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VOL. 103 NO. 31 or Thursday, August 8, 1991
Castlewood Drive residents are upset
about "definite" gas odors and dying irees
at the closed Petroleum World Station on
Highway 74 just west of the city limits but
officials of the company say they have
"nothing to be alarmed about."
Adjoining property owners Al Grigg and
Rev. Dale Thornburg are concerned, they
said, about "possible ground contamination”
and are planning to take soil samples and
are encouraging their neighbors and nearby
businesses to do the same.
John Thornton, an official of Petroleum
World, acknowledged the station is closed
and a "closure report sampling” is being
filed with the Mooresville office of the
Department of Environmental Management,
a preliminary step before taking the pumps
down.
City officials, after complaints from the
neighbors of the area, will ask the
Petroleum World officials to clean up, not
CLOSED DOWN
Leak being checked out
Catching drunk drivers......
Hospital gets new equipmen
—_—
ON NIW SONIA
9808¢
*gAV INOWAHAId
AYVEEIT TVIYOWER AINAVI
Member Of The
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Press Association
Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086 +35¢
only the West King site where the gas
company moved out last week, but the 600
block of East King Street where monitoring
wells are in place and which Petroleum
vacated over a year ago leaving a huge
excavation now high with grass and weeds.
Jesse Wells, of the state office of
Environmental Health and Natural
Resources, said the company has 15 days to
submit soil samples and assessment of tank
basin where the pump islands now are in
order to determine if soil or ground water
contamination exists. He said Thornton
talked with him Wednesday. The pumps are
to be removed by August 26.
City planner Gene White said Petroleum
failed a tank tightness test and removed
their product last week from the West King
location, beside of Wade Ford. Petroleum
officials acknowledged that the "tank
tightness test" involved a kerosene tank and
said the station was closed because it
Odor being checked out
"wasn't paying for itself in that location."
White said the site is poorly protected and
the city is working closely with Petroleum
and the Division of Environmental
Management to move ahead with the clean
up work. White said the average time the
state gives to clear a site is 1 1/2 to 2 years,
unless it is a high priority.
Rev. Thornburg, a close neighbor of the
East King Street station, said he is
concerned about safety and hopes the city
will push for a speedy clean-up of the
property.
"The safety factor is what bothers me,"
said Grigg, a close neighbor of the gas
station. "The whole parking lot is dug up
and a safety hazard, dirt is piled up and
boundaries around the station are
completely destroyed. We've been trying to
get some answers but no one seems to know
what's going on. I hope that company never
gets a permit to operate in Kings Mountain
Joni Smith and Chuck Wilson
‘are Mr. and Mrs. and a unique
couple. In court he is the prosecu-
tor and she is the defense counsel.
On a recent day Smith's defense
motion to dismiss a client on a
charge of assault was accepted by
the judge and she won the case.
who says training with the profes-
sionals at Corry, Cerwin and
Coleman, has been invaluable. The
Kings Mountain law firm employs
Smith as a law clerk. City Attorney
Mickey Corry has asked her to
come back to the firm next summer
after she takes the state bar exam,
Wilson said he was proud that
his wife could gain some practical
courtroom experience this summer
before she returns to Campbell
University, where she is a third
year law student,
Smith says she's grateful to
Corry for allowing her to, not only
Good cross examination: was
key to the defense wip, said Smith,
ence and, of course, I wanted to
win that particular case but you can
imagine how glad I was to win
when my husband was prosecutin
for the state," she said.
wis Smaith. kept her m :
when she hecame
e wif
Chuck Wilson Jan. 5. "After all I've. on
been a Smith all my life and my
name is my identity," said the hii
of the house, who maintains that
marriage doesn't create possession.
Smith will live in the dormitory pe
this fall at Campbell University but
breaks from school will find her
here with lawyer husband and par-
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph. R. Inge in Line 1989, S
~ took an exam writing seminar a 3
f Mrs. Mary by Wilson but it wasn't until the
Smith,
Wilson, son
Wilson and the late Charles E.
Wilson of Atlanta, Ga., joined the
District Attorney Bill Young's of-
next semester that she'invited him n :
to have lunch at ‘McDonald's. "
put pepper on his French fries an 1
Two file for School Board
Two more candidates entered the
school board race last week before
the filing period passed.
Mark George, of 710 Sandhurst
Drive, and David S. Lynn, of 1729
Shelby Rd., seek the two seats
open on the Kings Mountain board
of education. Board Chairman
Billy King formally filed Friday.
Announcing previously were B.S.
Peeler and Shearra Miller.
George, a 1973 graduate of
Kings Mountain High School and
son of Mr. and Mrs. John George
Jr., is a supervisor at Commercial
Intertech. He is married to Debbie
Bolin George and they have two
daughters: Katie, 12, a 7th grader
at Kings Mountain Middle School,
and Anna, 9, a fourth grader at
West School. They are active in
First Baptist Church and West
School PTA.
"As a concerned parent with
children in the school system I feel
that the job of a board of education
member is important. I would like
to see basic education the top pri-
ority in the schools. Let parents be
See School, 14-A
Three more announce in Grover
Three more people filed for
Grover town board as the filing
deadline passed Friday.
The fililng brings the number to
six who seek two seats open in the
fall election. Three people seek the
office of mayor.
Dr. Philip M. Day, Evelyn
Willis, and Sam N. Stevenson seek
seats held by incumbents Sandra S.
Ellis and Ronald Queen. Filing last
week were Ellis, Jack Herndon
and Don Rich.
In the mayor's race, incumbent
Bill McCarter is challenged by
Queen and former commissioner
Norman King, who resigned his
seat on the board to run for mayor.
The board will name a successor to
serve out King's two-year unex-
McRae not candidate
for county school job
Rumors have been flying around Kings Mountain for several days
that Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bob McRae will be named
Superintendent of Cleveland County Schools.
The Cleveland County Board of Education has scheduled a press
conference for this morning to name a successor to Dr. Ellen Powell,
who retired June 1.
After it was reported earlier this week that the county board had nar-
rowed its choices to one candidate--and that the candidate was not em-
ployed by Cleveland County Schools--rumors had it that McRae was the
man.
But, McRae says he never even applied for the job and isn't looking
to go anywhere.
"I have a good job," he said. "I've heard the rumors, too, and several
people have asked me about it. But I'm not an applicant for anything. I'm
happy where I am."
McRae said he has been invited to this morning's press conference.
*I will attend it but only to show our support for their school system and
the selection of their superintendent, who will not be me."
pired term.
Day owns and operates the
newly constructed Grover Family
Practice at 217 North Main Street.
He is a graduate of St. Elizabeth
High School, Wayne State
University and earned his M. D.
from Michigan State University in
1982. He completed post graduate
See Grover, 14-A
GEORGE
again."
A new look
for council
After four years with six council
members in the city's first city
manager/council form of govern-
ment, change is coming at the up-
coming election.
For the first time, the city could
seat its first black with seven
members on council. For the first
time, six of the eight-member
be new faces. Voters could deier-
mine the majority of the board,
four, at the polls in October.
A new mayor will also be seat-
ed, since Mayor Kyle Smith, com-
pleting his first term, has said he
won't seek reelection.
The first new member to be seat-
ed, a successor in Ward 4 to may-
oral candidate Scott Neisler, could
be named as early as August 27 by
council which has the prerogative
to name the new member now or
wait until the new board is sworn
in mid-December. "I think it would.
behoove the current board to name
the Ward 4 commissioner.
Hopefully they will come up with a
good choice at the next council
meeting,” said Mayor Kyle Smith.
Under state law, the board can ap-
point any registered voter 21 years
of age and living in Ward 4 created
by redistricting with approval of
the U. S. Justice Department in
July.
There has been speculation that
the board could draw from front
runners two years ago. Neisler de-
feated the late Harold Phillips for
the District 6 position in a runoff.
Neisler received 584 votes to
Phillip's 328. Others in the original
race were Jerry White, who re-
ceived 175; Will Sanders, 127, and
Willard Boyles, 120. White and
Boyles currently live in Ward 4 in
the new redistricting but Sanders is
now a resident of Ward 5. Cook
said the Phillips residence is also
now in Ward 5. "One side of
Landing street comes into Ward 4
See Board, 13-A
| board, including the mayor, could |
HAMRICK PEARSON
3 running
in Ward 2
A race developed Thursday for
the Ward 2 council seat when in-
cumbent Jackie Barrett filed for re-
election and a three-way contest
was assured Wednesday morning
when former Recreation Director
Roy Pearson filed.
Norma Bridges, incumbent, also
filed for one of the two at-large
seats open on the seven-member
board and Gilbert Hamrick made it
a three-way race for the mayor's
job.
Jeff Gregory was first candidate
to file in Ward 2. Bridges and in-
cumbent Al. Moretz are challenged
by Luther Bennett and Joe King
for the at-large positions created by
recent redistricting.
Former commissioners James A.
Childers and Scott Neisler are also
seeking the mayoral post. Neisler
resigned last week after two years
on the board to run for mayor.
See Council, 14-A
REV. GENE LAND
Greensboro 21 years ago.
His love of the people he serves and their affection
for him is well known. The church has grown to 125
in Sunday School every Sunday and 160-170 in
Sunday worship with 102 tithers. Land says it has the
highest percent of income per attendee of any church
in the area.
Their record of benevolence gives Second Baptist
a well-earned reputation as a caring and giving con-
gregation.
Land started a popular Christian Singles group
which probably has served as many as 2,000 people
during the ministry with 60 attending the first
Saturday night event. Every third Saturday night sin-
gles are invited to come to the church for a covered
Second Baptist ‘Gene's Land’
The dean of Kings Mountain ministers, Rev. Gene
Land, came to Second Baptist Church from
dish supper and various outings are planned through-
out the year.
Another new ministry is Keenagers, a group of 25-
30 senior citizens, who according to their leader
"meets every chance we can” for trips and picnics.
Recently the group went to the Columbia, S.C. zoo.
An active youth group is headed by music direc-
tor/secretary Evelyn Bridges and volunteers like
Land lead Children’s Church on Sunday mornings for
students in grades 1-6 and Preschool in the educa-
tional building constructed during Land's ministry.
Land, who preaches on Sunday at 11 a.m., Sunday
night at 7 p.m. and for mid-week services on
Wednesday at 7:15 p.m., brings a good turnout to
hear him. His favorite book is Paul's letter to the
Philippians. Often he conducts youth Bible studies on
Wednesday night before a good crowd.
The key to progress in the church is that people arc
willing to work together and Land says Sccond
See Land, i3-A