Mineral Springs News

A mother and her two children were found dead in their Union County home late Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide, sheriff's deputies said. via News Observer

As a newcomer, I'd love to know more about this fast-growing county, its history, businesses, people and opportunities. There's so much to learn.

I'm in the best position possible to get that education. Being a newcomer columnist is like having a license to ask questions. And the only thing better than finding answers to my own questions is finding answers to readers' questions. Every one of those has the added bonus of introducing me to a potential new friend.

I've made a lot of friends since I started writing Newcomer Network in February 2005. Some of them I've never met face-to-face, but continue to converse with via e-mail. Read more

“If you're pro-commercial, then show it and allow us some small capacity”

Plans for a downtown Mineral Springs commercial and government center are on hold as the developer awaits sewer permits from Union County.

That could take years.

Meantime, the town is going ahead with one part of the downtown development: renovating an old school building that will become the new town hall. That building will be served by an on-site septic system if sewer access isn't approved, Mayor Rick Becker said.

Mineral Springs is at least the second Union County municipality to worry recently that plans for a business district could be derailed by the county's sewer-capacity shortage. Read more

“We could go out if you'd like. I'm sure we could get a table if we went at 5:30.”

The theme this week involves 'big' and 'small' in Waxhaw.

First, let's celebrate the big news.

Waxhaw Elementary School has all the state winners from Union County for the N.C. Reading Association's Young Authors Contest.

This is a big deal, and here are the details:

Mrs. Wansley's first-grade class took home three of the four winners with Joel Simpson, Jenna Sweezy and Brayden Van Milligan receiving top honors. I also am told that 'Alexandra Myers made fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Bittner smile by winning at state level.' Read more

“Parkdale gives us a lot of money; that's no secret. They're a good corporate citizen ... We don't want to go with a knee-jerk reaction with, `Oh, a bigger truck is bad.'”

A shipping company that wanted to run larger tractor-trailers through downtown Monroe has turned its attention to Mineral Springs and Waxhaw.

Trailer Bridge Inc. has withdrawn from the N.C. Department of Transportation its access request involving downtown Monroe. It has submitted another request focusing on N.C. 75 through Mineral Springs and Waxhaw.

If DOT approves the request, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based trucking company could run trucks with 53-foot trailers from the Parkdale Mills textile plant on the eastern edge of Mineral Springs through downtown Waxhaw into South Carolina. Read more

MAHS: J.W. Mask Jr. Alumni Chapter meeting at 6 p.m. at NAACP Building in Hamlet. via Richmond County Daily Journal

RICHMOND COMMUNITY THEATRE: "Sea Marks" by Gardner McKay will be presented at 8 p.m. Tickets are $9. Box office open. via Richmond County Daily Journal

BLOOD DRIVE: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Richmond Community College, Hamlet. Thursday CAREGIVERS SUPPORT: Group will be held at 6 p.m. in Community Room at Longleaf Community Bank. via Richmond County Daily Journal

“It pointed to the fact that we needed someone in the office to run the organization on a full-time basis.”

Following a Jan. 17 meeting of the National Steeplechase Association's board of directors in Baltimore, Md., president Franny Abbott announced a 2008 preliminary plan to restructure the organization that ... via Blood Horse

City officials are opposing a trucking company's request to run longer tractor trailers through downtown Monroe and out two-lane N.C. 75 to Mineral Springs.

The company, Trailer Bridge, has asked the N.C. Department of Transportation's permission to haul twin trailers up to 28 feet each and 48-to-53-foot single trailers to a textile plant in Mineral Springs. In general, most trailers cannot exceed 48 feet.

The public can write the N.C. DOT with comments until Feb. 1.

The city transportation committee Monday passed a resolution opposing the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company's request. The request, submitted in December, applies only to Trailer Bridge. Read more

“I wish the group sponsoring it ... would have come up with something more proportionate”

There's been talk in Union County for more than a decade about erecting a memorial to law enforcement officers killed on the job. But no one acted on it until last May, when members of Fraternal Order of Police, Monroe-Union Lodge 19 began planning to raise money to build one.

So far, they've raised $5,000 -- $2,500 each from Union County and the City of Monroe. But organizers think they'll need $35,000 to build a monument near the new Union County Judicial Center. Raising the rest of the money will depend on how much support comes from the county's other 13 towns. Read more

CENTRAL CHARLOTTE

** 1508 Morningside Drive: More than 13,000 lights decorate Tim Griffin's home. He says most of the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Morningside are lighted in preparation for the neighborhood's decorating contest. Griffin was featured in an Observer story in 2006 about his collection of 6,000 (indoor) Santas.

** 620 E. Tremont Ave.: Michael Petrosino has a festival of clear and icicle lights, animated arctic animals and a snowman that tips his hat at the door.

NORTHEAST CHARLOTTE Read more

Two buses leaving a Union County elementary school collided shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, sending more than a dozen children to the hospital. via Charlotte Channel 9

CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE: The 11th annual Christmas On The Square will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in downtown Rockingham with entertainment, crafts and food. via Richmond County Daily Journal

“Those are critical water needs.”

Duke Energy officials say they are managing the lakes along the Catawba River to ensure water intakes are covered, but the Town of Valdese isn't taking any chances. via The Morganton News Herald

With most elective seats uncontested, Mineral Springs races have been quiet so far, as the town of 2,300 works to manage residential growth while trying to create a mixed-use downtown center.

Seeking three council seats are two incumbents -- Lundeen Cureton and Peggy Neill -- and Valerie Coffey, who was appointed to the council last year after Alice Mabe resigned.

Planning board member Melody LaMonica is running unopposed to fill the unexpired term of former council member Woody Faulk, who has about two years left in his term. Faulk said he was moving to Stallings. Read more

“Now, what we're seeing is just a budget-busting, traffic inducing problem like some of ... the worst we've seen around the county”

The City Council on Tuesday will consider two of the largest subdivisions proposed since the city adopted modern zoning laws in the 1950s.

The subdivisions, named Helmstead and Howey Farms, have drawn fire from the mayor of nearby Mineral Springs, which ceded the tracts of one of them to Monroe in January.

The subdivisions would take a large part of the city's spare sewer capacity and require police and fire departments to expand.

The plans call for 1,100 single-family houses plus 94 townhomes south of the corner of Rocky River and Weddington roads, averaging just under three units an acre. Read more

The action plan for low performing Richmond County Schools will be discussed at Tuesday's school board meeting. via Richmond County Daily Journal

We know two things for certain about Steve Scott: One, he's a big Van Halen fan; two, he's feeling extremely lucky today. via Charlotte.com

“It's just like spending money.”

Some Union County slow-growth advocates are calling for a public hearing on a sewer permit allocation policy that was shaped in commissioners' closed meetings and released Thursday.

'It sounds like this has been cobbled together under cover of darkness,' said Mineral Springs Mayor Rick Becker, who often disagrees with the commissioners' majority on growth-related issues.

Commissioners plan to vote Monday on the policy. Commissioner Allan Baucom said they will not hold a public hearing. Read more