Featured Spotlight North Carolina man — known as 'Big Candy' — celebrates his Halloween birthday with celebration Sarah C. Johnson Oct 27, 2025 Oct 27, 2025 Updated 8 hrs ago 0 × Randy "Bush" Austin sets up a haunted house at his home each Halloween to celebrate his birthday. SMS Email Print Copy article link Save A Cooksville man, known by locals as “Big Candy,” celebrates his birthday each year by throwing a Halloween bash for the community.kAm#@?2=5 “qFD9” pFDE:?[ f`[ >2<6D h_T @7 9:D w2==@H66? 564@C2E:@?D 3J 92?5[ 7C@> 4C66AJ ?F?D E@ 89@F=:D9 49:=5C6? DH:?8:?8 7C@> EC66 3C2?496D]k^Am Ronald “Bush” Austin, 71, stands by a coffin in his haunted house on Mull Road. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAmpFDE:?’D 3:CE952J :D @? w2==@H66?] p3@FE a_ J62CD 28@[ pFDE:? 564:565 96’5 46=63C2E6 9:D 3:CE952J 3J 8:G:?8 324< E@ 9:D r2E2H32 r@F?EJ 4@>>F?:EJ] t249 w2==@H66?[ pFDE:? 8:G6D @FE 7F==\D:K65 42?5J 32CD[ *@@\9@@D 2?5 $=:> y:> DE:4<D E@ 6G6CJ 49:=5 E92E 4@>6D E@ EC:4<\@C\EC62E 2E 9:D 9@FD6 @? |F== #@25]k^Am Ronald “Bush” Austin buys tote-loads of candy to give out each Halloween. This year he purchased enough for 800 trick-or-treaters. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAm“x’G6 925 A6@A=6 E@ 2D< >6 E@ 5@ 5@?2E:@?D[ E2<6 FA 5@?2E:@?D[” pFDE:? D2:5] “%92E E2<6D 2H2J 7C@> H92E x’> 5@:?8] x 5@?’E H2?E ?@ 5@?2E:@?D] x >62?[ E9:D :D >6 8:G:?8 324< E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ] x 5@?’E 5C:?<[ x 5@?’E D>@<6[ D@[ E92E’D ;FDE >6 E2<:?8 >J >@?6J E92E x’5 36 DA6?5:?8 @? 2=4@9@= @C 4:82C6EE6D 2?5 AFEE:?8 :E 324< :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ]”k^Am People are also reading… Disturbance at Connelly Springs Dollar General leads to arrest of man wanted on federal drug charges 3 people from Burke County charged after 135 grams of meth found in car ɫ to add extra police patrol to areas where there is more speeding, crashes ɫ Olive Garden has an opening date. Here's everything you need to know. Hickory restaurant opens doors for breakfast, lunch, dinner. "It's like a big chef's table." 2,700-gallon sewer spill into Silver Creek reported in ɫ Meet the three people who will be inducted into Burke County Hall of Fame this year "Dancing with the Burke Stars" organizer indicted on 4 counts of felony embezzlement Burke County industrial shell building will cost at least $9 million Chicken Salad Chick, Tropical Smoothie will take place of old Village Inn Pizza in ɫ Don't want illicit sex parlors in your town? Here's how one city kicked them all out. Marion NC may ban sleeping in public as homeless issues challenge local businesses Freedom High School football shuts out Alexander Central to improve to 8-1 These two 14-year-old cats at the Burke County animal shelter are looking for a home North Carolina man — known as 'Big Candy' — celebrates his Halloween birthday with celebration kAmt249 J62C 9F?5C65D @7 72>:=:6D DE@A 3J pFDE:?’D 9@FD6 E@ H2?56C E9C@F89 9:D 92F?E65 9@FD6 2?5 4@==64E E96 8@@5:6D E92E 62C?65 pFDE:? E96 ?:4<?2>6 “q:8 r2?5J]” pFDE:? D2:5 =2DE J62C 2E =62DE f__ EC:4<\@C\EC62E6CD DE@AA65 :?]k^Am Ronald “Bush” Austin stands next to one of his homemade Halloween decorations. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAm“x 86E 3:CE952J 42C5D] %96J’== 4@>6 E@ >6 D:?8:?8[ ‘w2AAJ q:CE952J[’ E@ >6[” pFDE:? D2:5] “x’G6 925 42<6D 3C@F89E E@ >6 367@C6 2?5 DEF77] xE’D ;FDE D@>6E9:?8 x =:<6 5@:?8] xE’D ;FDE 2 3=6DD:?8]”k^AmkAm%9:D J62C[ pFDE:? AFC492D65 6?@F89 42?5J[ 49@4@=2E6 36G6C286D 2?5 3667 ;6C<J E@ 244@>>@52E6 g__ <:5D]k^AmkAm“x 5@?’E 92G6 2? 286 =:>:E W7@C EC:4<\@C\EC62E6CDX[” pFDE:? D2:5] “(96? J@F 86E >2CC:65[ J@F 8@E E@ 3C:?8 >6 J@FC <:5D[ 3FE J@F’C6 8C2?572E96C65 :? F?E:= J@F 92G6 <:5D 2?5 86E >2CC:65]”k^Am kAmpFDE:? D2:5 2 76H J62CD 28@[ 2 A24< @7 #66D6’D 42?5J 32CD 7C@> $2>’D r=F3 H2D hh 46?ED 2A:646[ ?@H 96 A2JD 2C@F?5 S`]`_ 2A:646]k^Am A zombie granny holding a baby that Ronald “Bush” Austin made for his Halloween display. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAm“x FD65 E@ 2=H2JD 8:G6 @FE E96 <:?8\D:K65 W42?5J 32CX[ 3FE 42?5J’D 8@E D@ 9:89 :? E96 =2DE EH@ @C E9C66 J62CD[” pFDE:? D2:5] “%9:D J62C[ x’G6 925 E@ 4FE 324< ;FDE 2 C68F=2C\D:K65]”k^AmkAmpFDE:? DA6?5D 2C@F?5 EH@ H66<D D6EE:?8 FA 9:D 564@C2E:@?D] %9:D J62C[ E96 |2:56? u:C6 2?5 #6D4F6 DBF25 H:== 36 ;@:?:?8 E96 76DE:G:E:6D H:E9 2? 2>3F=2?46[ 2? p%' 2?5 2 4C2D9 ECF4<] pFDE:? D2:5 E96 r2E2H32 r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46 :D 2=D@ A=2??:?8 E@ 3C:?8 2 A2EC@= G69:4=6] pFDE:? 2=D@ 92D 2 5@?<6J 2?5 `` 8@2ED E92E 49:=5C6? 42? 7665 2?5 A6E]k^Am kAmpFDE:? 4@?G6CED 9:D D965 :?E@ 2 D>2==[ 92F?E65 9@FD6 7@C EC:4<\@C\EC62E6CD E@ H2=< E9C@F89 E@ 86E E96:C 42?5J]k^Am A ghoulish child decoration made by Ronald “Bush” Austin. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAmr9C:DE r9FC49 @7 {:?4@=?E@? H:== 36 4@@<:?8 2?5 8:G:?8 @FE d__ 7C66 9@E 5@8D 2?5 H:== 92G6 2 ECF?<\@C\EC62E :? E96 D>2== 7:6=5 ?6IE E@ pFDE:?’D 92F?E65 D965] pFDE:? 2EE6?5D E96 49FC49]k^AmkAmpFDE:? D2:5 96 :?E6?5D E@ 4@?E:?F6 E96 2??F2= EC25:E:@? F?E:= 96 :D ?@ =@?86C 23=6] w6 2D<D E92E A6@A=6 DE2CE 4@>:?8 36EH66? e A]>] 2?5 eib_ A]>] @? ~4E] b`]k^Am kAmpFDE:?’D 9@FD6 :D =@42E65 2E geed |F== #@25 :? '2=6]k^Am Sarah Johnson is the courts and breaking news reporter for the Hickory Daily Record. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Bush Austin said he enjoys seeing smiles on Halloween Randy "Bush" Austin sets up a haunted house at his home each Halloween to celebrate his birthday.
Bush Austin said he enjoys seeing smiles on Halloween Randy "Bush" Austin sets up a haunted house at his home each Halloween to celebrate his birthday.
