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News From a Neighbor
Volume 82 • Issue 19
Thursday, May12, 2016
Mt. Holly Springfest
Thursday, May 12, 2016
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Rail Trail takes a step forward By Alan Hodge The Belmont Rail Trail took another step froward last week when the Belmont city council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Southern Benedictine Society of North Carolina, Inc., and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas South Central Community, Inc. regarding use of their respective properties as part of the Rail Trail pathway. The Rail Trail walking trail will be situated parallel to the railroad tracks that go from downtown Belmont past the Sisters of Mercy campus to Belmont Abbey College. The Rail Trail will be built within the Piedmont & Northern railroad corridor between Belmont Abbey College on the north and the gravel parking lot on Glenway Street to the south. It will cross I-85 on the existing railroad bridge. It will cross Wilkinson Boulevard at grade, with pedestrian safety improvements designed at the intersection. Going back a bit, the Rail Trail idea dates to 2010 when Belmont officials and the NCDOT began talking about it. That same year, the city got a grant to study the project which is part of the Carolina Thread Trail. In 2012, the study showed the trail could be constructed on the side of the railroad tracks. Last year, NC Gov. Pat McCrory signed a document giving the city permission to do the project. Other actions connected with the Rail Trail have included a “boots on the ground” survey by Steering Committee members on Oct. 11, 2011, and public input meetings on Nov. 10, 2011 and Jan. 10, 2012 at Belmont Abbey College.
see more RAIL TRAIL page 2
Newest drive-in theater in U.S. now open By Elizabeth Stewart The new $500,000 Hound's Mega drive-in theater, the newest drive-in built since 2004 in the nation, is up and running at Hound's Campground on S. Battleground Avenue. For Preston Brown, 46,
the opening of the drive-in is a dream come true and a labor of love, a project he started four years ago as drive-ins started shutting down across the country due to the high cost associated with switching from film to digital projectors.
Artwork was also on the BHS Living History Day agenda. Young artists included Lylah Strahl, Madeline Poplin, Wade Poplin, and Luke Poplin. See more photos from BHS History Day on page 14. photo by Alan Hodge
500-plus attend Foothills Public Shooting Complex ribbon cutting $3.5 million project now open for business by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael.cherryvilleeagle@gmail.com
It’s official. The southeast’s largest shooting complex (According to the National Rifle Association’s Brian Hyder) cut their opening day ceremony ribbon on April 20 and was up and see more DRIVE-IN page 2 running. The attendance numbers were estimated by range officials as being between 500 to “maybe close to 1,000 people” coming by before the day’s events were over. Long the dream of Cleveland County commissioner Johnny Hutchens, the 80-acre-plus complex is now a reality after many, many years of planning, dreaming, hoping, and very hard work by a great many folks, noted Cherryville native and range administrator Sam Lockridge. Lockridge, obviously very proud of what has been accomplished, said there is still more Preston Brown is seen with his new drive in screen- the first one work to do to fine-tune everybuilt in the nation since 2004. Lib Stewart photo thing.
LANIER MATERIAL SALES
Standing with N.C. Speaker of the House, Rep. Tim Moore, of Kings Mountain (center), at the Tuesday, April 20 ribbon cutting of the new Foothills Public Shooting Complex, are Representatives Dana Bumgardner, Jay Adams, and Kelly Hastings, and Sen. Warren Daniels. photos by MEP/The Eagle As for his duties, he said, “My responsibilities are that I’m the range administrator.” As to the work on the range finally seeing the finish line, so to speak, he said, “In theory, this has been in the works for over six years; conceptually, that is. But it’s been under construction for the last year and a half. It’s really awesome! We’ve got a great crowd out
today (April 20) for an opening day.” Their official first day of actual business was last Wednesday, April 21. The huge complex, located at 283 Fielding Rd., Cherryville, boasts seven ranges as follows: Range 1 – a 250-yard rifle range; Ranges 2-4 – 50-yard pistol ranges; Ranges 5-6 – skeet/trap and pistol ranges; and finally,
see more SHOOTING COMPLEX page 3
150 Hillandale Lane Mt Holly, NC 28120 704-827-7055 Mon-Fri 8-5pm Sat 8-12 www.laniermaterialsales.com
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