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VOL. 96 NUMBER 40
THURSDAY, September 22, 1983
DISCUSS NEW INDUSTRY-These three men met in the Mayor's office yesterday to discuss a
coordinated effort to bring a new industry to Kings Mountain. Shown above (left to right) are:
Mayor John Henry Moss, Tom Tate, co-chairmen of the Industrial Development Committee,
and Dave Kaufman, representing a group that hopes to open a new industry in the Margrace
and Pauline Mills.
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH
~ City Assisting
AxeIqTl
New Industry
Negotiations are presently
underway that could bring
another new industry to Kings
Mountain, the Herald has learn-
ed. Margrace Mill Industries
would be the name of the new
industry, which would be
located in the Margrace and
Pauline Mills.
The new company would pro-
duce medium-priced upholstery
fabric for various other in-
dustries.
In Kings Mountain yesterday
representing the group
negotiating to buy the mills was
Dave Kaufman, who would be
Vice President and director of
contract operations.
Mr. Kaufman stated that his
group is presently working with
the Small Business Administra-
tion to put together a package
for his group.
Few Citizens, Candidates Attend
There was only a small tur-
nout of citizens and candidates
at Monday’s public forum at the
Governmental = Services
Facilitites Center.
The forum was sponsored by
the Positive Action League to
give candidates and citizens a
chance to voice opinions on the
issues in the upcoming election
of Kings Mountain mayor and
three commissioners.
Only about 30 citizens and
t of the 13 cit king
political office showed up for the
7:30 meeting. Candidates who
did not show were Irvin
“Tootie” Allen, who is opposing
incumbent commissioner Jim
Childers in district one; Clara
Ross, Harry “Dutch” Wilson
and Danny McAbee, who are
facing incumbent Norman King
and Rev. M.L. Campbell in
district four; and incumbent Cor-
bet Nicholson, who is challenged
by Ronald Franks and T.C.
“Red” McKee in district three
Rev. Eugene Land, chairman
of the Positive Action League
and moderator of the meeting,
said he received word from Com-
missioner Nicholson that he had
a prior engagement and from
Mrs. Ross, who was vacationing
in Hawaii, but did not receive
word from the other candidates
who did not attend.
After each candidate received
three minutes to express their
views, citizens were given the op-
[0 questio : [1-
Photo by Gary Stewart
CANDIDATE FORUM - Rev. Gene Land, center, pastor of Second Baptist Church and chair-
man of the Kings Mountain Positive Action League, explains the guidelines used for Mon-
day's public forum for city election candidates. Candidates in the picture, left to right. are
Frank Wright, Ronald Franks, T.C. “Red” McKee, Mayor John Henry Moss, Norman King and
M.L. Campbell.
KM Youth Injured
A Kings Mountain youth was
injured late Wednesday after-
noon when he fell 45-feet into an
old mine shaft off Highway 161
south of Kings Mountain.
Edward Allender, 18, a resi-
dent of Lyons Trailer Park, was
rappelling down the side of the
10 feet by 10 feet shaft when he
lost his grip and fell into the
hole.
A companion, 16-year-old
Thomas Wayne Blanton, ran to
Falls Superette to call for help.
Kings Mountain Rescue Squad
members Russell Falls and
A
Frank Hayes were strapped in
harnesses and lowered into the
shaft to rescue Allender.
Allender was taken to Charlotte
Memorial Hospital.
Ron McKinney, chief deputy
of the Cleveland County
Sheriff’s Department, was at the
Kings Mountain Truck Plaza
when the emergency call went
out to the Rescue Squad. He
hurried to the scene to help in
the rescue effort.
McKinney said the boys told
him they had explored caves and
Cop Car Damaged
In High Speed Chase
A Kings Mountain police car
was damaged to the tune of
$2,800 when it was wrecked dur-
ing a high speed chase through
Cleveland County early Sunday
morning.
Reserve officer Jackie Dean
Barnett was driving the vehicle,
which was one of several police
cars trying to stop a car allegedly
driven by Roger Milton Phipps,
30, of Gastonia.
Turn To Page 2-A
rocks before “but they were far
from professional.” He said the
rope they used appeared to be a
three-quarter inch Dacron type
with knots tied every four or five
feet to help get a better grip.
The rope was tied to a tree and
thrown down into the hole,
McKinney said. He
Allender was apparently about
10 to 15 feet down when he lost
his grip and fell. Blanton had not
yet entered the mine shaft.
The old mine shatt is on
private property across from
Paul Hord’s Seafood. Hord said
no trespassing signs have been
posted on the property before
but have always been torn
down. McKinney said chicken
wire had been strung around the
shaft the boys were exploring,
but it, too, had been pushed
down.
Allender is a patient in room
432 at Charlotte Memorial,
where he underwent back
surgery this week. Get well cards
would be appreciated.
hh ;
said
didates. Questions were on such
topics as bootlegging, ABC elec-
tions, traffic problems, recruit-
ment of business and industry,
and a city manager form of
government.
CANDIDATES’
STATEMENTS
In their three-minute opening
statements, candidates were
given an opportunity to in-
troduce themselves to the
citizens and state their qualifica
14 Si
next three years that are going to
take experienced people to guide
the city. We've come through a
critical two years when the
economy was down and money
was tight, but I think we’re com-
ing out of it now.”
Rev. Campbell said, “I am not
experienced but do not think
that will be a handicap, because I
have experience in national and
state politics and with the city by
appointment. I think I can han-
dle arising conditions, whatever
they may be, and think I can join
in helping promote the city for-
ward.”
He said he was concernted
with street improvements, con-
tinued improvement of existing
low-rent housing, keeping the
tax rate as low as possible while
still continuing needed services,
improving activities for the
elderly and improving the recrea-
tion programs.
Wright said he feels his 22
years experience in teaching,
plus his experience in textiles
and sales qualify him for office.
“I’m very proud of Kings Moun-
tain and would just like to add a
little more to the town.”
He said he would like to see
old buildings torn down and
more involvement in religious
and civic events. “I would prefer
lower utlity rates, especially for
senior citizens, and we need to
try to reach young people and
keep them in the city,” he said.
King pointed to several im-
provements since he first took
office in 1963, such as Moss
Lake, the new City Hall, new
Public Works Building and the
new sewer plant.
“The things we’ve done since
I’ve been in office have benefit-
ted all the citizens,” King said.
“The city did not have a retire-
ment plan when I came into of-
fice. We initiated one in 1964
and I was honored to be a
member of a committee of three
that initiated a pay plan and per-
sonnel policy for the city.”
Franks said he feels his ex-
perience as an accountant will be
invaluable to the city, which has
a $12.5 million budget.
“We need to set some
priorities, and then follow them
through,” he said. “I would like
to see expanded programs for the
“l want to express my ap-
preciation to the Kings Moun-
tain Industrial Development
Committee, who have worked
closely with us to bring the
various groups together who are
interested in this project.” Mr.
Kaufman said.
“We could not have had any
better cooperation from a com-
munity, from your Mayor, and
from other individuals. Josh
Hinnant and Tom Tate,the
chairmen of your Industrial
Development committee have
gone out of their way to help in
developing this project.”
Mayor Moss stated that he
felt sure the project would be ap-
proved by all parties and thank-
ed the members of the Small
Business Administration for
working with the Kings Moun-
tain Industrial Development
youth and elderly.”
Mayor Moss said when he
first ran for office he pledged to
bring “planned, progressive
leadership to the mayor’s office,
and I renew my pledge to devote
my time, energy and talents to
Committee on the project. “It
takes the combined effort of a lot
of people to develope such a pro-
ject and we look forward to hav-
ing Margrace Mill Industries a
vital part of our community.”
James Dickey of Kings Moun-
tain will be the Superintendent
and chief operations officer of
the new industry. Charies Bunch
of Statesville will be the Presi-
dent.
“As soon as we get approval of
the project by the SBA, we hope
to be in operation soon after-
wards,” Mr. Kaufman
stated.“At full capacity, our mill
would employ about 300
people.”
He stated that the new in-
dustry would utilize the present
equipment in the plant and
Turn To Page 8-A
Public Forum
make this city a better place to
live.”
McKee and Gilbert “Pee
Wee” Hamrick did not make
opening comments.
Turn To Page 3-A
OPINION
pay’
on in city government.
In short, that’s a disgrace.
After Monday night’s open forum at the Governmental Services
Facilities Center, which was sponsored by the Positive Aciton League
to give citizens the opportunity to discuss issues with the candidates,
we must conclude that very few people could care less about what goes
Only about 30 citizens and eight of the 13 persons who have filed
for office in the October 11 election showed up.
Citizens who don’t bother to attend such gatherings are the first to
complain when things don’t go their way.
And, if people who run for public office are not even interested
enough to attend the forum, they would do the city a great favor by
dropping out of the race. We certainly hope that come October 11, the
voters of Kings Mountain will cast their ballots for the ones who were
interested enough in the citizens to meet them Monday night.
Had Monday night’s meeting involved an ABC referendum, you
can bet that city hall would have been overflowing, jut as it was on
that night in February when church members came to ask the city
board to rescind its action calling for a liquor, beer and wine vote,
If Monday’s turnout is any indication of the turnout for the elec-
tion, the decision on who will guide Kings Mountain during the next
four years will be made by a very small minority of citizens.
Charlotte Woman Raped
Near Kings Mountain
A Charlotte man has been
charged by the Cleveland Coun-
ty Sheriff's Department with
rape following an incident late
Monday night.
Lee Thomas Pegues, of 3114
Ross Avenue, Charlotte, was
jailed in Cleveland County jail
after being apprehended near
Boiling Springs.
According to Deputy Bob
Fortenberry, Pegues allegedly
abducted an unidentified
Charlotte woman in a parking
lot in Charlotte and drove her, in
her own car, to an area off Dix-
on School Road, south of Kings
Mountain, where the rape
allegedly occured.
The woman was put out of
the car on Highway 216 near
Little Dan’s Grocery.
The woman’s car was spotted
around midnight by a Boiling
Springs police officer at Mutt’s
Chicken N Biscuits near Boiling
Springs. There were two other
occupants in the car, but accor-
ding to Fortenberry, they were
not involved in the incident.
The Boiling Springs officer
followed the car when it left
Mutt’s. When the car was stop-
ped, Pegues reportedly ran and
was apprehended by Trooper
Lal.
Ralph Gantt of the Highway
Patrol.
The Cleveland County
Sheriff's Department charged
Pegues with rape and temporary
larceny of an automobile. Accor-
ding to Fortenberry, charges of
robbery and kidnapping will be
lodged by Mecklenburg County
Police.
Jaycees
Not Running
Phone Contest
The Kings Mountain Jaycees
are not involved in any
telephone contests or solicita-
tions going on in the Kings
Mountain area, Jaycee President
Louie Sabetti said today.
Sabetti said he has received
several reports that people iden-
tifying themselves as represen-
tatives of the Jaycees are calling
citizens and offering $300 worth
of coupons, redeemable at area
merchants, for $21.
“We are in no way affiliated
with it, and we're very concern-
ed about it,” he said. “If people
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Er i ial