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Thursday, April 1, 2021
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• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Thursday, April 1, 2021
Stunning new Belmont Middle School nearly ready for students By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Progress continues to be made on the beautiful new Belmont Middle School under construction on South Point Rd. Ground was broken in late March 2019 for the project and despite a few weather related hiccups has continued at a steady pace ever since. Now, the job is nearly done. Gaston Schools employee and project manager Paul Nault had this to say about the exquisite edifice to education. “It is a gorgeous building,” he said. “It has been a pleasure working with the
contractors and architects and everyone should be proud of the job that has been done.” Belmont Middle principal Susan Redmond is also thrilled with the project. “I get excited every time I step inside the building,” she said. “It is an amazing showplace not just for Gaston Schools but for the Belmont community as well.” Morgen Houchard is executive director for auxiliary services for Gaston Schools. He is pleased with how the project has progressed. “It has come along wonderfully,” he said. “Everyone is very excited.” See BELMONT MIDDLE, Page 6 & 7
Mt. Holly Farmers Market getting set for another great season By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
The long-awaited spring 2021 opening of the Mt. Holly Farmers Market is coming up- with some tweaks to help customers and vendors continue to stay safe during the COVID-19 situation. The market will open at 8 am, Saturday, April 3 and stay open til November.* The market is located in at 226 S. Main St. in downtown Mt. Holly. Look for the large open air trellis. This year marks the market’s 16th anniversary. There will be two Entry/ Exit points into the market for customers- one on Main St. and the other at the market rear parking lot. A pick
up area will be provided if needed. The market will provide a required hand-washing station for customers before entering the market. Gloves will be used by all vendors at their tables, and hand sanitizers will be available. All materials will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after market set up. The market will round up purchases to the dollar to reduce cross contamination from coins, therefore no change will be available. The market asks that customers wear masks but they are not mandatory. The market will continue to follow state COVID protocols as they evolve which currently See MARKET, Page 9
Belmont Middle School Principal Susan Redmond proudly standing in front of the new school.
Photo by Alan Hodge
New book celebrates Queen of Apostles Catholic Church By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Since its official dedication in March 1965, Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in Belmont has been a spiritual and social icon. Now, a new book, “A Home For All: History of Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church, Belmont NC”, is out that celebrates not only the church’s past, present and future, but the overall scope of the Catholic influence and impact in our area. The book’s author is Bel“A Home For All: History of Queen of the Apostles Catholic mont resident and Queen of Church, Belmont NC” by Jack H. Morris is now available. Apostles parishioner Jack
Morris who is a former Wall Street Journal bureau chief. Morris has also authored several other works including the History of the Remarkable Haile Gold Mine which details the story of that Lancaster, S.C. operation that began in 1827 and has reopened as the largest gold mine in the eastern U.S. A Home For All begins by examining North Carolina’s Catholic heritage going back to the days in the early 1800s. From there, Morris moves closer to home and tells the story of how Irish Catholic gold miners arrived in what See BOOK, Page 4
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