Unionville News

More than 2,200 Duke Energy customers were without power in Union County following heavy afternoon showers Wednesday.

Significant damage was reported Monday night when fire ripped through an agricultural business company north of Monroe in Union County. via Charlotte.com

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama battled in the Indiana and North Carolina primaries on Tuesday, the last big-delegate prizes in their marathon race for the Democratic presidential nomination. via The News Tribune - Homepage - News, S...

Propane tanks exploded during a fire late Monday night at the Southern Farm Equipment Store on Concord Highway in Unionville, which is north of Monroe. via Charlotte Channel 9

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for portions of Mecklenburg, Union and Stanly counties in North Carolina and York County in South Carolina. via The Charlotte Observer

Charlotte's Chris Taylor blasted a home run in his fifth consecutive game, including two last Saturday to make it six in that stretch, to lead Charlotte to an 11-3 victory at La Salle on Friday.

Taylor, who starred at Mount Pleasant, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Rob Lyerly, a former Unionville Piedmont standout, hit a homer and drove in three runs for the 49ers (19-3, 4-0 Atlantic 10). Charlotte freshman Joe Yermal (5-0) earned the win at La Salle (4-20, 0-4).

No. 3 NORTH CAROLINA 5, N.C. STATE 2: Former East Rutherford star Chad Flack hit a three-run homer in the fifth and Alex White matched a career high with 11 strikeouts to lead the Tar Heels (21-4, 8-2 ACC) against the Wolfpack (14-9, 4-5) in Cary. Read more

Nellie Oglesby heard something popping and crackling in her kitchen around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. via Salisbury Post

A Piedmont High School senior was killed and another injured Thursday in a head-on collision in northern Union County, police said.

Marshall Freeman Hinson III, 17, was declared dead at the scene near N.C. 218 and Crooked Creek Church Road, said N.C. Highway Patrol Sgt. M.A. Marshburn.

Samuel Thomas Baker, 17, was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and was undergoing surgery Thursday afternoon. He was in critical condition, said Trooper Randy Lankford.

Baker and Hinson had attended their early morning classes, but apparently left without permission, Piedmont principal Wanda Little said. The school is in Unionville, north of Monroe. Read more

The field of candidates for county commissioner has doubled over the past week, with two more people saying they'll file. via Charlotte.com

IBM donates technology

New technology donated by IBM to the Union County Public Schools aims to build better readers and stronger communication between the schools and Latino parents.The technology, unveiled at East Elementary and Monroe Middle Schools last week involves two programs: Reading Companion and TraduceloAhora! Automatic Translation Project.

The donations are valued at $76,000 for the two schools.

'East and Monroe Middle are not our only schools with high concentrations of Latino students,' Superintendent Ed Davis said. 'We would be more than happy to have this program in other schools.' Read more

Fire destroyed a northern Union County mobile home Monday morning, sending an infant to the hospital and leaving 11 others homeless.

The fire on U.S. 601 in Fairview was reported at 8:17 a.m. Responding firefighters found the doublewide engulfed in flames, said Unionville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bill Canupp, who was in charge of the scene.

Two adults and six children ranging from seven months to six years escaped without serious injury. The 7-month-old girl was taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Union with a minor burn, Canupp said. The injury was not life-threatening. Her condition was not known. Read more

“This coalition is going to do everything in our power to pass Jessica's Law in 2008”

A group pushing for N.C. lawmakers to adopt stiffer sentences for sex crimes against children say , the state will become a haven for offenders unless it takes action.

Organizers and supporters of the Coalition for Jessica's Law, an N.C. volunteer group, held its first rally Saturday in Weddington. Members plan to hold gatherings throughout the state to promote passage of an N.C. law.

Many states, including South Carolina, have enacted their own version of 'Jessica's Law,' passed in Florida in 2005 after a convicted sex offender raped and killed 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford. Read more

In Union County, the town Christmas tree takes various forms: big, small, majestic cypress and even hardy PVC.

Eight of the county's 14 municipalities decorated trees this year: Indian Trail, Lake Park, Marshville, Monroe, Stallings, Unionville, Waxhaw and Weddington.

'It pulls together every aspect of the community,' said Glori Perrin president of the Lake Park Homeowners Association. 'It unites all members, no matter what their ethnic or age group or background.'

Newcomers may not know it, but town Christmas trees are a relatively recent tradition in Union County. They reflect a growing sense of identity for fast-growing towns. Read more

“We're having trouble funding basic public needs -- i.e. water and sewer. Unfortunately, parks and rec gets what's left over.”

Local residents, businesses and governments will have to pitch in for Union County to get a major share of a 400-mile network of trails and greenways planned for the Charlotte region.

The proposed Carolina Thread Trail, unveiled last month, would connect 15 counties in the Carolinas to give residents easy access to the outdoors for walking or biking.

Sherry Cantrell of Union County, a member of both the Catawba Lands Conservancy and the Union County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, expresses enthusiasm about the idea. Read more

“Project Newsletter (November 2007)”

The Monroe Connector/Bypass is taking shape.

The N.C. Turnpike Authority, the agency overseeing the $553 million project linking Mecklenburg County with eastern Union, has eliminated many possible routes.

Engineers this fall whittled 45 segments -- with 165 possible combinations -- down to 16 segments. Transportation officials screened out routes based on their potential effect on homes, schools, businesses and the environment, as well as more than 1,700 comments from the public, according to a draft analysis by the authority. Read more

One candidate for the Unionville town board is fighting the town in civil court over a zoning request, an Observer check of records shows.

The newspaper checks criminal, civil, tax, voting and other records for candidates. In checking Unionville, Fairview and Stallings candidates, most had nothing more than an occasional traffic ticket and had paid their taxes and voted in recent elections.

In March, town board candidate Kathy Oropesa filed a petition for a judge to review a town board decision to deny her request for a conditional use permit for 4.75 acres she owns off Lawyers Road. Read more