Hello Tuesday, it's David. Today is July 27th- are you watching the Olympics?
Today it will be mostly cloudy, with a thunderstorm in the afternoon, and a high of 89 . Tonight there will be a thunderstorm in the evening,otherwise partly cloudy, with a low of 71.
Belmont plans $12 mil community rec center
The Belmont City Council has approved plans to build a 42,500 foot recreation facility in front of the CityWorks building in Belmont. Construction is expected to begin in late 2021, and be open by 2023.
NC swimmer out of Olympics
Cary NC based Claire Curzan came in 10th in the semi-finals for the 100 meter butterfly. Only the first 8 advanced. Curzan finished with a time of 57.42 seconds.Her coach said her goal was to finish in 55 seconds, which would have set a world record.
Evy Leibfarth, the 17-year-oldphenom from Bryson City who grew up paddling down the Nantahala River, qualified for the semifinals in the women's kayak slalom Sunday.
Leibfarth is the youngest whitewater slalom competitor at the Games.
Students required to wear masks in Gaston schools?
Gaston County is expected to make a decision on masks for kids and staff July 27 (tonight). Many counties and municipalities are making masks parent optional, but some are reviewing the StrongSchoolsNC toolkit. That toolkit states that children and staff in kindergarten through 8th grade should wear masks, and students and staff 9th through 12th grade that are not vaccinated should wear masks.
Olympics viewership at a 33 year low
I usually am an Olympics junkie, but this year...It could be the 13 hour time difference, but mostly it is the absence of crowds that don't create the same atmosphere. It just seems kind of sterile.
Having said that, Olympics coverage was still at the 17 million plus mark.The most popular events are gymnastics, followed by swimming, diving, track and field, and beach volleyball.
NC Liquor shelves empty, SC shelves full
Lots of "out of stock" signs are showing up on area liquor stores shelves, while North Carolina officials complain about Covid related shortages. In SC...not so much. While there are a few scattered shortages, most shelves are full- really full.
Under North Carolina's system, local ABC Boards operate under extensive government regulation, while in South Carolina, liquor stores are independent, and control their own inventory and supply.
The South Carolina system is far nimbler and more customer focused, and that independence is readily apparent when contrasted with the North Carolina system. That, plus liquor is cheaper in SC, usually $1 or $2 a bottle.
So it turns out that private enterprise does a better job of running a business than the government? Who would have thunk it...
Maybe it's time for a change.
It's time to Unlock Potential as children prepare to head back to school! The YMCA is thrilled to offer Afterschool throughout Gaston County at our 4 locations. Learn more and register today!
Have you tried the Brightstar Grill in Mount Holly? Still a -not so well kept- secret. They have a little classic car cruise in action on Friday nights.
We are hearing that South Main Kitchen & Tavern has been bought by Traust Brewing. So if they put a micro-brewery there, that means that Mt. Holly will eventually have 3 breweries?
Speaking of new ownership, evidently Long Creek Fish Fry on New hope is under new ownership.
They are adding a little shade-and color- to the outdoor patio at the Pita Wheel in downtown Gastonia.
Mount Holly has approved a purchase agreement with Olde Mecklenburg Brewery to purchase the old Mt. Holly water treatment plant. OMB says construction and remodeling will begin in 2022.
Lucia Food Market sells $2 mil lottery ticket
The only thing better than buying a winning lottery ticket is getting one as a gift. Third best is owning the store where the ticket was sold.
Vivang Trevedi owns the Lucia Food Market, where the $2 million dollar ticket was sold. Evidently a Charlotte woman bought the $20 "100 x The Cash" ticket as a gift.
Trivedi thinks he will receive $10,000 for selling the ticket. The winner? She had a choice of $100,000 for 20 years, or $1.2 million lump sum. She chose the lump sum (of course).
Commissioners irritated, neighbors say no to Lithium mine
The worlds largest lithium is planned just east of Cherryville and south of Crouse, unless neighbors have a say. Keith Phillips, president of Piedmont Lithium of Belmont, say they plan to put a quarry, a concentrate plant, and a chemical plant on the 3000 acre site. Lithium is used in the batteries that power electric cars.
The company has already spent $58 million dollars on the project, but just last Tueday brought it the attention of the Gaston County Commissioners. "In my 14 years on the board, out of all of the companies we've dealt with from all around the world and in America, no company that I have ever dealt with has left such a bad taste in our citizens' mouths and the commission to start out with," Commissioner Tracy Philbeck said. "It will all be for naught if you can't get over that. I think that is something very important to recognize."
Many residents are concerned that the area will be environmentally damaged and changed forever. The company claims that once the lithium is depleted that they will take down buildings, remove the roads, and place topsoil and native plants in place.
Regarding blasting, the company says that noise from quarries is highly regulated, and that they will comply with regulations.
The company says they plan to apply for a state mining permit in August. They also need for the Gaston County Commissioners to rezone the property to allow mining, and need to apply for a state air quality permit.
Gastonia's Sunshine Rental Uniform Service 5th largest female owned company
Sunshine Rental Uniform Service is the 5th largest woman owned firm in the Charlotte Metro region. The company is overseen by a Board of Directors that includes the four daughters of founder J.E. Waggoner. They are 90% woman owned, and have 157 employees.
Pro Democracy for Cuba demonstration in Charlotte July 2021
Opinion:Cuba
Cuba is petty far from Gaston County, so what goes on there doesn't concern most of us. But I grew up in Hialeah Florida, where I had Cuban neighbors and classmates, and I have been to Cuba. I was also in Miami during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Two weeks ago there were thousands of Cubans in Havana streets shouting "Libertad!" or Liberty! There is a shortage of food and medicine, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic, and the lack of a vaccine.The communist regime, which ousted the corrupt Batista regime, has become a monster in it's own right. There are more than 500 protestors missing at this point. Cuba should be the jewel of the Caribbean, and it is in some ways. But the buildings are tattered, infrastructure is crumbling, and many Cubans cannot survive without money mailed from American relatives.
Cuba is a beautiful country, with beautiful people. They want to thrive, not just survive. Martin Luther King, Jr., reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” ...and we hope, freedom.
Live music Mt. Holly Friday Night
River Jam at the Whitewater Center
Lots of cool music coming up at the Whitewater Center. $6 to park, music and entrance is free. Performances begin at 7 pm.
“What we’re now seeing is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Gaston County Public Health Director Steve Eaton told WBTV news. The Delta variant is spreading, leading to a positive rate for the virus exceeding 5%. “Not only those who are contracting the virus are unvaccinated, but those who are getting sick and going to the hospital are unvaccinated,’ he said. “Those who are vaccinated we’re seeing that the vaccines are working and they’re working really well.” said Eaton.
Gaston County has about a 38% vaccination rate. Mecklenburg County is at 50%
At least 1,037,373 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus,and 445 Gaston County residents have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
Read more here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article252663888.html?#storylink=cpy
Gaston County Jobs
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