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27 May Enjoy NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 Racing Live Online Charlotte Motor TV on PC NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 Racing Live Online Charlotte Motor TV on PC Watch NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 Racing Charlotte Motor Speedway l…

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Mint Hill Area News

Residents upset after county bends rules for pastor protestors

Residents are in a fury with Catawba County leaders for making an exception to an existing rule. 

Protestors were allowed to demonstrate Sunday against a pastor who made anti-gay comments during a sermon on Mother's Day.

County ordinance requires groups to submit a request for a permit to use public grounds. Groups are required to submit the request 14 days in advance.

In this case, the county said it only got the request four days before the protest.

Because of that, several people who publicly support Pastor Worley said they want to know why county officials made an exception.

An email campaign this week demanded answers and called for commissioners to step down for bending the existing county rules.

In a statement, county attorney, Debra Bechtel said this case raised questions about the constitutionality of the county's 14-day review process for requests to use public grounds.

But for some that answer wasn't good enough.

"I think we as Catawba County citizens have the right to know how they went around the book. …. and I'm opposed to it."

In response, county officials said they're reviewing the existing ordinance and we'll tell you what changes that might lead to.

Eyewitness News reporter, Dan Tordjman will have the latest on this story tonight at 11 p.m.

_{Sun, 27 May 2012 18:01:41 -0400}

Man dies in motorcycle crash

A Lancaster man died when he crashed his motorcycle Saturday afternoon.

 

Troopers said Ricky Baker, 57, ran off Highway 97, hit a ditch and overturned his motorcycle.

 

Our newspaper partner the Herald in Rock Hill reports that Baker was thrown off his Harley Davidson.

He was wearing a helmet but he still died at the hospital.

_{Sun, 27 May 2012 18:00:58 -0400}

Protestors and counter-protestors of anti-gay pastor gathered in NC

Catawba County sheriff's deputies were on hand Sunday for what has been called the largest protest in the county in decades.

Nearly 2,500 people gathered outside of the Justice Center in Newton. Most of them spoke out against Providence Road Baptist Church Pastor Charles Worley. He pastors a church in Maiden, NC. In a sermon, Eyewitness News first told you about nearly a week ago, the pastor suggested getting rid of homosexuals by putting them behind an electric fence.

The vast majority of people at Sunday's protest condemned the comments.

"I just can't believe that Jesus Christ would be about the kind of hate that we were hearing. It's important for all of us to stand up against that," said Liz Snell a protestor from Vermont.

Across the street from the main protest, counter-protestors from a church in Georgia stood up for some
of the pastor's comments.

"I don't totally agree with some of the extra-biblical things he said, but as far as homosexuality being a sin, I believe that," said protester Brad Cheatham.

Catawba County's Sheriff said two citations were passed out Sunday. One was given to a pastor from Georgia who used a bull horn, but there were no arrests. He said a couple of protestors showed up at Providence Road Baptist Church even though they were asked not to. However, no one was hurt. 

_{Sun, 27 May 2012 17:58:01 -0400}

News Source: MedleyStory More Local News Stories