Inside This Week Volume 117 • Issue 49
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
75¢
Rick Webb Family to perform at First United Methodist Dec. 8 Memorial concert is in memory of his mother, Margaret Sue Webb by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
For all of you gospel music lovers out there… put this on your calendars immediately! Cherryville native son, Rick Webb and his family will perform at First United Methodist Church, located at 601 N. Pink St., in Cherryville on Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. As noted earlier, Rick is a native of Cherryville,
The Rick Webb Family, who will be performing on Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m., at First United Methodist Church of Cherryville. (photo provided)
NC, and began his full-time music ministry in 1973 while majoring in Church Music at Gardner-Webb University. The concert is a memorial concert in memory of Rick’s mother, Margaret Sue Webb, who passed on June 12, 2021. She was a member of the Cherryville Music Club, sang in the church’s choir for many, many years, and directed the Cherub choir for many years. The family has a web site at www.rickwebbfamily.org, where you can find out their tour schedule, and more about their music and the ministry of one of America’s premiere gospel music groups.
The Webbs have been touring and performing now, as the web site noted, for 34 years. It continues, “Rick and Phyllis Webb have ministered through music evangelism to scores of people worldwide, logging over 2 million miles and witnessing scores of people make public decisions for salvation through Jesus Christ during the span of their ministry. “They have shared the platform with noted Christian leaders President Ronald Raegan, President George H. Bush, Dr. Zig Zigler, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Gov. Chris See WEBB, Page 4A
Despite steady rain; dampness, crowd turns out for 2023 Whoville celebration City’s showcase festival’s ability to draw folks from miles around stands the test of time (and the It’s “Jolly Old Saint Nick!” The “right jolly old elf” always weather!) makes a grand appearance at every Cherryville Christmas Parade. (Eagle/CF Media file photo by Michael E. and Susan L. Powell)
2023 Christmas Parade will have a new route, direction this year Floats, band, Santa, will all head east toward Papa’s Pizza parking lot by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
Cherryville Chamber of Commerce Director Mary Beth Tackett said recently the big “news” about the Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 Christmas Parade is that it will be coming from a different direction this year as opposed to all the previous years. In a recent phone conversation, Tackett noted the direction will be essentially reversed from past parades in that it will head east down Main Street, as opposed to heading west on Main. that is to say, it will be going in the direction of the old Harris Teeters parking lot instead of coming from there.
The new staging area and route starts at Mulberry and Main Street, she said, and heads east, as was mentioned, towards Papa’s Pizza parking lot. “The parade viewing area will be from Main Street only,” she said. To that end, Tackett noted First Street will be closed from Mulberry Street to Cherry Street, along with Main Street, from Mulberry Street to Pink Street from 3 a.m., to 12 p.m., on Saturday, Dec. 9. Not to worry though, she added, as this Christmas season is shaping up to be a good one. She and the folks at the City and the Chamber want everyone to have a great time and“…celebrate the holidays together” in the city “Where Life Blossoms!” “The Christmas season is upon us!” Tackett has been fond of saying the Chamber staff and crew have put together a big holiday season and what with last week’s ‘Whoville’ (Friday, Dec. 1, at the Mini-Park in Downtown Cherryville), and the upcoming parade, she noted See PARADE, Page 4A
by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
Well, it’s no longer just the post office that gets the job done no matter the weather and its issues! You can now add the Cherryville Whoville Celebration to that short list of contenders! In spite of some rather drippy and wet (and cold… did we say cold?) weather last Friday, Dec. 1, the 2023 Cherryville Whoville Celebration went on, seemingly without a hitch! By most accounts, everyone asked said they and their children were not only surprised it was held in the first place, what with the weather being like it was, but that it
Looking down Main Street, you can see the wet street, and some of the folks who came out for the 2023 Whoville celebration, in spite of the rain. (photo by MEP/The Eagle/CF Media) was – and I’m quoting one lady and her husband who came over from Lincolnton here – “Really VERY cool! Our kids love it!” They had been before and sort of knew what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised, she said, that it went on as if the weather were not any sort of bad factor. One of the newer items
in this year’s lineup was the inflatable maze, which was down by the Home Trust Bank. Chamber member Gary Dellinger – working a booth for the event – noted it was new for the city and a “first” for the Whoville celebration. The event’s organizers also noted many folks came out last Friday night (in
spite of the weather) to see what has rapidly become an event equally as well attended and as famous as the City’s famed Fourth of July celebration, or other similar events. According to the event’s organizers, Whoville started at 6 p.m., but the actual work and set-up began See WHOVILLE, Page 6A
The Old North State celebrated its 234th birthday November 21 On Nov. 21, 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the United States Constitution by THERESA OPEKA Carolina Journal
Tuesday, November 21, 2023 marked North Carolina’s 234th birthday! U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, was among those remembering the Old North State’s special day on social media. On Nov. 21, 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the
United States Constitution and the only state with two ratification conventions. In 1729, the state started as a royal colony and was one of the original 13 colonies. The state was named in honor of King Charles I of England, who formed the English colony, Image is of the North Carolina state flag and the American (Photo source: Maya Reagan, Carolina Journal) as Carolus is Latin for flag. “Charles.” their delegates to vote in favor of inNorth Carolina adopted the Halifax dependence from Great Britain. The Resolves resolution on Apr. 12, 1776, slogan, “First in Freedom,” was becoming the first colony to permit See STATE, Page 2A
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