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Volume 115 • Issue 18
75¢
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Catawbas plan pre-launch summer opening for Casino Federal judge rejects Cherokee’s lawsuit, paving way for casino to move forward by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor
michael@cfmedia.info
In a recent media release to Community First Media, the Catawba Nation announced it plans to fast-track the summer 2021 opening of the Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort project in Kings Mountain. Calling the opening a “prelaunch”, their plan calls for the facility to have 500 slot machines. On April 16, the Catawba Nation received more good news when a federal ruling favored the U.S. Department of the Interior’s action in taking land into trust for the Catawba Nation, rejecting a lawsuit by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. That decision was given last week by U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg in a 50-plus page opinion sent out to the media from the Catawba Nation. See CASINO, Page 2
An artist’s rendering of the pre-launch Two Kings Casino and Resort facility provides a glimpse at what the Catawba Nation hopes to have up and running by summer 2021. (rendering provided)
Cherryville woman charged in death of daughter
CHS 2021 Star Student and Teacher are McNeill; Holt
According to a Tuesday, April 27 media release from the Cherryville Police De- Jenna Michelle partment, Melton Capt. Brian Doolittle said their officers arrested Jenna Michelle Melton, 26, of 5307 Dellinger Cir., Cherryville. Ms. Melton, noted Capt. Doolittle, was arrested and charged with involuntary
Due to COVID-19 restrictions ceremony has a different look this year
manslaughter for the death of her three-year-old daughter, Anna Lee Tadych, which occurred earlier this year on Jan. 5. On Tuesday, Melton was held on no bond and placed in the Gaston County Detention Center. According to the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office website, she was given a court date of Wednesday, April 28, at 2 p.m., whereupon she was given a $500,000 bond. According to a CPD incident report written on Jan. 5, a CPD officer responded See CHARGED, Page 2
by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
Every year, Gaston County Schools normally hosts their Star Teacher/Star Student Awards ceremony, usually held at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions, the event has not been able to be held as would normally be
CHASE MCNEILL 2021 CHS Star Student
ROBERT LANCE HOLT 2021 CHS Star Teacher
possible. That said, GCS Chief Communications Officer Todd Hagans noted the
school system, in partnership with awards sponsor, The Gaston Gazette, had the
program, as was stated on the GCS website, “…to recognize an outstanding senior from each high school and the teacher who had the greatest influence on the student’s educational career.” Hagans added that again, the Star Teacher/Star Student Awards were conducted in video format because of the coronavirus pandemic. He continued, “The video (aired) the week of April 26 – May 2, on Spectrum Cable Channel 21 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m., and 11 p.m. each day,” adding, “…the video See STAR, Page 6
Jones one of eight in Class of 2020 to join NCHSAA Hall of Fame by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
Former CHS Ironmen baseball head coach Henry Jones was one of eight Class of 2020 inductees to join the NCHSAA Hall of Fame according to information listed on the sports organization’s web site. Just last week, former
players and now coaches in their own right, CHS head basketball coach and AD Scott Harrill, CHS head baseball coach and former Jones player and assistant coach Scott Heavner, and former CHS baseball player and current assistant coach Brian Kiser attended the ceremony in Cary, N.C., when Coach Jones received his honor. Though the class was formally introduced at a luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at the NCHSAA offices in Chapel Hill, the
formal induction ceremony and banquet was held on Saturday, April 24, 2021, at the Embassy Suites in Cary. Said Coach Harrill of Coach Jones, “Coach Jones was my baseball coach and athletic director in high school, then I worked under him as a basketball coach while he was the AD. He is a great friend. Coach Jones has impacted more lives over his coaching career than most ever will. “It was not always about wins and losses (with him), but about relationships that
he built with his players and athletes. Coach Jones is very deserving of the honor of being selected in to the NCHSAA Hall of Fame. The Ironmen family is very proud of him. If you look at his coaching tree, you can see the impact he had on so many to go into teaching and coaching. I would venture to say over 50 athletes have either coached in college, high school, (the American) Legion, middle school, and recreational baseball.” See JONES, Page 10
Former CHS baseball player and current assistant coach Brian Kiser; CHS head basketball coach and AD Scott Harrill; former CHS head baseball coach Henry Jones; and current CHS head baseball coach and former Jones player and assistant coach, Scott Heavner, at the ceremony and banquet in Cary, N.C., honoring Coach Jones as one of eight of the Class of 2020 NCHSAA Hall of Fame inductees. (photo provided)
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