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VOL. 103 NO. 4
KM Nips Shelby In OT.............6A
Kings Mountain Woman
Makes Movie Debut In
Zisuialay January 24, 1991
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* North Carolina Press
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A new city ordinance which
would phase out mobile home
parks in the city in the next three to
four years is meeting opposition
from owners of the three in-city:
parks.
‘Public hearing is set Tuesday
night at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall by
city council.
Allan Withers of Charlotte, who
owns the largest mobile home park
in the city- 38-home West Gate
Mobile Homes off W. Gold Street-
said he and his attorneys are nego-
tiating with the city for a longer
amortization period-eight years-in
which to close the property, instead
of the three to four years set out in
the ordinance for parks to move to
R-20 zoning.
Withers said he will offer the
city a binding option to buy the
land at fair market value after the
eight year period expires. "This is
no funny business. I want to recoup
my investment which I made in
this property nearly 10 years ago
when I bought it from Warren
Reynolds," said Withers, who plans
to put $150,000 at West Gate in the
next 60 days for improvements. "I
realize the property has been an
eyesore but we will work to correct
Final
February 1989.
quires.
See Ordinance, 3-A
The city will sell the remainder of public utility bond -$1,765 million-
on Feb. 5 for completion of major improvements voted by citizens in:
City Council Tuesday night passed a resolution providing for issuing
of the bonds and City Manager George Wood said all bond work should
be completed by December with exception of work at the dam where the
city has reserved $500,000. for the cost of improvements as the state Te-
"We have met with bond counsel and Local Government officials and
all legal requirements have been met for the last bond sale," said Wood,
who notd that the city sold $6.965 million of bonds in September 1989.
Bonds To Be Sold
See Utilities, 5-A
School Board To Meet Again Thursday
PEACE LIGHTS ON TREE-Jackie Grigg, left, and her daughter-
in-law, Gina Grigg, trimmed a tree with peace lights and yellow rib-
bons last week and will light the tree every night until Jamie Grigg
II returns from Saudia Arabia.
Kings Mountain Soldier Spends
The Kings Mountain School Board's second
public work session on redistricting of
elementary schools will be held Thursday at 7
p.m. at West School.
The board will hear comments from the
public and then discuss several options which
were raised at recent meetings.
The board is studying a redistricting map
designed by YSAC, Inc., which was paid $5,000
by the school system to prepare a computerized
plan to racially balance the system's five
elementary schools.
YSAC completed the map in early December.
The board discussed it at its December meeting
and -has since been studying possible changes
suggested by the public and by board members.
The board will discuss at least six changes to
*Moving the Fulton Road, brick yard and
Mountain Street areas from North to West; and,
as a part of that change, moving Timms Circle,
Parkgrace Road and the Wells Road area from
West to East.
*Moving students on North Piedmont Avenue
north of the bypass from East to North.
*Moving 13 students on the south side of
Bethlehem Road from Grover to Bethware.
*Moving the Compact area from Grover to
East; or to West.
*Moving Pine Manor from Bethware to East,
Northwoods from East to North, and areas
adjacent to King Street between Watterson and
Cansler from North to Bethware.
*Moving an area along Highway 74 from KM
Animal Hospital to Bethware School from North
{0 Bethware.
Dr. Larry Allen, Assistant Superintendent, is
computing how the above suggestions would
change the student populations and racial
percentages at each school and will have those
figures available for the board's review.
The schools have been discussing elementary.
redistricting for several years after it was
pointed out that some schools do not reflect the
system-wide minority percentage of 26 percent.
East School has 63.9 percent minority students
while Bethware has only 14.8 percent and West
16.7.
Under the first YSAC proposal, minority
percentages would range from 23.2 percent at
Bethware to 28.9 percent at East. The school
board is hoping to stay within a plus or minus
five percent range of the system-wide average
while also staying within the suggested
jr =~
20th Birthday In
"A krife stabbed in my chest” is
how a Kings Mountain mother de-
scribed her reaction to the news
that the U.S had attacked Iraq.
"I can't stand the thought of mot
‘knowing
where my
son is," said
Jackie Grigg. |
Pfc. Jamie
Grigg's 20th
birthday was
Tuesday and
his wife,
Gina, 19, his
parents, Carl
and Jackie
Grigg, his
sister, Kelli,
13, his sister
and brother-
in-law, John
and Lisa GRIGG
Etters and his parents-in-law, Gay
and Keith Anthony are keeping a
constant vigil by the television set
and telephone hoping that the
295th Supply Company mechanic
will call home. In addition to deck-
ing a Christmas tree in the yard
with American flags and yellow
ribbons, the wife, mother and sis-
ters are wearing two watches, one
set on USA time and the other set
on Saudi time.
Jamie Grigg called home from
the Desert Jan.10. He talked of
working long hours and unloading
ships. He said the outlook for
peace looked grim and warned his
family of terrorists. He said the
food was terrible, the dry sand
had given him sore throat and he
had received two of the half dozen
care packages his family had sent
him.
Persian War
wr This week the Griggs shipped
more care packages to Jamie, in-
cluding a chocolate birthday cake
and a Christmas video including a
picture of the tree.
"We commend the President for
not backing down but war is bad
news, We don't want to see anyone
killed," said Mrs. Grigg, a recep-
tionist at Grover Medical Clinic.
The family stayed up all night last
Wednesday watching the war news
on television, cried and worried.
Jamie Grigg joined the Army af-
ter graduating Kings Mountain
High School in 1989. He married
high school sweetheart, Gina
Anthony, also a 1989 KMHS grad-
uate, on April 29, 1990.
Graduating from AIT training, the
couple settled at Fort Lewis,
Washington for seven months until
he shipped out Nov. 28 for the
Persian Gulf and Gina came home
to live with her parents. Jamie was
home in October for a Halloween-
Thanksgiving-Christmas reunion
with his family but left his
Christmas presents unopened. A
big celebration will be held when
the soldier returns home and the
tree will stay up in the yard until
the war is over.
The Griggs have talked to the
soldier several times from the
Mideast. He called twice on New
Year's Day, his time and our time,
and he and his whole family talked
for about an hour. Jamie said he
enjoyed driving Vice President
Quail and TV star Gerald
McRaney when they visited the
troops there at Dammam, 200
miles from Kuwait. At that time he
See Grigg, 5-A
Don't Forget Pets
{ Pull out the blankets. Your dogs may also need bet- |
er bedding for the cold nights ahead.
This is timely advise from Dr. Jerry Eskridge, local |
eterinarian.
Bitter cold weather this week could take its toll on |§
your dogs who live outside, unless you keep your pets |
n a shelter out of the wind, provide good bedding and |
ake sure water doesn't freeze.
Normally outdoor dogs keep warm in leaves and | §
ay, but you might want to take your pet a blanket. | {is
hange his water often and feed him more. That's how | §
dogs generate body heat, says the doctor. The pet's wa- | §
er supply should also be checked in daytime and his| §
ouse or box should be adjusted so that it is turned to- | §
See Pets, 12-A
the YSAC plan Thursday, including:
Tultex Closes ; bis
Outlet Store
The sluggish economy has
caused the closing of another
Kings Mountain business.
Tultex Outlet Store at Kings
Mountain Plaza will close Saturday
at 6 p.m.
"It's a real shock to us,” said
veteran store manager Barbara
Helms, who has been manager of
the fleecewear outlet since it
opened here nearly 13 years ago.
The closing will put four people,
including Helms, out of work.
Ervin Chauncey, operations
manager of Tultex Corporation,
said that Tultex is phasing out
See Tultex, 12-A
Grover Building
To Be Dedicated
GROVER-N. C. Senator James
Forrester will make the dedicatory
address Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. for the
new addition to Grover Town Hall.
After the ceremony the public is
invited to tour the new facility,
which includes offices for the may-
or, clerk, and police chief and a
community room with adjoining
kitchen and rest room facilities.
City officials from neighboring
towns are being invited to partici-
pate in the ceremonies at which
Mayor Bill McCarter will preside.
Newly-sworn freshman Senator
Forrester, who represents the 25th
Senatorial District which includes
Cleveland County, is a Stanley
medical doctor and former chair-
man of the Gaston County Board
of Commissioners.
capacities of each school.
WAR HITS HOME-These Kings Mountain students all have loved ones in the Gulf War and have
formed a support group at KM Middle School. From left, Robbie McBee, 8th grader; Kelli Grigg, 7th
grader; Beulah Carroll, guidance counselor, Iris Jimison and Katanya Roberts, 8th graders.
Middle School Students Rally Around The Flag
The mood in the conference room at KM Middle
School was grim this week as four students with rela-
tives in the Middle East shared their thoughts about
war with others,
Friday is "Red, White and Blue Day" at KMMS and
in preparation for a patriotic rally around the flag, the
students helped deck the halls and classrooms with
yellow bows and yellow ribbons. Friday they will join
all their classmates in holding hands, saluting Old
Glory and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
As they remembered family and friends stationed in
the Saudi Arabia desert, they tried to get on with life
as best they could.
But it was hard.
Beulah Carroll, 8th grade guidance counselor, and
Melanie Ballard, 7th grade guidance counselor, started
the counseling group Tuesday, the day students re-
turned to school after a teacher's work day holiday on
‘Friday and Martin Luther King remembrance day on
Monday. As soon as news of the war broke Thursday,
Give Car Check-Up
King Winter's first bitter cold weather of the season
could take its toll on your automobile, if you aren't
prepared.
Although many motorists have nipped potential
nance, some others have put off winterizing the family
jalopy. Bad news, say local mechanics and service sta-
tion operators.
"Be sure your antifreeze is 'up to snuff,'says Norman | f
McGill, of McGill's Exxon. McGill says it's important
to use good gasoline, check your radiator, and be sure
air pressure and tires are good. Low tires will lose seal
if cold, he warns, and, of course, belts and hoses need
to be in tip-top shape in the wintertime.
See Check Car, 12-A
It local oil distributors say the crisis isn't over and local
{f homeowners can conserve inspite of the cold weather
{ ahead.
problems by taking time for preventive auto mainte- | §
I! said the cost of fuel oil dropped 10-15 cents on the gal-
{i lon last week. Today a gallon of fuel oil is $1.05.9.
{ when no one is at home arid at night and set the ther-
I mostat at 68 when you are in the house but wear a
{i comfortable sweater, said Cheshire, who predicts
{ home owners can save dollars by doing simple mainte-
{ nance jobs and winterizing their homes.
the teachers said they let the children talk about their
fears and one reason for the support group is for the
kids to be able to get their feelings out in the open.
Robbie McBee's father, CSM Johnny F. McBee, is a
23-year Army veteran who is stationed in Saudi
Arabia. :
Tanya Roberts’ brother, James Roberts, is aboard the
USS Roosevelt in the Persian Gulf and has been in the
Navy for several years.
Iris Jimison's sister, Sgt. Annette J. Stark, has been
in the Army 14 years and is an ammunition specialist.
Kelli Grigg's brother, Pfc. Jamie Grigg II, has been
in Saudi Arabia since Nov. 28 and is stationed at
Dammam, 200 miles from Kuwait.
All the young people say they are waiting for news
from their loved ones and none have heard from them
since war broke out but all are sending care packages
this week, which include canned peaches, hard can-
dies, video tapes, gum, and school and family pic-
See Students, 12-A
Conserve Heating Fuel
The Iraqi war sent fuel prices falling last week but | |
Lyn Cheshire, executive of Patterson Oil Company., | |
Turn your thermostats back to 60-65 during the day
See Houses, 12-A
A 2 Ra 1, Ada at