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INSIDE..........

Sports

Dyksterhouse wins GeoBee 5B

1B

Serving Belmont, Mount Holly, Stanley, Cramerton, and McAdenville

Volume 78 • Issue 6 • Wednesday, February 6, 2013

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MY VALENTINE

Suggs

Freightliner plans to lay off 1,200 workers

to be inducted into Belmont Sports Hall of Fame By Alan Hodge Editor

By Alan Hodge Editor

Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

The year 1957 was notable not only for introducing a great looking model of Chevrolet Bel Air car, but for also seeing star athlete Dick Suggs graduate from Belmont High School where he had earned letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track before going on to further accomplishments at Clemson University. Recognizing Suggs’ feats on the field, a committee of his pals and peers has selected him for induction into the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame during a banquet to be held on Tuesday, Feb. 19 See SUGGS, 4A

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Photo by Alan Hodge

Howard and Margaret Long of Belmont will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this coming March 20th.

The Longs... A love that has stood the test of time By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

Inappropriate student/staff relationships rare in our area By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

In addition to the other things parents have on their minds when they send their kids off to school are those disturbing cases where teachers or other staff members engage in what are often termed “inappropriate relationships” with students. Fortunately, cases where school staff members prey on students in a sexual way in Cleveland and Gaston counties are rare. “Cleveland County Schools has had no teachers suspended or fired for this reason in recent years,” said Donna Carpenter, director of public information for the district. In Gaston County, a case in January saw a Bessemer City High School bus driver, 33-year-old Kwanda Carpenter, charged with two counts of sexual activity with a student by a school employee after allegedly engaging in a sex act off campus with two boys, ages 16 and 17, last October. The male students allegedly tried to extort $60 from Carpenter via a Facebook post but they ended up being charged with blackmail. “Carpenter was dismissed from her bus-driving duties effective January 11,” said Gaston County Schools spokeswoman Bonnie Reidy. The only other recent case in Gaston County where a teacher was disciplined for alleged sexual activity with a student or students took place in February 2012 when East Gaston High teacher Bradford Wayne Mulkey, 32, was arrested and charged with indecent liberties with a child. The incident had allegedly taken place on Nov. 29, 2011. He resigned his position at East Gaston on Dec. 16, 2011. In July 2012, Mulkey pleaded not guilty to sexual battery. Mulkey had been hired by GCS in 2007. Mecklenburg County Schools have had several cases of inappropriate staff/student activity. The most recent being that of a Myers Park High School exceptional children teacher, 43-year-old Kristina Ngum. She was arrested Jan. 5, 2012 and charged with one count of sexual activity with a student. The alleged sex with a male See STUDENTS & STAFF, 6A

For some married couples the husband’s love of ball games proves a sticking point, but for 93-year-old Howard and 90-year-old Margaret Long of Belmont, baseball has been one of the glues that have kept them together for nearly three-quarters of a century. Come March 20, the Longs will have been married 70 years. They first met in 1942 when Howard was in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg doing his bit for the war effort, and playing on the post baseball team. Margaret was a native of Fayetteville working as a beautician and they met through a mutual friend. “Once he had to leave Fort Bragg for a while and go to Iceland,” Margaret said. “But we wrote letters to each other while he was gone.” The war and Iceland didn’t stop the Longs from getting married. On March 20, 1943 they were united in holy matrimony at First Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville.

“When the war was over I shouted hallelujah,” said Margaret. After his military stint, Howard worked in a variety of jobs including textiles and at the water treatment plant in Belmont. But no matter where he was, Howard stayed on the baseball diamond as a pitcher for numerous minor league teams. He not only played for the Belmont Combers, but also for a team in New York. Margaret recalled seeing Howard in action on the mound. “It was very exciting to see him play,” she said. “He loved baseball and I stood behind him in it.” Besides baseball, another bond that the Longs cite as a reason for their seven decades together is the church. They’re long-time members of East Belmont Presbyterian where they have served as Sunday school teachers and Howard as a deacon. “The Lord has been good to use in many ways,” Margaret said. “He will help you make it through hard times. It’s easy to love each other when you are around people that love each See LONGS, 4A

The poet T.S. Eliot said “April is the cruelest month” and that will certainly be the case for employees of Freightliner in Gaston County as well as Cleveland in Rowan County. The company announced last week that it will lay off about 1,200 workers on or about April 1 at its facilities in Mount Holly, Gastonia, and Cleveland. The Cleveland plant will likely see about 715 workers laid off. The Mount Holly plant will lose around 405 workers, and the Gastonia location. The largest cuts at Mount Holly plant will see 330 assemblers let go along folks in with other jobs such as millwrights, robotic technicians, welders, painters, and inspectors. At the Gastonia location, 38 machine operators will be cut along with other welders, material handlers, production workers, and inspectors. Ironically, President Barack Obama visited the Mount Holly factory last March and praised the firm for how it had weathered the Great Recession. Layoffs at Freightliner have happened in the past, and many workers were called back as the rollercoaster economy and demand for trucks waxed and waned. In February 2007, the Freightliner plant in

Mount Holly lost about onethird of its workforce. In 2009, the firm laid off around 2,000 workers in North Carolina, but called about half that number back just prior to Obama’s Mount Holly trip. The Freightliner layoffs won’t help the current unemployment picture not only in Gaston County but in the region and state as well. According to the latest numbers released last week by the NC Employment Security Commission, things are still looking rough as far as the number of folks without a job in Gaston County goes. As of December, 2012, 90,909 folks were employed in Gaston County versus 10,688 without work. The December 2012 figures show the county unemployment rate at 10.5 percent- that’s a full percentage point higher than the NC state average of 9.5 percent. The unemployment rate for the Charlotte-GastoniaRock Hill region was 9.3 percent. Mecklenburg County’s jobless rate was 9.3 percent in December. Statewide, 97 out of 100 counties in North Carolina saw unemployment rates rise for December, 2012. Graham County had the state’s highest unemployment with a rate of 18.5 percent. Orange County had the lowest with 5.9 percent joblessness.

A.M. Rollins School... not forgotten By Alan Hodge Editor

Photo by Alan Hodge

John Hope of Mount Holly shows one of the new engraved bricks ready to be installed in front of the monument to the Rollins School. The school was where Mount Holly’s African-America children were educated prior to integration in the late 1960s.

Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

Since February is officially known as Black History Month, it seems fitting to recognize a chapter in Mount Holly’s African-American heritage that is too often forgotten and whose only tangible evidence of having ever existed at all is a stone monument near the Rollins Apartments on South Hawthorne Street. What the stone marks is the location where the A.M. Rollins School stood from 19301969. The school was unique in that it was where all of Mount Holly’s black children in grades one through eight were educated before public schools were integrated in the late 1960s. The Rollins School was originally called the Mount Holly Colored School, but was later named after its first principal, A.M. Rollins. There was also another school for AfricanAmerican kids in the Lucia community, with just one teacher for all grades. This school eventually was merged with the Rollins School, meaning all African-American children in the area made the trek to S. Hawthorne St. Teachers at the Rollins School who needed a place to live and who had trouble finding transportation often stayed at the nearby home of Mrs. Roceda Bailey. With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of

1964, schools began to integrate and in 1969, Rollins School was closed. For a short time, the school building was used as a community center, but like the Reid High School in Belmont about the same time, Rollins was relegated to the wrecking ball.

OBITUARIES, 2-3A Margaret Chavers....................................Mount Holly Susan Coffey...........................................Mount Holly Cora Grice.......................................................Stanley Harold Helton.........................................Mount Holly David Hunsucker ......................................... Gastonia

But the memory and spirit of the Rollins School would not die. In the mid-1990s a group known as the Black History Committee and led by John Hope in Mount Holly began working See ROLLINS SCHOOL, 4A

INDEX Police................................................................................3A Valentine Specials!.......................................................4&5A Business of the Year ........................................................6A Sports.............................................................................1BS Schools.............................................................................4B

Page 2A

The Banner News

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

■OBITUARIES Margaret “Peggy� Chavers Loving wife and mother MOUNT HOLLY–Margaret Williams “Peggy� Chavers, 77, 121 Gregory Court, died on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. She was born in Marlboro County, SC, daughter of the late William Lucien and Margaret Terry

Williams. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Holly where she was a member of Circle #5. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and

sister. She is survived by her husband, Billy Gerald Chavers Sr.; one daughter, Kimberly Chavers Billings and her husband Jeff of Mount Holly; one son, Billy Gerald “Jerry� Chavers Jr. and his wife Lorie of Mount Holly; four grandchildren, Joseph and Jacob Billings, Morgan and Trey Chavers; one sister, Alyce Davenport

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and her husband John of Elizabethtown, NC. The family would like to offer special thanks to Hospice of Gaston County especially Callie, Kathy, and Heather for their care and compassion during this time. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Mrs. Chavers was held at 4,pm Sunday, Feb. 3, at the First United Methodist Church in Mount Holly with Reverend Angela Pleasants, Reverend Mitch Murrow, and Reverend C.B. Barr officiating. The family received friends from 2-3:30 pm Sunday in the church Fellowship Hall. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 140 N. Main St, Mt Holly, NC 28120; or to Hospice of Gaston County, PO Box 3984 Gastonia, NC 28054; or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 3800 Shamrock Dr. Charlotte, NC 28215. Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly is serving the family.

Susan Coffey

Cora Mae Grice

years, Carl Francis Grice. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Carolyn Frances Grice. She was a member of Hills Chapel United Methodist Church. She is survived by one son, Fred William Grice and his wife Kathy of High Point, NC; two sisters, Sarah Nixon of Stanley and Ann Brotherton of Newton, NC; two brothers, Tommy McIntosh of Dunwoody, Geo., and Baxter McIntosh of Mount Holly; two grandchildren, Lauren Grice Villani and husband Robert and their children Will, Alex and Luke of York, Penn., and Ryan Walker Grice and his two children, Uriah and Olivia

Member of Hills Chapel UM Church STANLEY- Cora Mae McIntosh Grice, 88, 1540 South Highway 16, died on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. She was born in Gaston C o u n t y, daughter of the late F r e d McIntosh a n d Maude H u i t t McIntosh. She was preceded in death by her husband of 69

Member of the Order of the Eastern Star MOUNT HOLLY- Susan Elizabeth Helton Coffey, 78, of 322 Eastwood Drive, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. She was born in Gast o n County, daughter of the late Kenneth Eugene and Avis Estelle Duckworth Helton. She was preceded in death by a son, Mark Edwyn Coffey; and a brother, Harold Helton. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mount Holly, a charter member of the Double-Decker Canasta Club, a charter member of the Vagabonds Travel Group, and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She is survived by her husband, Edwyn Lee Coffey; one daughter, Diane Coffey Donaldson and husband Randy of Belmont; three grandchildren, Adam D. Donaldson and wife

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Amber of Belmont, Kelli D. Watts and husband Michael of Belmont, and Haley D. Tucker and husband Chase of Mount Holly; three great-grandchildren, Emma Donaldson, Hannah Hyleman, and Neeli Tucker. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Mrs. Coffey was held at 4p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at The Woodlawn Chapel of Woodlawn Funeral Home with Reverend Kendell Cameron and Dr. Robert Winecoff officiating. The family received friends immediately following the service at the funeral home, and at other times will be at the home of her daughter and son in law, Diane and Randy Donaldson, 211 Oak Drive, Belmont. Memorials may be made to the Masonic and Eastern Star Home of NC, Inc., located in 700 South Holden Road, Greensboro, NC 27407. Woodlawn Funeral Home, Mount Holly is serving the family.

of Lincoln, Calif. The family would like to offer special thanks to caregivers Betty Wilke, Rebecca Knetter, Susan McGinnis, Jessica Childers, Kelli Hogue, Trisha Harris and Gladys Campo. A service to celebrate the life of Mrs. Grice was held at 4 pm Friday, Feb. 1 at Hills Chapel United Methodist Church with Dr. Val Rosenquist officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. The family received friends one hour prior to the service at the church and at other times at the home of her sister Sarah Nixon 1550 South Highway 16, Stanley, NC. Memorials may be made to Hills Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery Trust Fund, 988 South Hwy. 16, Stanley, NC 28164. Woodlawn Funeral Home in Mount Holly is serving the family.

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Fellowship & Faith

Church Service Directory BELMONT Alexander Memorial Baptist Church 208 South Main Street 704-825-3216 Brotherhood/Sisterhood Wncc. 120 Park Street 704-825-1333 Catawba Heights Baptist Church 311 Belmont Avenue 704-827-8474 Catawba Heights Wesleyan Church 101 Beaty Rd., Belmont 704-827-8381 Centerview Baptist Church 2300 Acme Road 704-827-2061 East Belmont Baptist Church 501 Catawba Street 704-825-5780 East Belmont Church Of God 320 E. Catawba Street 704- 825-8845 East Belmont Free Will Baptist 909 Edgemont Ave 704-825-5346 East Belmont Presbyterian Church 901 Catawba Street 704-825-8822 Ebenezer United Methodist Church 120 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road 704-827-3366 First Baptist Church 23 N. Central Avenue 704-825-3758 First Foursquare Gospel Church 8 Elizabeth Street 704-825-5811 First Presbyterian Church 102 S. Central Ave 704-825-3357 First Presbyterian-Belmont 112 S. Central Ave 704-829-0668

First United Methodist Church of Belmont 807 South Point Road 704-825-2106 Forest Pointe Church Meets at Stowe Family YMCA Bldg. 704-825-1709 Fresh Anointing Church of God 71 McAdenville Road 704-825-7283 Friendship Baptist Church 5008 S. New Hope Rd 704-825-3276 Full Gospel Church 106 School St 704-827-9621 Gaston Christian Church 5339 S. New Hope Rd 704-825-8252 Goshen Presbyterian Church Roper Street 704-827-6280 Grace Korean Chr. Assembly-God 124 Georgia Belle Ave 704-829-1091 Grace Wesleyan Church 6014 S. New Hope Rd 704-825-7959 Henry’s Chapel Ame Zion Church 151 Henry Chapel Rd 704-825-0711 Holy Comforter Lutheran Church 216 N. Main St. 704-825-2483 Hood Memorial Ame Zion Church 455 Sacco St. 704-825-6007 Loves Chapel Presbyterian Church 204 Lincoln St. 704-825-8342 Message of Love Church 306 Pearl Beaty Dr. 704-827-6500

Mount Moriah Baptist Church 110 Lincoln St. 704-825-2046 Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist 212 South Street 704-825-7269 New Hope Presbyterian Church 4357 S. New Hope Rd., Gastonia 704-824-1697 New Life Baptist Church 201 Oak Trail 704-822-6195 New Mills Chapel Fire Baptised 104 Morning Glory Ave. 704-825-5457 North Belmont Church of God 2316 Acme Rd. 704-827-4092 O’Conner Grove Church Ame Zion 613 N. Main Street 704-825-5576 Park Street United Methodist 120 Park Street 704-825-8480 Power of the Spirit Church 118 School Street 704-827-7071

Featured Church of the Week Ebenezer United Methodist Church Queen Of The Apostles Catholic Church 503 N. Main Street 704-825-9600 South Point Baptist Church 124 Horsley Ave. 704-825-9516 South Point Freewill Baptist 297 Gaither Rd. 704-825-8045 South Point United Methodist 510 Southpoint Church Rd. 704-825-4019 Springwood Freewill Baptist 220 Park Terrace Dr. 704-827-7801

Notice In order to accommodate the number of churches in our communities, we will print two alternating lists of churches each week. If you don’t see the church you’re looking for, be sure to check next weeks paper.

St. Marks United Methodist Church 701 Secrest Ave. 704-825-8175 Stowe Memorial Baptist Church 26 Kee Rd. 704-825-5987 Unity Baptist Church 1005 Catawba St. 704-825-8730 Upper Room United Pentecostal 1405 Armstrong Ford Rd. 704-825-0604 Will of God Church 513 Woodlawn Ave. 704-827-5185

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The Banner News

Page 3A

Over 600,000 visited Gaston County’s main library last year! By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

The Gaston County Public Library system has released figures showing how many folks avail themselves of its facilities and the numbers are astonishing. During the course of a year, well over 600,000 visits were made to both the main library in Gastonia and branches scattered throughout the county. Adult book circulations nudged 500,000, juvenile circulations nearly 300,000, and non-book circulations including materials such as tapes, CDs and the like were at around 200,000. Total circulations tallied nearly one million per year. Reference questions answered by library staff on

every topic under the sun amounted to over 400,000 queries. Special programs drew about 50,000 people to the Gaston County libraries. Local branches such as Belmont, Mount Holly, Lowell, and Stanley racked up over 131,000 visitors and over 180,000 circulations. Computer use in these four branches worked out to over 18,000 per year. Program attendance was over 11,000 folks. But the success that the Gaston County library system achieves- even in the face of reduced hours, funding, and staff- is measured by more than numbers, it can also be measured by the impact it has on folks of all ages, especially young children. One of the library’s most

Photo by Alan Hodge

Belmont branch library storyteller Shannon Potter was seen reading a tale to Tucker Cameron, Annabel Schuler, and Ava Paris at last week’s program. Story time at Gaston County libraries not only introduces kids to books, it gives them and parents time to socialize with friends. popular programs is the story-telling sessions held every week for kids. These programs not only help introduce children to the world of books, but also foster social skills and even give parents a chance to mingle or sit and read while the kids are whooping it up in the story area of the library. Shannon Potter is branch head at the library in Belmont and one of her jobs is

storytelling. “The storytelling programs start children on a healthy relationship with

Riverbend plant to shut down aquatic life are safe,� he told council members. However, councilman Bill Toole, an attorney with experience in environmental matters, left the meeting wanting more information. “I am greatly appreciative that Duke came and told us about what they are doing with coal ash,� Toole said. “But there needs to be a conversation, not just ‘trust us’.� Right now, when the time comes to turn out the lights for the last time at Riverbend station, Duke has two plans in the works for disposing of the coal ash stored there. One would see the water in the settling ponds drained and the ash allowed to dry. It would then be capped to prevent rainwater from causing the ash to seep into the groundwater. Another approach could see the coal ash slurry in the ponds scooped out, but that would mean Duke would need to find another place for it to go. In either case, the ponds and surrounding area would need monitoring for years.

By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

Duke Energy announced last week that it will shut down its Riverbend Steam Station on Mountain Island Lake in April- two years earlier than previously planned. Not only that, but following inspection for contaminants such as asbestos, the station’s smokestacks and brick buildings will eventually be knocked down and the site planted with vegetation. The coal-fired Riverbend facility has been generating electricity since 1929 and is one of two Duke Energy generating plants near Eastern Gaston County, the other being Allen Steam Station in Belmont. In addition to the Riverbend plant, Duke Energy also plans to close another coal-fired facility, the circa 1926 Buck station in Rowan County, ahead of schedule. In recent years, the Riverbend plant had been operating at a reduced rate with only one of its original four

generating units working. Riverbend, as well as the rest of Duke Energy’s coalfired plants, have been the source of debate concerning disposal of the ash and other by-products formed by the combustion of the fossil fuel. Much of the controversy has included the coal ash ponds at locations like Riverbend and concerns about heavy metals and other chemicals leaching from them into groundwater, Mountain Island Lake, and the Catawba

River. Last month, Duke Energy representative Tim Gause gave a presentation to the Belmont City Council outlining what steps the firm had gone to regarding the disposal of coal ash. Gause’s talk included charts and graphs showing the amount of contaminants to be negligible. Gause also declared water quality and fauna in the lake and river to be excellent. “The drinking water and

â– OBITUARIES Harold Helton U.S. Navy Veteran MOUNT HOLLYHarold Everette Helton, 81, of 108 Forest Drive, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. He was born in Gaston County, son of the late Kenneth Eugene and Avis Estelle Duckworth Helton. He was p r e ceded in death by his wife, Doris Caroline Miller Helton; and a sister, Susan Helton Coffey. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mount Holly where he was Deacon Emeritus, a Sunday School

teacher, former president of the Vagabonds Travel Group, and held various other offices in the church. He was a US Navy Veteran of the Korean War. He is survived by one son, Harold Helton, Jr., and wife Karen of Alexis; two daughters, Kathy Helton Teague and husband Carle, and Cheryl Helton Lineberger all of Mount Holly; five grandchildren, Anna Czekaj and husband Dariusz of Mount Holly, Brandon Helton and wife Katie of Mooresville, Jamie Lineberger and wife Jessica of Iron Station, Kristen Helton Taylor and husband Matthew of Wilkesboro, NC, and Jonathan Teague of Mount Holly; four great-grandchildren, Madison, Adam,

David Lee Hunsucker

Aubrey, and Caroline. A service to celebrate the life of Mr. Helton was held at 11a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013, at The First Baptist Church in Mount Holly with Reverend Kendell Cameron and Dr. Robert Winecoff officiating. Burial followed at Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery. The family received friends from 6 to 9p.m. Monday at the First Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to the Building Fund of First Baptist Church, 300 South Main Street, Mount Holly, NC 28120. Woodlawn Funeral Home, Mount Holly is serving the family.

GASTONIA - David Lee Hunsucker, 86, 2920 Berwick Lane, Gastonia passed away peacefully Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013 at his residence. He was a native of Cabarrus County, born Aug. 20, 1926 to the late John David and Clidie Mae Keller Hunsucker. Funeral services were at 2pm Thursday Jan. 31, at Lutheran Chapel Church with Rev. Michael Cromer officiating. Visitation was 30 minutes prior to the service. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

books and reading,� Potter said. “There are so many wonderful books and stories to chose from, and the children seem to like anything that’s read to them.� Story time is not just about books; the kids also get a dose of other activities as well. “We also do singing and dancing that gives them a break from having to sit for a long time,� Potter said. “At the end we might do a craft project that goes along with the theme of the program. They love making crafts.� A recent morning at the Belmont branch library saw Janessa Brock bring her twoyear-old daughter Ava Paris to the story time session. “She gets so excited about being able to come here and meet her friends,� Brock said. “It’s a great way to interact and meet new people.� Ava agreed with her mom. “My favorite part are the books like Dora the Explorer,� she said. “I like the dancing too.�

Another story time regular at Belmont is Melissa Schuler who brings her daughter Annabel on a regular basis. “Attending the story time programs not only gets us out of the house it helps keep us on a regular schedule so I know when to bring our books back. Annabel loves the dancing and movement that is part of the programs as well.� Overall, the weekly story time programs at Gaston County libraries provide an invaluable benefit to the community to taxpayers and tots alike. Story time schedules for libraries in our area are- Toddlers ages 1-2 years: Belmont, Thursdays at 10am; Lowell, Fridays at 11am; Mount Holly, Tuesdays at 10:30am; Stanley, Wednesdays at 10:30am. Preschool ages 3-6 years: Belmont, Tuesdays at 10am; Lowell, Wednesdays at 10:30am; Mount Holly, Thursdays at 10:30am; Stanley, Fridays at 10:30am.

â– BELMONT Jan. 28: James David Wintons, drug violations, arrested by Det. Pullen, 201 Chronicle St. Jan. 28: James Edward Hand, manufacture, sell, distribute, deliver marijuana, arrested by Det. T. Buchanon, 201 Chronicle St. Jan. 28: Cory Deshawn Foust, communicating threats, criminal damage to personal property, arrested by Cpl. M. Harris, Central Ave. at Todd St. Jan. 28: Michael Ian McCutheon, larceny, arrested by Officer M. Elizondo, 701 Hawley Ave. Jan. 28: Jon Christian Blackwelder, possession of Sch. III, possession of less than ½ oz. marijuana, arrested by Officer K. Wingate, 7304 Wilkinson Blvd. Jan. 29: Joseph Shane Pasour, resisting a public officer, malicious conduct, injury to real property, arrested by Officer M. Elizondo, railroad tracks by middle school. Jan. 29: Crystal Lynn Kennedy, larceny shoplift-

POLICE

ing, arrested by Officer B. Herndon, 701 Hawley Ave. Jan. 31: Mark Alan Cavender, fighting, arrested by Cpl. J. Pierson, 603 Park St. Feb. 1: Tammy Rene Jester, fraud worthless checks, arrested by Officer M. Hall, 506 Secrest Ave. Feb. 1: John Andrew Jester, fraud worthless checks, arrested by Cpl. M. Harris, 506 Secrest Ave. Feb. 2: Marcelo Andres Montalvan, possess fraud ID, possess malt beverage underage, arrested by Officer K. Wingate, Main St. Crossing. Feb. 2: Doye Moose Hager, larceny shoplifting, trespassing, arrested by Officer F. Bollinger, 701 Hawley Ave. Feb. 2: Kendall Travis McCord, driving while license revoked, arrested by Officer M. Kelske, 503 N. Main St. Feb. 2: Brian Lee Haynie, simple physical assault, arrested by Officer F. Bollinger, 540 Elm Tree Ln.

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Page 4A

The Banner News

ROLLINS SCHOOL: not forgotten on a project to commemorate the school and the work that had gone on there. Through fund-raisers, corporate and private sponsorships, and the sale of brick pavers engraved with the names of donors, an eightfoot granite monument and “Memory Walk� sidewalk in honor of the Rollins School was constructed where the school had once stood. Currently, there are 130 engraved bricks on the Memory Walk and plans are for a Phase II extension of it to be constructed as soon as funds are raised. Applications for engraved bricks are

available at Mount Holly City Hall. Small bricks are $50 and large ones will sell for $150. The cost covers engraving and installation. The granite monument is engraved with a likeness of the school as well as the names of principals Rollins and Willie McDuffie. In front of the monument are three granite pavers bearing the names of notable Mount Holly African-Americans such as Hope, City Manager Danny Jackson, and Mount Holly Sports Hall of Fame member John Farrar. The culmination of the project came on Sept. 12, 2009 with an unveiling of the monument and speeches

by Mount Holly civic leaders. Monuments and speeches are good, but the impact that the Rollins School had on students is perhaps greater. Hope recalled his days from 1959-1967 when he was a student there. “I loved the Rollins School,� he said “It was more like a family than a school. Everyone took care of everyone else. The principal, Mr. Rollins, knew all the families and was a great man.� Hope points out with pride that he was later a member of the same college fraternity as Rollins, Kappa Alpha Psi.

Another former Rollins student, Anthony Burch, grew up near the school and still lives across Hawthorne St. from where it stood. “It was a great school,� he said. “I had a lot of friends there and I hated it when the school was torn down.� Today, Ida Rankin Elementary is where students, black and white, in the Hawthorne St. area of Mount Holly attend classes, but fittingly, the Rollins School story is remembered on the Ida Rankin website for its pioneering role in education.

SUGGS: to be inducted into Sports Hall of Fame From page 1A at 7pm at Park Street United Methodist Church. “I am humbled, flattered, and honored all at the same time to be inducted into the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame,� Suggs said. “I want to thank the committee who saw fit to induct me as well as thank God for giving me the ability to accomplish whatever I have accomplished.� Suggs began his career as a scholar-athlete in eighth grade where he was on the JV baseball team at Belmont Central. At Belmont High in 1953 when he was one of just three freshmen members on the Conference Championship football team, the other two being Buddy Eller and Joe Lewis. His sophomore year saw Suggs sidelined with a broken wrist. During the 1955 and 1956 seasons, Suggs

Dick Suggs played the quarterback position with such aplomb that he was named “Back of the Week� by the Gaston Gazette. In 1957, Suggs was named Best Athlete by his Belmont High classmates and was also captain of the football squad. But Suggs wasn’t a onedimensional athlete. On the baseball diamond, Suggs was always ready to take to the field and in four years at Belmont High only missed one game. For 1956 and 1957, Suggs was named an All Conference baseball player.

He also played basketball for Coach Dwight Frady. Not one to hog the limelight, players that Suggs recalled from his BHS days include Jimmy Hall, Doug Mauldin, Harold Stowe, Jim Biggerstaff, Reg “Moon� Huffstetler, and Gary Cannon. Suggs’ passion for baseball extended beyond the schoolyard. He played four years for the Gastonia America Legion team where he was a teammate of Toby Bradshaw and Kermit Williams, both also from Belmont. He was on the 1956 team that lost the state championship to Wilmington after seven hard-fought games. After graduating from his beloved Belmont High, Suggs attended Clemson University where he continued his baseball career at third base. At Clemson, he was on the team that won the ACC Championship as well

as a District Three Regional Championship against Florida State, George Washington, and Georgia Tech. The team also took part in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Suggs graduated from Clemson in 1964 with a degree in Agricultural Economics and worked for 25 years with the Farm Credit System. Currently, Suggs lives with his wife the former Jean Rankin in Cary, NC where he worked for over two decades as a substitute teacher and also coached football and baseball at the middle and high school level. He was born on March 7, 1939 and raised on a dairy farm in the New Hope community near Belmont. Suggs credits that upbringing tending the cows and crops with teaching him the sense of responsibility and self-discipline that helped him in his sports career.

Sweetheart on Feb. 14th...

Every February candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

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On Friday, Jan. 25, the Gaston County Police Department, Animal Control Division received a call from Dr. Kim Moore of Wilkinson Animal Hospital in Gastonia. Dr. Moore reported a woman had brought in her sick kitten. According to Dr. Moore, the kitten was displaying neurological symptoms associated with rabies and was euthanized. Dr. Moore requested rabies testing. Officials reported on Tuesday, Jan. 29, the kitten had tested positive for rabies. Two other cats in thehousehold, had been vacci-

nated against rabies and only rabies booster shots are recommended. North Carolina State law requires non-vaccinated dogs or cats that are exposed to a positive rabies vector, to be put to sleep or quarantined for a six-month period, at the owner’s expense. Gaston County Health officials have been notified and Animal Control will be canvassing the immediate area to advise residents of the incident and to verify pet rabies vaccinations. This represents the first positive rabies case in Gaston County this year.

LONGS: their love has stood the test of time From page 1A other too.� Another reason the Longs have stood the test of time in their marriage is because they simply like spending time with each other. “We just wanted to be together,� said Howard. “And we care for each other.� These days the Longs are regulars at the East Gaston Adult Day Care facility in Catawba Heights where they enjoy socializing with friends and the staff. They live in the same house on Point Drive in Belmont that they moved into back in 1963 and that they share with daughter Diane Stinson and her husband Dan, who incidentally have been mar-

The Long’s... back when ried for 42 years. Overall, the Longs look back on their years together with fondness. Or, as Howard said with a twinkle in his eye: “We’ve certainly had a time.� Here’s wishing them many more years together.

The History of Valentine's Day

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One legend contends that Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death According to one leg-

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From page 1A

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

end, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — possibly his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The Banner News

Page 5A

A baby, a marriage, and a little red corvette By Alan Hodge Editor Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

Most folks would give anything to be able to take a ride in a classic Corvette convertible, but for Amy Austin Brown of Belmont, not only has she ridden in her parents’ Jimmy and Myra Austin’s cool 1965 model, she’s been a passenger in it on two of the most important days of her life. The first time Brown found herself in the ‘vette was on her way home from Presbyterian Hospital shortly after having entered the world on April 14, 1978. “I drove the Corvette to the hospital to see Myra not thinking she would want to come home so soon after having Amy,� Jimmy said. “When I got there she said she was ready to go. We had to pack diapers and all that sort of free stuff they give you in the car as well as the three of us.� Myra also recalled that homecoming in the red convertible. “We didn’t have a car seat for Amy but it didn’t matter because there were only two seats in the car anyway,� she said. “There was so little room that if we had tried to get one more flower in the car we would have had to leave Amy at the hospital.� Amy is the granddaughter of Dorothy Austin and the late Archie Austin of Bel-

Contributed Photos

Amy Austin Brown and Michael Neil Brown were married Dec. 1, 2012 in Monck’s Corner, S.C. mont. Also of the late Virgie Byrum and Ken Byrum of Monroe. After that first Corvette ride, time marched along for Amy. She went on to graduate from South Point High, and attended UNCC, and is currently enrolled at Trident Tech where she will graduate from this spring with an Associates Degree. December 1, 2012 saw another milestone in her life come about when she married Michael N. Brown of Moncks Corner, S.C.- and the Corvette was there as well. Brown calls the car “Amy’s chariot�. It was his idea to include the Corvette in the wedding festivities. Brown is a graduate of Moncks Corner High School and the US Merchant Marine Academy. He works for

anniversary of Valentine's death or burial others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt through-

Bridge Terminal Transport based in Charleston. His parents are Bob and Margie Brown also of Moncks Corner and grandparents the late Elmer and Ivelyn Brown of Dublin, Georgia and the late Joseph and Alice Drove of Charleston. Jimmy drove the Corvette down to Moncks Corner with the pastor of Park Street United Methodist Church, Rev. Gary Richardson. “It was an awesome feeling when my dad took me to the wedding in the Corvette,� Amy said. “It was pretty amazing to recall that I had come home from the hospital sitting on my mother’s lap in it after I was born and now I was going to my wedding in it as well.� Jimmy also relished the

Amy Austin Brown is seen with her parents’ Jimmy and Myra Austin’s 1965 Corvette that not only brought her home from the hospital when she was born but took her to her recent wedding as well. ride with Amy to her wedding. “The ride gave the two of us some quality time together,� he said. “It worked out great.� The ceremony saw Amy given away by her parents with her daughter Ariel as maid of honor. Michael’s daughter, Maddie was junior bridesmaid and son Ben was ringbearer. Brown’s brother Robbie was best man. After the wedding, a reception was held at Gatherings in Dorchester, S.C. Jimmy’s red ’65 Corvette

being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a

out their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. The boys sliced goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed

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The Mount Holly Black History Committee will be holding its 10th annual Forum on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 3pm in the Mount Holly Municipal Complex, 400 E. Central Avenue. This year’s theme will be “Celebrating a Decade of Service.� The event will include music, dancing, food, and the handing out of various awards and recognitions. For more information, contact John Hope at 980-5220248.

printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

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poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans in 1415 to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century,

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Page 6A

The Banner News

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

H&M Deli selected as 2012 Business of the Year

Chamber Photos

Hans and Megan Kanal, owners of H&M Deli in Cramerton, were presented Business of the Year 2012 at the recent Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce banquet and awards ceremony. Herre Named Chamber Chairman Brian Herre of Park Sterling Bank was elected chairman of the Montcross Area Chamber Board of Directors at the 53rd Annual Celebration & Meeting in the Grand Hall of Mount Holly’s Municipal Complex. More than 230 Chamber members and friends attended the event, which featured two receptions, a dinner, presentation of awards and a silent auction. CaroMont Health was the presenting sponsor. Other officers elected for 2013 are: Chair-Elect Brad Thomas of Creative Solutions Special Events, Treasurer Marc Burns of Techtheon Global Solutions, Secretary Dr. Joe Keith of Gaston College, Past-Chair Timothy Roberts of Cottage Keepers. New members elected to the Board are: Alex Mullineaux of CaroMont Health, Melia Lyerly of the Lyerly Agency, Jane Collins of PSNC Energy, Monte Monteleone of Belmont Abbey College, David Hamrick of Gaston Alive! Magazine, and Lee Hyde of McKenney Family Dealer-

ships. Public Service Award The Chamber selected Stanley Parks and Recreation Director Tug Deason for the 2012 public Service Award for his work in making Harper Park a reality. The Public Service Award is named in honor of the late Harley B. Gaston, Jr., one of the founders of the Chamber, who served as president in 1970 and was a distinguished attorney and judge and a dedicated community leader and public servant. Deason was also recognized for his volunteer work in Stanley. Tug voluntarily coordinates and distributes Christmas gifts and food to the less fortunate each December. Taking money from his own pocket and soliciting contributions, he helped more than 80 people last Christmas. He volunteers his time to serve seniors in the community and last year coordinated Nic O’Brien Day to honor a local Marine who sacrificed his life fighting for our freedom in Afghanistan.

EPIC Award For their many accomplishments in business and their willingness to give back, the Montcross Area Chamber Board of Directors named D.J. Toal and Scott Toal recipients of the 2012 EPIC Award, which stands for “Entrepreneurial, Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative.� Brothers D.J. Toal and Scott Toal have been launching entrepreneurial new businesses in Belmont since 2001. That’s when D.J. and wife Alicia moved their twoyear-old Bisque Imports business from their barn to Belmont. Three years later they bought and moved the business into the 80,000square-foot former Majestic Mill at 406 East Catawba Street. Bisque is fired unglazed pottery, just one of many products Bisque Imports now distributes to customers around the world. Scott Toal heads up Short Run Pro, which designs and fabricates custom metal parts for rapid turn-around delivery to customers worldwide. Short Run Pro operates from another Belmont building

Belmont businessmen Scott and DJ Toal were given the 2012 EPIC Award for their entrepreneurial spirit at the recent Montcross Chamber banquet.

Brian Herre (left) of Park Sterling Bank was named director of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, he’s seen receiving his award from 2012 director Timothy Roberts. given new life by the Toals at 52 Ervin Street. In 2012, the Toals bought another historic Belmont mill, the National, which was built in 1907 at 710 Catawba Street. That 120,000-square-foot property now is home to Slumpy’s, yet another Toal brothers business, which makes and sells molds for forming glass products. The Toals also helped the Chamber establish an Entrepreneurs Roundtable and host a regional Entrepreneur Summit to help others learn how to start and grow new businesses.

Business of the Year The Chamber selected Cramerton-based H&M Deli as its Business of the Year 2012. It isn’t the largest business in town or one of the oldest. In fact, the husband and wife team of Hans and Megan Kanal started their deli just four years ago, right in the middle of the worst recession in 80 years, they often point out. But H&M is huge in terms of its contribution to creating a thriving business climate in Cramerton. Town officials point out that H&M Deli was the anchor for the redevelopment

STUDENTS & STAFF: inappropriate relationships rare in local counties From page 1A student was off-campus. Even though cases such as Carpenter, Mulkey, and Ngum crop up, Gaston, Cleveland, and other school districts across North Carolina, as well as the NC Dept. of Public Instruction, have policies and procedures in place to try and stop individuals from being hired who have a criminal background. Also those who having been hired and later fired for a crime or crimes that make them a bad risk for being around kids, then move to another location in the state looking for an education job. Vanessa Jeter, director of communications for NCDPI, explained. “We look across the whole state and take these situations extremely seriously. If a person does a crime in one district we want to make sure they can’t just go a couple of counties over to another school district.� Reidy says all employees of GCS must go through an exhaustive screening process. “We are very careful in who we hire to work with children,� Reidy said. “New employees must have a criminal background check, drug screening, and have three letters of reference before they are hired. Bus driv-

ers are also required to have random drug tests. We only want the best employees for our schools.� School staff who commit acts that require discipline are ultimately dealt with by officials in Raleigh. According the NC Board of Education, there are nine grounds for suspending or revoking a teaching license in North Carolina. One of these includes “illegal, unethical, or lascivious conduct�. School administrators can also get in hot water for failing to report knowledge of such conduct by members of their staff. In Burke County, administrators at Hildebran Elementary School are currently being sued for allegedly failing to tell officials about a teacher who pleaded guilty to posting explicit photos of children on the Internet and also to sexually assaulting them. The teacher, Michael Alexander, was sentenced to 50 years in Central Prison. Even if a school staff member is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student in North Carolina, the process to take their teacher’s license can be a long one involving several layers of hearings and appeals. Since 1967, the State Board of Education revoked 430 licenses statewide.

If a teacher’s license is revoked, the State Board of Education reports the action to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification Clearinghouse (NASDTEC), so that other states can be made aware of the situation. NC General Statute 115C-333(d) requires local school boards such as GCS or Cleveland County Schools to notify the State Board of Education each time it fires an employee for any reason other than reduction in workforce. Local boards must also send copies of dismissal letters to the Legal Affairs Office of the State Board for examination and filing. The State Board is required to make these names available to school systems which is done by a secure Internet site. Only authorized persons are able to access the list of dismissed teachers. Even though cases of inappropriate relationships between school staff and students are rare, they sometimes take place, but that doesn’t mean that every step humanly possible isn’t taken by state and district officials to prevent them from occurring or if they do, that the guilty party is dealt with as quickly and firmly as possible.

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Tug Deason, Stanley parks and recreation director, was given the 2012 Public Service Award at the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce banquet and awards ceremony.

of the Town Center Area and has taken an active role in improving the town and encouraging growth. The deli is a loyal supporter of the Parks and Recreation Department through volunteering time, donating food for special events and taking part in the department’s participant discount program. H&M was voted Gaston’s Best Deli for each of the past three years, Best Catering in 2011 and 2012 and Best Breakfast in 2011.

DSBG Wedding Showcase All brides are invited to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden during its annual Wedding Showcase on Feb. 17 from noon to 5 p.m. All brides, regardless of their planned wedding venue, will receive free admission to the event.. Whether they are looking for new ideas or for help in planning a dream wedding, they will find a top-quality vendor ready to lend a hand. Guests will have numerous opportunities to talk with the Garden’s staff and its partners about booking and planning every detail of the perfect wedding. During the event, guests will be able to meet with representatives from event sponsor Best Impressions Caterers, the Garden’s exclusive catering and event equipment rental company. In addition to Best Impressions, dozens of vendors will offer the latest trends in wedding attire, photography, food & beverage menus and samples, floral arrangements, entertainment needs and much more for the big day. Exclusive discounts will be offered to all brides at the show who book their event at the Garden.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The Banner News

Page 1B

â– SPORTS

East Gaston shuts out West Meck By John Wilson John.bannernews@gmail.com

The East Gaston Warriors wrestling team continued to pound away at their competition. Last week the Warriors shut out the West Mecklenburg Hawks 78-0. The win puts the Warriors record at 15-3 on the year. East Gaston last team meet of the year will come against Olympic on February 6th. East Gaston was once again aided by the fact that their opponents only fielded a limited amount of wrestlers. East Gaston won 10 matches by forfeit. The Hawks only brought 4 wrestlers to challenge the East Gaston squad. The first actual match was a battle in the 113pound weight class. In that

match East Gaston sophomore Eric Harvey took it to his opponent. Harvey pinned Tri Lee Rash of West Meck. Harvey is now 19-8 this year. The next match took place in the 132-pound class. Jacob Grigg showed why many consider him one of the top wrestlers in the state. Grigg won a 20-13 decision over the Hawks Javariuos Fleming. Griggs record now stands at a very impressive 44-1. In the 138 pound match up East Gaston’s Jared Bassett bested West Meck’s Irwin Willams 6-2. Barrett is now 31-9 on the season. To round out the night East Gaston senior Alex Ledford pinned Fontavious Harding in the 152-pound match. Ledford has im-

proved his head to head record to 40-7. East Gaston’s last team meet of the year will come against Olympic on February 6th. This will also be the Warriors last match up as a member of the Mega-7 Conference. Next year East Gaston will move back to the Gaston County based Big South Conference. Match Results 106: Mason Lewis (East Gaston) won by forfeit 113: Eric Harvey (East Gaston) won by pin over Tri Lee Rash (West Mecklenburg) 120: Michael Bedard (East Gaston) won by forfeit 126 :Evan Abernathy (East Gaston) won by forfeit 132: Jacob Grigg (East Gaston) won by decision over

Javariuos Fleming (West Mecklenburg) 20-13 138: Jared Bassett (East Gaston) won by decision over Irwin Williams (West Mecklenburg) 6-2.3 145 :Tristin Frazier (East Gaston) won by forfeit 152: Alex Ledford (East Gaston) won by pin over Fontavius Harding (West Mecklenburg) . 160: William Metts (East Gaston) won by forfeit 170: Tyler Spurling (East Gaston) won by forfeit 182 :Mark Bedard (East Gaston) won by forfeit 195: Austin Beatty (East Gaston) won by forfeit 220: Sam McInnis (East Gaston) won by forfeit 285: Jordan Wilson (East Gaston) won by forfeit

Tyler Price of East Gaston cuts around an Ashbrook High player during the recent game between the two rival schools. Ashbrook won by a score of 69-59. Photos by Bill Ward

The Gaston County Rugby Club defeated Davidson College Feb. 2 by a score of 85 to 7. It was a bit of a grudge match, as the last time the two teams played in October of 2012, the game was tied 5- all after 78 minutes of play, when a Davidson player picked up a loose ball and ran 85 yards for a try. Time expired as they kicked the two-point conversion for a final score of Davidson 12 - 5 Gaston RFC.

East Gaston girls’ basketball player Raven Brooks goes for a jump shot in the recent game against Ashbrook. The contest saw Ashbrook win by a close score of 49-35.

Contributed Photo

■ABBEY SPORTS Women’s 4x400 relay team sets record Ryan Caulley set the pace for the Belmont Abbey College track and field team at the Hilton-Garden Track Meet held at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem on Saturday. Caulley ran the 3000 meters in a time of 9:01.01 to break Tim Gill’s school record set last year at UNC Chapel Hill in 9:06.16. Caulley placed 29th out of the field of 65 runners at the meet that was represented by nearly 50 colleges. The Distance Medley Relay Team of Dustin Stew-

art, Jean Luc Rolland, StephYves Louis, and Tim Gill established the school record in the event by competing at the distance for the first time. The team covered the 4000 meter race in a time of 10:37.70 and finished 4th out of 10 schools. Stewart covered 1200 meters in a time of 3:08.7, Rolland the 400 meters in 55.3, Louis the 800 meters in 2:08.8, and Gill the 1600 meters in 4:24.9. The Belmont Abbey women also established a school record in the Distance

Medley Relay with a time of 13:19.26. The team was represented by Brianna Mosby who ran the 1200 meters in 4:18.6, Lauren Smith who blistered the 400 meters in 67.6, Bri Crisi who paced the 800 meters in 2:30.2, and Lucy Schmitz who did the 1600 meters in 5:22.7. The team placed 8th out of 10 schools. Photo by Bill Ward

The final record of the meet was accomplished by the Women’s 4 x 400 meter Relay team of Smith, Saralee Martelly, Leondra Pridgen, and Crisi. The ran a time of 4:19.21 and broke the team record set last year at High Point where they ran a 4:24.14.

Belmont Abbey’s Tyshawn Good scored 23 points in the recent 86-85 win over Limestone College.

One other personal best performance was turned in by Ally Craven in the 3000 meter run were she improved her best by 6 seconds in the 3000 meters with a time of 11:00.72 placing 29th out of 53 runners.

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

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Page 3B

Belmont Parks and Rec news

Out & About

Belmont Parks and Recreation has announced spring sports registration YOUTH BASEBALL: Belmont Parks & Recreation Department is holding registration for Youth Baseball for ages 6-14 from Friday, February 1 until Saturday February 9 on a first come first serve basis. The registration fee is $40 in city, $65 out of city. You can signup online at www.cityofbelmont.org or at the recreation dept. located at 37 East Woodrow Ave in Belmont. For more information please call 704-901-2070, email gaguirre@cityofbelmont.org, or visit www.cityofbelmont.org.

At left: Cole Elkins of Cramerton was all smiles after he finished a nice piece of chocolate as well as some warm sunshine last week in downtown Belmont.

Charlotte Civic Orchestra

Middle: Last week’s warm weather spell had dog owners Ben Herman and Susan Anthony out for a stroll near Stowe Park. The dogs are named Jolie Madam and Luka. out and about pic #3 cutline Bottom: Friends, from left Brenda Porter, Brandy Berckman, and Liz Houghton were doing some window shopping and rayscatching during last week’s warm spell in downtown Belmont.

YOUTH SOCCER: Belmont Parks & Recreation Department is holding registration for Youth Soccer for ages 3-15 (including a 7-9 girls division) from Friday February 1 to Saturday February 9 on a first come first serve basis. The registration fee is $40 in city, $65 out of city. Signups will be taken online at www.cityofbelmont.org or at the recreation dept. located at 37 East Woodrow Ave in Belmont. For more information please call 704-901-2070, email gaguirre@cityofbelmont.org, or visit www.cityofbelmont.org.

Photos by Alan Hodge

YOUTH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Belmont Parks & Recreation Department is holding registration for Youth Girls Volleyball for ages 9-15 from Friday February 1 to Saturday February 9 on a first come first serve basis. The registration fee is $40 in city, $65 out of city. Signups will be taken online at www.cityofbelmont.org or at the recreation dept. located at 37 East Woodrow Ave in Belmont. For more information please call 704-901-2070, email gaguirre@cityofbelmont.org, or visit www.cityofbelmont.org.

Gad-Abouts auction The Belmont Parks and Recreation Gad-Abouts’ Auction will be held on Feb. 27th at 10am at the Rec. Center. This is one of the senior adults’ fundraisers for the Belmont Community Organization. Gad-Abouts donate items to be auctioned off, and there will also be a good selection of items and services donated by the Belmont Merchants for a Silent Auction. This Silent Auction is fun too because you can bid back and forth on items by writing your name and bid on the bid sheet beside the item. Some items have been steak dinners, merchandise from a Belmont gift shop, therapeutic massage, bowling ball set, art, homemade cakes, etc. It’s lots of fun and will help the BCO at the same time. For more information call Parks and Recreation Director Sallie Stevenson at 703825-8191.

YOUTH GIRLS SOFTBALL: Belmont Parks & Recreation Department is holding registration for Youth Girls Softball for ages 8-14 from Friday February 1 to Saturday February 9 on a first come first serve basis. The registration fee is $40 in city, $65 out of city. Signups will be taken online at www.cityofbelmont.org or at the recreation dept. located at 37 East Woodrow Ave in Belmont. For more information please call 704-901-2070, email gaguirre@cityofbelmont.org, or visit www.cityofbelmont.org. ADULT SOCCER: Belmont Parks & Recreation Department is holding registration for an Adult Co Ed Soccer unit Friday February 22. The registration fee is $275 per team for in city teams, $325 per team out of city or $35 per individual for in city, $40 per individual out of city. Signups will be taken at the recreation dept. For more information please call 704-901-2070, email gaguirre@cityofbelmont.org, or visit www.cityofbelmont.org. ADULT BASKETBALL: Belmont Parks & Recreation Department is holding registration for an Adult Basketball the month of February. The registration fee is $475 per team in city, $525 per team out of city or $50 per individual in city, $55 per individual out of city. Signups will be taken at the recreation dept. For more information please call 704-9012070, email gaguirre@cityofbelmont.org, or visit www.cityofbelmont.org.

S E R V I C E

ASSISTED LIVING

On Feb. 24, the Charlotte Civic Orchestra will present a concert entitled “Baroque and Beyond” to be held at the Belmont Abbey Basilica in Belmont. The concert will begin at 3pm and will showcase music of Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, and Schubert. Maestro Geoffrey Whitehead will be conducting the 27-year-old orchestra. Guest artists will be the popular period musical ensemble Carolina Pro Musica along with two young gifted violinists from Moldova. The concert is free to the public. For further information call 704 564-4275 or email pat.moehring@yahoo.com.

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D • I • R • E • C • T • O • R • Y

Page 4B

The Banner News

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

■ SCHOOLS

Matolka attends Oratorial Contest

Ground broken for Mountain Island Charter School Contributed Photo

Ground was broken recently for the new Mountain Island Charter School near Mount Holly. Pictured below (left to right) are the Founding Board of Trustees members J.J. McEachern, Debbie Coble, Bobby Spivey, Ann Blomquist, and Kelly Pledger. Head of School Linda Bratcher is pictured on the far right.

Apply for GC Scholarships now –April 2 Students can apply for Scholarships for the 2013 -2014 academic year at Gaston College, January 22 through April 2. More than $150,000 in scholarship assistance is available to students through the Gaston College Foundation. Scholarship awards can range from $250 to more than $2,500 each.

To apply go to the Scholarship Tracking and Review System (STARS) at www.gcstars.gaston.edu/stars/.

Volunteer at Gaston County Schools Feb. 6-27 – Interested in becoming a volunteer? Just complete the online volunteer application on the GCS website. Once your volunteer application is

approved, you will receive an e-mail requesting that you attend an orientation session. Volunteer Orientation sessions will be held at the Gaston County Schools Central Office, 943 Osceola St., Gastonia, on the following dates: Feb 6 (12:15 p.m.),15 (8:30 a.m.), 22 (8:30 a.m.), and 27 (4 p.m.). For additional information on volunteering, contact Valerie Yatko, business partnership director, (704) 866-6329, or e-mail vayatko@gaston.k12.nc.us.

Cole Matolka, a senior at Gaston Christian High School, represented Gaston County at the American Legion Oratorical Contest held at the end of January in Hickory. Cole, the son of Steve and Aimee Matolka of Gastonia, is an active member of the National Beta Club and the Jr. Heart Board; he also serves as a class representative with the Student Government Association and has participated for four years on the GCHS Mock Trial team. Last year Cole served as president of the Sue Myrick Youth Advisory Council, was a member of Junior Leadership Gaston, and is a past participant in the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership

Cole Matolka Conference. As a community service activity, Cole has founded the Time 2 Run program for youth at the Boys and Girls Club. A year-round varsity athlete, he is a member of the crosscountry, swim, and baseball teams at GCHS. He attends Parkwood Baptist Church.

Contributed Photo

Sgt. Black, Cramerton Middle Resource Officer, is seen with the treat bags and holiday cards for the Cramerton Police Department that were gathered and given by the 7th grade Friends of Rachel Club at the school.

Classified Ads Homes For Rent/Sale MOBILE HOMES AND APARTMENTS FOR RENT IN KINGS M O U N TA I N Prices starting at $100/week. Call 704-739-4417 or (evening) 704739-1425. (tfn) KM MOBILE HOME for RENT on Linwood Rd – Rec e n t l y remodeled throughout. Very nice & clean. 2 BR & 2 BA. References required and background check. $425/mth + Deposit. 704739-5319 or 704685-2562. (tfn) Land For Sale

PRICES REDUCED, LOTS in Gaston, Cleveland, & Cherokee Co, some with water & septic, owner will fin with low DP. Call Bryant Realty 704-5679836 or www.bryantrealty.org. (2/06) Misc. For Sale Couch, café table and four chairs, chest of drawers for sale. Call (704) 419-3419. (tfn) Wanted to Buy CASH ON THE SPOT! Will buy tools or building full of merchandise, or pictures, or anything of

Legals STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF GASTON NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of RANDY EARL PRICE, late of Gaston County, North Carolina, hereby notifies to all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before April 30, 2013, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 30th day of January, 2013. Marilyn Smith Price Estate of: Randy Earl Price 315 Ridge Drive, Mount Holly NC 28120 BN10526 (1/30, & 2/06, 2/13 & 2/20/13 ) STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF GASTON NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS The undersigned, having qualified as Administratrix of the Estate of CHARLES LEE ROY NOLEN, late of Gaston County, North Carolina, hereby notifies to all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before April 23, 2013, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 23rd day of January, 2013. Kathy McKee Nolen Estate of: Charles Lee Roy Nolen 84 Wallace Ace, Belmont, N.C. 28012 BN10523 (1/ 23, 30/2013) & (2/06, 13/2013)

value. (704)300 – 0827 or (704)300 – 7676. (2/06/13) Help Wanted DOG SITTER WANTED. Over

night care for 20 lbs. dog. Several times a month. Belmont area. If interest call: 703715-6200 or jkh3302005@yah o o . c o m . (2/06/13)

Legals STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF GASTON NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of ERNEST STOWE, JR, late of Gaston County, North Carolina, hereby notifies to all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before May 7, 2013, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 6th day of February, 2013. Ernest Renard Stowe Estate of: Ernest Stowe, Jr. 419 Creston St., Charlotte, NC 28214 BN10528 (2/06,13, 20 & 27/13) NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of MARK DEAN MILLER, late of Gaston County, North Carolina, hereby notifies to all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before April 19, 2013, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 16th day of January, 2013. Sarah Taylor Miller 411 Timberlane Dr. , Mount Holly NC 28120 Marie M. Anders, Atty. for Executrix 124 W. Catawba Ave. Mt. Holly, NC 28120 BN10521 (1/16, 23, 30, & 2/06/13)

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF GASTON NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of PAULINE LEONHARDT MAY, late of Gaston County, North Carolina, hereby notifies to all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before April 19, 2013, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 16th day of January, 2013. Judy May Seagle Estate of: Pauline Leonhardt May 600 Gann St., Lowell, N.C. 29098 BN10522 (1/16, 23, 30, & 2/06/13)

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The Banner News

Page 5B

Step-Up Day

Jacob Dyksterhouse wins Geo Bee For the 25th year, the National Geographic Society is holding the National Geographic Bee for students in the fourth through eighth grades in thousands of schools across the United States and in the five U.S. Territories, as well as in Department of Defense De-

pendents Schools around the world. The 2013 Bee is sponsored by Google. The first round of the 2013 National Bee was held at Gaston Day School on January 23rd. Gaston Day has held four National Geographic Bees. Jacob Dyksterhouse, an

8th grade student at Gaston Day School, won the school level competition of the National Geographic Bee and a chance at the $25,000 college scholarship. The school winners, including Jacob, will now take a written test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in

Jacob Dyksterhouse each state will them be eligible to compete in their state Bee April 5th 2012.

For several hours on Friday, January 25, eighth-grade students at Gaston Christian School participated in Step-Up Day. The students spent time in high school classrooms and also had opportunity to find out more about academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities in a group session with administrators and staff. Pictured here is an eighth grader watching Mr. Thomas Walls, one of the high school science teachers, do several demonstrations in the science lab.

DeRasmo selected for ‘The Broadway Experience’ South Point junior Taryn DeRasmo was selected for The Broadway Experience, an all-expense-paid educational trip to New York. The trip is sponsored by The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, and includes seeing three Broadway shows, backstage tours, workshops with theatre professionals, and experiencing Times Square, Central Park, and more. Taryn was one of twelve students chosen from a group of students nominated from the sixteen-county Greater Charlotte region. From all the nominees, twenty-four were selected for the final interviews; then the committee selected the twelve participants. South Point senior Kourtney Conway went on this trip last year.

SciVisit Day set for April 12 Gaston College will host SciVisit Day Friday, April 12, 2013 from 9 a.m. until 12 noon at the Dallas Campus. This is a hands-on, interactive event for middle and high school students interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math and medical careers. Students will learn about STEMM educational opportunities and career paths available at Gaston College through a variety of experimental learning activities, demonstrations and the use of the “iPod� concept. For more information, contact Heather Woodson at (704) 922.6311 or Woodson.heather@gaston.edu. Miranda Buchanon’s Connections class at Belmont Middle School has started a service project called Packed with Love to provide backpacks filled with school supplies to homeless students attending Gaston County Schools. This project began in November in recognition of National Homeless and Hunger Awareness Week. There are over 500 students attending Gaston County Schools who are identified as homeless. With such a large number of students in need, Mrs. Buchanon’s class narrowed their goal to assisting just the

elementary school students this year. The goal for this year is to collect and fill 250 backpacks by the end of May. If anyone would like to assist with this cause, please donate new or gently used backpacks, single subject notebooks, wide ruled paper, pencils, cap erasers, crayons, and colored pencils. Donations can be dropped off at the front office of Belmont Middle School at 110 Central Avenue. Students in need will receive their backpacks at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year from their school social worker.

Welcoming New Patients & Providing Family Dental Care We accept Medicaid & NC Healthchoice... We file Dental Insurance for you and participate in most dental networks...

Sadler Elementary students of the month Contributed Photo

Sadler Elementary School recently announced its Citizens of the Month for December. The Character trait was Kindness. Front row from left: Darius Burris, Amyra Corry, Keily Paz Arita, Elaysa Fleming. Rear row Deja Gordon, Anna Davis.

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OPEN 6a-Midnight Jan 30-Feb 5 7a-9p Feb 6-Feb 11 9a-9p Feb 12 thru Apr 8

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Page 6B

The Banner News

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

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