New life

I just found out today that two old high rise office buildings, the Lawyers Building, here, and the Commercial Building in downtown Gastonia are going to be remodeled into apartments and will be open in the next year. I might be moving in...

You can read more about the project in the Gazette story. We should be finding out a lot more at a presentation on Tuesday. 

A Marine Comes Home

A U.S. Marine Master Sergeant offers words to the family of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien, including his mother Tammy O'Brien, second from right, sister Haley O'Brien and father Richard O'Brien, Jr. during a memorial service for fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien at First Assembly of God church on South Myrtle School Road on Monday June 20, 2011.

Nicholas O'Brien was the first member of the armed forces from Gaston County to be killed in Afghanistan since the conflict began. A roadside bomb exploded while he and his fellow marines were on routine foot patrol in Helmand Province on June 9, killing O'Brien and wounding others.

View a full slideshow from the event and read more about it here.

U.S. Marines carry the casket containing the body of Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien to a waiting hearse following the memorial service. O'Brien will be laid to rest next Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Above: Supporters with U.S. flags line the entrance to First Assembly of God to welcome the procession carrying O'Brien's body to the memorial service. Below: Members of the Patriot Guard Riders turn out in support of O'Brien.

Happy Fourth!

A gospel singer performs Saturday at the Fourth of July celebration at Englewood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount.

I photographed three separate Independance Day celebrations around town this year, but I didn't get to stick around long enough for fireworks at any of them. How lame! But, hey, we do have deadlines to meet, and I got some good pictures just the same.