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We love our readers! Volume 88 • Issue 13
Thursday, March 31, 2022
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• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Spring has sprung at the Mt. Holly Community Garden By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Spring is in the air at the Mt. Holly Community Garden. Last Saturday saw a diverse group of folks converge on the Mt. Holly Community Garden site next to First United Methodist Church and begin getting it ready for planting season. Workers pulled old growth, topped up the beds with fresh soil, and in general tidied the place up. Even though a chilly wind swirled, the warm feeling of folks working together on the garden’s 52 raised beds prevailed. The garden’s official
replanting day will be April 23. Emily Nishiyama and her family were on hand tending their garden plot. “The garden is a great way to get involved in the community,” she said. “This is our first run at gardening, and we are going to grow tomatoes and herbs. It’s a new adventure.” A group of six volunteers at the garden were from the National Civilian Community Corps (Americorp). These folks had come to Mt. Holly from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, Alabama, Pennsylvania, See GARDEN, Page 3
These ladies spent last Saturday morning volunteering at the Mt. Holly Community Garden. From left Madelyn Sanders, Addison Shuler, Harper Allen. Photo by Alan Hodge
Migjen Bakalli was a basketball standout By Ray Hardee
Here’s a shot taken last week of the River West building that’s nearing external completion.
North Belmont business park project moving along By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
The River West business park project in North Belmont is well underway. The project is located at the intersection of Woodlawn Rd.,
Cason St, and Acme Rd. McMillan Pazdan Smith is providing design services to Tribek Properties for the project. Also collaborating on the job are Seamon Whiteside, and McVeigh & Mangum Engineering.
The two huge warehouse and office structures being built will have a total area of around 600,000 sq. ft. One building is about half done and concrete panel walls for the other are currently being See PROJECT, Page 5
Migjen is a legendary South Point High School athlete. This six-foot, six-inch guard lit up the nets as a high school standout and then as a Division 1 athlete at N.C. State. His achievements on the hardwoods as he lit up the nets has earned him induction to the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame. Migjen is quick to give credit where credit is due-to his family, his community, and his coaches. He says, “My parents, Fejzullah and Virginia served as the foundation to all my basketball, athletic, and academic successes.” In addition to paying homage to his parents, he intones the value of his community when he says, “The basketball courts at Lakewood neighborhood in Cramerton are where I honed
my skills as a child against my dad and his buddies.” As a 1990 graduate of South Point, Migjen had already earned All-Conference Honors on three occasions including his senior year. After his superlative senior season, he was named to the All-State Team. He shares the credit with his high school coach, Bill Hannon (a Belmont Hall of Famer himself). Migjen writes, “Coach Hannon did a great job of teaching the game and always pushing me to get better. He would always take the time to open gyms during the summer at South Point where lots of the former athletic greats would show up and give you the business. Those runs dur-
Migjen Bakalli ing the summer were a great learning experience.” Migjen is the all-time South Point High School leader in career scoring with 1606 points as well as the single-season record holder with 658 points scored. Each of these records have See BAKALLI, Page 4
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