{ a= Dye Thursday o> 0 Bj S VOLUME 91 - NUMBER 51 - THURSDAY, JULY 10,1980 - KINGS MOUNTAIN,NORTH CAROLINA Police Continuing Investigation '' Man Charged In Fatal Shooting By LIB AND GARY STEWART Co-Editors Henry Ervin Boone, 33-year-old Forest City man, has been charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of 22-year-old Bever- ly Ernestine Mauney early Monday morning at Chesterfield Court Apartments on Margrace Road. Four other people - including KMPD Sgt. Johnny Belk, were hurt in the gunfight which erupted after what police say was sparked by a dispute between a white family and a neighboring black family. Meantime, Kings Mountain Police, assisted by agents with the Special Bureau of Investigation, are continuing a massive investigation into the shooting spree and were interrogating more suspects this week. They expect more arrests to be made but have not indicated when their investigation will be completed. Sgt. Belk, who was shot in the legs, the dead woman's father, Ernest Mauney, 57, and Herman Queen Jr., 25, are all recuperating satisfac- torily from injuries at Kings Mountain Hospital. Gene Mauney, brother of the dead woman, was treated for injuries at the hospital and released. The body of Ms. Mauney, also white, was found in the home of her mother, Mrs. Wilma Mauney, No. 23 Chesterfield Apts., when police arrived on the scene to investigate a disturbance Monday morn- ing at 12:23 a.m. Acting Police Chief Jackie D. Barrett said Wednesday afternoon that a final autopsy report from the Office of the Chief Medical Ex- aminer at Chapel Hill into the cause of Miss Mauney’s death has not been received but a preliminary report indicates her death was caused by a shotgun wound to the chest. “Preliminary reports indicate death occurred almost immediately after receiving the wound and that life could not have been sustained for any period of time,” said Chief Bar- rett. Barrett said that police investigation also indicates that the man charged in the shooting death is a friend of the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Wilma Mauncy. Chief Barrett said that during the investigation several firearms were recovered by the Kings Mountain Police Department which have been submitted to the SBI Lab in Raleigh for firearms examination. The results of the examination had not been completed Wednesday, he said. “The investigation also continues into who is responsible for the gunshot wounds received by Sgt. Belk, by Herman Queen Jr. and by Ernest Mauney during the exchange of gunfire by persons present at families, including 53 children from infant to 16 year olds. Violence erupted: at the low-rent housing project early Monday morning, culminating what Housing Authority Tom Harper said was a weekend of bickering and squabbling among the kids and continued by the grownups. Chief Barrett, Harper and representatives of the N.C. Office of Human Relations Office, in town for several days this week, have con- curred that the shooting spree was more domestic than racial. Ac- counts have differed over who started the shooting and what weapons were used and the incident was blown into a full-scale racial issue by news media who came from as far distant as Detroit, Michigan, Atlan- ta, Ga. and Washington, D.C. to question the occupants of the six- year-old housing complex. According to Director Harper, he was called by several families at the Complex Saturday and Sunday and police were dispatched at least four times to check out reports of residents who were urged to draw up warrants but refused to do so, said Harper. Telephones were ringing at his home and office Saturday and Sunday, said Harper who said the incident surfaced because of bickering between two families. “We can give advice to folks when they have problems but they don’t take it sometimes,” said the veteran Housing Authority Director. Contrary to published reports, Harper said that Chesterfield Apart- ments is much less congested than other apartments in the area and that recreational activities are available to young people in the form of hard-surfaced basketball and tennis courts and adjoining cleared-off lots for softball games. “Unfortunately some of the facilities are abused and particularly the Tot Lots which are sometimes filled with glass and we get calls about that,” he said. “It’s a normal instinct for people to become upset and declare their intentions to leave home when trouble comes,” said Harper. Only one tenant, Mrs. Lillie Hall, 68, and her semi-invalid husband had vacated the premises this week. The Halls, who were next door neighbors of Mrs. Wilma Mauney, moved to another PHA housing complex on Parrish Drive Monday. Harper says that what happened at Chesterfield Court during the weekend has resulted in occupants being cautious but that life is get- ting back to normal. Grover Okays Street Project the Chesterfield Complex,” said Barrett. Chesterfield Arms is a 50-unit apartment complex three miles south By GARY STEWART Co-Editor Grover Town Council Mon- day night approved resurfacing of Dogwood and Park Lane and patching of “various other” streets in the city. Street Commissioner Juanita Pruette presented the board a proposal from Asphalt Paving of Shelby, and said she would take a representative of that company around town, point out the streets needing work and enter into contract with the company before any work begins. The cost of the resurfacing project, she said, would be $12,099. ¢ bps In another matter, the board approved construction of 725 feet of water line and two hydrants on Briarclift Drive, and discussed, but took no action, the possibility of constructing 612 feet of water line on Highway 226 outside the city limits. The board agreed to get estimates on that project and take action later. Later in the board meeting, former Councilman Harold Herndon criticized the board for considering selling water to peo- ple living outside the city. “Those people don’t pay any tity taxes and you don’t even have a full commitment from them,” he said. Councilman Ronard Queen pointed out that the board has applications from three persons and a verbal com- mitment from two others. Herndon was told that tap fees for outside the city water users is $150, same as those in- side the city, but the outside water rates are 30 percent higher. “Is that the right way to go about it?,” he asked. “Who are you looking after? They ought to be taken into town and made to pay city taxes.” Herndon, a part owner in the Spring Acres subdivision, told the board that many new in- dustries were moving into the area and “we've got to build up, if we can get some service. They (Spring Acre residents) are pay- ing more than their part of town taxes. I don’t want something for nothing. But right’s right and wrong’s wrong.” In another matter which drew lengthy discussion, the board voted 3-2 against a recommenda- tion by Mayor W.W. McCarter to renovate the old police quarters and make it a business office for town clerk Gloria Hor- ton. Turn To Page 3A of the city on Margrace Rd. and is occupied by 22 white and 28 black Striving For Excellence By GARY STEWART Co-Editor One needs only to look at its record to realize the importance the young Kings Mountain Economic Development Office has played in the city’s ability to attract new industry. In only two years of existence, the office has helped 15 businesses and industries move in, expand or start construction and approximately 700 new jobs have been created as a result. The Development Office, however, doesn’t plan to rest on its past accomplishments. It is sponsoring the city in the Gover- nor’s Community of Excellence Program which is designed to help communities become better prepared for industrial and economic development and to provide the state’s economic development division and their allies a better inventory of com- munities to bring to the atten- tion of industrial firms seeking plant locations. Jerry King, director of the Development Office, is the pro- gram coordinator for the spon- soring organization, and Mayor John Moss is program chairman. But, King says, the city’s suc- cess in its strive for excellence will depend on the combined ef- forts and cooperation of a number of people. Thus, King and Moss are in the process of naming chairper- sons of the seven committees and a number of sub-committees who will help spearhead the ef- fort. Chairpersons already selected include Darrell Austin, promo- tion materials; Ollie Harris, ex- isting industry program; Mayor Moss and Corky Fulton, downtown revitalization; and Connie Putnam, community journal, Committees still to be named include research/tlient identifica- tion, marketing effort, and development team. The development team, which will be the largest and perhaps the most important committee, will include 10 sub-committees including sites/buildings, chaired K.M. Economic Development Office Community Journal Research/ Promotion Client Identification Materials Marketing Effort by Josh Hinnant; transportation, labor availability, taxes and government, utilities, communi- ty profile, chaired by Ruby Alex- ander; finance, community plan- ning, chaired by Mayor Moss; education and training, and liveability, chaired by Commis- sioner Norman King. “It’s a quite extensive pro- gram, with the involvement of a lot of people, with the end result of making the city more con- ducive to industrial growth,” King said. . Acceptance will mean city of- ficials will be presented a plaque by the Governor and a sign will be erected at the city limits pro- claiming Kings Mountain as a “Governor’s Community of Ex- cellence.” Inspection of city will be made in October. But, more importantly, King said, participating in the pro- gram will better equip the town to lure new industry and work with existing industry, and will mean Kings Mountain is part of a state-wide economic develop- ment effort. Cities which won the award last year are being asked to par- ticipate in a review of the criteria this year. In a letter to King, Governor Hunt pointed out that “in addi- tion to the recognition this pro- gram offers, it also can be the key to a bright future for a com- munity that takes advantage of the many benefits that can be gained. Award-winning com- Jerry King munities are receiving priority attention; not only in industrial recruiting efforts, but also in other state programs.” Since the Economic Develop- ment Office was formed two years ago, King said it has been committed to a mission of enhancing the quality of life for the community by generation of productive employment oppor- tunities and expansion of the economic base. “One of the first things I did,” he recalled, “was start walking the halls of the Department of Commerce in Raleigh. We had to form a good working relation- ship.” He then compiled a statistical Development Team Program Existing Industry Downtown Revitilization package of the city and surroun- ding area and six of those packages are filed in Raleigh to be distributed to industrial clients. “We mailed and hand- delivered packages to engineer- ing and construction firms, ar- chitectural firms, industrial real estate representatives, potential retail and commercial businesses and went to banks and lending institutions in the area and got to know those people and establish- ed a working relationship with them and made available infor- mation on industrial sites and buildings. That was only a beginning. As a result of those initial contacts, King frequently meets with pro- spective industries to show sites, available buildings and discuss the city in detail, and attends a number of meetings and workshops that concern in- dustrial development and downtown revitalization. “But it’s a community effort all the way,” he said. “I've gotten cooperation from a number of people and without that, we couldn’t be to the point we are now. “My secretary, Connie Put- nam, has lent valuable assistance to the progress of the office and it would have been an impossible task to achieve what we have already achieved and hope to achieve without the concern and full support of the mayor and board of commissioners. “We have several industries Sites/Buildings —Transpqrtation — Labor Availability —Taxes and Government —Utilities — Finance —Education & Training —Liveability — Community Profile — Community Planning that are very much interested in Kings Mountain and expect to have two announcements in the very near future.” “l really appreciate the assistance and dedication of Walt Ollis and Ted Huffman of the Citizens Service Center,” he went on. “They're always giving me their time and furnishing in- formation concerning utilities. “Bill Davis, our Schools Superintendent, has been very helpful. Naturally, one of the things industries want to know before they move their families in is what kind of school system we have. Mr. Davis has been gracious enough to give his time and efforts to meet with them. “Another group is the Zoning and Planning Board,” he con- tinued, “because through their efforts and concern it has made it possile for us to locate in- dustry. Without their assistance, it would be impossible. “So, you can see, this is a very competitive business in which no one person is responsible for locating an industry in our city. It takes the cooperation of many people in the city and govern- ment, all operating as one group with one objective...to locate that new industry. King said it takes from 12 to 18 months from first contact un- til the industry is in operation or has announced its plans. “The Economic Development Office is also in the business of assisting existing industry on re- location or plant expansion within the area,” King added. “Our office is just as concerned with the welfare of existing in- dustry and their success as it is with bringing in new industry, and we stand ready to assist them in any way that we can.” Turn to page 2-A
