As a supporter of the arts, and especially arts in education, I am sad to see the theater program at Highland Tech cut for budget reasons. We live in the real world, and budgets are based in reality. Through the ages, the arts and artists have flourished when supported by whatever means, and struggled when ignored. The arts add so much to our everyday life, but especially to the artists involved. And that includes those kids in the theater program.

Going forward, it looks like Highland will have a theater club IF a teacher/advisor steps up to mentor the club. And before you say “ theater is not important in the job world”, how many of you use trigonometry in you daily lives? Of course we need to teach kids math, science, and history. But it’s a sad day when we don’t give them exposure to the arts, and let their minds and imaginations soar.

Today's weather: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 71.

Tonight: Clouds breaking, with a low of 58.

Exciting news for Mount Holly! The Woodlawn Mill in Mount Holly is being redeveloped into 65 Class A apartments, and possible retail. The Woodlawn Mill at 300 Woodlawn Road has been vacant since 2002.

In 2023, the property was accepted into the NC Brownfields Program, which allows sites with potential environmental issues to qualify for 5 years of property tax exemption. This exemption can often pay for, or exceed, the cost of assessment and cleanup on many projects.

South Carolina based Adaptive Construction is the developer, and is actively seeking funding. They (and we) are hopeful that construction will begin in the fall.

Hi friends! Join GAAHAS and Ashley Arms Historic Apartment Homes for a picnic party on the front lawn of the historic Gastonia High School. Admire the beauty of one of the country's finest Gothic Collegiate high schools, and architect Hugh White's (architects White, Streeter, & Chamberlain actually) crown jewel.

Many more details to come. This event will be open to the public, no tickets required. a committee will be formed for planning soon. More info here.

The DRB Group and the PulteGroup are bringing 209 upscale homes to the south Belmont area. The new development, called Michaux Gardens, is named after Andre Michaux, the famous 18th century French botanist.

The new development will feature homes in the upper $400’s to low $500’s. According to their website, the community will feature a dog park, a tot park, a fire pit, and a pocket park. The property will connect to Daniel Stowe Conservancy via walking trails.

From Steve D’Avria on the Positive Growth for Gastonia page on Facebook: There’s been some negativity floating around after last Tuesday’s grand opening of the Thread Trail connector from Rankin Lake to downtown Gastonia, so I decided to go see it for myself.

Here’s what I actually saw on a quick ride:

Would I walk it alone at night? No.
Should you stay aware of your surroundings? Always.

But here’s what matters:
We already have four organizations stepping up to adopt sections for cleanup
This creates real connectivity between Rankin Lake, downtown, Lineberger Park, and over to the Armory across from Robinwood Lake. And yes, greenways bring economic benefit and positive growth. That’s not opinion, that’s proven. Don’t take my word for it.
Here’s the 55-minute ride sped up to 5 minutes.

Chris Tyrrell and Brittany Gilbert are opening a street food restaurant in west Gastonia called Toochi’s. The restaurant will be to-go only, and offer many of the same items they served in their mobile food business. That includes burritos, hamburgers, Cuban sandwiches, and chilaquiles. They plan to offer breakfast sandwiches and kids meals as well. They open this Friday, May 1st.

The are located at 905 Baker Blvd. inside Jazzy’s Market. You can check them out here.

For 52 years this house at 1147 Belvedere Ave. in Gastonia was the home of the late Wayne and Jean Eppley. Wayne was a friend and business associate, and my wife and I were fortunate enough to have dinner with Wayne and Jean in their home many years ago. I am not a real estate person, but I find it hard to believe that this house is on the market for only $420,000. You can check it out here. Wayne was a fun and big hearted guy, and he lived a big life. His obituary is fascinating, here.

The City of Gastonia is urging residents to cut water consumption by 3-5% as drought conditions worsen in the Carolinas. There are no legal restrictions at this stage, but folks are asked to take the following steps:

At Oak Ridge Dental Arts, we are dedicated to helping 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.

It’s the time of year for outdoor festivals, music, and car shows. This was a car show for European cars on the Court Square in Shelby Saturday. The MG TC on the right belongs to a friend of mine. Photo credit to Tom Hassel.

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-3pm
980-318-3816

106 W Dallas Rd., Stanley, NC 28164

Check us out!

All jobs are within 15 minutes of Gaston County

Telehealth Registered Dietician w/ Nourish, remote: $50-$55 hr

Principal Solutions Architect w/ Enbridge, hybrid: $135k-$195k

Full Stack Developer, AI Trainer: w/ DataAnnotation: Remote: $50-$100 hr.

Animal ID 60754451
Species Dog
Breed Retriever, Labrador/Mix
Age 10 years 19 days
Gender Female
Size Medium
Color Chocolate/White
Spayed/Neutered
Declawed No
Housetrained Unknown
Site GCACE
Location Dog Rescue
Intake Date 4/7/2026
Stage Rescue only

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