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GROVER - A petition will be
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Coach Shu Carlton||
going into Hal of Fame
Colt pro'coming 10 KM... .......c.c.ooien 7A
3.6 million school budget approved.........10-A
VOL. 104 NO. 16
ANGEL STRICKLAND
Thursday, April 16, 1992
Heaven gets another An
By ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
Grief-stricken parents watch an
idle trampoline in the once-busy
yard of their Cleveland Avenue
home and think about what might
have been.
"Our Angel won't be jumping
and playing here anymore," said
Woody Strickland, who never told
his soon-to-be teenage daughter
that she wouldn't be coming back
to her earthly home.
"We know that she's in heaven
but it's so hard," said Strickland,
who held his 12-year-old daughter
quietly in the University of
Minnesota Hospital in
Minneapolis last Wednesday as
death ended her year-long fight
with aplastic anemia, a rare form of
bone cancer.
Angela Gail Strickland's fight
against the illness spurred an out-
pouring of affection and support
from friends and strangers through-
out the country. In her hospital
room she had autographed pictures
from such celebrities as President
Reagan, Madonna, the Minnesota
football team, and other stars of
movies and television. And, she
had cards from her former school-
mates’ at East School and Kings
Mountain Middle School and her
former teachers who tutored her
three days a week at her home for a
brief time before she left for
Minnesota in October 1991 for a
bone marrow transplant.
Angel, as she preferred to be
called by her family and friends,
had aplastic anemia. Her bone mar-
row didn't make red blood cells.
"If doubt if I would put her
through this ordeal again if I had a
chance," said Strickland, who said
the complications from the trans-
plant started with seizures on New
Years's Eve.
Christmas was a happy time for
Kings Mountain,
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the whole family. They went suup-
ping for new clothes for Angela’
and started counting the days they
could bring the youngster home. "It
just wasn't to be," said the dis-
traught father. The bone marrow
that the sixth grader received from
a 28-year-old West Coast donor
had not responded favorably with
her body. She developed complica-
tions such as kidney problems and
diabetes and then the brain damage
See Angel, 2-A
McRae: Not enough support
Kings Mountain School Supt.
Bob McRae made no recommenda-
tion to the board on the year-round
school proposal for West
Elementary School during last
Thursday night's board meeting.
Results from the application pro-
cedure conducted by West adminis-
tration showed a total of 81 parents
who were interested in a year-
round schedule, 94 who were inter-
ested in the traditional schedule
. and 54 parents not responding.
Saying he would not suggest that
the board accept the proposal,
McRae explained, "I don't believe
we have the support from parents.”
He had maintained throughout the’
study of the proposal that his deci-
sion on recommendation would
ieavily depend on the amount of
oe
circulated soon by businessmen
Ken Melton and Bill Lail asking
citizen interest in seeking a branch
bank and a super market to locate
‘in Grover.
The question surfaced at
Tuesday night's town board meet-
ing by Councilman Tim Rowland
who asked Kings Mountain banker
Jay Rhodes; when Carolina State
Bank could locate in Grover.
~ Rhodes, who said he was in town
to solicit the town's money for
Carolina State Bank, said it would
be two years down the road before
Carolina would offer limited bank-
ing service to Grover. Limited ser-
vice, the banker said, would be
cashing payroll checks and taking
deposits at a town hall office. "The
recent census figures indicate there
aren't enough people to support a
branch bank, he said.
Melton, who operates Melton's
Bargain House on Long Branch
Road, disagrees. He says he will
prove that Grover people would
like to see a food store and bank.
‘open in the area and will start
knocking on doors to gain support.
Melton said the recent census that
lists the in-town population of
Grover at 350 households doesn't
include the industrial corridor area
and other outlying areas.
for year-round West School
ulty to have the initiative to
explore," said McRae, adding that
the staff and faculty "stretched
their imaginations" as he had in-
structed them to do when dealing
with ways to improve learning and
the schools.
McRae said that the results
showed that at least 33 percent of
the parents and student body of
West could be served in a better
way.
"We need to continue to monitor
the situation and be willing to lis-
ten," he said.
Board member Priscilla Mauney
commented that as a parent and a
former educator, she was very sup-
portive of the year-round concept.
She encouraged and applauded the
teachers of West School for thei
efforts. And ected Io
"We need to all work together to
entice people to come here, "said
Melton. Mayor Ronald Queen said
the council is working to make im-
provements, including major reno-
vations to the park and possible
construction of tennis courts, in ad-
dition to street paving.
John and Martha Lavender, of
Moss Lake, gave plans for renovat-
ing eight Minette Mill houses they
own. Lavender said the homes
should be ready to rent by late
summer and will be "showplaces."
Mrs Lavender said the four-room
homes will be painted in bright
colors.
In other actions, the board:
Contracted with Carl Champion
to make improvements to the Park
ballficld and infield at cost of
$14,308.
Authorized the mayor to assign
work duty to two teenagers respon-
sible for vandalism at the park and
ball field. Mayor Pro Tem Sandra
Ellis made the motion, noting that
the damages totaled $2900. "The
first time they miss picking up
trash and doing community service
work we need to take them back to
civil court," she said.
Authorized charging a $10 mo-
bile home permit fee. Attorney Bill
See Grover 11-A
Council holds workshop
on dam and other projects
A preliminary engineering study
of Moss Lake Dam projects that
costs could top $4 million if the
city wants a spillway to handle a
major storm that would rain 24.4
inches in a six-hour period.
"If It it rained that much we'd
have more problems than at Moss
Lake dam,” said Mayor Scott
Neisler.
Engineer David Pond, of W. K.
Dickson Company, hired to prepare
the study, used the worst case sce-
nario before the five of the seven-
members of council, the mayor,
and City Manager George Wood
Tuesday night. The biggest storm
in North Carolina was in 1916, he
said, when two hurricanes hit with
18 inches of rain. A maximum
“storm of that proportion, he said,
would blow the bottom half of the .
spillway at Moss Lake but even if
the saddle dike broke the lake
would lose only 10 feet of water
- and the reservoir would be safe, he
said.
Kings Mountain paid
$107,670.00 in January 1989 to
Crowder Construction Company to
complete major emergency repairs
to the spillway. In March 1989
Carolina Concrete Pumping com-
pleted granting of voids along the
ogee spillway. In May 1989 a hy-
drologic analysis was completed at
the dam and in April 1990 weirbox
repairs were completed. The board
authorized the spillway schematic
design in October 1990).
An engineering survey in 1988
revealed the spillway had under-
See Workshop, 3-A
READY FOR EASTER PARADE - Casey Ellis, 3, daughter of
Mike and Derice Ellis of Kings Mountain, is dressed up in Easter
finery. In her Easter bonnet, she's sure to be one of the prettiest
young ladies donning new Easter dresses this Sunday.
Kings Mountain People
medi
Coll
Special Easter services
planned in KM churches
* The Ministerial Association will
sponsor a Good Friday service and
Community Easter Sunrise service
Friday and Sunday.
The community Good Friday
service will be held from noon to 3
p.m. at Central United Methodist
Church on Friday. This time com-
memorates the three hours of dark-
ness during Jesus' crucifixion. The
service will be based on the tradi-
tional "seven last words" of Christ
from the cross, as compiled from
the Gospels according to Matthew,
Luke and John. Area pastors will
conduct the seven parts of the ser-
vice, each of which will include
congregational singing, prayer and
a brief sermon. Following eact
section will be a time of silent
1st Wor p.m
ins; 2nd Word, 12:30 p.m.,
Larry Burns; 3rd Word, 12:55 p.m.,
Eric Faust; 4th Word, 1:20 p.m.,
Harwood Smith; 5th Word, 1:45
p.m., Dewey Smith; 6th Word,
2:10 p.m., Gene Land; 7th Word,
2:35 p.m., Bob Little.
The traditional community-wide
Easter Sunrise service will be held
at Veteran's Park of Kings
Mountain's Mountain Rest
Cemetery Sunday at 6:45 a.m.
Rev. Bill Barron, pastor of
Boyce Memorial ARP Church, will
deliver the sermon. Other ministers
of the community will assist in
scripture readings and prayer.
Other area Easter activities in-
clude:
MB Breakfast will be served from
6 to 10 a.m. Saturday at David
Baptist Church located across from
Bethware School off 74 By-pass at
Moss Lake Exit. For information,
call 739-4555.
BM Resurrection Evangelical
Lutheran Church, 600 Crescent
Circle, will celebrate Maundy
Thursday at 7 p.m. and Good
Friday also at 7 p.m. Maundy
Thursday services will include the
sacrament of Holy Communion,
special music from the Chancel
Choir and the traditional Stripping
of the Altar, which symbolizes
Christ being stripped of his power
and glory prior to His crucifixion
and death. The Good Friday ser-
vice is a traditional service of read-
ings and hymns, conducted in se-
mi-darkness as the church
remembers the sacrifice of Christ.
Resurrection will celebrate two
services on Easter day. A Sunrise
service at 7 a.m. will feature Easter
scripture readings and a sermon by
pastor John Futterer. Following the
service, a breakfast will be served.
The Festival Easter service will
take place at 11 a.m. with an Easter
message, special Easter anthems,
the sacrament of Holy Baptism and
the celebration of Holy
Communion.
: ‘Sanctuary
—hu
church. Breakfast at 7 a.m. and
Sunday School at 7:45 a.m.
Worship service begins at 8:30
a.m. :
BM The schedule for special
Easter services at Macedonia
Baptist Church is: 7:30 a.m.,
Sunrise service; 8:30 a.m., break-
fast; 9:45 a.m., Sunday School; and
11 a.m., morning worship.
B Boyce Memorial ARP
Presbyterian Church will celebrate
Maundy Thursday at 7 p.m.
M First Presbyterian Church will
hold Maundy Thursday commu-
nion at 7 p.m. A Passover Seder
Meal will be served at 6 p.m. on
Good Friday.
B® St. Paul United Methodist
Church, Cansler Street, Kings
Mountain, will have an Easter sun-
rise service Sunday at 6:30 a.m.
Following the service breakfast
will be served in the church fellow-
ship hall. The public is invited.
® Dixon Presbyterian Church,
Dixon School Road, Kings
Mountain, will have its annual
Easter sunrise service Sunday at
6:30 a.m.
Breakfast will be served follow-
ing the service in the church fel-
lowship hall.
JIM BELT
Jim 'Belts' out a new song
the woman find a job and a house.
"The few people you see walking the street and
drinking are in the minority," said Belt, who says that
volunteers are needed, not only to provide food,
medicine, and a place to sleep but as a support group.
On a recent day in Kings Mountain Belt said he
saw two men sitting at a busy corner with a card-
board sign which read, "We'll work for food. We're
hungry and out of a job."
"Today's economy is tough on everyone," says
Belt, who brings his homespun philosophy into the
songs hc writcs and sings.
Music is the Kings Mountain native's hobby. The
music room of the Canterbury Road he shares with
wife Brenda is full of music and instruments he
works on for concerts. Jim and Brenda have visited
numerous churches in the past 18 months and Jim
has presented his own testimony in songs he writes
Radio stations in Kings Mountain,
Cherryville, Shelby and Gastonia are playing Jim's
most recent tape, "Wait By The River."
By ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
The Southern country gospel songs Jim Belt sings
relay a message: give people a chance.
"No matter how high on the ladder a person gets
he can fall," says the former 10-year veteran of law
enforcement who says he's tired of the negative atti-
tude some have about ‘street people.’
Belt, a Kings Mountain businessman and former
policeman, is a Salvation Army volunteer at the
homeless shelter in Gastonia. The Shelter serves 28
males and 16 females daily as long as they need a’
place to call home and as long as they abide by the
rules. Local churches and volunteers feed meals and
United Way and Empty Stocking donations kecp the
Shelter alive.
"The Salvation Army ministry is something that
everyone in Kings Mountain should sce and a pro-
gram that needs more positive public attention,” said
Belt. On a recent day he said he met a mother and her
four children who needed a roof over their heads and
and sings.
food on the table. Belt said Shelter workers helped
See Belt, 2-A