* * ^our SO )ht with lha r-60 dM itkMWl |uit r thoaa that only t3A). luclng plan tttilawaah. tcomplata- It loaa tram $300 !• to ttort » P9€k •!. •M MT. m za * enter THURW9 Kiric; MOuriTwn mirror VOL. 90 No. 9 KINOS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA tMM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1,1979 15c HGRMD Permits^ Fees Up^ Construction Down By TOM McIntyre Editor, Mlrror-Heimld Although higher (eea were collected and more building permlte laaued by the city In 1978, the total conatructlon dollars spent were less than in 1977. These figures are reflected In the 1978 annual report Issued this week by the codes department. Inflation In building materials during 1978 are also reflected In new home construction. For 1877 a total of M pemUts representing $1,788,360 f # Moss Named To Committee > • > 4' > 4 » 4 £ >, 4 J # > • > • > ^ / • for construction were Issued com pared to the 88 Issued In '78. These 88 permits represent $1,141,125 In construction — 31 leas perr.'lts, but only $644,126 less In construction dollars. Forthe period of Jan. 1. — Dec. 81, U7£ a total of 466 building permits were Issued, 43 more than In 1977. The city collected $34,861.06 In '78, which Is $8,166.86 more than the $16,704.70 for '77. Conatructlon dollars from all permits last year totaled $8,664,634, vtdilch Is $484,840 less than the $4,149,864 reported for •77. Hie 1978 annual report shows four catagorles of permits not Issued In 1977. There were six catagorles In 1977 not Included In the '78 report,. For the year past there were no mobile homes, church buildings, parking lota, driveways, rescue squad building repairs or walls permits Issued. Included In new catagory permits for 1878 are new apartments, apartment repairs. Insulation and service station gas tanks. More home repairs and additions were made during 1978 than the previous year, according to the report. There were 91 permits In '78 compared to 74 the previous year. But again Inflation Is reflected In the fact there Is only a $6,667 difference between the total of construction dollars. In 1977 the total was $264,211. For '78 Qje total was $368,768. Utility permits, although one less than was Issued In 1977 (67), In dicates almost twice as much ex pended In construction. TTie 1977 construction dollar total was $6,768 Mayor John H. Moss has been appointed to a one year term on the National League of Cities' Com mittee on natural resources. The term begins Sun., Mar. 4 with the committee's first meeting. The meeting will be held In Washington, D. C. NLC President John Rousakls made the annolntment. The committee focus on federal policy Issues of major Im portance to the more than 80,000 clues In the United States. Areas of study Include energy, water resources, waste management, url.an development, air quality, poll e 'xmtrol and urban aaetheUcs. Moss will be one of 13 committee members to serve lAiring 1979. Church Youlh Set Bake Sale Youth of El Bethel United Methodist Church will sponsor a hotdog and bake sale Sat., Feb. 3, for benefit of youth projects. Serving will begin at 10:80 a. m. and continue until 3 p. m. In the church fellowship hall. Revelation Book Study A study of the Book of RevelaUon will begin Sunday night at Central United Methodist Church and continue each Sunday night through the month of February. Dr. Loy H. Witherspoon, Professor of Philosophy and Religion In the Department of ReUglous Studies and Director of the United Religious Ministry at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, will lead the study from 7 until 8:80 p. m. Prior to coming to Charlotte College In 1964, Dr. Witherspoon taught at the American University In Cairo, Egypt, and at Dakota Wesleyan University at Mitchell, S. D. KM Farmers Not In Parade Local farmers did not participate In the 13 mile long tractorcade to the state capltol but many of them watched from the sidelines m 860 tractors and trucks passed through this area Sunday afternoon about 4 p. m. Traveling at a snail's pace of about 16 m. p. h., the tractorcade traveled north on 1-86 and were to camp out in Charlotte Monday night, resuming their Journey early Monday morning. Many of the farmers had their famUles with them. As many as 60,000 farmers are expected to gather In the nation's capital this week to demand parity In farm prices and to protest the middleman and large corporate farmers,^ Who, they say, take ad vantage of the small farmers. Parity Is a price for farm products, usually maintained by government price supports, designated to keep the purchasing power of the farmers at a certain level. while the 1978 total hit $10,676. Permits were issued for 63 apartments, one for apartment repairs, three for Insulation and one for Installation of a gas tank for a service station In 1978. None of these appear on the 1977 report. Construction dollars represented In the 63 apartments totaled $601,060. For apaiWent repairs — $4,738; Insulation — $3,039; and the gas tank — $400. Other categories, permit numbers and total construction dollars In cluded in the 1978 annual report are as follows: Zoning — 85 — $376; demolltioiw — 14 — $10,190; homes moved — 8 — $16,900; plumbing contractor — 80 — $149,079; electric contractor — 40 — $126,386; heat A air contractor — 39 — $160,829; accessory buildings — 11 — $12,338; buildings moved — 3 — $1,100; new business — 8 — $838,194; business repairs A additions — 10 — $110,372, church repairs — 6— 228 076; Industry repairs — 1 — $88,000; contract permits — 0 — $8,000; driveways — 26 — $60,888; swimming pools — 11 — $68,048; business signs — 9 — $82,700; fences — 2 — $1,600; and carports A patios — 4 — $1,796. School Policies To Be Updated REHEARSALS UNDERWAY - Kings Mountain Little Theatre Is rehearsing three nights weekly for “Finishing Touches,” an adult comedy to be presented Feb. 88-34-36 and Mar. 3-3 at Park Grace Auditorium. Photo By Lib Stewart Jim Champion, director, standing, chats with the play’s co-stars, Mary Greene and Jim Potter, at rehearsal Monday night. The play will be Chamidon’s first directing role tor KMLT. By GABY STEWART Staff Writer The Kings Mountain District Schools board of education com- ideted its review of policies in a qieclal meeting Monday night and will officially act on most of the policies at the regular meeting Feb. U. Most of the policies discussed Monday weren't cl.snged drastically but board members and visitors had lengthy discussions on promotion of personnel, the treatment of ac cumulative records and the student promotion policies. OaryShlelds, president of the local chapter of the NCAE and assistant I»inclpal at the Junior high school, mlsed several questions about the promotion of personnel and promotion and retention of students. The board's policy on promotion of personnel states that preference will be given to qualified personnel within the system when ad ministrative vacsincles occur. Board member Bill McDaniel stated “when filling this type of Job, we need to get the person best suited regardless of where we find him.” Shields asked, “Why go outside to hire someone when you have someone Inside the system who is Just as qualified?" Board member June Lee pointed out that “everyone does not In terpret qualification the same way. We need to get It written down to where it's plain." Supt. Wllltom Davis suggested that he do some more rewording and present the policy again at a later date. Mrs. I.ee added that, regardless of the wording, “all qualified persotmel (Turn To Page 3A) Q&A^s About ERA Proposal Mention ERA and more than likely you may get an argument either way. ERA, which stands tor Equal Rights Amendment, has Its sup porters and detractors. The sup porters want the General Assembly to pass the measure and the detractors want It killed once and for aU. Legislators, such as Sen. OUle Harris of Kings Mountain, wants a state-wide referendum to let the people have their say one way or the other. Then people like Sen. Helen Rhyne Marvin and Speaker of the House Carl Stewart foel the measure should be approved by the legislators. Just exactly what Is the Equal Rights Amendment? Why has It become a dirty word m some qusirters and the shining hope In others? To answer some of the questions and lay some of the fears of ERA to rest. Sen. Marvin and Speaker Stewrart, both of Gastonia, have compiled an ERA questionnaire. A local proponent of ERA, Hasel Fryer, said “Numerous questions concerning ERA are being asked of the staffers at Mauney Memorial Library." she said she feels this “newspaper could do a great ser vice" to the community by publishing some of the material supplied by Mrs. Marvin and Stewart. The Mirror-Herald cannot print the entire document because Its length Is too great, but here are some questions and answers from the text that may enlighten readers concerning ERA. <$: Doesn’t 14th Amendment Protect Rights of Women? A’ No. The Supreme Court stopped short of making a blanket declaratlori that sax discrimination violates the equal protection clause, as It has stated regarding race and religious discrimination. Remember it was necessary to pass the 19th (Turn To Page tA) Cooper’s Under New Ownership /’ RICHARD BARNETTE Richard Barnette, who Joined Cooper’s, Inc. as a salesman 88 years ago, has purchased the con trolling Interest in the Kings Mountain furniture firm and will continue to operate the 44-year-old business as Cooper's Inc. on Railroad Ave. Mr. Barnette purchased on Jan. 1 the stock of the late Harold Coggins, who died In 1977, and who founded the business with the late Carl C. Cooper in 1986. Mrs. Coggins died In 1977. As President and General Manager of Cooper's, Inc., Mr. Barnette said that policies will remain the same and that the fur niture firm will continue to offer a variety of merchandise for the family. Including appliances, fur nishings and floorcoverlngs. Mr. Barnette expressed sp- preclatlon to Kings Mountain area citizens for "their loyalty throughout the years” and said the firm will hold a week-long Ap preciation Days Sale, beginning Thursday, Friday and Saturday with drawings for a television set and other prizes, and refreshments to all visitors. Cooper’s, Inc. staffers hold a total of 108 years experience In the fur niture business, headed by President Barnette, who Joined the firm five years after Coggins and Cooper acquired the business. Dean Payne, with 17 years in sales, rejoined Cooper's in April 1978 as credit manager, Mrs. Charles (GInny) Owens has served as office manager for 18 years, George McOaln, with 38 years experience. Is In charge of warehousing and delivery, and Jerry Jackson, who came to work in 1977, is also In volved in warehouse and sales. Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Dillard Barnette, Mr. Barnette Is married to the former Irene Leigh and they are active In Second Baptist Church where he is a trustee and superintendent of the Sunday School. They are parents of two daughters, Mrs. Brenda Swan and Mrs. Kay Rosenblatt, both of Charlotte. A veteran of SO years service in the Kings Mountain Lions Club, Mr. Barnette is a past Lions president. He also Is a past president of Kings Mountain Merchants Association. Mr. Barnette has seen numerous trends In home furnishings since he (Turn To Page 4A) CRYSTAL DAWN SPARROW Pneumonia Claims Life Of 9~Year Old Last Thursday afternoon Crystsd Dawn Sparrow was declared one of three talent show winners at Bethlehem Elementary School. She attended cUsses Friday and during the day she developed a strep throat Infection. The strep Infection developed Into pneumonia and she was admitted to CSiarlotte Memorial Hospital. Tuesday at 11 p. m. the nine-year old fourth grader died. Funeral services will be held at 4 p. m. Friday at Patterson Grove Baptist Church by the Rev. Richard Plyler and Interment will be in the church cemetery. Survivors are her parents, Douglas C. and Patsy C. Sparrow, Rt. 4, Patterson Grove; one brother, Eric, of the home; paternal grand mother, Mrs. Flora Sparrow Seism Bell of Kings Mountain; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. WUlle Oantrell of Simpsonville, S. C.; and great-grandparents, Mrs. Ethel Stone Cantrell and Mrs. Edd Holcombe, both of SlmpsonvlUe, S. C. The fiunlly will receive friends tonight from 7-9 at Harris Funeral Home. Memorials may be sent to Patterson Grove Baptist Church. -.SI