By Brandy BeardPublished: May 2025 at 8:29 AM EDT|Updated: 15 hours agoEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGASTONIA (WBTV) - Two people were arrested after two others were arrested following a shooting in Gastonia officers said they found two adults had been shot They were taken to an area hospital but were expected to be OK Read also: Referee arrested after gun fired during youth sports event in Union County Gastonia police made two arrests in connection with the shooting: 32-year-old Christian Michelle Cash and 36-year-old Ricky Lamar Judge Both people were charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and shooting into an occupied dwelling but Cash was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon Officers on Monday said the investigation was still ongoing and anyone with information should call the Gastonia Police Department at 704-866-6701 High school baseball teams from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties now know their path to an NCHSAA state championship the state’s athletic governing body releasing its playoff brackets Monday afternoon with the second round being played that Friday night Third round competition is set for Tuesday Regional semifinal matchups are scheduled to take place May 16 with a winner-take-all Game 3 scheduled for May 23 NCHSAA state softball championships will be played at Ting Park in Holly Springs or Burlington Athletic Stadium The best-of-three series is scheduled for May 30 and 31 WHAT'S NEXT?: NCHSAA finalizes playoff formats, new mercy rules at spring board meeting LAST WEEK'S HONOR ROLL: Track stars, home runs and hat tricks: Gastonia, Shelby area spring sports top performers Burns’ pursuit of a third NCHSAA 3A West title in a row begins with it as a 4-seed Also starting at home will be 5-seed Lincoln Charter and No 28 West Wilkes and 17-seed Surry Central to their respective ballparks East Gaston will be the lone area 2A team to board a bus Tuesday the 20th-ranked Warriors bound for Mooresville and a matchup with No Co-Southern Piedmont 1A/2A regular season champion Cherryville may enjoy an extended stay at Fraley Field this postseason The Ironmen will host Bradford Prep to open the postseason Cherryville is one in a pair of area 1A teams who will start the playoffs at home 10 Piedmont Community Charter welcoming 23-seed Swain County to Gastonia for a first round matchup Highland Tech and Mountain Island Charter will hit the road in Round 1 After claiming its first Big South 3A championship in four years The Chargers will host 31-seed South Rowan on Tuesday Western Foothills 3A co-champion North Lincoln landed the No 5 seed and the opportunity to host 28th-ranked Smoky Mountain in Round 1 13 East Lincoln welcomes 20th-ranked North Henderson North Gaston and Kings Mountain look for road upsets at Central Davidson Gaston Christian seeks Class 3A state gold 2 seed and a bye to the quarterfinal round Cary Christian or Greensboro Day on Saturday (29) Kings Mountain at (4) Rockingham County (19) Stuart Cramer at (14) Central Davidson (32) Southwestern Randolph at (1) East Rutherford (24) Community School of Davidson at (9) Maiden (17) Langtree Charter at (16) Corvian Community (24) Mountain Island Charter at (9) Thomasville (28) Bessemer City at (5) Uwharrie Charter (30) Bishop McGuinness at (3) Christ the King (22) Highland Tech at (11) Bethany Community (26) Mountain Heritage at (7) Leadership Academy (23) Swain County at (10) Piedmont Community Charter (18) Cornerstone Charter at (15) Eastern Randolph Cary Christian or Greensboro Day at (2) Gaston Christian NC – Two people face charges after a double shooting in Gastonia over the weekend Police were called to Spencer Avenue just after 8pm on Saturday Paramedics took the victims to the hospital There is no word what led up to the shootings Police arrested 32-year-old Christian Cash and 36-year-old Ricky Judge Cash is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill Judge is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and shooting into an occupied dwelling Ashbrook High School held its annual All-Star Pageant on Saturday it also serves as a community service project to raise money for local nonprofits they raised over $10,000 for two nonprofits Several students who participated in the All-Star Pageant were able to present a check to Cancer Services for $9,525.08 in front of 230 guests at their spring fundraiser Their donation helped Cancer Services exceed their fundraising goal that night of $215,000 All of the proceeds from Faces of Hope stay right in Gaston County and will be used for the Patient Assistance Program and other needed supplies and services on a case-by-case basis All services are free of charge to help cancer patients meet basic needs while they are in treatment With the North Carolina high school baseball playoffs set to commence, a host of teams from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties are expected to be part of the postseason dance Here are top baseball players to watch in the Gastonia Shelby area as the NCHSAA and NCISAA playoffs begin Tuesday Statistics were provided by coaches or gathered via MaxPreps and GameChanger through May 1 BRAVE NEW WORLD: NCHSAA finalizes playoff formats, new mercy rules at spring board meeting HONOR ROLL: Track stars, home runs and hat tricks: Gastonia, Shelby area spring sports top performers Has a 6-0 pitching record with a 0.85 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 41 innings Brock Bumgardner has also been solid at the plate and on the mound He’s hitting .397 with four home runs and a team-high 30 RBIs The sophomore has a 6-2 pitching record with a 1.68 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 41 ⅔ innings Talon Dalton leads Cherryville with a .449 batting average along with 20 RBIs Parker Stafford has been the Warriors' top pitcher allowing 33 runs (18 earned) on 30 hits this season Has allowed 14 earned runs on 41 hits this season striking out 89 batters over 57 ⅓ innings pitched The Wildcat pitching staff also has the services of Jackson Livingston who has a 6-0 pitching record with seven earned runs allowed over 46 ⅔ innings Erwing Soza has a 5-2 pitching record with a 1.58 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 31 innings The Storm leadoff man hit .417 this season with four RBIs and 27 runs scored Stuart Cramer’s pitching staff has been up to the task particularly sophomores Dylan Rodkin and Jack Scholz The Storm have earned a team ERA of 2.76 and 217 strikeouts in just short of 145 innings pitched The Rebels’ senior hurler has been awfully reliable this season as the starting pitcher for six of his team’s 15 wins this season allowing eight earned runs on 20 hits with 31 strikeouts He’s also been aided by a lineup including steady players such as Jacob Driggers Braden Helms and Landon Jenkins among others Led the Raptors with a .500 batting average The Coastal Carolina signee has allowed three earned runs in 45 ⅔ innings with 91 strikeouts helping the Knights earn a share of the Western Foothills 3A title with North Iredell Chad Matthews and Beckett Rinkus have also performed well for North Lincoln this season allowing five earned runs in 57 ⅓ innings and 64 strikeouts He goes into the postseason with an ERA hovering around 1.00 McSwain anchors a deep Crest lineup including Jeremiah Lowe Hit .459 this season with a team-high seven home runs and 32 RBIs including 43 strikeouts in 16 ⅓ innings pitched Reed Osborne led the Eagles with a .472 batting average 16 RBIs) supplement an explosive Lincoln Charter lineup Hit .421 this season with six doubles and 15 RBIs He’s one of four Mustangs with 20 hits or more Evan Matile led East Lincoln with four home runs The Gardner-Webb signee is back after spending much of the season sidelined with injury He’ll supllement an already talented Bulldog lineup Hagan Hoyle and Nick Williams — arguably the Burns player currently swinging the hottest bat — among others Putnam also bolsters a Burns pitching staff already consisting of Jackson Toney who threw a five-inning no-hitter earlier this season Led the Mountaineers with a .409 batting average along with four home runs Led the Eagles with a .412 batting average He’s joined by senior standout Meridian Leffew in the Gaston Christian lineup hitting .408 with three home runs and 17 RBIs Pitchers Logan Davis and Cooper Summerlin have been stellar the Eagles winning nine of their 11 games pitched with 83 strikeouts between them the Red Raiders still boast a deep lineup with the potential to give teams fits serving both as South Point’s leadoff man and No Gavin Gibson and Peyton McCarn help keep opposing pitchers off balance 2025 at 9:19 AM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGASTONIA (WBTV) - Police say a man stole more than $5,000 worth of merchandise from the Ulta Beauty store in Gastonia Read also: Person killed, interstate closed in Belmont wrong-way crash store employees saw a man come into the store holding a tan bag He allegedly went to the areas where Hourglass Paco Rabanne and NARS are sold and put a mix of products and sample testers in the bag who then allegedly gave her the products he had in his hands but then left without paying for the items in his bag he left with about $5,346 worth of products A teenager driving on Union Road veered off the road and crashed into a house in Gastonia according to the Gastonia Police Department The driver of the vehicle had a drivers license He was taken to the hospital and remains in serious condition Police did not identify the teen because he is under the age of 18 Police believe speed was a factor in the wreck which is under investigation who lives next door to the house where the wreck happened said that she was in bed when she heard the crash "Apparently they were asleep in the bedroom and didn't hear anything." The car appears to have veered off the left side of the road and up the side of a steep bank I never once thought that this would happen here," she said With the North Carolina high school softball playoffs set to commence, a host of teams from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties are expected to be part of the postseason dance Here are top softball players in the Gastonia Statistics were provided by coaches or gathered via MaxPreps and GameChanger through April 30 KEEP CHOPPIN': East Gaston softball trusted the process. Now, the Warriors are reaping the benefits ALL HANDS ON DECK: No matter young or old, here's how everyone is chipping in on Crest softball's success She’s also served the Red Raiders inside the circle earning a 10-8 pitching record with a 4.79 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 99 ⅓ innings Asbher is backed by a prolific lineup including three players (with more than 70 at bats) hitting better than .400 Cailey Evans (14 RBIs) and Taylyn Leford (15 RBIs) Madison Bridges has a team-high three home runs and 25 RBIs Freshman pitcher Makaylee Gantt has a 3.89 ERA along with 91 strikeouts Jaelynn Motley (19 RBIs) and Paige Hammond (home run 11 RBIs) are hitting better than .500 as well Bailee Roper and Sophie Gibson also have batting averages above .400 Leads the Raptors with a .458 batting average 13 RBIs) and Leilani Swanson (eight RBIs) also are hitting above .400 earning a 7-2 record with a 0.41 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 68 ⅓ innings pitched She also has a .395 batting average with 10 RBIs Paige Fleming leads the Mountaineers at the plate with a .421 batting average 15 RBIs) and Avery Cruise (13 RBIs) are also hitting .400 Ledbetter has enjoyed a stellar season campaign earning a 17-3 record with a 0.67 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 105 innings pitched Allie Summer leads the Chargers at the plate Maddie Crocker is hitting .468 with two home runs Kenedy Miller also hit .400 with eight RBIs Hit .436 with two home runs and 14 RBIs this season She’s one of three Knights with 20 hits or more Maysen Reames has a 14-4 pitching record with a 2.04 ERA and 125 strikeouts Proctor hit .500 this season with 12 extra-base hits — including a home run — and 32 RBIs She’s one of five Lady Ironmen players with 20 or more hits this season who leads the team with a .538 batting average Alexis McSwain has a team-high four home runs to go with 21 RBIs Landyn McBride (15 RBIs) and Ava Miller (home run Smith hit .460 this spring with more than half her hits going for extra bases (14 doubles Laney Williams had a team-high .490 batting average Aaliyah Sain (.431) and Bailee Cook (five RBIs) hit better than .400 this season Laylah Haynes led the Bulldogs with four home runs and 24 RBIs Thomas is hitting .500 with three home runs and 12 RBIs as a senior Jordyn Aungst has been solid inside the circle for East Lincoln a 1.66 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 71 ⅔ innings The freshman catcher leads a dangerous Warrior lineup with a .507 batting average with Wheeler one of five players with a minimum of 70 at bats to hit better than .400 this spring Hannah Massey (20 RBIs) and Kyndall Godley (20 RBIs) She also has an 11-6 pitching record with a 3.06 ERA and 130 strikeouts Stacia Cowan hit a team-high .500 batting average with two home runs Kaylin Pardo has a .426 batting average with six home runs and 23 RBIs while Abree Sutton hit .406 with three home runs and 24 RBIs High school softball teams from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties now know their path to an NCHSAA state championship the state’s athletic governing body releasing its softball playoff brackets Monday afternoon NCHSAA state softball championships will be played at Duke University in Durham or UNC Greensboro on May 30 and 31 WHAT'S NEW?: NCHSAA finalizes playoff formats, new mercy rules at spring board meeting Big South 3A co-champion Crest is the area’s highest ranked team earning the 5-seed in the 3A West regional bracket The Chargers will host conference foe and 28-seed Forestview in Round 1 Reigning NCHSAA 3A West champion Kings Mountain landed at No hosting 20th-ranked North Lincoln to open the postseason Western Foothills 3A champion East Lincoln is at No taking on conference rival and 25-seed Foard which is back in the postseason after nearly a decade 24 and will travel to ninth-ranked Hibriten After earning its first conference title since going back-to-back in 2010 and 2011 East Gaston is seeded ninth in the 2A West bracket Right behind them is Catawba Shores 1A/2A champion Lincoln Charter the 10th-ranked Eagles starting the playoffs against No Catawba Valley 2A tournament winner West Lincoln landed at No Cherryville is the highest-ranked area team in the 1A West bracket Metro-8 1A champion Piedmont Community Charter is No with Mountain Island Charter landing at No 8 with a matchup against 25th-ranked North Stokes Highland Tech was ranked 15th and is set to take on No 32 Yellow Jackets traveling to top-ranked Union Academy (17) Southern Guilford at (16) South Rowan (30) Central Academy (CATA) at (3) Oak Grove (31) Eastern Guilford at (2) Rockingham County (25) Providence Grove at (8) East Rutherford (25) North Stokes at (8) Mountain Island Charter (28) Eastern Randolph at (5) Bethany Community (29) Bradford Prep at (4) Uwharrie Charter (22) Mountain Heritage at (11) Swain County (26) Gray Stone Day at (7) Piedmont Community Charter Queen City News GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Two people are recovering after being shot Saturday night Officers say they were called to a shooting in the 1100 block of Spencer Avenue This is in a neighborhood near Linwood Road and West Garrison Boulevard but their injuries are non-life-threatening Two people were arrested in connection with the shooting National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals Still looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift Find the perfect one for your mother figure this Mother’s Day with these top picks from Amazon Sephora has a great selection of beauty gift sets that are perfect for Mother’s Day Search autocomplete is currently not responding – An overnight vehicle fire outside an apartment complex just outside of the Town of Cramerton resulted in the loss of four vehicles – Two people were hospitalized Friday evening after a house fire in the Crowders Mountain area of Gaston County A fire was reported at 6:37 at a home in the 100 block of Twisted Oaks Lane N.C. – An 82-year-old woman died in a house fire Sunday night in a rural neighborhood in northern Gaston County Investigators from the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services have ruled the fire ac.. the City of Mount Holly celebrates 146 years since it officially became a city on March 11 ??Mount Holly was originally known as Woodlawn which was the name of the post office long before the city was incorporated.  the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century Catawba Valley Chapter in collaboration with Gaston County Celebrate America 250 presented 175 literacy bags to the Gaston County Health Department The marker honors the "South Fork Boys," who settled in this area and were involved in the Battle of Kings Mountain The marker reads: "This marker commemorates the Lincoln County Regiment The Town of McAdenville was incorporated on February 27 McAdenville was named after Rufus Yancey McAden McAden purchased land along the South Fork of the Catawba River in 1880 and then charte.. Did you know Dallas is Gaston County's oldest town Dallas was the county seat of Gaston County for 64 years until 1911 Today marks 146 years since the City of Lowell Here are some other fun facts you may not already know: a textile manufacturing town located near Boston 1877 is the day Gastonia officially became a city things look a little different around G-Town nowadays Whether you call it the Gashouse or Spindle City we hope you'll join us in celebrating the Gaston County seat the Catawba Valley Chapter of the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century in collaboration with Gaston County (North Carolina) Celebrate America 250 presented 250 activity bags for children to the CaroMont Health Foundation for u.. The Gaston County 250 Committee was awarded a $10,000.00 grant from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources This County grant money will be spent on educational outreach The America 250 NC grants are "designed to spark progr.. America will commemorate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the development of a new nation dedicated to “life and the pursuit of happiness.” In the years since our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past – The NCWorks Career Center-Gaston County currently located at 1391 Bessemer City Road in Gastonia The current location is scheduled to close on Wednesday N.C. – A large fire at Metal Recycling Services south of Gastonia is now under control after burning for several hours Monday NC – Gaston County was among 27 North Carolina jurisdictions to earn recognition in the North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C) 2025 Excellence in Communications Awards Gaston County’s Communications Office to.. – Gaston County is providing a community update following notification from the Environmental Protection Agency of water discoloration issues near the Hemphill Road TCE Superfund Site in Gastonia Gaston County is mourning the profound loss of Marshall Rauch who dedicated his life to serving the people of our county “He was deeply devoted to his family – Gaston County is excited to announce the development of a Multimodal Comprehensive Transportation Plan (MCTP) This initiative underscores our commitment to enhancing the county’s transportation infrastructure The Manager’s Office and the Board of Commissioners are already hard at work in preparation for the FY2026 budget The board has already had two planning sessions – Following a thorough review of the services offered to the Gaston County community County Manager Matt Rhoten announced today the elimination of the Community Support Services Division Eleven positions (one of which is currentl.. With the MyAccount feature, you can customize your viewing experience, sign up for notifications, and engage in information you care about. Check out Notify Me today Notify Me allows you to subscribe to an unlimited number of email lists. Receive email or text message updates regarding the information you have requested. Check out Notify Me today By clicking “Log In” on the MyAccount bar at the top of the screen users may create a login for the site or use their Facebook profile to access MyAccount features and keywords that they’d like to see mos.. Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement received a call in reference to a dog that had killed a raccoon in the 3200 block of Scott Drive Gastonia 2025):  Gaston County Police and Animal Care and Enforcement (ACE) investigated animal cruelty in the 4000 block of Greenwood Dr. The investigation involved a dog that appeared to be severely underwei.. 5:00 PM) Gaston County Police investigate an arson which leads to Attempted First Degree Murder charges Gaston County Police responded to the 100 block of Jim Clark Drive near Bessemer City.. 2025): Gaston County Police are investigating a shooting that occurred on Friday officers responded to a shooting that occurred at a residence .. 12:00 p.m.) An arrest has been made following the investigation of a domestic disturbance where a subject was shot.  Gaston County Police responded to a domestic dis.. Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement received a call in reference to a dog that had killed a skunk in the 2300 block of Whitworth Road Cherryville  There was no human contact wit.. the Gaston County Police Department arrested Ivan Perez Garcia of Charlotte North Carolina during a drug trafficking investigation carried out by the Department’s Special I.. Gaston County Police responded to a domestic disturbance in the area of Joseph Antoon Circle 2:00pm) The Gaston County Police Department is investigating a classroom assault at Ashbrook High School that was depicted in a viral video on social media School administration reported the incident to the School Resource.. 2025): Additional arrests have been made in the Goble Street neighborhood murder investigation officers located a vehicle in the area of York Hwy and Hudson Blvd Join us to learn about our crime scene unit This training program designed to expose students ages 12-15 to the many aspects of law enforcement 2025): Gaston County Police have made an arrest following a domestic assault involving a stabbing.  officers responded to reports of a stabbing at 204 Mountain Meadows Dr the Gaston County Police Department arrested Jorge Ednilson Saravia Flores of Charlotte North Carolina during a drug trafficking investigation carried out by the Department&rsquo.. Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement received a call in reference to a dog that had killed a raccoon in the 2200 block of Robinwood Road  There was no human contact with the .. the Gaston County Police Department arrested Marciano Pina Ulloa of Statesville North Carolina during a drug trafficking investigation carried out by the Department’s Specia.. NC - A welfare check on Sunday afternoon led to the discovery of a homicide victim and the arrest of a suspect Gaston County Police officers conducted a welfare check at a residence on 108 Mist.. 2025): Following multiple tips about dogs on the property Gaston County Police and Animal Care and Enforcement conducted an investigation at a vacant lot beside 531 Queens Road in Gastonia on January 28 2024 8:45 am) -- One person is dead after a domestic incident which resulted in a house fire and resulted in murder charges for the person accused of starting the fire Phone: 704-866-3000 Monday through Friday8:30 am to 5:00 pm  "The vehicle went over an embankment and flipped before hitting a building." - Gastonia Police GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A child and an adult have been hospitalized following a serious rollover accident in Gastonia Gastonia Police said a Nissan Maxima traveling east lost control and ran off the road to the right The vehicle went over an embankment and flipped before hitting a building A child was ejected from the vehicle during the crash The driver was trapped inside the car and was pulled out by Gastonia Fire officials Both were rushed to CaroMont hospital for treatment “The driver is listed in serious condition and the juvenile was in serious condition as well,” Gastonia Police confirmed with Queen City News No word if any charges will be filed in connection with this crash these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Award-winning Gastonia K9 Bo and his handler Sgt David Rowland will appear on America’s Most Wanted on Monday night Host Josh Walso and his staff invited them to Atlanta for the taping last month and it’s finally making air Bo won National Hero Dog in November for his 2024 case when he and Sgt Rowland tracked a 7-year-old boy who was abducted at knifepoint by a family member The track was seven miles and Bo eventually found the boy in an abandoned shed The show airs at 9 before Queen City News at 10 This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time Penn Station East Coast Subs is now open at 2950 Union Road in Gastonia the shop marks area franchise owner Eric Fairbanks’s eighth location in the area He started out enjoying Penn Station sandwiches as a customer near his home in Charlotte Fairbanks took the opportunity to go into business with a company he was genuinely passionate about What sets Penn Station apart from other sandwich shops is also what made him visit his first location almost weekly before he bought in and that is fresh ingredients Meat used for Penn Station sandwiches is cooked fresh daily and real lemons are squeezed every day to make lemonade they realize this is not just a sandwich shop After opening his first Gaston County location in Dallas in 2023 Fairbanks said he loved doing business in the area and wanted to expand the new location in Gastonia officially opened He has future plans to continue expanding in the county The Gastonia location is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m want customers to feel like Ruby herself is in the kitchen cooking "We want it to be as fresh and homemade as possible," part owner Jessica Johnson said which sells Chicago-style barbecue and soul food is part of a larger family of restaurants based in the windy city opened the first Ruby's Soul Food in Chicago 2010 and expanded the business into four locations took the business over and encouraged her to open one herself had recently moved to Charlotte in search of warmer weather and to focus on opening a new ministry She is also a practicing counselor and now The task of opening a restaurant in 2020 seemed insurmountable When the former site of Mr 3s Crab Pot Bar & Grill at 2431 E Johnson said she jumped on the opportunity the Johnsons opened Ruby's Soul Food & BBQ for the first time and had a line through the doors the restaurant sold out of food and closed early "We want to thank the community for embracing us," Johnson said "We are so grateful for God and for the people." The menu at Ruby's includes several soul food and barbecue staples made with Chicago-style sauce and featuring rib tips and hot links Her favorite combo on the menu includes hot links Selling food that tastes like love and is made with love is what sets Ruby's apart We want to stand out," Jessica Johnson said GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A coordinated effort between multiple law enforcement and emergency response agencies in Gaston County led to the peaceful apprehension of a suspect following a domestic incident officers were dispatched to a residence in Ranlo in response to a domestic disturbance call law enforcement encountered a man who was uncooperative and refused to let his juvenile daughter out of the house A four-hour negotiation ensued involving the Gastonia Regional Crisis Negotiation Team identified as 38-year-old Mitchell Dellinger was safely taken into custody an hour after his daughter was safely released Dellinger is being charged with contributing delinquency of juvenile and was also found to have two outstanding warrants related to traffic violations state and Whataburger officials gathered Friday morning at the site of the new Whataburger location they hope to open this year at 3415 E the company plans to open the Gastonia location in May said he hopes the Gastonia Whataburger is open before the location that was constructed in Hickory with a similar timeline He also said the restaurant is more than a place to get burgers "It is the start of new opportunities for our citizens." the restaurant will employ around 150 people Gastonia's director of economic development said the new location shows that Gastonia is a destination for business A Gastonia resident at the event said she is looking forward to being able to get her favorite burger right at home Star Connor said she previously made trips to Georgia just to get Whataburger sauces and the fact that Whataburger is open 24 hours set it apart "I'm just excited to have it here," Connor said stopped by the event in hopes of getting a shirt for her mother who went on her first date with Robbins' father always loved Whataburger for being the location of their first date now living in an assisted living facility in Stanley plans to visit the new location with her daughter on opening day in memory of Wall Raterrio Sheppard was behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger and allegedly engaged in a street race GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Gastonia man is facing multiple serious charges in connection with a violent deadly four-car crash that happened last month was arrested on Wednesday evening at his home by the Gastonia Police Department left one woman dead and critically injured two others Sheppard was behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger and allegedly engaged in a street race with a white Dodge Challenger driven by Porscha Mason police said Mason’s vehicle collided head-on with a Toyota Highlander carrying a woman and two young girls Mason was tragically pronounced dead at the scene The female driver of the Highlander and one of the juveniles remain hospitalized with critical injuries The second juvenile was treated and released with minor injuries Sheppard is currently being held at the Gaston County Jail without bond GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Months after a Gastonia 16-year-old boy was shot and killed and another was charged with first-degree murder arrested 25-year-old Jayveon Love and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder Detectives say evidence shows Love was driving an older model black Tesla during the shooting Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area 🚨 >> Latest stories here Prosecutors said Dawkins and another victim were walking along South Chester Street when Simpson reportedly opened fire. Dawkins was shot and killed Simpson was denied bond at his first hearing in court. Under the new North Carolina law, Simpson is being charged as an adult due to the nature of the crime Love is currently being held at the Gaston County Jail under no bond Tripp Mazzucco has dreamed of owning an ice cream shop for years Mazzucco spent the last two years teaching Special Education in Charlotte during the school year Mazzucco's dream will be his full-time job are opening Downstairs Ice Cream in downtown Gastonia selling a wide variety of specialty ice cream flavors "We have always had the dream of an ice cream shop and we wanted to be brick and mortar," Mazzucco said and kind of just ran out of time the first summer where it was like or we're not gonna be able to sell any ice cream this summer.' And really wanted to get started bought a vintage camper and converted it into a food truck "We were making ice cream out of a commissary kitchen in Fort Mill at the time," Megan Mazzucco said Tripp Mazzucco said that as soon as he saw the space at 167 W Let's just make sure there's nothing weird about it … It's got character you can't replicate We're really into the look and feel of places and I think just a historic 100-year-old building is really hard to beat."  Downstairs Ice Cream will offer 16 flavors eight staples that will be available throughout the year "That's where we kind of get to get adventurous and play with some really fresh fruits in the spring and summer and fall," he said One of Mazzucco's favorite flavors is "Cookies and Cookies and Cream," Oreo ice cream with chocolate chip cookies and crumbled Oreos in it so it's got a little bit of a cinnamon note to it Another flavor he likes is "Milk and Honey," a vanilla ice cream flavored with honey speckled vanilla bean with a really nice honey flavor on the back end," he said "And that's something that's really smooth and refreshing and we swirl it with a marshmallow flavored ice cream with sprinkles," he said and it's got the little rainbow sprinkles in it I'm always a little embarrassed to say Cotton Candy Clouds because it feels like what my four year old would say Megan Mazzucco said that they use clean ingredients to make the ice cream including milk sourced from a local dairy farm "We literally pet the cows that the milk came out of and they load our trunk up while we do that And so the milk is super local and fresh," she said but we want it to make you feel good and not feel like you ate a bunch of junk," Tripp Mazzucco said The couple plans to soft open the store in late January or early February and hold a grand opening in March and we did not expect to sell out of our pints that we had," Megan Mazzucco said referring to a day when she offered free ice cream to advertise their store So we're just encouraged by the support that we already have." a family-owned Italian and pizza restaurant in Gastonia is permanently closing after the most recent operator Family members said they believe Fascella's commitment to the community and way with people are two of the main reasons customers kept coming back to the restaurant over the years The Fascella family relocated to Gastonia in the '70s when Dennis Fascella Sr personally built much of the building that housed Villa Roma and opened the restaurant with Angelo Fascella at 5000 Union Road More: Sammys Pub in Dallas becomes Dallas Tavern and Taphouse, what to know said the whole family worked at the restaurant after it opened worked a few other jobs but spent the majority of his career at Villa Roma Fascella Jr.'s relationships with the community and employees kept him at Villa Roma over the years "If there was one thing that motivated him to continue to dedicate his life to that place it was the people that came in there," his son "He always wanted to make people feel welcome." His fondness for people was reflected in the regulars who continually visited Villa Roma including one customer who was still visiting at 100 years old More: Gaston business owner leaves behind legacy of kindness Villa Roma was also a community hub in that many local teens got their first jobs there the family even had the grandchildren of former employees get jobs at the restaurant decades after their grandparents worked there also used the restaurant to help the community in other ways like regularly donating meals to Gaston Hospice and donating to organizations like the Salvation Army and local churches whenever he had the chance More: Nine restaurants that opened in Gaston County in 2024 enjoyed freshwater fishing and other outdoor activities that were reminiscent of some of his favorite memories growing up as a Boy Scout While Villa Roma's doors are closing for good Audrey Fascella said she wants to encourage the public to eat at more local restaurants They take pride in providing something unique that you couldn't get at a chain restaurant the Fascellas said they appreciate 50 years of business "We appreciate them from the bottom of our hearts," Sam Fascella said GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A missing teenager from Ranlo has been found and family is requesting privacy at this time bringing an end to an hours-long search that involved multiple agencies across Gaston County Authorities had launched an extensive effort to locate the teen after she was last seen leaving a home on Lewis Road between Monday night and Tuesday morning Officials are asking the public to respect the family’s request for privacy during this time New outlet store to open in Gastonia mallGaston GazetteBelk is opening an outlet store in the Eastridge Mall in Gastonia this spring The store will allow customers to shop a wide variety of high-end designer brands at a discount The merchandise will come directly from Belk stores in addition to fashion and home merchandise purchased specifically for the outlet The regular Belk store in the Eastridge Mall will continue to operate on the second floor while the first floor of the store will be converted into the outlet "Since opening our first outlet nearly two years ago our customers have come to love the concept of combining our traditional stores and outlets in one place We're excited to incorporate this approach into additional locations this year," said Don Hendricks "This will give even more of our North Carolina customers the ability to shop a large range of designer and high-end national brands at a lower cost." Belk did not respond to questions from the Gazette about when exactly the outlet store might open Belk opened its first outlet store in January 2023 in Greeneville and has since opened 16 additional locations It first implemented the two-floor concept at its Northlake Mall location in Charlotte converting one level of the property into an outlet while the other level remained a traditional store The company is also continuing to expand its product offerings of customer-loved national brands and has added over 250 new brands since 2023 Ashley “Ash” Smith will retire from the City of Gastonia effective March 1 Smith joined the City as Staff Attorney in 1995 and was named Deputy City Attorney in 2000 the City Attorney’s Office has handled significant economic development projects including numerous downtown redevelopment projects the creation and development of the Franklin Sports and Entertainment (FUSE) District and CaroMont Health Park Smith has been an integral part of city government for more than two decades I have been fortunate to have a City Attorney assist me in my transition to Mayor as many Mayors and Council people have in the past I wish Ash all the best as he retires from full time employment and I thank him for all he has done to make Gastonia a better place” Smith was born in Wilmington and grew up in Elizabethtown He has two Bachelor’s Degrees from North Carolina State University and received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Smith is a longtime member of the North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorneys and served as President of that organization in 2017 Smith has been active in the community life of Gastonia throughout his tenure having served on the boards of the Gaston County Red Cross and the United Way of Gaston County He served as President of the Gaston County Bar and President of the Gastonia East Rotary Club where he was named a Paul Harris Fellow Now in his thirtieth year of service with Gastonia Smith’s current tenure as an in-house City Attorney in North Carolina is one of the longest in the state “I am grateful to the Gastonia City Council that first appointed me in 2002 and have been honored that successive City Councils have continued to put their trust in me as the City’s legal counsel,” he said “and I hope I have made a positive contribution in some small way to the rejuvenation of Gastonia that we have witnessed in recent years I am beyond indebted to the many talented co-workers who have walked this path with me over the years and I will miss my daily interactions with the city workforce.” Smith said he is looking forward to traveling and does intend to look for opportunities to represent local governments and other clients in North Carolina in some capacity in the future City of Gastonia Thanksgiving Day Holiday Schedule and Affected Services Gastonia Mayor Richard Franks publicly apologized to councilwoman Donyel Barber Tuesday for asking to have her removed from the city's Feb. 18 meeting during a disagreement. Franks opened the city's most recent meeting held at the Gaston County Courthouse on March 4 I would like to thank all of the pastors that reached out to me," Franks said "To the voters who voted for me in this past election and the people who did not vote for me in the last election … I let you down If there is anybody in here who has never made a mistake I would like to see it because we are all human beings." I apologize to you because I was out of order for not allowing you to be heard," he said and I would like Councilwoman Littlejohn to second (it) to censure me." The United States Senate describes censure as a formal statement of disapproval that is made in the form of a motion that is adopted by majority vote After moving to add the censure to the agenda Councilman Jim Gallagher started discussion on the topic there has been a great deal of consternation among members of the public following the events of our February 18 council meeting I am referring to you saying you could have Councilwoman Barber removed from the dais in the meeting merely for asking a question," he said "I do not think that a presiding officer of the city council has the authority to eject a dually elected councilmember from a city council meeting Public expression at the meeting was extended to one hour to accommodate 19 residents who signed up to speak almost all of which commented on Franks' behavior at the February meeting Barber said she left the meeting feeling grateful and encouraged Most importantly because of the community support," she said that the courthouse cafeteria and two courtrooms were full in addition to the public forum room Barber said she is feeling optimistic about about the council's dynamic and her working relationship with Franks moving forward "I am very hopeful (that) this was a learning lesson and it is a fresh start for him," she said "I feel like my words are not adequate enough to thank the community for their support and their love of Gastonia," Barber said Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGASTONIA (WBTV) - Crews worked to extinguish a massive building fire in Gaston County Wednesday morning along East Ozark Avenue near Piedmont Street Smoke was billowing up from the building while firefighters worked to get the fire under control Flames were still visible more than an hour after the fire was first reported At least two ladder trucks were spotted spraying water with several other fire trucks also at the scene Firefighters said some hydrants in the area were frozen when they arrived Firefighters said two homeless people were inside the vacant three-story building when the fire started Police said they identified a man going into the building with a propane tank before an explosion Officials have not yet said how the fire started and said East Ozark Avenue will be shut down for most of the day Related: Man facing murder charges in deadly Gaston County house fire Gastonia City Council recently voted in favor of eliminating the vacant diversity equity and inclusion coordinator position and ending the city's DEI program The decisions to make the cuts happened through two votes A motion to keep the position was denied 2 - 4 with Council Members Dave Kirlin and Donyel Barber voting in favor and Demetrios Koutsoupias The motion to eliminate the program was approved 4 – 3 with Council Members Koutsoupias According to the city's website equity and inclusion throughout all internal functions of the city and throughout the community." encompassing different characteristics like race and ethnicity It described equity as the fair treatment of and access to equal opportunities for advancement to all people and inclusion as the act of making everyone from all walks of life feel welcome to participate The program established eight goals to guide its operation as part of a strategic DEI plan. ImplementationSome of the ways in which those goals were addressed included equity assessments for public services tofind disparities town hall meetings and forums to get feedback from community members and conducting implicit bias training for all hiring managers It also involved developing a comprehensive diversity training curriculum by working with subject matter experts and measuring the program's success through pre-established performance indicators who voted in favor of eliminating the program said that she personally decided to vote against it after city staff expressed in a survey that they did not like the way the program was being implemented Stepp said those results indicated to her that the program was not creating the environment they hoped it would create when it was initially implemented While the program as it was originally created is now over Stepp said city council is still working on something to replace it going forward "None of us would ever want to foster any kind of discrimination … we still have much to do," she said Barber said she believes most people don't look at DEI in its entirety people only look at DEI as a hiring tool or mechanism and people fail to realize that diversity equity and inclusion is much bigger … It does not mean choosing a minority candidate over a candidate who may not be a minority and is more qualified," she said "It is disheartening that that is how people choose to sum it up." "Staff is collecting information for council consideration on all aspects of DEI for the city of Gastonia." EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated to add new information This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Party City is reportedly planning to shutter all stores including the store in Franklin Square Shopping Center in Gastonia According to reports from CNN Party City's CEO Barry Litwin told corporate employees in a Friday meeting that the company is "winding down" operations immediately and that today would be their last day of employment and with benefits ending as soon as the company goes out of business Here's what to know about the company's bankruptcy the company exited bankruptcy a month after new CEO Barry Litwin's arrival The company was able to cancel nearly $1 billion in debt by declaring bankruptcy It also managed to keep most of its over 800 stores open though over 80 locations were closed between the end of 2022 and August 2024 the chain still faced $800 million in debt Combined with competition from online retailers such as Amazon and seasonal pop-ups like Spirit Halloween the company was unable to overcome their financial problems More: Western NC snowfall forecast: Snow expected in mountains beginning Friday, Dec. 20, afternoon There are 21 Party City locations set to close in 16 NC cities: have 10 Party City stores in nine cities closing: SC 29407Columbia:6090 Garners Ferry Rd Suite D08A SC 29212Florence: 114 Woody Jones Blvd Suite B-4 SC 29501Greenville: 1117 Woodruff Rd Suite G SC 29406Spartanburg: 150 E Blackstock Rd Suite C SC 29301Summerville: 432 Azalea Square Blvd Unit 15 SC 29483Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times