SRT
OUR VIEW
Your Right To Say It
Support KMHS
In State Event
If you haven't been to a Kings Mountain High
School baseball game recently, you owe it to yourself
to attend this week's State 3-A championship series at
Lancaster Field.
The Mountaineers will be hosting Rockingham
County High of Reidsville tonight, Thursday and
Friday, with the winner of the three game series being
crowned the best 3-A team in North Carolina.
The local team is one of the finest we've had here,
and anyone who loves to see a powerful offense will
love this team. It has sent 45 home runs rocketing out
of area parks in 28 games, and that's the most of any
team in the history of North Carolina prep baseball.
The Mountaineers are loaded with talent. In addition
to the hard hitting, they also have a solid mound staff
and play good defense.
But, one of the team's best assets is the character of
the players. They're 20 of the finest young men in the
Kings Mountain area and they always conduct them-
selves in a sportsmanlike manner on and off the field,
and, win or lose, they always give their best effort.
This is the type of team that could very well bring
Kings Mountain High School its first state champi-
onship in a major sport. But, even if that doesn't hap-
pen, you can be sure the Mountaineers will represent
the school and community well. /
We hope to see thousands of fans at this week's se-
ries. We welcome the fans of Rockingham County.
Both teams deserve the support of their communities.
Let's give Rockingham County a good, Kings
Mountain welcome and let's give our Mountaineers
our best support by attending all of the games and
cheering them on. After it's all over, win or lose, let the
players know that their efforts were appreciated.
Old-Timers
Honor Roll
The #derald is accepting nominations for its sec-
ond annual Old-Timers Honor Roll. To be eligible,
one must: be at least 85 years of age or older or
must have theld the same job or been self-employed
for 40 years. Mail your nominations to Old-Timers
Honor Roll, P.O. Box 769, Kings Mountain, N.C.
28086. !
I would like to nominate:
He/She is 85 Years old:
He/She has leld the same job or has been self-em-
ployed for 4¢ years or longer:
Address:
Phorie:
Nominated By:
Established 1889
Published Wednesday
at East King Street at Canterbury Road,
Kings Mountain, North Carolina 28086, by
Republic Newspapers, Inc.
Darrell Austin
General Manager
Gary Stewart Sarah Griffin
Editor Bookkeeper
Elizabeth Stewart Jeff Grigg
Women's Editor Production Manager
Randall Barber ;
Pressroom Superintendent
Subscription Rates
1 Year 6 Months
InCounty.................e, $14.50 $7.25
Out-Of-County.........c.cnn.. $15.55 $7.80
Student Rates (9 Mos.)...$11.00
(All prices include 5 percent sales tax.)
Sidewalk Survey
GROVER'S 1935 CHAMPIONS - This is the 1935 Grover High School basketball team which won the
Cleveland County championship. Standing in front is mascot Bonnie Moss. Front row, left to right,
Marjorie Bird, Sue Beam, Ada Mae Moss, Lucy Crisp, Lib Bird and Margaret Herndon. Back row, Majel
Stewart, Aldie Biddix, Coach Briggs, Letha Bumgardner and Mary Hughes.
You Don't Need An AK-47
I own a shotgun and a pistol, neither of which I have
ever fired. This is by way of saying I am not for gun
control. Oh, I wouldn't mind giving up my guns, pro-
vided everyone in this country reciprocated. But, until
that day, I will keep mine for protection of my home
and family.
But I have very little patience with those that advo-
cate the continued sale of semi-automatic weapons to
the public. Let's face facts — those things are designed
for one thing — to kill people.
I don't hunt. I will grant you your right to go out and
shoot animals if you like, but I can't do it myself. I've
been hunting once in my life. I jumped a rabbit and
drew a bead on him as he was going away from me. I
was armed with a shotgun and could have killed the
rabbit, but as I sighted down the barrel, I said to my-
self, "What in the world are you doing? You aren't go-
ing to shoot that animal." I know hunters will ridicule
me, but I just can't kill an innocent creature.
But don't try to tell me people need AK-47's or
some similar weapon for hunting. I don't but it.
This whole semi-automatic weapons thing has got-
ten out of hand. Now, President Bush is involved . But
his logic is hard to follow. The president says he will
ban the importation of semi-automatic assault weapons
if a federal review board finds they aren't used primari-
ly for sporting purposes. Wonderful, but what of those
versions that are produced in the U.S.? Bush would al-
low those to be sold to the public. Now what does that
accomplish?
The President says we can limit the magazine ca-
pacity on the domestic models to 15 rounds instead of
30. Does that mean it is impossible to limit the import-
ed models to 15 rounds?
Realistically, that means very little. Squeezing off
15 rounds as opposed to 30 would kill a person just as
dead.
Come on, Mr. President! Do you think the public is
made up of congenital idiots?
My dictionary defines the word sophistry as, "rea-
soning that is superficially plausible but actually falla-
cious."
President Bush, a life member of the National Rifle
Association, is dealing in sophistry.
From The Word Of Sports — The University of
Kentucky has hired Rick Pittino, formerly of the N.Y.
Knickerbockers, as their new head basketball coach.
They're paying him six million dollars for seven years.
That translates to over $850,000 per year...to coach
basketball. There was a time when colleges were for
| acquiring an education. Coaches used to teach subjects
| like health and physical education, etc., and run their
athletes through workouts after class. In some cases
they were paid a small amount in addition to their
teaching salaries. Today, they demand and receive big
bucks. Don't get me wrong, I love college basketball
and I'm not against making money, but $850,000 a
year to coach basketball?
Doesn't it seem odd that a college coach can make
that much money and a college athlete can be penal-
ized for accepting a ride to the bus station from an as-
sistant coach? Remember when N.C. State was put on
probation because a member of the Wolfpack Booster
Jim
Heffner
Club bought David Thompson a jacket to wear to his
first college basketball game while he was in high
school?
The world of sports gets weirder everyday. Over in
Gastonia, one of the junior high schools has just re-
tired the jersey of a 16-year-old football player. That's
got to be a first around here. I grant you the youngster
is probably an outstanding athlete. He participated in
five sports. I'm not knocking him — I wish him noth-
ing but the best. But retiring his jersey on the junior
high school level can best be described as ridiculous.
Update — I've written about my Uncle Mose, late
of York, §.C., in the past. The other day, I remembered
another story about him. In the mid-fifties, Mose pur-
chased an automobile, a green 1949 Mercury as I re-
call. As far as I know, it was the only car he ever
owned. One day Mose and one of his sons were driv-
ing down the highway when the hood of the car came
up. Undeterred, Mose kept driving as he remarked to
his son, "Now, how in the world am I going to be able
to see with that contraption in the way?"
In The News — The other day I read a piece, in an
out of town paper, about the state of Florida outlawing
the sport of dwarf tossing. As I'm sure you know dwarf
tossing is a sport that originated in Australia. These lit-
tle people are thrown, for distance, on a large bed of
pillows. It's all in good clean fun, and nobody gets
hurt. The little people seem to have more fun than any-
body else. I saw dwarf tossing the first time on a Linda
Ellerbe television show several years ago and in was
hilarious. Offbeat, I'll admit, but funny just the same.
But some organization, the Society for Prevention of
Dwarf Tossing or some such group found the activity
objectionable and took their complaint to the state leg-
islature. And, of course, a politician can be convinced
of anything if he's guaranteed a certain number of
votes in the next election. My question is: With all the
troubles in the world, and especially in Florida where
people run around shooting one another everyday of
the week, why do lawmakers give time to every wild-
eyed splinter group that comes down the pike?
The next thing you know they'll be enacting laws
against cat juggling.
Closing Out — Recently, I penned a short piece on
Wyatt Earp and a letter poured in from all over. A
reader asked what I knew about John Wesley Hardin.
Not much, I'm afraid, but I'll find out. And if I come
up with anything interesting I'll pass it on.
Are there any relatives of any of those old-time
Westerners out there? If so, drop me a line — I'd love
to talk to you.
MICHEAL HANNON ON COOK
I am going to
Dollywood with
my family and
swim in swim
meets once a week.
I am going to £0
swimming and ride
my bike.
What Are You Going To Do This Summer?
RONNIE LEDFORD
Junior High
WANDA SMAR
Second Grader West School
I am going
skating in Shelby at
Kate's skating rink
with my friends.
1 am going to ride
my motorcycle.
Florida with my
Church group.
CARLA MOORE
Junior High
CHAD ADAMS
Junior High
I am going to go
to Carowinds with
my brother and
friends.
I am going to
Sign Letters
Dear Editor:
I read your article of June 3, 1989 with much inter-
est about "Be Alert, Citizens, It's Election Time." I,
too, would like to say that the "Citizens Alert"
newsletters that are circulating around town from time
to time are not worth reading, because they have not
been signed. At some time or another, we will have
something bad to say about someone at city hall, but
we don't attack them in an unsigned letter.
I know that Mr. White cannot buy and sell without
the approval of the whole board. I know that uniforms
will not cost what Citizens Alert wants you to believe
they will cost. Yes, we all knew that water and sewer
rates were going up before the bond vote, so let's let
that drop.
Yes, I agree that the city needs to have its existing
water and sewer improved and keep it up. Also, I
agree with uniforms.
Yes, it's coming election time. I, also, urge citizens
to please study the candidates that are running. Do not
let me or anyone else tell you who to vote for. I'll be
working for the person who I think is the best person.
You do the same. By this time, you are saying, "Sam,
you have made a 360 degree turn.” Not so, only 350
degrees. I still do not agree with everything that goes
on at city hall.
Yes, I am the author of the first petition that was out
calling for a vote where we have a mayor or manager
form of government. I also withdrew my support of
this petition April 5 because it was clear some people
had turned it around to help themselves or someone
they want elected come election day.
I owe no one an explanation why Harold Phillips
comes to my home and why I have been seen with
him. But, for those who have asked, Harold has been a
long-time, very good friend of the Sam Teseniar fami-
ly. Harold and I don't see eye to eye on some things
that go on at city hall, but we are still friends, and I'll
not turn my back on him.
Once again, unless a letter is signed, it's not worth
your time to read it.,
Samuel B. Teseniar
Good Editorial
To The Editor:
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
It is a genuine pleasure for me to write compliment-
ing you on your editorial condemning the publication
"Citizen Alert" and the men responsible for the print-
ing and its distribution. These men are out of power
and control of Kings Mountain's City Government and
are willing to distort and lie about facts concerning the
conduct of city business. They are vicious enough to
attack city officials on management level on the most
personal basis without regard to the true effectiveness.
of their job performance. What is worse about these
personal attacks is that they are not personal when they
name names in print. It would make no difference who
actually held the job. If we had different people in
these positions their attacks would be leveled at them.
The sole purpose of these publications is to discredit
the efforts of the present administration in the eyes of
uniformed and non-thinking people. In the process
they believe that charges if repeated often enough and,
if left unchallenged, they would again control city gov-
ernment.
My chief regret about your superb editorial is that
you were unable to provide the names of those respon-
sible for publishing "Citizen Alert". I am confidant
that you been able to do so, the printing and distribu-
tion of this material would cease. If knowledge of
those responsible becomes know, whatever aspirations
they have for regaining political power in this city will
be shattered. A solid majority of Kings Mountain vot-
ers will keep them out of office.
Very truly yours,
B. F. Maner
Thank You
Dear Editor:
It would be impossible for me to list the names of
everyone who played a part in the success of our coun- y
ty's first Project Graduation. Therefore, I hope all of
those people — whether they participated as a planner
of the event, as a volunteer worker on May 31, or
through a donation to the activity — will accept my
sincere appreciation for making Project Graduation be-
come a reality for the seniors of our county's four high
schools.
I had the privilege of attending the event for a few
hours and was impressed with both the organization of
it and the opportunities it presented the students who
were there. I am proud that our school system was in-
volved in the support, planning, and implementation of
the project.
I hope we can look forward to many more Project
Graduations in the future. It is a wholesome activity
which is well-deserved by the young people it seeks to
honor. Again, many thanks to those who made it possi-
ble.
Sincerely,
Bob McRae, Superintendent
Kings Mountain District Schools
Letter Policy
The Herald welcomes your letters to the editor
for publication in each week's paper. We ask that
you use the following guidelines when submitting
letters:
Letters should be brief and to the point. If possi-
ble, type and double space them, but sign them in
ink and include your full name, address and tele-
phone number for verification purposes.
We reserve the right to edit the letters for
spelling, libel, and any other reason, and reserve
the right to reject any letter for any reason. Under
no circumstances will unsigned letters be published,
and hand-delivered letters will not be published.
Mail all letters to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box
769, Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086.