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🌱 School bus driver shortage leaves Gaston families scrambling

Gastonia, North Carolina Patch AM: a 4 min read

Greetings Gastonia! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • School bus driver shortage leaves Gaston families scrambling
  • Gastonia mother seeks answers in son's fatal hit-and-run
  • How Gaston and Mecklenburg helped Womack unseat Tim Moore

Also on today's calendar: LYC Gastonia – Waffles & The Word and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is easy to get in to but hard to get out of? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 67 and low of 39 degrees.
  • Sunday: Plenty of sunshine, temps: high: 65, low: 41.
  • Monday: Sunny and comfortable, with a high of 72 and low of 41 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Gaston County Schools urgently seeking bus drivers amid route disruptions (wbtv.com) — Gaston County’s school bus driver shortage is leaving families responsible for getting children to class, with route cancellations reported at Hunter Huss High School this week. The district has more than 30 driver openings and says qualified CDL holders with passenger and school bus endorsements can begin driving almost immediately.
   

2. Gastonia mother pleading for information in June hit-and-run death of her son (wbtv.com) — Kathy McAllister is asking for help finding the driver who fatally struck her son Chris while he rode his moped in Gastonia on June 9. The collision happened at North Ransom Street and West Walnut Avenue. A $1,000 reward is offered for information, and anonymous tips can go to Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.
   

3. Map: Mecklenburg, Gaston counties key to Womack's upset of GOP Rep. Tim Moore (charlotteobserver.com) — Precincts around Gastonia helped Democrat LaKesha Womack unseat Republican Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District. Womack won 51.1% of the districtwide vote, with Gaston and Mecklenburg counties together supplying more than three-fourths of her total, according to an analysis of state election data.
   

4. Our favorite Gastonia and Shelby photos from October 2026 (gastongazette.com) — Halloween costumes, neighborhood decorations and Shelby’s liver mush festival fill this October photo roundup from communities around Gastonia. The gallery captures a homemade “Haunted Paradise” in Kings Mountain, costumed dogs in Belmont and families collecting treats in Bessemer City, offering a look back at the month’s community celebrations.
   

5. Cary Police Chief to Retire After More Than 50 Years of Public Service (wptf.com) — Former Gastonia police chief Terry Sult will retire as Cary’s police chief on Jan. 15, ending more than 50 years in law enforcement. Sult, who joined Cary as interim chief in 2021, says he has completed the leadership development and preparedness work he was hired to do and wants more time with family.
   

📸 Around Gastonia

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Looking for someone who can help me turn on my solar panel system.
    Just moved here and got approved from Duke Energy. (Nextdoor Spencer Mtn)
  • American Family Care posted a job opening for Medical Receptionist in Gastonia. Apply here.
  • Olive Garden posted a job opening for Line Cook in Gastonia. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Gastonia here.

Ok Gastonia! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What is easy to get in to but hard to get out of?" — Trouble (Thank you Candice H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

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Stay in the loop with what's happening in Gastonia

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Gastonia

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.