(April 8, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Because of COVID concerns, last year’s Gaston County high school graduation ceremonies were a socially distant departure from the usual  festivities. This year, the Class of 2021 event will look more like the traditional deal- but with a twist on the time frame.
Ergo, Gaston County Schools plans to hold in-person ceremonies for high school graduations and the ceremonies will be held outdoors in cohorts.
The graduations were  originally scheduled for Saturday, May 29, but Gaston Schools leaders approved a plan at the March 15 meeting that will break graduation up into  groups and times to allow for current COVID-19 protocols. Graduation for most Gaston County high schools will be held the night of Friday, May 28.
Traditionally, graduations were held on Saturday mornings.
Each school would hold two graduation ceremonies on May 28, with the Cohort A family starting at 5:30 p.m. and Cohort B family starting at 8 p.m.:  These schools include: Ashbrook, Bessemer City, Cherryville, East Gaston, Forestview,  Highland Hunter Huss,  North Gaston, South Point, Stuart W. Cramer.
The following schools will hold graduation ceremonies on the following days: Gaston Early College - May 20, Gaston Virtual Academy - May 26, Warlick - May 26, Webb - May 26.
Of course, COVID and other safety practices will be in place at the events. These will include- health screening, temperature checks,  metal detecting, masks required, social distancing.
Graduation seniors will be required to stay for both ceremonies and the entire class will march into and out of the stadium together.
In the event of inclement weather, a second attempt to hold the ceremonies would be on Saturday, May 29 at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Gaston Schools also plans to offer a minimum of four tickets per graduate, and a pre-recorded video showing each graduate will be available for those unable to attend the ceremonies.

​​​​​Faster opening of Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort will accelerate job creation for region 

KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. – The Catawba Nation today announced it will fast-track the opening of the Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort project in Kings Mountain by opening a “pre-launch” facility this summer with 500 slot machines.
The pre-launch facility, which will be constructed using prefabricated modular structures, will provide an initial opportunity for patrons to game with limited food & beverage and other guest amenities.
“With the completion of our compact with the State of North Carolina, the Catawba Nation is eager to open the casino as quickly as possible to begin bringing economic benefits and jobs to the state and region,” Catawba Chief Bill Harris said. “We’re working with Delaware North, our consultant on the Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort project, as well as our developer, Skyboat Gaming, to make that happen by opening what we are calling a ‘pre-launch’ facility this summer.”
An introductory phase of the full casino is still planned and will feature an additional 1,300 slot machines. It will be a permanent structure that will become part of the full casino. Its construction is expected to take about a year.
“It makes sense to have the temporary pre-launch facility to start, and it will continue to operate during the construction of the introductory phase and possibly subsequent phases,” said Brian Hansberry, president of Delaware North’s gaming business. “It gives us a place to teach incoming staff and accommodates people in the region who are anxious to start gaming this summer.”
The 17-acre casino site off Dixon School Road in Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, is near Interstate 85 and about 35 miles west of Charlotte. The total $273 million casino resort project is expected to create 2,600 permanent jobs at full buildout and thousands of construction jobs in the region.
“This project will prove to be a long-lasting and sustainable economic engine for the residents of Cleveland County, we are excited about the expedited timeline” said Cleveland County Commissioner Johnny Hutchins.
“Chief Harris and the members of The Catawba Indian Nation are great partners. Our team looks forward to continuing to work side by side as the project develops” said Cleveland County Manager Brian Epley.
The Catawba Nation and the State of North Carolina in January signed a compact that allows the state to share in revenues generated by the new casino, which will be operated by the Catawba. In March 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior, following a thorough, years-long review, took the 17 acres of land into trust for the Catawba Nation. The action recognized the Catawba Nation’s historical and ancestral ties to its aboriginal lands throughout North Carolina, as evidenced by names such as Catawba County and Catawba College, as well as in the six counties, including Cleveland County, specifically identified by Congress as part of the Catawba’s service area. The state compact acknowledges this connection to North Carolina as well.
In addition to creating revenue for the State of North Carolina, the casino will help support an education fund that will benefit environmental conservation, provide educational support for members of federal and state-recognized tribes, support local communities on economic development initiatives and foster employment opportunities on or near Catawba lands.
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(March 25, 2021 Issue)

While many activities have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19, middle school and high school students in Gaston County are still actively engaged in developing their critical thinking skills through science and engineering.
The county science fair also featured two brothers winning top prizes.  Luigi and Nikki Bortolussi have enjoyed being involved in the annual competition since 2017. Nikki attends Mt. Holly Middle School and Luigi attends Forestview High.
With projects focusing on using salt to get more power out of the soil, determining which helmet protects your head the best, and deciding whether music increases student productivity, Gaston County Schools students demonstrated their experiments and shared their findings during the Gaston Regional Science and
Engineering Fair, which was conducted virtually this year.
“In light of the current pandemic restrictions, the North Carolina Science Fair Foundation made the decision to hold all science fair competitions virtually this year,” explained Bianca Yavelak, who coordinates the local program.  “Although participation was expectedly lower than usual, we were excited to still have more than 40 students put in the time and work to submit their independent research.”
Students were asked to submit a research paper along with a two-minute video presentation and written “interview” in lieu of the usual display board and interview session with judges.  Community members volunteered their time to evaluate the projects.
Most of the students earning awards are enrolled in the Collegiate Prep Academy at Forestview High School.
One of the prerequisites for the Collegiate Prep Academy at Forestview is for ninth grade students to complete Honors Research Methods.  The class is part of the Academy program that is designed to prepare students for success in college and beyond.
Integrating the science fair experience into Honors Research Methods prompts students to participate in research, exploration, and discovery on a topic that piques their interest.

(March 18, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

“Are you kidding me?!”
Those were the first words out of Mt. Holly resident Judy Keller’s mouth when she was informed Monday morning that she had won the long-running BannerNews $10,000 cash lottery.
After the initial shock wore off, Keller became emotional when the reality sunk in.
“I was smiling all day long,” she said.
Keller moved to Mt. Holly from Florida back in June at the urging of a long time friend. She’s been playing the numbers every week since she got here.
“I just picked whatever numbers pop into my head,” she said. “I picked a different set every week.”
Keller says she enjoys the BannerNews for its content as well.
“It’s a really informative paper,” she said.
Keller works at CaroMont family Medicine on New Hope Rd. and says she enjoys our area.
“Everyone is so nice and friendly,” she said. “I feel like I’ve found a home.”
So, what does she plan on doing with her winnings?
“I am going to give $500 to St. Judes and go visit my grandchildren in Colorado,” she said. “I’m also going to pay off part of my car.”
BannerNews publisher and Community First Media CEO Greg Ledford had this to say.
“Congratulations to Judy for being our winner and thanks to everyone who has played the lottery and who reads the BannerNews.

(March 18, 2021 Issue)

Gaston County Board of Education member Dot Guthrie is the recipient of the prestigious Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement that is presented by the American Library Association (ALA).
A veteran educator with more than 40 years of dedicated service as a teacher, school librarian, central office administrator, and Board of Education member, Guthrie is “the epitome of an educational leader who goes beyond the call of duty to do what is best for children,” according to Superintendent of Schools W. Jeffrey Booker, who wrote a recommendation letter in support of Guthrie’s award nomination.
Long before becoming the Gastonia Township representative on the Board of Education, Guthrie worked for Gaston County Schools for more than 30 years.  She served as the district’s library/media services director and was named the Media Coordinator of the Year for three consecutive years.  After retiring from Gaston County, she served as a librarian in the neighboring Clover, South Carolina school district.
Well-known and respected in the community, Guthrie wrote the book, “Integrating African-American Literature in the Library and Classroom,” and coordinated the first Gaston County Diversity Book Fair.  She has served as a leader, conference presenter, and contributor for the ALA, and two years ago, she was instrumental in founding the first African-American history and culture museum in Gaston County.  Additionally, she is active in Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gastonia, serving as an associate minister.
In 2019-2020, the North Carolina School Boards Association acknowledged Guthrie’s many contributions by presenting the School Board Member Leadership Award to her. 
Perhaps most of all, Guthrie is known for her love of books, reading, and libraries.
“It is appropriate to say that one of Mrs. Guthrie’s callings in life is to promote the importance of reading by making sure that the necessary resources are available to engage children in reading,” wrote Dr. Booker.  “She wholeheartedly believes that a child’s academic success is dependent on a child’s strong foundation in reading.”
 As chairperson of the Board of Education’s curriculum and instruction committee, Guthrie has worked with the committee members to make a commitment to ensuring that classroom libraries and school media centers are the best they can be.
“She has provided guidance and leadership on two important projects in Gaston County Schools:  our efforts to update classroom library collections and our efforts to renovate school media centers,” said Dr. Booker.  “The progress we have made in this area is largely because of Mrs. Guthrie’s oversight, her regular reminders about how crucial our school libraries are to the overall instructional program, and her unique ability to rally support and consensus from her fellow Board members.”
The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named for author and civil rights leader Coretta Scott King and award-winning children’s author Virginia Hamilton, who wrote more than 35 books during her career and received the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1975.
The award is presented (in even years) to African-American authors and illustrators for their successful efforts to produce and publish quality literature for children and young adults.  In odd years, the award is given to practitioners who use African-American literature to engage youth in reading and related activities.  Further, all recipients have a proven record of making a significant and lasting literary contribution.
As the 2021 practitioner winner, Guthrie was recognized during the ALA’s Youth Media Awards virtual presentation on January 25.  She received a medal and $1,500 check.

(March 11, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

An abundance of energy and passion for his career are just two of the reasons the Belmont Fire Department has named Bradley Martin its Firefighter of the Year.
“Since joining the Belmont Fire Department as a full-time career firefighter, Firefighter\EMT Bradley Martin has carried the Belmont Fire Department patch with pride and honor,” said. Division Captain Craig Austin. “Rookie firefighters are a challenging breed in the fire service to tame. From day one, Martin wanted nothing but to soak up all the knowledge from his instructors, fire officers, and senior firefighters. He continues in his endeavors and shows the rest of the fire service what it looks like to be an eager and willing servant of his community.  Priding himself in stellar customer service and continual sharpening of his training, we are proud to boast him as part of the Belmont Fire Department family.”
Martin, 25, lives just across the Catawba River in Charlotte. He had an idea of what he wanted to do for a job early on.
“When I was growing up, a friend and I often talked about entering the fire service,” Martin said. “He didn’t make it but I did.”
After graduating from Charlotte Catholic High, Martin went to East Carolina University for a spell.
“I didn’t take any particular course of study but a variety of classes,” he said.
After that, Martin homed in on his goal of becoming a firefighter. He joined the Cook’s Community VFD on Mt. Holly/Huntersville Rd. part time while working at an auto parts store across the street.
“I would get off work at the parts place and go to the fire station,” Martin said.
Martin was at Cook’s for six years.
By and by, he came to the Belmont Fire Department full time in January, 2019. In addition to being a firefighter, Martin is also an EMT, a certification he earned at CPCC in Charlotte.
“Getting my EMT was a challenge,” he said.
Martin says his favorite part of being a firefighter is the variety of action he gets to take part in.
“I enjoy using my skill sets to do things such as vehicle accident extractions, water rescues, emergency medical events, and fighting fires,” he said.
Martin aims to grow as a firefighter.
“I want to keep working on getting more certifications,” he said. “I want to get better at all of them. I am going to work hard and retain all that I am taught.”
It seems Martin has found a home at the Belmont Fire Department and is going to build a future there.
“I have no plans to leave,” he said.

(March 4, 2021 Issue)


By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The venerable Mt. Holly branch of the Gaston County Public Library system has just reopened after a year-long major overhaul that has totally transformed the building’s look and feel. Cost of the project was $584,158.
A branch public library has been located in Mt. Holly at 245 W. Catawba Ave. since around 1960. The building was refurbished in 1980 but little other than routine maintenance has taken place since then. In short, the place needed a serious face lift- and it has one now.
The curb appeal of the building has been raised to a high level. Tan colored field stone veneer on the front has been combined with brown wood trim to give a Craftsman-type of architectural appeal. The parking lot has been widened and more spaces added. Landscaping is being carried out with new grass and plantings. Overall, the building has been taken from shabby to chic. The library’s interior has also undergone major remodeling. The list of improvements is long and includes carpet, furniture, a new circulation desk, new family-sized and configured restrooms, lighting, ceiling tiles, shelves, paint, and more. The color combinations of bright green and other vibrant colors gives the inside a bright and airy ambiance.
Every part of the branch inside and out is ADA compliant. That includes things such as the width between book shelves, parking lot ramps, and restrooms.
On the technological side, the branch has received three new computers bringing the total public computer access number to eight. A really neat addition to the branch is a WI-Fi transmitter that’s located on the outside of the building. That means folks can access the internet in the parking lot or on the grounds. The WI-Fi access was funded in part by a grant from Band NC.
The Mt. Holly branch has always offered patrons a wide variety of material to peruse or check out and now there’s even more available. Currently, the branch has 14,493 items available including 13,467 books and 1,026 audio-visuals.
Staffing is strong at the Mt. Holly branch and everyone is  keen on serving patrons in the best possible way. Debra Trogdon-Livingston is branch manager. Full time staffers include Geordin Christopher and Chelse Harris. They are all thrilled with the way the remodeling turned out.
“It will be easier for people to use our space,” said Trogdon-Livingston. “I am most excited about everything being ADA accessible.”
“The new design gives the branch a more open atmosphere,” said Harris.
“It’s beautiful and bright and the community is really going to enjoy it,” said Christopher.
Patrons are also being awed by the remodel job. Former library employee Delores Blanton stopped by to check things out. Her reaction was priceless and pretty much sums it up.
“Wow!” she said. “Wow and wow again!”
Currently the Mt. Holly branch is open Monday-Thursday 10am to 6pm and Friday and Saturday 10am to 2pm. Visit the branch Facebook page for more information and a virtual tour.
 

(March 4, 2021 Issue)

By TODD HAGANS
Gaston County Schools

There’s a new high school coming to Gaston County, and it will provide a quality education for students who are interested in the medical and healthcare fields.
The Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences (GECMS) will open in August 2021 on the Gaston College campus in Dallas.  It is an innovative, healthcare-focused high school that is designed especially for students interested in careers in the medical/healthcare industry.
The new high school is a collaborative effort among Gaston County Schools, Gaston College, Belmont Abbey College, and CaroMont Health, and it is intended to develop a future workforce to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals in Gaston County.
“This is an outstanding opportunity for students in our community,” said Denise McLean, executive director of student support services for Gaston County Schools.  “The medical and healthcare industry in Gaston County is growing and expanding, and we realize that CaroMont Health and other agencies will need a trained workforce that is ready to meet the demand.”
McLean added, “This new school will provide students with a pathway to obtain the education, knowledge, hands-on experience, and connections necessary for a successful career in healthcare right here at home.” 
The new high school will open with enough space for 80 ninth graders and 80 tenth graders.  Students need to submit an application, and a lottery selection process similar to the one for the Highland School of Technology will be used to choose the students who will attend.
The school is open to students in Gaston County, including students who currently attend Gaston County Schools as well as students enrolled in a private school, charter school, virtual school, or homeschool program.  Applications are accepted online at www.gaston.k12.nc.us/schoolchoice, and the submission deadline is February 28.
According to McLean, students will be able to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree from Gaston College in preparation for a career in the medical field.  The academic pathways include nursing, health information technology, human services technology, and pre-medicine/biotechnology sciences.  In addition to high school and college-level coursework, students will participate in job shadowing experiences and gain hands-on learning in real-world settings through CaroMont Health, conduct undergraduate research, and prepare themselves for post-secondary education and/or going directly into the workforce.
Further, students will take advantage of many resources available through Gaston College that will enhance their academic experience and engage them in the college campus setting.  Students may decide to transfer to Belmont Abbey College where they can obtain a bachelor’s degree in biology, biochemistry, psychology, social work, and related areas.
The Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences is the second Early College program for Gaston County Schools.  It will be housed in the Comer Engineering Technologies building on the Gaston College campus in Dallas and operate separate from the Gaston Early College High School, which opened in 2012 and is housed in the Lena Sue Beam Building.
GECMS is one of the 21 choice/magnet school programs offered by Gaston County Schools for the upcoming school year.  Another program – the Health Sciences Academy at East Gaston High School – also provides opportunities for students who are interested in healthcare.
While both programs have similar concentrations, McLean says there are differences.  At East Gaston, the coursework focuses on nurse aide, pharmacy technician, animal medicine, health and fitness science, medical assisting, and foundations of healthcare.   Also, students at East Gaston benefit from being in the comprehensive high school setting with opportunities to take elective courses such as ones in the fine arts and participate in athletics.
The Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences will follow the “cooperative innovative high school” model.  Such a program must be housed on a community college or university campus.  There are 132 cooperative innovative high schools in the state.
“Typically, a cooperative innovative high school is a smaller school that targets first-generation college students as well as students who would benefit from accelerated learning in a college environment,” said McLean.  “It is a different experience from the traditional high school setting where students often enjoy activities like band, chorus, and sports.”
McLean encourages students and families to explore all of the school choice options being offered by Gaston County Schools.  “We have quality programs in a variety of academic- and career-focused areas at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.  There really is something for everyone when it comes to our school choice and magnet school programs.  We invite parents to take some time to discover all of the excellent options we have available for their children.”
An overview of the school district’s choice programs is available online at www.gaston.k12.nc.us/schoolchoice.  Parents with questions may e-mail schoolchoice@gaston.k12.nc.us or call the Student Assignment Office, (704) 810-7284.
 

(March 4, 2021 Issue)

A favorite spot for outdoor enthusiasts, the Spencer Mountain River Access Canoe and Kayak Launch in Spencer Mountain, N.C. will soon get a facelift thanks to a grant provided by The Gaston Community Foundation.
The grant of $15,000 was awarded to the Catawba Lands Conservancy, which owns and maintains the kayak launch, located along the South Fork River. It is one of the most popular of the nine “put-ins” for paddlers along the river, which is also a designated blueway within the Carolina Thread Trail network. Users who access the river from the Spencer Mountain River Access will paddle through some of the most ecologically diverse lands in our region, many of which are permanently protected by the Conservancy.
Since the launch opened 12 years ago, Gaston County has increasingly come to be a premier destination for paddle sports, one of the fastest growing segments of the outdoor recreation industry, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. However, the wooden launch has sustained damage from frequent flooding and is in need of an upgrade. The funding from The Gaston Community Foundation will be used to replace the current launch with a more sustainable and safe metal launch.
“The South Fork River is a wonderful outdoor recreation spot, right in Gaston County residents’ backyard. We are very grateful to The Gaston Community Foundation for helping us improve the launch so it can better serve residents and provide access to the river,” said Bart Landess, Executive Director of Catawba Lands Conservancy.
The Conservancy hopes to have the launch upgrades completed and open for use in the fall of 2021. The current launch will remain open for use during the 2021 season up until construction begins.
*Special note: The Spencer Mountain access is by permit only. Permits are free and can be requested by contacting the Catawba Lands Conservancy. Please allow up to five business days to process your request.
 

(February 25, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

For many, many, of our local citizens in need of nutritional or financial assistance, the Mt. Holly Community Relief Organization (CRO) has been there to help since 1952.
The CRO was created by the Ministerial Association of Mount Holly, It is the largest provider of emergency assistance in Mount Holly, providing over $1 million in assistance to over 5,000 residents a year.
The CRO’s stated mission is to “Assist neighbors in crisis in a compassionate and respectful manner while engaging them in a series of actions that will empower them to move beyond crisis.”
Since July 2020 when the CRO’s current fiscal year began, it has given out 123,975 pounds of food and helped 3,087 people. That includes 1,026 families and 908 children.
The CRO’s food comes from four sources- the USDA, purchases from Second Harvest Food Bank, donations from Food Lion, and private, church, or corporate donations.
Food distributed by the CRO runs the gamut from meat, to vegetables, non-perishables, bread, canned goods, you name it and the CRO has it.
As you might expect, the pandemic has impacted the CRO, but the demand for food from clients has been a roller coaster sort of thing.
“Demand has depended a lot on the stimulus checks,” said CRO volunteer coordinator Sherry Ridlon. “When people get the checks our demand actually goes down because they spend the money on food. Now, demand is going up again. If people need food we always have it and they can spend stimulus money on things like power bills.”
Another impact that Covid has had on the CRO is the fact that classes being held there to teach folks about better ways to manage their budgets have not been held since last March.
“The classroom is vacant now,” Ridlon said. “The classes were a great benefit and a lot of folks want to know when they will start back up. I will be so glad when Covid goes away.”
Yet another Covid impact that the CRO has been feeling is cancellation of food drives.
“The Post Office food drive this year had to be called off,” said Ridlon. “That would have been eight thousand pounds of food.”
However, the food drive scene is going to improve soon. According to Ridlon, the Stowe Family YMCA will hold a drive the first week in March. Donations can be dropped off there or at the CRO itself.
Donations are the lifeblood of the CRO. Not only food, but cash is welcome. Cash donations can be tagged for food or utility bills. The CRO also needs more refrigeration equipment and cash can help in that area as well.
“My big dream is a walk in cooler or freezer,” said Ridlon.
Overall, the CRO is driven by giving hearts and hard work with an eye on both the present and the coming years.
“We are always looking to grow in the future,” said Ridlon.
Here are some CRO particulars- Location- 2120 Spring St. the CRO is nestled between Food Lion and the ABC store. Phone- 704-827-0450. Website cro-mtholly.org. Hours- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 9-12:30  closed Tuesday.
Services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Clients must be signed in by 11:45 a.m. due to the time it takes to conduct an interview. Registration could end earlier depending on the number of people who come for services that day.

(February 25, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Black History Month is wrapping up and and what better way to commemorate it than with a look at one of Belmont’s most famous and unique African-America citizens- the late Jethro “Bicycle Man” Mann who passed away on Nov. 11, 2013 at the age of 96.
Mann was a long-time resident of the Reid community in Belmont where his garage was filled with bicycles he rebuilt and loaned or gave to local children.
Mann’s “Bicycle Lending Library” was featured on Charles Kuralt’s “On the Road” TV series. He was also featured in “Our State Magazine”, “Reader’s Digest”, and on the CBS Evening News. Mann received the Good Samaritan Award from “National Enquirer” for his work with needy kids. A German TV film crew also visited Mann for five days and filmed a documentary on his life and lore.
Here are a few of the other awards Mann received during his decades of service to others – Belmont Citizen of the Year, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Citizen of the Year, Special Volunteer for the State of North Carolina, the Good Neighbor Award from the National Council of Christians and Jews, City of Belmont Outstanding Community Service Award. Also, the N.C. Department of Labor Certificate of Appreciation Award, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Good Samaritan Award and Charlotte District A.M.E. Zion Outstanding Service to Youth Award.
A native of Curryville, Georgia, Mann was one of 12 children born to Jesse and Ida Mann. Early days at the public schools in Curryville gave Mann a thirst for knowledge that led him to an eclectic blend of institutions of higher learning. Just a few of the places Mann has cracked the books include the Palmer Memorial Institute, Lincoln Academy, West Virginia State College, Institute of West Virginia, International Correspondence School in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University.
A true patriot, Mann served two years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and during that time he received the Company Honor Man Award.
Mann’s working career was long and productive. He was the first African-American in North Carolina to receive a general contractor license. In 1972, Mann became the first African-American Apprentice Representative to the N.C. State Department of Labor, passing on his expertise in the building trade, Mann taught related subjects at schools in Cleveland, Gaston, and Lincoln counties. He taught construction and building at Central Piedmont Community College. Mann built many of the houses and even a movie theater in the Reid area. What made Mann all the more remarkable was the fact that he suffered from a crippling form of arthritis in his hands.
His love of sharing bikes with kids extended beyond the Belmont city limits. Mann once gave 65 bikes to the Boys and Girls Home at Lake Waccamaw.
In addition to his bike and building work, Mann also served as a minister at Hood Memorial AME Zion Church.
The last couple of years before his passing saw Mann move from Belmont to Lakeland, Florida where he stayed near his daughters in an assisted living facility. He took his love of bikes with him and according to daughter Peggy Robinson had a couple of them in his room.
Mann’s legacy remains one of caring for his community and working tirelessly to help others.

(February 18, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Since February is officially known as Black History Month, it seems fitting to recognize a chapter in Mount Holly’s African-American heritage that is too often forgotten and whose only tangible evidence of having ever existed at all is a stone monument near the Rollins Apartments on South Hawthorne Street.
What the stone marks is the location where the A.M. Rollins School stood from 1930-1969. The school was unique in that it was where all of Mount Holly’s African-American children in grades one through eight were educated before public schools were integrated in the late 1960s.
The Rollins School was originally called the Mount Holly Colored School, but was later named after its first principal, A.M. Rollins. There was also another school for African-American kids in the Lucia community, with just one teacher for all grades. This school eventually was merged with the Rollins School, meaning all African-American children in the area made the trek to S. Hawthorne St.
Teachers at the Rollins School who needed a place to live and who had trouble finding transportation often stayed at the nearby home of Mrs. Roceda Bailey. With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, schools began to integrate and in 1969, Rollins School was closed. For a short time, the school building was used as a community center, but like the Reid High School in Belmont about the same time, Rollins was relegated to the wrecking ball.
But the memory and spirit of the Rollins School would not die. In the mid-1990s a group known as the Black History Committee and led by the late John Hope in Mount Holly began working on a project to commemorate the school and the work that had gone on there. Other folks involved in the project Danny Jackson, and Stanley resident Caroline Reid.
Through fund-raisers, corporate and private sponsorships, and the sale of brick pavers engraved with the names of donors, an eight-foot granite monument and “Memory Walk” sidewalk in honor of the Rollins School was constructed where the school had once stood.
The granite monument is engraved with a likeness of the school as well as the names of principals Rollins and Willie McDuffie. In front of the monument are three granite pavers bearing the names of notable Mount Holly African-Americans from the Mt. Holly area. The culmination of the project came on Sept. 12, 2009 with an unveiling of the monument and speeches by Mount Holly civic leaders.
In addition to her work on the monument project, Reid also had the distinction of having been a Rollins student from 1965-1969. She recalled her days there.
“I have many fond memories of the Rollins School,” Reid said. “When I meet former classmates we talk about how much we enjoyed ourselves. It was a community school. It was a school where a black child never felt part of being racially divided.”
Reid praised the teachers at Rollins.
“I felt love there and the teachers were like family,” she said. “If there was a problem with a child, the teacher went to the home and spoke with the parents.”
Reid recalled how much she and her classmates looked forward to lunch.
“We had a little cafeteria and the ladies who worked in it made home style food,” she said. “It was great.”
Another fond memory Reid had of Rollins was the May Day event.
“We took long ribbons and wound them around a May Pole,” she said. “Parents came to the school and also took part in the celebration of spring.”
But there were less jovial times too.
“My friends and I had to walk over a mile to school and back every day,” she said. “Sometimes we would hear racial slurs but we were taught to ignore them.”
The assignation of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968 impacted Reid and her Rollins classmates.
“I remember they brought a television set into the classroom and we watched his funeral on it,” she said. “We were all crying.”
Reid summed up the Rollins School legacy.
“We had great teachers and we were a community that looked after each other,” she said. “We had love and peace. It’s been said it takes a village to raise a child, and Rollins fulfilled that.”
Today, Ida Rankin Elementary is where students, black and white, in the Hawthorne St. area of Mount Holly attend classes, but the memory of the Rollins School that was located just a couple of hundred yards down the road, lives on.

(February 18, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County has announced it will be building a community of 28 homes to be known as Dixon Village on Lee Rd. off Hickory Grove Rd. in North Belmont. The project will occupy 7.5 acres.
The Belmont city council approved the project at its February 1 meeting.
The project will provide homes for Habitat families and entry-level market-rate buyers in a community that is an innovative approach to providing affordable housing.
According to Habitat, 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.
Habitat Gaston executive director Kay Peninger, and the Habitat Gaston board of directors, are leading the development of Dixon Village as part of their strategic goals to serve more families in Gaston County due to the overwhelming need for affordable housing and for the transformative effects of homeownership.
“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.”
The Dixon Village project team is composed of experienced real estate and construction professionals, along with Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County’s Executive Director and Board of Directors who are committed to successful execution of this project.
Tom Ras, owner of Thomas Construction and Renovation, is a successful builder with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry on projects that range from commercial projects to custom million-dollar homes.
Cathy Young, with Allen Tate Realty, is a successful Realtor/Broker and a former elected official with extensive knowledge regarding the real estate market and the zoning process.
Jeff Howe, owner of Custom Building Systems, a third-generation construction company that is a leading construction and paving firm in the Charlotte region.
Brent Cowan, with The Isaacs Group, is the project engineer who is designing the site plan, storm water design, roadway design, and construction documents.
Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County is seeking to raise $1,575,000 to begin development of the Dixon Village neighborhood.  The initial work will consist of clearing, grading, installing water and sewer utilities and paving. Habitat will also install sidewalks, a mailbox kiosk, and an entrance sign with accompanying landscaping.
Habitat hopes to begin the site preparation work in June 2021.
“It will take a couple of months to receive construction document approvals and all the permits required,” said Peninger.  “Then after that we begin clearing, grading, water and sewer infrastructure installation, etc.”
“We are still working to raise the money,” said Peninger.  “We have about $500,000 either in hand or committed. Due to the timing of the awarding of grant funding, there may be some cash flow gaps. We are exploring bridge loans for horizontal construction.”
Horizontal construction is the clearing, grading, water and sewer infrastructure installation at the site. Vertical construction is the houses.
 

(February 18, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The annual Black History Forum and Rotary Club Men Who Cook  events usually held in Mt. Holly around this time of year have been put on hold due to the pandemic. Both events traditionally pack the Grand Hall of the Municipal Complex with attendees but organizers are leaning on the side of Covid caution this year.
The Black History Forum was the brainchild of the late Mt. Holly African-American leader John Hope and a handful of other folks including Danny Jackson and Caroline Reid who were determined to preserve and perpetuate the history and heritage of their people past and present. Each year since its inaugural event 18 years ago, the Black History Forum has presented in music, word, and deed the legacy and lore of local African-America excellence.
As usual, last year’s event offered a spectacular array of presentations. The event kicked off with a welcome by Jackson who correctly declared “There are so many beautiful people here.”
Several speakers addressed the crowd with remarks outlining the trials and triumphs of the African-American experience. Kings Mtn. High standout student Kennedy Barnes gave an impassioned oration using quotes from Maya Angelou and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to illustrate the pride and power she feels from her heritage. Special guest speaker Valerie Melton traced her own journey from the blue collar Mt. Holly neighborhood she grew up in to her current position as an advocate for black college students. Melton focused many of her remarks on the importance and impact that the Historically Black Colleges and Universities program has had and continues to have on African-American students.
“Education is the great equalizer,” Melton said.
As it traditionally has, the Black History Forum also featured plenty of soul stirring music. Groups including the Wesley Chapel Choir, the Mt. Calvary Men’s Choir, and the 3M Production singers belted out a number of lively tunes that had the crowd up on their feet and clapping their hands.
The event concluded with an interesting and thought provoking skit that depicted an interaction in the Montgomery, Alabama jail where Dr. Martin Luther King was being held back in the early 1960s. The scenario acted out the thought provoking and dramatic interplay between Dr. King (played by Johnnie Walker), a white jailer (played by Richard Meier), and a white minister played by Bill Reilly). The skit was written by Harry McDowell.
Men Who Cook is the Mt. Holly Rotary Club’s main fundraiser. All funds raised are used to provide scholarships to deserving seniors at East Gaston High School and Stuart Cramer High School.
“We have canceled Men Who Cook due to Covid,” said organizer Brooke Elting. “We are currently thinking about other ways to raise money for the scholarships but have not put anything in place. I am not certain if we will hold it later in the year or not. Right now there are no postponement plans.”
The fun and food filled Men Who Cook event featured annually some of the finest male “chefs” in Gaston County. Elected officials, Rotarians, restaurateurs and members of the community who simply enjoy cooking, many of whom are men and few women, all came together and offered samples of vegetables, meats, soups, and desserts.
Men Who Cook has an interesting background. In 1981 the Mt. Holly Rotary Club  started awarding scholarships to deserving East Gaston High School seniors to further their education after high school. The scholarships have ranged in amounts from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars depending on the success of  the fundraisers and the generosity of local donors. The students awarded the one time scholarship must show that they are active in their community, demonstrate a need, and provide proof of good academic standing.
For two decades, people gathered annually to sample the food offerings presented at Men Who Cook. The first Men Who Cook event was held at Ida Rankin Elementary. In the years since then it has grown in attendance and has moved locations to accommodate ithat growth. It has been held at the Mount Holly Middle School cafeteria, the East Gaston cafeteria and most recently relocated to the Grand Hall of the Mount Holly Municipal Complex to more comfortably accommodate the numerous “chefs” and diners.

(February 11, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1951 was a fateful day in the lives of Belmont residents Jack Page and Gearl Dean Russell. That’s because it was their first date- an event that eventually led to their marriage on August 19, 1953 and a lifetime together.
“I first saw her in ninth grade science class and though what a good looking girl,” Jack says. “When I found out she was first in her class I figured I wasn’t in her league.”
Nonetheless, Cupid’s arrow struck.
“Our first date was the Valentine’s Day sweetheart dance at First Baptist Church,” Gearl Dean said.
The Belmont High couple was soon going steady- but college loomed. Jack went to Appalachian State and Gearl Dean to UNC-Greensboro.
“We stayed true to each other while we were in college,” Gearl Dean said.
When the Korean War came along, Jack enlisted in the Army, and the couple decided to tie the knot soon after he put on a uniform.
“We got married when I was home on leave from basic training at Fort Jackson,” said Jack.
After college, they both became educators. Gearl Dean taught elementary school for 31 years. Jack earned a Masters degree in counseling and was the first school counselor in Gaston County.
Along the way, the couple had three kids- Forrest (a Morehead Scholar), Martha (graduated from App. State in just three years), and Dan (a member of the NCSU Electrical and Computer Engineers Hall of Fame). They also have six grandkids and five great-grandkids.
Both Jack and Gearl Dean have what might be called “inquiring minds” and this quality has formed the basis for many of the activities they have enjoyed together over a span of seven decades. Together, they’ve traveled extensively over Europe and America.
“We’ve been to every state except a few in the Great Lakes area,” Gearl Dean said.
Jack is a Renaissance man of sorts and his interests run the gamut from local Native American archaeology, to beekeeping, to being a founding member of the Belmont Historical Society. For her part, Gearl Dean is an accomplished quilter and seamstress. Other activities the pair have enjoyed includes visiting shut-ins and volunteering for the Meals on Wheels program.
These days are challenging for everyone, and for retirees like the Pages who spend a lot of time together at home, they are especially “interesting”. Nonetheless, both folks have easy going personality and with such a long number of years together are managing quite well.
“We exercise every day,” said Jack. “I paint and she works on quilts. We keep in touch with people on the phone.”
So, you are probably wondering by now, what’s the Page’s secret to a long, a very long, and successful marriage?
“We took an oath til death do us part,” said Gearl Dean.
“I still admire her as much today as I did in 1951,” said Jack.
Oh, one other thing- “We don’t hold grudges,” they said “We have good forgetters.”

(February 3, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Students in Gaston County have several options for lunch during the weekday, including school cafeterias, delivery to homes and apartment complexes via bus runs by the YMCA and school system itself, and drive by pickup at schools, but kids need nutrition on weekends too and, frankly, some find it hard to come by.
That’s where the BackPack Weekend Food program has been stepping in by providing good eats to students who might otherwise not get the food they need on Saturday and Sunday at home.
BackPack Weekend Food was founded in 2011  by Carolyn Niemeyer, former nurse and community advocate, and was intended to serve as a temporary service to help feed students on the weekends during the school year. However, nearly 10 years later, the program is still viable and serves nearly 1,000 students in grades k-12 every school year.
The administrative portion of the program started out of the Niemeyer’s home; their daughter’s bedroom, in fact. Mrs. Niemeyer and her husband, Dr. Charles Niemeyer, hovered over a computer and two twin beds many nights sorting through stacks of paperwork and organizing tickets for food orders. Food items were stored at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Gastonia,  where board member Rev. Brack East serves as Senior Pastor. For five years, the BWFP operated out of the church basement with volunteers unloading the food truck, filling food orders and distributing food to partners each month.
The BWFP started with nineteen partners and 387 students in elementary schools. The following school year, the program added five middle and two high schools.
In March 2015, the BWFP received 501c(3) status.
The program continued to grow and eventually out-grew the church basement and the Niemeyer’s home. In 2016, the Board of Directors determined it was time for the program to get its own office space and warehouse.
Current Gaston County statistics show the program has 1.6+ million meals distributed since 2011,  has over 500 volunteers,  works with 43 schools, has 45 program partners (places that pay for the lunches), had 2,755,824 pounds of food distributed in 2019-20, 138,588 meals served in 2019-20 (through school closing in mid-March), 911 students in grades k-12 received meals.
Partners in the BannerNews circulation area include Ebenezer United Methodist, First Baptist Cramerton, First Presbyterian Belmont, First United Methodist Belmont, First United Methodist Mt. Holly, McAdenville Wesleyan, Mt. Sinai Baptist Mt. Holly, Park Street Methodist, Queen of the Apostles, South Point Baptist, Steel Specialty Inc., St. Mark’s United Methodist Belmont, The Pointe Church Belmont.
The food that the program provides ranges from Ramen noodles to chicken noodle soup. Just a few of the other foods that goes out includes juice, cheerios, green beans, spaghetti-os, pudding, milk, and vegetables. The food comes from US Foods. CaroMont Health allows the program to purchase the food wholesale through CaroMont’s Premier purchase agreement with U.S. Foods..
At Queen of Apostles, site partner coordinator Julie Russo explained how the food gets from the delivery truck into the hands of students at North Belmont Elementary.
“We receive the food and it is placed in bags for the individual students,” she said. “Volunteers take it to the school and, because of COVID,  leave it outside for the school social worker to take in. Then, the kids go to the social worker’s office and pick it up. It’s brilliant. People come from all over to see how our program works.”
Russo says there are about thirty volunteers at Queen of Apostles who do inventory, pack bags, or delivery.
“I’ll find a job for everyone if they want to volunteer,” she said.
Volunteer Jean Panzica explained why she’s involved with the program.
“It’s an important thing to feed these kids,” she said “If not for the program, they would be hungry.”
Liked other partners, Queen of Apostles pays for the food it delivers. If the demand exceeds that amount of money, BackPack Weekend picks up the slack. Donations are appreciated.
“One hundred percent of the donations go for food,” Russo said.
Interested in donating to or volunteering with BackPack Weekend Food Program- including information on upcoming fundraisers? Visit  www.bwfpgc.com to find out more.
 

(February 3, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Work to have the circa 1925 Baltimore School in Cramerton preserved for future generations is moving forward.
Last year, the Town of Cramerton Commissioners passed a resolution giving the school a local historic designation.  The historical significance of school has also received approval from the North Carolina Dept. of Archives and History. The Baltimore School has also officially been designated as a Historic Site in Gaston County.  It’s the first Gaston County Historical Preservation Site in Cramerton. Owner Fred Glenn is in the process of finalizing wording that will go on a plaque to be erected at the school at a later date.
Also, the Cramerton Community Committee is planning a volunteer work day at the school on April 17th, to clean up the yard and do other odd jobs that Glenn needs completed.
Where and what is the Baltimore section of Cramerton and what purpose did the school serve?
Baltimore is a tiny corner of Cramerton wedged between the base of Cramer Mtn. and the South Fork River. It is where the town’s African-America citizens mostly lived. Baltimore St. is not much over 100 yards long and with a couple of even shorter side streets branch off and dead end. There are just a couple dozen small homes on the narrow pavement, most of which were built during the 1920s by Stuart Cramer. These days, a flock of free range chickens forms a cackling and crowing welcoming committee as you drive along.
The Baltimore School served African-American children first through eighth grades. From there, the kids went to Reid High in Belmont. The school continued to operate until until integration came along. Once that happened, the African-American students from Baltimore were transferred to schools in Belmont and Cramerton.
The school was nothing fancy. A potbellied stove provided heat. Students sat at wooden desks. There were no steps. Kids had to jump off the porch and get pulled back up by classmates. Books were second hand ones from white schools.
Today, the Baltimore School is an abandoned wooden building with basically one large room. There’s a porch on the front corner. Inside, there are several original benches, one desk, and a couple of old washing machines. The windows are blacked and there’s soot on the ceiling. On the bright side, the original clapboards and foundation are in good shape. The roof was replaced several years ago. In other words, a solid core is there for a restoration project.
The building is owned by 75 year old Fred Glenn, a Vietnam vet. He was born at 555 Patterson Street in Baltimore and currently lives in Charlotte. He comes back to Baltimore and tends a garden there.
Glenn’s deep love of Baltimore led him to buy the school building from Burlington in 2003 and is currently driving his desire to see it preserved.
“There are a lot of memories here,” Glenn said. “My mom Mary Lucinda Adams and aunt Helen Falls Holmes went to school here. When I was growing up in the 1950s, we used to come see movies on Tuesdays at the school and sit on the benches that are still inside. Fred Kirby (WBTV singing cowboy star) would come and put on shows for us. He would park his horse trailer at the end of the street and ride Calico to the neighborhood. We also had fish fries.”
Glenn has a dream for the future of the Baltimore School.
“If you think about it, the school was our community center,” he said. “I would like to see it preserved.”
That’s going to take money. Glenn says that fundraisng has been slowed by COVID.
“The plague has me hunkered down,” he said. “I want to see the school preserved possibly as a museum for  current and future generations in memory of those who attended it.”

(January 28, 2021 Issue)

Gaston County’s Recycling Center Convenience Site located at the Gastonia Farmers Market, 410 E. Long Ave., has temporarily changed its operating hours while the Gastonia Farmers Market is being used as a COVID-19 vaccination site. All other Recycling Center Convenience Site hours will not be affected.
The new hours at the Farmers Market location are:
Monday 7:30am – 5:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am – 2pm
Wednesday – CLOSED
Thursday 7:30am – 2pm
Friday – CLOSED
Saturday – 7:30am – 5:30pm
This change is in preparation for the county to add a second day of vaccination clinics on Wednesdays so as to provide the second shot in the dose for those who previously received the first shot.
For more information on Recycling Centers in the County, visit https://www.gastongov.com/government/departments/solid_waste/recycling_centers.php

(January 28, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Luncheon is served (with a smile).
That’s the credo of the Gaston County Meals on Wheels program that delivers a hot and hearty lunch every weekday to its senior citizen clients who are unable to get out and about and who might otherwise go hungry.
The Gaston Meals on Wheels program is a branch of Meals on Wheels America. That umbrella group has more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity.
Gaston Meals on Wheels is one of the programs under the Adult & Aging Services Division which is under the Gaston County Department of Health & Human Services.
Gaston Meals on Wheels has seven locations in Gaston County, there is representation in each township.  It has over 850 volunteers, with approximately 500 that are active.  Gaston Meals on Wheels serves approximately 300 meals daily (both hot and frozen meal delivery). 
The South Point meal site operates out of Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in Belmont and runs four routes-  two routes in Belmont, one in Cramerton and one in Lowell. It has about 95 volunteers.
Jasha Hunter is the site monitor in Belmont and explained a bit more about who Meals on Wheels serves and how the logistics work.
“Most of our clients are 60 years or older,” said Hunter. “There is no income limit so not all live in poverty but they must not be able to drive. We have thirty six clients on our roll who get a lunch every weekday. There are fourteen more who have five frozen meals delivered on Mondays. The ACCESS van delivers the frozen meals.”
The lunches are balanced and nutritious. They are prepared by Trio Catering in Charlotte.
“The meals are planned with the elderly in mind,” said Maren Brown, Adult Nutrition Specialist. “They are designed to meet state nutritional requirements.”
The menu changes daily. Just a few of the tasty items on it include pinto beans, Spanish chicken and rice, pizza casserole, western baked beef, glazed carrots, chocolate chip cookies, milk, Italian vegetable blend, and much, much, more.
The meals are packaged and loaded into insulated bags that keep them warm for delivery.
The COVID situation has changed the way the meals get in the hands of clients.
“Because of COVID our volunteers try not to go in the client’s house,” Hunter said. “They meet the client at their door or have the lunch in a bag and leave it at the door to maintain social distancing.”
Speaking of volunteers, they are the backbone of Meals on Wheels. Charles Sellers volunteers at Belmont.
“I’ve been a volunteer for four of five years,” Sellers said. “I am retired and have time and wanted to help where I could in the community.
Cadi Putnam is another volunteer. She works from home and has a flexible schedule that lets her deliver in Belmont, Lowell, and Cramerton.
“I look forward to helping people who are so isolated,” Putnam said.
One of Putnam’s favorite deliveries are the ones she makes to Elvira “Duckie” Huffstetler who lives in Belmont’s Myrtle Terrace apartments. Huffstetler is a lovely and lively lady who beams when Putnam shows up. PS she was also an editorial contributor to the Belmont Banner years ago.
“I’ve been on the Meals on Wheels program for about eight years now,” she said. “It’s really great. I highly recommend it.”
Overall, Meals on Wheels provides a much needed service to its clients that keeps them healthy, happy, and on the path of a good quality lifestyle.
Interested in Meals on Wheels?
People interested in volunteering can call Meals on Wheels staff: Amanda Dawson at 704-862-7825 or Maren Brown at 704-862-7676.
People interested in receiving services can call the Adult & Aging Services Intake staff at 704-862-7540.

(January 28, 2021 Issue)

By Delta Sanders

In a production that was a true display of unity itself, four organizations united with the City of Belmont for the 30th Annual Belmont Unity Day. Belmont Coalition of Concerned Citizens, Race Matters Community Conversation Group, Gaston County NAACP, and Gaston County Organization for Community Concerns, Inc. collaborated for the completely virtual program. City of Belmont Information Technology Specialist Seth Norkett wove their respective pieces into a single masterpiece that premiered to over 140 viewers.
“Working on the 30th MLK Unity Service has been very therapeutic for me.” said Kathleen Boyce of Race Matters Community Conversation Group. “It’s been great to focus on something positive in the midst of all the negativity. And it’s been fun to work closely with both old and new friends, several of whom I have never met in person.”
While there was no Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award presented this year, the unity candle ceremony continued with a powerful “Pass The Light” montage. Appropriately, one of the youngest light bearers,  Princeton Ballen, son of Dominique Isles,  wore a shirt with the caption “INSPIRE.” Mt. Pleasant Men’s Choir’s iconic version of “God Bless America” followed. The Charles Jesse Bynum Reid Foundation was beneficiary of the Unity Day offering.
“It’s been very uplifting to see all these parts come together,” Boyce added. “I admit I was very stressed about the Unity Candle, but folks stepped forward to assume leadership for every part of the service - speaking, setting up Givelify accounts, planning music, creating strong messaging, and editing. It was exciting to hear a strong message from Belmont-born Fred Davie delivered with the skyline of New York City in the background. Another pandemic blessing is that we may well have reached more people than we have in the past. Certainly more people were involved in putting together the service. I am grateful.”
Rev. Frederick Davie’s message reflected on numerous quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He emphasized that  “we are woven into the same garment of destiny.” In closing, he recited Mathew 25 and urged us to “...move beyond hopelessness and despair, into the bright hope of tomorrow...where all dwell in that beloved community of mutuality and respect.”  Pastor Kevin Ford gave the parting benediction.
Patricia Franks from Belmont Coalition of Concerned Citizens had the pleasure of introducing Rev. Davie. Of his message, she said “Rev. Davie shared a timely word. The question is are we listening?”
The service remains available for viewing at www.cityofbelmont.org/MLKUnity. The link can be found on the City of Belmont website.

(January 28, 2021 Issue)

Each year, the Gaston County Family YMCA honors an individual dedicated to serving the community. In 2020 this award is being given to Hans and Megan Kanal from H&M Catering, located in Mt. Holly, for their tireless work combating hunger during the COVID shutdown.
One in five children in North Carolina struggle with food insecurity which can be an anxiety-provoking for kids who struggle with hunger and don’t have access to free and reduced lunch at school. In addition to children, the COVID impacted seniors, many of which were on waiting lists to receive home deliveries. H&M Catering worked alongside YMCA staff and volunteers to safely make and deliver nearly 4,000 meals to children and seniors across Gaston County from March 18 until May 28, 2020.
“What you have done for the Y this year, for the kids and the seniors, was phenomenal. We could not have done it without you.” said Sharon Padgett, Gaston County Family YMCA CEO. “We are thrilled to award you the 2020 Volunteer of the Year.”
“What a great honor,” said Hans adding, “When everything was going down, it gave us purpose.”
“We feed people, that’s what we do,” added Meagan as she was being presented the etched glass award by Mary Moffitt, Stowe Family YMCA, Executive Director.
 “Our reach would never have been as large without you. You were the backbone and we were able to take the bus and go out and see the smiling faces of kids and seniors as they were waiting on their porches for us,” said Moffitt.
This award it typically presented at the YMCA Annual Meeting, which was not held due to COVID this year.
Padgett explained why it is important to recognize volunteers.
 “Whether it is the Board volunteer, youth sports coach or a greeter at the door, our volunteers are the foundation on which the Y was built. They give of their time, talent and treasure because they believe in our mission,” said Padgett.

(January 21, 2021 Issue)

Other Parks and Rec. projects also moving forward 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

One of Belmont’s most popular recreational areas, Rocky Branch Park, is current closed. However, it’s all for a good cause- that being major upgrades to make it a more walkable and a family friendly oasis of outdoor area just a couple of blocks from the heart of downtown.
Rocky Branch Park has primarily been a mountain biking/hiking trail park. It first opened for use in July 2013 with a couple miles of biking and hiking trails.  It was carved out of the woods at the bend in the road where Sacco St. and Woodrow Ave. meet. The initial construction was done mainly with volunteer labor and free land making it one of the city’s best park deals ever.
The current upgrades project got started a couple of weeks ago and are expected to be done by mid-March weather permitting. A company based in Chapel Hill called Nature Trails is doing the job. According to Belmont Parks and Rec. director Zip Stowe, the cost of Phase I of the project will be $94,650.
“The City funds amount to $46,000,” Stowe said. “The remaining funds come from the Trailblazer’s by way of grants and donations.”
So, what will the project entail?
“The trail will be widened to give it multi-purpose use,” said Stowe. “Several of the old bridges will be taken out and replaced with seven new ones. There will also be a new split rail fence.”
Improved drainage and erosion control will also be included in the work.
“It will be a lot better for walking,” said Stowe. “It will be a lot more family friendly.”
Just around the corner from Rocky Branch Park, Reid Park is also set for an upgrade that will happen in a few weeks.
“We will be installing a picnic shelter with four tables,” said Stowe. “There wasn’t much shade there.”
Stowe also said that Davis Park is slated for a picnic shelter.
Other Belmont Parks and Recreation action in the works includes upcoming talks about a dog park.
“A lot of people want a dog park,” said Stowe.
The new Parks and Recreation facility that will be built in front on the CityWorks complex is also moving forward.
“We are in the design phase,” said Stowe.
The planned 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 parks and rec. center not only as a boon to the local activities scene, but as an economic driver as well.
“The center will be a place 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.”
 “If everything is approved we could start construction in May 2021,” said Stowe. “It will take about 14 months to build.”
Stowe says the idea is to use local builders for the project, further helping the area economy. Cost of the project is estimated to be $9-10 million.

(January 21, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

At its January 11 meeting, the Mt. Holly city council honored MHPD officers the late Tyler Herndon as well as Sgt. Todd Calhoun who retired after 30 years on the job.
Herndon was posthumously awarded the prestigious Commander’s Coin for his actions during a Dec. 11, 2020 event where he was fatally wounded in action. The MHPD Commanders Coin award recognizes employees who have distinguished themselves by acts of special accopliusjmnen tor other acts of service above and beyond those normally expected by members of the department. It is the highest award given to members of the department.
MHPD chief Don Roper wrote the following memorandum for the award.
“While on duty on this date (Dec. 11), Officer Herndon responded in the early morning hours, along with other officers, to the report of a breaking and entering in progress in the 300 block of Beatty Dr. Upon arrival, Officer Herndon and the other officers encountered a felony suspect attempting to flee the scene on foot. Officer Herndon took quick action in an attempt to apprehend the suspect. Officer Herndon’s actions were executed with courage and dedication as he sought to bring the incident to a conclusion. During the confrontation, Officer Herndon was assaulted and sustained fatal injuries. The felony suspect was ultimately taken into custody.
Officer Herndon performed his duty with valor, skill, and dedication to service.
These actions were taken in keeping with the highest standards and tradition of service of the Mount Holly Police Department and reflect credit upon the city of Mount Holly. A copy of the memorandum will be maintained in Officer Herndon’s official file.
The Commanders Coin was presented to Officer Herndon in a private ceremony on December 14, 2020 and he carries this coin with him now.”
Sgt. Todd Calhoun was also recognized by the city on his retirement after 30 ½ years on the job. Calhoun is only the second Mount Holly officer to serve his entire career as an officer in the Mount Holly Police Department.
He was presented with a key to the city as well as a proclamation that spelled out his many accolades and accomplishments just a few of which include- he was the first full time school resource officer in Mt. Holly; he was also the City’s first bike officer; he also worked in the area of community outreach including assisting and establishing various community watch organizations; he had the nearly perfect demeanor for being a police officer, being a natural born leader who served by example and never shirked or complained about any task assigned to him; he was supported throughout his years as an officer by his wife, Robin, his sons, Roland and Chandler, and his stepdaughter, Taylor, who understood that when duty called his family endeavors would be put on hold and he would put the Department first; he was easily identified for his physical fitness and his rather enormous arms from working out, and he was often referred to by people not knowing his name as, “you know, the cop with the big arms;” he is a humble and respectful gentleman who has a knack for sizing up a situation and taking the appropriate action without undue harm or stress to anyone; he is a major contributor to the establishment of the fine reputation that the police department enjoys, and has helped to establish the “Mount Holly way of policing” which means so much to the department.
 

(January 14, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The former Massey Building at 500 E. Central Ave. in Mt. Holly is a small, industrial type of structure  that might not look like much on the outside, but inside its concrete walls  is a cornucopia of beautiful and creative artworks done by members of the Arts on the Greenway group.
Arts on the Greenway moved into the Massey Building  a couple of years ago and transformed it from its previous role as a storage space for the City of Mt.  Holly into a series of studios for Arts on the Greenway members, a retail space where members’ artworks are sold, art class space, and more. Overall the transformation has been nothing short of miraculous.
“It’s a happy place,” said Arts on the Greenway member Sandy Collier.
Right  now, there are around a dozen Arts on the Greenway members working in the building. Each member has a studio space where they let their creative juices flow in acrylics, pottery, watercolors, textile arts, jewelry making, and just about anything else they can think of.
There’s also a retail space up front where pieces are offered for sale.
“The gallery and retail pace is open Saturdays from 11am to 4pm,” said artist Dottie Scher. “Masks are required and the area is wiped down with sanitizer every thirty to forty five minutes.”
Arts on the Greenway also has an online Besides making nice things, Arts on the Greenway members are also working with Mt. Holly business owners to display their work.
“We call it the Share the Art program,” Scher said. “The artwork hangs in a business for three months then is swapped out. Right now artist Carlos Alvarez Cotera has a piece in Jack Beagle restaurant and Stephanie McLaughlin has a piece in Catawba Coffee.”
Another recent Arts on the Greenway involvement saw the creation of a large “Christmas gift” box made of crochet panels that was displayed at the Municipal Center. The box was made and placed there to honor first responders of all types. Now, sections of the work are being cut into smaller pieces for adaptive reuse.
‘We are going to make blankets out of the panels for local homeless shelters, battered women shelters and other similar locations,” Scher said.
Arts on the Greenway currently leases the Massey Building from the City of Mt. Holly and intends to stay a while. Future plans include a glass blowing studio, pottery kiln, and a pergola out back with picnic tables for festivals and outdoor classes.
“One step at a time,” said Scher.
Arts on the Greenway is also interested in accepting volunteers.
Arts on the Greenway is an oasis of artistic talent, creative collaboration, and cultural celebration  that not only has a bright future but firmly places Mt. Holly on the regional arts scene.
 

(January 14, 2021 Issue)

By Allison Drennan
Gaston County Schools

Students should do what makes them happy, and they should love what they do.
That is the attitude that Stuart W. Cramer High School teacher Rebecca Hill has as she teaches Spaorts Entertainment Marketing to her students every day.  Hill is a part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) faculty at Stuart W. Cramer, a job and a curriculum pathway that she truly enjoys.
Recently, it was announced that Gaston County Schools ranks first in the state for the number of CTE credentials earned by students and first in the state for the percentage of students earning more than one credential in a particular CTE area.  This is the only time since the state began tallying credentials data that the same county has captured both rankings.
Four Gaston County high schools are in the top 15 statewide for the number of credentials earned by students during the 2019-2020 year: Hunter Huss ranks second in the state with 2,976 credentials; Ashbrook ranks fifth with 2,297 credentials; Forestview ranks 13th with 1,721 credentials; and
Stuart W. Cramer ranks 14th with 1,706 credentials.
For Hill, she is proud to be associated with a Career and  Technical Education program that is among the best in the state.  She knows that the knowledge, skills, and credentials earned by students will benefit them in the workforce.  Earning a CTE credential is important, she believes, because it can set a student apart from others when applying for a job.
The CTE teachers at Hunter Huss are beaming with pride knowing that their school ranks second in North Carolina (out of more than 1,000 high schools) in the number of credentials earned by students.  Hunter Huss is home to the district’s Career Academy for high school students.  Now in its fifth year, the Career Academy offers courses in more than a dozen career pathways, everything from health science, nursing, construction, and advanced manufacturing to firefighting, EMT, business, and culinary arts.
“The credentials make our students job-ready upon graduation,” said Sam Bishop, CTE instructional management coordinator at Hunter Huss.  “It also puts them ahead if they plan to go on to college to further their education.”
CTE educators across the county say they’ve seen a difference in their students when incorporating the vocational courses into their education.  Career and Technical Education promotes training students for the workforce, something that some teachers can speak to personally.
Chuck Austin, who teaches masonry at Forestview, knows how important it is to gain real-life experience to help set yourself apart in a particular industry.  Austin, who owned a masonry business for a number of years, said he has seen his students get excited about what they are learning, and that’s exciting for him as a teacher.
“Students love these classes because they get to put their hands on things and physically work and learn,” Austin said. “It’s not sitting at a desk all day, listening to lectures and taking notes. You’re really getting the hands-on experience right here in the shop.”
Ashbrook High School teacher Kristen Poarch said her business education classes have helped her students to see that there are careers available to them that they may not have considered as an option.
“CTE gives students an opportunity to consider alternatives in their career path,” Poarch said. “I have several students who are creative and have designed some outstanding work, but prior to taking my class, they had never considered a career in graphic design.  Now, they are.”
The number of students interested in CTE continues to grow.  For example, public safety classes used to have fewer than 10 students.  Now, because of interest, enrollment in the classes has to be capped at 25.
Hill, who is a 2014 graduate of Gaston County Schools, said she’s seen a huge difference just in the time since she was a student at South Point High School.
“I started high school in 2010, and the amount of growth I’ve seen since then, both in career pathway options and the number of students wanting to take these classes, is amazing,” she said. “They’re no longer just ‘maybe’ options or something you do for a hobby.  Students are competing to get into classes with limited enrollment.  We have come so far.”
Bishop spoke to the same sentiment at Hunter Huss.  He says having to find more teachers to meet students’ demand for CTE classes is a good problem to have.  “Students are getting more and more interested in these careers, and we just keep developing more pathways.  It’s a win-win situation,” said Bishop.
The future of Career and Technical Education is soaring, which is understandable since Poarch believes the courses really complement a student’s education.
“CTE classes are like the bow on a package,” she said. “It really brings education together and gives students opportunities to use what they have learned in other courses and apply their knowledge and skills to the real world.”
And interest in CTE will only continue to grow.
“There’s always going to be a need for people in the trades,” Austin points out. “Somebody has to build the house – computers can’t do that, at least not yet.”

(January 14, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

These days most financial and business transactions involve the use of a computer or plastic card, but a recently discovered treasure trove of Belmont area documents from the 19th and early 20th centuries tells a story of deals made on a handshake, written on paper in flowing script, and signatures done with a flourish.
The papers are mostly related to the Smith family that in the early 19th century owned most of Catawba Heights and North Belmont. However, other prominent names and signatures appear on the documents including Stowe, Abernathy, Lineberger, and Bishop Leo Haid of Belmont Abbey.
The deeds, bills, and checks going back 177 years were once kept in a metal box in a cabinet in the Smith family farmhouse in Catawba Heights. When Sinclair Smith died in 1971, his sister Louise Surratt took the box to her home in Jackson Hill, N.C. When she died her son Julian found the box but it was many years before he forwarded the contents to cousin Rhonda Hambright in Georgia. She in turn gave the pack to her mother Emily Smith Helton who organized it chronologically and placed it in an acid-proof album.
Helton grew up in the farmhouse and remembered the box of ancestral documents.
“We weren’t allowed to touch it,” she said.
The earliest document is dated January 23, 1837 and involves a land deal between Robert Smith and John Hayes. Smith bought 500 acres in what is now North Belmont and Catawba Heights from Hayes for $1,000. The deal is written in cursive longhand and uses a measurement called a “pole” to lay out the linear boundaries. A pole, or rod, is 16.5 feet. Corner boundaries were marked by terms such as “black oak stump”, “large stone”, and “spring near a post oak”.
Another land deed dated February 25, 1881 is between Robert Smith and his son, John B. Smith. This deed was for $237.50 and describes a property next to that of a “Louis Lineberger”. A hickory tree, an oak, a spring, and a graveyard wall are used as points of reference. The graveyard mentioned is Old Goshen Cemetery on Woodlawn Ave. in North Belmont.
Yet another original deed in the archival material dated March 8, 1889 is between G.W. and Susan Abernethy and John B. Smith. This 31 acre plot adjoined property owned by Jasper Robinson and stretched from North Belmont to the South Fork River. The cost was $200.
Belmont Abbey Bishop Leo Haid was also a player in local land deals. A deed bearing his signature and dated February 8, 1905 reveals that Haid (likely acting on behalf of the Abbey) transferred five acres to Andrew Jackson Goforth and his wife Catherine for the sum of $150.00.
Modern property lines are marked by satellite such as the Gaston County GIS system, but hand drawn maps were once the norm. A map dated March 25, 1895 in the materials shows property lines and ownership in the area between McAdenville, Belmont Abbey, and North Belmont. Roads are drawn in red pencil. A stone boundary rock is highlighted with the illustration of a hand and pointing finger. Reference is made to an old graveyard.
In addition to land deeds, another original bill of sale in the materials dated December 18, 1895 describes a transaction between R.H. Hanks and John Benny Smith. The bill is for a horse valued at $75.00 but Hanks worked out the following bargain.
“I hereby convey to him (Smith) these articles of personal property to wit: Two-thirds of my entire crop of cotton and corn, one bay horse seven years old. I vouch this special trust that if I (Hanks) fail to pay said debt before the first day of December 1896 then he may seize said property or so much thereof as may be needed by public auction for cash.”
Hanks signed the bargain with an X.
Another handwritten bill dated February 3, 1906 is the conveyance of a “black horse mule” worth $200 to Walter V. Smith from his mother Sarah A. Smith. The bill also lists a “double pair of wagon harness and one wagon” as part of the transaction.
Several wills are also in the materials. The earliest ones are handwritten on lined paper. One dated December 22, 1898 by John B. Smith is typewritten on parchment-like paper and in it he conveys his property to his wife Sarah and children John Sidney, Ida, Benjamin Franklin, and Walter Valentine. He also bequeathed $25 each to his grandsons Lawrence, Robert, and Lloyd Suggs. John Benny died in 1903.
Once there was a Bank of Belmont and a number of items in the materials are from its early days. Several checks date from its founding in 1925 and are signed W.V. Smith. One check from 1932 is for $26.80 property tax on land known as the 112-acre “Shipp Place” in Riverbend Township.
Original WWII war rations books for W.V. Smith and his wife Ella Eugenia are also in the materials. Tabs are torn out of them for things such as sugar they could not grow on their Catawba Heights farm.
A final Bank of Belmont check dated Jan 1, 1945 to Fite Funeral Home for $850.00 paid for W.V. Smith’s burial.
Looking through business papers from long ago not only gives us an appreciation of how folks got along with one another, they are also a window into the lives of those who worked to build our area out of the wilderness.

(January 7, 2021 Issue)

The Belmont Coalition of Concerned Citizens and Race Matters Community Conversation group will present the 30th Annual Belmont Unity Day Service on January 18, 2021 at 7pm.   The virtual program will feature Rev. Frederick A. Davie as the keynote speaker.
Complete details and viewing information are forthcoming.
Rev. Frederick A. Davie is in his tenth year as Executive Vice President of Union Theological Seminary. In this role he works with the President of the seminary on management and administration, strategic planning, new program development, resource development, community life, and faith and policy in the public square.
Prior to coming to Union, Rev. Davie was the Interim Executive Director of the Arcus Foundation; President and CEO of Public/Private Ventures; a Program Officer at The Ford Foundation; Deputy Borough President of Manhattan; a chief of staff in the Dinkins NYC mayoral administration; and Deputy Executive Director of the NYC Mission Society.
Rev. Davie also holds several public positions. He is Chairman of the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the nation’s largest independent police oversight agency of the nation’s largest police department; a Commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bi-partisan federal entity that advises the White House, Congress and Secretary of State on issues of global religious freedom; and a founder and Chairman of Faith 2020, a broad coalition of people of faith promoting hope over fear in politics and public policy.
Rev. Davie serves on the board of directors of several organizations, including a Trustee of his alma mater Greensboro College, the Interfaith Youth Core, the Interfaith Center of New York, the Interfaith Assembly for Homelessness and Housing, and the Stax Museum and Soulsville Foundation in Memphis. He is also on the advisory board of the Interfaith Assembly for Homelessness and Housing.
He also served on the inaugural White House Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, appointed by President Barack Obama. He also served on the Policy Committee of the Biden-Harris Presidential Campaign.
Rev. Davie is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church USA.  He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, where he was the President of Yale Black Seminarian and a Benjamin Elijah Mays Fellow of The Fund for Theological Education; and a BA from Greensboro College graduating on the Dean’s List and recipient of the Harold H. Hutson Award.  He is also a 1974 graduate of South Point High School in Belmont, NC.
 

(January 7, 2021 Issue)

The Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Gaston College equips students with essential skills for beginning a career as an officer at the state, county, and municipal level. Some of the program’s students, however, choose to enter law enforcement after having established other careers. One such student is Samuel Lee Dunlap, Jr.
Dunlap, who enrolled in the BLET program in July 2020, already had a bachelor’s degree in business management from Belmont Abbey College and had worked at Planet Fitness since 2011. In March 2020 he moved to Alabama to become a Regional Manager with the company, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the franchise owner from expanding in that area and Dunlap’s position was eliminated. He and his wife returned to North Carolina in June.
“A friend encouraged me to consider a career in law enforcement shortly after I moved back home,” said Dunlap. “Through my belief in prayer and faith, my wife and I discussed the idea and considered my previous experience. I have three years in the military, almost nine years of servant leadership with Planet Fitness that included working as a General Manager, my college degree, being a husband, step-father, foster parent, leader at my church and in the local Masonic Lodge, and Gaston County Schools Mentor. All of that – and my passion to serve others – brought us to the conclusion that law enforcement would be an ideal career change.”
“At 42 years of age, Mr. Dunlap is a little older than our average student,” said Dennis Crosby, Director of the Gaston College Criminal Justice Academy and the BLET program. “His maturity, life experiences and business background are beneficial when seeking a career in law enforcement. He also came prepared, he’s in excellent physical condition, and he always projects a positive attitude.”
Crosby tells students that the program is part of the selection process for law enforcement agencies. The program has approximately 60 to 70 instructors, and most of them are full-time law enforcement officers who teach part-time at the College. Many of them are unofficial recruiters for their agencies and they often make hiring recommendations based upon students’ performance in the BLET classes. Dunlap’s qualifications and suitability for a law enforcement career made him an attractive candidate.
The Belmont Police Department sponsored Dunlap in his pursuit of this new direction. He was accepted into the Gaston College BLET program in July and the Belmont Police Department hired him in September. Dunlap completed the program on November 30 and on December 3 he took the NC BLET State Exam. He successfully passed the exam and will become state-certified and can be sworn in to work. “I look forward to a career of 20 to 25 years serving in law enforcement with an opportunity to attend as many trainings as available, to earn ranks of Corporal, Sergeant, and Captain, and to be an instructor in the NC Criminal Justice Academy and teach a BLET course at Gaston College.”
Dunlap’s family and friends are excited that he is embarking on this new career, and they are confident that he will do well. He is grateful for their support and for the education and encouragement he received at Gaston College. “Director Dennis Crosby, assistant director Shane Caughey, and facilitator Melanie Hoyle, along with first class administration, my phenomenal classmates and instructors throughout the course, have made my experience with the BLET program nothing less than exceptional,” he said.
“Mr. Dunlap epitomizes what we look for in BLET candidates,” said Crosby. “He came into the program well prepared and gave 100 percent every day. He has a great public service attitude. There are numerous job opportunities for people interested in a career in law enforcement these days. Mr. Dunlap is an example that you can get hired even before the class is completed if you work hard and have a great attitude. I think he will be very successful in his newly chosen field.”
The BLET program at Gaston College prepares students for challenging and rewarding careers in law enforcement. “If anyone is considering law enforcement as a career in Gaston County, no matter your age,” said Dunlap, “don’t look any further than Gaston College to receive the best instruction, guidance, and opportunity to succeed.”
Samuel’s BLET classmates graduated and completed the state certification exam at a 96% pass rate! Ten of the eleven students passed the exam on their first attempt.
For more information about the Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Gaston College, contact Melanie Hoyle at hoyle.melanie@gaston.edu or 704-922-6531.

(January 7, 2021 Issue)

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

History records some great partnerships- Lennon and McCartney, Lee and Jackson, Laurel and Hardy. Last week saw a similar winning combination- Public Works Director David Isenhour and Utilities Director Chuck Flowers- retire from the City of Belmont after decades of loyal service.
Isenhour and Flowers put in a lot of years with the city. In Isenhour’s case it would have been 24 next month. Flowers racked up 32 years.
“I came to Belmont as a part time code enforcement employee,” said Isenhour.  “Then I became utility director, then public works director in 1998.”
Isenhour recalled his early days with the city.
“My career began in the old public works building on Mill Street,” he said. “That was torn down and is now a parking lot. We had one backhoe, a tractor, and a few dump and trash trucks. It was bare bones.”
Time moved along, and Isenhour witnessed and participated in helping Belmont evolve into the beautiful small city it is today.
“I feel like my greatest accomplishment is the part I played in the beautification program in the downtown area,” he said. “That includes things like the new retaining wall and gazebo in Stowe Park as well as enhancing the water fountain.”
Another highlight of Isenhour’s career was seeing the stunning Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park become a reality.
“In the beginning it was just woods, vines, trash, and two old houses there,” Isenhour said. “Developing the boat landing was another great project. It is one of the best on the river.”
Flowers outlined his career with the city.
“I was working at the water plant for Belmont Converting Co. when the city bought it on August 1, 1988,” he said. “I was an operator and also did maintenance work. In 1997 I became superintendent at the water plant and in 2006 David asked me to be utilities director and I said yes.”
Flowers has been in charge of all the city’s water plants and underground infrastructure. Right now that includes 121 miles of water main, and 110 miles of sewer main.
“When I started we had 3,000 customers,” he said. “Now, that number is 7,146 customers.”
Flowers has seen big changes in how the utilities situation in Belmont is handled.
“We used to have meter readers,” he said. “Now, it’s done by the automated MI.Net system. We also have a customer portal called Watersmart.”
Flowers has also overseen a refurbishment of the water plant with upgrades to the testing lab and a break area for employees.
But neither Isenhour nor Flowers take all the credit for their accomplishments.
“We are proud of our relationships with our employees,” they both said. “They made us successful and we are going to miss them.”
The pair have also formed a bond over the years, not only as professional colleagues but friends as well.
“Chuck and I have had a remarkable relationship,” said Isenhour.
Now that they are retired, what will the two do with all that free time?
“I think I will try to find my golf game again,” Isenhour said.
“I am going to spoil my grandkids and hunt and fish, Flowers said.
Good luck to two great guys.
 

(December 30, 2020 Issue)

A memorial fund has been set up in honor  of Mt. Holly police officer Officer Herndon who lost his life in the line of duty on December 11, 2020. “The Tyler Herndon Memorial Fund” has been created at  SouthState Bank. Cash or check donations can be dropped off at any Gaston county location (Mount Holly, Belmont, Gastonia, Dallas, Stanley). All monies collected will be given to the Herndon family in honor of their son.

(December 31, 2020 Issue)

See more photos of the year on pages 6 and 7 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The second half of 2020 brought more social and economic challenges to folks everywhere, yet through it all, people found creative ways to cope with the difficulties and to look forward to better days ahead.
The July 9 issue of the BannerNews kicked off with a story highlighting the incredible career of First United Methodist Belmont Child Development Center teach Susan Clements who had been on the job for 39 years. That issue of the paper also looked at the outstanding athletic accomplishments of local senior citizen David Hostetler who once again raked in plenty of medals at the Senior Games. On the inside, the July 9 paper ran a series on the retirement of Montcross Chamber president Ted Hall.
The July 16 Banner News profiled First Baptist Belmont’s new pastor Andrew Renfroe. Major upgrades at Stowe Park was also a front-page piece. Improvements at the park included a nice new pavilion for outdoor concerts and other events. The paper also ran a story that week recalling the 50th anniversary of the Love Valley Rock Festival - NC’s version of Woodstock.
The July 23rd BannerNews visited the Mt. Holly Community Garden for a story on all the good things growing and going on there.  COVID related news that week was the fact that both the Cleveland County and NC Mountain State fairs were called off. In Belmont, a drive by farewell to retiring Queen of Apostles Catholic Church pastor Father Frank Cancro was held and lots of photos from it made the pages.
July 30 came along and the BannerNews for that week spotlighted the lunch truck program named Our Daily Bread that saw Karen Leatherman drive through neighborhoods giving out lunches to kids and sharing Bible stories as well. Local history got a mention that week with a piece on Jack Page who had accumulated a large collection of Native American artifacts on his rambles years ago on the South Point peninsula.
The month of August started out with BannerNews dated the 6th and a front page piece on Piedmont Homestead organic farm near Stanley. The farm is the brainchild and dream of Mike and Kristina Lore and raises all kinds of crops without chemicals. Another piece that week featured a page of pictures from a cool custom car show that was held at Community Pentecostal Center in Stanley.  The rides ran the gamut from  old timey to fast and modern. On the schoolhouse front, the paper that week also ran a series of photos highlighting East Gaston High and the makeover to its front entrance.
The August 13 BannerNews made a visit to the Cramerton Historical Society Museum to get a look at the work underway there. Another story that week visited First Baptist Mt. Holly to get an update on the nearly complete restoration project following the fire from several years back. On the COVID side, NC Gov. Cooper extended his Phase 2 rules.
August 20 would have normally been the start of new school year, but as the BannerNews reported, it did not happen as usual due to COVID restrictions and precautions. On the bright side, Cramerton Girl Scout Kathryn Cupp built a mini-food pantry and stocked it with canned goods. The cupboard is at Cramerton City Hall. The paper that week also announced a big new development coming to North Belmont on the site of the former Acme mill.
August 27 wrapped up that month in the paper and it was topped by a story on the incredible WWII adventures of Polish-born Stanley Dudko and his wife Jasia. Both of them escaped the Nazis and came to Belmont where he was a teacher at Belmont Abbey and she was a businesswoman. That same paper also spotlighted the Millican Pictorial Museum and the 20,000+ archival photos Allen Millican had gathered from all over the region. School news that week looked at the new Grab and Go lunch program where folks could drive by their school and get a bagged lunch for the kids.
September came along and the Banner News issue dated the 3rd looked at plans for the third annual Mt. Holly Lantern Parade. The event had drawn large crowds to downtown Mt. Holly the previous two years but plans for 2020 were altered a bit to cope with COVID. On the schools front, another article spotlighted renovation work at a number of local schools. Bond money from 2018 was being used to fund the work.
The September 10 BannerNews had a great story on Gertrude Harris who had just turned 100 years old. She had lived in East Belmont most of her life and still kept house there.  On the municipal front, the City of Belmont’s CityWorks building project was nearly complete. The project converted a 40 year old former mill into a modern facility for city staff and cost $34.8 million.
The September 17 BannerNews looked at plans for the City of Belmont’s new Parks and Rec. facility that is also slated to be built in front of the CityWorks structure. The 45,000 sq. ft. building will house a gym, offices, workout rooms and more. Good news for the September 17 Banner News included the information that Gaston Schools had achieved an 88 percent grad rate. Over in Mt. Holly, the fire department held a special COVID mask giveaway event.
The month of September came to an end with the BannerNews edition for the 24th. That issue visited the new St. Joseph College Seminary in North Belmont and its incredible main building and campus. Another outing that week went to Shining Hope Farms near Stanley where veterans were receiving care via hippotherapy- therapeutic horse riding.  In Belmont, the fire department took delivery of a new $600,000 fire engine that was sorely needed.
Autumn and October rolled along and the BannerNews issue for the first of that month saw an article asking if Abe Lincoln’s mom Nancy Hanks had lived in Belmont for a while. To this day a stone marker in the Pinstowe subdivision marks the spot where her uncle Dickie’s cabin once stood and she is said to have spent a spell there before Abe was born. Another article that week looked at our area’s hurricane history including Hugo and Irma. A big void in the October papers was the lack of football game photos due to COVID.
The October 8 BannerNews took a look at the new mural that had been created on the side of the Cramerton fire department. The mural featured the town’s logo and a goat in a canoe. In Belmont, Muddy River Distillery was recognized for having earned a national award for the quality of its rum. Owners and founder Caroline and Robbie Delaney started their business on a shoestring and have built it up to a huge success.
October 15 came around and the BannerNews that week featured a piece on the Brevard Station Museum in Stanley and the treasure trove of historical items there. Another article looked at the CJB Reid House in Belmont where Professor Charles Jesse Reid had lived around 1920. The house is next door to where Reid High used to be. Another article that week explained how the 2020 Christmas Town 5K race would have to be a virtual event due to COVID concerns.
October 22 had several upbeat stories including an update on the Cramerton Historical Society’s artifact collection efforts. Another piece that week had an artistic flair and covered the outdoor painting event in Mt. Holly called “Plein Air Paint Out”. The event featured works by local artists who had created them outdoors and then put them up for display and sale at the Mt. Holly Farmer’s market pavilion.
October 2020 wrapped up with the BannerNews dated the 29th. That issue focused on Mt. Holly city manager Danny Jackson who had announced his retirement after being with the city since 1987. The third annual Mt. Holly Lantern Parade took place and BannerNews was there taking photos of the incredible and artistic lanterns that been created with a circus theme. On a different note - NC Gov. Roy Cooper issued another order continuing Phase 3 COVID restrictions for at least three more weeks.
The November 12 BannerNews looked at the recent election and its results. Local results were tabulated quickly, but the presidential election not so quickly and as you know is till being wrangled over. In Stanley, a story there looked at the naming of the new Blacksnake Road bridge for USMC Cpl. Nic O’Brien who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2011. In Belmont, the Parks and Rec. Dept. got a new and much needed activity bus for a cool $98,000.
Moving along, the November 18th BannerNews featured artist Irisol Gonzalez and the great mural she was creating in the CityWorks building. The mural traces Belmont’s history from its early days to the present time in a wide variety of images and colors. That same issue saw coverage of the Cramerton Veterans Day event. Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient Larry Rick was the main speaker.
The November 25 BannerNews ran a good story taking a look at the installation of stained glass windows at First Baptist Mt. Holly. The beautiful windows are one of the last phases of the church’s post-fire reconstruction. In Belmont, an article profiled work being done at VFW Post 144 by Boy Scout Troop 56 member Jesse Whaley to beautify the place for his Eagle project. On the inside pages, a photo spread featured the Lowell River Sweep cleanup where volunteers picked up a lot of trash along the South Fork River.
December 3 came along and the BannerNews that week featured a story on local beauty queens and the fact that they had won some valuable scholarship funds. Another article that week took a ride with Gaston Schools lunch truck that was delivering lunches to kids in several local apartment complexes. An inside article passed on the word from Gov. Cooper that folks needed to wear their COVID masks at all times. Good news that week came in the form of three GEMS employees getting awards for resuscitating a heart attack patient.
December 10 rolled up and the lead story that week was the announcement that Kevin Krouse had been named as the City of Belmont assistant manager. That same issue also saw photos from the reverse Christmas parade in Belmont. It was the parade that wasn’t a parade but was a parade. Also that week, as in years past, the BannerNews was on the scene at the annual Toy Run for Kids that started in Ranlo. Hundreds of motorcyclists gave out toys to kids and a great time was had by all.
The December 17 BannerNews covered two somber stories - the death of Mt. Holly police officer Tyler Herndon who was killed in the line of duty on December 11, and Rev. Charles Reid who had recently passed away from health issues. The bright spot that week was a profile of the Keep Belmont Beautiful organization.
December drew to a close and the issue dated the 23rd ran a story on Sharon Hodge and her upcoming retirement after serving banking customers in Belmont for 48 years. The inside pages of that paper also ran some photos from Lowell’s reverse Christmas parade which did  a lot to lift the spirits of folks after a year that had been a trying year at best.

(December 31, 2020 Issue)

The Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the hiring of its new president, Marc Jordan. Jordan began work on Tuesday, Dec. 15.
Jordan has more than thirty years of experience consulting and working as a leader for numerous local, regional and metropolitan chambers of commerce. He was previously recognized by his peers as Chamber Executive of the Year in both North Carolina and South Carolina. Jordan also served as president of state chamber associations in North Carolina and Tennessee.
“We are excited to have Marc Jordan lead the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce as our president,” said Heath Jenkins, board chair.
“His experience, passion, collaborative spirit and leadership abilities make him the perfect fit for our organization.”
Most recently, Jordan served as president and CEO of the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and CVB where he grew the membership base and raised $5 million for a capital campaign and other programs. While there, he earned a five-star Chamber/CVB accreditation.
“I am honored, appreciative and excited to have been selected to join the leadership team of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce as the new president,” Jordan said. “I was immediately drawn to the dedication and commitment of the volunteer leadership and staff. I’m anxious to begin my new duties and get to know our members and the unique communities we serve in Gaston County.”
A search committee consisting of numerous past board chairs and led by Shannon and Brad Thomas of Creative Solutions interviewed candidates. Shannon Thomas remarked, “Marc’s resume with his impressive credentials quickly rose to the top of our stack. Once we interviewed him, we knew he was the person with the skills and attitude to lead us forward.”