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VOL. 38 NUMBER 19
Cemetery Department Targeted
SBI Investigation Is Underway
The State Bureau of In-
vestigation was called in
yesterday to conduct an in-
vestigation into alleged
reports of missing funds from
the Kings Mountain
Cemetery Department.
Irvin M. Allen, Jr., chair-
man of the three-member
committee of city commis-
sioners appointed by Mayor
John Moss to review written
complaints from Bennett
Tuesday that the SBI was be-
ing called into the investiga-
tion. The District Attorney
was notified formally yester-
day to ask for an independent
investigation from the SBI,
which will now take the in-
vestigation out of the Kings
Mountain Police Depart-
ment.
Mayor Moss told the
Herald this week that the ap-
pointment of the three
member cemetery commit-
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1985
tee, including Commissioners
Corbet Nicholson and Curt
Gaffney, came after several
years of complaints from
Bennett Masters, who owns
and operates Masters
Funeral Home and who sells
monuments, concerning
operation of the city owned
Mountain Rest Cemetery. He
said that one executive ses-
sion of the board and two per-
sonal meetings with Masters
and Jenkins together, had.
Masters, told the Herald
Buren Randle has officially retired as a
member of the Grover Rescue Squad. But,
don’t expect him to divorce rescue. work
completely.
Members of the squad and community
honored the 71-year-old Grover resident
Sunday during the climax of the squad’s
95th anniversary celebration. He received a
plaque, had his volunteer services number
1650 retired, and was applauded by fellow
members of the squad and community.
But, the program wasn’t even over before
Squad Captain Jackie McCurry announced
that Randle had agreed to represent the
squad at all area meetings of the Rescue
Squad Association. :
“I’m not going to completely get away
from it,” said Randle. “I'll still be coming
in and out. But, I'm 71 years old and I
figured 25 years was enough to be running
the ambulances.”
Randle has been a familiar face to Grover
and surrounding communities since the
squad was organized in 1960. As McCurry
pointed out, Randle went to bed each night
for 25 years with a pager on his dresser, and
Sach time it went off, Randle accepted the
call.
Randle was one of 19 men who organized
the squad in 1960 after the area had ex-
perienced a rash of auto accidents. Ollie
Harris of Kings Mountain met with the
group to help them organize, and donated to
the squad a Cadillac ambulance.
The ambulance was housed at a Grover
service station for sometime, then was
moved to the Grover Fire Department for
18 months.
In 1962, with less than $100 in the bank,
Randle, Captain Fain Hambright and Den-
from the Blacksburg State Bank to begin a
rescue squad building and purchase needed
equipment. Members of the squad paid one
dollar a week to belong and members of the
community helped out with donations.
Other funds were raised through
HONORED FOR SERVICE - Buren Randle, center, accepts a plaque from Grover
Rescue Squad’s first captain, Fain Hambright, right, signifying Randle’s 25 years of
service to the squad during its 25th anniversary celebration Sunday. Looking on at left is
the squad’s present captain, Jackie McCurry.
Charter Member Randle
Honored By Grover Squad
‘training has developed,” he said. “It is
nis McDaniel signed a note for a $10,000 loan
Photo by Gary Stewart
ballgames, dances and suppers.
The squad purchased its first new am-
bulance early in 1962 and occupied its pre-
sent building later that year. Members of
the squad and other volunteers built the
building.
“Even in those hard times, we had a lot of
fun,” said Hambright, who flew from San
Francisco to Grover to take part in the
celebration. Hambright served as captain
for the first 10 years of the squad's ex-
istence.
“I was always very appreciative of the
way the people of Grover Supposed our
squad...then and now,” Hambright said.
“louise Harry gave us free use of the
Grover softball field where we raised much
of our money.”
Hambright said early training consisted |
of a Red Cross first aid course and Rescue
College. “I’m most happy of the way the
much more intense now than in the early
years.”
“I’m most proud to recognize Buren for
his 25 years of service to the squad,” said
Hambright. ‘He was my right arm for 10 to
12 years.”
McCurry, who has been captain for the
ast four years, said he has constantly gone
to Randle for advice and to ‘‘ask how
business is conducted here.”
“We just wanted all the people in the area
to know how proud we are of him,” Mc-
Curry said.
McCurry pointed out that Randle served
the squad as captain for six years and spent
14 years in other offices. He was a member
of the first graduating class of Rescue Col-
lege and didn’t miss a meeting for the first
19 vears of his membership in the squad.
“The only reason he missed then was
because of a family health problem,” Mc-
Curry said.
Turn To Page 4-A
aired but not settled the mat-
ter, but that his decision to
appoint the committee was
not in the order of a ‘‘person-
nal matter’ and involved ‘‘a
long simmering situation’
which he felt needed to be
looked into in depth by a com-
mittee of commissioners and
given the proper attention.
The Mayor is authorized to
appoint committees.
The Mayor told the Herald
he advised Superintendent
TG&Y
Re-Opens
July 1
The name won’t change,
but the inside of the Kings
Mountain TG&Y Family
. Center will soon reopen for
“shoppers with a lively new
{ - Store Operations. :
“We decided the sales op-
portunities are there in. the
Kings Mountain community,
so we're giving the Kings
Mountain customers the new
look and merchandise mix of
i new prototype,” he add-
ed.
The store’s remodel is one
of 150 planned companywide
by TG&Y Stores Co. in 1985.
Grand opening is planned for
July 1.
“We made these changes
for our customers,’
McKittrick said. ‘‘The
physical changes make our
stores more convenient and
enjoyable to shop and the
revised merchandise mix is
tailored to the needs of each
community we serve.’
The new asymetrical drive
aisle layout circles the store,
guiding customers through
every department. The
higher checkout stands in-
crease convenience and mer-
chandise visibility.
Existing space is utilized
more effectively, creating a
more open appearance with
light gray walls and red strip-
ing. :
As much merchandise as
possible, without damaging
the store’s appearance or
convenience, is displayed on
the sales floor with some
displays reaching from floor
to ceiling. This helps main-
tain a better in-stock position
and provide better service to
customers.
Some departments have
been expanded’ and others
trimmed to offer the types of
merchandise wanted by the
residents in Kings Mountain.
Expanded areas include
health and beauty aids, in-
fants and apparel.
Tom Quiram, a nine year
veteran of TG&Y, will be the
new manager. He began his
career with TG&Y in July,
1976 as assistant manager in
Louisville, Ky. He later serv-
ed as co-manager for stores
| in Middletown, Berea and
Hazard, Ky. before moving to
Kings Mountain.
According to Don Sherer,
district manager, about 30
full and part-time associates
will be hired to staff the store.
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA
Ken Jenkins that a review
committee was appointed.
The furor surfaced
Wednesday when WBTV
reporters and cameramen
came to City Hall and then
subsequently went to the city
cemetery office acting on in-
formation from a citizen.
At the center of the in-
vestigation is Ken Jenkins, a
22 year employee of the City
Turn To Page 2-A
ff
X/
town since the creation of a cemetery investigation commit-
tee leaked to the media. ] LER ha
This newspaper is interested in reporting facts but was ac-
cused by a man attending a Saturday morning meeting of the
Open Forum of covering up activities at City Hall. We will not
report rumors and ‘off record” conversations.
However, it is our editorial opinion that the last week has
seen rumors fueled from personality conflicts of many in-
dividuals, including Supt. Ken Jenkins and mortician Bennett
Masters over many years duration and now involves some
members of the board of commissioners taking sides.
Master’s complaint is not new. Several years ago shortly
after opening Masters Funeral Home a representative of the
funeral home came to a city board meeting complaining that
Ken Jenkins was selling monuments at Mountain Rest
Cemetery. The board met in executive session and took no ac-
tion.
We feel that one of the duties of the superintendent of Moun-
tain Rest Cemetery is to serve the public and if people come
to him and ask him the name of monument companies in this
area that he should give it to them.
We feel that any employee of the City of Kings Mountain
who is being subjected to rumors or accusations should be
given an opportunity to defend himself before an investiga-
tion is launched by a committee or mayor or commissioners.
We question the legality of charging families for placing
monuments on grave lots purchased from the City of Kings
Mountain. The city codes list no fees (see separate article).
We strongly object to the commissioners meeting with the
mayor prior to city board meetings. This creates suspicion
and is a violation of the open meetings law.
Supt. Jimmy Maney of the city gas department told The
Herald Tuesday that a meter reader discovered a meter on
Jan. 9, 1985 at Masters Funeral Home on Shelby Road and did
not find the meter listed in his book and reported it to city of-
ficials. According to records in the city clerk’s office, Bennett
Masters owes the city $2497.26 but according to Masters’ wife,
Betty, the gas meter was in place when the Masters bought
the property from Lawrence Davis and Mrs. Masters says the
funeral home now heats with electricity. The city gas depart-
ment turned off the gas meter on March 15, 1985 because of
nonpayment.
The Herald checked the records of the city codes depart-
ment Tuesday and there were no records indicating that
Masters applied for gas service. Mrs. Masters said the chapel
had been heated with gas but she had no recollection when the
gas was hooked up. She said she found it hard to believe they
could owe $2497.26 for gas over a two month period. Mr.
Masters was out of town.
City Commissioner Corbet Nicholson told The Herald
Wednesday that City Heating installed heat and air condition-
ing and a line was run up the side of the new part of Masters
Funeral Home from Knox Kut and Kurl which was a city gas
customer before Masters built the funeral home. Nicholson
installed the unit on top of the building for Knox Kut and Kurl.
He said a water line and gas line was run by the side of the
building. Nicholson said he installed two gas furnaces and
two air conditioners for Masters and has records to support
there was nothing improper. “I’ve been in this business 30
years and put in a lot of units for Kings Mountain customers”
he said.
It should be pointed out that many businesses and in-
dividuals are behind in utility bills. City policy is to cut them
off after they miss one payment but as the city has shown in
several cases in the past, they don’t always go by policy.