🌱 How SNAP shoppers can now stretch benefits at Gastonia’s farmers market
Morning Gastonia! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How SNAP shoppers can now stretch benefits at Gastonia’s farmers market
- What changes could Gastonia see under its new fire chief?
- What Gaston school leaders are saying after a member’s anti-Islam post
Also on today's calendar: Little Earth Day Extravaganza and 1 more event.
Friendly reminder: know of a great event coming up in Gastonia or nearby? Post it to the Gastonia calendar! Did you know it's free to post locally? It's also inexpensive to share to nearby towns. 📅
Today's riddle: How do billboards talk ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Thursday: Partly sunny and very warm, with a high of 81 and low of 59 degrees.
- Friday: A thunderstorm in spots, temps: high: 78, low: 60.
- Saturday: Partly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 79 and low of 61 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Gaston County farmers markets to offer new benefit (gastongazette.com) — Starting in early April, the Gastonia farmers market will accept SNAP benefits, making it easier for local families to buy fresh, healthy food from area vendors. Shoppers can swipe their EBT card at the information booth and receive tokens to spend on eligible items like fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat. This change also supports local farmers and food producers across Gaston County. 
• Gastonia announces new fire chief (wsoctv.com) — Gastonia residents will see a new leader at the fire department as Deputy Chief Brad Best steps into the fire chief role on May 1, 2026. Best, a longtime member of the Gastonia Fire Department with extensive training and leadership experience, will succeed retiring Chief Phil Welch after rising through nearly every rank in the city’s fire service.
• Gaston County Board of Education responds to school board members' anti-Islam comments (wbtv.com) — Gaston County’s school board is distancing itself from anti-Islam social media comments made by member Tod Kinlaw, stressing that his views do not represent the full board. Leaders in Gastonia, including the local NAACP branch president, are urging accountability while the board notes it cannot remove an elected member. Families in Gastonia schools may watch closely how this controversy unfolds.
📸 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 ★
-
SPROUT N' SHOUT
Hampton Homestead Farm, 2328 Hickory Grove Rd, Gastonia
10:00 am
Saturday April 11
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
-
Story Time @ Union Road In-Person
Union Road Branch , Branch Library - Meeting Room , Gastonia
10:30 am -
Little Earth Day Extravaganza
The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium , 1500 E Garrison Blvd , Gastonia
10:00 am -
High Point Rockers at Gastonia Ghost Peppers
CaroMont Health Park , 800 W Franklin Blvd , Gastonia
3:00 pm
Friday April 3
Wednesday April 22
Friday April 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
-
HOME Girls Soccer Holbrook @ WCF
W.C. Friday Middle School , 1221 Ratchford Rd , Dallas
4:00 pm -
Girls Soccer: York Chester @ Belmont
Belmont Middle School , 1020 South Point Road , Belmont
4:00 pm -
HOME Baseball Holbrook @ WCF
W.C. Friday Middle School , 1221 Ratchford Rd , Dallas
4:00 pm -
Baseball: York Chester @ Belmont
Belmont Middle School , 1020 South Point Road , Belmont
4:15 pm -
Letters to Abigail
Confluence , 117 Center St , Cramerton
7:00 pm -
BLUEGRASS JAM: Belmont @ Primal Brewery
Primal Brewery Belmont , 52 Ervin St , Belmont
7:00 pm -
Reiki 2 — Sweet Peace Yoga Studio
Sweet Peace Yoga Studio , 1 Main St , Cramerton
1:00 pm -
Superior First Class R N B Wine Event
Veronét Vineyards & Winery , 1549 Ike Brooks Dr , Kings Mountain
1:00 pm
Thursday April 2
Friday April 3
Saturday April 4
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these 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
- On Friday, March 27, a bald eagle was found tangled in fishing line on the Haw River near B.
Everett Jordan Dam. Sgt. Claude Smith and Officer Ethan Martin soon arrived on the scene and were able to pull it out of the water. The exhausted… (Nextdoor ) - Hello searching for my Yorkie he ran out of the house and we haven’t been able to find him since noon in Gastonia North Carolina.
He would’ve been wandering around Davidson Street around the blue store or ransom. I believe it’s street. We live on evening ln. Currently… (Nextdoor Kaylors)
- Chick-fil-A posted a job opening for Back of House Team Member in Gastonia. Apply here.
- Wal-Mart posted a job opening for Stocking Team Associate in Gastonia. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Gastonia here.
🗞 Nearby News
Bessemer City
- Evelyn J. Barton Obituary – Alpha, IL (1923–2026) (wgil.com)
Belmont
- This Belmont business is all about the bunnies (gastongazette.com)
- Ciara Miller lives in a $12K/month NYC rental and her NC family home (nypost.com)
Cherryville
- Cherryville mayor vows to fight school board's closure plan for Beam Intermediate (wsoctv.com)
- What Gastonia, Shelby baseball, softball teams start April No. 1? (usatoday.com)
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: Sign language! (Thank you Gary M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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