Getting ahead

Ashbrook's Shannon Kay heads the ball during overtime in the match against South Point on Thursday April 19, 2012 at Ashbrook. Kay scored the sole goal of the match. 

Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater Slalom

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Sudden Impact

South Point baserunner Mitchell Painter, left, collides with Cherryville first baseman Alston Mosteller as Mosteller attempts to field a ground ball on the first base line during the Gaston County Baseball Tournament semi-final match at Sims Park on Wednesday April 11, 2012. 

South Point right fielder Mitchell Painter comes up short of catching a fly ball during the game against Cherryville.

Rust bucket

I found this old Ford truck rusting away in a barn at Sandcastle Farms near Dallas while on assignment covering a celebration of the family farm's centennial anniversary. 

Waiting...

I recently took a tour of the Commercial Building in downtown Gastonia. It was built in the 1920s, and all but the ground and first floors have been largely abandoned since the '80s.

Walking up the stairs you sort of felt like you were in a time machine, with some of the floors abandoned and left as they were in the '80s, some very obviously in the '70s and still others seemed as though they were unchanged since the '30s.

Truly a forgotten treasure, this building appears to be in perfectly good shape for remodeling into something new. Perhaps a boutique model to compliment the new Gastonia Conference Center which sits on the same city block? That's what I would do if I owned it.

There was also quite a view from the top. I might have to post a picture of that view soon, but for now I'll just tease you.