Williamston-Martin County, NC Village

09/05/2025

Student Veteran Support
Today's veterans can face any number of obstacles while furthering their education. Taking advantage of all the benefits you've earned and DESERVE shouldn't be one of them! This is why we have teamed up with Student Veterans of America and Sport Clips Haircuts to provide the assistance you need.



Scholarships
The VFW's "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship" provides service members and veterans with the financial assistance they need to complete their educational goals without incurring excessive student loan debt. It’s just another way for us to say “thank you” to those who fought for our freedoms.

Scholarship Details:
Scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded to qualified applicants.

Awarded scholarships are limited to one per family per semester.
Applications for the fall semester will be accepted Jan. 1 through April 30.

Applications for the spring semester will be accepted Aug. 1 through Nov. 15.

Fall semester scholarships will be awarded in August, and spring semester scholarships will be awarded in January.

Scholarships must be used by the end of the school semester for which the veteran is applying or they will become null and void.

Scholarships are restricted for tuition and fees only and will be paid directly to accredited schools.

Eligible Applicants Must:

Be a citizen of the United States.

Be retired, honorably discharged, active duty, or a member of the National Guard or Reserve.

Have completed Basic Training and follow-on training (Advanced Individual Training, technical school, etc.).

Separated with or currently hold a military rank of E-5 or below.
Demonstrate a need for financial assistance.

Participate in, be accepted to or currently enrolled in a VA-approved program or school at an accredited post-secondary institution.

1 Student Veteran offers direct assistance to student veterans who have questions or are experiencing problems accessing their VA benefits. Our direct access to VA Regional Offices means we can work quickly to provide our student veterans with timely and accurate answers regarding the complex claims...

09/05/2025

September 5, 1802, two prominent North Carolina politicians, John Stanley and Richard Dobbs Spaight, resolved to settle a conflict that had played out before the public..

Click Link https://amzn.to/333dXUf to Order or Review Sketch of the Life of Richard Dobbs Spaight of North Carolina

John Stanly, incumbent congressman, and Richard Dobbs Spaight, former governor and congressman, met at dusk behind the old Masonic Lodge on the outskirts of New Bern in order to duel.

The political adversaries had traded jibes for more than two years, with increased frequency in the weeks prior to the duel. Spaight arrived with Edward Pasteur as second and Stanly, with Edward Graham. Three volleys were fired, during which exchange Stanly’s coat was pierced with a gunshot.

Although bystanders urged that the matter be considered settled, Pasteur insisted that it continue. In the following round, Stanly delivered a shot that struck Spaight in his right side.

Spaight was taken to his home in New Bern where he died the following day, leaving a wife and small children. In response to the high-profile duel, the General Assembly passed an anti-dueling law just two months later.

After his unsuccessful petition for a pardon to the legislature in 1803, John Stanly contacted the governor. Governor Benjamin Williams, believing that the challenge was unavoidable and that it had been a matter of honor, granted Stanly’s pardon. Stanly went on to have a successful political career.

The permissive nature of Stanly’s pardon demonstrates why North Carolina’s anti-dueling act was ultimately ineffective. Men who were passionate enough to duel believed that they had a reasonable chance at being pardoned, since they were defending their honor.

If they did not wish to risk the law, duelists could step over the state line to South Carolina, where dueling was legal, as was the case in the Robert B. Vance and Samuel P. Carson duel in 1827.

Spaight Street in central Madison, Wisconsin, is named in honor of Richard Spaight. Most of the main streets in downtown Madison are named after signers of the United States Constitution.

Stanly County, North Carolina was formed in 1841, and named after John Stanley.

Click Link https://amzn.to/2ErZ5qB to Order Your North Carolina State Freedom Flag.

09/03/2025

September 3, 1960. Wilber Hardee, Williamston, NC (Martin County) opened his first namesake restaurant Hardees in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960. Five months later he opened his first franchise in Rocky Mount, NC.

Click Link https://amzn.to/3hW9A3z to Order or Review The Life and Times of Wilber Hardee: Founder of Hardee's

Over the years his burger chain has spread to become a favorite throughout the Midwestern and Southeastern United States
Although most folks knew Hardee’s® for its biscuits, all that changed during the Revolution of 2003: Hardee’s® decided to pare down its menu and focus on the hearty 1/3-, 1/2- and 2/3-pound Thickburger® line. Made with 100% Angus beef, Thickburgers® established Hardees as a leader in the quick-service industry in both quality and taste.

Today, Hardees forges ahead with a taste for edgy, memorable ads and delicious food-creating a fast-food experience that can’t be topped this side of the Mississippi.

Hardee’s Hamburgers opened on September 3, 1960, only 11 months after McDonald’s had appeared in Greensboro. The response was immediate and overwhelming. People waited in long lines at the service windows, and it sometimes was impossible to find a parking place.

In the first four months, Hardee made an astounding gross profit of $9,500. From the beginning, Hardee later wrote, he planned to expand and wanted to start a second Hardee’s in Rocky Mount, a 30-minute drive away. He found a site and began talking with a builder who told him that his son, Leonard Rawls, an accountant in his late 20s, could help him. The son became an adviser.

Soon afterward, Hardee said, Rawls brought a friend to meet him. He was Jim Gardner, son of a prominent dairy owner in Rocky Mount. Rawls and Gardner thought that Hardee’s could be expanded into a huge chain by selling franchises and the three of them could get rich from it. Hardee was thrilled by the prospect, and without any money changing hands, he entered into an agreement to incorporate Hardee’s Drive-Ins with his two new partners.

In May 1961, the second Hardee’s, overseen by Rawls and Gardner, opened in Rocky Mount and was also an instant success. Soon after, however, things went sour between the three partners. Hardee realized that the deal he’d made left him with no say in the company. Later, he gave varying versions of how that happened.

One, which became widely reported and accepted as truth, was that he had lost controlling interest in a poker game with Rawls and Gardner. But in a short book he self-published in 2000, he told a different story: He’d been tricked and cheated. He wrote that Rawls invited him out for a steak dinner, plied him with liquor until he was drunk, then took him to a lawyer’s office late at night. Gardner was waiting there.

Hardee said he was told they needed to deal with routine legal matters. He was handed a raft of documents that he signed without reading. He later learned that the documents gave Rawls and Gardner permission to begin selling franchises without his involvement.

Disgusted by the situation, and no longer trusting his partners, Hardee wanted out. “I got out because when I realized what the contract was, I saw I didn’t have anything. I sold out for $20,000. Sold my name.”

Click Link https://amzn.to/330nLPc to Order your Hardees Classic T-shirt, Hoodies and Apparel.


To learn more Click Link https://www.ourstate.com/hardees/

09/01/2025

September 1, 1986 Murray Hamilton (Washington, NC) famed actor, most notably known for player Mayor Vaughn in Jaws died. He also appeared in such films as Anatomy of a Murder, The Hustler, The Graduate, and The Amityville Horror. (March 24, 1923 – September 1, 1986).

Click Link https://amzn.to/2QsPF3u to View Jaws

Hamilton was Born March 24, 1923 in Washington, North Carolina (Beaufort County). Hamilton displayed an early interest in performing during his days at Washington High School just before America's entry into World War II. Bad hearing kept him from enlisting, so he moved to New York City as a 19-year-old to find a career on stage.

In an early role, he performed on stage with Henry Fonda in the classic wartime story Mister Roberts as a replacement for David Wayne, playing Ensign Pulver.

In 1960, he was onstage again with Fonda in Critic's Choice; Hamilton was teamed once more with Fonda in 1968 for the drama film The Boston Strangler.

His best known performance was playing, Larry Vaughn, the obdurate mayor of Amity, in the Steven Spielberg thriller Jaws (1975). Hamilton repeated the role in the sequel, Jaws 2 in 1978

He was approached to gain play his role in Jaws: The Revenge, but died September 1, 1986 of Cancer at the age of 63.

Hamilton is interred at Oakdale Cemetery in his native Washington, North Carolina.

Click Link https://amzn.to/3BqZoJQ to View Anatomy of Murder

Other notable big-screen appearances include the critically acclaimed 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder with James Stewart, in which he played the bartender Al Pacquette, who gives testimony in the murder of Barney Quill. He worked again with Stewart in The Spirit of St. Louis (1957) and The FBI Story (1959).

Films of Murray Hamilton
Song of the Open Road (1944) - Crop Corps Kid (uncredited)
Reckless Age (1944) - Member of Soldier Quartet
Something for the Boys (1944) - Soldier (uncredited)
Bright Victory (1951) - Pete Hamilton
The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951) - Al Webster
Toward the Unknown (1956) - Maj. Bromo Lee
The Girl He Left Behind (1956) - Sgt. Clyde
The Spirit of St. Louis (1957) - Bud Gurney
Jeanne Eagels (1957) - Chick O'Hara
Darby's Rangers (1958) - Pvt. / Sgt. Sims Delancey
Too Much, Too Soon (1958) - Charlie Snow
No Time for Sergeants (1958) - Irving S. Blanchard
Houseboat (1958) - Capt. Alan Wilson
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - Alphonse Paquette
The FBI Story (1959) - Sam Crandall
Tall Story (1960) - Coach Sandy Hardy
The Hustler (1961) - Findley
The Farmer's Daughter (1962 TV movie) - Nordick
Papa's Delicate Condition (1963) - Mr. Harvey
13 Frightened Girls (1963) - Wally Sanders
The Cardinal (1963) - Lafe
Inherit the Wind (1965 TV movie) - E. K. Hornbeck
Seconds (1966) - Charlie
An American Dream (1966) - Arthur Kabot
A Bell for Adano (1967 TV movie) - Sgt. Leonard Borth
The Graduate (1967) - Mr. Robinson
Sergeant Ryker (1968) - Capt. Appleton
No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) - Inspector Haines
The Boston Strangler (1968) - Detective Frank McAfee
The Brotherhood (1968) - Jim Egan
If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969) - Fred Ferguson
Vanished (1971 TV movie) - Nick McCann
Cannon (1971 TV movie) - Virgil Holley
A Tattered Web (1971 TV movie) - Sgt. Joe Marcus
The Police (1971 TV movie) - Chief of Police
The Harness (1971 TV movie) - Roy Kern
The Failing of Raymond (1971 TV movie) - Sgt. Manzak
Deadly Harvest (1972 TV movie) - Sheriff Bill Jessup
Incident on a Dark Street (1973 TV movie) - Edmund Schilling
Murdock's Gang (1973 TV movie) - Harold Talbot
The Way We Were (1973) - Brooks Carpenter
After the Fall (1974 TV movie) - Mickey
Jaws (1975) - Mayor Larry Vaughn
The Drowning Pool (1975) - Kilbourne
Murder at the World Series (1977 TV movie) - Harvey Murkison
Damnation Alley (1977) - Gen. Landers (uncredited)
Killer on Board (1977) - Dr. Folger
Casey's Shadow (1978) - Tom Patterson
Jaws 2 (1978) - Mayor Larry Vaughn
Donovan's Kid (1979 TV movie) - Henry Carpenter
A Last Cry for Help (1979 TV movie) - Ralph Muir
The Amityville Horror (1979) - Father Ryan
1941 (1979) - Claude Crumn
Swan Song (1980 TV movie) - Jack McCauley
Brubaker (1980) - John Deach
All the Way Home (1981 TV movie) - Joel Lynch
B. J. and the Bear (1981) - Capt. Rutherford T. Grant
Mazes and Monsters (1982 TV movie) - Lieutenant Martini
Hysterical (1983) - Mayor
Summer Girl (1983 TV movie) - Jack Reardon
Boys in Blue (1984 TV movie) - Capt. Sid Bender
Too Scared to Scream
Mama's Family (1984) - Uncle Roy Harper
The Last Days of Patton (1986 TV movie) - Gen. Hobart "Hap" Gay
The Golden Girls (1986) - Curtis "Big Daddy" Hollingsworth
Whoops Apocalypse (1986) - Jack "Kill the Commies" Preston

09/01/2025

Ja'Vion Griffin

Ja'Vion Griffin Emerges as a Reliable Deep Threat for Richmond Spiders in 2024 Season

In the 2024 season, senior WR Ja'Vion Griffin has solidified his role as a key offensive weapon for the Richmond Spiders, showcasing his ability to make impactful plays downfield with a notable season-high reception of 32 yards and averaging 14 yards per catch.

Known for his speed—holding a high school record in the 200-meter dash—and versatility from his rushing and receiving background, Griffin combines athleticism with clutch performance, exemplified by a game-tying touchdown late against Campbell.

His consistent improvement over four years and competitive intensity make him an asset for teams seeking a dynamic wide receiver who can stretch defenses and deliver under pressure.

2023 (Redshirt Junior)
Played in 11 games, recording seven starts
Recorded season-high in yards (73) and longest reception (32 yards) in FCS First Round Game against Lehigh (11/30/24)
Totaled 22 catches for 315 yards
Scored game-tying touchdown late in fourth quarter in win over Campbell (11/09/24)

2022 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Played in 10 games, recording six starts
Totaled 16 receptions for 283 yards

2022 (Redshirt Freshman)
Played in 10 games
Recorded seven receptions for 56 yards
Scored first career touchdown against Stony Brook (09/24/22)

2021 (Freshman)
Did not see action, redshirted

Prior To Richmond
Three-year starter at Riverside Martin High School.
Named All-State as a junior and All-Conference in 2019.
Recorded 29 touchdowns rushing and receiving during his career.
Rushed for 483 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior while recording 760 receiving yards and eight touchdowns through the air.

Posted 477 yards receiving and three touchdowns as a sophomore to go along with 384 yards rushing and four scores.

Senior season has been pushed to the spring due to COVID-19.
Named the WITN Player of the Week in 2020.
Lettered all three years in track as well.
Holds the school record in the 200-meter dash.

https://richmondspiders.com/sports/football/roster/javion-griffin/7643

09/01/2025

Governor Stein Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments
Raleigh, NC

Rachel Maria Ogo Candaso of Martin County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Candaso is currently an AVID Elective Teacher and Site Coordinator at Wellcome Middle School in Greenville. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year.

Tamika Jaquetta Farmer of Martin County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Farmer is a Fourth Grade Teacher at G.W. Carver Elementary School in Pinetops, where she also serves as a mentor to new elementary teachers. Farmer was also named 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Central Region’s teacher of the year as well as the 2025 Edgecombe County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.

Governor Stein has appointed the following new member to the Biotechnology Center Board of Directors:

Marlene Louise Sanders of Wake County as Someone Involved in Fields of Biotechnology or Life Sciences. Sanders is the Director of State Government and Policy at Merck & Company.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Governor’s Teacher Advisory Council:

Rachel Maria Ogo Candaso of Martin County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Candaso is currently an AVID Elective Teacher and Site Coordinator at Wellcome Middle School in Greenville. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year.

Dolores Amanda Aguayo of Alamance County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Aguayo is a Visual Arts Teacher at Gavelly Hill Middle School in Efland.

Tayler Duncan Bomar of Mitchell County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Bomar is a Second Grade Teacher at Greenlee Primary School in Spruce Pine. She is a 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year.

Emily Morgan Burrus of Haywood County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Burrus is a French Teacher at Pisgah High School in Canton.

Bobbie Joe Cavnar of Gaston County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Cavnar is an English Teacher and Chair of the English Department at South Point High School in Belmont. In 2016, he was the North Carolina Teacher of the Year.

Summer Anne Espinosa of Union County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Espinosa is a Kindergarten Teacher at W.R. Odell Primary School. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Beginning Teacher of the Year.

Tamika Jaquetta Farmer of Martin County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Farmer is a Fourth Grade Teacher at G.W. Carver Elementary School in Pinetops, where she also serves as a mentor to new elementary teachers. Farmer was also named 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Central Region’s teacher of the year as well as the 2025 Edgecombe County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.

Emma Nicole Geist of Wake County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Geist is an Extended Content Standards Teacher at Davis Drive Middle School in Cary.

Taleah Chanel Jones of Guilford County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Jones is a Sixth Grade Social Studies Teacher at Broadview Middle School in Burlington. She is also the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont Triad Region Teacher of the Year.

Yaronda Ameris Kilgo of Union County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Kilgo is a Kindergarten Teacher at Wingate Elementary School in Monroe. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont Southwest Region Teacher of the Year.

Christian Cortez Martin of Craven County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Martin is a Middle School English Language Arts Teacher at Craven County Schools as well as a Teacher Cadet Cadre Member at the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children. He was named Craven County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year in 2024.

Anthony Sean Martin of Columbus County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Martin is a Technology Engineering and Design Instructor at East Columbus Junior/Senior High School in Lake Waccamaw. He is also the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Sandhills Region Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for North Carolina State Teacher of the Year.

Elyse Cannon McRae of Pitt County as an Active Classroom Teacher. McRae teaches World History, Economics and Personal Finance, AP Psychology, and Civic Literacy at South Central High School in Winterville.

Marisha Darice Merchant of Onslow County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Merchant is an English and AVID Elective Teacher at White Oak High School in Jacksonville.

Hannah Parry Moon of New Hanover County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Moon is a High School English Teacher and Chair of the English Department at Laney High School in Wilmington. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Southeast Region Teacher of the Year.

Lindsay Combs Phillips of Lincoln County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Phillips is a Kindergarten Teacher at Mountain Island Charter School in Mt. Holly. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Charter School Teacher of the Year.

Lydia Roberts Carson Sale of Swain County as an Active Classroom Teacher. Sale is a First Grade Teacher at Swain County Schools. She also serves on Swain County Schools’ District Leadership Team. She is the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Western Region Teacher of the Year.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Governor's Environmental Justice Advisory Council:

Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson of Granville County in an At-Large Seat. Johnson is currently the Co-Director of Infrastructure and Development at the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources in the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University.

Dr. Jovita Lee of Wake County in an At-Large Seat. Lee is the Program and Policy Director at the NC Black Alliance and Advance Carolina, as well as a freelance Organizational Consultant.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force:

Dr. Sylvester Ejeh of Cumberland County as a Practicing Family Physician, Pediatrician, Or Internist. Dr. Ejeh is an Interventional Cardiologist with Cumberland Cardiology, P.A. He completed his internal medicine residency, cardiology fellowship, and interventional cardiology fellowship at both Howard University Hospital and University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Marine Fisheries Commission:

Johnathan Edward Mallette of Onslow County as a Commercial Dealer or Processor from the Coastal Region who derives more than 50 percent of income from dealing/processing. Mallette is a life-long commercial and recreational fisherman and the owner of Southern Breeze Seafood in Jacksonville, as well as a Chef Ambassador for NC Catch and Got to Be NC.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board:

Dr. Crystal Noelle Cliff of Mecklenburg County as a Licensed Acupuncturist. Cliff is the Owner and President of Phoenix Moon Acupuncture and Apothecary in Charlotte.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Alarm Systems Licensing Board:

Kim Heffney of Chatham County as a Public Member. Heffney began his career as a Special Agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation specializing in Arson Investigation and was most recently an Internal Affairs Investigator with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. He also serves as a member of the North Carolina Private Protective Services Board.

Commissioner Ronald Dean Wesson of Bertie County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Wesson retired after 12 years of service to his community as a Bertie County North Carolina Commissioner, and lives in Windsor, N.C. Ron served as Chairman of that board for many years. During that tenure, Ron also served on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ Board of Directors, and in 2017-18 chaired the Tax and Finance Committee

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology and Innovation:

Dr. Jerome Lynch of Durham County as a Representative of Duke University Nominated by Duke President. Lynch is the Vinik Dean of Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) Engineering Mechanics Institute and led the University of Michigan’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering as department chair from 2017 to 2021.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Cemetery Commission:

David R. Buchanan of Gatson County as Someone Nominated by the North Carolina Cemetery Association. Buchanan is the owner of Westview Gardens in Bessemer City. He was a previous President of the North Carolina Cemetery Association.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs:

Lisa E. Phillips of Guilford County as a Superintendent of Public Instruction Representative. Phillips is currently the State Coordinator for Homeless Education at the Serve Center at UNC Greensboro.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Psychology Board:

Shiquita Hyman of Alamance County as a Psychological Associate Nominated by the North Carolina Psychological Association. Hyman is a Regional Director and LPA at Butterfly Effects, LLC in Raleigh.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority:

Cynthia Wallace of Mecklenburg County in an At-Large Seat. Wallace is the Executive Director at the New Rural Project in Charlotte.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority:

Phillip Feagan of Polk County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Feagan served as the attorney for Polk County Board of Education for 18 years until July 2025. His practice included representation of the Polk County Department of Social Services in Adult and Child Protective Services cases for nearly 40 years before his resignation at the end of March 2025.

Commissioner Ronald Dean Wesson of Bertie County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Wesson retired after 12 years of service to his community as a Bertie County North Carolina Commissioner, and lives in Windsor, N.C. Ron served as Chairman of that board for many years. During that tenure, Ron also served on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ Board of Directors, and in 2017-18 chaired the Tax and Finance Committee. He also previously served as Chairman of the association’s General Government Committee
Brady Cody of Graham County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Cody currently serves as the Graham County Manager and was previously the founder of Cody Law Group in Robbinsville.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission:

Robin W. Smith of Orange County as an Environmental Management Commission Representative. Smith is a licensed attorney who provides legal and consulting services through Robin Smith Law Office PLLC. Smith previously served as Assistant Secretary for the Environment at the North Carolina Department. of Environment and Natural Resources from September 1999 to December 31, 2012.

Brian North of Wake County as a Mining Commission Representative. North is the Director of Environmental Services at Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

Joshua Lee Heitman of County as a North Carolina State University Soil Science Department Representative. Heitman is a Professor of Soil Physics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at NC State University.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners:

James T. Ahler of Wake County as a Public Member. Before retiring in 2016, Ahler served as CEO of the NC Association of CPAs for 28 years. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky State Board of Accountancy for 10 years.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Board of Podiatry Examiners:

Dr. Gary Liao of Durham County as a Podiatrist Nominated by Board. Liao currently serves as Clinical Faculty in the Podiatry Section of Duke Orthopedics.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Commission for Public Health:

Diamond Staton-Williams of Cabarrus County as a Registered Nurse. Staton-Williams is the Director of Outpatient and Community Care Management at Atrium Health. She is also a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2023-2025.

Dr. Emily Collins of Forsyth County as a Licensed Veterinarian. Collins is an Associate Veterinarian at Reynolda Veterinary Hospital in Winston-Salem.

Christopher Nathan Roberts of Gaston County as a Licensed Pharmacist. Roberts is a District Leader at CVS Health and has been in the pharmacy industry for more than a decade.


Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Licensing Board for General Contractors:

Kevin Anderson of Orange County as a Public Member. Anderson was most recently a Senior Counsel for Consumer Protection and Multistate Litigation at the North Carolina Department of Justice, where he served in various roles for more than 25 years.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Statewide Independent Living Council:

Alyssa Hampton of Alexander County as an Individual with a Disability. Hampton is a Life Insurance Agent at American Income Life.

Brittny Jean Zenere of Wake County as an Individual with a Disability. Zenere is the Director of Operations at the Alliance of Disability Associates.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Veterans Affairs Commission:

Michael J. Burns III of New Hanover County as a 7th Congressional District Representative. Burns is a former Navy SEAL Officer and current venture capital investor at Canapi Ventures. He also serves on the board of the Boulder Crest Foundation, an organization that supports veteran mental health and resilience.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Social Services Commission:

Jill Austin of Yancey County as a 11th Congressional District Representative. Austin is a lifelong resident of Yancey County with a deep-rooted commitment to the people and families of her community. She has been a local business owner for more than 40 years and previously served on the Yancey County Board of Commissioners.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Well Contractors Certification Commission:

David Walton Hutson of Durham County as a Public, At Large, Not Engaged in Well Contractor Activities, or Employed by Well Contractor or Government Agency. Hutson is a retired water well contractor, most recently employed by Acme Well Co. He is also a Member of the North Carolina Groundwater Association and its Board of Directors.

https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/08/29/governor-stein-announces-boards-and-commissions-appointments

08/30/2025

Carole T. Holliday
Obituary
June 5, 1941 - August 29, 2025

Carole T. Holliday, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 29, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. She was born on June 5, 1941, to Lester and Ellieen Terry, who preceded her in death.

Carole was a dedicated beautician for 63 years, known for her talent, kindness, and warm spirit. She had a passion for her work and a deep love for her family, especially her grandchildren. Her favorite color was purple, a reflection of her vibrant and graceful presence.

On September 4, 1960, Carole married the love of her life, Samuel E. Holliday, who also preceded her in death. Together, they built a beautiful life centered on family, love, and strong values.

In addition to her parents and husband, she is also preceded in death by two sons, Terry and Russell Holliday; sister, Patricia Selby; and one granddaughter, Rebecca Holliday.

Carole leaves to cherish her memories, her loving son: Mark Holliday (Betsy) of Hamilton, NC; granddaughter, Patricia Sweet-Holliday (Logan); great-granddaughter, Callie of Chiloquin, Oregon. She is also survived by her dear sisters-in-law, Barbara Bowen, Patti Taylor, Geraldine Holliday, and Shirley Holliday; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Carole will be deeply missed, but her legacy of love, strength, and beauty will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

Carole Janice Holliday, 84, of Oak City, NC, entered into eternal rest on August 29, 2025. A visitation will be held from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at Rose of Sharon Original Free Will Baptist Church.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Rose of Sharon Original Free Will Baptist Church.

Burial will follow at Martin Memorial Gardens. Ministry of Comfort has been entrusted to Paradise Funeral Home Inc.