Volume 117 • Issue 42
75¢
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
City Council recognizes retiring City Attorney Palmer Huffstetler, Jr. New City Attorney is Mrs. Yancea H. Taylor, who was introduced to council at the regular session Cherryville’s new city attorney, Yansea Hutchens Taylor, PLLC, smiles for the camera. She has been in the office at Cherryville now since July 2023. (photo by MEP/The Eagle/CF Media)
Taylor Law’s
Yansea H. Taylor is Cherryville’s new city attorney She now handles city’s legal matters after retirement of Palmer Huffstetler, who served city for 33 years by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
The city of Cherryville has a new city attorney, and her name is Yansea Hutchens Taylor, PLLC. Mrs. Taylor takes over the position following the stellar service and well-deserved retirement of long-time city attorney, Palmer E. Huffstetler, Jr., who has served the city for 33 years. Taylor and her family live in Kings Mountain, has practiced law since 2011, she said, adding she began her practice in Belmont, has worked in Charlotte, and
has expanded her offices to include not only Belmont and Cherryville, but Shelby, Kings Mountain, and Lincolnton as well. Taylor, 40, is originally from Hinton, WV, which she said is, “…a small, one-stoplight town. I grew up on a 90-acre farm with two brothers and a sister. “My husband is Alfred Alexander Taylor, II. His dad is the first. Our son, Xander (for short) is the III. He builds folding medical cots used in temporary shelters and hospitals for disaster relief. He is in a family business called Tube Enterprises Inc., builder of Westcot Medical Beds. Their factory is in Shelby,” she said. As for what she does in her profession, Taylor noted, “The aspects of law I deal with are real estate law, estate planning, and estate See TAYLOR, Page 6
CHS Hall of Fame Banquet is Oct. 21, at FBC’s Christian Life Center Hall of Fame’s first induction class since 2021; 11th class in the organization’s history by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
Cherryville High School Athletic Director, Scott Harrill, said recently, the Cherryville Sports Hall of Fame committee, of which he is a member, will host its 2023 induction banquet Oct. 21, at the First Baptist Church Christian Life Center. Said Harrill, via an email
to the Eagle, “The event is set for 6 p.m., and tickets for the public, priced at $10, are available at the door and in advance at the following locations: Cherryville High School, Medical Center Pharmacy, and Carolina Federal Credit Union.” Harrill also added the ticket covers the price of a meal, catered by First Baptist Church, a banquet program, and the induction ceremony. He continued, “Tickets may also be purchased from individual committee members, including sports broadcaster, Danny Eaker; former Lincoln Times-News and Cherryville Eagle sportswriter, Mike Powell; American Legion Post 100 Athletic Director Jerry Hudson; local See BANQUET, Page 2
Ora
& BROAD RIVER HAMS
Editor michael@cfmedia.info
The Cherryville City Council regular session meeting took place last Monday night, Oct. 9, and, as meetings go, it was a fairly short meeting with only a couple of items on the agenda. Jenna Spiker, from Mt. Zion Baptist Church, led the invocation. The agenda was voted on and approved by council, then they voted on, and approved, the minutes of the Sept. 11, 2023 regular council meeting as well as the minutes of the closed session aspect of that same meeting. Mayor Beam then took a few minutes to give his comments, talking about there being more resignations from the Cherryville Historical Museum’s board, which now total five, he said.
Retired city attorney Palmer E. Huffstetler, Jr., with his father, Palmer E. Huffstetler, Sr., at last week’s city council regular session meeting. Counselor Huffstetler received a plaque from Cherryville Mayor H.L. Beam, III, and the city council members recognizing his 33 years of service to the city, and thanking him for that service. (photo by MEP/The Eagle/CF Media) “My hope is the museum will be able to move forward in a more amiable manner,” said Mayor Beam. Mayor Beam also noted the city’s receipt of funds awarded by the state, and how we were notified by Sen. Ted Alexander and Rep. Kelly Hastings we had received said funds, which came to $1,650,000. He
also noted the city is moving forward on getting the Westgate Park pickleball courts and Edwards Park basketball courts completed and ready for use. In other comments he mentioned the apartments being developed were proceeding, and that a proposed restaurant to go into the old Pepperoni Express building was also pro-
ceeding, with that expected to be done by Dec. 1, 2023. “Also, the recent Darin and Brooke Aldridge concert in the mini-park was a great success. Everyone who came out to that all had a great time and heard some great music by Darin and Brooke,” he said. See HUFFSTETLER, Page 2
Teacher uses his role in “Liberty Mountain” to connect with students by ALLISON DRENNAN Gaston County Schools
Teacher Jeremy Homesley believes that the lessons learned outside the classroom can be just as important as the ones taught inside. That’s a belief he’s instilling in his students through his own outside-the-classroom experience. Homesley, who lives in Cherryville and teaches English at Bessemer City High School, recently finished up his eighth season in Bob Inman’s “Liberty Mountain” drama at the Joy Performance Center in Kings Mountain. Playing British Major Patrick Ferguson, a role that’s deemed “the villain” in the show, Homesley says he gained a lot to share with his students. “Through being in a drama like this, I’ve learned that the lessons from the classroom aren’t just for the classroom,” he said. “It lends credibility to show them that I’m out in the world, using those same lessons that I tell them about every day.” Written by Inman, who many people recognize from his time reporting news at WBTV, “Liberty Mountain” tells the story of the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Kings Mountain
Jeremy Homesley portrayed the role of British Major Patrick Ferguson in the recent production of “Liberty Mountain” at the Joy Performance Center in Kings Mountain. Several of his students from Bessemer City High School had an opportunity to see their teacher on stage during the play. (photo provided) and highlights how colonists joined together to fight off the British troops in their attempt to secure control of the Southern colonies. At the Battle of Kings Mountain, the colonists/patriots were successful in their efforts to defeat British major Patrick Ferguson and his Loyalist militia. Ferguson was killed at the Battle of Kings Mountain, which has been referred to as a turning point in the American Revolution.
them told me that it was the first live play they had ever seen.” As an English teacher, Homesley says they read a lot of plays in class, and his experience in “Liberty Mountain” has given his students a firsthand view of the ins and outs of a live theater experience. “All of a sudden, my students understand what we’re doing in class more than they did before,” he See HOMESLEY, Page 2
Because the production shifted from a summer to a fall time slot, Homesley said this year is the first time he’s been teaching and acting in the play simultaneously. So, when he got a chance for his students to come and see the show in action, he jumped at the opportunity. “I had a group of students take me up on coming to see the drama,” he said. “We had dinner before the show, and they got to come watch the play. Two of
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