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Volume 83 • Issue 6
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Thursday, February 9, 2017
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Montcross Chamber banquet celebrates success
Mt. Holly ladies fired up over joining fire department
By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
The Mt. Holly Fire Department is gaining a reputation for diversity in hiring and two new recruits are adding to that legacy. Mt. Holly residents Sarah Seiler, 45, and Angel Santana, 38, are currently in the training phase towards their goal of one day becoming full-fledged firefighters with MHFD. Both say they were ready to make a major change in their career paths and the fire department beckoned. Seiler currently works as COO of Lifeshare of the Carolinas. “I've always wanted to be a firefighter,” Seiler said. “I want to serve people on what could be the worst day of their life.” Santana is currently employed as front desk manager at Wingate by Wyndham hotel, also in Charlotte. “I was looking for a challenge in my life and also wanted to help people,” said Santana. “Firefighting is cool. It takes teamwork, it's hot, and you get dirty.” Seiler, who grew up in Birmingham, Alabama then moved to upstate New York, had an earlier shot at the full-time firefighter life, but Fate wasn't ready for her to take the leap. She had tried out for the Birmingham Fire Dept. when she was just 20-years-old but failed the “hose load” part of the test. However, she didn't give up the firefighter dream. “When I moved to New York I was volunteer at Stephentown fire department for several years before relocating to Mt. Holly,” she said. Once in Mt. Holly, she and her husband Bob Yonas looked into the MHFD. Angel Santana (left) and Sarah Seiler are both in training to become members of the Mt. Holly Fire Dept. In this photo they are seen at the fire trainSee LADIES page 3 ing facility at Gaston College. MHFD photo
L a s t Thursday saw Montcross Chamber of Commerce annual banquet merrymakers fill the Mt. Holly Municipal Complex Great Hall to celebrate another year of success and growth. The dinner and presentations marked the 57th year that Chamber members Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin and BannerNews have gathered ad sales executive Mayra Littman were among in such a fash- the hundreds of folks who had a great time at the 57th annual Montcross Chamber banquet held last ion. The event Thursday in the Mt. Holly Municipal Complex Great Photo by Alan Hodge drew a wide Hall. variety of local business owners and government officials who mingled and made presentations recognizing excellence in entrepreneurial enterprise. “It's so nice to see everyone talking and eating together,” Chamber president Ted Hall said of the camaraderie that filled the Great Hall. Outgoing 2016 Chamber board chair Walter Payne had this to say about what last year had brought the Chamber. “I’m pleased to report that we’ve set new records in financial performance and positioned your Chamber well for continued success,” Payne said. “After 12 consecutive years of consistent growth in membership and four years of very rapid growth through 2015, when we broke the 500-member mark.” See CHAMBER BANQUET page 8
Gaston ranks again as the state’s safest large school district School crime and violence rate is lower than the state rate for seventh year Gaston County Schools continues to rank as the safest large school district in North Carolina, according to data released last Thursday by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education. Of the ten largest school districts in the state, Gaston County has the lowest school crime and violence rate. Gaston’s rate for the 2015-
2016 school year is 3.740, which is the district’s lowest rate over the past three years. Last year, the rate was 4.073, and it was 4.723 in 2013-2014. “We are extremely pleased to see a decrease in our school crime rate for the third consecutive year,” stated Superintendent of Schools W. Jeffrey Booker. “The school crime data is an indication that our on-going, concentrated focus on comprehensive school safety and security is paying off.”
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Gaston’s rate of 3.740 is significantly lower than the state rate of 6.62. The state saw a decrease in its overall school crime rate for 2015-2016, dropping from 6.89 in 2014-2015. The rate is based on the number of acts of school crime per 1,000 students. The school crime rate for Gaston County Schools has been significantly lower than that state rate for the past seven years, and when compared to neighboring school districts, Gaston also has the low-
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est rate. “We have consistently ranked as one of the safest school districts in the Charlotte region, and when compared to school districts across the state that are similar in size, we continue to be the safest school district,” continued Booker, who is the Southwest Region Superintendent of the Year for 2016-2017. “Maintaining safe schools is a priority because we know that in order for our teachers to teach and our students to learn, the school environment must
be safe.” Booker attributed Gaston’s low school crime rate to the district’s strong partnership with law enforcement, investment in security equipment and safety initiatives, and school employees always keeping safety in mind. “Most significant is our excellent partnership with law enforcement in Gaston County,” added Booker. “We would not have an See GASTON page 3
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