Pam Stowe selected as Teacher of the Year at BMS
Friend and neighbor, Pam Stowe, was recently selected as Teacher of the Year at Belmont Middle School.
Congratulations Ms. Stowe !
Leigh Pressley, a Neighbors columnist with the Charlotte Observer wrote a great article in the Sunday paper. Read it here.
Pittenger property plans go back to designer
The Charlotte Observer gave an update on the development plans of the biggest land area in Belmont in last Sunday’s paper.
State Senator Robert Pittenger purchased the land from Crescent Resources (Duke Power) several years ago. Crescent had years earlier voluntarily annexed the land into the city limits. Pittenger now is planning to sell the land to real estate developers, “…from up north…”, accrding to the article.
This is a BIG test for the power of the Planning & Zoning Board, city staffers, and the City Council. As council candidate Richard Turner suggests, “…give teeth…to land use plan…”.
One of the Front Porch visitors, settin’ over in the rocking chair, has offered her opinions, some of which we had to edit out or she wooda been pickin’ out pricklies from her behind.
Things came through like, ‘be careful”, “plan of action”, “vision”, and, “get people’s support”, among other things.
Words that politicians use, even in their own personal business dealings can and should be parsed. When Pittenger says, “that’s private”, he is saying, “there is no real buyer, I am trying to run up the price on my property”. The term “real estate investor”, means that capitalism is working at its best. But this form of capitalism affects the quality of life in a community he has never lived in, or spent the night in.
We suggest that everyone should be wary about the term “property rights”, especially in this city election.
Will Places First, Red Raider X-Girls Finish Second in Conference Championships
Congratulations to Elyse Will and her South Point Cross Country teammates !
Ms. Will won first place in the competition at Ashbrook in a season best time of 20:48.1. East Gaston won the team competition by 6 points over 2nd place South Point.
What is interesting is that in both the boys and girls competitions, multiple soccer players appeared among the all-conference (top 15) award winners.
Listing of the results courtesy of the Gastonia Gazette:
GIRLS
Individual results
(Top 15 named all-conference)
1, Elyse Will, South Point, 20:48.1; 2, Hayley Black, East Gaston, 22:47.2; 3, Tameron Sealey, East Gaston, 23:11.2; 4, Emily McEwan, South Point, 23:31.4; 5, Cameron Sealey, East Gaston, 23:45.9; 6, Damita Ford, Hunter Huss, 23:52.4; 7, Abby Propst, North Gaston, 23:56.2; 8, Lauren Parker, South Point, 24:05.6; 9, Allison Rodriguez, Forestview, 24:13.2; 10, Kylie Payne, East Gaston, 24:15.2; 11, Anna Vermeulen, Forestview, 24:16.9; 12, Kelsey Davis, South Point, 24:31.2; 13, Janet Smith, East Gaston, 24:37.0; 14, Emily Costner, Ashbrook, 24:43.4; 15, Amanda Spence, South Point, 24:45.0; 16, Foo Matthews, Forestview, 24:53.6; 17, Becca Coley, East Gaston, 25:02.5; 18, Caroline Boyce, South Point, 25:04.7; 19, Mary Leslie Miller, Forestview, 25:06.5; 20, Courtney Huggins, Ashbrook, 25:12.5; 21, Emily Rhodes, Ashbrook, 25:13.7; 22, Hayley Connor, Ashbrook, 25:21.5; 23, Mara Teague, East Gaston, 25:22.3; 24, Erin Cockfield, Ashbrook, 25:37.6; 25, Courtney Cooper, Ashbrook, 25:40.1.
At large all-conference selection — Chance Walker, Ashbrook
Team scores
1, East Gaston, 31; 2, South Point, 37, 3, Forestview, 78; 4, Ashbrook, 96; 5, Hunter Huss, 143; 6, Crest, 157; North Gaston, no score.
BOYS
Individual results
(Top 15 named all-conference)
1, Zack Queen, Forestview, 17:42.8; 2, Jacob Englert, Forestview, 17:58.7; 3, Michael Rogers, Ashbrook, 18:26.2; 4, William Carstarphen, South Point, 18:33.0; 5, Allen Salazar, Forestview, 18;36.7; 6, Will Carter, Forestview, 18:39.8; 7, Miles Lynn, Hunter Huss, 18:46.4; 8, Logan Helsel, East Gaston, 18:52.2; 9, Brandon Rouse, Forestview, 18:57.7; 10, Jimmy Heracklis, Forestview, 19:07.6; 11, Terry Peters, Ashbrook, 19:18.3; 12, Josh McKinney, Crest, 19:22.8; 13, Jarrett Willis, Crest, 19:41.0; 14, Matthew Knight, Forestview, 19:44.6; 15, Chandler Caldwell, Forestview, 19:45.9; 16, Matthew Katsuleris, East Gaston, 19:51.9; 17, Kyle Bradley, Forestview, 19:52.9; 18, Patrick Rhyne, East Gaston, 19:54.6; 19, Alan Nolting, South Point, 19:59.5; 20, Patrick Stillwell, South Point, 20:00.2; 21, Kyle Nelson, Forestview, 20:01.6; 22, Charlie Sinclair, East Gaston, 20:03.9; 23, Jonathan Robinson, Ashbrook, 20:13.4; 24, Eric Quinn, Ashbrook, 20:14.4; 25, Nathaniel Nieminen, Ashbrook, 20:17.8.
Team scores
1, Forestview, 23; 2, Ashbrook, 77; 3, East Gaston, 87; 4, South Point, 100; 5, Crest, 104; 6, Hunter Huss, 160; North Gaston, no score.
The Belmont Front Porch 