Community Corner
🌱 How investigators finally tracked down the Gastonia hit-and-run suspect
Coming up: Music Under the Stars: Merry Melodies on the Gastonia Patch calendar
Good morning Gastonia! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How investigators finally tracked down the Gastonia hit-and-run suspect
- Which Gastonia-area football stars made the 2025 all-conference teams?
- What undercover agents say they found inside a Gastonia strip club
Also on today's calendar: Cody Gentry and 4 more events.
Find out what's happening in Gastoniafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Gastonia? Post it to Gastonia photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️
Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Gastoniafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 52 and low of 30 degrees.
- Wednesday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 58, low: 35.
- Thursday: A shower; breezy in the p.m., with a high of 58 and low of 44 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Woman arrested months after Gaston County hit-and-run kills father of 3 (wbtv.com) — A Gastonia woman has been arrested months after a deadly hit-and-run on Garrison Boulevard that killed 28-year-old father of three Cody Cochran and injured another pedestrian. Police say video led them to a concealed vehicle near the crash site, and the driver now faces a felony hit-and-run charge. The case highlights ongoing safety concerns for people walking and biking on Gastonia roads. 
2. Here are 2025 Gastonia, Shelby area football all-conference teams (gastongazette.com) — High school football players from Gaston County and the Gastonia area are being recognized on 2025 all-conference teams after the season’s final whistle. Local standouts from schools like Hunter Huss, North Gaston and Forestview earned spots, while regional powerhouses Crest, Shelby and East Lincoln claimed top individual awards.
3. Strip club near Charlotte hit with liquor violations for ‘fondling' and drugs (charlotteobserver.com) — State alcohol agents say a three-month undercover investigation found drug dealing, after-hours drinking, and conduct violations at the Leather & Lace strip club in Gastonia. The club now faces a $5,000 fine or a lengthy liquor license suspension starting in January. For Gastonia residents, the case sheds light on how state regulators are policing nightlife and alcohol permits locally.
4. Winning lottery ticket sold in Gastonia (gastongazette.com) — A $2 million Powerball ticket was sold at the Food Lion on South New Hope Road in Gastonia, making one local shopper one of the nation’s biggest recent winners. The $3 Power Play ticket matched all five white balls, and the winner now has 180 days to claim the prize as the Powerball jackpot climbs to $1.1 billion.
📸 Around Gastonia
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Gastonia
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Music Under the Stars: Merry Melodies
The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium, 1500 E Garrison Blvd, Gastonia
5:30 pm
Saturday December 20
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Toddler Time In-Person
Union Road Branch Library , Branch Library - Meeting Room , Gastonia
10:30 am - Story Time @ Union Road In-Person
Union Road Branch Library , Branch Library - Meeting Room , Gastonia
10:30 am - Cody Gentry
Little Theater of Gastonia , 238 S Clay St , Gastonia
7:00 pm - Rocking Christmas Show
The Rooster , 334 W Main Ave , Gastonia
8:00 pm - Legos + @Union Road Branch In-Person
Union Road Branch Branch Library - Meeting Room,
10:30 am - Toddler Time In-Person
Union Road Branch Branch Library - Meeting Room,
10:30 am
Wednesday December 17
Friday December 19
Saturday December 20
Tuesday December 23
Wednesday December 24
📣 Gastonia Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Resume Workshop (Gastonia)
Goodwill Career Center - Gastonia , 359 W Main Ave , Gastonia
10:00 am - Library Storytime
Kings Mountain, NC Calendar , 100 South Piedmont Ave. , Kings Mountain
10:30 am - Kaleidoscope Play & Learn: Presented by Cleveland County Partnership for Children
Mauney Memorial Library , 100 S Piedmont Ave , Kings Mountain
9:30 am - Downtown Dallas Caffeine & Conversation (December)
The Historic Dallas Jail - Weddings & Special Events , 108 E Trade St , Dallas
9:30 am - Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Kings Mountain, NC Calendar , 100 South Piedmont Ave. , Kings Mountain
1:30 pm
Tuesday December 16
Wednesday December 17
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Gastonia PatchAM possible:
- Hunter’s Junk Removal — (980) 318-6302
20% off your first service! - Bruce Concrete Coatings — (803) 554-7923
Use Code Patch10 for 10% your Brand New Garage Flooring.
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- There is a pit mix running loose around the Azaleas.
I think it’s a girl, scared, but knows how to sit and is friendly. (Nextdoor The Azalea) - I wanted to make people aware so they are prepared next year as I am seeing a lot of posts about having their families adopted for Xmas help which is not an issue but doing it at last minute is not in your favor there are so many organizations that
help every year but you have to sign up for it early like October and deadlines usually end of November some beginning of December but best to do… (Nextdoor Crowders Creek)
- Whataburger posted a job opening for Restaurant Porter - Unit 1582 in Gastonia. Apply here.
- TJX posted a job opening for Backroom Associate 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: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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