the

numbers

are

heirloom seeds dating back to 1925 to raise

since 1925,” Wooten said. “He helped me

declining as more and more

14 acres of cabbage collards down along

get started with those seeds, but told me

people leave the country and

U.S. 258, about 10 miles or so south of

there were two conditions… that I could

Tarboro.

never sell seeds from my collards and that

move into town, there still is a fair amount of folks who grow collards in their gardens.

Properly nurtured and protected from various fungal diseases or whiteflies, a good

intention of raising vegetables, including “green” collards, to help pay the note.

I could never sell the collard plants. And I never have.”

Wooten grows collards that are sold in

collard patch can serve up a good number

“My wife’s uncle told me people wouldn’t

his roadside stand, located by the collard

of meals to be enjoyed with cornbread

buy them because they wanted cabbage

patch at 11967 U.S. 258 South; at nine

and pepper sauce, spooning the pot liquor

collards,” he said.

roadside stands located in Edgecombe,

over the cornbread. Throw in a glass of cold buttermilk for good measure, if you like.

Few people, however, can match collard crops with George Wooten, who uses

6

Wooten said he bought the land with the

Wooten said the uncle told him he had

Nash and Pitt counties; a number of grocery

some seeds he would let him have to get his

stores, including Piggly Wiggly; and some

collards started.

20 restaurants.

“It turns out they had been in the family

“Some people come looking to buy

some seeds or plants, but they

He said customers look for

leave disappointed,” Wooten said.

collards after a frost because a light

“Think about it… this is my business

dusting from Jack Frost enhances the

and without these seeds, I’ve got no

flavor.

business.”

“A lot of people will buy collards

Wooten said that the cabbage

and then spray them with water and

collard does not have that much

freeze them, like there was a frost,”

stem and that it is easier to strip the

he said, adding that his sales jump up

leaves from that stem.

after the first frost.

“We just did a survey,” Wooten

George Wooten, who has a place

said, nodding toward his farm

in the mountains and comes back

manager, Robert Murray. “You lose

home every other week or so, said

about 20 percent as stem weight in

he has helped cook for a variety of

a 20-pound box, so you get about 16

events, such as 16th birthday parties

pounds of leaf.”

and graduation celebrations.

Wooten said he starts his crop

“My

biggest

days

are

in a greenhouse about the end of

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Labor Day

February in flat trays.

and New Year’s,” he said. “I don’t like

“We let them sit about four weeks and then transfer them (to the field), just like tobacco,” he said.

Cousin and local farmer Danny Joe Wooten handle the farming-

to work on Sundays and I never do anything without going to the Lord.”

He said because his customers want fresh collards, Sunday work cannot be avoided.

related chores, George Wooten

“We want them to be as fresh

said, noting that he has a four-row

as possible when they get to the

transplanter to get the job done.

customer,” he said. “The ones you

“I used to use a one-row planter,” he added with a laugh.

see in the stores like Food Lion and Walmart, it takes several days to get

He said in the 13 years that Danny

them there and you know, if they’ve

Joe has been with him, the patch has

still got collards on the shelf, the

been reduced from 20 acres to 14.

fresh ones aren’t going to go out until

“We can plant thicker,” he said,

those (older ones) are gone.”

pointing out that by following his

He said he sells about 100,

current practice, a pound of seeds

20-pound cases a week during the

will produce about 10 acres of

season and that the restaurants

collards. “If we sowed them in the

really help drive his business.

ground, it’d take four times as many

It is not all revenue-driven,

because they all wouldn’t make it.

though, as George Wooten said

You lose them (seeds) for a variety of

that on his trips back to Edgecombe

reasons.”

County, he spends a fair amount of

He laughs that Danny Joe says he

time doing fundraisers for churches.

can make more money off an acre

“I try to help as much as I can,”

of collards than he can an acre of

he said. “A lot of these folks are

tobacco.

neighbors and customers and we like

George Wooten said he always tries to start selling collards on Mother’s Day and sells until February.

to do what we can.”

John H. Walker is a Staff Writer for The Tarboro Weekly.

“

I don’t like to work on Sundays and I never do anything without going to the Lord.

- GEORGE WOOTEN

7

NASH

Dane Taylor inflates a tire for a customer at Taylor’s Exxon in Nashville.

COUNTY

STILL SERVING Taylor’s Exxon

is unique in Twin Counties STORY BY WILLIAM F. WEST PHOTOS BY ALAN CAMPBELL

T

he sight of a service station

Taylor, 32, is a mechanic. Besides the father

previous owner, the late Frank Jordan,

attendant coming out, filling a

and son, three people work at the station,

handed him the keys to the station and wished him good luck.

motorist’s tank with gasoline,

which is a late 1960s ranch-style structure.

cleaning the windshield and asking to

Kenneth Taylor has been tending to

check under the hood has, over time,

motorists’ needs in the area for about 44

become a long-since-past part of life in the

years. Approximately the first eight of

As for why he enjoys being in the

Twin Counties.

them were at what was Nashville Gulf

service-station business, Taylor said, “I just

downtown.

love cars. I like dealing with people.”

An exception in the Twin Counties is

recalled with a smile and a laugh.

Taylor’s Exxon, which continues to operate

“I worked there part-time on the

a full-service island just east of downtown

weekends,” he said. “And the owner at the

Nashville.

time moved on to other things — and he

“And I just love my job,” he said.

wanted to get out and I took it from there.”

He also has long maintained the Nash

Kenneth Wayne Taylor, 64, owns the

8

“He was ready to get out,” Taylor

station - located at U.S. 64 Business and

Taylor took charge of the Exxon

East Washington Street - and his son Dane

approximately 36 years ago after the

He also noted he has made a lot of friends through the years.

County Sheriff’s Office’s fleet.

He said he loves servicing the vehicles

of the men and women who put their lives

and tell me the truth and fairly, with a good

on the line.

honest price,” she also said.

“It just feels good that I can get ‘em in and

West, who has been a customer for more than 15 years, summed up her opinion of

- DAWN HARDY

he said.

At

Taylor’s

Exxon,

Taylor

estimates

anywhere from 15 percent to 20 percent of his gasoline sales business is at the fullservice island, with the rest at the self service islands on the west side of the building.

Most of the full-service business comes from longtime local residents, such as Tonya West, 45, who pulled up to have her Ford Focus refueled and tended to.

Taylor’s Exxon in one word: “Excellent.”

As for why she started doing business with the station and remains loyal, she said,

for approximately 30 years. She said she loves that the station hasn’t given up the full-

“...AND HERE, IT’S LIKE FAMILY. I’VE KNOWN THEM AND THEY’VE KNOWN ME FOR A LONG TIME.”

get ’em out so they can help other people,”

She has been pulling up to Taylor’s Exxon

service part of the business.

“When you go up to the convenience stores, it’s impersonal,” she said. “You drive up, get gas and you get out of there. And here, it’s like family. I’ve known them and they’ve known me for a long time.”

As for whether the son is going to take over the business someday, Taylor said, “Yeah, I’m going to make sure he gets it.”

Dane Taylor said he has been at the service station since he was approximately 14, at first hanging around until he was old enough to work.

Taylor summed up how he and his father

Another longtime local customer is Dawn Hardy, 51, who has mobility issues.

have been able to succeed in the business by saying one must treat people right.

“Because I heard wonderful things about ’em

“So full service takes care of that,” said

“That’s the main thing,” he said. “We don’t

when I moved here — and they’re very reliable.

Hardy, who drives a Chrysler Town and

try to sell people stuff they don’t need. A lot

And they’re very, very honest people.”

Country. “Plus, then, at full service they also

of people trust us - and trust is the main thing

“They’ve been a huge asset to me, in

take care of checking my oil, my water and

that keeps bringing people back.”

knowing, as a single female, that I have

my tires — all those things that women just

somebody to rely on, to treat me honestly

rather a man do.”

William F. West is a Staff Writer at the Rocky Mount Telegram.

Kenneth Wayne Taylor, owner of Taylor’s Exxon, pumps gas for customer Hope Connor at the station’s full service island at the business in Nashville.

Right, Jerry Taylor checks the oil in a customer’s Nissan Rogue.

9

Big things ARE coming soon! likE us on FAcEBook FoR All oF thE lAtEst updAtEs @BERtiEcounty

243 BAl gRA RoAd mERRy hill , nc 10

When you breathe easier, you enjoy life more.

If you’ve been diagnosed with COPD or suffer from a nagging cough, constant wheezing or trouble catching your breath, it can be scary. But treatment options are available that may help you breathe better and enjoy life more.

Pulmonologists are specially trained physicians who can diagnose and treat diseases of the lungs.

Dr. Harsh Chawla is a board-certified pulmonologist on staff at Martin General Hospital and is now accepting new patients.

If you need help, please call Roanoke Pulmonary & Specialty Services at 252-809-6350 for an appointment.

Harsh Chawla, M.D. Board-Certified Pulmonologist

310 S. McCaskey Road Williamston, NC 27892

Dr. Chawla is a member of the medical staff at Martin General Hospital.

109107_MART_Pulmon_7_5x9_75c.indd 1

11

12/30/19 10:24 AM

HYDE

COUNTY

WHERE

WINTER is wild!

STORY & PHOTOS BY SANDY CARAWAN

W

inter has its way of wandering

While the refuge is situated within 50,180

opportunities, there are scattered pull-offs

in and suppressing energy

acres, the shallow lake -18 miles long and five

and observation platforms, including the

with its icy fingers and chilly

to six miles wide - occupies around 40,000

Charles Kuralt Trail, from which to observe

acres.

wildlife and waterfowl in their natural habitats.

breaths of wind. While it may cause people to slow down, Winter entertains a variety of

Whether a local or an out-of-towner, a

activity at the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife

bird or wildlife enthusiast, a hiker or a hunter,

Visitors

Refuge.

a photographer or a nature writer, or just

with helpful literature about the refuge’s

The

Mattamuskeet

National

A visit to the Refuge Headquarters Center,

an

exceptional

facility

Wildlife

someone who wants to escape a city’s chaos,

offerings throughout all seasons as well

Refuge, home to Mattamuskeet Lake - North

Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge offers

as knowledgeable refuge managers and

Carolina’s largest natural freshwater lake

some recreational opportunities during the

volunteers, is a recommendation.

- encompasses various habitats within its

winter season.

waters, marshes, wetlands and woodlands.

12

In addition to hunting and waterfowling

Additionally, the Visitors Center provides interactive and interpretive exhibits in which

one can learn about the diverse habitats for numerous species such as black bear, deer, bobcat, otter and red wolf, but also waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and birds of prey.

One can also learn about the habitats of amphibians including frogs, toads and salamanders as well as reptiles such as yellow-bellied sliders, snapping turtles and various species of snakes. There is also a gift shop.

Visitors don’t have to be bird enthusiasts to enjoy the birds that overwinter at the refuge. But, if one is a birdwatcher, be sure to bring, besides a field guide, binoculars, scopes, DSLR camera and telephoto lens to capture images some may not expect to see: a Pileated Woodpecker perched upon a deadwood tree periodically pecking with its flaming crest vibrating and its echo reverberating throughout the woodland; the Song Sparrows, fluttering in between patches of greenery smothered by winter’s grays and browns, foraging for food among a chorus of other birds’ chirps, chatters and calls. Depending on the season, the refuge hosts over 200 avian species.

Be sure to look down the length of canals for views of wading birds such as the Blue Heron, White Heron or Snowy Egret stalking and striking the mirrorreflections of the water.

Or look upwards where you may see a Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, Osprey or even the majestic Bald Eagle circling and monitoring the marsh below.

A visitor may see a flock of Canada Geese falling out of V-formation as they wing down, punctuating the quietude of the shallow marsh with their shrill falsetto honking of uh-aunk, uh-aunk.

Or they may bear witness to one of the most wondrous sights to behold: infinite skeins of Tundra Swan winging arcs and angles as they fly from and to the lake whether canvassed against a warming cornflower blue morning sky or sunset’s swirling hues of pink, orange and blue.

Equally incredible is the opportunity to observe these elegant and graceful creatures, truly the harbingers of winter at Mattamuskeet Lake, during the daytime. However, the best times of day to observe the Tundra Swan are not only after sunrise followed by a short window of time accompanied by the warming of the sun, but shortly before sunset.

Otherwise, they will be occupying impoundments and fields throughout Hyde County.

Of course, one can see dipping and dabbling in the shallow marsh the Mallard, Green-winged Teal,

Top: The bald cypress forest and wetland marsh as seen from the New Holland Trail. Second Row Left: Tundra Swans at sunset on Mattamuskeet Lake. Second Row Right: The Northern Pintail duck. Third Row Left: Part of the New Holland Trail coursing through a bald cypress forest. Third Row Right: An interpretive exhibit in the Visitors Office. Bottom: Snow geese fly away from a field.

13

American Coot, Ruddy duck and other duck species.

The refuge is home to numerous species of mammals varying from the black bear, white-tailed deer, red wolf, bobcat, red and gray foxes and nutria, to various species of reptiles such as turtles, lizards, snakes and even alligators. But the latter is something to look forward to seeing during the warmer months of the year.

Hunters are permitted to hunt Tundra Swan, Snow Geese, Canada Geese, ducks, American Coot and whitetailed deer on the refuge, but it is best to check with the Refuge Headquarters or their website regarding each season’s dates.

For the non-hunter, be sure to check access to the

While it may cause people to slow down, Winter entertains a variety of activity at the Mattamuskeet National

refuge as some areas will be closed due to hunting.

There are various walking trails offered to the public.

One of the more popular walking trails is the New Holland Trail. The entrance, adjacent to a graveled parking lot, begins at a trailhead kiosk upon entering beneath a canopy of encompassing and entangling thicketed vines.

The boardwalk bends and laces through the silence of a bald cypress forest and wetland marsh where your pace may quicken or slow depending on one’s curiosity.

As visitors silently stroll along, senses become heightened by the indistinguishable birds darting and distracting you to follow their seemingly inadvertent path until they camouflage themselves among the thickening branches above cypress knees protruding toward the sky as if a child lying in repose studying the clouds ballooning above the treetops.

Nearby is the famous landmark, the Mattamuskeet Lodge, having formerly been a pumping station used in the early 20th century to drain the lake’s massive acreage to convert it to rich farmlands. During the mid-20th century the building served as a hunting lodge, and years later it hosted various community events before closing.

Perhaps this is the joy of being outside no matter the season — seeing what you don’t expect to see; thinking about what you don’t expect to think about; and leaving feeling refreshed and renewed as you await spring.

The Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is located nine miles east of Swan Quarter and can be accessed via U.S. 264 or U.S. 94.

For further information, visit the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge online at www.fws.gov/ mattamuskeet or contact them by telephone at (252) 926-4021.

Sandy Carawan is an English Language Arts teacher at Mattamuskeet Early College High School in Swan Quarter, and is a regular contributor to Eastern Living Magazine.

14

Wildlife Refuge.

15

HERTFORD

COUNTY

FILLING the NEED Feeding the Hungry STORY BY SARAH DAVIS PHOTOS BY LOU ANN GILLIAM A study of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is

Meherrin Baptist Church, First Baptist Church

eligible for the food, one must only produce

hardly necessary to know that the most basic of

of Murfreesboro and Murfreesboro United

evidence of Hertford County residence, such

needs for human existence is food.

Methodist Church.

as a driver’s license or utility bill. Each car may

Although the United States is a nation which

Begun in 2012 as an outreach project by

produces food in abundance - with from 30

the late Peggy (Mrs. Frank) Lowe, with financial

to 40 percent of the food supply wasted -

assistance in the form of a grant from Vidant,

Once the registration is complete with the

according to the USDA, just as basic as the need

the food bank serves from 120-150 families per

number of families to be served known, and the

for food is the fact that some people are unable

month.

truck arrives so it can be determined what is on

to fulfill that basic need.

Chairing the project is Colon Ballance, who

obtain food for as many as three families as long as the necessary paperwork is in place.

the truck, an equitable distribution of the goods

When individuals, for whatever reason,

reports that approximately 20 volunteers are

cannot meet that basic need themselves, they

needed each visit. Representatives from each of

According to Ballance, until the truck arrives,

can find help in Murfreesboro.

the sponsoring churches help as well as Chowan

it is not known what will be available. There are

Most prominent among those solutions

University students when the university is in

usually frozen meats, canned goods, bread,

is the monthly Mobile Food Bank. Coming

session. Often an entire athletic team will assist.

sweets and fruit.

begins.

once a month (third Tuesday afternoon) to the

Prior to the arrival of the truck from Food

The volunteers unload the truck, placing the

parking lot of Murfreesboro Baptist Church at

Bank of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, a group

selected items into a grocery cart to then be

200 West Main Street, the Food Bank is jointly

of registrars move among the cars that line

loaded into the waiting cars.

sponsored by Murfreesboro Baptist Church,

Broad Street waiting for the distribution. To be

16

As soon as a volunteer signals that all is ready,

three-to-five cars enter the parking lot; their

ANY STUDENT, WHETHER IN NEED OF A MEAL, LATENIGHT SNACK, OR DETERGENT FOR LAUNDRY, CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF JUST IN TIME.

cars are filled; they move out; another three-tofive cars move in. The process usually takes from one to one and a half hours.

If any food from the truck remains, it is housed at Murfreesboro Baptist Church, which keeps a Food Pantry with food available for distribution the fourth Monday of each month January through November.

Begun about the same time as the Mobile Food Pantry, it is also chaired by Ballance. Begun

by MBC member Danielle Trent, it is supplied by donations from MBC members and always includes non-perishable items, such as peanut

usually early afternoon. Many students do find

butter, soup, cereal and canned vegetables.

they need to supplement the meal plan, which

According to the Rev. Lane Bass, MBC pastor, the Food Pantry now serves approximately 20 families per month, the number having almost doubled in the two-plus years of his ministry in Murfreesboro.

Another Food Pantry in Murfreesboro is found on the campus of Chowan University. Now in its third year, it was begun by Distinguished Professor of Art and Dean of Fine and Applied Arts Chris Rupsch, and is administered by her and

and support.

Initially its main source of funding, Dr. Rupsch remains the chief shopper, but is no longer

for many provides only 10 or 14 meals per week.

There were approximately 300 visits during the 2018-2019 school year.

Other food assistance in Murfreesboro can

dependent on only her own bank account. Dr.

be found at New Beginnings Baptist Church,

Chris White, now University Chancellor, allowed

which hosts a Thanksgiving Community Meal

a university account to be established for it in

and at St. Paul’s Church which administers

the Chowan Business Office and made sure a

federally funded food supplements.

healthy balance began the account.

First Baptist Church has assisted with the

This year, Chowan University President Dr.

summer feeding program in conjunction with

in Horner Hall, location of the Department of

Kirk Peterson, hosted the faculty and staff for a

Hertford County Public Schools, but the church’s

Graphic Communications, it is known as the Just

Christmas breakfast and asked the attendees to

location has made it difficult for students to

in Time Food Pantry, named by a student.

bring contributions in the form of cash, checks,

access the service, so it has been temporarily

It houses non-perishable food items, such

or gift cards for Just in Time. Faculty members

suspended.

as fruit cups, puddings, peanut butter, crackers,

Katherine Vickers (English) and Rob Buller (Art)

Hunger is real as 2019 Heisman Winner,

granola bars, Ramen noodles and macaroni and

hold an annual Empty Bowls Soup Supper with

LSU quarterback Joe Burrows has reminded

cheese, but it also contains hygiene and laundry

part of the proceeds going to the Food Pantry.

us; it is real in his hometown of Athens, Ohio,

items which have proven to be much needed by

Groups, such as Dr. Ed Snyder’s CU class or

and it is real in Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

students.

athletic teams, hold canned goods drives as well.

Fortunately, so are attempts to feed the hungry

Administrative Assistant Teresa Warren. Housed

Begun almost accidentally to help a single

Any student, whether in need of a meal, late-

student who was on campus during times the

night snack, or detergent for laundry, can take

Sarah Davis is a retired librarian and regular

cafeteria was not open, knowledge of it has

advantage of Just in Time. The student need

contributor to Eastern North Carolina Living and

spread by word-of-mouth both in terms of use

only come by Horner during specified hours,

the Bertie Ledger-Advance.

and meet the basic need.

17

MARTIN COUNTY

“Still Affliction Going On”

Martin County Team Sticks by

HURRICANE VICTIMS STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH HODGES STALLS

N

early a year and a half after

the weeks after Hurricane Florence struck.

Hurricane Florence wreaked havoc

“Us hanging exterior doors and insulation

areas adjacent to New Bern.

Seven area churches are now represented

on parts of Eastern North Carolina, a

would have scared me to death 18 months ago,”

group of Martin County volunteers is still making

explained Randy Mobley, team leader for the

“Everyone brings something to this team,”

progress in a neighboring county’s recovery.

Baptists on Mission Team based out of Piney

said Mobley, “And it’s always something we

Grove Baptist Church.

need.”

When storm recovery in New Bern and the surrounding area left the daily headlines, the

The team has since jacked up houses to

“yellow shirts” from Baptists on Mission stayed.

replace floor joists and countless other tasks

Today they are one of the groups still at work

they would have never envisioned early on.

down east.

One of the teams who have been on the

“It’s been amazing to see it come together and continue to grow,” Mobley said.

within the group and it is still growing.

With each new addition to the team comes a new skill set.

Luther Bailey of Washington had been to Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief trainings and had worked from Rodanthe to New Jersey

ground since the beginning of the flooding

The team first worked in New Bern on Sept.

following Hurricane Sandy. After being invited

originated from Piney Grove Baptist Church in

20, 2018, helping a family in the Fairfield Harbor

by a friend to check out the Piney Grove team

Farm Life.

community.

and what they were doing, Bailey was hooked.

Already doing repair and recovery work in

From Jan. 1, 2019 to Jan. 1, 2020, the team

“My wife and I absolutely enjoy working with

Martin and Bertie counties, this team began

has logged approximately 4,850 working hours

this team,” he said. “I knew just enough about

heading south to New Bern and points nearby in

in New Bern alone. This does not include work in

carpentry to get myself in trouble, but they have

18

put me to work.”

He encourages people to bring a willing heart to the table and see what can happen.

“Share what you know how to do. It may be a little plumbing or hanging sheet rock, but it is all needed,” Bailey said.

Sweeping up behind the workers and cheerleading are also greatly needed skills.

team.

“THEY ARE JUST A BLESSING.” - RICKY LAMB

According to officials with Baptists on Mission, this team represents what their organization looks for in volunteers: a servant’s heart.

“They have become family,” explained Carrie Fisher, Site Coordinator for Baptists on Mission’s New Bern Rebuild Site.

The team’s consistency in service brings tremendous “peace of mind” to Fisher and those arranging help for those displaced by Hurricane Florence.

“Having a team that is committed to our cause and believes in what we are doing is not only great by making my job easy because I can count on them,” she said.

rebuilding effort.

At the end of 2019, team members were able to see a project come full circle when they helped get one of their families back in their house just in time for Christmas.

“They are just a blessing,” explained resident Ricky Lamb of Contentnea Avenue in New Bern.

Lamb was one of the countless residents who did not know where to turn after what the National Weather Service called “the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the Carolinas.”

A random stop at a local hardware store changed everything.

“You can be a team of one,” she said. “The key is when you feel led – answer the call and worry about the details later. We’ll help you figure it out.”

Mobley welcomes any interested volunteers to join the Martin County group in New Bern.

“Come with us and see how things work,” he said.

The team works in New Bern on Monday and Tuesday, every other week.

This team is made up of both men and women and has shown everyone has a skill to offer, regardless of their age.

Teens from the church began making the trip when they could. Their enthusiasm spread and Riverside High School has recently sent student volunteers to join the group.

“I am so impressed with our young people,” Mobley explained. “They are always ready to go and are tremendous workers.”

The Martin County team does not stay in

“The lady asked me if I knew about Baptists

New Bern when working but drives home each

“Seeing them build the relationships with

on Mission,” Lamb said. “I told her I had heard of

day. Teams coming from father away will have

these homeowners is priceless,” she paused. “It

them but had no idea how to get up with them.”

an opportunity to stay in New Bern once new

He gave her his number and received a call

housing is complete at the rebuild headquarters.

the very next day. It was Carrie Fisher on the

To learn more about North Carolina Baptist

brings them so much hope.”

Two months ago, 1,400 known homes still remained in need of assistance with storm recovery. Now the number is more than 1,700 because people are finding out help is still available.

“There is going to be a need for a long time,” Fisher said of the continued recovery effort.

For months, the team from Martin County focused on tear out, which refers to the process

other end.

“She’s awesome,” Lamb said of his very special friend.

And then came the team from Martin County. Bonds of faith and friendship have been made throughout such a trying process.

Volunteers are needed to keep bringing people like Ricky back into their homes.

of removing all water-damaged materials

“All are welcome,” explained Fisher. “There is

from houses. This may include anything from

a job for every skill level. Come with a servant’s

personal belongings to flooring, furniture, sheet

heart and we’ll find you the job.”

rock and more.

As time moved on, they became part of the

Fisher explained she got her start with Baptists on Mission by joining up with another

on Mission, check out the organization’s website at https://baptistonmission.org.

For information on volunteering in New Bern, Fisher welcomes inquiries at (252)5148868 or h.florence.newbern@ncmissions.org.

To reach Mobley and the Martin County team which operates out of Piney Grove Baptist Church in the Farm Life Community, call the church at (252) 792-1342 and leave a message for the team.

Sarah Hodges Stalls is a Staff Writer for Eastern North Carolina Living, the Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald and the Bertie Ledger-Advance.

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NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

JAGUARS

‘just play football’ STORY BY THADD WHITE PHOTOS BY ANDRE ALFRED

I

t was over.

Three losses in four games ended Northampton County High School’s

reign atop the Tar Roanoke Conference.

There would be no third straight No. 1 seed

in the playoffs. No string of home games leading deep into the playoffs.

High School Athletic Association Class 1A

“We jam receivers on the line and knock them

finals at Wallace-Wade Stadium on the

off their routes before dropping into a zone.

campus of Duke University.

“We had gotten a little lazy and not

“It is something we’re glad to finally have

jammed the receivers as well as we should,”

accomplished,” Privott stressed. “Now, we

he continued. “At Hertford County, the

want to go back and win.”

quarterback picked up on it.”

The season started out with a 20-14 win

Another thing happened during the visit to

That’s when veteran football boss George

over rival Roanoke Rapids. From there, the

Privott did what he does best: he motivated

Jaguars knocked off Pasquotank County High

his student-athletes.

School 42-zip and rolled over Warren County

would bounce back the next week against

56-7.

Washington County, but his opponents put

“I told them all the pressure is off of us now,” he said. “We’re not going to win the conference. We’re not going to be the number

Things changed when Northampton met rival Hertford County the following week.

Ahoskie – injuries began to pile up.

Privott

said

he

thought

his

team

together a solid game plan, and it was aided by yet another injury to a key starter.

one seed. Now, we can relax and play football.”

“We did a lot of things against Hertford

Missing two starters in the backfield, the

The result: The Jaguars rolled off seven

County we were used to getting away with,

Jaguars edged Rocky Mount Prep 16-0 the

straight wins and reached the North Carolina

but they took advantage of them,” Privott said.

next week setting up the annual showdown

22

with North Edgecombe.

With three starters missing, Northampton went down to a 46-28 defeat – the loss that ended their threat of winning the league.

That’s when the turnaround began in earnest.

The Jaguars punished Southeast Halifax 70-6, blanked Northwest Halifax 58-0 and rolled by KIPP Pride 38-12 before ending the regular season with a 4434 win over Weldon.

No longer the top dog in the bracket, the Jaguars would be looking to be the “spoiler” in the playoffs. They would be the team to go on the road and knock off those who expected to advance.

After a first round bye, Northampton County drew Northside (Pinetown) in the first round. They were a familiar foe because the two had squared off in a preseason jamboree at North Pitt.

Northampton secured a 34-21 win over Northside and then ran head first into a familiar opponent – Rosewood High School from Goldsboro.

“We started the playoffs with the third round still in the back of our minds,” Privott admitted. “We had lost there three years in a row – first to Southside, then Plymouth and finally Rosewood.

“So, here comes the third round again,” Privott mused. “We wanted to repay Rosewood for last year.

They were a four (seed) and beat us as a one. We had the chance to repay the favor.”

That’s exactly what they did, knocking off the top seed 26-20.

That set up the rematch with North Edgecombe.

“We knew we had a chance because we lost to them, but we were missing some starters,” Privott said. “We knew at full strength we had a chance.”

The Jaguars again bested their foe, scoring a 20-12 victory and setting up a trip to the state championship game.

The Jaguars came up short, dropping a 45-14 decision to perennial state power Robbinsville, but it didn’t diminish the experience.

“We made some mistakes and got down early,” Privott said. “We were able to come back, but we never quite got our footing. I think my guys were a little overwhelmed, but we played hard.”

The “Big Four” – as they like to be known – led the team all season. They included quarterback Zion Kendall, who led the team.

“He’s one of those kids who is super undersized, but he has the best football IQ I’ve ever coached – and I have a guy playing in the NFL right now,” Privott said.

Kendall rushed for 900 yards and passed for another

23

134 yards in leading the offense.

Running back Na’Jae Newsome led the team with 1,367 yards rushing for the season.

He also had two 90-plus yard runs in the playoffs, and scored the game-winner on a 70-yard score against Rosewood.

Eric Robinson bounced back from several injuries to be a key component in the Northampton offense. He ended the season

OVERALL, THE JAGUARS WERE A TEAM OF PLAYERS WHO MADE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND IT RESULTED IN SUCCESS UNLIKE ANY THE COUNTY HAS KNOWN.

with over 800 yards rushing.

The final member of the “Big Four” was fullback Semaj Mitchell. While fullbacks don’t often figure into yardage in the triple option attack, Privott used his to the fullest extent.

Mitchell rushed for 984 yards this season

“This was the first time we’ve made the

and helped lead the team in every statistical

state finals since consolidation,” Privott said.

category offensively.

championship contest.

But, he said the program will not rest on its

Another key member of the team was

“As we went further into the playoffs, it was

linebacker Ja’Vonte Scott, who recorded

good to see people from both ends of the

“We’re thrilled to have made the state

county – east and west – supporting us and

championship,” he reiterated. “We’re not

encouraging people to attend the games.”

satisfied. We began working the next week to

71 tackles during his junior season. He was also named Best Defensive Player for Northampton County in the state finals.

Overall, the Jaguars were a team of players

Privott

commended

the

people

of

laurels.

be back.”

who made the most of every opportunity and

Northampton County for driving to North

Thadd White is Editor of Eastern North

it resulted in success unlike any the county has

Edgecombe in the Eastern Finals and for

Carolina Living, the Bertie Ledger-Advance and

known.

representing the county well in the state

the Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald.

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BEAUFORT COUNTY

FUTURE of TURNAGE bright, expanding STORY BY JIM GREEN

T

he historic Turnage Theatre has

Torrence, executive director of the theater and

the vaudeville theater constructed between

been around, in some form or

its owner, the Arts of the Pamlico, since 2016.

1910-1913, and the movie theater directly

fashion, for more than a century.

“From live theatre to pottery to comedy, there’s

behind the vaudeville theater, which was

always something happening here,” she added.

constructed between 1928-1930.

And, if the Arts of the Pamlico and its many

partners have anything to say about it, it will be open for many more.

This crown jewel of Eastern North Carolina

The Turnage Theatre, located within the

The vaudeville theater was constructed

Washington Historic District, is listed on the

in 1913 to provide theatrical entertainment

National Register of Historic Places.

all year round instead of traveling shows

is now the performance home of East

It is a unique facility, not only because it

that arrived on boats a few times a year. The

Carolina University’s school of music opera

has two theaters, but also it is an exceptional

building was later named after its present day

theatre program, has a year-round menu of

record of the magnificent interior environment

namesake, C.A. (Cat) Turnage.

performing arts on stage and a robust and

and elaborate decorative plaster details that

Because Washington was on the main line

growing offering of youth arts throughout the

exemplifies the architechural language and

of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad between

year, including after-school workshops, movie

construction method of the early 20th century.

New York, N.Y. and Miami, Fla., the Turnage

events, summer art camps for children ages

The grandeur of the Turnage contrasts strikingly

Theater (it was called the “New Theater”

5-15 and more.

with the functional aesthetic of a modern day

back then) was one of the stops for the

movie theater.

vaudeville acts traveling between those cities;

“The future of the historic Turnage Theatre is bright and expanding in the region,” said Debra

26

The Turnage is composed of two buildings:

thus Washington developed into a major

“ From live theatre to pottery to

comedy, there’s always something happening here. entertainment hub for all of Eastern North Carolina.

When movies became a popular form of entertainment, the location of the theater next to

Sadly, after a short time, the theater closed

the busy street made it difficult for patrons to hear

again in 2011 as the Foundation struggled to repay

the movie. Hence, C.A. Turnage built the movie

the two million dollars borrowed to complete

theater in 1930 behind the vaudeville theater

restoration.

(dubbed The Palace Theater) to provide a better

In 2013, the Turnage Theater building gained new

acoustical environment for movies. Because he

life when it was purchased by the Beaufort County

was uncertain about the success of movies, he

Arts Council, now called the Arts of the Pamlico.

included a stage with lights and rigging so it could

AOP is a state-designated arts council – one of

also function as a performance theater. It stayed

the oldest in the state – and opened the building

in use until 1978, when it no longer could compete

to events Tuesdays through Sunday in a beautifully

with newer and larger cinemas that were later built

restored 432-seat theater with updated sound

in Washington.

and lighting systems, a catering kitchen, three art

The Turnage Theatre lit up from the outside.

The theater closed after Turnage died and as commercial trade moved out of downtown.

Sitting vacant, the theater’s glorious décor began to fade.

A short time later, a committee of local residents

(historic

preservation

enthusiasts

and arts advocates) joined together to restore the theater as the non-profit Turnage Theater Foundation. Fundraisers helped to raise resources needed to begin restoration.

Around 1996, the restoration project began and took about 10 years, and the Turnage Theater reopened in November 2007. It showed movies, presented stage productions and more.

There are a multitude of activities happening at Turnage Theatre.

27

Playhouse upstairs in the future.

pottery activities on some Saturday mornings.

The Turnage Theater’s roof structure and

AOP also has some signature events coming

surface, beyond a patch to the top surface

up – Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival Feb. 7-8, St.

and the insertion of an interior brace, was not

Patty’s Day Party March 13 and a Comedy Fest

addressed in the restoration of the theater in

March 14.

the mid-2000s. The roof structure must be

Stop by and see the permanent and rotating

completed over the next few months to avoid

costume and jewelry exhibit and the first

failure. The Raise the Rood project began in the

donations to the vaudeville exhibit including

spring.

a rare working pump organ, sheet music and

Donations are accepted by cash, check, credit card or pledge. Online donations may be made through Paypal.

To

donate

online,

period costumes. A host of music concerts are also on the website’s calendar.

The Turnage Theater is located at 150 West

visit

www.

artsofthepamlico.org/raise-the-roof.

While its arts programming continues, AOP is installing a recording studio and pottery kiln

Main Street in Washington. It is open 1-6 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information on events, call 252-

galleries with revolving exhibits showing local,

and wheels in its Creation Station backstage,

regional and national artists and craftspeople,

and planning for installation of multiple

(Special thanks go to Arts of the Pamlico,

and also houses the administrative offices of

interactive murals created by AOP, local youth

filmmaker Nick Leach and AOP/Turnage

the property owners, AOP.

and adult artists in downtown Washington.

Theater Executive Director Debra Torrence for

946-2504 or visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

The gallery exhibits and theatre are open

Along with the music lineup, a new option

to the public during operating hours and for

– workshops for adults – begin in late January

Jim Green is Copy Editor of Eastern North

events. Tours may be reserved by calling the

and will offer evening, morning and Saturday

Carolina Living and serves as Sports Editor of the

Arts of the Pamlico at 252-946-2504.

acting, voice, screenplay writing, pottery and

Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald, the

costuming classes as well as Paint & Take

Bertie Ledger-Advance and The Standard.

The AOP plans to restore the Vaudeville

28

information used in the writing of this story).

29

HALIFAX COUNTY

CHANGING the world

from Tillery STORY & PHOTOS

BY THADD WHITE

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

– Margaret Mead

T

he Concerned Citizens of Tillery

not the same – but it will have a legacy.”

have taken on Mead’s quote almost

The group originally organized when the

as a mantra. Despite being relatively

Halifax County Board of Education announced

small in number and coming from a crossroads

its decision to close Tillery Chapel Elementary

community, the group has taken on local school

School in the spring of 1978.

boards, to the N.C. General Assembly.

Through it all the most consistent voice has been that of Gary Grant.

Three parents from the school – Elizabeth Davis, Lola Williams and Genevia Manley – asked Grant to help them keep the school open.

miles from Tillery Chapel to the offices of the Halifax County Board of Education.

The result of all that work was the school remained open for four more years.

Unfortunately, the school’s population – which was over 600 in the 1960s – dwindled to less than 100 in 1981 and the school closed.

It was that year the Concerned Citizens of

While now aging and slightly smaller than

“We kept talking and we got organized,” he

in his prime, Grant is still proud of the work of

said. “The community didn’t want to lose the

The organization got an early boost from

the Concerned Citizens of Tillery, and is just as

school and wanted to see what we could do to

two nuns – Maureen Finland and Iva Gregory

dogmatic in his beliefs.

keep it.”

– who were in Halifax County to start a home

Tillery was formed and incorporated.

“I have a nephew and I told him recently

The concerned citizens invited members of

for battered women. The two helped develop

that with my health, I guess we’ve done about

the school board to come to the school and hear

bylaws and organizing the 501-3C status of the

all we’re going to do,” Grant said. “He told me the

their concerns. They then put together a petition

Concerned Citizens of Tillery.

Concerned Citizens of Tillery will go on – maybe

to keep the school opened and walked it the 12

30

In 1987, Duke and the University of North

Carolina had a Student Rural Heath Coalition.

in an effort with former NAACP President the

of Agriculture and winning a #2.4 billion Civil

During the summer, students would go out to

Rev. Dr. William Barber.

Rights settlement.

rural areas that were under served.

Perhaps the crowing success of CCT came

Still, he said, the settlement “didn’t come

That year there were health fair in Tillery on

when they helped influence the N.C. General

anywhere near repaying farmers for what the

obesity, alcoholism, diabetes and hypertension.

Assembly to make regulations concerning hog

government had done to them.”

Normally students do the clinics, write and

lagoons.

summary and return to school, but Grant and

It began when a Tillery resident contacted

the Concerned Citizens of Tillery pushed for a

Grant about a hog lagoon being built within

regular health screening clinics and one began

one/half mile of his residence.

on the third Saturday of each month.

“He told me what he had learned – there

As he looks back, Grant pondered if he had any regrets.

“No. I don’t think so,” he finally said. “If I had any regrets it would be that activism scared people away who would or could have brought

Dr. Nina Seghal of the Brody School of

would be a 30-foot hold to put waste in –

Medicine organized medical students to come

while wells were 15 feet which meant it was

The fight that began with keeping open

out once a month.

cutting through the aquifer,” Grant said. During

a small community school has led to Grant

Not long after, an eight-month-old child

the course of working to get regulations for the

meeting three U.S. Presidents – Bill Clinton,

choked to death on a hot dog. The child’s mother

lagoons in place, Grant said the group learned

George Bush and Barack Obama.

went door-to-door asking for help.

you can’t just oppose something – you have to

And, there are now more than 300

offer a solution – and that people have to stand

members of the Concerned Citizens of Tillery

up for themselves.

spread all over the country.”

“We knew we needed to do more than screen,” Grant said. “We need to start teaching first aid.”

He fondly recalled a meeting with the Halifax

much to the organization.”

It has also led to the 2007 documentary,

They created the clinic, which is still in

County Commissioners when some made

operation – now on the third Wednesday of

protest signs. While some people were hesitant

The history of the Concerned Citizens of

each month.

to take them, the senior citizens embraced them

Tillery is well documented as Grant has kept a

and led in the protest.

scrapbook of newspaper clippings, photos and

Another key from the first health fair was

“We Shall Not be Moved.”

teaching people who they needed to know

There work led to Halifax County becoming

about getting Medicare and assistance from the

the first in the state to pass the Intensive

That gathered history proves what the

Department of Social Services.

Livestock Ordinance, which not only regulated

people of Tillery always knew – that they could

hogs, but cattle and chickens as well.

change the world.

Grant said after the fair, people know what to ask when they sought help.

A key offshoot of the Concerned Citizens of Tillery is the Open Minded Seniors, which meets on Tuesday’s at 11 a.m.

A person named Lola Williams came to

event publications for each year in its existence.

The group worked hand-in-hand with the

Thadd White is Editor of Eastern North Carolina

Sierra Club and it led to the birth of the N.C.

Living, the Bertie Ledger-Advance and the Martin

Environmental Justice Network.

County Enterprise & Weekly Herald.

The proudest moment, Grant says, as he looks back was suing the U.S. Department

Grant and asked how many older people in the community had nothing to do. Grant said his own parents were still healthy so he didn’t know those issues.

The Open Minded Seniors have been a driving force of the Concerned Citizens of Tillery, and are still active – having recently participated

The Concerned Citizens of Tillery have been active in shaping their community, their state and their world. Gary Grant has been instrumental in that work since the beginning.

31

BERTIE

COUNTY

COUNT on US Bertie JROTC

an asset to community STORY BY LESLIE BEACHBOARD

T

he JROTC program at Bertie High School is more than just a class for students during the day. The program is a part of one of the largest character development and citizenship programs for youth in the world.

The National Defense Act of 1916 established organized JROTC programs at public and private educational institutions.

In 1964, Congress expended the program to all military services and changed from active duty to shared support from the services and the schools.

32

As congressionally mandated by Title 10 United States Code, Section 2031, each military service must have a JROTC program to “instill in students in the United States secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States and personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.

The JROTC mission, “To motivate young people to be better citizens,” is the guidepost to the program’s success.

For Senior Army Instructor at Bertie High School Chief Warrant Officer III Randy Cherry – known to his cadets as “Chief” – it is a program

of leadership and community service more than a traditional class.

The JROTC program at Bertie High School first began during the 1993-1994 school year under the leadership of First Sergeant Franklin Moore.

April will make 11 years that Cherry has led the JROTC program at Bertie High School.

“I was on active duty and came home to visit. While I was here I attended a game at Bertie High School and watched the Color Guard team present the colors before the game,” said Cherry, a Bertie County native. “I

“THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BE A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THAT TEACHES THE STUDENTS ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE.” - CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER III RANDY CHERRY

PHOTO BY JIM GREEN

knew then I wanted to a part of the program at Bertie High School. I wanted to make a difference in the community I grew up in.”

Cherry was an instructor in Hertford County for two years before coming back home.

“I taught in Hertford County and waited for a position to come available at Bertie High School,” he added.

When the position became available, Cherry took the opportunity to come back “home” to lead the program at his former high school, and give back to the community.

The JROTC program at Bertie High School is an elective class.

Students who have an interest in the military or community service have the option to choose the class.

“The program is designed to be a leadership program that teaches the students about community service. The class is an elective but does have several requirements,” said Cherry.

Along with classroom lessons, cadets are taught drills and how to march.

Cadets compete in competitions with other schools in the area, including schools from Edenton, Elizabeth City and Ahoskie.

The program has a marksmanship team that competes with other schools in their accuracy of shooting a pellet gun.

“We have radar teams that compete in cadet challenges. The cadets compete against cadets from other schools,” said Cherry.

The competition includes challenges such as pull-ups, flexibility and a one-mile run.

“I am proud to say that we have multiple trophies in the school’s showcase from winning (and) placing in the event,” he continued.

In the classroom, the students are taught lessons on how to properly salute, when and when not to wear their hat, how to properly fold a flag and the meaning of the colors of the American flag.

“There are almost 200 classes in the curriculum. It is almost impossible to teach every single lesson with the time that we have, but we make sure all of the major lessons are taught. The class is about making the whole student a better person,” said Cherry.

Cadets are required to dress in full uniform on one day each week, which is usually Wednesday.

At the beginning of the school year, the cadets are given a complete uniform, including socks, shoes, hat and badges.

“The program provides everything the cadet needs except the T-shirt to go under the uniform,” said Cherry.

On “uniform day” cadets will line up in formation for an inspection.

The students are inspected to make sure their uniform is clean and in the proper place, that their socks are the correct color and that the cadets have all of the pieces of the uniform.

The students receive a grade for the inspection.

According to Cherry, there have been several occasions when a student does not want to take the class.

“Some may not want to wear the uniform. Some of the young men will not want to follow the hair policy. Some of the guys will have braids and will not want to cut them. I have had some cadets who decided to stay and cut their hair,” said Cherry.

“If a student does not want to stay in the class, I will go to the guidance counselor and see if the student can be moved to another class. There is no need for the student to receive a failing grade because they are not going to participate in an elective class,” he added.

33

There are eight levels of the JROTC program.

One level is taught each half of the school year from a cadet’s freshman through senior year.

“There are three classes per day. I teach the 3-A, 3-B, 4-A and 4-B students. These are the juniors and seniors. These classes are more about candidate leadership,” said Cherry.

During those two years, cadets have the opportunity to have leadership roles including supply room clerk, administrative assistant and commander leader.

Cadets have tasks they can perform to earn promotions during their time in the program.

According to Cherry, the biggest way students can earn promotions is participating in events outside of the regular school day.

“We can’t make the students participate in the extra events, although parents are made aware that some events are mandatory. Some students choose to participate in almost every event,” he added.

The Bertie JROTC cadets and color guard team participates in every Christmas parade throughout the county, the Roxobel Ag Festival, the Aulander Peanut Festival,

Wreaths Across America and the Memorial Day ceremony.

“I am proud to say that since I have been at Bertie High School, the color guard has not failed to perform at every home football and basketball game for the school,” Cherry said proudly. “I want the cadets to be beneficial to the community.”

Cherry said the program requires at least participation from at least 10 percent of the school population.

“We have well over 10 percent of the students participating in the program. When I started in 2009 there were 20 children enrolled,” Cherry said.

“During the 2018-2019 school year there were 75 students enrolled. The program had grown a lot. This semester there are 52 students enrolled. It really differs from year to year,” he added.

According to Cherry, in the last 10 years about 30 cadets have left the program to join the military and about 20 of those are still enlisted.

“We have one cadet who was accepted to West Point and is currently in his second year in the academy,” he added.

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Cherry says his feature goal for the program is to pass the accreditation inspection with 95 percent or higher to become a Honor Unit of Distinction.

The inspection occurs every three years.

“The last inspection the program scored 93.7 percent out of 100 percent,” Cherry noted.

“The first year I was here we received this distinction. Then again three years later we were recognized. Three years ago we just missed it by a few points,” he added.

Officials from Fort Bragg will grade the student- led assessment. The students also perform a service-learning project.

The United States Army’s JROTC program currently operates in more than 1,700 public and private schools, military institutions and correctional facilities through the United States and overseas.

Leslie Beachboard is the News Editor for the Bertie Ledger-Advance. She can be reached via email at lbeachboard@ncweeklies.com.

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GATES

COUNTY

Take the

POLAR PLUNGE STORY BY LESLIE BEACHBOARD PHOTOS BY CAL BRYANT, ROANOKE-CHOWAN NEWS-HERALD

F

or the last nine years in January, supporters from near and far gather at the Beaver Lake Ski Club to take a frosty plunge in the lake to support the Gates County Special Olympics.

Gates County High School teacher and event organizer Barbara Toti says the event came together due to a need for funding for the local Special Olympics.

“One of the students at the high school, Steven Hill, was a Special Olympics athlete and he asked me if I would come watch him participate,” said Toti. “I didn’t realize he meant he wanted me to go to the state games to watch him, so I went to the local games.”

While Toti was there, she talked to the Gates County Special Olympics coordinator about the need for extra funding for the program.

“She explained that the funding was low for

38

the Special Olympics program and they could barely meet the budget; I told her I would see what I could do,” she added.

First, Toti decided to try and raise funds to take a bus of teachers, students and supporters to watch Hill participate in the state games in Jacksonville.

“THIS REALLY IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT TO RAISE MONEY FOR A GREAT ORGANIZATION.” - BARBARA TOTI

“It worked. We were able to take a bus to Jacksonville for the games. Steven was excited to have us there to support him,” she added.

Next, Toti decided to research ways to raise money for the Gates County Special Olympics.

She and a few others did some research and decided a polar plunge sounded like a fun idea.

“We did some research. We even visited and participated in a polar plunge in the Chowan River to get ideas for the event,” she said.

“We discussed having to event with individuals at Beaver Lake Ski Club and they agreed,” Toti added.

The first Gates County Polar Plunge for Special Olympics was held in January 2012.

“It was a big success. We had a lot of school participation,” said Toti.

The polar plunge included a chili challenge.

Cooks could bring Crock-pots of chili to be

judged during the event. Trophies were awards

maintenance department sets up the stage,”

to the top chili cook off winners.

she added.

Participants of the polar plunge would

Gates County Rescue has also been a big

pay $35 to participate. They would get the

supporter of the event. They provide their

opportunity to run into Beaver Lake during the

boats on the water and are present in case

winter, and receive a T-shirt and a bowl of chili

there is an emergency.

from the cook off.

“The event went so well we decided we would do it again the next year,” she said.

According to Toti, the second polar plunge

Toti said one of the biggest moments of the event happened two years ago when Jessica Bradshaw, the homecoming queen and Special Olympics athlete, sang the National Anthem.

was one to remember because of the freshly fallen snow that covered the ground the day of

“There was not a dry eye at the event,” said Toti.

the event.

“It was my favorite of the events. It was so beautiful. Even though we pushed the time back a few hours, we still had a smaller crowd.

But we raised the same amount of money as years when we had large crowds because the teams who didn’t attend still sent the money they had raised,” she said.

Toti said Gates County Schools, Beaver Lake Ski Club, Gates County Rescue and the local State Employees’ Credit Union have all been beneficial to the continued nine-year success of the fundraiser.

“This really is a community effort to raise money for a great organization,” she continued.

The teams for the event select themes.

They dress up for the event.

There is an awards ceremony and trophies are award for a costume contest and a creative presentation.

Last year a group dressed as hippies and their theme was “polar power” as in “flower power.”

“We have children as young as 4 and 5 years old participate. They start out in the polar plunge kiddie pool. We raised over $1,000 one year for Hill’s grandfather, Bill Presley, 80, to plunge into the lake,” Toti added.

“We have families drive from Maryland and Durham for the event. We have students that have graduated come back to Gates County just to show their support,” she continued.

The 2020 Gates County Polar Plunge for Special Olympics was slated for Saturday, Jan. 25.

Registration began at 10 a.m. Then, the judging and awards ceremony took place with awards for the T-shirt contest, best presentation and the chili cook off. The participants took the plunge into Beaver Lake at 11:30 a.m.

One of the new additions for this year’s event was the SensABLE Snacks truck onsite serving healthy snacks.

“The truck is sponsored by Easter Seals and this is special because a lot of the Special Olympic athletes also participate in Easter Seal activities,” she said.

Toti says each year they have at least 40 to 50 people register and most come as teams.

“My goal for the future is to make the event bigger and better with more group participation. I would like to see more of a variety of community groups participate,” said Toti. “ I think it has already been a big success to keep the event going for more than five years.”

According to Toti, participants who pay

“I would like to thank everyone who has

$35 are allowed to run into the lake, but for an

helped keep the event going including the

additional $40 donation they can jump off of

Beaver Lake Ski Club, Gates County Rescue and

the pier into the lake.

the local State Employees’ Credit Union. The

“This is popular. We have a lot of participants

support for the community shows they see the

who pay the extra to jump off of the pier,” she

need for the Special Olympics program and it

added.

helps raise awareness for these young people,”

Toti said the support is tremendous.

Toti closed.

“Schools bring their student body together

Leslie Beachboard is a Staff Writer for Eastern

to help with raising funds for their team. The

North Carolina Living and the Martin County

Gates County Schools Superintendent comes

Enterprise & Weekly Herald and serves as the

to support the event. The school district’s

News Editor for the Bertie Ledger-Advance.

39

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Bertie Ledger–Advance Community News at your Fingertips

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41

TYRRELL COUNTY

You’ve Got Mail

The Changing Face of

POSTAL DELIVERY STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH HODGES STALL

P

ostal service across the east has seen

and administration of a postal system in the

property, 389 are listed as land and 205 as

great change over the centuries.

colonies.

water, which must have added challenges to

As far back as the late 1500s, it

By 1730, Deputy Postmaster General

is believed the first English colonists wrote

Alexander Spotswood had stretched delivery

There are two differing dates for the first

letters to their loved ones back in England.

through North Carolina to Charles Towne, now

post office in the county. Some records show

Reportedly, letters were transported across

known as Charleston, South Carolina.

Columbia opened for business March 25, 1811

the Atlantic – for a small fee – by various ship’s captains.

Some credit this process as being the birth of postal operations in American and North Carolina.

A

The four post offices operating in North

with James B. White serving as postmaster.

Carolina by 1789 were in Edenton, New Bern,

Other records showed the opening date as

Washington and Wilmington. By 1851, there

Oct. 26, 1819 with Baldwin W. Halsey running

were 785.

the office.

Records exist showing there have been 21 act

of

British

Columbia is the sole remaining

Parliament

post offices across the 594 square miles of

post office location in the

specifically provided for the development

Tyrrell County. Of the square miles of county

county still in operation today.

42

1710

the early days of mail delivery.

A post office was listed in the Springfield community from Jan. 5, 1828 to May 19, 1830.

According to U.S. Postal Service records, the short-lived location’s first postmaster was Hezekiah G. Spruill.

There was more than a quarter century

Today there is a lone United States Post Office location in Columbia.

of railroads in 1836 would lead to the primary

and was operated until Sept. 15, 1915. Maps show Mon Swamp north of Gum Neck in the

rural free delivery, the one spot

southeast corner of Tyrrell County, along the

handles the county.

Alligator River.

Addie Gibbs was the first postmaster of the Warbler community’s post office which

location and what would be the next Tyrrell During the years between, the introduction

post office which opened Jan. 24, 1905

Thanks to the 1899 experiment of

between the closing of the Springfield County post office in Fort Landing.

postmaster for the Mon Swamp community’s

standing location was in operation until Sept.

opened Jan. 27, 1917 and remained that way

15, 1932. Mail service for the area was directed

until Oct. 15, 1932. Based on available records,

to Columbia.

Warbler was absorbed into the Kilkenny

means of carrying mail. Boats delivered mail

North Carolina residents had become

to many communities in coastal areas like

accustomed to regular and timely mail

Many times, post offices consisted of

Tyrrell County.

delivery, according to postal historians, in the

a table in a citizen’s home, local store or

years just prior to 1861.

tavern. In many small communities, citizens

Postage stamps became a regular tool

section of Tyrrell County.

of mail exchange in the late 1840s. The first

Between the Civil War and Reconstruction,

were responsible for collecting their mail.

U.S. postage stamps of five and ten cent

the face of postal service changed in the state.

Unclaimed pieces were sometimes advertised

denominations were reportedly delivered to

According to www.ncpedia.org, “individuals

in the newspaper.

Elizabeth City on Mar. 13, 1848.

who had a formal role in the Confederacy

Dr.

Frank

Armstrong

was

the

first

Tyrrell County’s Fort Landing post office –

could not serve in a formal capacity for the

postmaster listed for the Leona post office

located in the northeast corner of the county -

Union, so Confederate postmasters were not

location in Tyrrell County, which operated

opened April 2, 1856 and remained open until

eligible to fulfill their duties after the war.”

from Sept. 4, 1882 through Mar. 8, 1887. Laura

result, the number of female

Armstrong took on the role before the service

was William J. Beasley. Mail was continued to

postmasters increased greatly across North

was discontinued and mail was routed to Gum

Columbia after the location closed.

Carolina.

Neck.

May 15, 1931. The first postmaster of record

As a

The next location to open would be south

Tyrrell County would not have a female

A location listed as Pan – possibly Frying

of Fort Landing in Gum Neck. Charles McClees

postmaster, according to records, until Jennie

Pan – operated from Jan. 5, 1883 through

was the initial postmaster for the location

L. Lincoln became the first postmaster for the

Sept. 20, 1886. William P. Brickhouse was the

which opened Feb. 23, 1858. This long-

Huron location – northwest Tyrrell County

first postmaster of record for this location.

Effie Brickhouse, the longtime postmaster at Columbia, was the face of the post office in Tyrrell County for many years.

- on March 5, 1900. This post office was

Cicero J. Norman opened the Bay post

discontinued on Aug. 15, 1908. Service then

office, believed to be at Bulls Bay, on Dec.

was directed through Columbia.

10, 1883. This location operated until May 31,

Clarice

W.

Liverman

was

the

first

1905. Mail then went to Columbia.

43

14, 1886 until discontinued on Nov. 26, 1890.

through Dec. 31, 1927. William E. Spencer was

The first postmaster of record was Augustus

their first postmaster of record. Columbia

W. Owens.

picked up mail service when this location was

Gudger,

reportedly

in

the

Alligator

Cross Landing’s post office for less than

Jeremiah W. Howett was the initial postmaster.

a year, beginning April 13, 1904. William J.

The location closed on Jan. 15, 1912 with mail

Phelps was the postmaster who opened the

being sent through Columbia.

The Kilkenny community operated a shortlived post office from Dec. 7, 1885 through Jan. 8, 1887. George A. Hussey was listed as their first postmaster. Mail was re-routed to Alligator. W.J. Sawyer re-opened the post office on Aug. 3, 1905. The order for

first

post

operating from Sept. 13, 1897 through May 15, 1915. Robert J. Armstrong was their first postmaster. After service ended, mail was routed through Gum Neck.

Soundside’s post office operated from Brickhouse, and closed April 30,

17, 1906.

Alligator’s

McKinley was another short-term location,

Dec. 15, 1900, run by James G.

the location was rescinded on Feb.

1901.

office

discontinued.

Township, opened a post office June 19, 1888.

location. Mail was discontinued to the Bay office.

Alligator’s second post office was opened by postmaster Benjamin Spruill on April 16, 1904 and operated through Sept. 30, 1907.

After service was discontinued, mail went to Fort Landing.

Southshore Landing, off Alligator Creek and Sandy Point, operated a postal location

The Newberry community, located

for nearly a decade from Dec. 11, 1912 through

opened Dec. 9, 1885 by postmaster

in north central Tyrrell County on the

Aug. 31, 1922. Washington C. Wright was the

John S. Nelson. This location was open

Albemarle Sound, had a post office for just

first postmaster of this location.

until Jan. 9, 1889. Mail was then routed to

over a month in 1901. Benjamin Brickhouse

Fairfield in Hyde County.

was their postmaster.

Today there is a lone United States Post Office location in Columbia. Thanks to the

A community called Sunny in Tyrrell

Jerry, located in central Tyrrell County,

County ran a post office location from July

operated a post office from April 9, 1901

1899 experiment of rural free delivery, the one spot handles the county.

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WASHINGTON COUNTY

RIDDLED STACK brings history

to life

STORY & PHOTOS BY DOWARD JONES JR.

T

his storyline goes back 50 years to my seventh grade history class’s trip to North Carolina’s capitol city.

The timeline is significant to the present, as events from the past often repeat themselves, going full circle.

The trip included visits to the Capitol, Legislative Building and Museum of History.

At each location, we listened quietly (sort of) as the narrators described our state’s heritage relating to each location.

One of the venues, though, brought great excitement and anticipation. Approaching this stop, the class ran up the stone steps en masse, literally busting through the doors as the teachers protested, trying to bring some civility to a bunch of charging youngsters.

The Museum of History’s staff had experienced similar situations, but for this group, the excuse was we were on a mission of discovery.

46

Exactly 100 years before this trip, Plymouth had played a major role in Civil War history.

Mrs. Pharr, our history teacher, had taught us well about the Battle of Plymouth (April 17-20, 1864), during which The Confederate Army and Navy had combined to recapture the port town from the Union.

Of course, the big factor in this battle was the CSS Albemarle, the mighty ironclad that

With the riddled smokestack recreated along with its history, it is not hard for viewers to imagine the intensity of the battle as the Albemarle fought off seven warships.

had retaken the Roanoke River and Albemarle Sound.

Two weeks after the Battle of Plymouth, the Confederate ironclad was engaged by seven Union ships in the Albemarle Sound with the Union’s intention being to destroy or capture the mighty “Ram.” The encounter came to be known as the “Battle of Bachelor’s Bay.” On May 5, 1964 the ironclad, under the command of Captain J.W. Cooke, was ordered to New Bern to aid in the Confederates’ attack.

As the ship left the mouth of the Roanoke and entered into the Albemarle Sound, the ironclad and her escort vessels were attacked by four double-ended steamers and three smaller gunboats under the command of Captain Melancton Smith.

Leading the first line of attack was the Union flagship, the Mattabesett. The Albemarle returned her fire, destroying the

launch and cutting away some of the standing and running rigging.

The steamer Sassacus next struck the ironclad full bore and stuck fast. The crew of the Albemarle then sent a 100-pound shot through the starboard boiler of the Union vessel and into her wardroom. The scalded men managed to free the ship and they drifted out of range. All parties then withdrew.

The CSS Albemarle had taken all of what the seven Union worships had given.

The only real damage to the boat was that through the massive onslaught of enemy fire, the smokestack became riddled with holes.

Without the draft created by an intact stack, the boilers were unable to create enough heat and steam underway.

Captain Cooke addressed the problem quickly and ordered the store of butter, lard and bacon into the boilers, thereby allowing the crew of the Albemarle to raise enough steam to return to Plymouth.

Somehow through the travels of history, after the battle, that riddled stack of the ironclad Albemarle made its way to North Carolina’s premier museum.

One hundred years later, a crew of anxious

school children from the east saturated the interior of North Carolina’s Museum of History looking for the very artifact they had learned of in their history books.

Upon the smoke stack’s discovery in the museum, everyone gathered to experience a portal of time. Looking at the stack’s gaps and holes, we could hear the sound of cannons blasting against the steel plates under the orders flying from ship to ship.

History had not only come to life that day, it became a memory waiting to be re-lived by other school classes that followed over 50 years later.

While the Ram’s stack now resides in the Museum of The Albemarle, the Port O’ Plymouth Museum wanted to in some way also interpret the story of the CSS Ram Albemarle’s artifacts.

Adding to the replica Ram, which berths on the Roanoke adjacent to the museum, the facility has acquired several major artifacts from the Albemarle.

The ship’s bell, along with some of the ballast, is displayed in the museum’s Battle of Plymouth gallery.

As the members of the museum prepared for this year’s (2014) 150th anniversary of the Battle of Plymouth, they wanted to add something to the presentation as well, an addition that would add to the building excitement of the anniversary by reviving the history of this crucial time in the town’s heritage.

The answer came by way of two of the museum’s members – Walter White and Wallace Abernathy – men who through the years have created many of the displays currently on exhibit at the museum. Their combined skills have added greatly to the interpretation of the battle, recreating objects that bring a better understanding to the public of the

history of the Battle of Plymouth.

After researching details of the stack’s construction, the duo set about building a full-sized replica, 150 years after the battle.

The details include using exact copies of the steel rivets that were used in its construction and referencing images of the original artifact to cut exact copies of the jagged holes that the incident had caused that day on Albemarle Sound.

With the riddled smokestack recreated along with its history, it is not hard for viewers to imagine the intensity of the battle as the Albemarle fought off seven warships. With a little more imagination, one may even experience the power of bacon as the ship’s crew fueled the boilers to make their way back to their home port of Plymouth.

The late Doward N. Jones Jr. authored this story for the Spring 2014 edition of Eastern Living. Jones, a vital cog in the wheel of Eastern Living, passed away in October.

This story, which shows his love of Eastern North Carolina in general and Washington County in particular, was the best way we could think to pay tribute to him. He will always be part of us, and will be missed.

47

A FINAL FOR

THE AGES

Story by Jim Green

About

THE YEAR WAS 1970.

in

The state 1A baseball championship between the Farmer Falcons and the Robersonville Rams was to be contested in Robersonville with three games over four days.

The series – and the first game in particular – became the stuff of legend.

four

California,

years

ago

while

Bronfenbrenner

living

became

and film about the 1970 state championship series.

acquainted with neighbor Tom Clasby and his

“Michael B called me a couple of years ago,”

wife, Ginger Garner. Garner told him about

Respess said. “I told him about both pitchers

Farmer, (a community south of Asheboro in

(Robersonville’s Glenn Forbes and Farmer’s

Randolph County) where she grew up.

Randolph Myers) throwing all 17 innings, and

Eventually, she told him about the 1970 state baseball championship and the

he was all to pieces over it. He said this was going to be unreal.”

17-inning game. When Michael B suggested it

Michael B brought crews to Lanier Ballfield

should be a film, she said (in an article in the

in the New Hope Community in late August

Randolph County magazine Thrive), “That’s

2018

why I told you.”

grandsons of Farmer players. It was also a

to

shoot

reenactments

featuring

And, almost 50 years later, players,

Bronfenbrenner traveled to Randolph

reunion as players and coaches from both

coaches and fans associated with the two

County and met several involved with the

teams met for the first time in nearly five

communities

Falcons’ state championship team.

decades.

are

immortalized

in

the

He then contacted Nolan Respess, head

Not everybody could be at the reunion,

Michael Bronfenbrenner, known to many

coach at Robersonville, and soon after they

however. Robersonville players Bobby Gene

as Michael B, is the director and producer of the

met in Robersonville to discuss a reunion

Rawls and Lang Hardison, as well as Farmer

documentary “Just Plowboys.”

film, which documents the two communities and baseball teams success in the memorable 1970 season.

An

Ithaca

College

(N.Y.)

graduate,

Bronfenbrenner has lived in California and now resides in Connecticut. He owns B-Line Images, which has produced video, film and photography media for broadcast, web and DVD distribution for the past nine years.

48

EITHER TEAM COULD HAVE WON. THEY WERE THAT CLOSE IN TALENT. AND THE FIRST GAME…THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER GAME LIKE THAT ONE – EVER. - M ichael Bronfenbrenner

players Randy Johnson, Terry Johnson, Ronald

did as far as players were concerned,” Respess

‘Bear’ Lanier, Harrell Hoover and Louie Nance

said.

have all since passed on.

The premiere of “Just Plowboys” was held

Watching the film was emotional for Respess and Forbes.

just the 17-inning game.

All three games were decided by a total of five runs, and Farmer only scored runs in the seventh inning of game two (a 2-1 win) and

in September 2018 in Asheboro, and a large

“It brought tears to my eyes, even though

crowd from each community attended the

the focus was on Farmer,” Respess said. “The

event. A second screening was later held at

key to it was they had been to the last two

“Either team could have won. They were

the Turnage Theatre in Washington.

state finals and lost, and in 1970 they beat us.”

that close in talent,” Michael B said. “And the first game…there will never be another game

the first inning of game three (a 4-1 triumph) to take the title.

The film focuses on Farmer and its run to a

In fact, the Farmer players were playing

state title, but it also includes many interviews

for a school that, technically, no longer

with Robersonville people.

existed, and some of the players had already

ROBERSONVILLE IN 1970

graduated.

Nolan Respess had been in Robersonville

“We knew it would mainly be about them, but we had about as many interviews as they

The series was memorable for more than

like that one – ever.”

almost five years when the fateful 1970 season arrived.

“Robersonville was one fantastic place to raise a family,” he said. “It had two theatres, it had a drug store, and main street was just bustling.”

Robersonville High School was a Class 1A school then and had around 200 students in grades 9-12.

The powers-that-be then felt the team had more than enough talent to compete for a state title.

“What they wanted was someone to put some fire under them because I was a hellraiser,” Respess recalled, laughing. “I wouldn’t lie about it.”

Forbes also recalled how the town was as close-knit as Farmer’s during that time.

“The railroad tracks separated one end of town from the other,” he said. “When it

A reunion of sorts was held in 2018 with members of the 1970 Robersonville High School baseball team and Randall Myers, a pitcher on the 1970 Farmer High School team. Pictured from left are RHS head coach Nolan Respess, Rams players Edward Warren and Benny Knox, Myers, and Robersonville players Glenn Forbes, Hal Knox and Loyall Corey Jr.

snowed, we would have snowball fights. It was a lot of fun.”

As far as baseball, Respess believed his

49

team could win it all in 1970.

“We believed we had a state-caliber type team because we had Glenn Forbes and quite a few players back from the year before,” he said. “The town also had a tremendous Little League program and a great feeder program.”

With Forbes and fellow pitcher Benny Knox on the mound and a solid returning cast, Robersonville won its conference (which included its chief rival Jamesville, Oak City and Bear Grass) and made the state playoffs.

Respess

believed

in

pitching

and

defense, and with guys like Edward Warren, Everett Jackson, Hardison, Rawls, Hal Knox, Phil James, Timmy James, Summy Mobley, Loyall Corey and others, they went all the way to the 1970 state finals.

THE 17 INNING GAME Forbes, a left-hander, was primarily a breaking-ball pitcher, while his counterpart in game one – Myers – was right-handed and mainly a fastball pitcher.

“Glenn was in tremendously good physical shape and had such excellent

by a pitch and stole second. Phil James, who had struck out six times, came through with a single to bring in the winning run.

The next day (Saturday), Farmer had

Falcons out of a bases-loaded jam.

When the series is retold 48 years later, the 17-inning game is what many remember around this region.

still not scored through five innings against

“A lot of people around here still

Benny Knox, making it 22 scoreless frames,

don’t know whether we won the state

and Robersonville held a 1-0 lead in the top

championship or not,” Forbes said.

of the sixth inning.

Respess chimed in: “What we want to

The Rams loaded the bases and Younts

remember is the 17-inning game. What

replaced starter Randy Johnson and brought

Farmer wants to remember is winning the

Respess and his managerial counterpart,

in Junior Hunt. Hunt fell behind in the count

state championship in its final year as a

Woody Younts of Farmer, kept their eyes on

3-0 but came back with three straight

school.

control, he didn’t have to throw a lot of pitches,” Respess said.

“It was just a very exciting, unbelievable

WHEN YOU GET OLDER, YOU GET SOFTHEARTED. LITTLE

series,” he added.

THINGS CAN BRING TEARS TO YOUR EYES, AND SEEING

he misses the players his team lost and

SOME OF THESE GUYS… THEY DID A REAL GOOD

describes the series, and the documentary,

JOB WITH THEIR INTERVIEWS – VERY IMPRESSIVE. - Nolan Respess strikes to quell the uprising.

Respess said, while Myers threw about 220.

Hunt then became the hero in game two

Myers had a no-hitter in the ninth inning,

when his single with runners on second and

and Forbes was the one who broke it up.

as something special.

“When

you

get

older,

you

get

softhearted,” Respess said. “Little things can bring tears to your eyes, and seeing some

the pitchers throughout the contest.

Forbes threw around 170 pitches,

As time has passed, Respess admits

third brought in the winning run.

of these guys… they did a real good job with their interviews – very impressive.

“It hurts when you get old, because not many people around here now know

During the marathon game, people

The final game featured Myers versus

about that 17-inning game – they could care

listening on the radio came to the ballfield

Forbes again on the mound, and both

less about it,” he added. “But it’s big to me

in Robersonville to watch, and auxiliary

hurlers went seven innings. Farmer took

and Glenn Forbes, our families, and all of

bleachers were brought in. The bleachers

advantage of three uncharacteristic miscues

the players and everyone else who is still

collapsed under the weight, but no one was

by Robersonville to plate four unearned

around to remember it. We knew the focus

hurt.

runs in the first inning. The Falcons held

would be on Farmer but we were thrilled to

In the bottom of the 17th inning,

on for the 4-1 victory after Hunt threw to

take part in (the documentary). Michael B

Robersonville’s catcher, Hal Knox, was hit

first for the final out to get Myers and the

did a great job.”

50

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51

Jessica Pierce Winner of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses displays

kindness & compassion Story by Thadd White

One of Bertie County’s own has received an international award for her work as a nurse.

Jessica Pierce, an Emergency Department Nurse at Vidant Bertie Hospital, won the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

“I read a quote today that said, ‘When you’re a nurse you know everyday that you will touch a life or a life will touch yours,’” Pierce said. “Nothing seems more fitting to sum up the DAISY Award recognition.

“To say the least, I was shocked to receive the award,” she continued. “To find the words to express how truly honored I feel would be impossible.”

Vidant Bertie Hospital leaders, including President Brian Harvill, surprised her with the award during a touching ceremony “Jessica is an outstanding nurse who is well known not only for outstanding clinical skills, but for the special acts of kindness and compassion she provides to patients and families on a daily basis.”

Vidant Chowan Hospital Vice President for Patient Care Cindy Coker nominated Pierce for the DAISY Award. Her nomination story was heartfelt, sincere and reflected the values of a DAISY nurse.

Pierce was chosen from 106 blind nominations throughout Vidant Health.

“I can’t let any of this pass by without saying that I am fortunate enough to work in a profession with some of the most compassionate people in the world,” Pierce said. “We have good days and we have

52

bad days, but no matter what the day throws at us, we always have each other’s backs. I wish I could split my award into pieces and give it to my coworkers and colleagues that do the same things I do every day.”

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is an international recognition

program

honoring

skillful,

compassionate nurses who provide care every day. The family of J. Patrick Barnes established the DAISY Award after he died due to complications from an auto-immune disease in 1999.

During his hospitalization, the family deeply appreciated the care and compassion shown to Barnes and his family. When he died, the family formed the foundation to honor nurses who go above and beyond in delivering superb care.

“We never imagined when we created this program in 1999 that today, there would be just about 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing in all 50 states and 22 other countries, committed to honoring nurses with The DAISY Award,” the family said in a statement on the award’s website.

“The strategic impact of the program on nurses and their organizations is deep, affecting nurses' job satisfaction, retention, teamwork, pride, organizational culture, healthy work environment, and more.”

Pierce

received

the

DAISY

Nurse

certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a handcarved stone sculpture, titled “A Healer’s Touch.”

“Jessica lives by the tenants of the Vidant

Chubby’s Carpet Center, Inc.

Ceramic, Carpet, Vinyl & Wood Flooring, Luxury Vinyl Tile & Plank –We Also Bind Area Rugs –

Health mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina, especially the Bertie and Martin county communities, every single day,” Harvill noted. “We are very proud of Jessica for winning this outstanding, coveted award. It was well-deserved.”

Pierce said she was thankful for the “love and support from my family.”

She closed, “Despite the tough days, there is nothing else I can imagine doing with my life. I am so thankful nursing found me.”

Thadd White is Editor of Eastern North Carolina Living, the Bertie Ledger-Advance and the Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald.

CHUBBY WOOLARD Ph. 252-975-7544 Fax 252-975-7593

3654 Hwy. 264 East Washington, NC 27889

chubbyscarpetcenter@embarqmail.com 53

&

OUT ABOUT! Out & About is a listing of events happening in and

around the 12 counties which make up the coverage region for Eastern North Carolina Living magazine.

Those wishing to have an event listed should sent it to: Eastern Living, Attn: Out & About, P.O. Box 69,

Windsor, NC 27983. Email events to Thadd White at twhite@ncweeklies.com.

Feb. 1 Underground Railroad Presentation WINDSOR – A presentation titled “Roanoke River Underground Railroad History in Bertie County” will be held from 9:30 a.m.- noon Saturday, Feb. 1.

Featured presentations will include an overview of developing the Roanoke River Underground Railroad Trail, an overview of the book, “The bondswoman’s Narrative,” other educational information and a free light breakfast.

An optional lunch will be available for those who register for $15.

The presentation will be held at the Heritage Center, 132 Hope House Rd. in Windsor.

For more information or to register, call 252-794-3140 or email info@ hopeplantation.org.

Festival of Soups WINDSOR – Historic Hope Plantation will host a Festival of Soups from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1.

There will be a variety of soups, breads and desserts.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 10.

The Heritage Center is located at 132 Hope House Rd. in Windsor.

For more information or for tickets, call 252-794-3140 or email info@ hopeplantation.org.

Screenplay Writing Workshop WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host a screenplay writing

54

workshop from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1.

The workshop will be led by East Carolina University’s School of Fine Arts and Communication Cinematic Arts Instructor Michael Tierno.

Tickets are $35 with cash or $37 with a credit card.

The workshop will be held at the historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofpamlico.org.

Feb. 7 & 8 Wildlife Arts Festival WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host a Wildlife Arts Festival Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8.

The festival will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington and around downtown Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Feb. 8 Comedy Show WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host an IC Comedy Improv at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8.

Tickets are $5 at the door. Concessions will be for sale.

The show will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Feb. 13 Senior Dance WASHINGTON – The Washington Senior Dance will be held from 7 p.m.10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13 at the Washington Civic Center.

Admission is $8.

For more information, call 252-3647264 or 252-944-6198.

Feb. 15 Community Connections Plymouth – The Alliance of Greater Eastern North Carolina will host an all-day event beginning at noon through 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15.

The day will begin with a presentation titled “Roanoke River Underground Railroad Trail,” followed by a light lunch, the viewing of the movie, “Harriet,” additional historic activities, art exhibits and will end with a jazz concert by “Connected.”

All activities are free for the public, but the fee for the concert is $20 per person.

The event will be held at the Vernon James Center, 207 Research Station Rd. in Plymouth.

For more information, call 252-4127067.

Feb. 22 Henry and Ramona On Stage WASHINGTON – East Carolina University’s Storybook Theatre will present Henry and Ramona on stage at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.

Tickets at $5 with cash and $7 with credit card.

The play will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Dance WASHINGTON – The USA Dance Chapter 6046 will host an open dance with lessons at 7 p.m. and the dance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.

The dance will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Voice Lessons WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host voice lessons from 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.

Lessons will be taught by Natalie Stewart of East Carolina University’s School of Theatre and Dance.

Lessons are $10.

The lessons will be taught at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Feb. 26 Voice Lessons WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host voice lessons from 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Lessons will be taught by Natalie

Birds, Brews & BBQ

Saturday, March 14, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

There will be craft beer, BBQ, games, live music and admission to the bird park. All proceeds support the conservation and education at Sylvan Heights Bird Park. The event will be held at the bird park, 500 Sylvan Heights Parkway in Scotland Neck.

For more information, call 252-826-3186 or visit www.shwpark.com.

Stewart of East Carolina University’s School of Theatre and Dance.

Lessons are $10.

The lessons will be taught at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Feb. 29 Paint n’ Party ELIZABETH CITY – The Museum of the Albemarle will celebrate Dr. Seuss with a Paint n’ Party from 10 a.m.- noon Saturday, Feb. 29.

Participants will celebrate with the reading of “Cat in the Hat” and painting on canvas with Mara Swindell of Create and Celebrate.

The cost is $25 per person or $23 for Museum of the Albemarle members, and preregistration is required.

Museum of the Albemarle is located at 501 South Water St. in Elizabeth City.

For more information or to register, call 252-335-1453.

Feb. 29 & March 1 Play WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico Players will host The Dinner Party on stage Saturday, Feb. 29 and Sunday, March 1.

The play will be held at Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

March 3 Intro to Costume History and Costume Design WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host a workshop titled “Introduction to Costume History and Costume Design with Jeffery Phipps” from 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 3.

The cost of the workshop is $10.

The workshop will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

March 6 Alive After 5 WASHINGTON – Alive After 5 will be held from 5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 in Caboose Park.

Enjoy live music, tasty beverages and a fun casual atmosphere.

For more information, email gwhitlock@washingtonnc.gov.

March 12 Senior Dance WASHINGTON – The Washington Senior Dance will be held from 7 p.m.10 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at the Washington Civic Center.

Admission is $8.00.

For more information, call 252-3647264 or 252-944-6198.

March 12-15 Clay Shooting Championship WASHINGTON – The 2020 East Coast Shooting Championships will be held Thursday, March 12; Friday, March 13; Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 at Hunter’s Point Sporting Clays.

For more information or to register, visit www.hunterspointenc.com.

March 12, 26 & April 2, 9, 16 and 23 Guardian ad Litem Training JACKSON – Guardian ad Litem training will be held March 12 and 26 and April 2, 9, 16 and 23 at the Northampton Memorial Library.

Individuals will be trained to be volunteer child advocates for abused and neglected children in our local court system.

The library is located at 207 West Jefferson St. in Jackson.

For more information or to register, call 252-574-3121 or visit https:// volunteerforgal.org.

March 13 St. Patrick’s Day Event WASHIGNTON –Abbott Tunstall will sponsor a St. Patrick’s Day event with live music by Rivermist Friday, March 13.

Tickets at $15 with cash and $17 with credit card.

The event will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

March 14 Habitats and Leprechaun Traps WASHINGTON – The North Carolina Estuarium will host Habitats and Leprechaun Traps at 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, March 14.

Participants will explore St. Patrick’s Day lore and build their own leprechaun.

For more information or to register, call 252-948-0000.

Birds, Brews & BBQ Sylvan Heights Bird Park will host Birds, Brews & BBQ from 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

There will be craft beer, BBQ, games, live music and admission to the bird park.

All proceeds support the conservation and education at Sylvan Heights Bird Park.

The event will be held at the bird park, 500 Sylvan Heights Parkway in Scotland Neck.

For more information, call 252-8263186 or visit www.shwpark.com.

Comedy Fest WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host a Comedy Festival from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

The event will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Women’s Empowerment Conference PLYMOUTH – A Women’s Empowerment Conference 2020 will be held 2 p.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

The conference will be held at the Vernon G. James Research Center, 207 Research Station Rd. in Plymouth.

March 17 Workshop WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host a workshop titled “Introduction to Costume History and Costume Design with Jeffery Phipps” from 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 17.

Tickets for the workshop is $10.

The workshop will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West

Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

March 18 Fashion Show Lunch WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host the Corsets & Crinolines Fashion Show Lunch at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 18 at Fox Hollow Farms.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

March 20 Art Walk WASHINGTON – An Art Walk will be held from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. Friday, March 20 in downtown Washington.

For more information, call 252-9462504.

March 21 Roanoke Canal Half Marathon & 8K ROANOKE RAPIDS – The Roanoke Canal Museum & Trail will host a half marathon and 8K starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 21.

Both races will begin at Roanoke Rapids Lake Park and take place on the Roanoke Canal Trail.

For more information or to register, visit https://runsignup.com/race/ NC/RoanokeRapids/TheRoanokeCanalHalfMarathonand8K. Swindell Sound Series BATH – The Swindell Sound Series will host the Blunt’s Creek Blues Band from 7:30 p.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Coffee Arts in Bath.

Tickets are $5.

Coffee Arts is located at 103 Main St. in Bath.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Open Dance WASHINGTON – The USA Dance Chapter 6046 will host an open dance with lessons at 7 p.m. and the dance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21.

55

The dance will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

March 27-29 Opera WASHINGTON – The East Carolina University School of Music Opera Theatre will host The Fantasticks with matinee and evening shows Friday, March 27; Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29.

The shows will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

April 3 Alive After 5 WASHINGTON – Alive After 5 will be held from 5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3 in Caboose Park.

Enjoy live music, beverages and a fun, casual atmosphere.

Beverages will be for sale and food trucks will be available.

For more information, email gwhitlock@washingtonnc.gov.

April 3 & 4 Writers Conference WASHINGTON – The Pamlico Writers Group will host a writer’s conference Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4.

The conference will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

April 4 Easter Egg Drop WASHINGTON – An Easter Egg Drop will be held at noon Saturday, April 4 at Washington-Warren Airport.

The Easter egg drop is for ages 12 and under.

For more information, contact Erin Ruyle at eruyle@washingtonnc.gov.

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Park Explorer’s Day SCOTLAND NECK – Sylvan Heights Bird Park will host a Park Explorer’s Day from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Receive 50 percent off the scavenger hunt books, endangered species passports and wetland safari challenge booklets.

Sylvan Heights Bird Park is located at 500 Sylvan Heights Way in Scotland Neck.

For more information, call 252-8263186.

April 10 Comedy Show WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host the IC Comedy Improv at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 10.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

The show will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

April 11 Annie Jr. WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico Bubblegum Theatre will present “Annie Jr.” at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 11.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students.

The show will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Nature Scavenger Hunt SCOTLAND NECK – The Sylvan Heights Bird Park will host a Nature Scavenger Hunt from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 11.

Participants will have the opportunity to do a one-of-a-kind scavenger hunt free with the price of admission.

Sylvan Heights Bird Park is located at 500 Sylvan Heights Park Way in Scotland Neck.

For more information, call 252-8263186.

April 13 through April 17 Spring Break Art Camp WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host Spring School Break Art Camp from 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

Monday, April 13 through Friday, April 17.

The camp is for Beaufort County children ages 6 through 15.

The cost of the camp is $75 for family members, $100 for non-family members or $100 for family memberships.

Registration is required.

For more information or to register, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org/ events.

April 18 Beer, Wine and Food Festival WASHINGTON – The Sails and Ales Beer, Wine and Food Festival will be held Saturday, April 18 at the Washington Civic Center.

There will be breweries, wineries, food trucks, vendors, live music and more.

For more information, email gwhitlock@washingnc.gov.

Earth Day Celebration SCOTLAND NECK – The Sylvan Heights Bird Park will host an Earth Day Celebration from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18.

Local organizations with an environmental focus will set up hands on educational exhibits for all ages.

The Earth Day Celebration is free with admission or membership.

The Sylvan Heights Bird Park is located at 500 Sylvan Heights Park Way in Scotland Neck.

For more information, call 252-8263186.

April 25 Music Festival WASHINGTON – The Beaufort County Traditional Music Association of the Arts will host the BOCO Music Festival Saturday, April 25.

Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.

The festival will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Save the Frogs Day SCOTLAND NECK – The Sylvan Heights Bird Park will hose Save the Frogs Day from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25.

Come learn about the importance of amphibians in the wetland ecosystem and get inspired to help save the world’s most rapidly disappearing animals.

Sylvan Heights Bird Park is located at 500 Sylvan Heights Park Way in Scotland Neck.

For more information, call 252-8263186.

May 3 Orchestra Concert WASHINGTON – The Beaufort County Community Orchestra will host a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3.

The concert is free, but donations are appreciated.

The Concert will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

May 22 Art Walk WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host an art walk from 6 p.m.8 p.m. Friday, May 22.

The art walk will be held at the galleries throughout downtown Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

May 23 Open Dance WASHINGTON – The USA Dance Chapter 6046 will host a open dance with dance lessons at 7 p.m. and the dance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23.

The dance will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

May 29 Gala of Music WASHINGTON – The East Carolina University School of Music will host a Gala of Music at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 29.

The event will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

May 30 Comedy Show WASHINGTON – The Arts of the Pamlico will host the IC Comedy Improv at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 30.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

The show will be held at the Historic Turnage Theatre, 150 West Main St. in Washington.

For more information, visit www.artsofthepamlico.org.

57

12 Views From Our

Photos by Thadd White

Havens Gardens Park 1001 Park Drive, Washington • (252) 975-9644 or (252) 975-9636 (for reservations) Park hours year-round are sunrise to sunset. Restroom facilities hours are as follows: March-April & September-October 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (weather permitting); May-August — 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; November-February — closed. Two covered picnic shelters, all-inclusive playground equipment, fishing pier and open grass areas for volleyball, tag football and other activities.

For a small charge, groups may reserve picnic shelters. No fees are charged to Beaufort County school groups.

58

59

ALL IN A

Day’s Trip The O’Neil Hotel

Kinston has been going through a recent resurgence of small businesses and is quite

Join

a destination in North Carolina for a day trip.

Kinston is about 40 minutes from

the

Kinston

renaissance Story & Photos by Meghan Grant

60

Greenville and has been made famous thanks to Vivian Howard and her show on PBS, “A Chef’s Life.”

In addition to Vivian’s, and husband Ben’s, restaurants, Mother Earth Brewery has helped encourage tourism to the town as well. There are quite a few things to do and see around the town, and there are some lovely places to stay if you decide to stay overnight on your trip.

The Boiler Room

Where to Eat

catfish is on the menu, order that, too!

or the butter bean veggie burger, are really

CHEF & THE FARMER: The restaurant

If you decide to spend the night in

that put Kinston on the map as a culinary

Kinston, stay and enjoy their signature

destination is everything I hoped it would be

cocktails and wines. My personal favorite

Address: 108B W North St, Kinston, NC

cocktail is the RBG, made with Mother Earth

28501 with free street parking and a public

and more.

The restaurant is located right in downtown Kinston and features locally sourced ingredients. The food is familiar, but with a bit of flair.

It’s

highly

recommended

to

make

reservations well in advance, but the seating at the bar is first come, first serve and is a fun place to watch the bartenders make cocktails.

gin, lemon, lime and pinot noir.

Address: 120 West Gordon St, Kinston, NC 28501 with free street parking and a public parking lot.

THE BOILER ROOM: This is a small, quintessential restaurant that shows what’s good about eastern North Carolina towns. It boasts a menu of oysters, burgers and beer with something on the menu for everyone, including kids.

delicious options! Also, the fried oysters are a must.

parking lot.

KINGS BBQ: If you are a fan of eastern North Carolina BBQ, then a stop at Kings BBQ in Kinston is a must. A must-order is the “Pig in a Puppy” sandwich, which is BBQ served in between two halves of a giant hushpuppy.

There are three different locations in Kinston.

Ask the server what they recommend on

Start with the baked pimento cheese

Address: 405 E. New Bern Rd. OR 910 W.

the menu as it changes daily. A favorite order

and sausage dip served with saltines. The

Vernon Ave. OR 2405 N. Queen St., Kinston,

is the flash-fried collards. If the pan-roasted

shrimp burger, with fried shrimp and slaw,

NC, 28504.

Chef & The Farmer

61

ALL IN A

Day’s Trip The O’Neil Hotel

What to Do CSS NEUSE CIVIL WAR INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND GOVERNOR CASWELL MEMORIAL: Two important pieces of North Carolina history can be explored while visiting Kinston.

At Governor Richard Caswell Memorial shares the life of Richard Caswell, who was the first governor of the independent state of North Carolina and his role in establishing North Carolina as part of the United States.

Address: 2612 W. Vernon Ave. (U.S. 70 Bus.), Kinston, NC 28504 The CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center shares the remains of the Confederate steam-powered ironclad ram. There is an art exhibit and information on the history of the ironclad for eastern North Carolina.

Address: 100 N. Queen St., Kinston, NC 28501 THE RED ROOM: This is awesome that eastern North Carolina has such a unique music venue. Check out the schedule for karaoke or your favorite band. It'd be the perfect time to have dinner and a concert while visiting.

Address: 220 N. Heritage St., Kinston, NC 28501

Where to Stay

EARTH

THE O'NEIL HOTEL: The O’Neil Hotel is located in the former

TAPROOM & BREWERY:

Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank and this boutique hotel is a true

Mother Earth Taproom is

gem. The space was so comfortable, but yet swanky with its

a

craft

beautiful, ornate lobby. The rooms are repurposed out of old

brewery featuring a solar-

offices from the banks and have a really unique feel. The hotel

powered taproom and a

stocks Mother Earth beer in the cooler located in the former bank

drinks-only beer garden.

vault, plus has a coffee station, which is so nice in the morning.

MOTHER

green-conscious

The taproom has beautiful

Address: 200 N. Queen St., Kinston, NC 28501

murals and the brewery

MOTHER EARTH MOTOR LODGE: Take a step back in time

uses sustainable practices

at the Mother Earth Motor Lodge. The original motor lodge was

for bottling beer. Take a

built in 1963, and the owners of Mother Earth have revived this

tour or just relax and enjoy

building. It's a great spot with a fun vibe full of nostalgia and

a beverage in the bright

features a miniature golf course.

space.

Address: 501 N. Heritage St., Kinston, NC 28501

Address: 311 N. Heritage St., Kinston, NC 28501 KINSTON DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS: This is perfect for summer visits! The Down East Wood Ducks are in their third season at Grainger Stadium and are a Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers. It’s a fun atmosphere and they’ve had great success over the past couple of years!

Address: 400 E Grainger Ave., Kinston, NC 28502

62

Okay, so, y’all! Make a day trip to Kinston so you can eat your heart out at Vivian’s delicious restaurants. Or, make the choice to spend the night and enjoy Mother Earth’s options.

Meghan Grant is the author of the blog, “I’m Fixing’ To…” and a regular contributor to Eastern North Carolina Living.

63

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Call now

to res

at Lifts erve Bo

& Slips

for 2020

Discover the charm and beauty

65

Grandma’s

Kitchen Sylvia Hughes with her grandmother, Bertie Dameron.

Do you love all the seasons of the year? There are pluses for every one of them.

palette. Maybe it will suit yours too. I like it served with warm buttered rolls. They can come from

During the cold months of winter, I find comfort in coming in from the cold to a cozy warm home.

the deli counter in your local grocery or from the many varieties of frozen breads.

When night falls early, it seems to enclose your

A nice green salad is always good with

home with peace and quiet. The foods we tend

something a little heavy. You can make your own

to cook in winter are what we call comfort foods.

or grab one of your choice while at the grocery

Beef stew, chili and vegetable beef soup are my

store.

favorites. Do you have favorite recipes for winter?

And what is comfort food without a dessert?

If you do, I would love to know about them. They

These can also be made at home or picked up

could expand my list.

already prepared.

At the time I am writing, this winter has been

My wish for you this winter is that you stay

mild and mostly warm. That could change quickly.

safe, warm and enjoy cooking and eating all

In North Carolina we can have all four seasons in

your favorite comfort foods. If your New Year’s

one week. It keeps things interesting.

Resolution was to lose weight, I have found that

My beef stew is a result of trial and error over many years. I sought for a taste that suited my

almost any recipe can be changed to diet friendly ingredients.

Sylvia Hughes is a retired newspaper editor and columnist residing in Windsor.

In addition to three sons, she has a gaggle of grandchildren, many of whom love cooking with her just as she did with her mother and grandmother.

66

Beef Stewadd

ef from About one pound of stew be piece into grocery store (I cut each smaller bite sized pieces) Small onion

s Package of small baby carrot Three potatoes, diced juice Small can of tomato or V8

small carrots, diced d bouillon potatoes, tomato juice an Then

cubes.

ure to Cook on lowest temperat k for an reach just a slow boil and coo additional hour.

Place about

tablespoon of d add nstarch in a small bowl an cor es cub lon Two beef bouil ste. Add to enough water to make a pa ch tar Corns long slowly while stirring. Cook w ste to ter wa in ion on d Cook the beef an enough to thicken slightly. cover well for about an hour a

Butterm ilk Coconut Pies

This is a recipe I got from my mama . Don’t know where she got it from, but it is so easy and quick.

6 eggs 1 cup buttermilk 1 ½ sticks butter melted 2 ¾ cups sugar 3 teaspoons vanilla 1 ½ cups or 3 ½ oz. coconut Blend ingredients one at a time in the order listed Pour in 3 pie shells Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees

67

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Belhaven 906 US Hwy 264E 252-943-6388 Chocowinity 101 Bernard Court 252-974-2440

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800-776-8566 | www.visitmartincounty.com

Don’t Forget To Pick Up Your Copy of Eastern Living Magazine Beaufort • Bertie • Edgecombe • Gates • Halifax • Hertford • Hyde • Martin • Nash • Northampton • Tyrrell • Washington Some Of Many Locations To Pick Up A Copy: Beaufort

Bertie

Edgecombe

• Acre Station • Southern Bank

• Town Hall • Vidant Bertie Hospital

• Abrams Restaurant • Senior Center

Gates

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• Southern Bank • Merchants Millpond

• Riverside Mill • McDowell’s Pharmacy

• Joe Murray Realty • Colonial Pharmacy

Hyde

Martin

Nash

• Englehard Hotel • Harris Steakhouse

• Mama’s Pizza • All About Flowers

• Rocky Mount Telegram

EASTERN

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Our Stories Tay l o r ’s E x xo n : S t i l l S e rv i n g

A l l i gat o r D e l i v e ry: Yo u ’ v e G o t M a i l

J ag u a r s : J u s t P l ay

EASTERN

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C A R O L I N A

C A R O L I N A

Give me that

Old Time

Religion

Stories of indelible impressions that will be engraved in our communities forever

Take a trip through our community’s celebrated houses of worship and discover their unique stories

EASTERN

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C A R O L I N A

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Bobbie Parker:

C A R O L I N A

community Activist

All things

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Joella Brown:

Athletic Director

George’s Sauces

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A&M Bar-Be-Que

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Family event in downtown washington

Cooking up success

Women tAke the leAD: A Celebration of Women’s History Month

Fort Branch Museum: Unique pieces of history

Port O’Plymouth Museum: Find real local artifacts

The Thad Eure Museum: Gates County makes plans

1

1

69

biography •

Story & Photos by Jim Green

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Don Torrence

spent 40 years at ballfields and courts in Williamston.

70

Now, he says, it’s time to call it a career.

Torrence officially retired on Dec. 1 as the athletic programs coordinator for the Williamston Parks and Recreation Department. He takes with him a wealth of memories and experiences from working with hundreds of athletes, parents, community members and other regional and state parks and recreation officials for four decades.

“It’s been pretty neat to work with upwards of three generations of people and to see those different generations come along,” said Torrence, 65. “I see ones from years past and we talk, as well as their grandparents, and people with children who are playing now.”

But after spending two-thirds of his life in parks and recreation, it was time for Torrence to step away, he said, to spend more time with family.

“I will still stop by and watch some games, but it wasn’t hard to leave because I have about five years of jobs at the house I have put off through the years,” Torrence said, smiling. “I will also have a lot more family time.”

Torrence said he could have retired 10 years ago, but didn’t because he still enjoyed his job.

“Basically every three or

four months, there are new or different sports with the season changes, different coaches and parents. It’s never the same thing,” he said.

Last spring, Torrence said he reevaluated his life and career when he missed half of his oldest grandson’s first year of coach-pitch baseball in Oak City.

Daughter Christina has two boys, ages 7 and 3, and daughter Carley is expecting her first child any day now.

“I pretty much decided then that I wouldn’t do this next spring,” he said. “I want to spend time with my family. The times I missed I can’t get back.”

Torrence started in the recreation scene by working summers with the Williamston Parks and Recreation Department in the mid-1970s. After he held several other jobs, he applied for the department’s athletic programs supervisor job when it came open in the spring of 1980.

“I had taken some recreation courses and got interested that way,” said Torrence, who served under three directors in his tenure - Eddie Beach, Mel Alexander, and most recently, Allen Overby.

“It appealed to me because I got to work outside, have pretty much flexible hours and work with parents and their kids.”

“Don has been a tremendous

“

Don has been a huge asset to our department and the citizens of this community not as an athletic coordinator, but as a coach, friend, coworker and mentor.

- Allen Overby

“

asset to our department and community,” Overby said. “He has shown professionalism and an outstanding work ethic throughout his career and has also been a mentor to thousands of youths that have come through our programs.”

Torrence has overseen all aspects of youth sports in his career, from forming tennis leagues to preparing facilities and field maintenance to rules and scheduling, as well as working with sponsors, coaches and officials.

He has been active throughout his career with the Eastern Athletic Conference (EAC) as well as the State-Wide Activities Committee (SWAC). He was instrumental in starting the EAC Volleyball AllStar Tournament and has served in an active role with the EAC and SWAC basketball, softball and soccer tournaments for several years.

He also played a major role in

Williamston hosting the 2009 Eastern North Carolina Babe Ruth Softball State Tournament. In addition, he has also participated in numerous SWAC meetings and tournaments and has attended the Athletic Directors Workshop for countless years.

Torrence has also seen many changes over the years - notably, the switch from slow-pitch softball to fast-pitch in the late 1990s and well as the addition of new facilities.

For years, WPR offered flag and tackle football, volleyball, basketball and softball and even helped with the Williamston Youth Baseball and Martin County Youth Soccer Association.

The building of GodwinCoppage Park off Tyner Road in Williamston about a decade ago has been a major achievement by the town during Torrence’s tenure. It helped alleviate some of the field space and scheduling issues with various sports and

also has helped the town land state softball tournaments the past few years.

Previously, the town was using one multi-use field at Police Park, and three fields at Gaylord Perry Park. Now, Godwin-Coppage Park houses four softball fields (which have also been used for travel baseball and church league softball) and three fields for soccer.

“It was getting to the point where we were running out of fields,” Torrence said. “When the highway (64) came through, it took away the field at Police Park.

Losing that was hard on us, but I have to give the town credit they bit the bullet and decided to use grant money and some other money to build a stateof-the-art facility to help bring in tournaments into the town.

That has paid off pretty well into bringing people and money into our local economy. With the growth of soccer, they now have a place to play under the lights. It’s worked out great for everybody.

For a town this size to have a facility like Godwin-Coppage, it’s pretty much unheard of.”

During his four decades here, Torrence has also coached recreation sports - football, basketball and softball - as well

as seen the good and bad.

“The good thing is there are a lot of kids who have come through this program and parents have had the opportunity to coach,” he said. “The facility improvements have been tremendous. We now have a gymnasium we can play basketball and volleyball in, whereas when I first started, we were playing in the armory and sometimes didn’t have heat, or playing in a school gym - using other people’s facilities. It was ridiculous how many nights we had to play just to get everything in.”

One of the biggest challenges the local department faces is the loss of numbers.

“As the numbers have fallen off, now it’s a challenge sometimes to have a quality league because of the number of teams, and parents who are willing to coach,” he said. “As the numbers drop, it becomes harder to field the same number of teams and find enough people who want to coach them.”

In 2014, Torrence received a high honor when he was recognized with the Meritorious Service Award at the 42nd Annual Athletic Director’s Workshop in Winston-Salem.

“It was a surprise and quite an

71

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honor, and it’s always special to be recognized by your peers - by the same people who are in the same field, know what’s going on and what you have to put up with, season after season and year after year,” he said.

Torrence believes what makes a good recreation department is what he hopes the current department will look for in his replacement.

“Being organized to a T, being dedicated and tireless, which is true for just about anything in life,” he said. “You have to be willing to put time on task to get the job done.”

What would Torrence like to see in the next hire?

“I hope it’s someone from the area who knows this area, is younger than me and has a lot of energy and dedication to put toward the kids and the programs here said. “And whatever you do, make it your own program - do it the way you see fit.”

Overby said of Torrence: “Don has been a huge asset to our department and the citizens of this community not as an athletic coordinator, but as a coach, friend, coworker and mentor. He has also played a vital role in allstar tournaments throughout not only Eastern North Carolina but statewide. I cannot begin to guess the number of kids he has had a positive impact on through the years. His dedication and experience will be missed.”

Jim Green is Copy Editor for Eastern North Carolina Living Magazine and is the Sports Editor for the Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald, the Bertie Ledger-Advance and The Standard.

72

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73

Striper Fishing Techniques

W

hen it comes to striper fishing here in the sound and rivers the fishing is a lot more than just dragging stretch baits by a bridge piling. This can work but you are missing out on so many other fish if you just try to switch things up.

When the water temperatures reach 45 degrees the bait will move to deeper water in order to survive.

If you know how to work your depth finder, go to your favorite fishing spot and troll around looking at your electronics with a keen eye until you see a school of fish with a ball of bait fish around or above it. This is almost always stripers following balls of baitfish up and down the rivers. You can sometimes see them under flocks of birds or even a single

74

bird hovering over the water.

When you reach the school drop a swim bait or even a trout bait on a jig head and bounce the bait in the school. If you get good, you can sometimes see the bait falling on your depth finder right to the fish.

One of the things this does is to make the birds follow where the fish go, and right now you can go out on almost any river and on the sound and find a flock of birds chasing schools of bait that are being chased to the surface by the stripers.

Sometimes the fish want a violent jerk with the rod while other times they like it just sitting there in the school so vary your presentation until it works and you get a bite.

Shallow water stripers are another way to catch fish with stump flats on the north side of the river being your best bet.

You can cast a Rattle Trap or swim bait up on the flats and work it back to the boat, or you can troll it through the flats if you dare, but be careful not to lose your lure.

This pattern works best on points or sudden depth changes where the channel bends toward the bank or a creek dumps into the river.

Set up outside the mouth of the creek especially when the current is moving out, then cast your swim bait up into the creek mouth and

work it back out to the boat. The fish will be waiting for the bait to move out and ambush them at the points of the creek.

The key to these spots are to mark them, because if you catch them once you will catch them again.

This year the rockfish have been in numbers almost like the old days with big size and quantity and the one key to these schools is the amount of bait that they tend to follow, which is huge numbers in the sound and rivers.

One of the things this does is to make the birds follow where

the fish go, and right now you can go out on almost any river and on the sound and find a flock of birds chasing schools of bait that are being chased to the surface by the stripers. It used to happen all the time way back when but now it is starting to happen again.

Look for them around bridges, river mouths or even creeks that dump out into the rivers. Always look at the sky and scope the horizon for these birds and remember there may only be a few birds or there could be hundreds.

When you see these birds,

approach the school as quiet as possible and fish the outside edges while trying to avoid the center.

This will scatter the bait ball and spook the bite. This is just a couple of ways to catch rockfish in our area instead of trolling bridges all day, so next time you are struggling, try to switch it up a little and work something different.

Mike Sweeney is a columnist for The Daily Advance in Elizabeth City and a regular contributor to Eastern North Carolina Living.

Jon Whitehurst (left) and Amber Jones (right) holding striped bass, and are regular fishers in the waterways of eastern North Carolina.

75

County: Nash Marker ID: E-7 Original Date Cast: 1937

MARKER TEXT ROCKY MOUNT MILLS Second cotton mill in State. Building begun, 1818. Federals burned, 1863. Soon rebuilt.

MARK IT! Title To Begin Here

Rabore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam Information courtesy of the voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources ea rebum.

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R

ocky Mount Mills, the second cotton mill in North Carolina (after the Schenck-Warlick Mill in Lincoln County), was built in 1818 on a 20-acre tract of land

at the falls of the Tar River in Edgecombe County. The mills were operated initially by Joel Battle and two partners, but by 1825 Battle was the sole proprietor. When Joel Battle died in 1829, his

Two FA Photo Ad

son William took over the operation of the mills. Built from local

granite, the facility was three stories plus a basement; within the

Maximum of two financial advisor photos.

building, the Battles operated both cotton and grist mills.

Slaves and a few free African Americans supplied the labor at Rocky MountIfMills from financial the earliest days until about more advisors

1852, when the Battles began be to substitute white use workers, should included, the many of whom werecommunity women and children.

By that time local name listing or slave owners were less inclined to hire their slaves out for 1-800-ED-JONES version.

factory work and local white men found the work “humiliating.”

Eventually becoming a more desirable place of employment, a village of “neat white cottages” for factory workers grew up in the vicinity of the mill.

A large industrial complex, Rocky Mount Mills was raided

by Brigadier General Edward E. Potter’s Union cavalry on July 20, 1863. The mills, outbuildings, cotton, and yarn were destroyed by fire. William Battle rebuilt Rocky Mount Mills on the original foundation between 1866 and 1867. The new brick building, four stories with a basement, burned in 1869. Battle again rebuilt the mills. During the height of its nineteenth century production, the cotton mills, with about 50 employees, could process about 700 pounds of raw cotton per day.

In 1883 financial difficulties led William Battle to relinquish control of the mill. Thomas A. Battle, great-grandson of Joel Battle, was secretary to the mill’s new board of trustees.

REFERENCES William S. Powell, ed., Encyclopedia of North Carolina (2006)—essay by David A. Norris J. Kelly Turner and John L. Bridgers Jr., History of Edgecombe County, North Carolina (1920)

Rod Cant Financial A See buildings page 2in for his leadership. Battle constructed additional 1889financial He eventually became president and the mills thrived under

.

and 1894. When Rocky Mount Mills closed in 1996, it was advisor

Holland Thompson, From the Cotton Field to the Cotton Mill (1906)

believed to be the oldest operating cotton mill in the South.

Rocky Mount Mills Records, Southern Historical Collection, UNC

It now comprises a local historic district and is undergoing

Chapel Hill, online finding aid at: http://webcat.lib.unc.edu/search?/

redevelopment. In 2007 Capitol Broadcasting Company of

drocky+mount+mills/drocky+mount+mills/1%2C2%2C5%2CB/ frameset&FF=drocky+mount+mills+rocky+mount+n+c&3%2C%2C3

Raleigh purchased between 50 and 60 acres of the complex,

Capitol Broadcasting Company website: http://www.cbc-raleigh.com/capcom/

comprised of 300,000 square feet of mill and factory

news/2007/corporate_07/rm_mill_purchase/rm_mill_purchase.html

buildings, 30 mill village houses and 30 vacant lots.

76

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PARTING SHOTS Thadd White

By the time you reach this page, you have likely explored most of this most recent edition of Eastern North Carolina Living.

Gates County. The annual event raises funds

throughout the county for being at every

for the Gates County Special Olympics.

event to post colors and participate in many

Jim Green tells the storied history of

ways.

If you’ve racked your brain trying to figure

Turnage Theater in Washington. For those

Tyrrell County has a wonderful history of

out the theme of this latest edition, let me put

who haven’t had the opportunity to visit – put

small town post offices which are no longer

your mind at ease. There really isn’t one.

it on your list of things to do.

around. Sarah Stalls was able to find the

Since this staff took over responsibility for

Sarah Hodges Stalls followed a team of

the magazine, we’ve diligently worked to have

Martin County church folks who volunteer

themes and a story from each county on that

regularly in New Bern and the surrounding

theme.

region to rebuild after Hurricane Florence.

This time, however, we just wanted to tell good stories

from

our

12

Those wanting a quick trip

postmarks for many of them, and gives a nice history of their existence.

In this month’s Biography you’ll meet Don Torrence, who has devoted his adult life to the youth of Martin County.

to the good ole’ days can make

Meghan Grant takes us on a quick Day

the trek to Taylor’s Exxon in Nash

Trip to Lenoir County, where Kinston is in the

County. William West writes about

midst of something of a renaissance.

the gas station that still provides

Sylvia Hughes provides readers with some recipes for “comfort food.”

counties – and there are

full service to customers.

If you’ve ever thought of taking

We’ll be back in two months with stories

an abundance of them.

a trip to Mattamuskeet, you’ll find

about the arts – performing and expression.

out why to go during the winter

We hope you’ll pick up your copy in March.

This time, however, we just wanted to tell good stories from our 12 counties – and there

in Sandy Carawan’s latest contribution to the magazine.

Sarah Davis shares the story of people

are an abundance of them.

Until next time, remember… all who wander are not lost. Continue joining us as we wander through Beaufort, Bertie, Edgecombe,

heirloom

in Murfreesboro and throughout Hertford

Gates,

collards, and how they have become a big hit

County working together to provide for those

Nash, Northampton, Tyrrell and Washington

among people in Edgecombe County and the

who have basic needs such as food.

counties.

John

Walker

wrote

about

Halifax,

Hertford,

Hyde,

Martin,

Those interested in learning more about

Thadd White is Editor of Eastern Living

Leslie Beachboard then shared information

JROTC can do so from Leslie’s story about the

Magazine, the Bertie Ledger-Advance and the

about the Polar Plunge on Beaver Lake in

Bertie unit. The group has become known

Martin County Enterprise & Weekly Herald.

surrounding region.

78

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