Queen’s Grant caps off historic season Opera Carolina to bring ‘Hansel and Gretel’ to life page 20
page16 Volume 8, Number 9 • Feb. 26 to March 4, 2015
Abundant Life Church
will double in size and occupancy Abundant Life Church’s groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion took place Jan. 25. (Pictured, from left) General Contractors Bob Poole and Jeff Whittle, of Eclesia Construction; Abundant Life Church members Greg Taylor, Marc Hineman, Euell Watts, Rev. Brent Watts, Matthews Mayor Jim Taylor, Darren Bailey and Jason Thompson. Photo courtesy of Abundant Life Church
Response to proposed MARA stealth tower mostly positive Town considering request to increase height of existing tower on MARA property by Josh Whitener editor@matthewsminthillweekly.com
MATTHEWS – Leaders and residents of Matthews might have felt a smidgen of déjà vu earlier this week, as plans to extend the height of a stealth tower in town were discussed. But, unlike controversial plans to add a 120foot stealth tower on the campus of Elizabeth Lane
Elementary School more than a year ago, the majority of discussion this time was in favor of the tower. The Matthews Board of Commissioners held a public hearing Monday, Feb. 23, regarding a request from the Matthews Athletic and Recreation Association to rezone the site from an old “rural district” zoning to an R/I zoning – something MARA representatives say will better serve the organization currently and in the future. Along with the rezoning request, MARA discussed a separate issue – plans to revise the site plan to extend
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MATTHEWS – Rev. Brent Watts of Abundant Life Church believed sacrificing for another church would help his own congregation grow. He was right. After travelling missionary Antonio Marquez Sr. spoke to Watts’s congregation about serving in the Dominican Republic in October 2011, Watts felt called to help build a church there. While his church members worked to raise funds to pay off the debt their church owed on a $305,000 loan – used to build their current auditorium and building eight years ago – Watts asked the congregation to look past its own needs and reach out and help others. Watts believes God placed this message in his heart: “If you help a church build a building they can’t afford, the Lord will help you build a building you can’t afford.” Within sixth months after launching the fundraising campaign in January 2012, Abundant Life Church raised $15,000 to build a church in La (see Abundant Life on page 10
the height of an existing stealth tower from 80 feet to 120 feet. The stealth facility is located in an existing 80-foot light pole, according to Susan Urban, the attorney working with MARA on its site plan. While the permit granted in 2009 set the height limit at 80 feet, the facility was built to support a tower of up to 120 feet, Urban said. The existing facility, which currently isn’t operational as a stealth tower, is built to support only one carrier (T-Mobile) – however, an extension of 40 feet would allow the tower to support four additional carriers, Urban said. Surrounding tree coverage and topography prevent the tower from supporting more than one carrier at 80 feet tall, she added. (see MARA Stealth Tower on page 5)
INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Education, 12; Arts, 16; Calendar, 18; Sports, 20; Classifieds, 23
INTERIORS
22 GORGEOUS GARDENS
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