EXIT 27

Welcome to EXIT 27, a Mount Holly, NC podcast. This podcast explores the history, people and current events of Mount Holly. Hosted by Greg Blackwood, and recorded downtown Mt. Holly in the historic Summey Building, EXIT 27 documents and brings to life the stories of our friends, family, and neighbors.

#61: Lee & Jenny Bolton 09/30/2024

#61: Lee & Jenny Bolton Lee and Jenny are the owners of Bolton's Curbside Cookery. They're both life long Mt. Holly residents, and graduates of East Gaston. In this episode we talk about their brand new restaurant and how they got started with their food truck four years ago. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/33259692

#60: Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 08/12/2024

#60: Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony In this episode you'll hear a recording of the 2024 Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This years inductees were: Vance Furr, introduced by Scott Pope, award accepted by DeLina Furr. 7:34. James Mack, introduced by Gary Neely. 14:00. Lee Edison Hansel Jr., introduced by Eddie Wilson, award accepted by Jim Bailey. 23:22. Jamie Summerlin, introduced by Scott Pope. 37:05. 1979 EGHS Baseball Team, introduced by Scott Pope, award accepted by Tracy Black. 46:40. Chais Schenck, introduced by Doug Smith. 57:44. Cierra Brooks, introduced by Tyler Berg. 1:08:15. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/32541142

#59: Jamie Summerlin 07/22/2024

#59: Jamie Summerlin Jamie was recently inducted into the Mount Holly Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments both on the baseball diamond and in the dugout as a baseball coach. He grew up in Stanley and graduated from East Gaston in 1998 before going on to play baseball at Belmont Abbey College. He currently lives in Mt. Holly with is wife and three children. Listen in to learn more about Jamie's accomplishments, and the family structure that led him to success. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/32240527

#58: William Brooks 07/17/2024

#58: William Brooks William is the owner of in Mount Holly. He has lived in Mt. Holly almost all of his life. He currently volunteers time with the Mt. Holly Historical Society and the Mt. Holly Parks and Rec Commishion. He's a graduate of East Gaston, class of 2000. In this episode we talk about William's business and some Mt. Holly past and current events. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/32181672

#57: Rob Brendle 03/14/2024

#57: Rob Brendle Rob is a former college and high school basketball coach. He currently works in the Parks and Recreation department for the city of Mount Holly. In this episode we discuss his coaching journey, the people and connections he's made along the way, and of course, March Madness! /episode/index/show/exit27/id/30372473

#56: Dr. Garrett Foland 02/12/2024

#56: Dr. Garrett Foland Garrett is a Physical Therapist who lives and works in Mount Holly. His clinic, Kinetix, is located in the Municipal Complex. He's originally from Frederick County Maryland and he's a graduate from Shenandoah University's Physical Therapy Program. In this episode we learn about his clinic and how he and his wife found their way to Mount Holly. We also discuss ways to stay physically active and how to best help the body recover. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/29903698

#55: Jonathan Blanton 01/29/2024

#55: Jonathan Blanton Jonathan is the new City Manger of Mount Holly. Prior to coming to Mount Holly he was the City Manager of Ranlo. He obtained a Masters in Public Administration from UNCC and a Juris Doctor degree from the Charlotte School of Law. In this episode we discuss what led him to Mount Holly and what his future plans are for our city. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/29691538

#54: Allison Sheridan 01/22/2024

#54: Allison Sheridan Allison is the owner of Cleary's Bookstore in Mount Holly. She and her husband recently moved to the area from Seattle. In this epsiode we get to know Allison and her bookstore. We also discuss what drew her to Mount Holly. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/29591088

#53: Joe Haverty, Marty Blackwood, John Blackwood, Chris Drumm 12/19/2023

#53: Joe Haverty, Marty Blackwood, John Blackwood, Chris Drumm My uncle Joe Haverty, my cousin Chris Drumm, and my brothers John and Marty joined me for this all in the family edition of EXIT 27. In this episode the guys discuss growing up in Dotson's Trailer Park in the late '60s early '70s, and some of their first rock and roll concerts. We also talk about some of our favorite trips together and our grandfather, (Joe's Father) Joseph Haverty Jr., who passed away when he was only 36 years old. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/29145663

#52: Jeff Painter 12/04/2023

#52: Jeff Painter Jeff is the owner of Painter Funeral & Cremation Services. He was born and raised in Mt. Holly and currently lives in Stanley. He graduated from East Gaston in 1995. He received his certification for Funeral Directing from Fayetteville Technical Communicty College and has been serving our community in the funeral business for the last 15 years. In this episode we discuss how the funeral business has changed over the last 20 years. We also reminisce on some of our favorite Mt. Holly memories. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/28916088

#51: Jeff Meadows 10/16/2023

#51: Jeff Meadows Jeff is an imcumbent member of Mt. Holly's city council who is running for re-election this November. Jeff has a Masters degree in public administration from the University of Central Florida. Since moving to Mt. Holly in 2008 Jeff has served on the Mt. Holly Planning Commission, as well as serving two terms on City Council. In this episode we discuss what drew Jeff and his family to Mt. Holly, his background, and his campaign for re-election. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/28326113

#50: Bryan Hough 10/11/2023

#50: Bryan Hough Bryan is Mt. Holly's incumbent mayor, seeking re-election to his 6th term this November. In this episode we discuss some of the accomplishments Bryan and the City Council have achieved during his time as Mayor. We also touch on some of the current development happening within the city and what future growth may look like. Learn more about Bryan and his campaign on his website /episode/index/show/exit27/id/28286231

#49: Joe Black 06/11/2023

#49: Joe Black Joe grew up in Mount Holly and graduated from East Gaston HS in 2001. He went on to graduate from East Carolina University. He currently lives in Belmont with his wife and two kids. Joe is an active volunteer in his community, coaching youth sports and mentoring students. He hosts a Sandwich of the Week show on Instagram @JoeblackECU. In this episode we discuss his health scare this past New Year's Eve, his Sandwich of the Week show and what it was like growing up in Mount Holly. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/27111597

#48: Scott Blackwood 04/05/2023

#48: Scott Blackwood Scott is the Owner/Operator of Mount Holly's newest restaurant, Firehawk Brewpub, which is set to open in the coming weeks. Scott has over 15 years in the restaurant industry. He has lived in Mount Holly for most of his life, graduating from East Gaston HS in 1994. He's my first cousin and we have a lot of memeries from growing up together, some of which are discussed in this podcast. Listen in to learn more about Scott and Firehawk Brewpub! /episode/index/show/exit27/id/26450508

#47: Thomas Bell 02/23/2023

#47: Thomas Bell Thomas "Officer" Bell is a Sergeant with the Mount Holly Police Dept. For the last 20 years he has worked as the Resource Officer at Mount Holly Middle School. He's a graduate of Kings Mountain High School and he has lived in Mt. Holly for the past 4 years. In this episode we discuss what he does with all the candy people bring him and we also talk about what he does when he is not in uniform. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/26028417

#46: Danny White 12/30/2022

#46: Danny White Danny is an amazing person who has lived a fascinating life. He grew up in Lucia and attended Mt. Holly High School. He currently lives in Mt. Holly and is a regular member of the McDonalds breakfast crew. He is a recovering alcoholic and he has sponsored countless people through the Alcoholics Anonymous program over the last couple decades. Outro song titled "I wouldn't Change A Thing", written and performed by Carrie Haverty. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/25463454

#45: Mary Blomquist 12/01/2022

#45: Mary Blomquist Mary works with the City of Mt. Holly. She came onto the show to tell us about all of the exciting events the city will be hosting during the month of December. Mary also owns a marketing and consulting firm in town named, For the Love of Technology. You can find out more information about the Yule Love Mt. Holly events here, and you can reach mary at . /episode/index/show/exit27/id/25187847

#44 Robert Whitt 11/22/2022

#44 Robert Whitt Robert is an Attorney at Law who grew up in Mt. Holly and has practiced law in town since 1975. He received his undergraduate from Davidson College and he complete law school at UNC. He also served two terms as the Mayor of Mt. Holly. In this episode we discuss his career as a lawyer and a mayor, as well as some of his memories from growing up in Mt. Holly. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/25095714

#43: Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 09/25/2022

#43: Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony In this episode you'll hear a recording of the 2022 Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This years inductees, in order of introduction, were: Harry Adams, introduced by Scott Pope 1956 Mt. Holly Hawks Football Team, introduced by Gary Neely Steve Hansel, introduced by Gary Neely Robert "Buster" Nichols, Jr., introduced by Eddie Wilson Marrio McCorkle, introduced by Doug Smith Stewart Hare, introduced by Tyler Berg /episode/index/show/exit27/id/24485373

#42: Jessica Thompson 08/22/2022

#42: Jessica Thompson Jessica is a member of the Mt. Holly Athletic Association. The MHAA is hosting the first annual Fall Ball, Friday Sept 24th @ Traust Brewery in donwtown Mt. Holly. (See the link below to purchase tickets). Jessica grew up in Lucia, graduated form East Gaston in 1998, and went on to graduate from ECU. She lived in Wilmington most of her adult life and recently moved back to Mt. Holly. In this episode we discuss the Fall Ball, some of Jessica's memories of growing up in the community, and what led her back to Mt. Holly. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/24130530

#41: Jake Hilton and Matt Thompson 08/16/2022

#41: Jake Hilton and Matt Thompson Jake and Matt were two of three coaches for the Mount Holly 10u Allstar baseball team that recently won the State Dixie Youth Baseball tournament and represented North Carolina in the Dixie Youth World Series. They both grew up in Mt. Holly and graduated from East Gaston, Jake in '02 and Matt in '99. In this episode we discuss the ups and downs of their amazing journey to the World Series and the outpouring of support they received from the local community. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/24069495

#40: Luke Blackwood & Tyler Berg 07/11/2022

#40: Luke Blackwood & Tyler Berg Luke & Tyler are both repeat guests on the podcast. Luke grew up in Mt. Holly and now lives in Wilmington, NC. Tyler was a basketball standout at East Gaston and later Wofford College. He recently took over the position of President for the Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame Committee. In this episode we discuss some current and upcoming events in Mt. Holly. We also relive some of Luke's glory days on the hardcourt and talk about what he has going on in Wilmington. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/23705552

#39: Randy Cook 06/27/2022

#39: Randy Cook Randy is from West Charlotte. He's a graduate of Harding High School and UNCC. He moved to Mt. Holly over 45 years ago with his wife Cindy. During this episode we discuss Randy's career and his path to Mt. Holly. We also talk about being a father, a grandfather, and mornings with the Mcdonalds breakfast crew. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/23548937

#38: Gary Neely 02/28/2022

#38: Gary Neely Gary is a life long Mt. Holly resident. He's a graduate of Mt. Holly High School and App St. University. In this episode we discuss Gary's childhood, Mt. Holly sports in the 60's, Gary's participation in the Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame, and much more. Outro song, titled The One That Got Away, written and performed by Joe Haverty /episode/index/show/exit27/id/22279601

#37: Jeff Lee 01/17/2022

#37: Jeff Lee Jeff is the owner of the Vintage Nest, a home decor store located in downtown Mount Holly. In this episode we discuss the reasons Jeff decided to open a retail store in Mount Holly and how the Vintage Nest has evolved over the last 10 years. Outro song, titled Valerie, performed by Carrie Haverty. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/21797603

#36: Don Roper 10/22/2021

#36: Don Roper Don Roper is a candidate running for Sheriff of Gaston County. Currently, and for the past eight years, he has served as the Chief of Police in Mount Holly. He's lived in Gaston County his whole life and is a graduate of Hunter Huss. He received his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Gardner-Webb University and his Masters's Degree in Public Administration from Appalachian St. Tune in to this episode to learn about Chief Roper's campaign and his record over his 34 year career in law enforcement. Outro song, titled Line of Fire, performed by Joe Haverty. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/20904320

#35: Ivory Craig Jr. 10/14/2021

#35: Ivory Craig Jr. Ivory is a life long resident of Mt. Holly and a candidate for Mt. Holly's City Council in this November's election. Ivory works in real estate with Ivory Craig Real Estate, Powered by Premier South. He has also worked as a policeman for the city of Mt. Holly, and currently works part time for the Belmont police department. In this episode we discuss Ivory's campaign for election, as well as some of Ivory's memories of growing up and working in Mt. Holly. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/20814593

#34: Lauren Shoemaker 10/04/2021

#34: Lauren Shoemaker Lauren is an incumbent member of Mt. Holly's city council who is running for re-election Nov 2nd. Lauren graduated from Penn State with degrees in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. She moved to Mt. Holly in 2006 and has since volunteered her time with many different non-profits within the community. In this episode we discuss Lauren's takeaways from her first term as a city council woman, her background, and her campaign for re-election. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/20696006

#33: Brian Dupont and Jonathan Todd 09/07/2021

#33: Brian Dupont and Jonathan Todd Brian is the Assistant Planning Director for the City of Mt. Holly. Jonathan is the owner of The Summit Bottle Shop & Tap Room in downtown Mt. Holly. During this episode we discuss the upcoming 2021 Park Bond referendum that the citizens of Mt. Holly will vote on this November. Outro song, titled Come Together, performed by Carrie Haverty. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/20397050

#32: Cecil Jackson & Eric Whitener 07/04/2021

#32: Cecil Jackson & Eric Whitener Cecil and Eric were recently released from prison after serving 31 years for drug trafficking and firearms charges. During the podcast they discuss their crimes, sentences and lessons learned. We also touch on their first impressions after being released and what their plans are for the future. /episode/index/show/exit27/id/19702025

EXIT 27

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