One interesting feature of the Belmont Front Porch is the Tag Cloud on the right side of the page.

It is a design feature that comes with blogging programs. We have found it amusing as the posted entries have accumulated. It is a dynamic feature that helps readers find stories or articles that we have “tagged”. Sort of like a dynamic index.

The larger the titles, or categories as they are truly known, the more articles under that title.

Pretty simple.

Unlike Fox News, or other media outlets that purport to provide “fair and balanced”, coverage, the Tag Cloud is the everyman’s (and woman’s) gauge to the fairness of what is published.

Doubtful that will happen here on the front porch. We talk just about everything and just try to be respectful. The holly bushes can be pretty stickley when you land on them wrong.

There is an article in today’s Gaston Gazette about a homeless man’s trek across our community.

As the east side of Gaston County grows, both “gateway” citities of Belmont and Mt. Holly must face the issue of adequate housing, sheltering, and relationships with the temporary homeless and the chronic homeless.

Our editorial board has a split opinion of solutions or steps necessary to address the issue in our small town. Homelessness is an issue that needs to be as close to a consensus agreement as possible for the problem to be addressed adequately. We are seeking our neighbor’s opinions and solutions.

Belmont and Mt. Holly have crisis management programs in the form of the BCO, CRO and SOCKS; temporary solutions for women and children at Catherine’s House; support for teens and young men through With Friends — although they had relocated to Gastonia; and, local Housing Authorities are addressing permanancy.

One thing is for sure, on this day, homeless families and individuals do exist in communities regardless of the impression of prosperity. How we respond to people in this situation identifies what type of community we are and we hope to be… 

The current heatwave and drought conditions are making life difficult hereabouts. Sports have been shuffled, a/c units breaking down, and fire hydrants are chasing dogs over in Pinsto and Amity Acres. Today (Thursday) was 102 with heat index of 107; yesterday was 101 and heat index of 104. Tomorrow (Friday, the 10th) is supposed to be cooler, just about 99 or so — yeah, right.

Still no rain.

Belmont is in a Stage One Water Alert. That means you only are allowed to water twice per week — whatever. Don’t waste the water, people ! The only really green grass around here is on the Lineberger Stadium field at South Point HS.