INSIDE... Obituaries ................. 2A HS Graduation Times . 3A Opinion ..................... 4A Police - Crime ........... 5A Sports - Schools ....... 6A
Serving Belmont, Mount Holly, Stanley, Cramerton, and McAdenville | Volume 79 • Issue 23 • Wednesday, June 4, 2014
75¢
Bullying Schools get proactive By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Ask Belmont police School Resource Officer Joel Lutmer what he thinks of how the bullying scene has shaped up this past year and two words stand out- social media. Time was when bullying meant shoves on the playground, but now, as Lutmer has seen this past year on his beat at Belmont Middle, it's hurtful messages sent via hand held devices that are a recurring challenge. “Instagram and Twitter are the worst of all,” Lutmer said. “Facebook is for old folks.” Lutmer says the gossip runs the gamut. “It can be things like saying someone has ugly hair,” he said. “The kids have been given a tool and they can go in any direction with it. For those that are gossiped about, it can be devastating.” Lutmer says the kids are so computer and smartphone savvy, sometimes it's hard to keep track of the flying messages. “Unless you are a computer science major, it's hard to monitor what they do,” he said. See BULLYING, 9A
BHS to honor Jethro Mann
Photo by Alan Hodge
Hundreds of kids from Ida Rankin Elementary marched the Main St. sidewalk in Mount Holly last week to celebrate Memorial Day and the over $900 they donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Elementary students honor veterans By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Hundreds of students from Ida Rankin Elementary in Mount Holly dug deep into their pockets and donated one dollar each for the Wounded Warrior Project. Their reward? Know-
ing they had done a good deed for their nation, and an old time, flag waving, patriotic parade of their very own last week down Main St. The parade itself stopped Mount Holly in its tracks- in a good way. Folks lined Main St. and waved at the horde of kids
as they marched along wearing Uncle Sam hats, waving flags and chattering excitedly. Spectators smiled broadly at the spectacle. Mount Holly City manager Danny Jackson called the fundraiser “outstanding”. Martha Russell's five-year-old granddaughter Sherri Russell
was one of the marchers. 'She was so excited,” said Martha. The idea for teaming the school with the Wounded Warrior Project sprouted at the Mount Holly Police Department. Chief Don Roper See STUDENTS, 9A,
Dawson Bridge expected to reopen in July By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Jethro Mann The late Jethro Mann (1917-2013) was born in Georgia, however, he spent most of his life in Belmont. As a youngster he worked on a farm and on a saw mill. He was educated at Lincoln Academy in Gaston County. Jethro was talented in many ways. He was a builder, designer, teacher, and a spiritual leader. He started his Belmont career with Mr. Sam Moore who was a much sought after building contractor. After spending two years in the Navy, he returned to Belmont and organized Mann Construction Company. He designed and built a number of buildings in this area. Eventually he became a teacher in the Public Schools and at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. He married a Reid School teacher, Emma Twitty, and they had three children. In his retirement he created what became known as See BICYCLE MAN, 9A
The long-awaited completion of the new bridge on Lakewood Rd. in Cramerton is just around the corner, or straightaway as the case may be. Construction on the 425-foot span over the South Fork River began in September 2012 and the original completion date was set for April 2014. However, bad weather, as well as numerous construction challenges such as metal debris and railroad spikes on the river bottom that made drilling 7-foot diameter holes for the bridge's concrete supports difficult, slowed things down by several weeks. Frequent flooding of the South Fork during last summer's torrential rains also stymied progress on the $4 million project. Now, it looks as if the end is finally in sight. Not only has the roadbed been paved, but decorative lights similar to those in place at the NC7 bridge in McAdenville have been installed. Finishing touches and landscaping are being worked on now. “The NCDOT is telling us it will still be July 2014 before it is done,” said Cramerton City Manager Michael Peoples. According to Peoples, Cramerton plans some festivities to go along with the bridge reopening, but the exact date is still in the air. “I have asked that NCDOT provide us as much notice as possible so that we can have a bridge opening celebration,” he said. “We are looking at having some ribbon cutting opportunities and attempt to find a relative of C.C. Dawson who the bridge is dedicated to.” Dawson was a textile magnate who came to Cramerton in 1908 and whose name was given to the 1952 bridge that was torn down to make way for the new one. While crews were removing the 1952 bridge, they found a large stone with the date 1871 carved on it where yet another See BRIDGE, 9A
Contributed Photo
Crews are putting final touches on the new Dawson Bridge in Cramerton. The date set for completion is late July.
Photo by Alan Hodge
FIGHTING YANK – A team of experts including Belmont artist Juan Logan (black t-shirt) gathered Friday on the campus of Belmont Middle School to finalize logistics connected with moving the Spirit of the Fighting Yank statue to Stowe Park. The actual move could come any day now, weather permitting.
Spread Some Natural Beauty. Mulch
Topsoil
Decorative Stone
www.laniermaterialsales.com 105 Hillandale Lane, Mt. Holly NC 28120 • (704)827-7055