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Our Elizabeth comes up a winner
Monday morning whan Lib Stewart came
to work I imlled and aald,
"Oongratulattona."
“For what?” Lib Anawered.
"Awww, come on, Lib. You know tor
what."
"No I don’t. What? What?”
“On your flrat prlie In the N.C. Prase
Women’s Association competition.”
A funny look came over her face, then she
started to blush. “Lordy mercy! I didn’t
even go to the banquet, either! ”
It’s true. Lib was In Ruthertordton,
Hendersonville and Brevard over the
weekend on American Legion Auxiliary
duty.
“I’ve been going to those press things for
years, but I only won <Hice,” she aald. “So, I
figured I would just skip the banquet this
year. Maybe I should skip It again next year.
Who knows? I might win again.”
The Press Women’s Association does not
notify entrants who have won prior to the
annual banquet. ’The N.C. Press AaaoclatlMi
does. Of course the latter never tells you
what you’ve won. Just that you’re a winner.
Lib said she guessed the NCPWA doesn’t
notify winners In advance because they want
everyone to attend the annual banquet.
’lyplcal of the self-effacing Miss Stewart •
she had to call someone to find out what
feature of tier’s had won. She submitted
three, but didn’t remember which three. The
winner was a piece she did last year, a
follow-up on Brian Blckley.
Blck, as he Is known, suffered multiple
hart attacks and was about written off. But
Intensive medical attention and some drugs
TOM McltlTYRe
available only In Scotland and England gave
him a fighting chance. During the Interview
at Blck’s KM home a year after his release
from the hospital. Lib asked what he though
helped pulled him through.
"Anger. I Just got mad,” Blck replied.
And fiiat was the thrust of the feature,
which earned Lib her award.
€DnoRiN.^&opiriioit:
Complaints paid off
Elisabeth went to work for Martin Harmon
at the former Kings Mountain Herald fresh
out of high school. She was the late Mr.
Harmon’s good right arm - and now she Is
mine.
The non-daily newspaper la a pretty good
training ground for folks Interested In
beginning a journalistic career. Because of
the limited staff, necessity dictates you learn
how to handle a number of chores. Elisabeth
has done everything from selling advertising
to bookkeeping, circulation to reporting. The
only aspect of news gathering she had never
done unUl The Herald and The Mirror
merged was handle a camera.
’That, even after five years, still turns
Elisabeth Into a person with 10 thumbs and
two left feet. Her efforts at picture taking are
hit and miss and always a source of humor.
She has haul phenomlnally rotten luck with
pictures at East School, for Instance. “I’ll
bet those people at East think I mess up their
pictures on purpose,” she will say, her face
turning red. And that’s another thing. I have
never seen anyone blush as often as
Elisabeth.
Jack White, who served the recorders
court In Kings Mountain years ago, said,
“Lib used to cover the court and I think her
face stayed red the whole time she was In the
room. Some of the testlmcmy can get pretty
rough. I believe I asked her to wait outside
on some cases.”
Elisabeth aald that was true - “and I was
thankful. I had never heard some of the
language used In court before. Some of It I
didn’t even know the meaning of, but It
must’ve been bad because everybody would
laugh-and I would turn red.”
But she hangs In there.
By the way. If you wish to call her by name
address her as Lib, Elisabeth or Mias
Stewart. Never Ms. Stewart. She thinks the
so-called womans’ liberation movement Is a
crock.
Sorry, ladles. She was raised In a different
era, you know.
Cltlsens complaints, often, seem to fall on
deaf ears.
But lately the complaints have been taken
to heart by the city commissioners, par-
ficularly In the case of the destruction of city
streets.
Last week It was reported the com
missioners were taking a tougher stand on
the new national pasttime In Kings Moun
tain. ’Dlls stand was brought about by
citizens complaints to board members.
The first order was to the Independent
construction firms currently Installing water
lines toward the storage facility on the east
side of town. ’Ihe firms were told to cease
destroying long enough to patch up the
streets behind them.
The second order to delay decision on a
proposal from Southern Bell to do even more
street damAge to Install underground con
duit for phone lines. This one really got next
to the commissioners because Bell made Its
plans without once ever conferring with the
dty about what they wanted.
Guest columnist
Keith Wood
But, Bell, the Independent contractors or
any other entity engaged In conatructlon
work In Kings Mountain cannot be held
totally to blame for this and the com
missioners realise this. The fact Is the
guidelines under which such work Is to be
done have never really been spelled out In no
uncertain terms. Cltlsens now have a
promise this will be corrected.
What ivoiild^ou think of '
you only had a few seconds to live?
We are not to please ourselves
Men and women face death
differently — but alike, too.
keat. His reaction was simple:
“I was just plain frightened.”
Letter ’To ’The Editor:
I will leave to your descretlon (since I
don’t know how to address this letter) as to
where this message will go. I recall soma
days ago that there was a welcmne on your
part concerning religious views: I sincerely
appreciate this attitude on your part.
’There are “gospel ministers” today who
loudly advocate that what a person consldsrs
right or wrong Is dependent on their In
terpretation of scripture: this Is a dangerous
doctrine. It Is this kind of thinking (doing
that which Is right In ttielr own eyes) that
Iwought judgement to the Isrealltes during
the time of judges. There has to be a stan
dard: each cannot successfully “do his own
thing.” Nobody lives to themselves or dies to
themselves. Everything a person does af
fects others. Each person Is either a part of
the solution or the pollution (polluted minds
are much worse than polluted streanw). The
Bible makes It as clear as a cloudless day
that ”we are not to please ourselves.”
There Is much emphasis on Inviting Jesus
Into our hearts today with all to little em
phasis on repentance: God commands men
everywhere to repent, tt Is only after wo
Sunday. The Lord of heaven, through Isaiah,
aald (Is. 68:1»: “If thou turn away thy
foot from the sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on my holy day; and call the sab
bath a delight, the holy of the Lord,
honorable; and ahalt honor him, not doing
thine own pleasure, nor qieaklng thine own
words: then ahalt thou delight thyself In the
Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the
high places of the earth, and toed thee with
the heritage of Jacob thy father: For the
mouth of the Lord hath spoken It It Is In
teresting to notice In the gospels, where “the
first day of the week” Is mentioned, that the
original writings (Greek) renders that word
“sabbath”: thus, a literal translation would
the “the first day sabbath”: Mat. 38:1, MK
18:3, LX 34:1, and Jn 30:1,19. Obviously Paul
the apostle accepted this view tor we find In
Acts 30:6-7 that he and Ids companions
purposely remained In Troas to be with the
saints over the first day sabbath, Sunday. I
Cbr 16:1-3 supports this same premise.
When that big jet rolled over
and shot from 39,000 feet to
12,000 feet a couple of weeks
ago, passengers thought they
were living Uieir last few sec
onds.
A woman thought, “If this is
the way I have to go, please
make it fast.” That woman
couldn’t sleep for 48 hours after
she returned home.
time to die.” That wasn't self
ish. “Inconvenient because my
grandmother had died recently
and I didn’t want my mother to
suffer my death as well.”
A wonian, hoped that death
wouldn’t hurt.
A man quickly kissed his wife
— and thought he was going to
die before he could enjoy re
tirement.
A 64-year-old man had a lov
ing reaction: “Well, we’ve had a
good life,” he whispered to his
wife — and then he kissed her.
A young man remembered he
had not told his wife that morn
ing that he loved her.
E.M. Roberson, Minister, Kings Mtn.
Pentecostal Holiness Church
There were 80 passengers on
the plane. The pilot, a skillful
one indeed, made rapid-fire de
cisions and got the plane under
control. He landed safely with
only three passengers slightly
injured in the 27,000-foot drop.
-A college student said he re
membered thinking that his
death would be a quick one.
A 70-year-old man said he felt
as if his arms were glued to the
Two young social workers, br
inging tots from India, thought
of the children before they
thought of themselves: ‘‘The
first thought was, ‘Come on
God, these kids have made it
through so much, don’t blow it
now’.”
That might have been the
most irreverent prayer I have
ever heard — but God ans
wered it.
A research medical doctor
looked at his briefcase: “Well,
there’s a year’s work down the
tubes.”
When a j^aon faces death he
thinks of little things — and
that should be a lesson to us that
little things are most important.
There’s another lesson about
a quick look at death. You mako
vows that you will live a better
life — and then, about a week,
later, you begin leading the
same life all over again.
Which is harder to face —
death or life ?
A wife said she had “a crazy
thought — I wondered, did I kiss
my husband good-bye?”
Poets
Corner
A 42-year-old businessman
had a business-like thought: “T
thought it was an ‘inconvenient’
have repented that Jenua will come Into our
hearts: Only the PURE In heart will aee God.
Only after this haa happened to two people do
they become breathren.
I make no apologies tor standing with the
local ministerial association concerning Its
public statement on a proper observance of
NeC. corridor for waste traffic
MIBeSHIEHaDl
PUBLISHED EACH
TUESDAY APID THURSDAY
GARLAND ATKINS
Publisher
TOM McIntyre
Editor
ELIZABETH STEWART
Woman's Editor
GARY STEWART
Sports Editor
DARRELL AUSTIN
General Manager
CLYDE HILL
Advertising Director
MEMBEROF
NORTH CABOUNA
PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Mirror-Herald Is published by
General Publishing Company, P, O.
Drawer 7S3 Kings Mountain, N. C. 3808.
Business and editorial offices are
located at 431 N. Piedmont Ave. Phone
739-7494. Second Class postage paid at
Kings Mountain, N. C. Single copy IS
cents. Subscription rates: 16.30 yearly
In-state. I4.ZS six months, 99.S0 yearly
out-of-state. 98 six months; Student rate
for nine months 86.34. u;-jjg 931.040 1
Nearly everyday, trucks carrying
radlaactlvo waste pass through North
Ckrollna cm their way to Bamwell, B.C.,
which Is the only commercial waste disposal
rite la the eastern United States.
According to Dayne Brown, chief of
Radiation Protectlan tor the Department of
Human Reaourees, this type of traffic has
Increased In the past few years. “We know It
has Increased because the volume of
tocllltles using radloactlvs materials has
Increased,” said Brown.
“Wo don’t have any exact figures because
vehicles carrying such wastes are not
isqulred to bo licensed or to give us any
advance notlfleatlon of their trip through the
state. But with Bamwell being the only
conunerelal disposal site In ths eaatora
united States, It stands to reason that waste
from states north of North Carolina are
going to have to pass through hare to get to
Bamwell. We’re a corridor for this type of
traffic,” ho oontliued.
Brown aald that ths manpower and fun
ding required to carry out a licensing and
Inspection program for all radloaetlvo waste
traffic In the state would be prohlbltlvo.
“We do try to maintain readiness for such
an accident at all times, though 90 percent of
our calls are false alarms,” he aald. “Two
people In our section are on call 34 hours par
day. We also have a mobile lab which we put
In operation In January that can be used for
periodic cheeking of vehicles carrying
waste.”
To check vehicles, officials from Radiation
Protection set up sophisticated Instruments
at weigh stations. All vehicles carrying
certain levels of radloactlvs materials must
bear on indicating placard or symbol. Of
ficial* check to see that unplacarded
vehicles aren't carrymg radioactive
materials. They also see that waste
materials carried on labeled vehicles are
properly packaged and labeled according to
toderal regulations and don’t leak.
“Another way we prepare tor accidents Is
to train first respcnders Ilka ambulance,
rescue and law enforcement officers how to
protect themselves and others until we can
got to the scene,” said Brown.
until Brown arrived In the middle of the
night.
THE DANCE OF THE RAINIHtOPS
“In this Instance, the material could have
been dangerous If exposed for a long period
of time or If contaminated artlcloa had tollan
off along the roadsldo. This was not the case.
We saw to the off-loading and repair and sent
the vehicle on Its way,” stated Brown.
In the event cf an accldant Involving
radloaetlva materials. Brown’s office Is
notified directly or through the N.C. High
way Patrol. Officials from Radiation
Protection are tramvorted to the scone by
Highway Patrol helloopter or relayed by
patrol oar. An evahiatlan of the situation Is
mads and necessary action Is taken.
“Our new mobllo lab allows us to set up for
several days If necessary,” stated Brown,
“and we can do on-tha-slte tooting rather
than having to taka samples back to Raleigh
as wo did before.”
Since 1961 when Radiation Protection
began keeping records, there have been 80
radiation Incidents In North Carolina. Those
Incldonte may Involva contamination, ex
posure to radiation, fire, lUogal possession of
a radloaetlvo source, theft or a number of
others.
I heard the raindrops dancing
before they went to swell a stream.
Or flow In a river
to fulfill a dream;
Or gtvo ths garden a drink
In the middle of the night.
But first they brought ths fiowers out
for abeautiful sight.
None of the accidents have oonstltutod a
serious throat to public health or safety. The
most significant one occurred more than 10
years ago. R Involvod a leaking source In a
Ucensed facility In Mecklenburg County. The
toclllty was shut down for a while for
doecntamlnatlon.
I hoard the raindrops dancing
Oh how merrily they drop,
I sat upright In bed
With the elbows In aprop;
I envied the little raindrops
As they danced above my head.
Than I remembered too
they soon would go to bed.
Brown aald that one Ironle accident ho
rsmorabers Involved an Atomic Energy
Commission (now Nuolfar Regulatory
ObnunlsaloB) ’’Atoms for Peace” display
which used some radioactive materials. “An
axle sheared on ths trenivortlng vehicle and
It overturned. We checked for leaking
radiation, found none and arranged for
reloading of the materials.”
From 1981 through 1970, there was no more
than ons transportation related Inoldont per
year and for two of those years there ware no
Inoldents. In 1971, there were throe In-
ddonte; from 1979-74, there was only one per
year. However, In 1978 thars was a notable
Increase of six Incidents. This dropped to
three In 1976 and roao to five In 1877. There
was only one Incident In 1978 and none thus
far for 1979.
Vivian S.Blltcllfto
What’S your opinton?
♦ ♦
9 I*’
♦
1 heard the raindrops dancing
In the middle of the night,
The stars In the heaven
had turned out their light; . ' .
A oloud was covering, the faoo of the ipoon
ths raindrops keep dancing
to ths raindrop’s tuna.
*f Pit
In another incident, the driver of a vehicle
carrying scrap material from a nuclear
plant In the New England area noticed that a
container had broken open. The Highway
Patrol Isdated the vehicle m a remote area
“We try to critique each Incident we
respond to,” aald Brown. “We look for any
'mlstakee or loos of time which we might
have made to make sure they don't heppen
twice,” he concluded.
We want to hear your opinion on ttUngs of
Interest to you. Address aU rorreepondenne
tor this page to Reader Dialogue, Mlnw-
Herald, P. O. Drawer 783, Kings Mountain,
N. C., 9S0SS. Be sure and sign proper harrw
end Include your addreu. Unsigned letters
will not be published.