Welcome to Statesville

Truth be told, I had never even heard of Statesville. And, up until five weeks ago, I’d never set foot in North Carolina.

But after 2½ years of living in the middle of nowhere - Tonasket, Wash., pop. 998) - I was offered a job at the R&L, so I sold or gave away everything I owned, stuffed the leftovers into my car and jumped at the chance to move to a daily paper actually located in civilization.

For those 2½ years, I lived in a county the size of Rhode Island that had only one traffic light and a population of 40,000 people.

Okanogan County is nothing like what you see on the TV show “Northern Exposure” with its bountiful forests.

It was more like West Texas: dry, arid, not many trees, and wildfires rage every summer. Orchards are plentiful, the hunting and fishing is great and the people are absolutely wonderful, but I am glad to have moved from there.

You had to travel 2½ hours if you wanted to buy a USA Today.

Going to the movies was an hour’s drive in either direction. And, might I say, coming from North Okanogan County is a welcomed change; it is great to be living among single women again.

With my car packed, I arrived in Statesville late in the afternoon of Oct. 15.

Not to suck up, but Statesville and North Carolina are beautiful.
I can see why so many movies are filmed here with all of the beautiful old homes, the wrap-around porches and abundance of gorgeous old trees.

It being truly autumn in Statesville, North Carolina is one of the most beautiful places I have ever lived. And though I was born and raised in Texas and have lived all over the country, I still find the Southern accent endearing.
Statesville has been very welcoming.

The Fuhrmans were more than kind to put me up for a night or two. John Deter of Parks-Deter Properties was very helpful and kind, and I came very close to moving into a new efficiency apartment downtown in the jewelry building next to the old courthouse.

But a fortuitous meeting with Sheila Macvicar at the Visitors and Information Center by way of Officer Steven Rhodes of the Statesville Police Department led me to the spacious and sunny two-bedroom apartment I now call home.

When I drove into the city, I’m sure I looked like someone living out of their car. It was packed so full you couldn’t really see out the side mirror. And it was probably unsafe to drive it.

When I looked out my driver’s side mirror and saw a police car on my tail, I pulled into the Visitor’s Center parking lot.

Officer Rhodes passed me and turned around for what turned out to be a very friendly visit. He introduced himself after I dropped R&L reporter Donna Swicegood’s name and he took my cell number and said he’d also look for an apartment for me.

As I was already at the Visitor’s Center, I went inside and met Sheila Macvicar. She took my number, and the next afternoon, when I was just hours away from signing the lease for the efficiency apartment, she called and told me she had a lead on an apartment. It was perfect: a two-bedroom, $25 cheaper than the efficiency, very spacious and only minutes away from my new job at the newspaper. Sure, it’s near the county jail, but if I ever run into trouble ... .

Jo Rives and Shirley Reid were my new landlords, and not only were they willing to let me move in that afternoon, but they asked would I be interested in any furniture? Absolutely!

Thus I was given a couch, two comfortable chairs, coffee tables, a lamp, a dining table and chairs for eight along with a queen-size bed and headboard. Wow! New to town after having given or sold most all I’d owned, I was set. Weeks later, I ran into Macvicar at PumpkinFest.

“We were just moved by the spirit,” she said. Without really talking about it, I knew what she meant.

Sometimes things just work out. Welcome to Statesville, Russell Ledbetter.

It’s good to be home!