Newspapers / The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / July 2, 1993, edition 1 / Page 19
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Today— (From Page 18A) The Carolina Trailways Bus Line provides daily passenger, express package and charier service. In addition, United Parcel Service serves the area. Tri-County Airport, which is paved and lighted, is 11 miles west on N.C. 561. Ahoskie is served by N.C. Highways 11, 42, 561 and 350 in addition to U.S. 13. Newspaper The News-Herald newspaper is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Ahoskie and has a circulation of about 6,500. Radio stations Radio Station WRCS broadcasts on AM daily until midnight and WQDK broadcasts on FM daily covering a 35-mile radius from Ahoskie. 'Herald' (From Page 18A) now a newspaper with a purpose, and he began to improve the condi tions of the paper and its style of printing. He invested his money in a printing plant so that the paper could be printed in Ahoskie and to bring jobs to the thriving little town. Bringing in James S. Vinson to run the print shop. Smith later sold Vinson one-half interest in the publishing company. In October, 1915, a young, ener getic man, J. Roy Parker, arrived with a vision and desire to make The Herald a part of Ahoskie's his tory which would last forever. Smith, who was now ready to re tire, sold Parker his half of the pub lishing company. Parker had been a part-time employee during his summer vacations and had learned the business and the print shop from Smith and Vinson. So, a publishing and printing partnership called Vinson and Parker was formed. Parker was edi tor and bookkeeper and Vinson was printer and general manager. They were also the only two on staff. All printing operations were completed by hand, without the use of mechanical power. But despite limited physical facilities, the func tion of The Herald as a newspaper was performed to much success. It served as a way to spread in formation and encourage participa tion in civic affairs in the town and county. Several months after they look complete ownership of the publica tion, the two updated its printing facilities from a hand printing press, to a mechanical one. Over the years the improvements of plant equipment have grown by leaps and bounds. It is now one of the most modem and efficient printing plants in Northeastern North Carolina. In 1928, J. Mayon Parker, Roy's Gallery Fair The News-Herald, Friday, July 2,1993 Telephone Ahoskie has a modern dial tele phone service provided by Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Co. Also, a Western Union office is located here. Medical facilities The Roanoke-Chowan Hospital offers residents excellent care. It has well-equipped medical, surgical and obstetric^ departments and a pedi atric ward. The hospital medical staff con sists of 29 physicians, including two general surgeons, 14 general practitioners, one urologist, one psychiatrist, one ophthalmologist, one internal medicine specialist, three radiologists, three pediatri cians, one otorhinolaryngologist, one orthopedic surgeon and two ob stetrical-gynecological specialists. The hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission of Accredita tion. The Roanoke-Chowan Mental Health Service is about four miles away in Union. Closing statement Ahoskie is known far and wide, not only for its unusual name, but for its friendliness to strangers and its benevolence to the less fortu nate. We extend a warm welcome to all, whether passing through, or seeking a place to live work, trade or play. The people who have lived here know that its possibilities for fu ture growth are unlimited. We are proud of our heritage from the past; we are ever conscious of the present; and we are constantly planning for a brighter future. brother, purchased the Vinson half of the company and made The Her ald a family-owned business. By 1931 the company had ac quired four more local papers — The Windsor Ledger, which was later sold; the Jackson News, now known as the Northampton News; The Aulander Advance, now incor porated into the Bertie Ledger-Ad vance and later sold; and the Gales County Index. The firm was then incorporated in 1940 and history was in the making. Roy Parker served as editor from 1915 until his death in 1957 when his brother, Mayon, took over. In 1962 the Daily Roanoke- Chowan Times, a publication in Murfreesboro, was merged with The Herald to form a tri-weekly paper. The Herald was printed Mondays and Fridays while the Roanoke- Chowan Times was printed Wednesdays. Not until 1977 were all three issues of the tri-weekly paper known as the Roanoke- Chowan News-Herald. Earlier in 1970, after another member of the family came aboard, Joseph M. Parker, the publishing company purchased the Scotland Neck Commonwealth and the En field Progress. The entire publish ing company now consisted of five paid, non-daily newspapers and three controlled distribution week lies. Park buys Parker Bros. After years of keeping the com munity informed and growing to meet the needs of the area, the own ers sought a buyer. The Herald and the entire publishing company, known as Parker Bros. Newspapers, were sold Feb. 15, 1988, to Park Communications Inc. of Ithaca, N.Y. The announcement was made jointly by Joe Parker, principal stockholder in Parker Bros. News papers, and Roy H. Park, chairman of Park Communications Inc. Park, who spent a considerable time in North Carolina after gradua tion from what is now known as N.C. State University, was de lighted with the acquisition, promising to keep local news a pri ority. James R. Waller was named by Robert J. Rossi, Park Communica tion's vice president of newspaper operations, as editor and general manager of Park Newspapers of Northeastern North Carolina Inc. This group includes The News-Her ald, Gates County Index, Northampton News. Scotland Neck Commonwealth, Enfield Progress and the Herald Printing House. Waller held the same position at the Courier-News in Blytheville, Ark. He began his career in 1975 in the industry and joined the Park staff in 1984 as editor and general manager of the Journal Register in Medina, N.Y. At the time of the acquisition in 1988, Park Communications owned nine daily newspapers, nine paid non-dafly newspapers and 13 con trolled distribution weeklies in North Carolina alone. Today, five years later. The News-Herald has remained strong in its commitment to local news and continues to venture out into state issues which concern all. While the company started with two employ ees, it now has 83, plus more than 150 independent contractorX such as newspaper carriers and correspon dents. Park Communications has also grown. Today the holdings in North Carolina are 12 daily newspapers, 10 non-dailies and 21 controlled weekly publications. Overall, Park owns 41 daily newspapers, 38 non dailies, 65 controlled publications, eight television stations and 22 ra dio stations covering 23 states. (From Page 11 A) group became the highly visible and skilled arms of the parent or ganization, and their contributions through the years have added greatly to the overall success of The Gallery. Grant awarded The Gallery has been awarded a rural initiative grant which provides funds for stage improvements and implemented funds raised for a sound system honoring Ennis Tay- loe. Additions to the stage lighting have been installed. This grant also provides funds to expand the execu tive director position to full-time status. The purpose of The Gallery The atre Inc. has remained the same as it was 27 years ago: to promote and advance cultural interest in living theatre, art, music and crafts. While the building has undergone structural changes to enhance its original beauty, the original idea of the organization is an even stronger endeavor. All of the activities at The Gallery in the past 27 years — lo- m ~m—wr f We Know We Can... ■ North Carolina & Virginia Railroad is proud to be a part of Ahoskie and served as the focus of its rapid growth in the early years. We hope to con tinue to grow with the town by provid ing professional short line railroad service to Ahoskie,Cofield, Aulander, Rich Square, Conway and Severn. We can also deliver shipments throughout the United States by con necting to other railroads. Locally or Nationally... We Have the Connections! North Carolina & Virginia Railroad (From Page 14A) school and class reunions, track and field events, automobile racing, cir cuses, a gypsy campground, travel ing vaudeville shows and harness horse racing. Annual highlight The annual Fairweek event has been one of the major highlights in the lives of thousands of people for 73 years. Huge crowds used lo attend the festivities of the annual fair, which was immense during its early years. It included an array of exhibits rep resenting all facets of living in Hertford and surrounding counties. Pleasurable midway atU'aclions were provided by popular amusement carnivals. The association maintains mem bership in the United States Trot ting Association that is based in Columbus, Ohio. As a result, a tra ditional and exciting feature of the annual fair is a standardbred horse racing program that occurs several days during the week. The horse racing has been com plemented by thrilling "free act" en tertainment shows and a fireworks show at night. Years ago airplane rides and parachute jumping were also a part of the week. For 73 years, the fair association has been an integral part of the Ahoskie community and con tributes to its growth and develop ment as it has endeavored to pursue the objectives and aims defined ear lier. It has persevered in maintain ing the fairgrounds for the annual fair and making it available for many other activities throughout the year/ Currently, the fairgrounds is en closed with a seven-foot chain-link fence. The buildings include a 500- seat grandstand, under which is an exhibit facility with an extension, a multi-unit concession stand, a live stock bam, a 30-stall horse bam, a judges' stand, a ticket office and restrooms. The half-mile race track is available for training and racing horses. Presidents of the fair, in chrono logical order, were Wright J. Jenk ins, J.C. Hubbard, Clarence Chavis, Sherman P. Hall, Samuel H. James, James L. Faulcon, James, Dupont L. Davis, Wilbur G. Pierce and Clarence S. New- some. Community involvement Because of the competition for the entertainment dollar, leadership of the Atlantic District Fair Associ ation have sought new ways to at tract more people to attend the fair. In early January, association offi cers attended workshops at the an nual convention of the N.C. Asso ciation of Agricultural Fairs in Greensboro and then went to Eden- ton to consult with officials of the successful Chowan County Fair. Because of the unique demo graphics of the Ahoskie fair, asso ciation officials asked William Perry, a past president of the Chowan County Fair, what was needed to make their fair more suc cessful. His response was more community involvement. So Ahoskie officials are now striving to reach a broader spectrum of the community and also joined the Ahoskie Chamber of Com merce. Already, the Atlantic District Fair Association is making plans for this year's event — which will be held Monday to Saturday, Sept. 20- 25. This year's plans Among them are: 1, Proclaiming Thursday, Sept. 23, as Centennial Celebration Day at the Fair with a parade with floats from a” segments of the commu nity and possibly a horse race of pacers and trotters. 2, Displays of products for sale by local merchants. 3, A variety of entertainment on the stage featuring mixed groups. 4, An appearance by local and federal political leaders, including U.S. Rep. Eva Clayton, Stale Reps. Howard Hunter and Gene Rogers and State Sen. Frank Bal- lance. 5, Fair posters in windows of area businesses. 6, Sponsorships of fair events by area businesses, including trophy blankets at the horse races. Officers of the association are Newsome; Wilbur G. Pierce, vice president; Godwin B. White, record ing secretary; F. Gary Lewter, fi nancial secretary: and James L. Peele, treasurer. There are 17 mem bers of the board of directors. Home (From Page 12A City, and two children, Wayland and Mamie Hayes, who died in in fancy. Thomas C. Hayes was the father of Mrs. A.E. Garrett and Mrs. Stella Hayes Brett, who was the mother of Hayes Brett, Mrs. H.W. Upchurch and Mrs. M.J. Upchurch of Raleigh. Stella Hayes and her husband, J. Paul Brett, were Don Upchurch's grandparents. Upchurch didn’t know his grandmother, who died at 39. Brett later remarried Mary Deanes of Murfreesboro. J. Hayes Brett was Upchurch’s uncle. His aunts — his mother’s sisters — were Agnes Brett, who is almost 90, Kale Brett Upchurch and Madeline, who died as a teen-ager. Upchurch, who has two grown children by a former wife, has lived in the house since 1981. He and his wife Eleanor have three children — Paul, 16; Angela, 12; and Jon, 10. The two-story home has 11 rooms and at one lime had six fireplaces. "It started out as basically as a rectangular two-story farmhouse," Upchurch said, "with fireplaces upstairs and downstairs at both ends. "Later on they added on a parlor and guest room above the parlor and each had a fireplace." As was the custom in those days, homes were built like fortresses to withstand extremes in weather and even unfriendly neighbors. Upchurch pointed out that the original wood was on the outside of the home but it was always kept painted. "It's all hard pine," he said. "That stuff is so hard now that you can't drive a nail into it. I tried to hang a wreath on the door when my parents passed away and couldn’t hang it." Upchurch then described how the wood was cut in early spring, allowed lo dry for a season and then used the next spring to build the home. Much of the wood was joined by pegs, not nails. It’s safe to say that they don't make them like they used to. NOW OPEN cal theatrical productions, art ex hibits, art education, musical con certs and presentations of touring groups — have left the doors open and given those involved the oppor tunity, courage and determination to continue building a more culturally oriented community. The Gallery Theatre Inc., the dream of a few, is now a project of the many, who must preserve it for future generations. Let us never cease to be proud of the organiza tion's founders and their foresight. Memorial Drive, Ahoskie Across from Newmarket Shopping Center •Gasoline •Kerosene •Diesel Fuel Shell Products! Budweiser Bud Light 12 Pack Dip Ice Cream 390 Dip •Hot Dogs •Hamburgers AND MORE! from our grill DUCK THRU FOOD STORES a Also stop by our other locations: 2 in Ahoskie Murfreesboro Rich Square Cofield Windsor Franklin, Va.
The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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July 2, 1993, edition 1
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