The Chatham County Fair Association held the 58th Chatham County Agricultural and Industrial Fair from September 17-20.

The gates opened last Wednesday and featured an opening ceremony that included several speakers and a performance by the Northwood High School band.

Buddy Seagroves was on hand Wednesday to watch his oldest son perform in the Northwood band.

"Our favorite part is riding the rides and the food," Seagroves.

"And the candy," Seagroves’ son, Evan said.

The keynote speaker, Chatham County School Superintendent Robert Logan recalled going to the local fair as a young man in Buncombe County.

"When the fair came to the community each and every fall, it was a special time," Logan said.

"It was something that brought the community together. And that is what the Chatham County Fair is all about too," Logan added.

Margaret Pollard, a member of the Chatham County Fair Board, has been involved with the fair since its beginning, understands why the fair is special.

"Most people can relate back to their agricultural roots," Pollard said.

"People throughout the county one way or another have been involved with it," Pollard said.

"If you look at the exhibits, just about every agency in the county has been involved with putting them together," Pollard added.

Pollard said she that most of her excitement from the fair this year came from not having to look for people to display exhibits.

"We had to apologize that we didn’t have enough room for everybody," Pollard said.

Fair-goers on Thursday night heard the sounds of the Chatham Central, Jordan Matthews and Northwood High School bands.

Friday was senior day at the fair. From 10:00 am until 12:00 pm, senior citizens could participate in interactive games, activities and presentations. Lunch was also provided by the Senior Center on Friday.

Later on Friday night, the Chatham County Cooperative Extension held farm animal exhibits. Baby chicks, alpine dairy goats, Tamworth pigs and rabbits were all on display.

Esten Maxwell, with one eye covered by a toy pirate’s patch, one hand digging into a bag of marshmallows, and a shy smile on his face, was clearly a happy young man Monday afternoon.

And that was even before he received a check from the Make-A-Wish Foundation that will pay for a trip he will take next week to Disneyworld in Orlando, Fla.

"Oh, I like this," Esten said, pulling a sticker book from one of several bags of goodies he was presented during a party in his honor.

The festivities were held at Olympic Steel on Hamp Stone Road, where employees raised enough money this summer to make Esten’s wish come true.

In October 2006, Esten, then 3½-years-old, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

He had just entered Pre-K and had only been in school one month when he began treatment for his illness.

"He missed a lot of school that year, but we continued him there because of the social benefits and our desire for normalcy," said his mother, Melanie Maxwell of Pittsboro.

A fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, Esten "would play with his tracks and trains all over the [hospital] floor, while tethered to IVs," his mother said.

"He rolled with the punches and still does," Melanie said.

Esten’s mother and father, musician Tom Maxwell, who also lives in Pittsboro, and his older sister, Evelyn, accompanied him to Olympic Steel Monday afternoon, where the company’s 170 employees threw a party complete with treats and presents in Esten’s honor.

Detectives from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office are looking for answers involving the shooting of a father and son in Moncure last weekend.

Deputies discovered the shooting after responding to a hospital emergency call in Sanford at approximately 2:30 a.m.

Ronnie Hackney, 57, and his son Maurice Hackney, 34, both suffered serious injuries from the gunshot wounds. Both are expected to recover, according to officials.

According to detectives, four men wearing bandanas entered the Hackney residence at 7654 Pittsboro-Moncure Road in Moncure in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Ronnie Hackney was asleep in his bedroom at the time of the intrusion. Maurice Hackney was watching television.

more- See Thursday, September 25,  2008 paper: Vol 90, No.44

Maybe it was the alignment of the stars or just pure luck, but whatever the reason, two Siler City players earned big payoffs playing the N.C. Education Lottery last week.

The big local winner was Gary Carter of Siler City, who purchased his winning ticket almost as an afterthought.

Gary Carter of Siler City almost didn’t buy the instant scratch-off ticket that won him $125,000.

Carter told lottery officials he saw the "Winning Streak" ticket while standing in line to check out at Sunrise Food & Gas on West 3rd Street in Siler City, but decided not to buy it.

Carter left the store, got in his car, but found he couldn’t stop thinking about the ticket.

So he went back inside and purchased a $5 ticket.

When Carter scratched it off, the ticket revealed itself to be the top prize winner.

more- See Thursday, September 25,  2008 paper: Vol 90, No.44