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SP tennis tryouts
Tennis Coach Todd Matthews said the Lady Raiders will have tryouts from Aug. 11 through Aug. 14 from 9-10 a.m.
Updated physicals are required before tryouts begin.
Led by Allison Harris, the tennis team opens its season at home against Ashbrook on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
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Tornado tears up Mount Holly
By THOMAS LARK
- Thu, May 15, 2008
MOUNT HOLLY—Friday’s tornado and heavy thunderstorm left parts of Mount Holly damaged and without power.
The wild weather roared through in the wee hours of that morning, with strong rains, wind and lightning strikes at about 2 a.m.
Mount Holly Fire and Rescue Training Officer Curtis Thomas said the lightning knocked out stoplights for hours at Rankin Avenue and Tuckaseege Road. Officers from the Mount Holly Police Department and Gaston County Sheriff’s Office directed traffic through the busy intersections.
And a tornado forced the closing of Catawba Heights, North Belmont and Gardner Park elementary schools.
“It sheared off a lot of the treetops at Catawba Heights Elementary,” Thomas said. “But as far as I know, we’ve not had any injuries to people anywhere—just a lot of damaged property.”
At CHE, groundskeeper Ken Addington and wife Sheila, a teacher’s assistant, surveyed the damage. Stumps were left were several trees had been cut down by the tornado.
“It sure looks like a tornado to me,” said Mr. Addington. “What else could it have been?”
Walking toward the back of the school, he pointed out the path of the powerful weather phenomenon. A series of trees, some with the bark stripped clean off, resembled downed dominos. Children’s playthings were strewn about among countless limbs and leaves littering the backyard.
“There was a playground here. Now it’s all over here, under the trees,” Addington said, indicating how the playground equipment was picked up and thrown about 100 feet, and adding with a rueful laugh, “Well, at least there won’t be as many leaves to pick up come fall!”
Principal Pam Williams declined to comment.
Duke Power crews were to be found throughout the city, with men high atop cherry pickers restoring service to multiple businesses and residences. Many streets were partially blocked by barricades as power crews worked, and leafy limbs and other debris were cleared away.
And Mayor Robert Whitt declared a citywide state of emergency in the wake of the weather.
“The main reason we did that was that it would enable us to recover the money we’re spending on clean-up,” said Whitt, speaking Friday afternoon. “There’s no curfew in place or anything like that.”
Whitt thanked city of Mount Holly staffers for their rapid response. The MHPD, MHFR and street crews coordinated efforts and completed a damage assessment by daybreak. Some of the areas most affected included Tuckaseege Park, Tomberlin Road, Cherry Street and East Catawba Drive.
Whitt said that the weather-related damage necessitated the temporary closing of Tuckaseege Park, as well as the cancellation of its weekend activities.
“There’s a good bit of damage down there,” said the mayor, adding that the tornado came over his own house. “And it hit (Mount Holly City Councilwoman) Carolyn Breyare’s house pretty hard.”
Whitt said he encouraged residents to use caution and common sense. They should be careful when cleaning up any debris on their property.
As a service to its residents, the City of Mount Holly will offer help with tree removal in those areas hardest hit. A list of qualifying areas and instructions on getting city assistance for this will be soon be made available.
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