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Volume 78 • Issue 23 • Wednesday, June 12, 2013
East Gaston, South Point Class of 2013 Casey blazes graduations held Saturday trail for women
Contributed Photo
Mickey Casey of Belmont was a pioneer in law enforcement when she was hired by Charlotte Police Chief John Ingersoll in 1967. She retired from the police force in 1996 after 30 years and currently owns Chic Boutique in Mount Holly.
Photos by Bill Ward.
South Point classmates file onto the field Saturday morning By Alan Hodge Alan.bannernews@gmail.com
East Gaston and South Point high schools held their Class of 2013 graduation exercises on Saturday morning with literally thousands of parents and other well-wishers in attendance. East Gaston saw 343 students receive diplomas in the school auditorium. Co-valedictorians included Michael Hutchinson Farris, Jordan Michelle Garrison, and Caroline Mackenzie Hawkins. Michael is the son of Amanda and Todd Farris. He plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill to major in biology, attend medical school and pursue a career as a cardiac surgeon. He was Senior Class Vice President, National Honor Society President, Beta Club President, Alexis Baptist Church Youth Group. Jordan is the daughter of Lori and Tommy Garrison. She plans to attend N.C. State University to major in psychology; pursue a career
as a psychologist and open her own practice. Jordan was in the Interact Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, and Dance Team Captain. Caroline is the daughter of Susan and Doug Hawkins. She plans to attend Elon University to major in exercise science and minor in Spanish. She plans to attend graduate school. Caroline was Student Body President; Sophomore and Junior Class President; Government and Students Club; Interact Club; Beta Club; Peer Advisory Leaders; National Honor Society; Dancing Warriors Team Captain; Elon University Presidential and College Fellows Scholarships. East Gaston’s Salutatorian was Tia Desiree’ Andrade. Her parents are Zeela and Rodney Andrade. Tia plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill to major in biology and pursue a career as a doctor. She was a Varsity Soccer player and on Cross Country teams, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Events Coordinat-
By Alan Hodge Alan.bannernews@gamil.com
East Gaston graduates give attention to speakers. More graduation photos on page ing Officer, and Carrousel Scholar – Fifth Place Award. South Point High School saw 298 students receive their diplomas in Lineberger Stadium. South Point’s Valedictorian was Sadler Neal Gensch. Her parents are Sharon Gensch and David Gensch. She plans to attend Clemson University to major in engi-
neering. Sadler was Bible Club President, National Honor Society Treasurer, Connections Club Founder and President, and Tennis Team Captain. South Point’s Salutatorian was Neil Vatsalkumar Raval. His parents are Vatsal and Bindu Raval. Neil plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill
to major in chemistry and biology. He plans to attend medical school and become a neurologist. He attended the Commissioners School of Excellence, Shelton Leadership Challenge, and N.C. Governor’s School. He was National Honor Society Vice President, Spanish Club, International Club President, and Soccer Team Captain.
Smith Cemetery restoration complete By Alan Hodge Alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Restoration work at the old Smith Cemetery on Belwood Drive near Belmont wrapped up last week when Leigh Ford and volunteer Frank Cerar set the 386pound, 6-foot-tall, gravestone of Revolutionary War veteran Matthew Leeper (1755-1849) back in place after fitting its broken pieces together again. The job was the culmination of a long process that Ford and other volunteers took on many months ago in the 1.6 acre plot, known variously as the Smith Cemetery, or Leeper and Armstrong Cemetery, after it had became overgrown and many of its tombstones destroyed or in need of repair. “We began clearing the growth in July 2009,� Ford said. “By August, the cemetery was walkable.� Restoring the cemetery had some legal issues to deal with as well. “Since the property did not have an identifiable owner we went to the Gaston
County Clerk of Superior Court and in November, 2009 received a court order allowing us to maintain the grounds and pursue historical preservation.� In May 2010, the Catawba Valley Chapter of the National Society Colonial Dames 17th Century designated the cemetery as an historic site. In August 2011, Ford and his associates formed the Smith Cemetery Historic Preservation Association. In January of that year, Leigh’s wife Melanie published the 430-page Smith Cemetery book with profits going to the association. In March 2012 the group got approval from the IRS to become a 501 3c tax-exempt organization. What the Smith Cemetery restoration has been about is hard work and plenty of it. Besides clearing brush and brambles, a large part of the work Ford and his helpers did involved repairing broken tombstones. At least 50 of the 166 markers were damaged in
Dorie Drive in the Pinstow neighborhood is just a stone’s throw from where pioneer Dickie Hanks and his niece Nancy Hanks (the mother of Abe Lincoln) lived in the early part of the 19th century. These days, there’s a trailblazer of another sort living there in the form of Margaret Irene “Mickey� Casey, one of the first female officers hired by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the first of her gender to retire from that job after 30 years of service. “I was one of four females hired in 1967 by Police Chief John Ingersoll,� Casey said. “Two flunked out and another dropped out later. I was the first woman see CASEY, pg 3
Arrested for alleged sexual offenses
Gary Scott Goins
Photo by Alan Hodge
Leigh Ford (left) and Frank Cerar are seen at the old Smith Cemetery putting the final touches on the tombstone of Revolutionary War veteran Matthew Leeper. Ford and other volunteers have been working for months restoring grave markers at the site on Belwood Drive near Belmont. some way. An estimated 199 persons are buried in the graveyard. Methods Ford and the others used to fix the toppled and broken stones included pinning the pieces together with threaded rod and epoxy.
Some of the stones had metal fence posts bolted to them and then they were reset in the ground. Cleaning the stones involved the use of household bleach and water. Ford has also filled in the names and dates on some of
the stones with paint to make them readable. In addition to civilians, military veterans from the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I, and Viet Nam are buried in Smith
On June 5, 2013 the Gaston County Police Department arrested Gary Scott Goins, 44, after a several month long investigation involving alleged sex offenses. The alleged offenses occurred between May 1, 1999 and June 15, 2004 while Goins was employed as a teacher and wrestling coach at East Gaston High School. Goins has been charged with: Statutory Sex Offense, see GOINS, pg 5
see SMITH, pg 4
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