COME REGISTER TO WIN
2 FREE VIP TICKETS to the
LAINEY WILSON CONCERT
UPTOWN SHELBY 224 S. LAFAYETTE ST. NEXT TO SHELBY CAFE 704-600-6038
at the
GAFFNEY www.yippeekiyay224.com PEACH FESTIVAL Mon.-Fri. 11am-7pm Sat. 10am-5pm
Volume 117 • Issue 24
Friday, July 14, 2023
DRAWING JULY 1ST
75¢
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
City of Cherryville’s May 16 storm cleanup still ongoing Gary and Wyatt, a.k.a. as Steve Mayeux (banjo, vocals, and drum box) and Jay Ostendarp (guitar, vocals, bass, and ukelele), are members of the Charlotte-based band, Dead Man’s Banjo. photo provided)
First Cherryville Third Thursday event is June 15 in Mini Park City to host food vendors, music, and shopping this Summer and Fall by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
Downtown Director David Day said recently that, “Cherryville’s Main Street will come alive on third Thursdays of the summer and fall months with food trucks, live music, and special shopping deals.” When pressed for a date, Mr. Day noted, “The first (Third Thursday) event will be Thursday, June 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. That evening, in the Mini Park, the featured food trucks, wine and beer garden and music will be by Gary and Wyatt. Main Street merchants will be open and offering special deals. There will be a special food truck, Lake Side, featuring Lobster.” Day continued, “We want to make Main Street a
summer evening destination for our citizens. In addition to the food, music, and shopping deals, residents can enjoy the ever-improving amenities of the Mini Park.” Some of the downtown merchants at whose establishments one can shop, said David, are Annalise, Art by Sherry, Carpenters Gifts, Home Folks’ Café, Houser Drug, IW-Med Spa, McGinnis Furniture, Niney’s, Print 3-D, Rita Rae’s, and Victoria Cole, said Day. Mr. Day continued, “We’re working on new and more seating for our summer events. Plus, we now have free WiFi in the Mini Park. Our new living art wall is beginning to grow and will make a beautiful natural art piece for the Mini Park.” Also, Day noted there is to be an antique car show in the North Alley. For more information, citizens may call the Main Street office at (704) 4353451.
City Manager asks for citizens’ patience as there is still much to be done by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
It has been almost a month since the big May 16 storm tore through Cherryville, doing extensive damage, felling trees, and changing lives in the blink of an eye. The city is still in the process of healing and cleaning up. Cherryville City Manager Brian Dalton was asked if there was schedule from which the clean-up crews were working to assess the damage and facilitate the clean-up process. Mr. Dalton replied in the affirmative, adding, “We are trying to break the cleanup into sections and tackle a section at a time.” Mr. Dalton noted there is a lot of storm debris obviously, and when asked where it was all being taken, said, “The debris is being taken to the Gaston County
Landfill,” adding, “We have taken over 200 tons of debris at this point.” Power was out all over the city, with very few areas even having any. Fortunately, the city crews and all of the other power crews who came from other cities and towns to help out got things back up and running as soon as was possible. Mr. Dalton was asked if there were still any places without power and he said, “No, all power has been restored. Power was restored within three days of the storm to all areas.” As for citizens who need city crews to come and pick up their debris, Mr. Dalton noted, “We are operating outside our policy and simply trying to help citizens get debris cleaned up. The storm has been such a catastrophic event that we want to work with our citizens. With the (large) amount of debris, it is going to be a lengthy process and we ask our citizens to be patient. I assure you we are taking steps to get it cleaned up as soon as possible.” See STORM, Page 6
Minutes after the storm blew over, this power pole right outside W. Blaine Beam Intermediate dangles where the power of the wind snapped it like a twig. The pole’s power lines themselves sag and sway after being torn off their ceramic posts. (photo by MEP/The Eagle/CF Media)
City’s Main Street program plans to host Juneteenth Celebration Holiday commemorates emancipation of African Americans by MICHAEL E. POWELL
Part of a poster heralding Cherryville’s upcoming June 17 Juneteenth Celebration. Editor michael@cfmedia.info will soon be the scene of the city’s first Juneteenth celeCherryville Downtown bration.” and Economic Development The Juneteenth CelebraDirector David Day noted in tion event, which commema recent media release that orates the emancipation of the city’s Mini Park “… See JUNETEENTH, Page 2
Gaston County makes history by earning AAA rating Wankel T. Rex will be temporarily from Moody’s Demonstrates rapid strengthening of County’s fiscal position by ADAM J. GAUB Director of Communications/Gaston County
On Thursday, June 1, Gaston County earned a AAA bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service for the first time in the
County’s history. This comes barely more than a year after the County earned its last bond rating increase from Moody’s, demonstrating a rapid strengthening of the County’s fiscal position. “This announcement is a testament to the vision of our board, the leadership of Dr. Eagle and the incredible hard work of our staff,” said Gaston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Chad Brown (R-Riverbend Township). “We’ve made it a priority to balance our budgets the last three years See AAA, Page 2
Ora
Over 90 Years!
removed from Schiele Museum lobby
Much-loved museum plans needed update to better welcome history lovers Have you ever seen the towering Tyrannosaurus rex in the lobby of The Schiele Museum of Natural History? This museum icon is slated to be removed, repositioned, and later relocated as part of a series of exciting changes coming to the museum. The T. rex in its current form will be on display through Sunday, June 18. The Schiele acquired the
Wankel T. rex cast in 1999 as part of a temporary exhibit. In 2000, a generous gift from the Dickson Foundation allowed the museum to purchase the cast, which has been on display in the lobby ever since. Once considered a dim-witted creature that lumbered along dragging its tail, the most recent science portrays T. rex as a dynamic member of a prehistoric ecosystem. It has been likened to a gigantic bird, tending its young and
The Wankel T. Rex in full view from “stem to stern”; or “nose to tail,” as they say! (photo by Matt Benson) Like Us On
FRIDAY • JUNE 23 30 FOUR & SATURDAY • JUNE 24TH & JULY 1 ST
BIG SUPER MARKET DAYS! SUPERMARKET & BROAD RIVER HAMS
America’s Juneteenth Celebration is a U.S. holiday commemorating the emancipation of African Americans. (photos provided)
RD &
BACON WRAPPED FILETS HRS: 8AM-6PM MON-.SAT.
704-487-4377 1026 EAST MARION ST., SHELBY, NC WWW.ORASUPERMARKET.COM
Facebook!
TH
ON LY
6
$
99 each WE ACCEPT EBT, SNAP, FOOD STAMPS, DEBIT