Good morning, it's David, and today is September 24th, 2024Okay all you fall freaks, the calendar may say fall, but Mother Nature still thinks it's summer. By the way-The Cleveland County Fair starts this Thursday. If you have never been, it's a cultural experience not to be missed. 

Tuesday's weather:Today will be  mostly cloudy and humid; a heavy thunderstorm in the afternoon; thunderstorms can bring flooding downpours, damaging wind gusts and even an isolated tornado. The high will be 83.Tonight will be cloudy and humid; occasional rain and a thunderstorm in the evening followed by a thundershower late . The low will be 68.

Gaston County home to two of the top gift giving foundations in the Metro Charlotte areaAccording to the Charlotte Business Journal, Gaston County is home to two of the largest  gift giving foundations in the Charlotte Mtero area. Both the Gaston Community Foundation and the W. Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation are among the top 25 in the area.The Gaston Community Foundation has assets of over $121 million, and gave away $5.76 million in the most recent fiscal year. Ernest Sumner is the president, helped out by a board of 21. They have supported the Catawba Riverkeeper, the Dream Center Academy, The Mount Holly Community Relief Organization, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, and as well as a multitude of others.The  W. Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation has assets of $99.27 million, and gave away $2.58 million in the last fiscal year. The W Duke Kimbrell Family Foundation is a private foundation. They have supported the Gaston Community Foundation, the Carolina Thread Trail, The Gaston College Foundation, among others.

Gaston Day School breaks ground on new academic buildingLast Friday Gaston Day School broke ground on a new Upper School Academic Building.The 25,000 square foot building building will house 13 classrooms, study and social areas,offices and conference rooms.

Funds for the project were generated through early support of Gaston Day School’s (GDS) upcoming capital campaign. The campaign is focused on supporting academic excellence as GDS builds a school designed for tomorrow’s students. In addition to the new academic building, to be completed over the next 10 months, funds will also be directed to other areas of need.

 “Seeing the site for the new building on campus is so exciting; it provides uplifting evidence of how much difference donors can collectively make when they give to our Capital Campaign,” said Head of School Davidson Hobson . “We are extremely grateful for the support of our GDS families and staff, outside donors, our larger community, and all those who continue to ensure the success of our students as they go boldly into careers and fulfilling lives.”

Mount Holly getting 2 new fire trucks

We are pumped to announce that the construction of our two brand-new Pierce Fire Engines is well underway for the Mount Holly Fire Department!

These state-of-the-art trucks are being built to help us serve the community better and enhance our response capabilities.We anticipate their delivery by the end of October, and after getting them outfitted and ready for action, we expect to have them in service by December! Stay tuned for more updates.

Wild and Whimsy Living celebrating one year

Wild and Whimsy is celebrating their one year anniversary. Located in the old Fords location at 231 East Main in Gastonia, they have food, flowers, and so much more! They are open daily from 10-5, Saturday 10-4.

Finally- Front Porch & Provisions is open in Dallas!It's been a long journey, but Front Porch & Provisions is open! They are located at 140 North Gaston Street in Dallas.Check out their menu here...

Keep this on the down lowWe heard a rumor that we may be getting a new Publix, although it's not listed as a new store openig on the Publix website.Stay tuned.

Gaston College building a new de-escalation training center for law enforcementGaston College is leasing property from the city of Gastonia to build a de-escalation center for law enforcement.The lease will be $1 per year for 40 years.There is no word yet on the courses to be taught or the agencies to be involved. The new facility will be built along Bob & Pay Boyd Drive in Gastonia. Police already have a firearms training center on that road.

Gastonia to install 7 foot "peace pole" at the Rotary International PavillionThe Gastonia City Council has approved the intallation of a 7 foot "peace pole" at the Pavilion in downtown Gastonia.The phrase "May peace Prevail on the Earth" will be written on the pole  in eight languages: English, Spanish, German (for Gastonia’s sister city), Haitian-Creole, Slavic, Catawba Indian, Arabic and Hebrew. The Gastonia Rotary is hoping to have the pole dedicated by Rotary International  President Stephanie Urchick when she visits on November 7th.

At Oak Ridge Dental Arts, we are dedicated to caring for your family as we care for our own families. With years of experience and state-of-the-art dental technology we help you achieve the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve. We ensure the best possible dental experience with friendly, personalized care in a comfortable environment. If you haven’t been to the dentist in the past six months or you are interested in enhancing your smile, give us a call. With one visit you’ll see why so many families in your neighborhood trust Oak Ridge Dental Arts with all their dental needs.

Asha Degree scholarship fundShelby's sweetheart, Asha Degree is still missing. But there have been developments in her case, as we reported last week.Now a friend of the family has started a Gofundme page for a scholarship in Degree's name. At the time of this article $1,1120 had been raised towards a $20,000 goal.Check it out

Author Susan Beckham Zurenda to speak at Belmont Abbey Event

Miami Fusion Cafe

Custom home om Lake Wylie, $1,250,000

This gem in Belmont on Lake Wylie has it all. This beautiful custom home was designed and built only a few years ago and has some many amazing amenities. The main level is bathed in natural light with gleaming hardwood floors, a cozy fireplace in the great room, and an open dining area that's perfect for gatherings. The bright, airy kitchen features a huge island, making it a breeze to entertain. Step out onto the spacious screened porch, sip your morning coffee, and take in serene cove views. Upstairs, you’ll find 4 roomy bedrooms, including a dreamy owner’s suite with a spa-like bathroom, plus a bonus room for all your extra fun. The finished basement? It's a whole other vibe with a large family room, private bedroom with ensuite, and a workout space—perfect for guests or even a second living quarters. Outside, you’ve got it made with a floating dock, boat lift, and a huge lot ready for BBQs and outdoor fun by the water. Don’t miss out on this lakeside paradise!More...

Andy Dalton gives the Panthers a positive joltPanthers beat Las Vegas 36-22The Panthers benched Bryce Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton...with great results. Dalton passed for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns on Sunday.Chuba Hubbard contributed with 114 rushing yards and caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.

It remains to be seen if Dalton can continue his magic next week at home against the Bengals, but it's nice to be excited rather than discouraged and embarrassed.Keep pounding Panthers!

Gaston College had the best cross country results of it's four year history last Saturday at the Yeti Invitational at Cleveland Community College in Shelby .

Coach Kody Kubbs' team finished second in the seven-team meet held on the same course where the Region 10 championships will be held in November.

It tied for the highest team finish in school history with last year's finish in the Region 10 championships on the same course.

Sophomore Keirieonna Wilson's second place was the highest by an individual in team history.

And Wilson, fourth-place finisher Lexi Birtwistle and fifth-place finisher Maddie Frank gave the Rhinos their best top three finishers in school history.

"We put three in the top five, which is the best team finish we've ever had," Kubbs said. "This was our longest mileage week in our training yet so I'm really pleased with how the team ran today."Now we've got 3 weeks until we race again so looking forward to our training block ahead."

This fall, eight returnees are back with high hopes of continuing the progress Gaston College's program has made in its brief history, among them All-Region 10 honorees Abigail Brewton, Grace Kealy and Kendall Bradshaw.

"We definitely want to have fun and have energy in every game," said Kealy, an infielder who was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American team over the summer. "We want to compete, win and go as far as we can go. I want that to be in the World Series."

The Rhinos, who advanced to the NJCAA World Series in 2023 in their first year as a full program, came up just short last season when they finished as Region 10 runner-up.

If you haven't checked out Shelli's She Shed in Stanley- what are you waiting for!

Shelli's She Shed is a home decor boutique full of floral stems & arrangements and unique, vintage, antique, retro, farmhouse styles and the perfect gift items.New Hours: Fri & Sat 10am-4pm980-318-3816106 W Dallas Rd., Stanley, NC 28164Check us out!

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 Gaston County JobsChurch music director $18-$28k, Voter registration Canvasser $22-$24 hr, Histotech-MOHS tech, from $28 hr, Chemical Manufacturing Project Manager$95-$130k and more...Info...