A historic antebellum mansion in Middlesex County has been demolished, putting a spotlight on the lack of local preservation laws. The 1840s home known as “Woodstock on the Piankatank,” once owned by Jessie Harlan Lincoln, granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln, was torn down in March after a legally issued permit. The Southside Sentinal reports that county officials say current rules allow full demolition without special approval, leaving historic properties vulnerable. Preservation advocates warn the loss underscores a major gap in protections, especially since the home had been deemed eligible for historic designation. Local leaders are now facing pressure to consider new rules to prevent similar demolitions.
ED HISTED
Ed launched his radio career in 1975 and has spent more than five decades in the broadcasting industry. During that time, he has served in a wide range of roles including Air Personality, News Director, Sales Manager, Operations Manager, and General Manager at numerous radio stations in various markets across the country. Beyond on-air and management responsibilities, Ed has also worked extensively on the technical side of broadcasting. His background includes RF engineering and information technology, with particular experience configuring digital automation systems and remote voice-tracking platforms used by stations across the country. Ed was also among a select group of industry professionals invited by Google to its California headquarters following the company’s acquisition of Scott Studios. He was one of just 12 broadcasters nationwide chosen to participate in discussions and provide input during the design and rollout of Google’s digital broadcast automation platform. Although the majority of Ed’s career—spanning roughly four decades—was rooted in music radio, he transitioned into news and information programming in 2012. He says the move into spoken-word broadcasting was a natural evolution after decades of experience in multiple areas of the industry.