Serving Belmont, Mount Holly, Stanley, Cramerton, and McAdenville
Officer, woman wounded during scuffle
Volume 78 • Issue 1 • Thursday, January 3, 2013
75¢
Revisiting the top stories of 2012 By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com
By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com
A Belmont police officer and a woman were both wounded after a round was fired from another officer’s weapon during a scuffle on New Year’s Eve. At 6:09 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2012 the Belmont Police Department answered a road rage with possible shots fired call at the corner of South Point Rd. and Reflection Point. When officers got on the scene they spoke to Rod Singer who said that a subject, later identified as 21year-old Brandon Watts, driving a black Honda had been driving aggressively by tailgating him. Singer also said Watts had fired a shot and reported seeing a “muzzle flash.” Based on tag information provided by Singer, officers located the suspect vehicle at 3260 Lake Pointe Drive, the home of its registered owners Glenn and Andrea Verner. Officers soon located Andrea Verner and Watts in the driveway at 3260 Lake Pointe Drive, near the Honda. Due to the nature of the call and the report of gun fire officers had their duty weapons out. Once the subjects were encountered they were told to get on the ground as a safety precaution. The two subjects complied. While officers dealt with them a female later identified as 24-year-old Melissa Verner, Watts’ girlfriend, came out of the house and started arguing with the officers. Not knowing if she was involved in the incident, officers told her to get on the ground. However, according to police, she became belligerent and started cursing at the officers. Verner was told several times to get on the ground, but refused. A struggle ensued as Verner fought the officers. During the struggle Sgt. Pickert’s 9mm submachine gun discharged. When a 9mm round from Pickert’s weapon hit the concrete where the struggle took place the round broke apart. A piece of shrapnel hit Officer Berry in the leg. Another piece of shrapnel hit Verner. Berry and Verner were transported to Gaston Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. They were both later released.
The year 2012 is behind us. It was a year marked by a U.S. economy that stumbled along like a person chasing a shimmering oasis of “help wanted” signs, a Presidential election equaled by few in its rancor, and ended on a note of shocking tragedy with the murder of 26 children and adults at an elementary school in Connecticut. On the local scene, 2012 saw unemployment remain around 10 percent throughout the year, yet folks still seemed to have enough money to pack the stores at Christmas. Other news saw towns like Belmont, Mount Holly, Cramerton, and McAdenville continue to blossom and attract new residents and businesses. In sports, South Point High came tantalizingly close to another football championship but fell just one game short of that goal. For the particulars on these and other stories that made the BannerNews in 2012, here’s a month by month wrap up to remember it by.
November 21, 2012
Mt Holly named Purple Heart City Mount Holly was named a Purple Heart City in honor of its recognizing local military veterans who had been wounded in combat. The group that accepted a proclamation from the City Council was Chapter 634 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. East Gaston high schools ran. The final score of the seesaw game was 71-68, South Point. February 2012 brought sadness with the announcement that former Belmont mayor Kevin Loftin and his friend Donna Deitz had been killed on the 22nd, Ash Wednesday, after Kevin’s car was hit broadside by an SUV being driven by a person trying to elude police. The crash took place at the intersection of NC273 and US 29/74. The SUV was driven by Lester Norman, Jr. Other distressing crime and law news in February reported that an East Gaston High teacher had been charged with indecent liberties with a student, that three juveniles had been arrested in connection with the vandalism and toppling of the “Fighting Yank” statue in front of Belmont Middle School, and that a Belmont man had been charged with stabbing his girlfriend. On the brighter side, the BannerNews covered Black History Month celebrations and forums in Belmont and Mount Holly that saw participants extol the contributions African-Americans have made to our area over the decades. A large contribution of cash from Food Lion to the Belmont Community Organization was reported. The BannerNews also brought to light a story that would have national consequences. The article
January 2012 kicked off a new year and with it a story reporting on the flood of tributes that had come pouring in for Judge Harley Gaston, Jr. who had passed away Dec. 31 at the age of 82. In addition to his role on the Belmont City Council, Gaston had been City Attorney for many years. Everyone remembered him, from Mayor Richard Boyce to the average citizen, for his honor and fairness. Another January story was the sad revelation that East Gaston High’s beloved counselor Cindy Cloninger had passed away. Cloninger was described as being someone who truly cared about others. In McAdenville, the BannerNews stayed on top of a story announcing that the elementary school would be spared the wrecking ball. Local business news highlighted the opening of a new Caravan Coffee and Dessert Bar in Mount Holly to go along with the one already percolating in Belmont. In sports, a front-page feature on what was described as a “nail biter” basketball game between archrivals South Point and
outlined the upcoming fight between Belmont Abbey College and the Obama administration over a requirement in the Affordable Care Act requiring employers to provide birth control insurance coverage to workers. March 2012 saw none other than US President Barack Hussein Obama make a visit to Mount Holly and the Freightliner truck factory there. Obama’s visit brought a flurry of excitement to town, but only handpicked folks were allowed to actually hear the
President Barack Obama made a trip to Mount Holly in March and gave a speech at the Freightliner truck factory on the economy and energy conservation. Obama would go on to be re-elected to a second term in November. speech on the factory floor that touched on subjects such as jobs, gas prices, and electric trucks. Excitement at South Point High
was also reported in a story centered on a punch-up between students over “seating arrangements” in the lunchroom. Both combatants were arrested and taken to jail. Also in March, the BannerNews featured a nice article outlining the work that Girl Scout Troop 293 from Belmont’s First Presbyterian Church did in sprucing up Davis Park. A happy picture with the article showed a group of the Scouts beaming with pride at their handiwork. A story appeared about the late journalistic legend Dwight Frady who had not only devoted his life to the BannerNews but whose influence extended far beyond the written word and whose grave in Greenwood Cemetery lacked a headstone. The story also mentioned some of Frady’s awards such as Order of the Longleaf Pine and NC Sportswriter of the Year 1968, and featured a photo of his sister Mildred Richardson and great nieces Lilly and Laura Gregory placing flowers on the new marker. On the sports scene, it was revealed that due to structural issues, Lineberger Stadium at South Point High was to be shut down until repairs could be completed. The job would eventually stretch into August and cost about $400,000 to complete. See 2012, 3A
See OFFICER, 8A
Making music is his gift to others By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com
When Lowell native Darrell Bumgardner sits down with his bandmates Vernon Harris, Carroll Trull, Dale Cash, Dean McCoig, and Don Smith, at the East Gaston Adult Day Care Center near Mount Holly, it’s a win-win situation for him and the audience. “When we do a song right,” Bumgardner said, “Seeing the reaction of the older people brightens their day and mine too.” The adult day care center combo calls itself the “Vernon Harris and the Four-Ds”. “That’s because there are four of us in the group whose first name starts with a D,” he said. A talented musician who has been playing a variety of instruments for half a century, Bumgardner got his musical start in the land of pineapples and took it from there. “I was in the Navy stationed in Hawaii,” he said. “I had some friends that played music and they invited me to join them. I taught myself how to play the mandolin
by reading books, sitting down and practicing. Now, you can learn on the Internet.” The first real band Bumgardner was in went by the name of “The Merry Makers” in 1962 and he played the drums. One of the other members was Darrell Garver. “I’ve played with a lot of good musicians,” Bumgardner said. “But he is the finest guitar player I ever saw.” Garver still joins in with Bumgardner in a group they call “Sonshyne”. The group performs at the Adult Recreation Center in Gastonia as well as Jackson’s Cafeteria. “Whoever wants us and has a little money,” Bumgardner said. But Bumgardner has another facet to his musical folio. He can not only pluck out other folks’ tunes, he can write them as well. “The shower is a good place to come up with tunes,” he said. Seriously, Bumgardner reckons he’s written over two-dozen tunes. One of the most popular is entitled “My Dad Dale” and is penned from the perspective of Dale Earnhardt Jr. talking about his late father and NASCAR legend. But perhaps Bumgardner’
biggest hit is a tune he’s been belting out quite a bit over the past few weeks entitled “Christmas in Carolina.” “I needed a title song for a Christmas CD in 2003 and just sat down and wrote it,” he said. The lyrics to Christmas in Carolina mention snow in the Blue Ridge Mountains, church bells ringing, kids o n sleds, and of course, M c A denville. “ Yo u can’t
have a Christmas song about North Carolina without mentioning M c A denville,” Bumgardner said.
Photo by Alan Hodge
When the Four-Ds and Vernon Harris belted out the song recently at a holiday gathering at the adult day care center, everyone was tapping a foot and a few folks even got misty-eyed. As far as he’s concerned, and no doubt his bandmates feel the same, being able to make music is a gift he hopes he will able to keep giving for a long time to come. “I’ll play as long as people want it and until I can’t make music no more,” he said. In addition to being a tunemeister, Bumgardner has also written a book about growing up in the Art Cloth section of Lowell. The tiny tome traces his youth cavorting in the South Fork River, his Navy days, and his musical career. It is an interesting look at how one’s old neighborhood always holds special memories no matter where life might take someone. For those so inclined, Bumgardner can be reached at Darrellb50@bellsouth.net or 704-865-4174.
Darrell Bumgardner has been playing music for over 50 years. He’s part of the band that entertains folks at the East Gaston Senior Day Care Center near Mount Holly.
OBITUARIES, 2A Thurman Bingham, Gastonia Doris D. Pearson, Mount Holly Joyce C. Thomas, Gastonia
INSIDE Obits.............................................Page 2
School News.................................Page 5
Calendar of Events........................Page 2
Classifieds ....................................Page 6
Church Page .................................Page 4
Service Directory ..........................Page 7