The Mint Hill Times

CMS announced it has come up with a list of 32 schools “where change may be needed” in the 2011-2012 school year. Mint Hill Middle School is on this list. The changes could be minor or significant, including closing some of the schools. The Board of Education, which has worked on guiding principles all summer, based its decision on an index that took into account academic proficiency, academic growth, per-pupil cost and condition of the school.

After the break, read the CMS press release and see a list of the schools that could close. Others on the list? Garinger, Harding and Olympic high schools. continue reading…

Don’t know the name Dr. Mike Beitler? In a state like North Carolina that hinders involvement from third parties, it’s understandable. Beitler is the Libertarian candidate running for U.S. Senate. He will face incumbent Richard Burr and Democrat Elaine Marshall in the fall elections. Libertarians rarely win despite having a platform that for the most part takes the best ideas Republicans and Democrats have to offer. However, Libertarians tend to be ex-Republicans and are generally considered  conservative. That is why it was somewhat of a shock to see this paragraph in a recent press release:

As you know, Beitler has been polling between 6-10% in recent polls and he has taken a controversial stance on the immigration issue (in favor of amnesty and pathway to citizenship).

Even Democrats, who in general favor amnesty, do not have the guts to use the word “amnesty.” Yes, Beitler might not be known now, and he may not be on election day, but with such a controversial stance on immigration, he will raise more than a few eyebrows.

Are you leaving your car unlocked at night? If so, it might not be a good idea. Mint Hill Police are reporting an uptick in vehicle breaking and entering offenses where owners did not lock their doors at night.  Electronics as well as personal items have been left in the vehicles and taken.

Mint Hill Police are urging all residents to make sure that they do not leave their vehicles unlocked with personal items inside. Several items have been stolen to include, Car stereos, GPS Systems, IPods, Laptops, Money, and any other items of value.

Mint Hill Police are requesting that residents pay close attention to their neighborhoods for suspicious activity and persons. Any items of value should be removed from your vehicles and placed in a secure area.

Please contact Mint Hill Police at 704-545-1085 (Office) or 704-889-2231 (Dispatch) for concerns on this release. For immediate and emergency assistance please call 911.

Sue Myrick, who represents the Mint Hill area in the U.S. House of Representatives, released this video today bemoaning the U.S. Homeland Security for not taking seriously the threat of Hezbollah entering the country illegally along the Mexico border. The narrator of the video cites anecdotal evidence, while the Director of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, says there is no credible threat. Hezbollah has attacked American interests around the world, but has never directly threatened inside our own borders. Is Myrick correct that more attention should be paid to terrorism on the Mexican border?

As we reported last week, the town has finally purchased the land at Mint Hill Village for the new town hall. In this week’s Mint Hill Times, Commissioner Tina Ross explains her opposition to the site, while Mayor Ted Biggers asks her to show him the numbers.

Also in this week’s paper:

• Dwight Moody, who has called the Mint Hill area home for many decades, is a world famous bluegrass fiddler. Read the first of a two-part interview about his amazing 60 year career that is still going strong. In the video above, watch him play fiddle with the latest incarnation of the WBT Briarhoppers, a band he has played for since the 1940s.

• A Mint Hill fireman was injured at last Saturday’s training session. Mint Hill, along with Idlewild and Matthews fire departments, used the old Idlewild Country Club building in a controlled burn for training purposes. However, everything didn’t go according to plan.

• The Mint Hill Historical Society has another Eagle Scout building a historically accurate structure at the Carl J. Historical Village. Lacey Hampton reports.

• In sports, Rocky River High School may have lost its first game last week, but that didn’t stop the school spirit. Also, read previews of Butler, Independence and Rocky River’s games this week.

• In the opinion section, Leslie Southerland has the kindergarten blues, this week’s editorial looks at the latest black eye for Butler High School, and John Hood “believes” Bev Perdue’s excuse for not reporting travel campaign expenses.

Librarians and high fashion will collide next weekend. The Charlotte Mecklenburg library is teaming with Neiman Marcus department store to raised funds via a raffle. The prizes—other than the satisfaction of donating to the library—include a stay at the Ritz Carlton hotel, a $500 gift card from Neiman Marcus, and a private wine tasting for 12 people. The library hopes to make $20,000 via the raffle.

Neiman Marcus chose Charlotte Mecklenburg Library as the charitable beneficiary for its Fashion’s Night Out event on Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.  Winners of the raffle will be announced at the free event, but they do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased on-line by visiting www.cmlibrary.org/raffle. Tickets can also be purchased at the event or at any of the 20 library locations.

Interested in attending Fashion’s Night Out? Reserve your spot at the event by emailing RSVPCharlotte@NeimanMarcus.com.

The Carolina Journal looks at the rise of comic books and graphic novels in North Carolina Public libraries and schools. Some say they are useful materials while others, including Independence media specialist Jeff Jones, say he doesn’t see a difference.

However, the genre’s penetration into the schools is mixed. Jeff Jones, the media center specialist at Charlotte’s Independence High School, said there are “50 or 60 books” in the graphic novel collection. “The same people check out a lot of them, but not a lot of different people,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just for free reading [and] entertainment.”

Want to see a heck of a game from November 13, 1987? Harding beat Independence in the state 4A playoffs that year 34-32  at Memorial Stadium. At the beginning of the video, see the starting rosters–several names stand out for Independence including running back Mario Grier who later played the New England Patriots. Also, the coach for Harding that year was Tom Knotts. He took Harding to the state championship and then the next season bolted for West Charlotte. This video is the first of eight. See the rest of them at this link.

Know anyone in Matthews who likes to play the lottery? You may want to call them to make sure they are not holding onto a $1 million ticket that matched the August 20 drawing. It has still not been claimed. In other lottery news, Derek McWilliams of  Stallings won $10,000 in the August 27 MegaMillions drawing. He purchased his ticket at the Gate #416 at 14622 Lawyers Rd. in Stallings.

View Larger Map
The Mint Hill Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 last night to authorize Town Manager Brian Welch to finalize the purchase of 1.74 acres in Mint Hill Village for the new town hall. The sale of the land was held up because of an environmental report during the due diligence period that found a small amount of fill soil. Money was placed into an escrow account to replace some of the dirt.
The land cost the town $675,000 which was less than the $750,000 appraised value. Welch said Architect David Creech will now begin the drawings and that ground could be broken by the end of the year.
Commissioner Tina Ross voted against the purchase of the land. She said her vote should not have come as a surprise, adding that the town already owned 20 acres of land they could have built on. Mayor Ted Biggers has previously said that because most the infrastructure was already in place at Mint Hill Village, the town could save money. Read more in next week’s Mint Hill Times.

The town hall will be located at the apex of the traffic circle in the above map. The .1 acre in the traffic circle was also purchased by the town for a fountain or sculpture

Isaac Vasquez

WCNC is reporting that a drunk man boarded a bus heading for Mint Hill Middle School this morning. No one was injured. Upon arrest, police took the man to the hospital first because he had consumed so much alcohol. After he entered the bus through the emergency exit, the bus driver rounded up the students, keeping them away from him. A parent who saw the man enter the bus called the police.

The 20-year-old suspect, Isaac Vasquez, has been previously arrested three other times for charges including trafficking in heroin, possession of cocaine, carrying a concealed weapon, assault on a female, and assault on a child under 12 years old.