Good morning Gaston County! David here.
Today is October 13th, 2026.
A lot going on this week. Early voting begins this Thursday on October 15th, and the General Election is November 3rd. Two baseball leagues may be interested in Gastonia, the Belmont Batcave is open, Elevra Lithium looking for a permit, NC State and Gaston College to partner on military textile innovation, and much more!
Have a great week!
Today's weather: Nice with plenty of sunshine, and a high of 74.
Tonight: Clear with a low of 49.
Two baseball leagues may be interested in bringing baseball to Gastonia
So Zawyer Sports has pulled out of Gastonia. The Atlantic League (the league the Ghost Peppers were in) says they want to keep a team in Gastonia for 2027, but they are exploring options.
Another possibility: The NAPB (National Association of Professional Baseball) says they may be interested if the City reopens the lease. Formerly known as the Frontier League, this league is a long-running independent professional baseball league and official Major League (MLB) Partner League. This league is expanding to 20 teams for the 2027 season.
On the face of it, sounds like the NAPB is the stronger league with more upside.
Belmont Batcave has opened
A little different- but pretty cool! A new alternative/clothing store called Belmont Batcave has opened in North Belmont. The owners are Jake Bush and Lilly Thompson.
According to Bush, the store has 70 vendors and 14,000 unique items. Clothes, jewelry, Gothic, Y2K, local art, denim, posters, taxidermy and more.
They are located at 2603 Boundary Street in Belmont. Facebook is here,
NC State, Gaston College Kimbrell Campus lead $480 million defense textile hub
Gaston College’s Kimbrell Campus in Belmont and NC State will lead a Department of Defense initiative aimed at improving innovation, production and performance of textiles used by the military.
The FutureTEX award is the Defense Department’s ninth Manufacturing Innovation Institute. It includes $36 million in the first year and has a limit of $480 million over the next 10 years. It will bring together industry, government, university and nonprofit partners to advance manufacturing technologies of textiles for both military and domestic applications.
Gaston College, which has had the North Carolina Center for Applied Textile Technology since 2005, is the first community college to host a Manufacturing Innovation Institute.
“We’re talking about innovating the very fiber in our warfighters’ uniforms, parachutes, and camouflage to keep them performing better and safer,”said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Joseph Jewell “Ultimately, this means increased survivability, better protection, and enhanced lethality for our warfighters on the front lines.”
NCDEQ to hold public forum for Elevra Lithium tonight
Elevra Lithium (formerly Piedmont Lithium in this area) is seeking an air quality permit for their proposed lithium mine and processing facility near Bessemer City. The NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will hold a public hearing on Oct. 13 to receive public comments at the Myers Center at Gaston College.
A Federal Air Quality Permit is required for facilities whose operations have the potential to emit air pollutants above certain thresholds.
DEQ’s review found that the emissions, controlled by the best available control technology required in the draft permit, are expected to maintain the state’s compliance with federal air quality standards, including the more stringent fine particle pollution standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2024.
What: Public Hearing on Carolina Lithium draft air quality permit
Where: Gaston College, Dallas Campus, Myers Center Auditorium
When: Tonight, Oct. 13, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Mount Holly’s Lantern Parade coming October 24th
The Mount Holly Lantern Parade is coming Friday, October 24th at 7 PM. If you haven’t been-it’s a Gaston County treat, and kids of all ages love it!
Annual Halloween display includes a butterfly for Dolly Parton
Isaac Vargas has an over the top Halloween (and Christmas) display every year in Mount Holly. It really is spectacular. But this year it includes something special- a tribute to Dolly Parton. You can check out the tribute on Vargas’ Facebook page here.
Want to go see the display in person? It’s on Scaleybark Court in Mount Holly, from 7:30 until 11:30
Spruced Goose Station is now Goose + Co.
The former Spruced Goose Station in McAdenville is now Goose + Co. They have new seating and gathering areas, as well as artwork created by Holy Angels residents and Life Choices participants.
Following the closing of Bliss Gallery earlier this year, Goose + Co. now gives Holy Angels residents an opportunity to share their creativity with the community.
If you haven’t tried it, their chicken salad is the bomb!
Photo courtesy of Liz Costales
The former Holiday Inn on Franklin Blvd.
Above is a flyer Liz Costales’ husband found in his boxes of mementos for the old Holiday Inn motel. It was next to the Sears (where the FUSE stadium now stands). Looks pretty nice! I had forgotten that it was ever a Holiday Inn. Evidently there was a restaurant there; note the pool! My dad used to travel for work, and said Holiday Inns weren’t all that, but they were consistent. Oh! and the A&P Food store on the left in the pic above!
Budget Blinds is locally owned and operated!
Great news!
Jon Walker Stables has openings for Beginner & experienced Riding Students!
First lesson free!*
Ages 5 & up - Available Thursday and Saturday afternoons only-call now to reserve a spot! 803-818-0312
*with purchase of lesson package
BCO Director Stephanie Murphy and the Belmont Rotary Club at a recent meeting
BCO food pantry is running low-Belmont Rotary leading drive to restock
The Belmont Community Organization (BCO), which helps residents in need of food, clothing and household items, has been unusually low on food recently, and the Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte, which usually backs up the BCO, also is facing a food supply shortage. But a five-week food drive launched by the Belmont Rotary Club is helping to restock the BCO food pantry.
How can the public help?
Five Belmont Rotary Club members have food collection bins at their businesses in Belmont, where members of the public can make donations of sealed, unexpired, nonperishable food to support the Rotary BCO food drive through October 28. Those locations are:
Creative Travel, 34 Myrtle St., Belmony
Edward Jones Investments - Don Hartsoe, 27 Catawba St., Suite B, Belmont
South Point Family Dentistry, 1215 Spruce St., Belmont
Fifth Third Bank, 975 South Point Rd., Belmont
Duren & Marsh Dentistry, 25 Myrtle St., Belmont
Concave vintage clock face
Rusty metal 2 tier shelf
Have you been to Shelli’s She Shed yet?
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
Gaston County Jobs
All jobs are in Gaston County, or within 15 minutes of Gaston County
The Shelter is calling me Marigold-please rename me!
Animal ID 61773931
Species Dog
Breed German Shepherd/Mix
Age 2 years 20 days
Gender Female
Size Medium
Color White
Declawed No
Housetrained Unknown
Site GCACE
Location Dog Stray
Intake Date 9/22/2026
Stage Rescue only
Did your smart, good looking friend send you this newsletter? You can get your own for free, weekly, here:
