Savvy Citizen: A Gaston County Podcast

With the start of early voting for the November general election kicking off next week, we're taking a look at issues surrounding public confidence in the election process. In this month's Savvier Citizen podcast, we talk to Allison Tomas with Principles for Trusted Elections, who helped organize a behind-the-scenes tour and Q&A session at the Gaston County Board of Elections last month, as well as VoteBeat editorial director Jessica Huseman, on how we can reassure skeptical residents about the fairness and security of our elections process. 

Each year, Gaston County honors some of its employees who go above and beyond their regular duties. One of those is Adrien Sanders, who helps run Gaston County's Adult Treatment Court. Hear from Adrien about the work being done that is changing lives for many in our community. 

This month's A Planned Party takes us to Cramerton, where Jamie and Peyton are talking with Town of Cramerton Planning Director Nolan Groce about some of the projects this community has on tap. 

Gaston Together Executive Director Leslie Lee and Mt. Zion Restoration Church Pastor Dr. Rodney Freeman talk about their piloting of a Safe Parking program -- a way to provide safety and services to those living out of their vehicles, with a helping hand to get them back on the road to success.

Did you know Gaston County is about to be home to one of the largest dinosaur exhibits in the Carolinas? The Schiele Museum is opening the Elizabeth Williams Robinson Hall of Dinosaurs to the public in a special Dino Days weekend September 26-27. We've got a pair of experts from the Schiele with an inside look at some of the amazing offerings in this exhibit. 

In recent years, Gaston County has become one of the prime landing spots for some of the estimate 13,000 Haitian immigrants that have come to North Carolina -- so much so that Gaston County has invested in translating materials into Haitian Creole and doing specific outreach to that community from its Department of Health and Human Services. Just a month ago, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a Trump Administration order to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians -- a move that is projected to impact roughly 350,000 Haitians across the United States. On this episode of Savvier Citizen, we talk to a pair of experts in the immigration field on what changes this has in store, and what this might look like for those in that community living here in Gaston County. 
Read the full "Haiti is Not Safe" country conditions report from USCRI here: https://refugees.org/haiti-is-not-safe-country-conditions-2026/

Gaston Business Association President & CEO Patrick Mumford and Shook Kelley Founding Partner and Principal Terry Shook discuss the Gastonia Reimagined downtown revitalization plan recently approved by Gastonia City Council and the Gaston County Board of Commissioners in recent weeks. They talk about what it took to put the plan together and how it could help shape the growth of Gastonia's downtown. 

Welcome back to A Planned Party! On this episode, we're heading downtown. Belmont's Community Development Director Cassidy Lackey talks to us about all the different parts that help make a great downtown community. 

Andy Stahr with the City of Gastonia talks about a grant that is helping train youth sports coaches not only on the game, but on how to be a mentor for the children on their team. Learn how you can get involved and make a difference in a child's life!

Gaston County native and Axios DC reporter Mimi Montgomery talks to Savvy Citizen about her debut novel, Murder Bites, ahead of her appearance at the 2nd annual Belmont LitFest on Saturday, September 5 at Stowe Park.