- i CDiioRihK&opiriion'j Page 4Af Thunday, May 5, 1977 We hope Billings wUl be a go-getter The smell of spring • •• Kinks Mounts now hu • bustnsu development director, courtesy at ths Community Development (undIns profrem. ! The director’s Job, as we understand It, Is to work In close association with the small businessmen and minority businessmen In the central business district to ‘crsate new methods of stlmulatlnf the economy and customer traffic In the cl^’s (Ed. Note - Editor tom moatjn Is oa We also i I that the dlrsetor will also woiic on possible grant y.) assistance to help In the downtown area. Just what the dlrsetor has In mind at this point In die way of creating this business stimulus Is known only by the director. However, If he has any Ideas at aU we are sure ttiey will be received with (qwn arms. Another area the director will work Inis wooing new retail business to locate In the downtown area. In this he has his Job cutout for him. Ihe new municipal paiidng lots, constructed throu^ last summer, was thought to be a way of encouraging more shoH>lng downtown. However, that has not proven to be the ease. The majority of the spaces have been and are being used as a parking fOr employes in tte downtown stores. This was one of the things that wss to be avoided. Another means of stimulating downtown business was for the CBD merchants to enter Into a facelifting project. Tbe one or two meetings to look over ar chitectural plans for creating a mall type atmosidiere were enthusiastic — to a point. But It now appears that endiuslasm died shortly after each meeting. Some of the downtown merchants cannot enter Into renovation work simply because they are hampered by adjacent substandard buildings, which were contracted out to be demolished, but as yet have not been. So, If the time was ever rlg^t for a go-getter type to help pump some of the old sing Into downtown business. It Is now. We trust Mr. Larry Billings, KM's director of business development, will be well received as he assumes his duties. Out beyond the pavements the earthy smell of j^rtng plowing Is underway. Ihe seedbed tor the foofstuff of the nation Is being prepared tor plowing. rlty though e seasonal chores on TOM McltTTVRC Spring plowing Is the age-old part of the year’s denumds, the beginning of the process Members of the dty’a Downtown BuUding end Revitalisation OonunlttM got a chance to meet Larry BUltogs. ST, new director of the newly-created Kings MounUln Development Office Monday morning Just before the . North WUkeeboro native was hired by the city board of oommlaaloners. Ouurles Blanton, chairman of the com mittee, said he was aUted to meet him and hear that the now offloaa were to open In the new Depot building which la now being rafurblahod, commenting that the total ef- toct U really a boost to the dty and the hiring at a director to assist in aU phases of developing new buelneaaes and expanding Fbumers are of a long line of people. Those furrows are his algnature and he wrltee It carefully, even proudly. On a recent trip to Eastern North Carolina attending the asnd of 3S dlstrlet meetings 1 8PUNO NOTES Chief of PoUce Bari Lloyd la a firm believer in classified ads In the newspaper. He was placing hla ad and ploture of hla straying “Oypay” at about the same time TUeaday that his neighbor, Tim Taylor, eras advertising that he had found a silver gray Blanton said his customers eranted one area whore they could receive all aervlces Area citizens urged to have pressure checked Itseemed to me that spring planting, and 1 observed tt a lot during my swing through the eastern part of toe state during April, that springplowlngls more than a chore, but almost a ritual. The farmer stirs the earth, plows hla furrows and In a sense demonstrates num’e dependence and cooperation with the soU The Chief aald his family Is probably the h^ipleet family In town today since the five- yeeur-old Qetman puppy missing since last Wertoesday, U back at home. clothing and that downtown Is the loglcel place to develop this concvt at service. “Our pblloaophy Is that we can understand larger eltlos beduning so dlverelfled BM ' we’re getting more disused than what our customers want us to be,” aald Blanton. BUllngs said he was ready "to dig In and go towork.” "Our door wUl always be open,” he Bhlksat atyHaUUke to have fun with A1 Motets and last week during National Secretary Week, A1 received the flowers, and incidentally the dalalea were from the two secretartoa In Mayor Jbhn Moos’ office, Kaly WUkes and BooU McDaniel. High blood pressure plagues one of every seven adults in America. A leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure and strokes, high blood pressure often goes undetected because It has no symptoms. Area residents will have a chance to have their blood pressure checked at a tree clinic Saturday, May 7, at Eastrldge MaU, Gtostonla. Between the hours of U a. m. and 7 p. m., trained hospital personnel will con duct the clinic sponsored by Qaston Memorial Hospital, Inc., and the Qaston County Heart Association. This community service project Is being held in observance of National Hospital Week, May 8-U, and National Blood Pressure Month. A person with hi^ blood pressure may look and feel healthy until tt erupts suddenly causing premature sickness, disability, or death. For years, this massive health problem has been overlooked because of the lack of symptoms. High blood pressure can be controlled, with proper medical treatment. But first It must be detected. A check of your blood pressure at the free cUnlc May 7 will be a check of your health. Locally, blood pressure screening will be conducted at TOAY and at Kings Mountain Community Center on Friday, from 13:80 until 4:80 p. m. at TOdcY and from 8:80 until lua. m. acme community Center; on May 18 and May 37 at K-Mart In Shelby and on May 30th at Mack's In Kings Mountain. Tom Dula hanged wee R€t\D€R DIMOGUe Let’s ask ourselves, who is in control? The town’s saloons and public buildings were cloeed for the event and a crowd er rspoitere. Tom did not disappoint them. He rode to hU execution sitting on his coffin and — according to legend — playing on his fiddle. He was under extra-heavy guard because of his else of the crowd and the fact that he had made an "escitoe” attempt the friends In the crowd, and iriien ^ven time tor a final statement, made a one-hour speech from the steps of toe gallows! eD ^MITH For some reason, this sordid story of a n- er-do-well, young Confederate veteran who To the editor. What’s happening to our downtown face lifting? If anything. Out of etc., timllllons of federal funding to our city within the past several years, how mudt progress has been really been made In restoring our downtown business as an added attraction to the shoppers of not only those within our city, yet to those who would wish to shop In our city. What are the thoughts of those out of towner’s and out of state, thinking m they pass through our city? What’s happened to progress? Same old town, same old look, same old street, nothing Who really controls our elected afflclals? Who makes the decisions as to what building goes where? A hundred years and our city hasn’t ad vanced too greatly. Bislness yes, but with controlling outside Merest. Anew city haU and a pubUc woriu buUdIng In the malring, great! But what about our ( Perhi^s It’s Just as weU toe throughfare or bypass, which ever one may prefer to call It, Wholes your opinion? What Is holding back progresa ‘Special Interest?’ The new Blaser building was a great Idea, but whore do we go from there? An election Is forthcoming within the very near future, and there will be three offices up tor grab. Will this be another year for change? Three upaeated could make a great dl^ farence. Just periisvs there should be another ward or dlstrlet added, to break ths power structure. Perhaps It’s.tlme for a change back to ths two year term, as the four year terms will lead to excessive power and the people wlU have no voice. It’s time to take another look and to examine and to re-evaluate as to whore the The Mirror-Herald welcomes letters from readers eiqiresslng your opinions on any subject you choose, or rebutting any ^tortol opinion we express. All letters must be signed by writer with address Included. Unsigned letters wlU not be published. Address aU correspondence for this page to Reader’ Dialogue, Mirror-Herald, P. O. Drawer 7B2, Kings Mountain, N. C., 28086. LM’s take another look at the tran- qNirtatlon system of wmcn we once naa. ’The City Bus System.’ There would perhaps be more shopping for our liner shopping for the downtown shopping as to where ths pubUc were given a choice of tranqiortatlon. Perhsps It would help to alleviate some of the traffic and conjestlon. As ths way tt now stands, our downtown business has to keep Its prices successfully defended In court by the famous Zeb Vance had caught the entire nation’s lifierest. Dula’s two trials and execution were faithfully recorded, and the next day. May 3, papers as far away as New York City devoted an imusual amount of space to his death. Within afew years, the Ballad of Tom Dula (Dooley) was a familiar one to mountain folklore. Tb toe last Dula protaated Ms innoooace, yet he left a written statement absolvlngt that day, of any part In the murder of Laura Fprier. The prosecution a^ his trlM ^ contended Dula killed her In revenge for Infecting him with veneral dlaeaao. His supporters believed that Ann Melton had kfiled Laura out of Jealousy and that Tom had taken the blame for her. Dula wont to hla grave without ever tolling what had rsallyr The Poet’s Corner brigadier A. C. LOOKIMG Bl^Ck Yes, by all means lot’s take another good look at our city and euik ourselves, ’Whole la eontnri of our city? EVERETTE PEAB80N ISYEAB8AOO •M THE FILES OF 7 KINCM MOUNTAIN HERALD MinonlMLD ToeesMiNTvaa, >. es mwMm swen rsa tm mm m TUman Pearson became the fifth can didate for Ward Two Commleslonsr this week as he posted hla flung fee. Mr. Pearson opposes A. Dowltte ComweU, Boyce Oault, toiyant Wells and J. C. Clary. Kings Mountain will tangla with the powerful Shelby Uons Tuesday In the South western AA Conference basebaU opener. -oOo- The simple art of klndiMSs Ths souls refoasber mist. Is like toe fragrance of a rose Or alove that brings sweet bUss. Tb the Bpliitlt Is the seune Nelaler Division of Massachusetts Mohi Phish Co. handed lay off notloos to 70 ei ptoyes during toe past week. Delbert Dtacon was olectod president of the Kings I Mountain Jaycees Tbesday night ihe eampeUpi speeches and voting required SOaAL AND PERSONAL Miss Etha Hawkins and Donald Bumgardnar were married Sunday af ternoon In a 4 p. m. wadding In Grace United Metoodlst Church. Practiced by angaUc souls Tb golden tbit the hours. Judy Rae Ware, daughter of Mr. andMrs. Ersklne Ware, celebrated her third birthday Saturday. March 30th. Anda brasas from paradise. Jerry King was graduated March iSth from Western ChroUna CoUegs with B. S. In business administration. Mrs. Alvin Yarbrough entertained Saturday afternoon at her home on Shelby Rd. at a birthday party tor her daughter, Janice, on her 13th birthday. This rimpla llttla courtesy Like a fragrant spring bouquet, Isa klaa of benediction But where have you fled, I pray? n 10 years ago, said hla chUdren on the drive hwnriM to ttw mountains voted unanimously not to move from Asheville. Now they all want to stay, he said Tuesday after a luncheon hosted by Ms staff. Federal troops In western North Carolina, defeating them In several times In a cam paign that Is largely neglected In N. C. Several days later, on May 9, a force of OaipUna mlUtla under CM. J. R. Love would Mriiinlah briefly with Union Cavalry near’ Waynasvllle, and the last shots would ||e' fired on North Carolina aoU. Only one other Southern force would surrender at a later data, on May 18 In Alabama. Because there was no longer any central military command, and becauae news travelled so slowly than, there would be no one overall surrender of Confederate forces. The last shots of the war, would be fired at sea. In the Paciflo Carolinian, James: WaddeU, of FayettevlUe. Ctoarlas Manley, the last WMg governor of’ the state (1848-50) died on May 1, 1871. sfanley was also bom during this month, on May 18, 1790. He was the last governor of* North Caroltoa to be born In the 18th Cen- Tbe princpal achievements of Manley’s term were In furthering the causes of public education and toaneportartlon, as weU as In passing the act establishing ths first state Manley was defeated In his bid for reelectlon to another two-year term by David a. Reid, the etate’s first Democrat governor. In those days, the Qovemor eouiu succeed Mmself, but was limited to tour years In office during any fix-year period. How sweet tMs charm flowing naturally The beauty of being nice.