■ OBITUARIES

■ POLICE

ARRESTS

1-22: Tracy Lee Keeler, 53, 511 N. Styer St., Cherryville; one count WSOJ (Lincoln County) felony fail to report change of address – sex offender and one count WSOJ (Gaston County) misdemeanor DWLR. $51,000 secured bond.

Harold Homesley

SEVEN LAKES, NC –James Harold Homesley, 88, a resident of Seven Lakes, N.C., and formerly of St. Simons Island, GA, passed away Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 at his home.

Mr. Homesley was born Sept. 30, 1934 in Gaston County, N.C., a son of the late James Thadeus and Thelma Margaret Hammitt Homesley. He had served his country in the U.S. Army and attended Wake Forest University. He began his career with AT&T in Charlotte, N.C., and retired as District Marketing Manager in Atlanta, GA. Following his retirement, he, and his wife, Barbara, owned and operated a real estate agency in St. Simons, GA.

Mr. Homesley is survived by his wife, Barbara Covington Homesley; sons, James Harold “Hal” Homesley, Jr. (Diane B.) and David Mitchell “Mitch” Homesley; grandchildren, James H. “Jamey” Homesley, III (Taylor Rae), Jessica Diane Homesley and David Mitchell Homesley, Jr. (Rachel Maxey); great-grandchildren, David Mitchell Homesley, III, Annison Lynne Homesley and Reagan Catherine Homesley; and a sister, Lynette Homesley Taylor (Paul). A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Carter Funeral Home of Rockingham served the family of Mr. Homesley.

NC had 5th highest charter school enrollment in nation during pandemic

by DAVID BASS Carolina Journal

A new report ranks North Carolina fifth in the nation for number of new charter school enrollments during the pandemic. The ranking is another feather in the cap for the Tar Heel State when it comes to the growth of school choice in recent years.

The report, produced by the National Alliance for Charter Schools, found that charter school enrollments jumped by 14,312 new students from the 2019-2020 school year to the 2021-2022 school year. That brought total enrollments from 118,597 students to 132,909 students, a 12 percent gain.

During that same period of time, enrollments in traditional public schools dipped by 48,283 students, a decrease the report deemed was ninth largest in the nation.

Contrary to arguments that charter schools are not diverse or even that they promote racial segregation in schools, the report noted that student enrollments for black students in North Carolina grew at the same pace as for white students. Enrollments for black students jumped by 14 percent during the pandemic, while enrollments for Hispanic students increased by 23 percent.

For the nation as a whole, charter enrollments grew by nearly 240,000 students during the pandemic, while traditional public school enrollments dipped by nearly 1.5 million students.

“These data make one thing clear: the COVID-19 pandemic has opened the eyes of parents and families

Lee Boyd

VALE – Aaron Lee Boyd, 86, of Vale, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023 at his residence. He was born Nov. 18, 1936 in Lancaster, SC, to the late Leona Hudson and Jason Boyd. Lee began boxing when he was 12 years old. After high school, he joined the Navy where he served on the “USS Thomaston” and fought for the Blue Jacket Boxing team.

During his career he was a Golden Glove boxer (winning in both 1956 and 1959), was chosen for the 1960 Rome Olympics, fought twice at Madison Square Garden, and one professional match ended in a split decision. His final Flyweight record was 150-13. Lee has been inducted into the North Carolina Boxing Hall of Fame and into the Lincoln County Sports Hall of Fame. After retiring from boxing, he worked for Carolina Freight Carriers in Cherryville for over 30 years as a driver, and retired from ABF Trucking.

Lee was a member of Reepsville Baptist Church where he served as Deacon for 31 years. He also served on 27 mission trips, taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and was a loved member of the “Young At Heart” seniors group.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers: Marion Boyd, Jason W. Boyd, and Vernon Boyd, and sister, Ella May Purdy.

Survivors include his loving wife of 63 years, Ruth Hoover Boyd; one son, Tim Boyd of Vale; daughters, Andrea Brittain (Mark) of Vale, and Shaaron Boyd of the home; three grandchildren, Will Boyd, Liberty Brittain, and Meredith Brittain. He is also survived by one brother, Butch Boyd (Kathy); and three sisters, Tennie Issac (Steve), Emma Magee, and Delton Cozart.

A Celebration of Life was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, at Reepsville Baptist Church with Rev. Jeff Hull officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery with military honors.

His family received friends from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. prior to the service at the church.

Memorials may be made to the Reepsville Baptist Church Mission Trip fund.

Condolences may be made to www.carpenterporter.com.

Carpenter – Porter Funeral and Cremation Services served the family of Mr. Boyd.

to other possible options for their children’s education and with this new awareness they are making different choices,” wrote report authors Drew Jacobs and Debbie Veney.

“In nearly every state, more families are choosing charter schools, homeschooling, and private school, while fewer are choosing district public schools.”

1-24: Gary Raynard Ingram, 36, 116 Whitesides St., Cherryville, was arrested at 1929 E Garrison Blvd., Gastonia, by Gastonia PD officers on one count of DWI.

1-24: Jaquayla Avaonny Littlejohn, 30, 300 Doc Wehunt Rd., Cherryville, was arrested at 3300 W. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia, by Gastonia PD officers on two (2) counts of a warrant from another agency.

1-25: Joshua Corey Sevearance, 42, 1861 St. Mark’s Church Rd., Crouse, was arrested at 425 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Gastonia, by GCSO deputies on three (3) counts of a warrant from another agency.

1-25: Daphne Taylor Picklesimer, 31, 105 Laura Ct., Cherryville; one count of criminal summons/simple assault.

INCIDENTS

1-20: GCPD officers report exceptionally closing/ clearing a disorderly conduct/ disturbing the peace incident at 313 Ridge Ave., Cherryville.

1-22: CPD officer reports WSOJ on unnamed subject who had outstanding warrants. Closed/cleared by arrest.

1-23: Cherryville man reports larceny, and obtaining property by false pretense by listed suspect who took a check and used it to make a fraudulent transaction. Stolen: a negotiable instrument and $285. Case is active and under further investigation.

1-24: On Jan. 23, GCPD officers report exceptionally closing/clearing a disorderly conduct/disturbing the peace incident at 313 Ridge Ave., Cherryville.

1-24: Gaston County Police D officers report closing/ clearing by arrest a misdemeanor drug/narcotic violation at 1008 E. Church St., Cherryville.

1-25: GCPD officers report exceptionally closing/ clearing a disorderly conduct/ disturbing the peace incident at 313 Ridge Ave., Cher- ryville.

1-25: CPD officer reports serving an outstanding criminal summons. Closed/cleared by arrest.

1-25: Cherryville woman reports call for service about an overdose. Victim took undetermined amount of prescribed medication. Case status is active.

1-25: Shelby woman reports identity theft by unknown suspect who used her ID to obtain a security system. Case is active and under further investigation.

1-26: Dallas man reports burglary/B&E and larceny after B&E by unknown suspect(s) breaking into fenced lot and stealing listed tractor. Stolen: John Deere 125R tractor valued at $23,000. Case is active and under further investigation.

1-27: CPD officer reports B&E at a Cherryville address/ home by unknown subject who broke into residence. Damage was done to the front door. Case is active and under further investigation.

WRECKS

1-20: A vehicle driven by Laryssa Gayle Marshall, 17,

715 Landers Chapel Rd., Lincolnton, and a vehicle driven by Kelsey Blake Hallman, 16, 105 Wright Cir., Cherryville, were traveling west on North Houser Street when both vehicles made contact with each other. No injuries reported. Est. damages to the Marshall vehicle: $2,500; to the Hallman vehicle: $1,000.

1-20: A vehicle driven by Artesha Lekel Eaves, 32, 401 Duke St., Apt. 2, Forest City, told the responding officer she was her phone for navigation and when she came around the curve left of center, she struck a vehicle driven by Kathryn Corn Withers, 69, 210 Todd Dr., Bessemer City, which was stopped in the travel lane. No injuries reported. Est. damages to the Eaves vehicle: $300; to the Withers vehicle: $200.

1-23: A vehicle driven by Howard Eldridge Insley, 52, 1021 Posting Place, Shelby, was involved in a one-vehicle accident at E. First St., and N. Depot St., Cherryville. Right side of vehicle received minor damage. No injuries reported.