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Travels with Charlie

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  • As seen on WBOC's Travels With Charlie, the Blue Crab Bay Co. on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is a state-certified women's small business that offers an extensive product line of specialty foods and gifts.

Charles Paparella, or "Charlie" as he's known around here and around Delmarva, is WBOC's feature reporter. Every week he travels the peninsula gathering news that would not, under normal circumstances, be considered "news." But with his wry sense of humor and his considerable skill as a photographer, writer and editor, he brings us news that flies under the radar but lands in the heart.

You can reach Charlie Paparella at charlie@wboc.com .

  • President's Day might remind us of history, but it's not much of a history lesson itself. For a real history lesson, a great place on Delmarva is the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. In fact, reporter Charles Paparella is a longtime fan of that institution. And in this edition of Travels With Charlie, he tells us about a recent visit.

  • We hear every day about tough economic times, and we know how it personally affects each one of us. But what's it like for kids just starting out? That's a question reporter Charles Paparella asked at breakfast recently. 

  • Most people in eastern Sussex County know Dutch Kelley. He's gotten a surprising number of them to volunteer at the New Life Thrift Shop on Route 1 in Lewes. After nearly 20 years of service to that worthy cause, Dutch retired Feb. 14, 2012. Reporter Charles Paparella was in attendance, and files this report.

  • Which would you rather taste: the latest recipe from a famous French chef, or a recipe handed down generation to generation? If you chose option number two, then you need to plan a trip to downtown Smyrna, Del. Reporter Charles Paparella has the details.

  • When we think of what we own, we tend to think of our homes, our cars and our possessions. But there are things we own all together. As WBOC reporter Charles Paparella reporter is happy to inform you, you also own a mansion on a hilltop.

  • With less than a week to go, many Valentine's Day plans are looking like endangered species. Meet "The Docs," the guys who bring love back to life.

  • Harrington, Del. is noted for the state fair the casino. But there's another treasure in that farm town: the little known but truly remarkable Messick's Ag Museum, a great destination, as reporter Charles Paparella shows.

  • Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. That's advice given by Benjamin Franklin a long time ago. When January reaches 60 degrees, get thyself down to the edge of the sea. That's the advice from reporter Charles Paparella.

  • Reporter Charles Paparella has a suggestion in a distinctly epicurian ( meaning good taste in food) edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise, according to Benjamin Franklin. It's also a good time to take pictures, according to reporter Charles Paparella, who offers photographic evidence in this early morning edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • If there's a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, what is there at the end of the sunset? Fresh oysters, according to this delicious edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • Here's a question: how important is a business plan when starting a new business? Some would say it's everything. Others would say "don't bother." Reporter Charles Paparella revisits a stunningly successful enterprise in Sussex County, Del. that runs on serendipity.

  • The weather's been so beautiful, we don't even like to bring this up at all. But January can be, shall we say, a difficult month on Delmarva. But as reporter Charles Paparella points out, when the air is cold, the sky is gold.

  • If you've been out of the loop, you might not know we launched a new program on Jan. 9, 2012 called DelmarvaLife. It's an hour-long talk and entertainment show just for folks here on Delmarva. For reporter Charles Paparella, nothing is more fascinating than the goings-on at WBOC. So, here's his take on the latest addition to the WBOC family.

  • Travels with Charlie, reporter Charles Paparella shares the most important single thing he has learned in his many years on planet earth.

  • It's a reporter's job to cover the events of the day, but individual events, when viewed over time, have a tendency to reveal trends. Here's a recent trend that may well be the wave of the future for folks here on Delmarva.

  • If you're going to lead people, you'd better know where you're going. This is true in sports, politics, school --and it's true in music as well. Reporter Charles Paparella addresses the latter aspect in this seasonally-appropriate edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • Reporter Charles Paparella goes looking for some old books, and ends up finding some new ones.

  • In spite of a growing body of evidence and numerous sightings, some say Santa Claus still has a serious credibility problem. But for those visiting Doug and Debbie Bozman in Salisbury over the weekend, the matter is settled: he was there, and so was WBOC reporter Charles Paparella.

  • Although we hear them but once a year, Christmas songs are as familiar to us as tinsel, wrapping paper and egg nog. But some of those songs have interesting stories behind them. And  who better to tell us one of those stories than our own spirit of Christmas past: reporter Charles Paparella.

  • It's hard to imagine, but there are still some people who don't believe in Santa Claus. But there are lots of believers on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where Santa visits each year by train. Charles Paparella took a ride with that jolly old elf.

  • With the Christmas season well under way, we'll all either enjoy or suffer through Christmas music everywhere we go. But if you hear a rap song promoting the toys for tots program, give it a listen - that rapper is a Marine reserve sergeant from Delaware. Charlie has his story.

  • We at WBOC pride ourselves on being thorough in our newscasts. But there are times when some parts of a story get left behind. Usually, that's where they remain. But sometimes it's worth a second look. Reporter Charles Paparella takes a few more minutes with two remarkable people from Dorchester County.

  • There's more to the holidays than holly and crowsfoot. In this edition of Travels With Charlie, reporter Charles Paparella shows you were to find a wreath made of feathers.

  • If you are what you eat, then it stands to reason you are what you drink, too. And if you drink fair trade coffee, then you might be more than you even knew. WBOC's Charles Paparella visits a "fair trade" coffee house in this edition of Travels With Charlie. 

  • In a few days we'll observe Veteran's Day. And when we see uniformed soldiers on the field of honor, we'll remember who the heroes are. But as Charles Paparella reports, you don't need a parade to find a hero. All you have to do is take a ride down a country road.

  • The Hoopers Island Artisan's Fair features great bargains and wonderful food. WBOC reporter Charles Paparella reports on this annual event.

  • WBOC traveling reporter Charles Paparella meets an Eastern Shore of Virginia couple who says you can tell what kind of winter it's going to be by looking inside a persimmon seed.

  • Old man winter's on his way. Reporter Charles Paparella, no stranger to the frozen tundra, has some passing thoughts on the passing seasons.

  • WBOC's Charles Paparella reports on a ray of sunshine by the name of Walter West.

  • A nature walk is a place where, as the name implies, you can walk and get back to nature. But when the nature walk itself starts going back to nature, well, that's another story. In this edition of Travels With Charlie, reporter Charles Paparella takes us on a walk that's a little bit of both.

  • Not all stars are in the sky, and not all stars are on TV, either. Some stars shine in their own little towns, and cast their light on their friends and neighbors. Wendy Mitchell is one such star, who lights up this edition of Travels With Charlie. 

  • WBOC's Charles Paparella takes a look at some of the lesser-known travels of the world's most famous Italian, and why these days, there aren't quite so many Columbus Day celebrations.

  • You may have noticed over the past few weeks that reporter Charles Paparella has been spending a lot of time "way down yonder in the paw paw patch." well, he's still out there, but this time, he's not alone.

  • Can you ever say enough about paw paw plants? WBOC traveling reporter Charles Paparella doesn't think so. 

  • We've told you all about the Chickenstock Live! event that will be taking place this weekend. But there's one thing we haven't told you. There's a very special Chickenstock guitar that one lucky concert-goer will take home. For details, we turn to our in-house expert on all things with strings, reporter Charles Paparella.

  • One of the immutable laws of physics is that water rolls downhill, and during last weeks' torrential rains, there was plenty of water rolling down plenty of hills. But sometimes, things get in the way of the water, and that's more often than not what causes flooding. Reporter Charles Paparella discovers this and some other interesting flood facts.

  • With all the high water from Hurricane Irene, you might have wondered if the crab derby will still take place this coming weekend. Well, it takes more than high water to stop the crab derby, as Charles Paparella reports.

  • No one knows how many trees fell during the hurricane, but what is certain, is where they fell. Some took lives, some damaged property, but others just fell. But where a tree lands when it falls isn't just a matter of chance, as we learn in a special two-part edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • No one knows how many trees fell during the hurricane, but what is certain, is where they fell. Some took lives, some damaged property, but others just fell. But where a tree lands when it falls isn't just a matter of chance, as we learn in a special two-part edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • If you are small and defenseless, you need a champion. Someone who will stand up and protect you if you're attacked. This is especially true if you are a pigeon. The pigeons who live on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Md. have a champion. His name is Walt Williams. Reporter Charles Paparella has his story.

  • There are no mountains on Delmarva, and most people would agree that it's pretty uniformly flat. But it's not as flat as all that, as reporter Charles Paparella demonstrates in this up-and-down edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • This weekend saw the 51st Annual Threshermen's Show in Caroline County, Md. Reporter Charles Paparella was there to see them bringing in the sheaves.

  • There are a lot of boats in Cambridge, Md., but nowhere near as many as we'd have found here a century ago. The maritime history of this seafaring city is under the careful protection of the Richardson Maritime Museum in downtown Cambridge. Reporter Charles Paparella went aboard and filed this report.

  • The other day, Ruth Walker and her friends in the 9 a.m. aerobics class in Seaford were wondering how the giraffe at the Delaware State Fair gets from town to town. Unable to answer that lofty question, they called reporter Charles Paparella to see if he could find out. And he did.

  • During the past few months of Destination Delmarva live broadcasts, we've had pretty good luck with the weather. That is, until last Wednesday night, July 13, 2011, when our live broadcast was nearly a no-go because of a thunderstorm. But as reporter Charles Paparella explains, when things go wrong it's good to have friends.

  • Just outside of Berlin, Md. is an ice cream shop with quite a story, and our traveling reporter Charles Paparella is here to tell us about it.

  • As reporter Charles Paparella shows, Seaford is a city we've come to know quite well over the years.

  • Route 24 between Laurel, Del. and Sharptown, Md. is a beautiful road, as WBOC's Charles Paparella shows.

  • Every Tuesday night during warm weather, the field beside the Tastee Freeze is home to the Millsboro cruise-in. WBOC's Charles Paparella reports on this one-of-a-kind event.

  • It's nice, in hot weather to spend the waning hours of the day down by the water, watching the sun go down. If you're by yourself, it's a peaceful time for introspection. If you're at the Mt. Vernon Harbor in Somerset County, Md., you might not be able to keep that introspection to yourself.

  • Kent County, Del. has a rich history and Dover is full of historical places. The First State Heritage Park in Dover gives visitors a glimpse into what the capital of the First State looked like hundreds of years ago.

  • Reporter Charles Paparella went to Dover, Del., and what did he find? Lady Gaga!

  • Queen Anne's County, Md. produces more grain and corn than any other county in the state. It also produces some great live performances in a little theater in Church Hill. Surprised? That's not the half of it.

  • Oxford isn't just an old town; it's one of the oldest towns in the United States. And, as you might expect, a town that old would have some interesting artifacts laying around. Well, they certainly do, and some of those artifacts are on display at the Oxford Museum. They have a lot of things you'd expect to find, but they have quite a few surprises, too. Our resident antiquarian, Charles Paparella, visited the museum and filed this surprising report.

  • Here's a quick question: how do you spell "Worcester"? Well, if you spelling includes the letter "h," you're wrong. And if you think Ocean City is typical of Worcester County, you'd be wrong about that too. Reporter Charles Paparella lives in Worcester County, and tells us about some of the things found on the mainland.

  • If you want to know where the economy is headed -- you can read the financial papers and follow the market. That might give you some glimpse into the financial future. But reporter Charles Paparella recommends visiting antique shops instead. You might be surprised what you can find out.

  • Dewey Beach is a lot of things, but one thing it is not - is big. With much less than half a square mile of land, the area makes for some pretty interesting statistics. Reporter Charles Paparella likes playing with numbers, and brings us this story he calls "Dewey Beach by the Numbers."

  • If you didn't make it to the Somerset Strawberry Festival in Marion Station, Md. you missed a big time and some big berries too. As a former resident of that fair village, reporter Charles Paparella felt it was his duty to attend, although eating all those strawberries was all his doing. He's had time to wash his face and hands, and submit this report from the strawberry capital of the world.

  • The town of Vienna in Dorchester County, Md. is a quiet place, but it was not always that way. Just 20 years ago, all the east-west traffic on Route 50 came right through the center of town, so you can imagine, it was a busy place. When the Nanticoke Memorial Bridge and the Vienna Bypass were built, things got a lot quieter. But as reporter Charles Paparella discovered, there are plenty of reasons to come to town.

  • there's an oak tree in Fruitland, Md. that grew from a hitching post that was stuck in the ground. The man who inadvertently planted that tree was named "Hitch", as are the folks who live there now. As WBOC's Charlie Paparella reports, that Hitch family tree is the subject of a new book.

  • Old photos from Gordon's Confectionery and a local newspaper seek identities through an exhibit at Tawes Historical Museum.

  • Charlie Paparella looks at farmland framed by twin ferries on the Wicomico River.

  • Listening to members of the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees.

  • The 29th annual Springtime Jamboree will be held Friday night, April 15, and Saturday, April 16, at the Indian River High School Auditorium. WBOC's Charlie Paparella has a preview.

  • Did you know that the 18th annual hookers convention is under way this week in Ocean City? It may have slipped under your radar -- but not that of our intrepid reporter, Charles Paparella.

  • A common question asked by the boomer generation was this one: "What did you do in the war, daddy?" It's a question that often went unanswered. Many World War II vets didn't talk about their time overseas. But the wartime letters between the parents of an Ocean City man gave an answer to that question. And it led to a book, which led to this special "book report" edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • Traveling reporter Charles Paparella has been up and down the Delmarva Peninsula for decades. And he figures he's seen maybe half of it. But in this edition of Travels With Charlie, his travels take us to a place that sounds far away -- but is actually much closer than you might think. Get ready for a different dimension, folks, we're going to the center of the universe.

  • Every once in a while, a reporter encounters a question that simply must have an answer. In this edition of Travels With Charlie, reporter Charles Paparella has one of those questions. It has to do with peaches.

  • "To live in a house by the side of the road, and be a friend to man" is a line from a pretty famous poem. It's a nice thought, but is it something anyone can really do these days? In "Travels With Charlie," we meet a man whose life is a good example of that lofty sentiment. His name is Charlie Lynch, and his "house" is a shop on Route 20 near Dagsboro, Del.

  • Reporter Charles Paparella is always on the lookout for unusual sounds -- especially when they come from unusual places. He has one of those sounds, which is found in a high, dry, windy place.

  • For most people, the best time for the beach is the middle of summer when the sun is hot and the water's cool. But a visit to the beach on a warm winter's day can be most illuminating, as Charles Paparella reports.

  • Roving reporter Charles Paparella is not much into racing, nor will you find him out hunting deer or turkey or anything else, for that matter. But that doesn't mean that he's not up for the occasional wild goose chase.

  • Ever hear the old saying "a stitch in time saves nine"? Usually it means the sooner you solve a problem, the less of a problem it'll be. That saying takes on a different meaning, a stitch in time might also refer to the hundreds of garment factories that once dotted the Delmarva Peninsula. WBOC's Charlie Paparella reports.

  • There's an old saying, "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." Like most old sayings, there's a lot of truth in that. But there are in life sometimes, second chances, when things we thought were lost, come back once again. That's true for the thompson's of Ellendale, Del. Reporter Charles Paparella has their story.

  • WBOC's Charles Paparella takes a close look at something that is completely invisible. That may sound difficult. But he says it's not so hard, if you know where to look. @

  • Is there anything more endearing than a story of a plucky little town and its plucky residents making their own way in these not-so-plucky economic times? Reporter Charles Paparella has one such story. The place with all the pluck? Greensboro, in Caroline County, Md.

  • They say every picture tells a story, but what that story is depends on who's looking. WBOC's Charles Paparella looks at some pictures, and tells what he sees.

  • When the Delmarva Peninsula is covered with a blanket of fog it may be an inconvenience for some people, but for reporter Charles Paparella, it means an unusual set of colors to paint the world.

  • Remember that old question about the tree in the forest and whether it makes a sound when it falls? Well, snow-weary reporter Charles Paparella has a variation on that theme. It has to do with you, snow and boullion cubes.

  • For the next three months, people all over Delmarva will enjoy an ancient local tradition, dining on that epicurean treat of the salt marsh, the delectable marsh rabbit. Reporter Charles Paparella visited Dave White's Family Restaurant in Pittsville, Md. for the opening of this year's muskrat season and filed this mouth-watering report.

  • The new year is something we all share, a time of beginnings, a time to say good luck for the upcoming months we're embarking on together. To our reporter/philosopher Charles Paparella, it's sort of a group birthday, which is the other subject he's expert in, having celebrated more of them than most of us.

  • When you look back over 2010, what do you remember? Probably not quite as much as reporter Charles Paparella, who has the entire year stored on a very clever computer. He went through his very clever computer and picked out moments from the year that met one simple criteria: they were amusing.

  • You can accidentally stub your toe, and you can accidentally let a secret slip, but can you accidentally become a publisher? Well, in this edition of Travels with Charlie, reporter Charles Paparella introduces us to a local woman who's done exactly that. Her name is Elaine Patterson.

  • As seen on WBOC's "Travels With Charlie" segment: Founded in 1999, Arcadia Enterprises, Inc. – Publishing Division focuses on preserving American History through the publishing of new, as well as, previously out-of-print titles.

  • We would like to think that life is simple, and all stories have a beginning and an end. Although there are beginnings and endings in life, the story goes on forever. WBOC's Charles Paparella has found that to be true for the past few weeks, as he has followed the steps of his teacher and our old friend, the late, great Scorchy Tawes. In this edition of "Travels With Charlie," his travels take us to Perryhawkin in Somerset County, Md.

  • Here's a question for you: do you have to be a smart person to operate a Smart phone? Our intrepid reporter Charles Paparella considered that question and has sort of an answer for you in this hi-tech edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • Farmers in Caroline County, Md. lost one of their own on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010. Seventy-eight-year-old Bob Richardson was killed in a pedestrian accident just a few miles from his farm. Along with their grief comes a poignant reminder of the fabric that holds the farm community together.

  • When more than 8,000 cyclists toured Delmarva the Oct. 9-10 weekend, a lot of business people hoped for a profitable weekend. Some did well, some didn't. It depends on what you're selling, as reporter Charles Paparella notes in this edition of Travels With Charlie.

  • Oct. 9-10, 2010 was a busy weekend on Delmarva, with events from one end of the peninsula to the other. Traveling reporter Charles Paparella found an interesting parallel between two of those unrelated events - the Seagull Century Bike Tour and the annual Truck and Tractor Show in Fruitland.

  • There's a place on Maryland's Upper Eastern Shore that's not well-known, but it's not a secret either. As Charlie explains, it turns out that it's a bit of both.

  • Next friday will be the first Friday of October. And that means next week there will be a big time in the old town of Snow Hill, Md.

  • When Rev. Dan Walker, the "pickin' preacher," retired after 50 years in the Methodist Church, you can be sure they had a celebration. Charlie was there to hear the joyous sound.

  • There's an old saying, "If these walls could talk, what tales they would tell." Well, in berlin, the walls are talking, every Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. Ghost Tours of America takes visitors around the downtown area and shares tales of spooks who have inhabited this town over the past few centuries. Charlie took the tour and filed this frightening report.

  • Now that the digital conversion is a reality, Charlie found a simple and inexpensive way to make a television antenna that actually seems to work for digital signals. (That IS the warranty, by the way: "IT ACTUALLY SEEMS TO WORK!"
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