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GS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, June 18, 1992
Opinions
JIM
| HEFFNER
| ®
| Columnist
fo
a jungle
¢ there
ivery day a new monster rears its ugly head to
humanity, If it isn't global warming it's the de-
pletion of the ozone layer. The world is fraught with
danger at every tum. As Roseanne Roaseannadanna
says, "It's always something."
The latest terror to descend and spread its chilling
. wrath is a water gun called "Supersoaker.”
For those of you who aren't familiar with this new
scourge, it's a squict gun that holds a gallon or so of
water. I bought my grandson Josh two of them for his
birthday. That shows you how irresponsible I am.
The mayor of Boston, whose name I didn't get, has
taken steps to have the toys removed from store
shelves. It seems a group of teenagers were having a
water fight, some using "Supersoakers,” when one of
the youngsters got angry, pulled a real pistol and shot
one of the other boys.
Naturally the correct action to take here is to ban the
squirt gun so as to prevent future murders. Never mind
removing hand guns from the shelves.
One of the largest department stores in Boston has
lied with the mayor's request. They will sell no
more "Supersoakers” in the future, They will, howev-
er, continue to sell real firearms and ammunition.
Somehow that logic escapes me. Considering the
caliber of politician that has come out of Boston in the
past 30 years, I don't know why I'm surprised.
One question that comes to mind is, if the kids had
been playing basketball when the shooting occurred,
would the mayor have called for a ban on basketballs?
I think not.
The next step, 1 suppose, is for the Boston City
Council 1o issue an invitation to everyone to turn in
their "Supersoakers,” for which the city will pay them
$75 cach. That's the way they do it these days isn't it?
I wonder if the smaller squirt guns will have to go
100?
Probably not. I can see the Congress passing legisla-
tion governing the amount of water a water pistol can
hold, maybe a half pint or less. That could bring down
the wiath of the National Squirt Gun Association on
ds. The NSGA is a powerful Washington lob-
ers say they can make or break a president
lo
E€DER
thie
ppose this brings to a screeching halt the Army's
plans to replace M-16 rifles with "Supersoakers.” That
means the next time the USA goes to war, they will
again be forced to use real bullets instead of water,
buch is progress 1 guess. Ah well, maybe theyll just
£0 to plan B for intemational conflict--a bake off.
I would urge everyone to remember that
"Supersoakers” don't soak people, people soak people.
THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT - The other day a friend
told me about finding an old cemetery. That reminds
me of Alonzo Hall of Burlington, N.C.
I'm fairly certain Mr. Hall has passed on, but he
it much of his life researching cemeteries and not-
ng
and maybe more
we blooming youths as you pass by
And on these lines do cast an eye
As you are now, so once was I;
As I am now, so must you be;
Prepare for death and follow me.
Someone had scratched this message below the epi-
taph.
To follow you I'm not content
Until I know which way you went.
Hall found this on a stone in Salisbury, N.C.:
He fought a good fight but his razor was dull
Another from London:
Who lived an old maid
But died an old Mann
Dec. 8, 1767
Here's one from a gravestone in Georgia:
I told you I was sick
This one from a cemetery in Enochburg, Vt. is my
favorite:
Here lies the body of our Anna
Done to death by a banana
It wasn't the fruit that laid her low
But the skin of the thing that made her go
On that note, Ll stip on out of here.
Td
Established 1889
Published Thursday at Bast King Street at Canterbury Road,
Kings Mountain, North Carolina 28086,
USI'5931.040, by Republic Newspapers, fnc.-2nd Class postage paid in Kings Mountain
Darrell Austinl i wollen nak Publisher
Cary StoWar.. ov iia Editor
Elizabeth Stewart... News Editor
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rley Austin ......Advertising Representative
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nths $7.80: Student Rate (9 Months) $11.00.
| NEWSPAPERS, INC.
Postmaster: Send Address Changes To:
25 Mountain Herald: PLO. Box 769, Kings Mountain, NC 28086
jack issues, une month or older, when available, are 70¢ per copy.
Cartoonitorial
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Our View
Thanks for innocence
During the rains last week, I' saw a lady coming out
of a shop wearing one of those plastic rain hoods, the
kind that come folded up like an accordion. I hadn't
seen one of those since I was a child. My father's
mother used to slip one in my purse every time I
would go to visit her. I never used them, but I thought
every dainty young lady carried one with her at all
times.
That got me to thinking about some of the "tradi-
tions" I associated with going to visit the grandparents.
It never failed, granddad would always pull out the
checkers board when conversation lulled. He always
allowed me to beat him. I first realized that I wasn't
that great of a checkers player when I was in the hospi-
tal about seven years ago and I was easily beaten by a
young girl half my age.
Another ritual -- granddad had a growth scale,
which was the edge of a door between the kitchen and
the dining room. He would, with much ado, make each
grandchild stand up tall-I-l-1 in front of the edge and
pencil a line even with the top of our heads. Those
pencil marks stayed there throughout my childhood
and into my adolescence when I was too old for that
kind of thing. : ]
And the food. Nobody could make Sunday dinner
like grandmother. Roast, carrots, potatoes, onions,
green beans, Mother always got a little jealous when
my older brother and I would talk on the way 10 visit |
Waltons.
about what waited for us on the dining room table. =
I don't know why, but ice cream always tasted better
-- best -- at grandmother's, She always kept it wrapped
in a brown paper bag in the freezer. I guess that was
Your Right To Say It
the trick. But it was so soft and creamy.
Of course, I'll never forget her dried apple pies.
Those pies are the best thing I've ever tasted. I've never
heard of anyone else who makes them, and I wish I
would've gotten the recipe before she went into a nurs-
ing home.
One tradition that has been passed down to my im-
mediate family is that of loading up the visitor with
things like toiletries, household products and food on
the way out of the house. We never left the grandpar-
ents' house without toothpaste, toilet paper, whatever.
And in the same way, when I lived alone and would
visit'my parents, they always had a care package to
send home with me.
I don't mean to make my childhood sound like the
But...
Good night, granddad. Good night, grandmother.
And thanks.
Is this Dodge City?
To the Editor:
I am writing you about all the trouble that we are
having on Bennett Drive. All this concern is about
livestock, like horses, ponies, billy goats, and sheep.
I know this is not Dodge City. The other residents
of this street, plus Chestnut, find the odor very bad.
We have called the Police but no help and also the
Health Department, same way, no help, so tell me
dear editor, is this Kings Mountain or Cattle Country
or Dodge City?
Bobby Rathbone
Thanks for coverage
To the Editor:
At a time when most people are complaining about
something, I would like to take. this opportunity to
praise the Kings Mountain Herald and its Sports
Director Gary Stewart for the professionalism that
they show in following Kings Mountain athletics.
Since taking over the baseball program at Kings
Mountain High School, the coaches and players in-
volved with baseball are amazed at the job that Mr.
Stewart does for the school and community. It is truly
amazing that one man can do the job he does in cov-
ering such a large number of sports both at the school
and community level. ’
I grew up in a town a whole lot like Kings
Sidewalk Survey
Mountain, and they too had a hometown paper. After
our state championship in 1989, I sent home several
of the "baseball specials” that Mr. Stewart put togeth-
er. They could not believe the coverage that The
Herald gave to the athletes at Kings Mountain High. I
honestly believe our newspaper in Kings Mountain is
the best "small newspaper” in the country with regard
to covering our athletic programs.
Once again, thank you Mr. Stewart and Darrell
Austin for providing this town with such a fantastic
newspaper. It is really fun to watch the impact that
your paper gives these athletes in their endeavors to
provide championships to this town.
Coach Funderburke, myself, and all the players on
the 1992 Baseball Team say a big "thanks" and
please continue to provide such a tremendous paper.
Bruce Clark
Head Baseball Coach
KMHS
Today's Bible Verse
Be of the same mind toward one another.
Do not set your mind on high things, but
associate with the humble. Do not be wise
in your own opinion.
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard
for good things in the sight of all men.
Romans 12:16-17
SN
J ®
Accomplish more
Cap-and-gown season is upon us as more than 2.5
million students have graduated from high school
this year and another million are receiving bachelor's
degrees. A
In Kings Mountain some 210 Kings Mountain
High School seniors received diplomas recently sig
nifying their completion of a dozen years of formal
schooling.
Marriage is around the corner for many, income
producing jobs for others, and college for some.
In the days before post World War II affluence, the
great mass of college graduates did not consider col-
lege for the financing wasn't available. In some in-
stances, parents stretched financial means tight to as-
sure their children with school diplomas.
It's different today.
But the students and the parents must have the will
to try.
Colleges and universities are comparatively rich in
scholarships and loans. Industry is requiring more
knowledge and more skills and it is a trend certain to
accelerate by the year 2000.
Perhaps the largest number of students ever are
going to school on scholarships and loans and the re-
cent Awards Day at Kings Mountain High School
saw many area young people aided in their education
with scholarships.
In congratulating the graduates on their education-
. al accomplishments, a word should be added: accom-
plish some more. ?
Look at budget process
The North Carolina House of Representatives be-
gan working on the budget this week.
~The budget? Didn't the legislature meet last sum-
mer and create a two-year budget that includes eight
billion dollars in spending for the upcoming fiscal
year that begins July 1?
That's true, but you have to understand the budget
process.
First the North Carolina House will take the new
budget and attempt to make changes that will shift
scarce funds to the members’ favorite projects, a new
courthouse here, a remodeled school building there,
etc.
Then they will try to get amendments passed that
will tack more spending onto the already overblown
package. The House plans, for example, to earmark
about $158 million in new spending that was not in-
cluded in the budget that was drawn up last year.
‘Once that is approved the entire package will go to
~ the Senate; which is already at work-developing-its~— “+
own additions and maneuvers.
Then, a special committee will be appointed to ne-
gotiate the differences.
After negotiations are complete, the budget, al-
ready approved last year, will be ready to take effect.
That is, if the governor doesn't come up with a pet
project to be added.
What usually happens is that the budget that was
approved a year ago is increased significantly,
The message here is that the budget process itself
is one of the leading causes of inflation and capital
shortfall in North Carolina
Younger Elvis
. The Elvis Presley fans have spoken.
By a 3 to 1 margin, the country has voted for the
younger swivel-hipped Presley to adorn the new
commemorative stamp as opposed to the older, chub-
bier, used up Elvis.
The United States Postal Service has recently com-
pleted balloting that resulted in 1.1 million votes be-
ing cast at a cost of $300,000 to the taxpayer.
Normally, we would disagree with such frivolous
use of tax money, but we have an idea that this time
it might be money well spent. Experts predict that
. enough of the stamps will be sold and no used to pro-
duce a profit of more than $20 million.
The Postal Service will begin issuing the Elvis
stamp on January 8 of next year at a small post office
near Graceland, Memphis.
The issue date coincides with Presley's 58th birth-
day.
Herald Letter Policy
The Herald welcomes your letters to the editor for
publication in each week's paper. We ask that you follow
these guidelines and deadlines: :
Keep your letters brief and to the point. The Herald
reserves the right to edit letters for spelling, length, good
taste, libel or slanderous statements, or any other reason;
and reserves the right to reject any letter for any reason.
All letters must be signed in ink and include the full
name, address and telephone number of the writer. If
possible, type and double space the letters but always
sign them in ink. Hand-written letters should be clearly
legible.
Hand-delivered letters will not be published. Mail let-
ters to the Editor, P.O. Box 769, Kings Mountain, NC
28086. :
What are your plans for the summer?
Laura Bridges
Go to the beach for 9
days.
Lyndsey Edsall
Go to the beach.
Kevin James
Go to Florida.
Carrie Brinkley
Go swimming.
Preston Cole
Go to the beach and
play tennis.
Jimmy Boheler
Go to the beach for a
week.
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