The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 2
Welcome to the 23rd edition of the N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival On behalf of the North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival Committee, and our hardworking volunteers, Welcome to the 23rd Annual North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival. As the festival’s director, it has been an honor and a privilege again this year to work with our community to help organize such a spectacular event, one that our community looks forward to each and every year. The N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival Board of Directors and all of the festival committees have worked tirelessly again this year to make this year’s festival enjoyable for people of all ages. From the lovely Pecan Belles to the fabulous entertainment, we continue to bring the traditional events that make our festival unique and add to the celebration of our community. We will kick things off with a Queens Reception that will be held at the Arts Council
Terrie Priest Festival Director on Thursday evening, Nov. 5. This event will introduce our beautiful Celebrity Queen, Jane McNeill-Balter to the community and serve as an informal kick-off for the weekend’s activities. Friday, Nov. 6 will feature the traditional Queen’s Coronation and Luncheon, featuring McNeill-Balter and our
The masters of ceremonies
beautiful Pecan Belles. Come enjoy a delightful lunch in the historic Vineland Depot at 11:30 a.m., and spend the rest of the afternoon touring the elegant homes of Whiteville. On Saturday, the Pecan Run will kick the festival off for us. It is followed by Whiteville’s Nutty Parade. Afterwards, downtown Whiteville will be transformed into a wonderland of free family fun, filled with craft booths, food vendors, games, rides, contests, and live entertainment performed by Jim Quick and the Coastline Band, and the Four Miles South Band. We hope you will bring your family and meet your friends in downtown Whiteville for an exciting day of free fun, fellowship and entertainment. I hope to see you there!
Whiteville native Andy Anderson is the director of development for Community Innovations. He is the former CEO and owner of the firm and has been the Pastor of Cedar branch Missionary Baptist Church in Loris, S.C. for more than a decade. He and wife Ophelia have a daughter, Terrie H. Priest Ashlee, and one son, An2015 Pecan Harvest thony who are both college Festival Director students.
Whiteville native Kyle King is a media agent with 919 Magazine. He says he grew up around hard working parents and self made individuals. He has lived in Raleigh since 1998, when he began attending NCSU. “I’m an outgoing individual who isn’t afraid to talk to anyone,” King says. He served as emcee for the 2014 Dancing with the Stars of Whiteville. “I like controlled chaos and love meeting new people, learning new things, and like to think I know a little about a lot of things instead of a lot about one thing.” He and wife, Tasha, have two daughters Hannah, 7, and Nora, 4.
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 3
McNeill-Balter is 2015 celebrity Pecan Festival Queen By SHALON SMITH Contributing Writer Whiteville native Jane McNeillBalter will serve as the 2015 Celebrity Queen of the N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival. “We are thrilled to have Jane returning home as this year’s queen,” said Terrie Priest, festival director. “Her recent fame in television and on the big screen has made her community proud and it will be exciting for residents to get to know her.” “This has been a really interesting year for me—things that I would not have dreamed would happen have happened. At almost 50-years-old I was not expecting someone to ask me to be a queen of a festival. It was actually a really sweet and exciting thing (to be asked),” McNeill-Balter said. McNeill-Balter is an American stage, film and television actress, best known to audiences for her role as Patricia on AMC’s “The Walking Dead” television series. She grew up in Whiteville, the daughter of John McNeill and the late Margaret McNeill, and discovered acting while a student at UNCChapel Hill.
After graduating, McNeill spent 10 years performing in regional theatre before returning to graduate school at DePaul University in Chicago. After a lengthy hiatus that included marriage, the births of her two children and a battle with breast cancer, Jane returned to acting in 2009. McNeill says she is honored to be representing Whiteville. “Roughly 50 percent of the roles I have been able to play in the last few years have been very Southern women—women that growing up in Whiteville—I knew,” she said. “These are people that I knew and grew up with.” She said her portrayal of those characters has been heavily influenced by the way she was raised in Whiteville. Being able to represent her hometown and her background through acting is flattering. “I am grateful for the way I grew up in Whiteville—grateful for my family and friends and the values and lessons I learned from being part of that community.” Her first role was in Barry Levinson’s eco-thriller, “The Bay.” In 2011, she landed the role on season two of “The Walking Dead.” Her role was originally intended for just a few episodes, but the producers liked
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Welcome everyone to the North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival. Have a safe & enjoyable time at the festival activities.
Jane McNeill-Balter her work well enough to lengthen her part for the duration of that season. Other television credits include “Hornet’s Nest,” “Bonnie and Clyde: Dead and Alive,” and “Rectify” on
Sundance Channel. McNeill was recently seen on Nashville on ABC on Oct. 28 and will have a role in the upcoming “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” airing Dec. 10 on NBC. Her other film credits include “Prisoners,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Where the Devil Hides,” “Don’t Know Yet,” “Mississippi Grind” and most recently, “Magic Mike XXL” with Channing Tatum. Another film, “Well Wishes” is currently screening in film festivals across the country. McNeill considers herself a latebloomer in the industry in many respects. “I could have never predicted the timing of things that have happened, particularly this year. I do know that I spent a long time not having the confidence to follow my dreams. I think one of the most important things you can do for someone is to truly believe in them and encourage them when they can’t see it for themselves,” she said. McNeill-Balter will be crowned at the queen’s luncheon on Friday, Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m. at Vineland Station. Tickets for the luncheon may be purchased at the Pecan Festival Office or by calling (910) 770-0242.
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival - Page 4
Festival dedicated to memory of Tom Stanley By NICOLE CARTRETTE News Editor Tom Stanley’s voice may not be heard on the airwaves any longer but the former radio show host, civic leader and Director of the Whiteville Downtown Development Commission left a lasting legacy. This year’s Pecan Festival is dedicated to his memory. “Tom was a big supporter of all things Whiteville and that included the Pecan Harvest Festival,” said Terrie Priest. “ He was one of our biggest fans and his introduction of the Pecan Belles during the festival will truly be missed. It is only fitting that this year’s festival be dedicated to his memory.” “It is a loss for Whiteville. He was doing a good job. I took the job sort of in honor of him –to help out,” said Gene Merritt, who now serves as director for the Whiteville Downtown Development Commission. “He was a great guy,” Mer-
Tom Stanley ritt said. “He was a good friend and good person and dependable. . . I miss him a lot. I can’t replace him. I will try to do the best that I can and whatever I
do will be in his honor. I can’t say enough. He was my friend for many, many years. He was great guy.” Stanley was a host of the
Have a Great Time at the Pecan Harvest Festival and Please be Safe!
popular “The Hall of Fame Show” a popular show on Cool 105.9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. A friend to everyone, Stanley was a lover of beach music and for 20 years owned and operated WTXY in Whiteville. Prior to purchasing the station, Stanley left broadcasting to serve as race coordinator for American Games (UNO), sponsor of the Hoss Ellington NASCAR Race Teams based in Wilmington. His love for radio always kept him coming back to broadcasting. Stanley’s first radio gig was working as a part-time high school radio disc jockey at WEWO in Laurinburg. He went to high school in Laurinburg and Rockingham and attended Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton and St. Andrews Presbyterian College. His passion for broadcasting took him to stations in Kingstree and Darlington, S.C., Wilmington and Jacksonville.
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In the days following Stanley’s death, several friends and family members spoke of Stanley’s dedication to the community. “He believed strongly that broadcasting was a high calling. He believed that the citizens had a right to know what was going on within their community,” said his brother, John Stanley. During several storms and hurricanes Tom Stanley and his radio crew would spend nights at the station to keep listeners informed. “Tom just could not shake the sand from his shoes,” said his brother. “He even earned a place in the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame.” When Stanley and his wife Mary Alice moved to Whiteville to operate WTXY he quickly became active in the First Baptist Church. “He has been called the ‘Voice of First Baptist’,” his brother said. Priest co-hosted the “The
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival - Page 5
Six are 2015 Pecan Harvest Belles Olivia Smith
wanted to be a Pecan Belle.
Maggie High
O l iv a i s 1 3 - ye a r s - o l d daughter of David and Susan Smith. She enjoys soccer, volleyball, softball and gymnastics. She wants to be a Pecan Belle because it’s a “neat” thing to do since it’s a tradition in Whiteville and she wants girls to look up to her.
M a g g i e i s 1 3 - ye a r- o l d daughter of Alan and Elizabeth High. She enjoys soccer, volleyball, equestrian and posting on Instagram. She wants to be a Pecan Belle so she can meet new people and learn more about the history of Whiteville.
Leah Sanderson
Katara Vereen
Leah is 13- year-old daughter of Kirby and Tricia Sanderson. She likes to dance, cheer, and participate in girl scouts. She wants to be a Pecan Belle because she wants to take part in the home tour and meet new people.
K a t a r a i s 1 4 - ye a r- o l d daughter of Re ginal and Kimberly Vereen. She loves to shop, play her flute, dance and uplift others. She wants to be a Pecan Belle because she feels it is important to uplift people and show that you can be successful by being a Belle.
Claire Smith
Sealey Scott
Sealey is the 13-year-old daughter of Martin and Ginger Scott. She enjoys cheering and dancing. She thinks being a Pecan Belle is a great opportunity to meet new people and she has always
The 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival Belles pose in front of Central Middle School, where they are eighth graders. From left: Maggie High, Sealey Scott, Katara Vereen, Olivia Smith, Leah Sanderson and Claire Smith. The Belles will accompany Pecan Harvest Festival Queen Jane McNeill-Balter during the two-day event. The festival is Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.
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C l a i r e i s 1 3 - ye a r- o l d daughter of Chris and Mandy Smith. She enjoys soccer, volleyball and softball. She wants to be a Pecan Belle because she wants to meet new people. She is excited about the opportunity to be a part of the Pecan Festival.
Welcome to the 2015 pecan harvest festival
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival - Page 6
Memory is festival parade marshal By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer Bettie Lou Memory has never been afraid to work. “All my life, that’s what I have done,” she said. The grand marshal of this year’s Pecan Harvest Festival is not, like many people think, a native of Whiteville. She moved here at a very young age when her father opened the Hudson automobile dealership here. Memory lost her mother to cancer at age 52, and said her parents had the same work ethic they instilled in their two daughters, as well as a strong marriage. “I never heard my father say a cross word to my mother, and she was the same,” Memory said. “I never heard them raise their voices, or get angry with one another. That’s how they did things back then.” Upon her marriage to the late Billy Memory Sr., “Miss Bettie Lou” said she was already a good fit for the
Memory family. “The Memorys have always been hard workers,” she said. “It wasn’t a change for me – when I was growing up, everyone worked. If you went to college, it was so you could get a better job when you got out.” “Mr. Ed” Memory was still heavily involved in the family’s grocery stores, gas stations and other interests in uptown Whiteville. Bill Sr. ran the grocery store, while Bob ran the gas station that stood where the uptown BB&T bank is today. Memory laughed when she said she has done “almost every job in the family. “I swept floors, I worked behind the counter at the grocery store, collected rent, delivered bills and payments – I did just about all of it, except pump gas.” The family eventually shifted interests into building and development, with Billy Sr. noting early on that the U.S. 701 bypass would be
Bettie Lou Memory an economic powerhouse. “He bought land out there when nobody else was buying it,” she said. “He came home one day and told me, ‘I bought that piece out there where the highway is going, and we’re going to develop it.’ “It seemed like every time you turned around, Billy was building another building. People realized you had to be out there,” she said. “That’s where the traffic was going to be.”
Welcome To The Pecan Harvest Festival! Visit us on the sidewalk Saturday, November 7
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Whiteville – especially uptown Whiteville – has always had a special hold on Memory. “Most of the businesses moved downtown, while we kept the lawyers and the courthouse uptown,” Memory said. “I always felt like it was all about downtown, downtown, downtown – well, what about uptown? We’re Whiteville too.” When Mrs. Memory was tapped to fill out her husband’s seat on the Whiteville City Council, she said, she worked with mayor Horace Whitley and later, Ann Jones. “That was something I discovered I wanted to do for the people of Whiteville,” she said. When the unexpired term was completed, Mrs. Memory said, she went down to file to run for the office. “They asked Bill (Jr.) if he was running,” Mrs. Memory said, “and he said no – she is. The reactions were something else.” That started a 12-year career on the city council,
which Memory said she enjoyed. She said she made it a point to advocate for uptown Whiteville at every opportunity. “Mayor Whitley was one of the finest men this city has had,” she said, “and whenever something would come up that required a vote, he’d lean over and tell me, ‘Bettie Lou, that’s going to benefit uptown too.’ He knew where my concerns were.” She also played a role in getting the municipal building named after Whitley. “People said, ‘You can’t do that,’ “ she said, “but we certainly did. All his years of service, we should have done more. He loved Whiteville and its people.” She noted that the businesses founded by “the Colonel,” T.S. Memory,and Oscar High, were uptown. His son Ed and grandsons Billy and Bobby continued the uptown tradition, which has carried
Continued on page 18
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival - Page 7
How the N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival began By DIANA MATTHEWS Contributing Writer The 2015 Pecan Harvest Festival will be the 22nd such festival held in Whiteville. The first in the series occurred in 1994 and was organized by Ginger Littrell, who then headed Whiteville’s Downtown Development Commission. Recalling that first year, Littrell says, “It was a huge effort and a big success. It was a lot of fun.” In the early 1990s, downtown business leaders had speculated about holding a special event to bring the public together to have a good time and promote the local economy. As soon as Littrell was hired, she began recruiting “lots of volunteers from all parts of Columbus County” to pull the 1994 festival together. In the beginning, there was no pecan theme. The 1994 event was called “The Harvest Festival: a celebration of arts and agriculture.”
That original festival did not include a parade or a home tour, Littrell recalls, but it did feature arts and crafts, activities for children, a car show and a band performance on the stage at the railroad tracks, as this year’s festival will have. In addition, that year there was a fly-over by
a hot-air balloon, from which the balloon’s pilot scattered a large number of ping-pong balls to the crowd below. Each ball was marked with a number, and the person catching it was entitled to take it to the News Reporter office to exchange it for a numbered prize.
Welcome to the NC Pecan Harvest Festival
Businesses sponsored contestants in a thrilling pig race that was another hit with spectators. Thanks to “a lot of participation” by county and city businesses, the event was “top-notch,” Littrell said. Then as now, the festival occurred on the first Saturday in November. After a couple
of years, the festival became associated with pecans, one of the area’s traditionally important crops, through the guidance of the N.C. Pecan Growers Association. The trade association represents a growing number of farmers producing pecans for commercial sale. Most of the NCPGA member farms are east of Interstate 95. Littrell credits the NCPGA and the Forestry Museum (now the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville) with bringing expertise and educational value to the festival. Over the past two decades, the N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival has developed additional attractions, such as the Pecan Run 5K and the Cooking Contest. Littrell remembers how, 21 years ago, cell phones were uncommon, but she and her committee members obtained “big bag phones” that they used to maintain com-
Continued on page 19
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 8
Festival’sTour of Homes set for Nov. 6 Five homes, plus the Reuben Brown House and the Columbus County Arts Center are on this year’s North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival Tour of Homes. The tour immediately follows the Queen’s Luncheon on Friday, Nov. 6 and will run from 1 until 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the luncheon and tour or $10 for the tour only. Tickets may be purchased at Trigon on West Main Street 642-0505 or from Suzanne King at 642-9732. An added highlight at the historic Reuben Brown House will be an exhibit of antique German and French dolls and toys provided by Ann Fowler. Fowler, known for her doll collections, is a retired instructor at Southeastern Community College. Collecting and restoring vintage and antique dolls has been a favorite hobby of her’s for years. The dolls she is displaying will be dressed in period clothes from Reuben Brown’s era – the 1800s. Fashions of the very wealthy to modest, together with plain clothes like those likely worn
The Adam and Crystal Best Home
Pine Log Plantation by the Brown family, will be included. An antique advertising box with a collection of antique toys will be featured.
Pine Log Plantation 1264 Pinelog Road
Before the Civil War and before cars and airplanes, the original Pine Log house was built – in 1854. This plantation was a major producer of turpentine as well as
other farming activities. The six-room, 12-foot beaded board ceiling, hardwood floor farm house has been home to many generations. For years, Pine Log was the home of the Watkins family. In 2014, J.E. Thompson purchased Pine Log Plantation and restored the house and farm buildings into an event center. He has furnished much of the home with period pieces. Brides from far and wide are schedul-
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ing and holding their weddings at this country venue, and other special events are held as well. Even North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has visited Pine Log. We hope your visit to Pine Log Plantation will take you back in history to a simpler way of life.
The Adam and Crystal Best Home 341 Cape Fear Drive
This home was built in 2010 by Adam and Crystal Best. At 3,400 square-feet, the traditional Nelson Group Design style house is characterized by a cozy front porch and large dormer windows. Visitors are welcomed by a full length stained-glass door
with full-length stained glass side panels. Inside, a foyer opens to a hardwood stairway with customdesigned wood corner posts and a handrail that is pulled together by brush nickel spindles. The foyer is flanked by a formal dining room and a homeoffice featuring two full-length windows. The majority of the home’s flooring is hardwood and ceramic tile. The downstairs living space features nine-foot ceilings accented by large molding and floorlength windows. The kitchen features custom-built cherry cabinets with granite counter-
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 9
Tour Continued from page 8 tops and above- and below-mounted lighting. Adjoining the kitchen is a large breakfast area with fulllength glass double doors opening onto a large screened-in back porch. The living room hosts a full wall-length custom-built cherry entertainment center with a gas fireplace surrounded by granite. There is also a full-length glass door that opens onto a second back porch. The home contains a large master suite downstairs with an adjoining master bath. The master bath opens by a set of double full-length glass doors to be welcomed by a large jacuzzi tub and iceberg picture window. Upstairs, visitors are greeted by a small sitting area. The upstairs contains two bedrooms, one full bath and an inviting guest suite.
The Nealey Home 505 Bentmoor Drive
This contemporary style twostory house was built in 1977 by Bill and Janet Sessoms. The home showcases 12 rooms, ap-
The Nealey Home proximately 4,000 square feet and multiple outside wooden-railed porches and balconies that are nestled in a large yard. A brick walkway leads to the front door, which offers a glass panel for visibility. The long brick foyer divides into areas of the house. Visitors will first find a home office with recessed light and direct sunlight from the outside lower porch. Next is a full
bathroom with additional linen storage. The living room includes a hearth and mantled fireplace, banked with lighted built-in shelving. Two large sliding glass doors offers visibility to the brick patio and back yard. Overhead are five massive pine beams supporting the nearly 20-foot cathedral ceiling. A chandelier hangs on the middle beam surrounded by
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Culbreth House green-hued walls. Six bar stools line the large bar cabinet work area. One wall contains a built-in shelved pantry. Walking upstairs one will find three spacious bedrooms, a guest bathroom and the master suite. The left front upstairs bedroom has a sliding glass door, which leads to the top floor balcony. This room has two French Provincial doors leading into a private screened-in porch.
This area overlooks the backyard which is the “play home” of the Nealey’s young son. Next to the master suite is the son’s room with bright blue walls trimmed in white. One wall is entirely white with wooden shelving and drawers for his toys and belongings. The beauty of this home can be found in its exquisite
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Have a Great Time at the
Pecan Festival!
From
Edwin Russ County Commissioner
The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 10
From the tree to the table Eating a piece of grandma’s delicious pecan pie doesn’t take very long, but growing the pecans that are in the pie took a very long time! Let’s spend a few minutes learning how pecans make the journey from the orchard, to your dessert table.
The Orchard
When a pecan grower decides to grow pecan trees, he or she needs to have patience and be willing to make a long-term commitment. The first step is to determine where to plant the orchard. While pecan trees can grow in many places in the United States, the best area to grow them is in the Southeast. The top three pecan producing states are Georgia, Texas and Alabama. North Carolina is usually in the top ten pecan-producing states, and is on the northern edge of the commercial pecan-producing region in the US. Pecans like a hot and humid climate, lots of water, and deep, well-drained, sandy-loam soil. Because of the specialized climate necessary, most pecan trees in North Carolina are grown in the coastal plain.
Planting the Trees
The best month for planting new pecan trees is January. But, but before trees are planted, the orchard owner needs to choose which varieties of pecans he or she wants to plant. In order for the pecan nuts to be properly pollinated, at least three different varieties should be planted. Though they are only about five to seven feet tall when planted, pecan trees get very big over time, so they need to be spaced about 70 feet apart. About 6-9 trees are planted on one acre. Each year the tree will grow about 10 to 12 inches, and pecans will only develop on the new growth, so it’s important to make sure that the trees are well cared for each and every
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 11
Festival Schedule Thursday, November 5
Celebrity Queen’s Reception 6:30pm at Columbus County Arts Council 822 S. Madison Street, Whiteville
FESTIVAL MAP
Friday, November 6
Celebrity Queen’s Luncheon Presentation of the Festival Queen With the Pecan Belles and the Camden Cadets 11:30 a.m. at Vineland Station Depot, Whiteville
Elegant Homes of Whiteville Home Tour Tour Times: 1-6 p.m. TICKETS: $15 for Luncheon and Tour $10 for Tour only
Saturday, November 7
The Pecan Run ... 8 a.m. 5K, 8K, and I mile Run/Walk
N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival Parade 10 a.m. Parade Marshal ... Bettie Lou Memory
Festival Entertainment at the Downtown Stage 12-4 p.m.
Jim Quick and the Coastline Band Four Miles South Band
NATURAL SCIENCE ENCOUNTERS
FOOD VENDORS
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ARTS CENTER
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This project received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Columbus Cooks Pecan Cooking Contest Super Duper Kid’s Block Tri Beach Cruisers Car Show N.C. Pecan Growers Educational Stations Art Show Tractor, RV and Boat Show Heritage Crafters Demonstrations Great Festival Food Pecans Galore
CAR SHOW
Other N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival Events
KIDS BLOCK
Lewis Smith Shopping Center
5-K RUN STARTS HERE
MAIN STAGE
RESCUE
The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 12
Tour Continued from page 9 hardwood floors, recessed lighting, multiple fireplaces, various shaped glass windows and doors. The added functionality found in the touches of massive mahogany French Rocco and Provincial furnishings makes this a pleasure to the eye for family and guests alike.
Mantels, which occupy each of the dwelling’s eight rooms, are variations on the post and lintel Greek Revival form.
The Council-Grilo Home 702 N. Lee Street
Culbreth House West Washington Street (Next to Wendy’s)
C u l b r e t h H o u s e, a l s o known as The Oaks, was built in 1874 by Dr. Neill and Nancy Elizabeth Culbreth. Local tradition holds that the house was a wedding gift from local merchant Thomas S. Memory to his daughter Nancy Elizabeth (Lizzie). Lizzie married Dr. Neill M. Culbreth, a dentist, in 1874 and by 1880 they were a family of five. They called their home “The Oaks.” The Culbreths lived at The Oaks for nearly two decades before moving to Wilmington around 1898. The house changed hands a few times
The Council-Grilo Home before it was acquired by the Columbus County Board of Education and is said to have been used as a teacherage. In 1925, G.O. and Ethel Council Rogers bought the house and lived there until 1983. In May 2014, Wade Greene, CPA bought the unoccupied house and renovated it for his office. The Italianate-style house stands on the southwest corner of James and Washington streets and follows a centralpassage plan with center hallways on the first and second floors. Four rooms of equal
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size and similar finishes occupy both levels. All floors are original hardwood, original bead board wainscot remains in the central passageways, original tongue and groove ceilings remain throughout the house and the original windows remain. The first floor center hall features the prominent open-string floor-to-floor staircase. Each room features corner blocks with incised rosettes, reeded doorway moldings, tall baseboards and tall crown molding. Doors in each room are original four-panel types.
The Council-Grilo home was built in 1947, by George Homer “Buddy” Batten and Doris Memory Batten, is the home of James Braxton Council III and Carlos Fernando Grilo. It is a 3,396 square-foot traditional design characterized by a welcoming front archway and the front door, original to the home, which has been restored. The yard, gardens and landscaping are enclosed by a brick fence, which is also original to the home as are the lanterns accenting the fence and at the front door. Upon entering the front door, guests are welcomed into the traditional living room, which includes a fireplace and mantle that has been restored. The dining
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room is next to the living room. A large den is just off the dining room. Just off the living room is a glassed, allweather porch. A center hallway leads to three bedrooms and two bathrooms at the rear of the house. The master suite is comprised of a large bedroom, walk-in closet and bathroom. The kitchen is in the rear of the house near the back entrance. Interior renovations by the current owners include a kitchen remodel and updating the interior. Family antiques, paintings and several pieces of artwork by local artists, Karen Gore and Henry Wyche, are displayed throughout the home. In addition, the owners’ baby grand piano is a focal point of the living room and a 113-year-old family upright piano restored by local artist/ technician, Danny Williams, can be seen in the den.
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 13
Growers’ salute festival The N.C. Pecan Growers Association is happy to participate in the N.C. Pecan Festival in Whiteville. We have always been made to feel welcome by your exuberant Suzanne King and other leaders in your area. One of our members, Rossie Ward, is a primary participant in the entire weekend of festivities. Dr. Mike Parker, our advisor, from N.C. State University lead an educational program on the health and benefits of pecans for local school children on Oct 27 in Whiteville. Agribusiness is the number one sector in the state’s economy. North Carolina is the nation’s third most diverse agricultural state with nearly all climatic and soil conditions represented. Most of North Carolina’s current pecan producers have small orchards of less than 30 acres; however, that is likely to change in the future. Pecans in N.C. will no longer be limited to backyard production as was done in the past. In 2013, China purchased more than half of the total US production. We are positioning ourselves through education, seminars, and
plantings of new orchards to move from the backyard to the world stage. Pecans have a great story to tell. It is a nutritious nut with fantastic health benefits. We have excellent soil and environment and I believe pecan growers in North Carolina will continue to grow as an important part of our agriculture economy. We salute Whiteville and its production of the NC Pecan Festival. We believe pecans have a great future in the state of North Carolina. We have 100 plus members in the NCPGA and conduct an annual workshop open to the public somewhere on the coastal plain every year. We have a summer workshop normally every other year. We send out the Nutty News four times a year to members about the best growing practices, prices, and news of the pecan industry. We have an interactive web site with information as to location of growers, offerings, news exchange, sponsors at www.ncpecans.org Timothy Haithcock President N.C. Pecan Growers Association
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 14
Camden Military Academy Cadets to escort belles Camden Military Academy’s Cadets have become a staple of the North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival. The cadets escort the Pecan Belles throughout the Festival and help with the Tour of Homes. The history of Camden Military Academy is found in the institution’s website. While the Camden Military Academy tradition dates back to 1892, operations on the current campus began with the 1958-59 school year. The academy combines the traditions of three institutions – Carlisle Military School, which operated in Bamberg, South Carolina, from 1892 to 1977; Camden Academy, which was located on the campus from 1949 to 1957; and Camden Military Academy. Camden Military Academy has operated as a non-profit, tax-exempt institution since 1974 and is governed by a self-perpetuating board of trustees. Carlisle Military School
Col. James F. Risher, the president of Carlisle Military School, purchased the facility and changed the name to Camden Military Academy. His son, Col. Lanning P. Risher, was the school’s first headmaster, and he served in that position for 37 years. In 1974, Lanning Risher led the academy through a reorganization as a non-profit, tax-exempt institution. Camden Military Acad-
Camden Cadets escort the queen’s float in 2014. was established in 1892 as the Carlisle Fitting School of Wofford College. It was named in honor of Dr. James H. Carlisle, who was for many years the president of Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. In 1932, Carlisle was leased by Colonel and Mrs. James F. Risher and in 1938 was purchased by them. They, and later their son,
Col. William Risher, operated it as a military preparatory school until it closed in May 1977. Camden Military Academy in Camden, S.C. was originally founded as Camden Academy in 1950 by a group of generous and far-sighted Camden citizens who felt that their town was an ideal setting for a private school.
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 15
Car show offers fun for all ages; is a nostalgic experience nFifty prizes to be
awarded in numerous categories. By NICOLE CARTRETTE News Editor A car show featuring more than 100 cars and trucks returns as one of the highlights of the N.C. Pecan Festival this year. “We line the cars along Madison Street from the stage North on Madison toward the courthouse for several blacks,” said Boyce Lennon, car show chairperson. “There’s cars and trucks and a variety extremely old to present models.” Mustang and corvette club cars in addition to classic cars and trucks will be part of the show. “The growing thing right now is the older trucks. They are on fire right now,” he said. “We always have a good show. The people are excited about it and it’s a family event,” said Lennon. He said the show is a nostalgic experience for families where parents can be found telling children all about the car they drove to high school. “It’s pretty entertaining and exciting,” Lennon said. His own love of Mustangs started while Lennon was in high school at West Columbus. He said there was just something “about seeing them going down the road before getting your license. “I’m a mustang guy. I’ve got a couple,” he said, pointing out his 1969 Mach 1 may be a part of the show. Lennon enjoys the family-friendly car club atmosphere and things it compliments the Pecan Festival. “It’s close knit and it’s a good thing to be involved with guys and ladies talking about where they are going next weekend,” Lennon said. “They take care of their stuff and treat it like it’s a member of the family. It’s a
fun event.” Lennon said after the parade spectators can’t miss the cars. “I hope to see everybody there,” said Lennon, who has been helping organize the event for more than a decade. The show is sponsored by Lumberton Lincoln and presented by T riBeach Cruisers.
The Car Show Registration is from 8 a.m. to Noon. Entrants use a ribbon to notify judges that the car is ready to be judged. Judging is on a rolling basis and begins at 10 a.m. before registration ends. Awards to the top 50 cars will be given at 3 p.m. For more information call 910-470-8185, 910-6174068, or 910-876-1182.
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 16
Food contest attracts youth, adults By DIANA MATTHEWS Contributing Writer Each fall, local foodies sharpen their knives and tie on their aprons for the most delicious event associated with the N.C. Pecan Harvest Festival: the Cooking Contest. Contest organizers Kathy Moskow and Meleah Evers find that the competition gets more enjoyable every year. “This is about the community,” Moskow said. “It’s about creating in the kitchen.” Although the sponsor, Columbus Regional Healthcare, awards “nice money prizes,” most of the participants enter to showcase their skills; Moskow observed that the cash is sometimes almost an afterthought. The cooks set up “unbelievable tablescapes” in their assigned 2-by-2-foot display areas. Excitement rises as the contestants get a sight of their neighbors’ creations. “People ask for one another’s recipes,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing. We have a husband and wife
who compete against each other every year.” Competitors must be amateurs rather than food professionals. Adults 16 and older may enter any or all of four categories: appetizer, main dish, side/salad, and dessert, with no contestant entering more than one item per category. Youth ages 10-15 compete in a single dessert category. Every recipe must contain at least one cup of pecans. The Vineland Depot will again be the site of the contest this year. One vital thing to remember is that the display tables do not include any means of keeping food items hot or cold. “We’d love to see homemade ice cream, but it just won’t work,” Moskow said. The entrant must set up his or her area on Saturday morning, Nov. 7 between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. Parents may not help youth participants with set-up. The Depot’s doors will be closed at 9:30. At 10:00 a team of five judges will begin sampling and evaluating the items. Scores are based on the following scale: flavor 40 percent, appearance, 20 percent,
creative use of pecans, 20 percent, texture 10 percent, and ease of preparation 10 percent. The judges may award bonus points to particularly healthful items. The judges, all of whom have experience in the food industry, turn in the scores to the committee members, who tally the numbers to determine the winners. “We’ve never had a tie,” Moskow said. Prizes will go to the top three items in each category. Separate prizes are awarded for Best Presentation and for Most Creative Use of Pecans. One adult and one youth will also receive Grand Prizes. Winners will receive their prizes at roughly 1 p.m., and the public will then be allowed into the Depot to admire the food. Moskow said that “adding the youth category” was the best thing that the committee has done in the almost-decade that she’s been involved. “We love that parents and grandparents are encouraging the younger ones. The kids blow me away. Every kid walks out of there a winner, I think.”
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 17
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 18
Memory Continued from page 6 down to Bill Jr. and Mrs. Memory. If things were different, she said, more generations would be here. “Sadly, they can’t make a living,” she said. “My grandchildren love Whiteville, and they want to come home, but you have to be able to make a living.” Mrs. Memory said her sons Bill (a former county commissioner) and Michael are different. “Bill is like his daddy,” she said, “always working on building something. Michael has more an artistic bent. He’s more like me.” Regardless of their interest, Mrs. Memory said, “My boys have worked from the time they could. “They sold papers around the courthouse, just like their daddy and his brother did,” she said. Although she doesn’t play quite as active a role around Memory Enterprises as she once did, Mrs. Memory is still the person
From the tree to the table Continued from page 10 most customers ask for when they come through the doors of the office. She said she thinks it’s partly because of her late husband’s reputation, which came from habits learned from his father. “No one ever left hungry, or in need if they asked for it,” she said. “I might work someone to death – people say that about me – but if someone’s in need, they will be taken care of. We have to help each other.” Mrs. Memory said she still gets up at 5:30 a.m. daily, and tries to have “the cleanest house in Whiteville. “I’ll keep on working up until 11:30 at night if there’s something to be done, and I want it finished,” she said. “I know it will still be there in the morning, and there’ll still be more work to do on top of it, so I try to get it all done. That’s just how this family has always done business.”
year.
Wait, wait, wait ...
It takes several years before pecan trees start producing pecans. Most new and improved varieties begin to produce pecans within five to six years, but older, traditional varieties take longer. Pecan trees will need to be watered very frequently, especially during the first year. They will also need to be pruned, fertilized and monitored to make sure that insects and animals aren’t damaging them.
The Growing Season
Once a pecan tree is mature, it will go through different stages throughout the year. The growth stages are: The Dormant Stage: Pecan trees are dormant during the winter months. This is kind of like a rest period for the tree. During dormancy, the tree doesn’t appear to be growing, but many important things
are happening. In order for pecan trees to produce pecans during the next year they need at least 200 chill hours during this period. (A chill hour is an hour where the temperature is between 32F and 45F.)
Harvesting
Pecan growers are very busy during harvesting
time. The size of a pecan orchard will determine how an individual grower will harvest his or her pecans. Commercial growers with large orchards have special machines that shake, pick up, and process the pecans to prepare them for customers. Smaller orchards usually just pick the pecans up by hand.
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 19
Stanley Continued from page 4 Sunny Beach Show” from 2003 to 2009 with Stanley. Stanley’s creation was so popular that when the syndicated show stopped in 2009, it was aired on 18 stations in four states Va., N.C., S.C., and Tenn. “It was just a fun thing to do,” Priest said. “We just tried to bring a lot of laughter and it was a funny show.” Priest said it was just one of many ways Stanley contributed to the community. “Sunny Beach was his creation and I was just really blessed to be a part of it,” she said. For all the laughter he brought, he was also a strong leader in difficult times. Priest recalled a trip to Washington, D.C. with several Whiteville Chamber of Commerce and community leaders in 2001. On Sept. 11, the group was in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill when the nation was under attack, the sky filled with smoke
and hysteria all around them. Stanley was calm, Priest said. He made contact with his radio station crew that in turn notified family members of everyone on the trip that the group was safe. “He was very community oriented,” said Jackie Steinberg, a fellow Civitan. “He liked what the Civitans were doing and our projects for helping people with disabilities,” Steinberg said. “He was kindhearted, well liked by everyone in the community and he gave back to community.” Stanley was a former Shriner, Columbus County Arts Council board member, Emcee for the N.C. Pecan Festival and Sol B. Mann Community Award winner. The former president of the Whiteville Chamber of Commerce and 2003 Governor’s Volunteer of the Year award winner leaves behind a long list of accomplishments. One would be hard pressed
to find anyone that cared more about Whiteville, his friends say. “He was concerned about the community as a whole,” Steinberg said. “He wanted to see the City of Whiteville thrive as time went on.” Steinberg said Stanley’s wife Mary Alice made him an even better person. “She was his backbone, she’s strong and helped him a lot,” he said. Butch Pope said he probably had known Stanley for 30 or more years. “He absolutely loved downtown Whiteville and thought it had a lot of potential,” Pope said. He credited Stanley for being a big part of the local cotillion events for young people. “He had a real interest in young folks,” Pope said. Pope’s ne phew, Justin Smith, was among those influenced by Stanley. “He let (Justin) go to the
radio station when he was real young,” Pope said. Smith went on to pursue a career in journalism and mass communication and is currently employed with WECT. Pope said Stanley had the ability to make everyone feel as if they were his best friend. “He had a lot of best friends,” Pope said. Stanley adored his wife, Mary Alice, he added. Though Pope had no interest in sports and Stanley none in motorcycles the pair were instant friends. “We liked Ocean Drive and both had love for the music and shag dance,” Pope said. “Up until about three weeks ago, we talked almost every week and always talked about downtown, radio, music and what was going on around the beach.” “I figure there is some good music playing in heaven right now,” Pope said. “I supposes they have always danced in
heaven but dancing to better music now. “Its just a big loss to our community and the Whiteville downtown area,” Pope said. “It will be hard find someone to fill those sandy shoes.”
History Continued from page 7 munication with one another as they zipped around downtown Whiteville on golf carts the day of the festival. “We thought we were hot stuff,” she said. Nowadays, most of our Pecan Belles may be carrying cell phones tucked into their frilly parasols, and the racing pigs are not scheduled to appear, but the festival has grown to be an important celebration of what organizers call “the superior nut” and the Southeastern N.C. farmers who have produced it for generations.
Welcome to the 2015
PECAN HARVEST FESTIVAL
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The News Reporter 2015 North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival – Page 20
Proud sponsor of the Pecan Harvest Festival car show