The 17th annual Wayne County Hot Stove Banquet is being held on Jan. 27 at Lane Tree Golf Club.

A social is being held at 6:15 and the banquet begins at 7.

This year’s guest speaker will be Hall of Fame MLB scout, Howard McCullough of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

McCullough spent 39 years as a Major League Scout. Most of his career has been with the Arizona Diamondbacks who he spent 22 years with.

He scouted for the Boston Red Sox, KC Royals and Seattle Mariners.

McCullough played college ball at East Carolina University and started his career as the head baseball coach at JF Webb High School before becoming the first full-time paid baseball assistant at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

To purchase tickets call Shane Aube at (252) 349-6774.