By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The River West business park project in North Belmont is well underway. The project is located at the intersection of Woodlawn Rd., Cason St, and Acme Rd.
McMillan Pazdan Smith is providing design services to Tribek Properties for the project. Also collaborating on the job are Seamon Whiteside, and McVeigh & Mangum Engineering.
The two huge warehouse and office structures being built will have a total area of around 600,000 sq. ft. One building is about half done and concrete panel walls for the other are currently being put in place. Building West features a double-loaded dock with access from both sides, enabling multi-tenant access, and Building East is a single-loaded dock.
When completed later this summer, it is estimated the project could generate 250 to 350 new jobs.
The project has necessitated road improvements one of which will eliminate the blind intersection at Acme Rd. and Woodlawn and the other has already seen a reconfiguration of Cason St.
The 60-acre site where the development is being built has a long and interesting history going back to the 19th century when it was part of a 650-acre plot Robert Smith purchased from Catawba Indians in 1830 for $1,000. At one time around 1900, a gold mine was located along the banks of Fite Creek on the property.
Later, the land was the site of Acme Spinning Mill. That textile facility opened around 1920 and operated not one, but two mills. It also had a village of company houses as well as a baseball field for workers and their families. In 1986, “the Acme” as it was known, was sold to Parkdale Mills who kept it going until 2002. In 2005 the mill and many of its houses were torn down.
 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

March is Irish American Heritage Month and last Saturday a Mt. Holly landmark gave people a chance to step back in time at a place with strong connections to Ireland.
The event was a Catholic Mass held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church- the oldest still standing original Catholic church in North Carolina and the fourth oldest Catholic house of worship built in the state- to honor St. Joseph’s Day.
Last year’s service was called off due to Covid concerns, but the sun shined brightly this year and folks showed up masked and unmasked alike.
St. Joseph’s caretaker Bill Bridgeman from Mt. Holly was an attendee.
“It’s great that everyone can get out,” Bridgeman said.
Belmont resident Janet Rhyne also attended.
“It’s a beautiful day,” she said. “I’ve been coming here for the St. Joseph’s Day service for years.”
Real estate agent Judy Bell came from Cornelius to attend.
“I discovered this little church while showing a home in the area,” she said. “I became fascinated by it. What a piece of history.”
Father Paul Buchanan from Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in Belmont performed the Mass.
“It’s great to be back in person,” he said. “This church is a beautiful part of our history.”
The 179-year-old church was originally constructed in 1843 to serve local Irish Catholic miners and their families. The church is located on NC273 just past the Freightliner factory.
Nearly everything about St. Joseph’s except the roof, shutters, and a few other things date from its original construction. Even though the 1841 St. Paul’s Catholic Church in New Bern was the first church Catholic church built in North Carolina, a fire destroyed much of the original building in 1947. The fact that St. Joseph’s is nearly all the same as it was in 1843 lets it claim the title as the oldest original Catholic church in the state.
St. Joseph’s was built to serve the Irish miners who were in Gaston County looking for gold. They had come here to work for an Italian gent named Chevalier Riva de Finola and prior to the church’s construction had used his home as a place of worship. After de Finola met with financial setbacks, he moved out of the Gaston County and the miners were without a place to worship. Thus was born the need for a Catholic church near what would eventually be Mt. Holly.
A driving force behind the building of St. Joseph’s was Father T.J. Cronin who started a fundraising effort for the church’s cost which was estimated at $400.
Father Cronin had come to Gaston County from Charleston, S.C. A “circuit preacher”, he traveled a wide area, including Gaston County, depending on the hospitality of others as he spread the gospel.
Around 1841, one of the Irish miners, William Lornegan, donated six acres of land that would be the site for St. Joseph’s. The church was finished, debt free, in 1843. Unfortunately, Father Cronin had passed away in 1842 in Salisbury before he could see St. Joseph’s built. His body was later brought to the Lornegan plot and he was the first
person interred in what would be the St. Joseph’s church cemetery.
Next on the St. Joseph’s scene was another missionary, Father J.J. O’Connell, who conducted the first Mass there soon after the building was completed. Though he still continued his circuit riding duties, Father O’Connell would still swing by St. Joseph’s as often as possible to hold services.
In 1844, Father John Griffin came to St. Joseph’s. He would later become the bishop of Chicago. Other priests that served St. Joseph’s in the 19th century included Father L.P. Connell (1861-1865), and Father A.J. McNeil (1865-1870). Father O’Connell returned to St. Joseph’s from 1870-1877.
These days, St. Joseph’s is a mission of Queen of the Apostle’s Church in Belmont.
Before its restoration, St. Joseph’s went through decades of neglect and was even used at one time as a hay barn. In 1965, Father James Keenan of Queen of the Apostles raised money and had the roof repaired and a paint job done on the church.
After that repair, St. Joseph’s went through another decade sans maintenance. In 1974 Francis Galligan of Gastonia led an effort to set things right once and for all. With $15,000 raised from donations by the Knights of Columbus, Belmont Abbey College, Sacred Heart College, the Boy Scouts, and many individuals, St. Joseph’s was restored inside and out.
In addition to the church building itself, one of the most important parts of the site is the statue of St. Joseph himself that overlooks the cemetery. The statue stood for 75 years at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Asheville and arrived in Mount Holly in 2001. It weighs 1,600 lbs.
On Nov. 2, 1975, St. Joseph’s was rededicated by Rev. Michael Begley, bishop of Charlotte, and the Rev. Abbot Jude Cleary, of Belmont Abbey. More than 250 people attended the ceremony. In 1979, St. Joseph’s was named a National Historic Site by the US Dept. of the Interior and that same year a NC Highway Historical marker was erected in front of the church and cemetery.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The long-awaited spring 2022 opening of the Mt. Holly Farmers Market is coming up.  The market will have a soft opening at 8 am-12 noon, Saturday, April 2. The market will stay open until October.
The market is located at 226 S. Main St. in downtown Mt. Holly. Look for the large open-air trellis. This year marks the market’s 17th anniversary.
There will be two Entry/Exit points into the market for customers- one on Main St. and the other at the market rear parking lot. A pickup area will be provided if needed.
Now, for even better, long awaited, news.
“We are going back to our normal, pre-Covid, operating procedures,” said market manager Scott Griffin. “We are excited. We are pumped.”
The market will be offering the usual bounty of fresh vegetables, meat, baked goods, flowers, and more. Last year, a record-setting 34 vendors were on hand.
“We are hoping for even more vendors this year,” said Griffin.
In addition, there will be music starting from the very first day, and food trucks too.
“People can eat breakfast or lunch,” Griffin said.
Wait, there’s more.
“We will have a chef on hand every other week for cooking demonstrations using market products,” said Griffin.
As usual, credit and debit cards will be accepted at the market, as will EBT/SNAP transactions.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program. SNAP provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. This card can be used like a debit card to purchase eligible food in authorized retail food stores.
To be eligible for SNAP, most households must meet certain bank balance limits. A household with an elderly (over 60) or disabled household member may have a higher bank balance limit. More details at https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program.
The way it works is folks can present their SNAP card at a booth for that purpose at the market. The card account values are used to obtain wooden tokens which are in turn used to purchase food. Precooked hot food and art and craft items cannot be bought with the tokens, but things such as fruit and vegetables can. Anyone, not just SNAP clients, can purchase the wooden tokens instead of using a bank card or writing a check for their purchases. Venmo electronic pay will also be available at some vendors.
Overall, this year’s Mt. Holly Farmers Market will once again be an oasis of healthy food for its customers and a place where folks can meet and mingle- closer than six feet if they take a notion.
For more information visit https://www.homegrownmountholly.com.

By Ray Hardee

He started playing competitive sports when he was still in the single digits- he was nine. Over the years, he played every sport to which he was introduced. In his family, it was a matter of survival. As part of a family of seven, they shared common characteristics- competitive and focused.  Mark says, “I often remember playing sports and truly enjoyed the experience of competing against my older brothers. It was always fun trying to get one up on them. The joys of childhood and the age of innocence with no responsibilities was a great thing in our house.”
 Mark got his start playing football for the “tiny” Optimist football team in Dallas, N.C. The next year, he took a step up with the Optimist Pop Warner. Moving to Belmont and living right on the line between Belmont and McAdenville- a haven for the vaunted McAdenville Dolphins. In a long line of excellence and tradition, he joined his team as they made the annual trek to Florida to play bowl teams there from the Sunshine State.
 In Junior High (then the name for what we call today “middle school”), Mark began playing at Belmont Junior High. He earned the tight to play the quarterback position, enjoyed it immensely, and found his niche. Previously, he had played the running back position almost exclusively.  Now, taking the helm behind the center, he discovered his true calling, hitting his stride with his now well-developed athletic talents and skills. The laboratory of athletic development for Mark was exactly what he needed to go to the next level.
Having climbed the ladder of success in the junior ranks, he entered Belmont’s South Point High School. Mark says, “It was there that I felt like I entered the arena to compete with older, better football players. I knew that I had to bide my time, compete, and make the most out of my opportunity. During my freshman year, I was the second-string quarterback I knew that I had to be persistent and knowledgeable with learning the high school system and playbook. This was challenging to say the least, but I knew from all the time, effort, energy, and determination that my efforts would eventually pay off.”
 And “pay off” they did as he ascended quickly during his freshman year to the starting position during the fourth game of the year against North Gaston when the starting quarterback was injured.  Since Mark had made the effort to hone his skills, talents, and maturity, he took led the offense with expertise and “never looked back” always determined to be the best player that he could be.  The team started winning more regularly and making progress each and every week finishing the season with a winning record.
 By his senior year, South Point was 10-0 and had a good feeling going into the state playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost in the first round.  But Mark’s exploits gave him the opportunity to sign a full scholarship to play college football at Wake Forest University on the Division I level. Mark says, “I was red-shirted my first year and it turned out to be a great thing, because it gave me more time to focus on my studies and to grow athletically and physically.”
 Fortunately, when he finally took the field, he was successful.
“I was runner-up for ACC Player of The Year to Ray Agnew from NC State University,” he said.  “The very next year, I was on the All-ACC First Team as a running back.  The college experience has shaped and molded me to be the person that I am and have always been grateful and humbled for the opportunities that I have had to be a student-athlete.”
 A perennial MVP in baseball and football, Mark was All-State in high school football, All-ACC player in football, and selected as an East-West High School All-Star as well. But his achievements were not confined to athletic fields. He was selected as a regular Member of the Student Council and in his Senior Year (1985), chosen to be President of His Senior Class, Member of the United Nations Club, and selected as one of the Who’s Who Among American High School Students.
 Mark Young has certainly earned his place in the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame. The Belmont Sports Hall of Fame banquet will be held on April 19, 2022 at Park Street United Methodist Church in Belmont, NC. Tickets can be purchased for $20 from Phil Champion State Farm Insurance in Belmont and the Belmont Drug Store.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

There are many unsung heroes in our area and the volunteers with Keep Belmont Beautiful (KBB) are among them.
On Thursday, February 24th Keep Belmont Beautiful recognized three volunteers for their service to the city of Belmont.
The first recipient, Terece Miller, has walked and run the streets of Belmont many times, but about three years ago she started volunteering with KBB picking and bagging trash as she walks. Anytime of the year, on a nice day, you may catch her walking along the corridor of South Main Street and Lower Armstrong Road. She’ll tell you it’s her therapy and laughingly refer to it as her obsession but, at the heart of it, is her disappointment in folks throwing litter along the roadside and trashing the very place that we call home.
The second recipients are community activists Elizabeth and Bob Atterberry. Liz and Bob have supported and worked tirelessly for KBB over 16-years. Liz retired as vice chairperson of the KBB Board in 2021.  She has worn many hats including chairing our litter abatement program, co-chairing our spring 2021 plant sale, and two supporting roles that KBB won first place for in Gaston County: Return the Warmth Grant and a program that recycled phone books.  Her husband Bob, a native of Belmont, has been there every step of the way – helping with litter surveys, our Christmas Parade float, and loading and unloading phone books from Belmont as well as plastic bottles from local schools. All this was done while volunteering for the Belmont Historical Society, the Montcross Area Chamber, Queen of Apostles Church, and other worthy causes.
KBB is dedicated to doing what its name says. On any day you might see volunteers on their hands and knees pulling weeds at the flowerbed at
See KBB, Page 3
 

By Ray Hardee
She did it all as a student at Belmont High School.
She covered the entire court. Back in the day when three players were assigned to each side of the court, Cynthia Hibberts was a guard on an offense that required her to cover the whole court. She took care of all the court during a time that most people only took care of half the court. Her parents and coaches always said, “Give it 100% and keep learning.” That proved to be prophetic in the way that Cynthia Hibberts has lived her life. Her constant commitment to excellence is being rewarded with induction into the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame.
 Cynthia always showed up. She was a four-year starter in basketball, track, and as a cheerleader. In her sophomore, junior, and senior years, she was the Gold Medal State Champion in track and field for her event of choice- the 100-yard low hurdles. She was co-captain of the basketball team and the cheerleading squad during her senior year. She was the Kiwanis Club Outstanding Athlete of The Year.
 Her exploits on the court and around the track were matched by her off the field accomplishments as well. Vice-President of what was then called Minute Maids and now Candy Stripers, she also excelled in the Drama Club while serving as the Junior Class Treasurer, Senior Class Secretary and on the Student Council for three years (serving as Vice-President he Senior Year. She was Chairman of the Junior Heart Board. She headed up the Sponsors Club for four years. Not content to just play on the field and in the classroom, she also served the school’s journalistic endeavors on the Clarion Staff as a Junior and Senior and Sport Editor during her Senior Year. Did you know that she was also the Homecoming Queen and the Most Popular Student as a Senior Superlative? She graduated Belmont High Class of 1966.
 There is a common theme that runs through Cynthia’s life in high school and beyond- excellent, devoted service to others rather than self. Over a forty-five-year professional career, she mastered Nursing through the Cabarrus Hospital School of Nursing as well as earning a Master’s Degree in Education. She served hospitals and secondary schools.  She was a Master Lamaze Class Instructor teaching for Western Carolina University. She began teaching Health Sciences during their first-year inception and continued for over three decades serving North Gaston and East Gaston in Gaston County and the Green Hope School of Technology in Cary, NC.  She created four programs in these high schools. She was named Teacher of The Year at North Gaston, East Gaston, and Green Hope School of Technology. For good measure, not wanting to leave dear old Belmont out of her resume, she coached Girls Tennis at South Point and also taught there as a teacher.
 While serving the secondary schools of our state, she of course stayed busy after school with athletic teams. While at North Gaston, she coached the Girls Swim Team in its inaugural year and continued for four years there. She coached the Cheerleaders and Girls Tennis Team there for five years and ended as the SWC Coach of the Year. Oh, for fun she also coached girls track for two years at North Gaston. She did not stop there. In addition to teaching thirty-three years in North Carolina schools, she also worked for the Gaston County Health Department, opened Covenant Village Retirement Center, and retired there as Director of Nursing along with stints at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine and the Presbyterian Hospital Cardiac Unit.
 She did whatever it took for things to be successful wherever she happened to be serving. Teddy Roosevelt said, “Success is doing the best you can with what you have where you are.” Cynthia Leonard Hibberts has lived that mantra well.
 The Belmont Sports Hall of Fame banquet will be held on April 19, 2022 at Park Street United Methodist Church in Belmont, NC. Tickets can be purchased for $20 from Phil Champion State Farm Insurance in Belmont and the Belmont Drug Store.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The birthday of the BannerNews (formerly Belmont Banner) is coming up and a rare treasure donated to the paper several years ago by Curtis Gaston tells an important part of the story.
Dated March 18, 1936, the yellowed and fragile artifact, an actual copy of the very first Belmont Banner ever published, is not just a window on life in Belmont back then, but also of the philosophy and hopes of the publication that is now in its 86th year.
The logo of the paper summed it up, calling the Banner “A New And Modern Weekly Newspaper Published In The Interest Of All the People Of The Thriving City Of Belmont. This Issue Will Be Read  In Every Home Within the Community”.
The Banner’s publishers, Arp Lowrance, Clyde Moody, and Bomar Lowrance,  topped the front page of the inaugural edition with an open letter to the readership that stated- “For the people of Belmont and the surrounding community we present this as the first issue of the Belmont Banner in the hope that it will be accepted by all as Belmont’s own. The cooperation of the merchants and business men in making this a fine issue has been unexcelled in our experience and we could hardly expect a better approval from the readers and the homes of this thriving city.…..For some time the publishers have planned the publishing of a newspaper here and it appears the time is ripe for beginning such an enterprise. As we begin there is more confidence that this healthy baby newspaper will soon grow into one of the leading newspapers of the Piedmont section.”
Stories in that very first edition of the Banner kicked off with a profile of Belmont by Curtis Gaston’s grandfather Harley Gaston Sr. who described the town as “one of the Carolinas’ most prosperous cities”. Another front page article looked at the growth of local schools and declared the city started out with three teachers and ninety students in 1900 and had grown to the 1936 tally of 59 teachers and 2,204 kids.
Inside, the first Belmont Banner focused on good things that folks were doing in the community. One article profiled upcoming Boy Scout events and activities. Another piece announced plans by the local PTA to boost membership. On the cultural scene, the Banner covered a Belmont High School glee club and piano concert. The program included tunes such as “Dancing Fairies”, “Spinning Song”, and “My Curly Headed Baby”.
In sports, the Banner ran a story by James Dixon laying out plans for a local softball league. Players from local mills such as Imperial, Aberfoyle, and Eagle were hopping on board the league.
Dubbed “Local and Personal” the society page of the first Banner gave the lowdown on what area ladies and gents were up to. Tidbits included news that J. Ross Gilbert was coming home to Belmont after having had an appendix operation in Statesville, that Grady Bowen of Newport News, Va. was spending time with his parents in Belmont, and that Miss Estelle Hall was in a fashion show in Gastonia.
Advertisements in the first edition of the Belmont Banner shined a light on local businesses. The Hollywood Theater in East Belmont announced several flicks including “Waterfront Lady”, “The Invisible Ray”, and “Sweet Surrender”. The Leader department store had a big ad proclaiming “smart, spring dresses” for $2.98 each. Belk-Matthews on Main St. offered men’s socks for 10 cents a pair, denim overalls for 97 cents, and men’s shorts for 19 cents a pair,
Just a few of the other advertisers in the first Banner included W.H. and D.P. Stowe Company, Warren’s Grocery Store where eggs were 25 cent a dozen, and Ostwalt’s cafe.
Overall, the first edition of the Belmont Banner shows that community news was a vital part of the local landscape back in 1936 and is still relevant- and being printed- today.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

You might say Jeff Hovis of Mt. Holly has antique farm tractoring in his blood. A walk around his backyard on Oakwood Dr. and the sight of the numerous vintage machines there confirms this. A walk around the backyard of his mom’s house two doors down where more machines reside clinches the deal.
All together, Hovis has nine antique farm tractors. Brands include Farmall, John Deere, Case, and Alis Chalmers. Several are fully restored and shine. A few have a ‘patina’ of grease, oil, and red dirt. One is undergoing cosmetic surgery.   All have a story.
Hovis got the tractor bug from his dad, the late Larry Hovis.
“He told me stories about using tractors working on a dairy farm in Hardin,” Jeff said. “The interest grew from there.”
But Hovis does more than tinker with, show, and ride his tractors up and down the road. He is passionate about sharing the story of agriculture in our area and one way he does that is with the group he’s president of – GAMTRA.
What’s GAMTRA? That’s the acronym for Gaston Agricultural Mechanical Textile Restoration Association.
The group meets once a month and besides swapping tractor tales and tips, they work hard to plan the biggest event in Gaston County which is the Heritage and Harvest festival held in October in Dallas Park. It was formerly known as Cotton Ginning Days.
“The group was started in 1987 and in 1988 began displaying antique farm equipment such as hit or miss engines,” said Hovis. “In 1989 Gaston County Parks and Rec. partnered with us. My father took the first tractor there in 2002.”
The centerpiece of the event is the full scale, operating, cotton gin and its barn at the park’s festival grounds.
“Some members found the gin in Georgia,” Hovis said. “They took it apart and brought it to Dallas where it was reassembled. The gin is a link to our area’s textile industry history as well.”
GAMTRA members come from a wide geographical area and eclectic backgrounds- all bound by their common love of vintage farm machines.
“We have members from Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln, York, and Mecklenburg counties,” Hovis said. “A lot of them are retired but their professions include business owners, famers, educators, engineers, and machinists.”
Like many groups that are enamored of old stuff, GAMTRA is in search of “young blood” to join its ranks. Jeff’s son John is 24-years-old, inherited the tractor bug, and is a member, but more youngsters are needed.
“You don’t have to own a vintage machine to join,” Hovis said. “You just have to have an interest in our agricultural heritage.”
Sound interesting? The next meeting of GAMTRA will be April 7 at 6:30pm at Jacksons Cafeteria in Gastonia.
Want to find out more about GAMTRA and/or joining? Contact Hovis at jhovis@eastgaston VFD.com. Happy tractoring.

By Ray Hardee
The Belmont Sports Hall of Fame gathers again this year to honor a fresh class of excellent athletes who have made their mark beginning in Belmont and outward to the world at large.
The Belmont Hall of Fame event is April 19th at 7:00pm at Park Street United Methodist Church in Belmont, N.C. Tickets can be purchased at Phil Champion State Farm Insurance and the Belmont Drug Store.
Coach Mike Houston, Head Coach of East Carolina University, will be the headlining motivational speaker for the event. Houston is as well-known for his candor as he is for his athletic success. When asked, “How are you doing coach?” at a post-game press conference, he is likely to respond in kind with a “How are you doing?” to the reporter with questions.
After a win, Houston shines praise on his coaches and athletes. When a player makes a great play away from the ball, he is likely to say, “The old adage is to be a better player without the ball than you are with the ball.” After a tough loss, he will likely compliment his players and their opponents while noting “the electric atmosphere” of the stadium. When he discusses ECU fans, he regales them with pride and effusive praise in statements like this- “It’s one of the reasons so many of them came here to East Carolina is because of Pirate Nation, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and the way it is on game day. I think it’s something that should be a great home field advantage and something for them to feed off of.”
Clearly, Houston is a coach’s coach who loves football. In 1994, he left Mars Hill College, where he starred at tight end and earned a biology degree, and went immediately into the coaching ranks. He climbed the ladder of success while dissecting offenses with his clever defensive mind, examining teams as a biologist would a cell, and bringing out the best in his players at all levels.
Houston ascended to the pinnacle of intercollegiate football success when he won the NCAA Division 1 championship with James Madison University in 2016 leading JMU over Youngstown State with a score of 28-14.
Houston says, “True servant-leadership is when you lead by example and bring somebody else with you.”
Join attendees at the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame Banquet on April 19th at 7:00. Tickets are on sale at Phil Champion State Farm Insurance and Belmont Drug Store.

A beautiful sculpture by  internationally-known Belmont resident and artist Juan Logan will be getting a new home at the Gaston County Museum in Dallas.
“Public art requires a level of care that Pillar of Enlightenment has not seen in recent decades,” said Museum Assistant Director, Ali Pizza. “Museum staff are keenly aware of the need to preserve this important work by Juan Logan of Belmont and look forward to making it accessible to the public in its prominent new location,”
Pillar of Enlightenment was commissioned by the Gaston County Library at the request of the Margaret McConnell Holt Estate to highlight a significant regional artist with the intent that it would be accessible for the public to appreciate and enjoy for generations to come. The museum has placed the sculpture in an equally visible location at the entry to the museum so that staff can interpret it’s meaning for visitors and allow them to explore the sculpture themselves. Pillar of Enlightenment will undergo conservation treatment in its new home at the museum.
Library Director, Susan McDonald, said of the donation of Pillar of Enlightenment- “The Library has been extremely appreciative and honored to be the display venue for Juan Logan’s work, as well as the works of many other artists. However, the Library is now facing a time of change in order to serve our patrons most effectively. We are restructuring our floor layouts and optimizing our space to meet the needs of diverse audiences. Having an opportunity to collaborate with the Museum, and to know that these works of art will be professionally cared for, interpreted, and made available for public viewing is the best choice for the artwork and in keeping with the gracious intention of the donors who gave them to the library.”
The donation of the Logan sculpture comes at a time when Gaston County Leadership is striving for better collaboration between departments. Museum Director, Jason Luker, says “it has been very rewarding to work with the library on bringing artwork such as Pillar of Enlightenment into our care. It is our shared goal to preserve the art and history of this county and have it available for future generations to enjoy and study.” For more information, contact Alexandrea Pizza, Assistant Director, 704-922-7681 ext. 105 or Alexandrea.pizza@gastongov.com.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Take an inquisitive scientific mind, a love of horses, blend in a desire to do good deeds for others, and you have the formula that inspired East Gaston High senior Hannah Mullis to come up with a prize winning way to further the cause of hippotherapy at Shining Hope Farms near Stanley- and beyond.
Never heard of hippotherapy? The term hippotherapy refers to how occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology professionals use evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning in the purposeful manipulation of equine movement as a therapy tool to engage sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems to promote functional outcomes.
Mullis has been visiting Shining Hope Farms for about five years riding horses and learning more about the therapeutic work that goes on there.
“I started volunteering at Shining Hope because I loved horses,” she said. “Then I realized how much I enjoyed being a part of therapy and I now want to be a therapist after college.”
A couple of years ago it occurred to Mullis that it would make an interesting research project to investigate just exactly what the horses experience as they carry hippotherapy patients around the riding rink.
With the exception of Mr. Ed, horses can’t talk, so Mullis came up with the idea of Recent bad weather had an effect on the work, but Simonds says his crews took it in stride.
“The weekend of rain and snow cost us some time but we are sticking to the schedule,” he said.
According to Simonds, the next phase will see a large retaining wall built between the new building and CityWorks.
“The wall will be the first piece of vertical construction,” he said. “It will be formed in place.”
Simonds praise the cooperation he has been getting from the city staff.
“They have been fantastic to work with,” he said.
Parks and Rec. director Zip Stowe was beaming as he looked over the construction scene.
“They are moving fast,” he said. “We are set for our opening date next March.”
Belmont is the only town in our area without its own building where things like basketball games can be held. What currently serves the city as a parks and rec. place is the decades old J. Paul Ford Center on Woodrow Ave., but the city’s needs have far outgrown that one medium sized building.
The new building will be two stories high and have 45,000 sq. ft. of space. The first floor will feature three basketball courts, a media room for gaming, an exercise studio, a kitchen, a kids play area, and a large lobby. The second floor will feature a walking track, an exercise room, a catering kitchen, a lounge, and more play space. The second floor will also feature a balcony with sweeping views of the Catawba River and Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park.
Just a few of the activities the new center can host includes pickle ball, gymnastics, cheerleading, karate, movies, ping pong, dance, badminton, classes of various types and many, many more. Folks will be able to rent space in the building for meetings, weddings, birthday parties, and that sort of thing.
Stowe sees the new center not only as a boon to the local activities scene, but as an economic driver as well.
“The center will be a place where we can hold events such as basketball tournaments and invite as many as fifty teams,” he said. ‘This will bring people to Belmont who will shop, stay in local hotels, and eat in local restaurants. It will be a big boost economically.”
Meanwhile, across Catawba St. at Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park, the playground area is still closed for replacement of the wooden climbing structures, but that will be settled soon.
“The new equipment will be arriving any day now,” said Stowe. Some of the current playground equipment that’s made of plastic and metal was saved and moved to another park.
“The rock wall and boardwalk will also be reused,” Stowe said.
In other Belmont Parks and Rec. updates, work on the long awaited skate park will also begin soon.
“The materials are on the way,” Stowe said.
A new addition to the original plan will be a dedicated area for beginners.
“We got a grant for the beginner’s area,” said Stowe.
The park will be located on a strip of land beside CityWorks.

Cramerton residents observed Black History Month with a program featuring three speakers at the Cramerton Historical Society Museum on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
Cramerton natives Minerva Hardy and Fred Glenn were joined on the program by Dot Guthrie, founder and curator of the African-American Museum of History and Culture in Gastonia and member of the Gaston County Board of Education. Gastonia Mayor Walker E. Reid, III introduced the speakers.
Town of Cramerton Mayor Nelson Wills and Historical Society President Jeff Ramsey welcomed guests. Cramerton Historical Museum Chairman Richard Atkinson also made  comments.
Dot Guthrie opened the program by displaying a quilt depicting 175 years of African-American history, which is on exhibit at the African-American Museum of History and Culture at the Loray Mill in Gastonia. Mrs. Guthrie is a life-long educator, serving more than 40 years as a teacher, school librarian, media specialist, central office staff member and member of the Gaston County Board of Education. She also is an author and is associate pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gastonia. Among her many awards is the prestigious Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Minerva Hardy has been an outstanding citizen of Cramerton for many years, and she received Cramerton’s Lifetime Citizen Award in 2021. She served on the town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for six years and as chief judge for the Gaston County Board of Election’s Cramerton Precinct for four years. She is active in encouraging residents to register to vote and instructing new voters in how to get involved in local issues. In 1982, she was recognized by the Gaston County NAACP and Gaston County Concerned Citizens for successfully working to obtain home mail delivery in the Baltimore community.
United States Army and Vietnam War veteran Fred Glenn was born in Cramerton and graduated from Reid High School in Belmont. He attended NCA&T State University before enlisting in the army. After serving in Vietnam as a door gunner with the 118th Assault Helicopter Unit, and later as a drill sergeant at Fort Bragg, NC, he attended
Gaston College to pursue becoming a tool and die maker and later owned and operated his own machine shop. He retired from Phillip Morris after 20 years as a technician.
The Cramerton Historical Society was formed in 2015, and the Museum opened in 2021. Members receive invitations to special events, discounts in the museum store and discounts on rentals. For more information, visit Cramertonhistoricalsociety.org, see the Cramerton Historical Society on Facebook, or call Richard Atkinson at 704.906.5339.
 

By Alan Hodge and Jamie Campbell
alan@cfmedia.info

When folks stream into downtown Belmont for special events like the award winning Moonlight on Main, or Red, White, and Belmont, or Garibaldifest, or Boofest, or the Friday night concert series it’s a safe bet few if any of them wonder just what goes on behind the scenes to make those things happen.
Read on to find out.
“It all starts with an idea.”
That’s what Belmont’s downtown director Phil Boggan says is the spark that kicks the logistical wheels in motion to make the events become a reality of light, color, sound, fun, and financial boon for downtown businesses.
Once the idea for an event is seized upon, Boggan, along with his co-workers Cassidy Lackey and Morgan Abernathy, spring into action.
“We think through things such as how much it will cost to have the event as well as how many volunteers it will take to make it happen,” Boggan said.
But that’s just the start.
“We work with the police and public works to close the streets where the event will be taking place,” he said. “We also contact the ABC commission if alcohol will be served.”
The planning for an event has a long lead time.
“We do it well in advance so the ball does not gets dropped,” said Boggan. “Ideally, planning begins a year in advance.”
Music is a big part of many downtown Belmont happenings.
“We also book bands a year ahead,” said Boggan. “You have to do that if   you want the best ones. We contact booking agents to find out what the hottest bands are.”
Other event attractions such as carnival rides and carriage rides need to be booked well ahead too.
“There are not many companies left that do those so we need to make sure we have them lined up,” he said.
Boggan says he and his staff strive to use local talent but go where they need to get the job done.
Funding for events is important too.
“Among other things, we write grants for funding,” said Boggan. “We research the grants and staff and volunteers write for them. It’s not always easy to get money. I lay awake at night thinking about money.”
Downtown businesses always get a heads up before events.
“We notify them so the crowd impact will be positive rather than negative,” Boggan said.
Boggan, Lackey, and Abernathy are deeply dedicated to their mission of putting on the very best events that folks will find anywhere.
“It’s not an eight to five job,” Boggan said. “Sometimes we work sixty or more hours a week making sure everything is ready.”
In a sense, Boggan is like a musical conductor or military general in charge of seeing the event goes off smoothly.
“I connect the dots,” he said.
For her part, Abernathy spends countless hours reading emails, keeping an electronic calendar, taking and reviewing vendor applications, and communicating with potential participants. Lackey runs the Main St. program and works with volunteers and businesses.
Besides fun, the events fulfill another goal.
“It’s not just about amusement,” Boggan said. “It’s about people eating, shopping, and supporting our downtown businesses.”
So, what drives Boggan, Lackey, and Abernathy to give their all for downtown Belmont?
“We do it for the community,” Boggan said. “At the end of the day we may be burned out but we get to enjoy the validation seeing the big crowds brings.”
All the work that the trio does for the city recently brought them well deserved recognition.
On January 31, 2022 the City of Belmont Main Street staff attended North Carolina Association of Festivals and Events 2022 ShowFest, an event innovators conference in Charlotte where they were presented with four awards associated with the Moonlight on Main event held in Downtown Belmont in fall 2021.
The conference concludes each year with an Excellence Awards Program, where the City of Belmont Main Street staff was presented with four awards for the Moonlight on Main festival held in late 2021. The event won: Best Brochure for the GOBO Art Walk Brochure, Best Event Photo, Best Event Associated with an Event for the GOBO Projection Art Gallery, and Event of the Year for Moonlight on Main.
 Moonlight on Main was a three-week arts and culture experience in Downtown Belmont where downtown was turned into a lunar-inspired, outdoor art gallery with GOBO artwork projected onto buildings around downtown.  The event centered around an international touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram, an exhibit of an internally lit replica of the moon measuring 23 meters in diameter and features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. The event also featured art installations in downtown and throughout Stowe Park from local students and other groups.  The original GOBO artworks were sold in various downtown galleries and businesses throughout the event.
 The ShowFest Awards are part of the industry’s reward and recognition programs. The ShowFest Excellence Awards are a long-standing tradition of highlighting the best and brightest of festivals, events and associates across the Carolinas. Their membership is dedicated to identifying the professionals that raise the bar and providing outstanding examples. They also use this program to set new goals and standards for the event planning profession. The annual conference and awards are a way industry professionals can learn from each other and give a hardy round of applause to those who distinguish themselves with great work.
Boggan expressed an immense “thank you” to the Main Street and Downtown Belmont Development Association boards, committees, volunteers, community partners, artists, participating local businesses, and those who simply came out to enjoy the event for helping to make this recognition possible.
“We were honored to take home these awards on behalf of everyone that made this three-week festival such a huge success,” he said.
 When asked about the awards recognition, Mayor Charlie Martin stated, “We couldn’t be prouder of our staff, board members, volunteers, and community organizations for putting on such an unforgettable three-week festival in Downtown Belmont.  This festival brought people to Belmont from not only cities in our region, but from all over America.  This is a perfect example of how our staff and community work together to make Belmont such a special community to be a part of.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

“Our children will be remembered here.”
That’s what Southern Piedmont Chapter of the Compassionate Friends leader Candace Hulsey has to say about the new garden that group is having built on the grounds of CaroMont Health’s Robin Johnson Hospice House, 5005 Shepherds Way, near Dallas.
The idea behind the garden is for it to be a quiet, reflective place of natural beauty that folks can visit when they need to take a deep breath and think about things. Its official name is the “Southern Piedmont Chapter of the Compassionate Fiends Children’s Memorial Garden”.
“The garden will provide a place where our children, grandchildren, and siblings can be remembered,” Hulsey said. “It will also be a place of solitude and beauty for the patients and their families along with the staff at Robin Johnson Hospice House.”
Construction of the garden is well under way and plans are for it to be done by April. The general layout is a winding path of large flagstones flanked by flower gardens and other plantings. Three large arbors arch over the walkway. Small boulders offer places to sit and reflect. A focal point is a wild cherry tree whose moss covered trunk dips low, then twists and turns back skyward.
Other features the garden will have includes memorial pavers, a small amphitheater, benches, sculptures of children at play, and a small natural meadow.
The garden was laid out by Tiz Johnston of Garden Design. QLM (Quality Landscape Materials) provided the ingredients.
According to Hulsey, the garden has been in the dreaming and planning stages for six years. Compassionate Friends is footing the bill.

“The money came from fundraisers, the Community Foundation, and grants,” Hulsey said.
When it’s done, the garden will be gifted to CaroMont and Robin Johnson Hospice House.
Hulsey has a personal interest in the garden. She lost her son Steven on July 24, 2004 at age 33 in an auto accident.
“When you lose a child the fear is they will be forgotten,” Hulsey said. “Steven may not be here but the garden will be long after I am gone. I feel so blessed to be a part of this garden. It is a wonderful thing.”
During this interview, Hulsey stood by the twisted cherry tree and looked at it thoughtfully.
“This tree said to me, I am broken but I still live,” she said. “That is us.”
More about The Compassionate Friends 
The Compassionate Friends was founded over 50 years ago when a chaplain at the Warwickshire Hospital in England brought together two sets of grieving parents and realized that the support they gave each other was better than anything he, as a chaplain, could ever say or provide. Meeting around a kitchen table, the Lawleys and the Hendersons were joined by a bereaved mother and the chaplain, Simon Stephens, and The Society of the Compassionate Friends was born. The Compassionate Friends jumped across the ocean and was established in the United States and incorporated in 1978 in Illinois.
Each chapter, along with the supporting National Office, is committed to helping every bereaved parent, sibling, or grandparent who may walk through our doors or contact us.
Today TCF has over 600 chapters serving all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam, that offer friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members during the natural grieving process after a child has died. Around the world more than 30 countries have a Compassionate Friends presence, encircling the globe with support so desperately needed when the worst has happened.
The Southern Piedmont Chapter was started by John and Rose Stanley who lost their daughter Susan in a single car accident on May 29, 1984. The chapter was chartered in 1986 and meets monthly at First Presbyterian Church Gastonia.
Interested in learning more about how to join or contribute? Contact Hulsey at 704-678-6537 or email cdhulsey@gmail.com.

By Sean Corcoran
Gaston County Schools

What’s going on in classrooms at three elementary schools in Gaston County has captured the attention of educators from Colorado.
W.A. Bess Elementary, Pinewood Elementary, and Rankin Elementary earned the prestigious North Carolina A+ School distinction, which is presented by the N.C. Arts Council.  W.A. Bess joined the program in 2019, and Pinewood and Rankin followed in 2020.  As an A+ School, Bess, Pinewood, and Rankin have added the arts across the curriculum.
Word spread, and a group of 24 educators from the Colorado Springs School District visited Gaston County Schools to learn more about our North Carolina A+ Schools.  What they saw were creative and inspiring ways that teachers are incorporating aspects of art, music, dance, and theater into their daily lessons and activities.
“It is great for them to see the amazing work being done in Gaston County Schools and find out more about the benefits of A+ learning and how children are engaged in this type of unique school environment,” said Michelle Burrows, the North Carolina A+ Schools director who arranged the visit.
The Colorado educators had the opportunity to observe teachers and students using the arts to focus on critical thinking skills.  For example, in Taylor Helms’ third grade class at Pinewood, students were asked to draw a city using arrays, which is the arrangement of objects, pictures, or numbers in rows and columns.
“The purpose of an array city is to inspire students to use creativity to make the buildings,” explained Helms.  “They cut out squares as windows, put them in rows and columns, and then wrote matching multiplication equations for each building.”
By integrating art into the assignment, children gain a better understanding of their multiplication skills, said Helms.  “They love the hands-on approach to learning.”
In Amanda Humphries’ classroom, third graders performed a skit using “The Tortoise and the Hare” story to demonstrate their reading comprehension skills.
“After reading a variety of folktales and discussing character traits, motives, and moral lessons in the stories, students had the opportunity to showcase a folktale through dramatization,” explained Humphries. “In groups, one student was the narrator of a fable while the other students did a pantomime, acting out key vocabulary words for actions and feelings of the characters.”
The hallways at W.A. Bess Elementary are lined with colorful and creative art projects with written explanations.  First grade teacher Ashley McGinnis used jack-o-lanterns for her students to learn about two dimensional shapes.
“Some students used triangles and rectangles for teeth, and others used different shapes such as ovals and circles to represent the pumpkin,” said McGinnis. “It’s one of the many ways our children are using their imagination to learn the curriculum.”
 This is what an A+ North Carolina School looks like on a typical day – integrating the arts into the curriculum and viewing the arts as a foundation for teaching and learning.
Research indicates that students who are engaged in the arts achieve at a higher level and also develop an understanding of and appreciation for the arts.  Through their visit to Gaston County, the Colorado educators were able to see how the arts are linked to positive academic outcomes and learn strategies and techniques to use in their own classrooms.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Site work has started on the Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County Dixon Village project on Lee Rd. off Hickory Grove Rd. in North Belmont. The development will contain 28 homes and will occupy 7.5 acres.
Crews have started working clearing the property of trees and underbrush and an official groundbreaking took place last Monday.
Habitat Gaston completed its Phase One fundraising by meeting a goal of $1.5 million dedicated to the neighborhood’s infrastructure.  The start of Phase Two fundraising also began following Monday’s groundbreaking. The $1.2 million goal will go directly toward the construction of the Habitat homes. Each Habitat residence will cost an estimated $150,000.
“We are elated to get this innovative project off the ground and build beautiful homes where families can thrive,” said Kay Peninger, executive director of Habitat Gaston. “Dixon Village will provide more than just a house; this neighborhood will offer a community, a sturdy foundation and a homeownership dream fulfilled for many Gaston families.”
Plans are for the site work to be done by late April.
“We have contracted with Site Works to perform the horizontal work for the Dixon Village project,” Penninger said.  “They began working December 6, 2021 and are targeting April 25, 2022 for completion.  We do hope that we can begin pouring pads for two to four homes before
then.  It is very exciting to see this starting to take shape and form!”
According to Peninger, Habitat has updated the ratios of homeowners.  One-third will be Habitat homes. One-third will go to “hometown heroes” – police officers, firefighters, health care workers, teachers, veterans, etc. One-third will be market-rate entry-level buyers.
The housing will be a mix of single story 3-bedroom houses and two story 4-bedroom houses.  The architectural design of the houses will be in the style of a Craftsman bungalow.  Design elements such as shingles and material accents will be used to add variation, visual interest, and color to the exteriors.  The neighborhood will feature community building amenities such as front porches, sidewalks, and a park-like green space with a playground, picnic tables, and a walking path.
 “Homeownership is the foundation of healthy families and communities,” Peninger said.  “We are excited to be able to provide affordable housing – housing that families can afford based on their income – in Belmont.  When families have a safe and stable home it provides many benefits such as a stable home life, their children do better in school, and they have improved health.  Homeownership also contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty as families have the opportunity to build equity in their home. Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County is committed to accomplishing this project and serving more families.  We have a strong project team in place that will result in a charming and attractive neighborhood.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

One of Belmont’s most innovative and interesting small businesses, as well as a tourism destination, Muddy River Distillery, is growing at a prodigious rate. But it may not be in town much longer.
Muddy River was started back in 2011 by husband and wife team Robbie and Caroline Delaney.
The idea to start a rum distillery- the first in North Carolina- came to Robbie when he spotted a magazine article on the subject while flying back to Charlotte from a construction job in Texas. Work in the construction industry was drying up and he was casting about, looking for another career. Not only that, but the constant travel was making spending time with Caroline logistically problematic.
“I got excited when I read the magazine article,” Robbie said. “I started doing research on what it would take to build a still and to begin distilling.”
chat with friend Scott Huff, a rum connoisseur, led to the decision to make rum rather than bourbon or some other type of libation. Once the decision to distill legal rum was made, the Delaney’s found a space at the former Piedmont Processing plant.  Robbie used his construction skills to build his first still. The basis of the still was a stainless steel milk tank he got from his father’s farm in Greensboro. Muddy River became the first modern era rum distillery in North Carolina.
From the very beginning, the Delaney’s worked night and day at the distillery. They often slept in the building on a tent in sleeping bags on the concrete floor. The rum began to flow and sales rose.
By 2013 the distillery had two large stills operating. The rum was being sold at ABC stores across North Carolina. In 2017, a 450 gallon still named “Independence” came on line. Caroline began giving guided tours of the distillery.
Just when things were taking off, Covid came around. Bars and restaurant sales of rum slowed to a trickle. The Delaney’s shifted gears and began making alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It was an instant hit and the sales helped carry them through the worst of the pandemic lockdown.
Now that things are getting back to normal, rum sales are soaring and tour group visitors are lining  up again with folks eager to see Muddy River’s inner workings, taste rum samples, and buy bottles of the distillery’s award winning product.
Currently, the distillery has racks of rum aging in oak barrels. Thousands of bottles are in cases ready for shipment. Rum-making supplies are stacked on pallets everywhere including 30,000 lbs. of sugar and a tank with 2,000 gallons of fermenting molasses.
“We have to shuffle stuff around to get to the shipping dock door,” said Robbie.
Current production is 1,200 bottles of rum per day. The first rum runs of ten years ago made 35 bottles per day.
“Bottle sales grew 30 percent last year,” said Robbie.
The Delaneys have also hired two full time employees.
All that growth had led to a need for more room not just for rum making, but also to have a nice space where folks can come in and linger while they enjoy a rum cocktail or sip shots.
“We want to sell an experience like craft breweries do,” said Robbie.
Future plans for Muddy River include marketing to a multi-state area and becoming a rum distiller on the national level.
But Robbie is frustrated.
“We’ve been looking for a larger space for over a year,” he said. “We need at least 20,000 sq. ft. of room.”
Right now, the distillery has only about 6,000 sq. ft.
Thoughts of staying in Belmont are currently somewhat dim.
“Belmont is geared more towards residential development and real estate,” Robbie said.
However, the Delaneys have several irons in the fire.
“We are looking at a place in Mt. Holly that used to be a textile mill,” Robbie said.
The structure he referred to is the circa 1875 mill located at Alsace Avenue and N. Main. The building served as the Austrian Consulate for several years.
Another possibility Robbie mentioned is the Top Golf building on I-485 near Charlotte.
“We are also interested in the area of Gastonia near the new ball park,” said Robbie.
The bottom line?
“We are growing and we will move where we have to,” Robbie says. “We are probably going to leaving Belmont.”
For more information visit muddyriverdistillery.com.
 

One in a series of  Black History Month stories remembering prominent African-American people and places in our area.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Ransom Hunter rose from the bonds of slavery to become one of Mt. Holly’s leading businessmen and citizens and though he died a century ago, his name is still remembered to this day.
Hunter was born a slave on a plantation near Charleston circa 1825. As a boy he was sold to the Hoyle family who owned a large farm near Dallas and Stanley in Gaston County.
Just before the Civil War broke out in 1861, Hunter’s owner set him free and gave him a plot of land near the Catawba River that Hunter named “Freedom”. It is believed that Hunter was the first free black in Gaston to own property.
Though the land was rugged, Hunter pitched in and through his sweat and sinew created a prosperous farm.
During Reconstruction following the war, Hunter’s hard work enabled him to purchase additional land in what is today’s appropriately named Freedom neighborhood in Mt. Holly. He operated a livery stable on Main St. and ran a general store for the local African-American populace making him one of the first black business owners in the area. He also helped recently freed slaves find jobs and housing.
 Hunter was a strong believer in education. He learned to read, write, and do math. He also learned carpentry and blacksmithing. He served on the Public School Committee of District No. 12, which at the time was called the “colored” school district, and deeded land to what became Rollins School in 1887.
Hunter also had strong faith. He was the founder of two Mount Holly churches still in existence today: Rock Grove Methodist Church, which became Burge Memorial United Methodist Church, and Mt. Sinai Baptist Church.
Hunter sold land to Abel Peterson Rhyne and Daniel Efird Rhyne to build the area’s first cotton mill in 1875. The Mount Holly Manufacturing Mill was constructed on the land which Hunter purchased in 1874 from R.C.G. Love. It was the fourth mill to be built in Gaston County and is the oldest surviving cotton mill today. The name of the mill was derived from the famed yarn mill in Mount Holly, New Jersey, in hopes of taking after their success. The mill’s success and the prosperity of the area led local residents to petition the North Carolina General Assembly for the incorporation of Mount Holly in 1879.
 In 1913, Hunter sold the Mayes Manufacturing Company a stretch of land near the South Fork Catawba River and the Southern Railroad, where they built a cotton textile mill.[8]
Hunter died in 1918 at the age of 93 in Mt. Holly. He’s buried near a large oak in the cemetery at the corner of Hawthorne and West Catawba  Ave. in Mt. Holly.
Hunter is still remembered for his many contributions to Mt. Holly.
In July 2014, his descendants held a family reunion and a new headstone was placed under the big tree near his grave.  In 2017, Hunter was named as the very first Mt. Holly Historic Person of the Year by the Mt. Holly Historical Society.

By Alan Hodge
Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

One of Belmont’s most iconic architectural, educational, historical, and whatever else you want to call it buildings is officially for sale.
Bids for the former Belmont High School, and later Middle School, building at 110 N. Central Avenue opened January 26. The building is owned by Gaston County.
 “We will not set an initial minimum bid for the property,” said Ray Maxwell, infrastructure and asset manager for Gaston County.  “We do expect bidders to submit reasonable offers though.  The final bid will go back to the Commission to be accepted or rejected.”
*See bottom of story for complete information on the bidding process.
The building has a history going back over 80 years. It was built in 1938 by local contractor Will Hand. The school was state of the art for its time. It had a spacious auditorium, a superb gym, science rooms, music rooms, a library, and textile vocational classes. When South Point High was built in 1964, the building became Belmont Middle School. Last year, when the new Belmont Middle School on South Point Rd. was opened, the building was closed and its furniture and other equipment auctioned off.  
A tour of the facility was given last week by Rebecca Edison, contracts coordinator for Gaston County. About a dozen interested parties showed up. The group included business folks, local municipal officials, interested citizens, and this reporter.
The overall impression of the building is one of space. It has over 105,000 sq. ft. That’s enough to equal 100 hotel rooms. The auditorium can seat 840 people. The gym has 7,800 sq. ft. of space. The cafeteria has 4,000 sq. ft. There are 65 parking spots right now. The school sits on 4.5 acres of prime real estate. One note- the field behind the school is part of Stowe Park and owned by the City of Belmont.
The school is just a couple of miles from US74 and I85. It’s about 15 minutes from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
Belmont businessman and former city council member Richard Cromlish was one of the tour takers.
“I want to see this done right,” he said of the building’s future. “There is huge potential here. It could be a hotel, or a senior living facility, or apartments.”
Cramerton town commissioner Richard Atkinson also took the tour.
“The auditorium could be used as an entertainment venue like the Don Gibson Theater in Shelby,” Atkinson said. “It could also be a senior living place like the former Mayworth School we have in Cramerton.”
Any and all repairs, upgrades, etc. are the responsibility of the buyer.
“It is being sold as is where is,” said Maxwell.
*Interested? Here’s how to bid.
This website below contains all the particulars concerning the bidding process. It also has information on the building’s structural condition as well as photos.
https://www.gastongov.com/government/departments/public_works/belmont_middle_school_property.php
 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

One of Belmont’s most venerable and respected organizations- the Auten-Stowe American Legion Post 144- is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
Post 144 got its start on March 20, 1921 when a group of WWI Belmont veterans decided to form an American Legion Post. It was decided to name it after two Belmont lads who had been killed in the war-  William Auten and Charles Stowe. A year later, March 29, 1922, Post 144 received its charter.
For many years, Post 144 members met at a building called the “Community Center”. In 1952, the headquarters were located to its current location on Park Dr. near Davis Park.
Over the decades, Post 144 has been active in many civic affairs. In 1922, it organized the first volunteer fire dept. in Belmont. The group was instrumental in seeing that a memorial was built in Greenwood Cemetery honoring local WWI soldiers who had been killed in action.  This monument was dedicated on August 15, 1922. Post 144 has also made it possible each year since the 1960s for local students to attend the one-week Boys and Girls State seminar held at Catawba College. This program allows the students to study politics and government during their stay.
Post 144 was also active in the campaign that saw the Spirit of the Fighting Yank WWII memorial statue moved from its former location at Belmont Middle School to front and center at Stowe Park. Seeing the statue in its current location is a highlight of any visit to downtown Belmont.
Each Memorial Day, Post 144 places American flags on veteran graves in Greenwood Cemetery and other locations. It also organizes Memorial Day and Veterans Day events.
Baseball has been a big part of Post 144’s legacy. It has sponsored teams since the 1930s and is still active in baseball to this day.
Each year Post 144 holds a gala Christmas celebration. Traditionally, an outstanding local citizen receives the Community Service Award at the event.
Currently, Post 144 has over 200 members who share a strong bond of comradeship and camaraderie.
Post 144 member Art Shoemaker summed it up.
“Post 144 has been a vital part of Belmont for 100 years now,” he said. “It’s an amazing feat to have been here this long. Post 144 gives veterans a place to gather and to plan and do good works for the city of Belmont. It also gives young men a place to play baseball.”
All of this is wonderful, but there are some gaps in Post 144’s history that need filling in. Therefore, Post 144 is reaching out to the community for any information, news clips, photos, etc. that might flesh out its long and distinguished history.
“One thing we would like to know is where members met from 1922 to 1941,” said post commander Barry Smith. “Any other information is also greatly appreciated.”
Do you know more about the past of Post 144? If so, email at POST144BELMONT@GMAIL.COM.
Also, here’s a list of upcoming Post 144 events
March 29th - 100th year Anniversary of Post 144 1st meeting - Special Event in Planning.
Memorial Day Weekend - put out flags and breakfast.
Gun Raffle tickets begin sales in June - Drawing TBD.
August 27 - 100th year of Post 144 receiving charter from National American Legion,
September 17th - Fish Fry.
October 8th - SAL Golf Tournament (this date is tentative).
November 11th - Veterans Day.
December 10th - Army/Navy football game.
Also remember that regular meetings are the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM, but do not meet in July or December.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Everyone knows that thanks to its spectacular holiday lights and events, McAdenville has acquired the name Christmas Town USA. In a similar vein of specialness, as of last week Belmont has now acquired not one, not two, but three vintage trolley cars that could give the city every right to call itself Trolley Town USA.
OK so that’s just a fanciful suggestion, but the true fact is now the CityWorks building on E. Catawba is where three trolleys are snugly situated awaiting finishing touches  and deployment on the tracks that run from downtown Belmont towards Wilkinson Blvd.
Last week saw two trolleys brought to Belmont from Charlotte. These cars, No. 1 and No. 85, join the 1913 Brill trolley that has called the CityWorks garage home for six years while it is undergoing a complete refurbishment.
The two Charlotte trolleys arrived on flatbed trucks. Monday saw No.85 pulled through downtown Belmont and parked for a while near Stowe Park before finally being delivered to CityWorks. The spectacle drew quite a crowd. Tuesday witnessed car No. 1 delivered straight to CityWorks. Flatbeds from Advantage Machinery did the delivering.  The cars were owned by the Charlotte Historic Landmarks Commission and had been housed since 2018 at the Sabona Mill in West Charlotte.
Belmont Trolley, Inc. co-vice president Nathan Wells was with the trolleys every mile of the way to their new home.
 “There’s kind of this little kid kind of tingle like a Christmas Eve sort of feeling waiting for Santa,” Wells said of the delivery. “Then there’s a more overriding sense of calm and satisfaction of a job well done. So though the project is not done, there’s still the sense of accomplishment knowing that it’s getting closer. It’s another plateau reached. And the buzz from others around the arrival of these two cars is palpable. Very cool!”
Wells explained the significance of having three trolleys in Belmont.
“What’s important about these cars is that it gives us two operable cars immediately and once we get our car (1913 Brill) operational that’ll be a third car. Other than Memphis and a museum around Washington DC, there are not three operating cars anywhere else that I know of in the southeast.  More importantly, is that now that the tracks are ready and we have two operable cars, there’s less pressure on us to complete the restoration of our car in the coming months.  This segues into another part of the project.”
The three cars run on electric motors. Since live overhead wires of the original type are not really an option, Wells says his group is working to obtain propulsion in another way.
“We are working with UNCC’s engineering department to design a battery pack that will provide power to the cars,” he said.  “There’s a group of seven young engineers, or soon to be, from the Electrical, Civil, and Mechanical departments designing this cart as their Senior Design project.  This battery pack will be on a cart that is towed behind the trolleys.  The battery pack itself will also be self-powered to drive down the tracks, switch tracks, and back up to another car when we choose to run another car.  Over the next few years, this will save us from having to provide power to each car separately.  It’ll be controlled with a remote and I think it will be a hit, even among the non-trolley fans, with the young and old kids alike.  The battery project is supposed to be completed this spring and ideally we would like to demonstrate it to the public, and the students design peers and mentors. So having those two operational trolley cars will give us an opportunity to potentially demo the entire trolley project this spring.  It’s unlikely our current car would have been ready by this spring.”
The future looks bright for the trolley scene in Belmont.
“What’s the big picture for 2022?” said Wells.  “So we will spend the bulk of this year trying to complete our capital campaign for the restoration of our car and to provide funding to build a car barn.  Ideally, we would like to begin construction on the car barn by the fall of 2022 with construction completed by the spring of 2023.  It will be a fairly large capital campaign, but we believe with the arrival of the two Charlotte cars and the progress we are making on the restoration of our own car and the battery cart to supply power to each car, it’ll help energize our campaign significantly.  That affectively summarizes our plans for 2022. Our vision looking out three, five, ten years, etc:  We’ll start to refine that vision as the capital campaign takes off and we look towards implementation of the project sometime hopefully in the spring of 2023.”

About the new trolleys 
Number 1 The Red One
Trolley No. 1 was originally built in Philadelphia by J.G. Brill in 1907 for Athens, Greece. The trolley’s restoration was complete in 1989 by trolley restorer Bruce Thain of Guilford, Connecticut.

Number 85 The Green One
Car 85, built in 1927, was the last electric streetcar to run in Charlotte on March 14, 1938. Alexander Garfield Collie, Sr. supervised the drivers when the streetcars were retired. His son, Alexander Garfield Collie, Jr. was driving car 85 for its final run in 1938. In his personal diary, Collie Sr. wrote of the car’s final run into the barn. Directing his son, Collie, Jr. to “move over,” he took the controls of number 85 for its final run. After retirement it was sold for $100, along with all the remaining cars. Following the system closure, Charlotte would rely solely on bus transit to serve its citizens until the opening of the Blue Line in 2007.
Car 85 was subsequently sold, stripped of its motors and seats, and sold to the N.C. Air National Guard, which used it for office space at the Charlotte airport. In 1939-1940, it was again sold and converted into a diner/concession stand at Caldwell Station, N.C., being used in this role until the early 1950s. Around late 1951, it was purchased for $125-150 by Daisy Mae Trapp Moore, a Huntersville resident, who moved it into her backyard and converted it into a mobile home to house relatives. The car was subsequently occupied by various renters. Its last occupant, construction worker Clay Thompson, lived in the former Car 85 from approximately 1972 to late 1987, when the town of Huntersville condemned the makeshift residence as it lacked indoor plumbing. Though Moore had intended to use the former streetcar as a storage shed, she sold it to the Emergency Properties Fund of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Properties Commission for $1,000 on April 12, 1988.
Following the streetcar’s discovery, the Charlotte Historic Landmarks Commission led the charge in its restoration. On May 6, 1988, the streetcar was returned by road to Charlotte and stored behind the Discovery Place Museum for preservation and restoration. Original drivers’ stools from the Charlotte streetcars and a period trolley bell were located and donated to the project. By the end of 1989, the streetcar had been moved to a former city bus barn, where restoration continued. Motors, trucks, wheels and electrics were sourced from retired streetcars in Melbourne, Australia. Initially named “Trolley Car No. 2” but unofficially called “Car 85” the streetcar was conclusively identified as Car 85 when surviving interior identifying numbers were revealed during restoration work in 1990. Its restoration was completed in 1991 at a cost of just over $100,000.

The 31st annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Celebration sponsored by the City of Belmont, the Belmont Coalition of Concerned Citizens, the Gaston County NAACP, the Gaston County Organization for Community Concerns, and Race Matters Community Conversation will take place Monday, January 17th, 7pm. For the second year the service will be held virtually and hosted by the City of Belmont on its website (www.cityobelmont.org/MLKUnity). While organizers regret not being able to gather safely in person, the virtual service allows participants from all over the county, state, and beyond to participate live or at a later time. Last year almost the celebration was viewed almost 1200 times.
Mayor Charlie Martin will offer the welcome. The lighting of the Unity Candle by approximately thirty area children and teens will again be a part of the service. Local choirs will provide music. And the Reverend William Mark Andrews will offer the message. The son of Methodist missionaries and later a “preacher’s kid,” Reverend Andrews spent his childhood in Brazil and later western North Carolina. He attended Greensboro College for his undergraduate education and Duke University, where he earned his Master of Divinity in 1986. For thirty-three years Mark and his wife Denise served churches in the Western NC Conference, including First United Methodist Church in Belmont, where he served for ten years. In his final appointment Mark served as the District Superintendent for the Charlotte Metro District of the United Methodist Church.
Mark treasures being husband to Denise, father to daughter Courtney and son-in-law Phillip Clapp; plus son Wilson, daughter-in-law Carol; and, best of all, grandfather to Avery Clapp. Now retired, he spends his time with family, cycling, kayaking, playing tennis, and working towards racial reconciliation.
The online offering will benefit Habitat for Humanity’s Dixon Village in North Belmont. To learn more about this ministry and donate, visit https://habitatgaston.org/dixon-village-neighborhood/. Please designate Dixon Village when you donate.
Please mark your calendars, and join us online Monday, January 17th, 7pm, to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and our unity as a community.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info
Back in 1962 country music star Johnny Cash recorded a tune entitled “I’ve Been Everywhere”. That song pretty much sums up the life of 94-year-old Ailene Friday of Stanley.
Friday, who has lived in Stanley since she was a teenager, was faced with a serious situation in 1994 when her husband Charles passed away. She could sit at home or she could get out and see the country. Well, she chose the latter and over the past quarter century has seen the U.S.A. from stem to stern.
“I had never been anywhere before except Lake Lure and Chimney Rock,” Friday said. “So in 1997 I decided to get together with some friends, charter a bus, and start traveling.”
Over the years, Friday’s circle of traveling companions has expanded and the scope of the sojourns has too. Sometimes so many folks go with her that it takes two buses.
“I’ve been to every state except Hawaii,” she said. “I don’t like flying over water.”
The list of places Friday has visited reads like an atlas of America. Some of them are- Grand Canyon, Alaska, five trips to California, Salt Lake City, Oregon, and Kentucky. She’s also been to Nova Scotia in Canada. One of her favorite spots is Branson, Missouri.
“I’m planning a trip there again for a group in April,” she said. “I already have thirty people signed up, but there’s room for a few more.”
Friday, who organizes the jaunts and makes all the arrangements, doesn’t have a computer at home. So, how in the world does she book rooms and make other arrangements?
“I use an old fashioned desk phone and contact the chamber of commerce wherever we are going,” she says matter of factly.
S.T.I Charters bus driver John Benton has been carrying Friday and her groups across the nation for years. He spoke highly of her choices in lodging arrangements.
“She does not book dog bed hotels,” he said.
Seeing new sights is cool, but Friday really relishes meeting new people.
“I have made friends all over,” she said.  “You meet the nicest people on a tour.”
Covid cut into Friday’s travels the last couple of years, but whenever she travels precautions such as masks are part of the scenario.
“Covid knocked it down a bit,” she said. “But we are hoping to be back to normal.”
So, how much longer does Friday plan to hit the highways?
“I’m going keep going as long as I can,” she said. “The customers don’t want me to quit.”
Interested in going to Branson with Friday? Call her at 704- 263-2264 and get ready to ramble.
 

​​​​​By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The second half of 2021 saw folks continue to get their lives back to “normal” following 2020’s Covid restrictions. Festivals, high school football games, and Christmas parades all drew large crowds of folks happy to be able to mingle again.
July kicked off with Belmont’s Red, White, and Belmont July 4th street fest. A huge crowd crammed Stowe Park for music, fun, and fireworks. That same month saw Mt. Holly WWII veteran Willie Bert Rhyne celebrate his 100th birthday. On the school scene, Stuart Cramer High welcomed new principal Jessica Steiner.
August came in hot and the Mt. Holly PD was making good use of its new Mtn. Island Lake patrol boat making sure everyone was safe and sound on the water. August also saw ground broken for the MHPD Memorial Plaza next to the Municipal Center. Another August story covered the official opening of the new Belmont Middle School. In Stanley, Ashley Price was recognized as Gaston County Firefighter of the Year.
September rolled around and First Baptist Church Mt. Holly finally held its grand reopening event following five years of rebuild from the July 21, 2016 fire. The Cramerton Historical Society also held a ribbon cutting for its new museum. In Belmont, work continued at a rapid pace on the redevelopment of the 100 year old Chronicle Mill into luxury apartments and retail space. September also saw folks recall the 9/11/2001 attacks with memorial services including one at Community VFD 32 in North Belmont. Also in North Belmont, Centerview Baptist Church celebrated its 100th anniversary.
October brought cooler air to our region as well as a story recognizing cool Francina Burris who has been driving a school bus for Ida Rankin Mt. Holly students for over four decades. In Belmont, plans for the Moonlight on Main festival were in the final stages. The event in Stowe Park featured a 28’ in diameter inflatable moon. In Cramerton, members of the Women in Pink group held a fundraiser for Cancer Awareness Month at Cramer Mtn. Country Club. In Mt. Holly the fourth annual Lantern Parade took place. Downtown Mt. Holly was packed with people who were wowed by the amazing and creative lanterns that were carried by participants.
November brought Indian summer to our region and a Veterans Day story profiling Cramerton’s Larry Rick who served in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart. Another personality profile in November looked at Belmont’s Charlie Craig and his incredible collection of vintage autos and artifacts. In Mt. Holly, a stretch of NC Hwy. 273 was officially named in honor of MHPD officer Tyler Herndon who had lost his life on duty December 11, 2020. The municipal elections were held in November and the turnout was steady. Cramerton got a new mayor in Nelson Wills and Belmont mayoral incumbent Charles Martin was reelected.
December brought 2021 to a close with a plethora of Christmas parades and the 66th annual lighting up of the holiday decorations In McAdenville. All the events were attended by heavy masses of humanity who were happy as larks to be able to see real parades after the Covid cancellations of 2020. December also brought an important day to Mt. Holly on the 11th when the spectacular Mt. Holly Police Dept. Memorial Plaza was officially dedicated. The plaza honors not only Tyler Herndon but all members of law enforcement who lost their lives in the line of duty.  December also saw the 100th birthday of Belmont’s Minnie Grier and groundbreaking for the new Belmont Parks and Rec. facility.

See more photos on pages 6 & 7 in January 6, 2022 issue of Banner-News
 

By Shawn Flynn
A lot has changed in downtown Belmont the past quarter century. The one staple: the famous chicken salad served up by the Crew members at Cherubs Café.
 Cherubs Café officially opened the doors on Main Street in December, 1996. The business not only provided a meaningful employment opportunity for the differently able, but allowed Holy Angels to connect with the community.
 “Our whole goal is to serve the people we support, but also to serve our community,” said Holy Angels President/CEO Regina Moody. “Cherubs Café is our happy place (as the sign reads in the restaurant). This is a little piece of heaven.”
 Sr. Nancy Nance, Holy Angels vice president of community relations, helped to start Cherubs Café and managed it for the first decade. She called it her greatest mercy moment at Holy Angels.
 “I loved watching our crew members grow in their job skills,” said Sr. Nancy. “They were so proud of what they did because they knew people valued what they were doing. That was a major mercy moment for me.”
 She says the restaurant remains the longest business still open in downtown on Main Street. The late Belmont mayor, Kevin Loftin, even called Cherubs Café the anchor store.
 In 2017, Cherubs Café underwent extensive renovations giving the café a more modern look, to help draw in more people.
 Last year, all the businesses were closed for several months due to the pandemic, eventually reopened last fall. The Crew members returned in April 2021 to much fanfare and media attention.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info
Faith. Family. Farm. Those three words make up not only the name of the Stroot family spread near Stanley, they also spell out the philosophy of the place.
Faith Family Farm is the passion of thirty-eight-year-old Joel Stroot, his wife Andrea, and their daughters, one-year-old Joanna, three-year-old Leah, and six-year-old Claire.
The root of the story starts with Joel, who grew up on a 200-acre farm in Missouri. When he was just 16-years-old, Joel lost his father, Mike, in a car crash, but the farming gene was already firmly planted in his soul. With Faith Family Farm, Joel is paying homage in many ways to the agricultural lessons he learned at his dad’s side.
“I grew up with fire in my belly to be a farmer,” said Joel. “This whole journey is about getting back to farming and continuing dad’s legacy.”
The family moved to the 35-acre former horse ranch off Rhyne Rd. in 2015 and set about turning it into an organic oasis. Joel, who is a bundle of physical and intellectual energy, is a dentist by trade and constantly works the farm when he’s not in his office. He’s been known to be on his tractor in the dead of night.
“The neighbors say I’m the midnight farmer,” he says with a smile.
Currently, Joel is taking a sabbatical from dentistry and devoting his time to getting the farm ready for spring.
“I have a big backlog of projects to do,” he said.
One of the biggest jobs Joel does is soil preparation.
The farm is dotted with huge heaps of leaves that the Town of Stanley brought there and dumped. Joel takes the leaves and churns them into the soil.
“When we first got the farm the horses had packed the soil down and depleted it,” Joel said. “Tilling in the leaves helps build it back up again.”
The trick works. The former hardpan soil is now dark and rich with a wide variety of plants thriving in it. In addition to a vineyard, vegetables, and herbs, the farm also produces fruit trees such as peaches, nectarines, plums, apples, apricots, pears, and cherries. One of the farm’s best crops are the elderberries that Joel and Andrea use to make a type of health supplement syrup that they sell.
“By using nutrient dense soil, you can produce nutrient dense food,” Joel says.
Livestock currently calling the farm home includes a flock of chickens and turkeys. These well fed critters are not pets, they provide eggs and meat for the table. Joel also adds wild game to the menu. He makes his own beer and wine.  He estimates that between the garden, the flocks, and the field, about ninety percent of the family food needs are met.
“I plan to add a couple of cows and pigs come spring,” Joel said.
Joel and Andrea want to pass on the knowledge they’ve gained at Faith Family Farm to others. Future plans include giving farmstead lessons and tours to interested individuals or groups. In this way, Joel, who was the 2017 annual North Carolina Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award recipient, is carrying on his father’s legacy not only to his family’s benefit, but to the good of others as well.
“We are living out dad’s dreams,“ Joel said.
Interested in learning more about sustainable, organic, farming and Faith Family Farm? Text Joel at 704-689-0995 and prepare yourself for agricultural amazement. Oh, here’s the website https://www.faithfamilyfarmstead.com/.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Well, the weather was perfect for last week’s municipal elections in Gaston County and a fair number of folks took advantage and got out and voted.
Poll chief Tian Sagasi at Precinct 46 in Mt. Holly summed up the pace that was typical of other voting places in the BannerNews distribution area.
“By 11am we had 239 voters come in,” Sagasi said. “It was very busy.”
Ditto at the Belmont Central Elementary voting station.
“It has been a steady turnout,” said poll chief Delilah Winchester.
Anyway, countywide, 13,562 out of 97,883 registered voters cast their ballot. Don’t forget the election was for municipal seats and/or issues (like the Mt. Holly Parks Bond referendum).
In Belmont, mayoral incumbent Charles Martin defeated challenger Claudina Ghianni 957 to 619, followed by Jason Lyle with 124 votes. In the city council contest, two seats were up for grabs. Incumbent Richard Turner topped the slate with 1,056 votes, followed by Alex Szucs with 860 votes. Richard Cromlish came in third with 811 votes, followed by Joe Green with 284 votes.
In Cramerton, a new mayor was elected with Nelson Wills getting 612 votes and incumbent Will Cauthen getting 535. Will Weber got 19 votes. Two Town of Cramerton commissioner seats were on the ballot. Kathy Ramsey won with 770 votes and Scott Kincaid grabbed the other seat with 551 votes. Third place went to Brad Milton with 462 votes.
In Lowell, there were three council seats available. Travis Smith got the most votes at 361, followed by Phil Bonham with 294 and Ken Ervin with 289. Larry Simonds got 254 votes and John Cato got 172.
McAdenville voters elected three council members. Carrie Breyare Bailey got 42 votes, Greg Richardson 39, and Jay McCosh 37.
In Mt. Holly, the aforementioned Parks Bonds were defeated 1118 “no” to 887 “yes”. The Mt. Holly council race saw three seats available. Incumbents David Moore and Lauren Shoemaker got 968 and 867 votes respectively. Newcomer Ivory Craig, Jr. rounded out the three with 803 votes trailed by Charles McCorkle with 644 votes, Dennis Petro with 636 votes, Kenneth Reeves with 424 votes, Jesse Fields, Jr. with 413 votes, Scott Lilly with 410 votes, and Randi Moore with 231 votes.
In Stanley, Kathy Kirkland ran unopposed for her Ward 02 seat and got 266 votes. Ward 05 saw Chad Jones win with 211 votes and Caroline Reid follow with 124 votes.
 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Working at any career for three decades is a feat, and when a person adds passion for that work to the mix, well, it’s a formula for success.
That pretty much describes Belmont Central Elementary School Teacher of the Year Jennifer Ramsey.
Cramerton native Ramsey has been a school teacher since she graduated from Appalachian State University back in 1990. She started at Lowell Elementary, and from there she moved over to Holbrook Middle. That was followed by several years at the Gifted Services division of Gaston County Schools. About 17 years ago she landed at Belmont Central and has been there ever since.
“It’s been a long time,” Ramsey said.
At Belmont Central, Ramsey is an AIG teacher for fourth and fifth grade students. What the heck is that? An AIG teacher teaches academically and intelligent/gifted kids who are sometimes bored by the “regular” curriculum.
“The key is to keep them focused and busy,” she says. “I make sure they have work that challenges their giftedness.”
Techniques that Ramsey says she uses in that regard includes deductive reasoning, manipulative math, algebra mysteries, and non-fictional text.
“These are things not usually associated with elementary school,” she said. “They are designed to frustrate them a little bit.”
Ramsey’s students rise to the occasion and appreciate what she does.
“She is really nice and shows us how to do our equations,” said student Emmit Widner.
“Another student, Jayden Brown, appreciates Ramsey’s sense of humor in the classroom.
“She’s really funny,” he said.
 Student Virginia Brown says Ramsey is “great!”
Ramsey has some advice of her own for parents of not only gifted children but all students.
“Make sure you open them up to new things,” she said. “Take them to museums, concerts, historical places. Try to spark their curiosity.”
Belmont Central principal Phyllis Whitworth knows Ramsey’s value.
“Naming Mrs. Ramsey as Teacher of the Year is a well deserved honor,” she said. “She is outstanding and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure all students succeed not just her AIG ones.”
With 30 years under her belt, Ramsey is not far from retirement, but even when that date comes she plans to keep her hand in teaching.
“I will miss the kids,” she confesses, “I would like to come back as a substitute.”
She might also bring back the summer science camp she held for the past nine years in Cramerton.
“There’s plenty to do,” she said.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Members of the Cramerton Historical Society and special guests got together recently to discuss the game of golf- specifically as it relates to the town.
For nearly a century golf has been woven into Cramerton’s past as tightly as the weave of the famous military cloth once produced there. The first course was built on the banks of the South Fork River by Stuart Cramer back in 1922. The unnamed course was near Tenth St. and extended to Lincoln. St.
In 1927, a nine-hole course, Cramerton Golf Course, was constructed at the base of Cramer Mtn. near the Baltimore community. That course was said to be a “marvel of natural beauty and engineering”.
In 1954, Lakewood Golf Course was designed and built by Mike Michaels. The course was originally meant for Burlington Industries executives and workers. It was sold to Graham Bell in the early 1980s. Today, that property is the site of Stuart Cramer High School.
 In 1986, Cramer Mtn. Country Club was created on the slopes of Cramer Mtn. by Bell. The course was designed by world renowned Dan Maples who was also at the seminar.
Maples and Bell, as well as famed local golfer Joel Lineberger, shared their recollections on the past and present of golf in Cramerton at the seminar.
Now for the surprise. At the seminar, Bell was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for his decades of service to Cramerton and Gaston County. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is North Carolina’s top civilian honor. Recipients have included such luminaries as Andy Griffith, Charles Kuralt, Michael Jordan, Ted Hall, and even Art Shoemaker.
“I was totally surprised,” said Bell. “I had no clue this was going to happen. I am very honored and appreciative of the award.”
But wait, the story of golf in Cramerton is not over. Look for several special events to take place in 2022 to commemorate 100 years of knocking little white balls in holes in the ground in Cramerton.
For more information on the Cramerton Historical Society and upcoming events, visit Cramerton.org.