North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 12/23/1996

The. It's Monday December 23rd tonight. I'll smoke Gaston County town with some upgrades. The holidays in a big way in North Carolina now. Good evening and welcome to this Monday edition of North

Carolina now I'm worried I'm a trite. Hopefully you've completed your Christmas shopping and all your holiday preparations by now. And now you can sit back relax and enjoy the season. Our program tonight is full of holiday spirit. Well travel to McAdam ville to view the spectacular Christmas lights. And we'll share some tips on how to make this a merry Christmas for our four legged friends. Later in the program we'll learn about the beautiful historic architecture of eastern North Carolina with the authors of a new guidebook on the subject. But first President Clinton visit our state today. President Clinton arrived at camp shortly before noon today marking his first official visit to a Marine Corps base. During his visit the president welcomed home a unit which recently returned from a six month tour in the Mediterranean and Bosnia. He also offered a Christmas message to the Marines and their families. Clinton praised the troops for their peacekeeping efforts throughout the world and told them their work is a gift to the country. Well the president is

spreading Christmas cheer in Onslow County and across the state in Gaston County. There is a virtual Festival of Lights celebrating the holiday season. On this night before the night before Christmas Maria Lundberg takes us to a small town west of Charlotte which is celebrating the forty first anniversary of a very special Christmas tradition. McAdam Vale and Gaston County is similar to many small towns throughout our state. It's a textile mill community with only eight hundred thirty two residents. During the holidays this little village looks like a Christmas card come to life. Houses are adorned with Garland wreaths and bows. But what makes macadam Ville extra special is the pageantry of lights. This was an idea that came from the macadam mailman's in 1956. They came to the mill official to ask if they could have permission to decorate some crazy around the community center. They were given permission to decorate and there was no entries there that

first year they decorated and M. company told them not only would they give them permission but that they would burnish whatever they needed to decorate the trees. They began to decorate and we've grown from. Those non-crazy in 1956 to 375 this year that tradition has continued thanks to the support of far yarns which pays for the light display each year with the exception of two years during the energy crisis of the early 70s. The town has dazzled and delighted millions of visitors with the spectacular our ray of red white and green lights more than three hundred sixty five thousand of them to be exact. It takes a great deal of time to make the preparation in fact that Mr Tigg and his crew began in September. Checking the bulbs the circuits and what have you and then they began screening the lodge in late September and it takes that until about the time lights come on to get it in shape.

After months of planning and the hundreds of hours stringing lights the transformation takes place turning the damn bill into Christmas Town USA. Up and down Main Street. Red and White Ribbon as people admire the glistening trees and holiday scenes in 1905 alone more than three hundred thousand vehicles pass through the town of macadam Vale from almost every state in the country. For many visitors taking in this fantasy of lights is part of their annual holiday celebration and it's practically impossible not to join in the spirit of the season. No matter what you're in one of the favorite viewing spots is near the center of town where 75 trees ring the lake their sparkling reflections dance in the water a fountain in the center of the lake shoots water into the air while lights float through a sequence of colors.

McAdam Vale residents who lovingly create this display each year it's their way of sharing the true spirit of Christmas. What makes it such a special Christmas tradition is the birth back that it's strictly noncommercial with Dad and build web expression. Merry Christmas to whomsoever will enjoy people coming and doing what we have taking good memories away from here. I hope they take away from here the spirit of Christmas. The spirit of giving the spirit of that. That's great for you. There

is an interesting anecdote for this story. It is been said that in 1884 Thomas Edison came to make ad and built and installed the first generator to light the mill. Then the streets people traveled to the area and wagons to see what they called a light in a bottle or a light bulb. More than 100 years later people are still coming to make Catonsville to see the lights each year the festival of lights takes place from December 1st through the 26. You still have a chance to see them this week from 5 to 9:30 p.m. each evening through this Thursday. Now if you can't make it there in person you can still visit through the Internet that Advil resident Steve Rankin has created a web page that brings the light display into the homes of computer users. You can access his website at. W w w dot net dot net slash users slash s rank and wealth. Coming up the splendor and diversity of the architecture in eastern North Carolina. Right now

though let's head over to the North Carolina now news desk. Michel Louis has already started his Christmas vacation so Shannon Vicary is filling in. Good to see it Shannon. Thanks Merida Good evening everyone. Topping our news the hidden cost of a college education are causing the price of admission to rise well above just the cost of tuition additional college expenses are lumped into a single payment called a fee. These fees are charged at some university of North Carolina institutions and can double the cost of tuition for a student at East Carolina fees tacked on a modest $4 but fees that you can see ash will drive the cost up. Two hundred and sixty three dollars. These are said to go for everything from running computer lamps to student infirmaries. Come January 1st if you get a job working with the elderly or the sick you will first have to undergo a criminal background check. People who care for the sick and the elderly will have to be cleared of any criminal records. The new law will affect full time part time and

volunteer workers nursing home rest home and home care agency employees will have to agree to the checks before being accepted for the job. Meanwhile the Shell Island Resort is no closer to an agreement with state officials over protective measures against the sea. Owners of the 22 million dollar condominium complex have four lawsuits pending hoping to provide some remedy. Coastal regulators have denied all requests to erect any artificial barriers around the structure such sea walls are forbidden under state rules. Dr. James Chester Ralston the man credited with making the North Carolina State University arboretum one of the best in the nation has died. J.C. Ralston was killed this weekend in a car accident in Randolph County. A 17 year old from Bear Creek was also killed when Ralston's car crossed into oncoming traffic on US 64 and hit another car head on. Ralston a professor of ornamental horticulture at NC State is credited with founding the university's eight

acres Arboretum in 1975 Roston along with a single full time staffer and a team of volunteers have worked to create a diverse garden where plants bloom 12 months a year. Roston spoke with North Carolina peoples bill Friday or earlier this year about the arboretum. Well the mission of it is part of the universe's education research extension outreach sort of programs. It starts with wanting to provide a greater variety of better plans for the citizens of North Carolina. Things that don't require as much maintenance less pesticides and you are beautiful you're around. So that's our goal is to get those in the hands of the public. A memorial service for Ralston will be held Sunday January 19th at 2pm in the McCammon center. Ralston was 56 years old. Looking ahead to tomorrow's weather expected Western temperatures in the high 40s the central part of the state will range from the 50s to 60s and eastern Temperatures will reach the high 60s. Conditions will also vary tomorrow. Partial cloudiness will cover the entire state on Tuesday.

The chance of rain increases up from 30 to 50 percent as you move west into the mountains. In business news the North Carolina Utilities Commission has issued orders in arbitration proceedings over local telephone service. At stake is part of the state's more than 1 billion dollar market for local service that's opening up to competition. The commission says BellSouth should offer wholesale discounts on resale services for residential and business phones. BellSouth was also ordered to make most of its retail services available for resale at wholesale rates. North Carolina ski areas are hoping for big business this Christmas week. Some areas have been slow to open because of warm weather but our recent cold weather and a blanket of new snow are helping out. Ski beach and Sugar Mountain are already open while floral in Madison County opened this weekend and a cattle ski resort plans to open Christmas Day. Now for a look at what happened on Wall Street today.

With a thud. Eastern North Carolina boasts some of the oldest and most distinctive architecture in the state from colonial churches on Antebellum plantations to the majestic light houses standing guard of the coast. If you are interested in searching out some examples of this exquisite

architecture then you want to pick up a new book. It's called a god to the historic architecture of eastern North Carolina. It's the first of three architectural gods books of our state. Its authors are Catherine by Sure and Michael southern Welcome to the program. Thank you. I got your name right Catherine correct. OK I was afraid I'd mess up Katherine I was concentrating so much on your last name. Tell me what inspired this book. Well it's been a long project and I think it originated really with this day to start preservation office and archives history which is where we work has for a long time surveyed historic buildings across the state and we also work with the National Register of Historic Places which is a recognition of historic buildings. And for a long time we felt that we needed to make some more of that information accessible in a handy format to people that might be interested. There are a lot of local surveys published want to Wake County for example a few years ago but we felt like people needed to have something handy. People are so interested in heritage tourism these days when they want to travel or want to see

what's historic in our state that have something at hand to go back. It's a great way to see the state by using using the book as a guide as you try to. Mr. Simon tell me how you actually went about researching this book there's a lot of information contained in it. Well there are many sources Crowther indicated this historic preservation officer has been involved in a statewide survey of historic buildings for now over a quarter quarter of a century. And the research comes from many different individuals in many different ways large part of history the National Register of Historic Places program. It's been going on now for a quarter of a century and our office is a repository for a great deal of research reports and other materials related to historic architecture in North Carolina. So once you actually pick the books that you thought you might want to pick that the buildings that you might want to include in the book then you actually got in the car and hit the road is that correct Well we course would look first at what was already available in terms of reports publications and this sort of thing but ultimately yes we did go in

the field and check out virtually everything that's in it over a period of 10 years on and off and along there's a great deal of material there and the challenge was kind of trying to bring it all together and synthesize it in a in a uniform format and a balanced format we hope for the region and a way that was handy and useful and that covered a great deal of territory to sink way despite what information or what criteria was used to determine which buildings would make it into the book. Well I think probably the single most important things were that it should be places that the traveling public can see from the public there. There are some wonderful hasto at the end of a private farm line. We don't want to send people to bother. So it needed to have what we sort of call public presence or kind of a pail if you will and then we also wanted to include the things that everybody has always thought of as historic. We just were talking to a gentleman here today and he wanted to make sure

that the college in Red Springs was it that was the first thing he wanted to say because that's where he's from and that sort of thing the obvious landmarks. But then we also wanted to be sure to include the kind of typical things the farm houses the tobacco barns that we're accustomed to see and as part of that landscape. And then we also like to include these things that you might not necessarily think about as obvious but the strange little places that make the league special. What we have some examples from the book because the book is filled with wonderful pictures so I'd like to to show our viewers some of the pictures that are in the book and then maybe you can explain to us exactly what it is we're seeing now the first one up is on the screen there now and that's billions grow Sheree tell me a little bit about that. That's actually I was in that county and one of the things that's really important to remember here is that we had to help a lot of people who have surveyed different candidates in this particular case Richard Matt and had taken this photograph when he surveyed Nash County several years ago that the candidate has much of Rocky Mount in it. And this was a very

characteristic gas station that sort of stood for all the little country store gas stations that we've seen over the years about what timeframe are WELL AS OPPOSED 1920s and 30s. OK we've moved on to the next one now that looks to me like a movie front. I mean. It doesn't even look like an actual building like it's a facade for a movie. Mr. Southern want to tell us what we're looking at here. Well the smith warehouse and Wilson's tobacco warehouse of course tobacco has had a very important presence in eastern North Carolina for over a century. It really began in a big way across the coastal plain in the late late 19th century and most of the major towns across the coastal plain didn't have tobacco markets and Wilson was of course a major tobacco Center and this guy we like to try to identify those places that kind of identify the economic muscle of the region and in this case we include the section on the back warehouse district in wells.

And now the next photograph a series of bungalows that look like they could be anywhere in middle America that are actually built houses in and around Iraq that a lot of people don't realize that eastern North Carolina as well as the Piedmont underwent the industrial revolution and run a graph which was a town founded basically from scratch at the rapids of the Roanoke River it was a major cotton manufacturing town and they built hundreds of houses for the people who came to work there. And these are among us. Well OK we have one last photograph. This looks like a church that had its steeple cut a huff at the top there. This is Saint John the Evangelist church and they needn't And it's a black possible church there and one of a number of very important black landmarks and across the region. One thing we've tried to do in this book is a benefit. Quite a few American African-American landmarks districts to include here many of which have received relatively little attention in the past are not

been published. And so we've done a five quite a number of black churches schools institutional buildings and they bring Heard's throughout the towns in the rural areas in the region. Unfortunately we're running out of time so if our viewers want to see any more of the photographs they'll have to grab the book but before we get out of here just very quickly there are two more installments coming soon. Yes we're working right now on the next volume which is to be for western North Carolina mountains and foothills. Our co-author will be Jennifer Martin who's in our Western office of archives of natural then we'll be turning back to the Piedmont near here and done with their environment. Great we'll have to have you back. Thank you. I want to thank you both for coming out tonight. Thank you. I am. Happiness may be a warm puppy or a cuddly kitten but if you're thinking about bringing a new pet home for the

holidays you might want to think again. Christina Copeland reports. We're here at the Animal Protection Society and Durant I'd like to introduce you to a new friend of mine. This is spunky and there is nothing spunky I would like more than to wake up underneath your Christmas tree but only if you can give him the time and the love that he deserves. Animal shelters across the state are filled with dogs and cats many of whom have already been in homes where they didn't get a lot of affection. Some have been abused. Others simply abandoned as much as the workers at the shelter love to see pets go home as presents this time of year. Assistant Manager Lauren McKinnon says people need to remember that a dog or cat is more than a gift. We stress to them the importance of realizing that an animal is not just for Christmas or the holidays it is a lifelong commitment. Cats can live you know up to 20 years that's a 20 year commitment dogs 10 to 15 and you know it's a long time. There's financial involvement it's not just a cute thing to put under the tree or in a stocking.

The hardest thing about trying to choose which cat or dog you want is well trying to choose each face looks at you expectantly as if to say Pick me. But before you make your decision there are some things you should take into consideration if you're interested in a dog. Read up on the different breeds. Know how big they can get and what kind of temperaments they have. Which one would best fit in with your lifestyle. For instance do you have room for a big dog to play. Or would you be better off with a smaller dog. Do you have a high energy family that can handle a high energy dog. Or would you prefer something a little calmer. And don't forget to ask yourself if you have the time to see that the dog gets daily exercise and receives the proper medical care. And ask yourself if you can make the financial commitment that goes along with owning a dog. All animals need to have follow up that work. They need you know of course routine care. The food there's a lot of food and money involved especially on a larger dog or a larger animal. Cats may be more independent the dogs but they still need love and companionship.

If you're thinking about a cat here are some points to consider. Some cats are playful and others more aloof. Which time would you prefer for a companion. Do you plan to introduce a cat into a home with other animals. Be prepared for the time it will take to make everyone comfortable with the new furry family member. You should also consider the age of the animal. Well puppies and kittens are adorable. Older dogs and cats can make wonderful pets. Sometimes some people think that they're set in their ways you can't break old habits you can't teach an old dog new tricks. So but a lot of people realize that also on the other hand there are a lot easier you don't have to go through as much housebreaking and chewing with puppies or with adult dogs as you do with puppies. The day we visited the shelter most prospective pet parents were looking for cats. We have a 4 year old cat at home and we've been talking for a while of killing him a sibling and decided it was time Christmas present them and you and me. I think your sister is a very I don't

know I don't know how we're going to choose but you can go time myself you know you take one. After some tough deliberations the couple decided to take the gray kitten because they already have a cat. They have some idea what they're getting into but McKinnon says the holidays may not be the best time for some people to take on a new pet. Using on the holiday time there so many people in and out of a home you don't have the proper time to spend training a poet to spend the quality time you need with it. They really need to consider waiting until after the holidays when things have calmed down in their household. Unfortunately when pet owners decide they've made a mistake in bringing home a dog or cat the animal usually ends up in a place like this. Shelters see a lot of returned animals after the holidays. If they can't find new adoptive families they may become one of the nearly 8 million animals put to sleep in shelters each year. But if you think you have the love and the time to give an animal a spunky would like to be home for the holidays. Some good news of the dog in this story has already been adopted and will enjoy

the holidays in a good home. However there are other dogs and cats that need homes and if you are interested contact the local animal shelter in your area. Well congratulate. Go out to the Carolina Panthers the NFC Western Division champions the Panthers won their division secured a first round playoff bye and early home field advantage for the playoffs in their win yesterday over the Pittsburgh Steelers It was a great game. A truly remarkable feat for a second year expansion team. Before we head out of here tonight a reminder that this time of year the American Red Cross is in dire need of blood donations because of all the holiday vacations the busy schedules and all the hustle and bustle of the season. Blood donations typically go down this time of year. If you would like to donate please call 1 800 GIVE LIFE to find the nearest blood center to you. Tomorrow night we offer you a special Christmas Eve edition of North Carolina now so please include us in your plans tomorrow evening. Have a great night. Happy holidays. Goodnight everyone.