Congressman McHenry Weekly Update

August 17, 2014

Congressman McHenry Weekly Update

Another Busy Day in NC-10

I concluded a busy week across the 10th District by spending a day in Gaston County. The day began with a hardhat tour of the new CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Mount Holly which is slated to serve the emergency medical needs of northeast Gaston County.

Following the tour I had the opportunity to address the difficulties faced by America's middle class at a meeting of the Mount Holly Rotary Club at Discover YOU! in Mount Holly.

That afternoon I began by visiting the Cramerton Fire Department where I met with Fire Chief Lance Foulk, Mayor Ronnie Worley, Town Manager Michael Peoples, and State Representative Dana Bumgardner.

Later I had the honor of participating in the groundbreaking for Phase II of the bridge project at Goat Island Park in Cramerton. Joining me for the groundbreaking were State Senator Kathy Harrington, State Representative Dana Bumgardner, and numerous Cramerton town leaders.

I concluded my day by visiting Allen Millican's Pictorial Museum in Belmont. While there Allen showed me around the museum which includes thousands of historic photographs from Gaston County and the surrounding area.

For more photos from my visits across the 10th District please be sure to like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

America's Middle Class Continues to Struggle

After having spent the last week meeting with constituents across the 10th District a few common themes emerged: folks are frustrated with our government and the direction of the nation but more importantly, the middle class is struggling to get by. While the price of gas and groceries continues to go up, wages are stagnant and full-time work is becoming increasingly hard to find. This week, I wrote an op-ed for Red Alert Politics on the middle class' struggles. Please take a moment to read my piece which can be accessed by clicking the image below.

125th Soldiers Reunion in Newton

Today marks the start of the 125th annual Soldiers' Reunion in Newton. This week-long event is thought to be one of the oldest patriotic events in the United States that is not associated with a holiday. The first reunion was held on July 4th, 1889 when Civil War veterans gathered in Newton to be recognized for their service and sacrifice. Held annually since, the reunion features a variety of events including car shows, parades, and a beauty pageant. Learn more about this unique 10th District event courtesy of the Charlotte Observer and Newton's website. Below is a photo from one of the early Soldiers' Reunions courtesy of the Catawba County Museum of History's archives.


	What I Have Been Reading
	Made By Southern Hands: Furniture Southern Living While much of the furniture industry has left Western North Carolina and the Triad area, there are still numerous places making high-quality, handmade furniture in and around the 10th District. This list courtesy of Southern Living is a testament to that as furniture made in Hickory, Newton, and Asheville was featured. 10 Great Beers Unique to North Carolina *Men's Journal* While breweries have been popping up throughout North Carolina, the Asheville-area still remains the epicenter of craft beer in North Carolina. This list of great North Carolina beers is evidence of that with Asheville breweries prominently featured. No wonder Asheville has been nicknamed Beer City USA.

WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE
2334 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Telephone: 202.225.2576
Fax: 202.225.0316

HICKORY DISTRICT OFFICE
87 4th St. NW, Ste A, PO Box 1830
Hickory, NC 28603
Telephone: 828.327.6100
Toll-Free in NC: 800.477.2576
Fax: 828.327.8311

GASTONIA DISTRICT OFFICE
Suite 115
Gaston Co. Administrative Bldg
128 West Main Avenue
P.O. Box 2394
Gastonia, NC 28053
Telephone: 704.833.0096

BLACK MTN. DISTRICT OFFICE
160 Midland Avenue
Black Mountain, NC 28711
Telephone: 828.669.0600