Archive - Sep 2010 - News Article
September 20th
Potential cuts in Newton-Conover City Schools is no longer a reality for teachers within the school system, but an after-school program has board members requesting a close watch on its expenses.
With the proposed 2010-11 budget being $29.4 million, Superintendent Dr. Barry Redmond told education board members during a work session Monday at the NCCS Central Office, the school system is in good shape.
"We are very healthy," Redmond said. "We are very, very frugal and manage our money very well."
Thriftiness and energy efficiency are on the lesson plans for several area teachers.
These teachers employ methods, like recycling and cutting energy costs, that not only save the environment, but save their schools money.
Eilene Corcoran, a teacher at Bandys High School, started a battery recycling program for the school.
"We used a lot of batteries, and there was nowhere to recycle them," she said.
Corcoran, an environmental science teacher, infuses elements of recycling into her classroom.
The cell phone is a teen's version of an electronic security blanket.
"If I leave the house without my phone, I feel like I'll need it," said 14-year-old Toni Abernathy, of Hickory. "... I think it isolates you sometimes. You're off in your own little bubble."
Abernathy was a contestant in The Hickory Foundation YMCA's texting competition Saturday, which challenged participants to type text messages as fast as possible.
Newton native Dr. William C. Self, who died unexpectedly Sept. 15 at his Wilmington home, was hailed as one of North Carolina’s leading educators. Funeral rites and burial for Self, who was 90, will take place in Hickory on Sept. 23.
Self was superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools from 1967 to 1972, as the state’s largest city went through the upheavals of racial integration of its education system. He later became dean of the School of Education at UNC-Chapel Hill, retiring in 1982.
A Conover man was robbed at gunpoint Sunday in his home.
Joshua James Hampton, 22, of Icard, is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon after Catawba County sheriff's deputies said he went to an acquaintance's home and robbed him.
Jamie Sullivan, 23, of Conover, was at his home in the 2700 block of Section House Road on Sunday about 3:20 p.m. when Hampton arrived at Sullivan's house, said Catawba County Chief Deputy Coy Reid.
September 17th
When Katie Keisler cuts coupons, she cuts costs.
"It basically just started out as just me trying to save money," said Keisler, 22, of Newton. "I was able to get free items, not just cheap, but free."
Keisler's husband was laid off from his job, and Keisler wanted a way to save money without sacrificing community service and charitable giving.
"I thought, 'We need to still be charitable, but how can we do this?'" Keisler said.
A Bunker Hill High School student suffered internal injuries Friday after being run over by a car.
Caleb Hedrick, 15, of Claremont, was riding on the hood of a Toyota Corolla with his cousin Dustin Shook, 16, of Claremont, when the driver stopped suddenly, causing Hedrick to fall off the car, according to witnesses.
Catawba County residents take action and plan two political events to meet candidates running for area offices.
Jennifer Bandy, along with her relatives and other residents, planned two events for the public to meet candidates in an effort to learn more about the people who want to represent the community in various offices.
The Shuford YMCA's Sparkman Community Center became a bargain barn Friday and Saturday to raise money for community programming.
The Adrian L. Shuford Jr. YMCA in Conover held a two-day community yard sale and fundraiser, complete with drastically reduced prices on a wide range of donated items.
September 16th
Unknown four-wheeler riders are causing thousands of dollars in damage to sewer rights of way in Claremont.
Claremont City Council discussed the situation at its Sept. 7 meeting after council member P.J. Stanley spent several hours reviewing the damage with Public Works director Tom Winkler.
“They spin it up, tear it up and mess up our rights of way,” Stanley said in a presentation to council members. “It damages it to the point that it costs thousands in damage to the right of way.”
