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Thursday, October 7, 2021
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News from a neighbor! Volume 87 • Issue 40
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Thursday, October 7, 2021
Ida Rankin driver Francina Burris has a magic bus By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Francina Burris has the patience of Job, the heart of an angel, and the driving skills of a Grand Prix champ. So, what has she done with those skills? She has driven a school bus for over 40 years. You read that right- over 40 years. There’s a song by the group The Who entitled “The Magic Bus”. Burris has one- it’s 40 feet long and yellow. The atmosphere she creates for her Ida Rankin
Elementary and Mt. Holly Middle school riders is just that- magic. Any day might see her console a kid who has had a hard day. Or send one that has been a bit rambunctious in the back of the bus to a seat right next to her. Either way, and a lot of in-between, Burris maintains her jovial yet no-nonsense demeanor. Burris calls school bus driving her “calling”. She started driving at Ida Rankin in 1980. “I wanted to be a truck driver but that didn’t happen so I became a bus driver,” Burris said. “It was a good
decision.” Burris begins her day by arriving at Ida Rankin at 6am. She’s on the road by 6:30am. Her route includes the Kendrick Square Apts. and Old NC27. The loop is around 17 miles. In the afternoon she does it over again, then she goes to her second shift job at A&E. Burris is not quite sure how many kids she bussed over the years but a rough estimate would be in the neighborhood of 1,600. One of Ida Rankin’s teachers, Mr. Noles, was even a passenger See BURRIS, Page 3
Ida Rankin Elementary bus driver Francina Burris has been behind the wheel for over four decades. Photo by Alan Hodge
Moonlight on Main will light up downtown Belmont
Cramerton Historical Museum honoring local fish camp heritage
By Melinda Skutnick On average, the moon sits a whopping 226,000 miles away from Earth. But this autumn, the moon comes closer than ever before as Moonlight on Main shines in Belmont. For three consecutive weekends this October and November, Moonlight on Main will bring a warm glow to chilly nights in historic downtown Belmont. Museum of the Moon is an international touring exhibition from U.K. artist Luke Jerram featuring a seven-meter detailed NASA image of the lunar surface. Traveling across global public spaces, this astounding artwork will take center stage at the Stowe Park amphitheater Thursdays See MOONLIGHT, Page 4
By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Now that the Cramerton Historical Society (CHS) museum is open for business, members are looking forward to hosting special events in the coming months. The first event will be a look at the lore of local fish camps with an old time fish fry to boot. The get together, dubbed Legacy of the Fish Camp, and fry will take place Saturday, Oct. 9 from 11am-2pm. Cost of a fish plate, complete with flounder, slaw, hushpuppies, and French fries is $10 with proceeds going to the CHS. The eats will be prepared by Twin Tops and folks can take out or sit under a big tent and chow down like in the olden days. Special guest speaker at the fry will be Don Lineberger, Jr., the grandson of Lineberger’s Fish Camp founder Luther Lineberger. Don grew up in the fish camp and has plenty of interesting and amusing stories to share. Why an event focusing on fish camps of all things? Richard Atkinson, chairman of the CHS museum explained the Cramerton connection. “We want to let everyone know that the Gaston County fish camp tradition started on the banks of the South Fork See FISH CAMP, Page 2 Museum of the Moon is an international touring exhibition.
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