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SERVING THE ROANOKE VALLEY AND LAKE GASTON

THURSDAYMay 172012

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Gaston native,music pioneer

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Vol. 98, No. 29 © 2012 Th e Daily Herald

Friday’s weatherMostly sunny

High 76Low 52PAGE 4

No portion of Th e Daily Herald may be reprinted or posted on the Internet without the permission of the publisher.

Local........................2Obituaries...............5Opinion...................6Nation......................7

Sports......................9Comics...................11Classifi eds.............12Spotlight...............14

INSIDE TODAY

Complete story on page 9

The First Flight Nighthawks eliminated Roanoke Rapids from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 2A state soccer playoffs 2-0 Wednesday in the round of 16 at Kill Devil Hills.

The loss was only the second for Roa-noke Rapids in 20 outings this spring.

Soccer shutout

BY DELLA ROSE

STAFF WRITER

LITTLETON — Lake-land Theatre Company brings back the mu-sic and memories of Bob Hope and the USO Tours with a “Soldier’s Look Back: A musical journey through the decades of Bob Hope’s USO tours,” opening Friday.

Director Kim Deme-triades said this show is a tribute to veter-ans and their families, with a musical revue and memorable video clips and skits featur-ing Hope and stars like Phyllis Diller, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Ann-Margret, Marilyn Monroe, George Burns and Gracie Allen and many more.

“The show is a thank you and a celebration of veterans and the memory of those we lost,” Demetriades said. “It’s also a thank you to all who supported from home.”

See Lakeland greats like Marlene Smith perform “Ain’t Got that

Swing,” Brady Martin singing “Somewhere Beyond the Sea,” Daniel Dunlow singing “Great Balls of Fire” and Steve Hyman performing “My Girl.”

Performer Nancy Grueneich brings up old memories as she plays the role of Gracie Allen opposite Les Everhart in one of Burns and Al-len’s most memorable skits. Grueneich said the troupe put a lot of time and effort into the show and developing the music.

“I think Kim has put a great show together,”

she said, adding the music ranges from the 1940s through the 1980s. “The video is from the Bob Hope USO Tours, and focuses on the Viet-nam War era. Most peo-ple remember that.”

Demetriades said she wanted to do the revue because she had an un-cle who was in Vietnam and saw Bob Hope while he was there.

Of all the pain and suffering he saw there, she said the USO tours gave a glimmer of hope to everyone who saw them.

“Growing up with him

and his friends, they would tell me stories and they would tell me they had seen Bob Hope,” she said. “And it was always the same. They would light up. That was a com-mon thread with all of them.”

As a result Demetria-des began watching old footage.

“It kind of became addictive,” she said. “I would fi nd myself laughing and crying in the same time span. People need to experi-ence or re-experience that.”

Demetriades is grate-ful to the Gutterson family, Ruth Morgan and the entire cast for all the work they put in to making this show.

Performances are Fri-day and Saturday at 8 p.m. with a matinee per-formance Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Dinner is available opening night at 6:30 p.m.

Other performances are May 25 and 26 start-ing at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Call 252-586-3124 for more information.

Della Rose | The Daily HeraldChristine Gutterson takes retro to a new level in ‘Land of 1,000 Dances.’

Della Rose | The Daily HeraldLinda Joyner performs as Phyllis Diller.

USO Tour experience

Della Rose | The Daily HeraldMarlene Smith’s opening performance of ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got that Swing).’

BY ROGER BELL

STAFF WRITER

A national event designed to draw attention to POWs and MIAs is making a stop in Roanoke Rapids next week at Becker Village Mall in Roa-noke Rapids.

The Rolling Thunder Flame of Freedom will stop by the mall at 4 p.m. Wednesday, courtesy of the Roanoke Valley Vet-erans Center and Museum, which is proud to be hosting the fl ame.

“I think we’re pro-viding a nice host platform for the Rolling Thunder Flame of Freedom, and we’re looking forward to that ceremony,” said Center Board of Directors Chairman retired Brig. Gen. David Johnson, U.S. Air Force.

Roanoke Rapids is one of only two North Caro-lina stops for the fl ame, which has traveled all

Rolling Thunder brings flame to Roanoke Valley

“I think this is keepingthe POWissue alive.”

— David Johnson, center and museum

board of directors chairman

SEE THUNDER PAGE 8

BY JACQUELINE HOUGH

STAFF WRITER

As Northwest Halifax High student Alfred Hilliard looked at his work and others hanging in the gallery of the Halifax County Arts Coun-cil, he felt proud.

“I feel exposed,” he said. “I get to show off my talent and show people what I can do.”

For the third year, students from all over the county are enjoying a chance to display their art at the Arts Council gallery in the annual County High School Art Show.

Hilliard and students from three other area

Jacqueline Hough | The Daily HeraldWeldon STEM High School sophomore Shawon Phillips had a still life piece in the County High School Art Show. ‘It feels good seeing it,’ he said.

Young artists shine at gallery

SEE ARTISTS PAGE 8

Mark Mathews | The Daily HeraldAriel Potter, of Roanoke Rapids, makes a play Wednesday at First Flight.