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PAGE 2A Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 • Vol. 15 • No. 6
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Legislator opposes solar farm by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
MONROE – N.C. Rep. Mark Brody has emerged as the biggest opponent of Blue Star Solar’s attempts to develop a solar farm on about 600 acres three miles south of Mineral Springs. Brody was the sole person to speak out against the project during the Feb. 7 rezoning hearing. Brody explained he was not there in a legislative capacity but as a private citizen. “The large capacity solar-gener-
Hot Rod Shop seeks expansion
ating industry that creates these solar-farm projects are heading for the chopping block as we are forced as a nation to cut back expenses,” Brody told commissioners. “The simple reason is because they require subsidies – federal, state and rate-payer – in order to survive.” County staff and planning board are recommending approval of the rezoning. While its scale is out of character with surrounding area and will remove large amount of agricultural land, it will not increase noise or traffic or decrease property values,
according to Senior Planner Bjorn Hansen. The biggest selling point from the development team was that the solar farm will increase the tax base over 40 years from $280,000 to $2 million without the need for water, sewer and county services. “If the solar farm isn’t there ... the land will be developed otherwise,” said Logan Secord, project manager for Pine Gate Renewables. “And those developments … will also pay taxes, but they will also increase the see FARM, Page 5A
Placing a priority on faith
by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
MONROE – Gary Studley would like to rev up the Hot Rod Shop by developing three mini-storage buildings next-door. Studley, who restores classic cars and builds hot rods at the shop, has applied for rezoning through Union County to convert the 6.4 acres of residential property along U.S. 75 in the Monroe area. “Mini warehouses would actually help our existing business,” Studley told commissioners Feb. 7. “Right now, I’m having to store cars in a work area and I’m waiting on parts.” The mini-storage units will replace land Studley has used for car shows. Those will no longer happen onsite, he said. Bjorn Hansen, a senior planner with Union County, told commissioners that the highway is mainly residential with spots of business. “It’s an expansion of an existing business that is already there, but it’s not zoned business,” Hansen told commissioners. “It had some special use permits and was grandfathered in before zoning took effect. This cleans up the zoning for the property as well and will rezone the existing business.” Staff and planning board recommended approval. While the proposal allows commercial uses next to large lot residential uses, it brings the existing business into compliance with zoning and is consistent with the land use plan, Hansen said.
Brittlyn Anderson is a senior-level figure skater with the Carolinas Figure Skating Club. She is taking time off to go to Minneapolis, Minnesota to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Photo courtesy of Kristen Anderson
Figure skater steps off ice to volunteer as a missionary Brittlyn Anderson, a 2020 graduate of Providence High School, is headed to Minneapolis, Minnesota for 18 months to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She will be joining the approximately 53,000 other missionaries of the Church, between the ages of 18 and 25, who are voluntarily serving in 404 missions located in the United States and throughout the world. Latter-day Saint missionaries do not choose the location of their missionary assignment when submitting their
Recent College Signings Cuthbertson • Avery Hawk: Mars Hill, softball •Gianna Tamburello: Lenoir-Rhyne, softball •Kiana Termine: Queens, softball • Emma Skibble: West Georgia, volleyball • Trevor Tate, Air Force, football • Rylee Coyne: GWU, diving • Alyssa Heffelfinger: UVA, swimming Porter Ridge • Makayla Wheelock: Catawba, soccer • William Hart, Wingate, football • Malachi Howell: Lenoir-Rhyne, football •Myles Carroll: Washington and Lee, football •Montele Burton: Johnson C. Smith, football
Online extra Visit www.unioncountyweekly.com to read about a rezoning request that is recommended for denial by both county staff and the planning board.
application. Although raised in the temperate weather of North Carolina, Brittlyn was delighted to learn she would be heading to Minnesota and its sub-zero winter temperatures because, for the last 10 years, an ice rink has been her second home. Brittlyn is a member of the Carolinas Figure Skating Club, which trains at the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail. She is a U.S. Figure Skating Triple Gold Medalist, which means she has earned the highest testing distinction available in see SKATER, Page 5A
Finding the love of your life can happen by chance Tony Marciano Reverend
I
didn’t date a lot in high school. College was better. I dated my freshman year, but no spark got ignited. In my sophomore year of college, I was hanging out with a girl just as friends. Everyone said we needed to date. We tried and it didn’t work. We broke up both
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as boyfriend/girlfriend as well as friends. There were a few other women, but it never went past two dates. At college, I was involved with the campus ministry. Since we were not chartered by the Student Government Organization, we needed to apply for membership by submitting our constitution and by-laws. I remember the day I submitted them to the secretary. There sat Joan, in a turquoise blouse with white piping. I was smitten. She would be the mother of my children.
One problem was that we moved in different circles. While she hung out in the campus pub and was often seen in campus newspaper photos partying, I never went to a party. But I was convinced we could make this work. That was the last time I spoke to her. I never forgot her during my junior and senior years of college. I never ran into her again. She was this woman that I had said one sentence to and had no idea how to get her attention. That is until … I was on
the four-and-a-half-year plan at college. I declared my major late and added being a high school teacher to my major. Teaching took so many credit hours. I found myself approaching graduation with 150 credit hours, even though I only needed 120 to graduate. But I was 18 credit hours short in sociology. I signed up for six courses my last semester and convinced the department chair to let me graduate with the minimum credit hours see FAITH, Page 5A
The location of the proposed solar farm is south of N.C. 200 as well as east and west of South Rocky River and McManus roads. The site covers 600 acres. Photo courtesy of Union County
Nonprofit tries to keep people in housing
MATTHEWS – The Matthews HELP Center is working to help residents avoid eviction and utility disconnection as prices increase and resources for financial assistance dwindle. The nonprofit provides short-term crisis assistance to neighbors in five zip codes: 28104 (Matthews/Stallings), 28105 (Matthews); 28226 and 28270 (Charlotte), and 28079 (Indian Trail). It provided more than $1.4 million in assistance to 11,000 residents from the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 to December 2021. “Over the past two years during the pandemic, we have seen the need nearly double,” Executive Director Sandra Conway said. “Thanks to the community and their support, we have been able to meet approximately 85% to 100% of the need, but with inflation and the increases in everything from gas to food to rent, there doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight. The cost of living continues to rise and wages are not. Individuals and families need a livable wage that will provide a decent standard of living.” Development Director Susan Ross said the Matthews HELP Center’s financial assistance program provides support for rent, utilities, daycare and transportation. Non-financial assistance includes three days of emergency food, clothing/shopping vouchers in its thrift store and referral resources. Ross said the community allowed for the center last fiscal year to provide $864,169 in financial and non-financial support services to 2,101 households impacting 5,662 individuals. “As the pandemic continues and individuals are having to be out of work due to quarantining, the request for financial assistance also continues,” Ross said. “During the month of January, the organization has provided more than $75,000 in financial assistance to the community on a budget of $35,000. That is significant and unsustainable without the continued support of our community. “We have also just learned that resources such as RAMP Charlotte have stopped taking applications for rent, hotel and utility support, which will add an additional strain to our resources and social work team.” People in need of help can apply at www.matthewshelpcenter.org. “Our social work team is very busy with families seeking help,” Conway said. “We will continue to support as many families as possible with available funding and small staff.”
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