By Jason Saine

STAFF REPORTS - With the 2010 elections fast approaching, candidates began filing for office on Monday at the Board of Elections in Lincolnton.

With the scheduled trial of Sheriff Tim Daugherty on the docket, the candidates filings were a bit overshadowed.

With the dismissal of charges, Daugherty opted to take advantage of the opening day of filing and filled out the necessary paperwork to be a candidate for reelection.

Also filing on the Democrat ticket was former Lincolnton Police Chief Terry Burgin. Parole/Probation officer David Carpenter filed on the Republican ticket.

State Trooper Marc Walker, a Republican, is expected to file next week.

Entering the race for county commissioner was current school board member Carol Robinson and Darrell Gettys.

Gettys in speaking with the Tribune cited some of the leadership positions he has held in the past such as Lincolnton/Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Chair, Lincolnton Rotary Club Chair, Lincoln Medical Center Board Chair, and LEDA Board Chair as examples of his commitment to the community.

Photo: Darrell Gettys, accompanied by his wife Crystal, files to become a candidate for County Commissioner on Monday at the Board of Elections in Lincolnton.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLN COUNTY - Candidates for Congress, Senate, N.C. House and Senate, Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, Register of Deeds, Clerk of Court, and other offices will begin registering today for the 2010 campaigns today. The filing period opens at noon and runs until noon on Friday, February 26th.

This year’s high profile races will include the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Richard Burr of Winston-Salem and the U.S. Congressional seat held by Republican Patrick McHenry.

There are a number of Republican candidates for County Commission expected to file during the period including current commissioner Jim Klein from eastern Lincoln County who is seeking reelection.

There are two seats on the board up for election this year and the race has also attracted several other Republicans who intend on filing including Darrell Gettys, Byron Sackett, Martin Oakes and Carl Robinson.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - A controversy that has engulfed the Lincoln County Sheriff, Tim Daugherty, will be one step closer to finality today when court proceedings get underway in Lincolnton.

Daugherty is facing obstruction of justice charges for allegedly interfering with a DWI arrest of a local doctor in February of 2007. The incident has already cost former chief deputy Barry Taylor his job and a conviction of misdemeanor obstruction of justice.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Lager and ale fans in Charlotte will tell you the region is going through a beer renaissance and the proof will be on display during the inaugural Charlotte Craft Beer Week from March 18-28 at events spread across the area.

Charlotte Craft Beer Week will kick-off with a reception at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery in Uptown Charlotte on March 18. Charlotte Craft Beer Week will feature tastings of rare and exotic brews, showcases for local and regional breweries, food and beer pairing events, and appearances by some major names in the brewing industry.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - The Lincoln County Family YMCA will be celebrating with a membership appreciation day on Tuesday, February 9, 2010.

Special recognition will be shown to the charter members of the YMCA who are still members today, with a presentation of a special YMCA t-shirt that says “I am the YMCA”.

These 73 special charter members joined the YMCA before its opening nine years ago.

By Amy Wadsworth
Public Information Coordinator
Partnership for Children of Lincoln & Gaston Counties

February is Dental Health Month. Developing good habits at a young age and scheduling regular dental visits will help children with a good start for healthy teeth and gums.

Teeth are important for speaking, eating and smiling. Caring for your mouth is just as important as caring for the rest of your body. Cleaning teeth and gums removes plaque, which contains harmful bacteria that can cause tooth decay.

The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice a day with an ADA accepted fluoride toothpaste. Remember to replace your toothbrush every three to four months or more regularly if the bristles are frayed. Floss between your teeth daily to remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth. This is essential in preventing periodontal (gum) disease.

How to brush- (according to the American Dental Association):

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLN / GASTON COUNTY - The Partnership for Children of Lincoln & Gaston Counties is pleased to announce the generous donation of $1,000 from Pepsi Bottling Group in Cherryville.

Mark Begley, Unit Sales Manager with Pepsi Bottling Group said they wanted to get involved to help a great cause.

“I hope this is the first of many donations,” Begley said. “We feel that the children of the counties we service are our most important asset for the future of our communities.”

The donation was provided by the Pepsi Bottling Group WINs (We Are Involved Neighbors) Program, which provides grants to non-profit organizations that Pepsi’s employees support.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - City crews worked hard yesterday to get downtown Lincolnton uncovered from the recent snow and ice that came over the weekend.

Photo by Melany Dawn Crouse.

STANLEY – The Lake Norman Covekeepers recently announced a new location for their February, March and April meetings.

All interested residents of the Lake Norman area are welcome to attend these meetings.

Rusty Rozzelle, Water Quality Program Manager for Mecklenburg County, will address the topic, “Water, Water Everywhere,” providing an interesting look at the history of the Catawba River and some of the current threats and future challenges to river management and water quality.

LINCOLNTON - This Winter Weather photo was submitted Fred Jarrett who lives at 213 Hollow Road in Lincolnton.

The photo is a creative way of promoting Devin Rhyne's candidacy for Lincolnton City Council.

Rhyne was named last week as the Republican candidate for the Ward 1 seat that Tim Shain won in November but was later found to live in the wrong district according to the State Board of Elections.

The special election will be held on March 9th.

DENVER - This photo of the Arbor at Rock Springs Campground was sent in by Theresa Hammitt.

You can submit your pictures to lincolnweather@gmail.com for inclusion on our website.

READER'S REPORT

DENVER - Snow and sleet continues to come down across Lincoln County today.

This photo is from Amy Jarmatcki in Denver, NC.

You can contribute your photos by sending them to lincolnweather@gmail.com or contacting Tribune Publisher Jason Saine on Facebook.

Please remember to include your name and location of where the photo was taken when you submit your pictures.

LINCOLNTON - These photos the Lincoln County Court House were sent in by Laurie Bostian of Lincolnton who owns an Personal Artist Studio in the downtown area.

You can send in your winter weather photos at lincolnweather@gmail.com .

Be sure to include your name and the location/area where your photo was taken.

Southeastern US gets ready for icy weekend as winter storm that struck Plains moves east

A thick band of heavy snow, freezing rain and cold temperatures was spreading across southeastern states early Saturday, promising a messy weekend of slick roads, power outages and prime sledding for kids out of school.

The heaviest snow, possibly up to a foot, was predicted in Arkansas near the Missouri state line, northern Tennessee near the Kentucky and Virginia borders and western North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service.

Mark Rose, a forecaster with the weather service's Nashville office, called it "a major winter storm for this part of the country — heck, for any part of it."

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLN COUNTY - Lincoln County is under a Winter Storm Warning tonight until 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The Tribune will gladly accept your weather photos from across Lincoln County and you can send those to us at lincolnweather@gmail.com .

Please include your name, the location where the photo was taken and anyone in the photo.

Enjoy the winter weather and please be safe.

(Photo: The photo above is from a security camera at the Carolina Shopping Center in Lincolnton. The image was taken at 8:55 p.m. this evening.)

Issued by The National Weather Service
Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
7:56 pm EST, Fri., Jan. 29, 2010

... SNOWFALL INCREASING ACROSS THE PIEDMONT OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS THIS EVENING...

COVERAGE OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE INTERSTATE 77 CORRIDOR THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. SNOWFALL RATES UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST EMBEDDED SNOW SHOWERS. SOME SLEET MAY MIX IN AT TIMES ACROSS THE CHARLOTTE METRO AREA.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - Recent heavy rains have caused area rivers and creeks to overrun their banks.

This photo by Jeff Crouse was taken at the Betty G. Ross Park in Lincolnton where the South Fork River has spilled into the park playground and picnic area.

Wintry weather on Friday and Saturday could compound the problem adding more moisture to the area.

By Ron McCann

Lincolnton:

Demolition of the old two story First Federal Savings Bank on East Main Street in Lincolnton started a little over seven days ago. As of today (Tuesday), all that is left to haul off is a portion of the old vault (see photo). Due to the noise involved in using a wrecking ball to break apart the rebar saturated concrete, work on the vault cannot start until after 5:00pm. Once the old site is cleared, work will begin on adding 10,000 square feet to the existing First Federal Savings Bank headquarters on East Main Street.

By Beth Saine

LINCOLNTON- On a rainy day with dark grey skies could not have been a more beautiful day for the troops from Alpha Battery who arrived home around 11:30 am on Sunday, January 24, 2010.

Alpha Battery left Lincolnton some 15 months ago for infantry training and a ten month tour of duty in Iraq.

Today, the soldiers returned home where they were greeted by family, friends and thankful Americans. Hugs, tears of joy and cheerful laughter were familiar sounds that could be heard as the soldiers of Alpha Battery bid their fellow soldiers good-byes and were reunited with their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, children, and friends.

Smiling twenty-one year old Corey Bradley told the Tribune: “During the time when he was away he had his 21st birthday and his 1st wedding anniversary while in Iraq.” As a part of the Thirteenth Bravo, Bradley told us that his job was working security for the local nationals. Bradley was reunited with his wife, Rachel, sister, Nicole and a family friend, Mark Miller.

Photos: Top, Troops from Alpha Battery march down rainy Lincolnton streets as they return. Photo by Melany Dawn Crouse. Photo 2, Rachel Bradley, Nicole Bradley and Mike Miller welcome Corey Bradley home. Photo by Beth Saine.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - Do you know what items to recycle?

NC Cooperative Extension's ECA (Extension & Community Association) is sponsoring an informative program on recycling. Melissa Hendrick, Lincoln County Recycling Coordinator, will present the program at the Extension center located in the James W. Warren Citizens Center on Wed., Feb. 3rd at 10:00 am.

By Ron McCann

Lincolnton:

The awards presentation and opening reception for this year's amateur photography contest was held on Friday night at the Lincoln Cultural Center. The number of entries was larger than last year and the reception was well attended.

The photos were judged by local photographer Ari Miller and the awards presented by Arts Council of Lincoln County president Gary Lee.

Dallas, NC photographer Gerald Johnson (photo above) won Best of Show with his photograph of Crab Tree Falls as well as taking a 1st place with another photograph of a waterfall in Valdese.

This year's entries will be on display in the Lincoln Cultural Center through February 12. Stop by and enjoy some very fine photographs.

STAFF REPORTS

DENVER - The Lake Norman Covekeepers will hold a meeting on January 28, 2009 for all interested residents of the Lake Norman area.

Rick Gaskins, Executive Director of the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, will address lake issues and identify which agencies or persons to contact in order to report a problem or concern.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - The City of Lincolnton Parks and Recreation Department would like to announce that the W.M. Lentz Gym is open to the public for the Let's Get Moving Lincolnton walking program.

The gym is open from 11:00am – 2:00pm Monday through Friday unless otherwise posted.

LINCOLN COUNTY - The Lincoln County Farmer Terracing Scholarship is available to all high school seniors in Lincoln County. The applications are available from high school guidance counselors. They are also available from the Extension Office located on the first floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center in Lincolnton.

Applications for this year's scholarship must be received in the Extension Office by 5:00 p.m. on March 1, 2010.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Establishing significant reductions in the amount of water transferred out of the Catawba River during drought conditions has enabled the Protect the Catawba Coalition and Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Inc. to reach an agreement with the cities of Concord and Kannapolis to resolve the appeal of the Interbasin Transfer (IBT) granted Concord and Kannapolis by the State of North Carolina.

STAFF REPORTS

CROUSE - Boy Scout Troop 87, Cub Scout Pack 87, and the Outreach Class of Crouse United Methodist Church will sponsor a Spaghetti and Salad Dinner on Saturday, January 23 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the church fellowship hall.

The dinner will be dine in or take out, cost by donation.

The church is located at the intersection of Pleasant Grove Church Road and Crouse School Road, turn south on Pleasant Grove Church Road off the four-lane "bypass" section of HIghway 150 in Crouse.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - The entry deadline for the Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition is February 6, 2010. The competition will be held March 20 and 21, 2010 at the Lincoln Cultural Center in Lincolnton, NC.

For questions, please call 704-732-9055.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - The Soup Kitchen now operates 7 days per week, 365 days per year and they would like to thank all the churches and volunteer groups that help to make this possible.

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 has been set aside for the Souper Sunday event. Churches are asked to collect $1 (or more) or a can of soup from each church member as they leave church. This is a great project for the church youth to consider.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - Daniels Lutheran Church’s next Saturday Breakfast Buffet is January 23, 2010 in Daniels’ Fellowship Hall, 3170 Reepsville Road, Lincolnton, NC from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Cost is $6.00. Daniels’ country breakfast buffet features pancakes, eggs, grits, bacon, sausage, liver mush, gravy, biscuits, toast and jelly, coffee, milk and orange juice.

Proceeds go to the Daniels’ Fellowship Hall Building Fund.

STAFF REPORTS

DENVER, NC - Over 1,000 people attened "The Gathering" at Westport Baptist Church on Sunday evening in Denver, NC.

Patriots who many said felt like the nation was headed in the wrong direction gathered for the "God and Country" rally that featured the gospel singing Reggie Sadler Family.

Sadler, who was one of the organizers of the rally, said the event was "not about partisanship or Democrats or Republicans, but about Americans".

The rally's purpose was to offer eager participants information, inspiration and encouragement.

“It's time to take America back,” said speaker Hope Hoyt. “Educate yourself because it is time to know what is going on within our government. This country is worth fighting for.”

Sadler, who served as the main emcee for the evening, entertained the audience with his music and with a mini concert with his family singing gospel and patriotic songs.

When attendees arrived, they were greeted with a large American flag hanging from fire trucks from Denver and East Lincoln Fire Departments.

Marc Walker, who is a law enforcement officer, serves as chairman of the East Lincoln Fire Department and who intends to file for the office of Sheriff in Lincoln County, told the crowd: “Count on me as someone who is going to stand up and defend our (American) Flag.”

“Continue to pray for America and that God will continue to bless America.”

Organizers wanted to stress that the Tea-Party style event was not an anti-government rally, but rather a rally to make sure our government carries out the will of the people it governs.

“We're not here tonight against government,” said Saddler. “We're here tonight against corrupt government.”

(Photos: Balloons drop over attendees at the end of the God & Country Rally at Westport Baptist Church in Denver on Sunday. The event was organized by a group called "The God and Country Way".

Marc Walker speaks about the importance of protecting the American flag. Photos by Melany Dawn Crouse.)