BE —
ERENT
ENTER
ee
Drugs
From Page 1-A
Mrs. Wingfield said any churches, organizations or
parent groups interested in having her group conduct
workshops may call her at 864-2499. Sessions are held
one night a week for four weeks.
Mrs. Hardy, who lives in Kings Mountain and works
in Charlotte, said many people in small towns think
drugs are not a problem.
"Kings Mountain is a small town but drugs is a big
problem here,” she said.
Mrs. Hardy said many people deny there is a prob-
lem and most parents who know their children are tak-
ing drugs are too ashamed to get the problem out in the
open.
"I once opened a drug counseling office here and
got a lot of calls," she recalled. "But all the people
wanted me to come to their home, or them to come to
mine. They didn't want to be seen coming to my of-
fice."
Chief Goforth criticized the Bush Administration
for not looking upon alcohol as a drug.
The administration has allocated $8 billion to fight
drugs but doesn't regard alcohol as a drug," he said.
"Alcohol is killing more people every year than were
killed in the entire Vietnam War."
Goforth quoted from a state survey which came out
Tuesday which states that there are over 8,000 alco-
holics in Cleveland County and over 15,000 in Gaston
County. There are 1,934 Gaston County residents ad-
dicted to narcotics and 967 in Cleveland County.
In Cleveland County, 42,818 people are affected by
alcohol addiction and there have been six traffic deaths
in the county because of alcohol this year, he said.
"These are shocking statistics," he said.
Goforth also criticized the court system for its
record of convictions. He said last year there were
1,158 DWI arrests in Cleveland County but only 600
were convicted.
"In North Carolina there were over 77,000 DWI ar-
rests and over 43,000 of them were tuned loose be-
cause of technicalities," he said.
Goforth said the Kings Mountain Police Department
began looking into the city's drug problem three years
ago and found some alarming facts.
"There are more drug pushers in the homes than
there are on the streets," he said. "Kids see beer in the
refrigerator and marijuana in the house and this is the
same thing as parents telling them that this is the ac-
cepted thing."
Education must begin early, in the schools and in the
homes, he said.
"Our teachers here in Kings Mountain are some of
the best in North Carolina," he said. "But they cant’ do
what we should be doing at home. We need to reach
Page 14A-THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, December 7, 1989
the seven, eight, nine and ten year olds. The D.A.R.E.
program is probably one of the most important pro-
grams to come along in a long time. Until we can
reach these small kids we can't win this battle."
D.AR.E., which began in Kings Mountain schools
this fall, began several years ago in California. The
program sends a trained police officer into the school
system to teach students effective ways to say no to
drugs.
Alan Hardin, KM's D.A R.E. officer, said he bucked
the idea when Chief Goforth first suggested that he be
trained to teach the program here.
"First of all, I didn't think of myself as a teacher," he
said. "I've always been interested in young people and
have taught small groups at church. But I have to ad-
mit this program has changed my life. I feel like I can
reach a lot of young people through this."
Hardin teaches the program to fourth graders but
hopes to see the school system expand into the
younger grades in the future. He said statistics in
California indicate that there has been a 60 percent de-
cline in the drug problem there since D.A.R.E. was in-
troduced in the school systems.
"When you see how the kids open up to you it's easy
to understand that this can be the beginning of the end
of drugs," Hardin said.
Hardin said there are 140 D.A.R.E. programs in
North Carolina schools and the ultimate goal is to have
a program in every school system.
"We're making kids feel good about the ways they
can say no to drugs," hardin said. "We teach them, that
when another student or adult approaches them about
taking drugs, that they say 'no thanks' and walk off.
They can't say anything else to you if you walk away."
Hardin said the program has also helped change
young people's concept of a police officer's duty.
"We're no longer seen as a gun-slinging cowboy but a
friend," he said. "Our duty is to be of service to the
public and let them know that an officer has a weapon
only as a last resort tool for self defense of himself and
the public."
Hardin said he eats lunch, goes to physical educa-
tion, music and other classes with them, and he's had
"absolutely no problems” with discipline. "You can of-
ten find me sitting in the floor with them in gym or
music," he laughed.
Hardin said he was surprised to learn through a sur-
vey of fourth graders that they believe over one-half of
their classmates are taking drugs. He said a survey of a
six-county area, including Cleveland, indicated that
over 300 students in the fourth and eighth grades and
over 1,000 in high school grades reported using alco-
hol at least twice a month.
"Alcohol is still the number one drug," he said.
"Over 78 percent of seventh and eighth graders in this
six-county area said they have ridden with drunk
teenage drivers."
Reynolds pointed out that many of the drugs people
are addicted to are prescribed drugs but most of the
hard drugs are also sold and taken each day in this
area.
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Police
From Page 8-A
reported two incidents of, larceny: a
pair of shoes valued at $17.99 and a
pair of shoes valued at $29.99.
John Bullock, 405 Margrace, report-
ed vandalism to his 1977 Ford truck.
Kings Mountain Hospital, 706 W.
King St., reported larceny of a printer
which had been removed from a ship-
ping box and taken from Radio
Graphics and Fluoroscope Room 2 and
valued at $1500.The printer was stolen
between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.
Handy Pantry, Cleveland Avenue,
reported two incidents of larceny of
beer valued at $4.09 and $7.89.
Della Louise Stroupe, 120 N.
Cansler, reported larceny of Randor
chrome plated bicycle valued at $69.
Michelle Kilgore Dumas, Route 1
Shady Grove Road, said a purse
snatcher took her purse as she prepared
to put groceries in her car at a local
grocery store parking lot. She told po-
lice the suspect was a black male wear-
ing a black jacket. The purse was later
recovered by police on Oriental
Avenue. Dumas lost credit cards,
driver's license and $56 in cash.
J. Hank Plonk, 204 S. Cansler St.,
reported theft of a Mopad from his res-
idence. The Mopad is valued at $100.
George Hatch, 311 W. Mountain St.,
reported larceny of $300 worth of cam-
era equipment from his car.
ARRESTS
Linda Roxanne Franks, 19, of 105
West Maryland Avenue, Bessemer
City, was charged with embezzlement
from Eckard Drugs and Kelly Lynn
Lingerfelt, 21, of Route 3 Box 615
Bessemer City, was charged with aid-
ing and abetting embezzlement from
Eckard's Drug, police said. Court hear-
ing for the two women was held 'in
Shelby Monday. Bond for both women
was $500, secured.
Lloyd G. Furr, 46, of Third Avenue,
Gastonia, DWI, driving while license
revoked, secured $600 bond.
Gregory Joseph Eversoll, 34, of 827
N. Piedmont Ave., assault on female,
secured $500 bond.
Anoulack Vouthivong, 26, of 26
Kings Park Drive Limited, Yarboro
Road, simple assault on female, crimi-
nal summons.
Douglas Wayne Merck, 28, of 820
Church St., unauthorized use of con-
veyance, $300 unsecured bond.
Birthday
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STEPHANIE LAIL
Suro
Celebrates
Stephanie Lynn Lail celebrated
her 11th birthday November 29.
She enjoyed a party at Kate's
Skating Rink with friends and fam-
ily and also had a party at her
home with family and friends.
fet Outlet
25% OFF
These two items through Dec. 9th
Stephanie is a fifth grader stu- Ladies’ Men's
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younger sister, Andrea Michelle.
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Ralph and Diane Lail of Shelby.
She is the great-granddaughter of
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He is the son of Sue EllenR.and | KM Plaza
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The private is a 1989 graduate of | HWY. 74 West
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