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• Issue 42
Mt. Holly
By Alan
Hodge
alan.bann
ernews@
The Local
Thursday,
Octobe
MONTCR Favorites ! OS
see inside
Volume 83
News from
• Belmont
• Cramerton
city coun
• Lowell
uide
• McAde
nville • Mount
cil gets
gmail.com
r 19, 2017
DGININSGAREA’S
a neig hbor!
page 5
Holly • Stanle
y
see this is Thursday, A large we will happening. Hopefu see group of lly October 19, showed FROGS Mt. Holly you in 2018 for up the 2017 River ing of the at last week's meet- Phase One ribbon Greenway Mt. Holly cil. city councutting.” FROGS Actuall in 2004 and was first organiz ed has raised ronym fory, FROGS is the hundred ac- of thousands of the group of the Greenw dollars for s Friends Mt. Holly greenw tional branch ay, an organiz ay project. the Another apresent Comm unity of the Mt. Holly week's council ation at last Develo Foundation the Commu meetin bent on pment Gaston nity Founda g saw interest boosting and tion of County local greenw construction of a eral checks to hand out sevay. Mt. Holly The FROGS as part of the Commu folks meeting came to the pact Fund program nity Imand other to thank the council nity Founda . Commu tion support city officials for of the their Elizabeth Patton representative FROGS project. money. presented leader Cindy the chael, express Mt. ed gratitud Mi- ceived Holly project behalf of s that e on the the “Tonig group. and recipiefunds, the amountres, nt include specificallyht we are here Holly continued say thank you to $2,619 Comm unity d: Mt. Garden , who for Improv to move with the ed Safety forward Accessibility, and it seemed greenway even Melanie when Mt. Holly Commu Black; happen,” that it might not opment nity Develever she Founda said. way were “Rights for Mt. tion, approva obtained, along of Friendl Holly Greenw $2,500 This group ls and permits with ay y, City, despite Mt. Holly Angela AutoviBee for support of FROGS (Friend , ing constru s of the Greenw no; several by the $2,000 Historical obstacles. years ction of Society, funds a new greenw ay) showed constructionWe understand of Historic for Walking Tour of membethis year. Commi ay in town. up at last week’s been authori for Phase One that Mary Downtown Mt. ttee Labor Mt. Holly Smith; has Holly, Grahamrs included Reggie zed and city council way. We who was is under- cal Society Mt. Holly Histori, Danny are meeting on hand present , $2,000 Reeves McGloh Jackson it be known here to publicly to thank Field Trips/C for Museum , several SHARP awards to and Health officials that the Founda let on, Painter Photo by and the to Program Local Student urricular Activity Achievement and LaurenJohnnie departm City of Mt. Alan Hodge FROGS maker. are excitedtion Shoeents includi Holly ployers and highligh City's commit A commi s, Mary Smith. Police Departm to ts emng the who ttee ment A special a dozen ent, Streets call of duty go “beyond the in its workplaces. to safety and Solid guest applicationsreview ed council to provide The SHARP and for the Berry, meeting was at the and Water Waste, Utilitie program s, Berryhealthy workpl safe sists small Plant and NC Secreta Cheri Reclam aces”. has employers, asWater ation ry of on several been to Mt. Holly cially those SHARP Plant. in high espestands for By Stan hazard past to occasions in the industries, Cromlish Safety to awards present SHARP goal of achievi reach their attestin g ng a safe In five to the Stephen days, the Belmon See COUNC Cowie, Devon t Sports NCHSA IL page Lowery, Hall of Fame will A 4 Rick Cherry, ball team State Champion induct By Alan Hodge place at at its 30th Annual South Point Red and the 2011 alan.bann the Banquet. Raider Baseernew@g Life Center Park Street United The banque mail.com on Tuesda t Pollard, ily (named y, Octobe Methodist Churchwill take Duke A new r 24 Family note speaker University same land Shoemaker in the yond: A book, “Chinaberries Head Basebaat 7:00 pm with book). That is Teacher's Chris Chris grew. and Be- Heights Baptistnow owned by ll Coach, by retired Childho as the keyCatawba up in Amhers od educator collegiate The house Church. only chronic Patricia Journey” had no electric where he baseball at Davidsot County, Virgini Bostic not had to be les her up in the own life a and carried n College ity. Water son basebalfinished as the third-w from a spring growing woods. from 1993 played and 50s, Belmont area during inningest but in a shutouts, l history. He also in the “It was on how larger sense the 1940s pitcher in to 1996 appearances, ranked hard blacks After graduat Davidcasts light every day,” very work and whites innings gether in Bostic said. carrying water ion, he played pitched, andhigh in strikeou those got along baseball Other ts, before to“We lived days. several seasonscomplete games. life in theaspects Bostic's Chris returnemoving into Bostic said. in two separate book of profess the coachin d pitching with one little house include shares of societie ional g ranks. cordial and “Sometimes coach andto his alma mater s relations s,” going of the farmer' valuable sometim in 1998 recruiting s wander episodes were on picnics experie es not.” As her as the team’s coordinator ing bulls, over a consiste nce that would cantankerous in the woods, 1944 and tale tells, Bostic serve him where he gained ntly losing neighbo was born and kept up wooden began her life living well Pfeiffer a fuss. Bostic r who constan a in house on University when he took in a little a look at tly also gives Catawba the edge program how as the house andHeights. The farmof a field in related to each her parents and readers See HALL other- and siblings her father's where OF FAME cated on another like it page 8 stood was the as a barber duty in WWII especially how the propert loy of the and his career impacted Smith famAs the book the househo reveals, ld. a time came AY in SATURD See BOOK page 8
Banque Ceremo t and Induction ny – Oct . 24, 201 7
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Belmont
Thursday, October 26, 2017
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Local candidates ready for Nov. 7 election By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
City council candidates in Belmont and Mount Holly will square off Nov. 7 in their respective towns during the Gaston County municipal election. The BannerNews contacted the city council candidates in Belmont and Mount Holly using email addresses provided by the Gaston County Board of Elections. Each candidate was given the opportunity to respond with a brief autobiographical sketch, why they feel they are the best candidate for the post, and what they think is the biggest challenge facing their town and how they would address it if elected. The responses are in the candidates' own words.
Belmont council candidates Claudina Ghianni-Toole Belmont resident both city and unincorporated area 25 years. Also a Board member Holy Angels and Keep Belmont Beautiful. Montcross chamber committee member. Employed adjunct instructor Belmont Abbey College. Business owner and property manager. Federal DOT medical examiner. Volunteer at Holy Angels. Sister of Mercy associate. Former search and recovery scuba diver. Missionary Tanzania. Nominee and runner up Women of the Year Leukemia and Lymphoma society I am a person who goes out into the community having lived and worked in Belmont
for over 25 years. I attend monthly council meetings; serve on boards as a trustee and volunteering where needed. I am here to represent the people and not for personal gain. I can devote the time and energy to listen to you the people and not just show up for meetings. I can negotiate but also be firm. I will work hard to secure your trust, explain my decisions and respect the opinion of others. I have been a successful business owner will bring those skills with me to serve the people of Belmont. Protecting our past and securing the future is biggest challenge. Belmont is again in a rapid growth cycle and expansion is inevitable. This is not new Belmont experienced similar growth years ago and as a result property sold high projects started, land clear cut and not completed. The result was a depressed market, which took years to recover. We need to learn by our mistakes. Constantly building houses and apartments are not the answer thus our future is challenged on quality of life issues relating to land use, utilities (water and sewer), traffic congestion and schools. I would focus on drawing in high quality projects that will benefit current residents and businesses. These projects (residential or commercial) will require great scrutiny and judgment in evaluating their merits. We need more industry and retail in our city. Proper economic development, in terms of jobs and growing our tax base will
David Moore
Claudina Ghianni-Toole
Charlie Martin
Charles McCorkle
Lauren Shoemaker
Jim Hope
Jason Gowen
Jamie Hamilton
See ELECTION page 2
Willie Melton
Ryan Schrift
Mike Lund preserving family heritage for future generations By Alan Hodge
alan.bannernews@gmail.com
“There is really nothing like preserving a piece of your family history for future generations. After all we are just caretakers of these treasures for future generations, and hopefully we will leave them better than we found them.” That's what Mike Lund of Belmont says is the driving force behind the restoration of several antique machines from his family's ancestral farm- and what machines they are. The Lund story starts off when Mike's great great grandfather came to Jamestown, N.Y. From Sweden in the 1860s and established a farmstead. As time went on and the family stayed on the land, machinery replaced horse-drawn equipment. One of the machines was a 1937 Fordson tractor. It was built in Dagenham, England. “The tractor was on the farm forever,” Mike said. “When my father Gordon passed away about two years ago I decided to have it restored and contacted Mt. Hope Tractor in Mike Lund of Belmont is seen on the restored 1937 Fordson tractor his great grandfather Ohio who did the job.” bought and used on the family farm. Photo by Alan Hodge See MIKE LUND page 4
Richard Turner
Bike safety headlined North Belmont Fall Festival The City of Belmont Parks and Recreation Department partnered with North Belmont Elementary School during its recent 2017 Fall Festival to provide participating students with free bicycle safety helmets. The helmets issued were part of a NCDOT Bicycle Helmet Initiative Grant that the City of Belmont Parks and Recreation Dept. received at the beginning of this year. “We wanted to find ways to better improve child safety when riding bikes/skate boards across our city,” shared Brian McGonagle, Belmont Parks and Recreation Athletic Director and grant award recipient. According to McGonagle, funding for the bicycle helmet initiative was made possible through the “Share the Road” specialty license plate program. The helmets were donated by individuals who are dedicated to bicycle safety in North Carolina, and their generous donations conSee FALL FESTIVAL page 5
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