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VOL. 104 NO. 38
Roger and Claudette Conner say
of Johnathan Scott Wilson for the
rest of their lives, i
“He was the most loving, happy
child,” Roger Conner said of the
had lived in his
days before he
8 in what police
say was an acci-
dental shooting.
: Tosh
Greene,. 6,
~ WILSON
they will live with the tragic death
blonde, three-
year-old who
died September
~ Conner's grand-
| son, called the boy his best friend.
rE AE TY SY te A IE? ER SY TOY SRY YA egw abr os
Mountaineers run
over East Lincoln
5-A
They played together in the pool
behind the Conner's ranch-style
home in Southwoods near the high
school. "I know he's in heaven now
walking on the streets of gold,”
said the older boy. Hh
Johnathan never met a stranger,
‘according to Conner. "He was al-
1S ways smiling."
house only six
"He was so beautiful and a curi-
ous little fella, always into some-
thing," said his mother, Michelle
Wilson. A
Police were still putting the
pieces together in the tragedy
which happened a little after 11
p.m. last Tuesday night and
shocked the community.
_ Claudette Conner, who thought
a —— N ror - Ne eet
i al aa dant ben eStart Sage irae hmastet Shunt ae timers
How to prevent
being ripped oft
12-A
South Carolina
couple fell in love
with Grover house 1-B
RR Rs
Thursday, September 17, 1992
the four children of Michelle
Wilson were in bed, dozed on the
den couch awhile and worked in
the kitchen, she told police, while
the mother, her boyfriend Todd
Conner, and Conner's father went
to the store for ice cream. She said
she didn't realize that the children
were not asleep until she heard a
loud boom and rushed to the bed-
room where she found Johnathan's
body slumped on her bed. He was
dead. A .357 Mangum was nearby.
"All the evidence points to an
accidental shooting,” said Det. Lt.
Richard Reynolds. He said there is
no evidence of foul play but that he
will report all the evidence gath-
: See Wilson, 8-A
nallenging year for United
to meet its goal due to the 7.95
UF goal
$121,500
Giving to the United Fund is an-
other way to spell love, agency
representatives of Hospice and
Cleveland = County Abuse
Prevention said last Wednesday as
the kickoff campaign began for
$121,500.
Evelyn West, director of
Hospice, and Patty Dorian, director
of the Cleveland County Abuse
Prevention Program, were two of
the 16 agency representatives who
talked briefly about how one gift to
cent rate of unemployment,” said
President Pat Carter. "But, we can
doit."
Campaign chairman Maude
Norris echoed Carter's optimism.
She introduced division leaders, in-
cluding J. C. and Edie Bridges, ad-
vanced gifts; Charles Webber and
George Wood, City of Kings
Mountain; Elaine Grigg, commer-
cial; Huitt Reep, hospital; Mikie
Smith, industrial; Dr. Bryan Baker,
See United, 10-A
per-
Maude Norris, campaign chairman of Kings Mountain United
Fund, Hospice Director Evelyn West, left to right, and Pattie
“Dorian, back row, and UF President Pat Carter kickoff the 1993
campaign for funds at a luncheon Wednesday.
Mrs. Owens always wore a hat
Mrs. Martha Crawford Owens,
84, of 204 E. King St., always
wore a hat. She never felt properly
dressed and the hat, she said,
helped her arthritis.
Her husband of 60 years placed
a hat on her head following her fu-
neral services Tuesday.
The wife of Fred Marcus
‘Owens was a native of Kings
Mountain and daughter of the late
Meek and Minnie Harmon
Crawford. A homemaker, she was
a member of Boyce Memorial ARP
Church and Minnie Alexander
Circle. Her family said she took
pride in sending her tithe to the
church when she could not attend
due to illness.
Owens read through the Bible
more than twice during her life-
time. In the early 1960's she
cooked for the teachers at the KM
teacherage at the library and her
family lived in an upstairs apart-
ment. Her children said she always
took them to church every Sunday,
reminding that her favorite scrip-
ture was "Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy" and reminding
her children to follow that instruc-
tion.
There was always room for one
more at the Owens table, according
to daughter, Pat Preston, who said
her mother made pies with "flaky
crusts that would melt in your
mouth."
Reluctant Grover Board
approves street lighting
GROVER - Town Board
frowned on removing the trees
along Main Street but took Bill
Lail's suggestion that improved
lighting was a priority and voted to
contract with Duke Power
Company for six high pressure
sodium light fixtures on 30 foot
high fiberglass poles.
"It's dark at our buildings," said
property owners Kaye Saultz and
Lail, both of whom took the occa-
sion to ask Council and other mer-
chants to get on the beautification
band wagon. :
Stopped up pipes and drainage
problems need the board's atien-
tion, said Lail, but better lighting is
critical. :
Lail, a self-proclaimed promoter
of industry development, said he
has invited a food store chain to
take another look at Grover
September 24 with an eye to locat-
ing in the area. Lail has champi-
oned Grover's need for a bank and
a grocery store. for several months
and says he has developers inter-
ested in the area.
Council encouraged others to
help clean up and said it would do
its’ part in paving the worst streets, -
plus two handicapped parking
places behind Town Hall. Mayor
Ronald Queen said that teenage
vandals damaged several new side-
walks but left their calling cards by
writing their names in the cement.
The Board voted to contact the
teenagers’ parents and bill them for
the damage.
The Mayor was asked to get es-
timates on the sidewalk repair and
for street improvements to Spruce,
See Grover, 2-A
"We never had to call home to
tell Mother we were bringing a
guest, we knew he or she was wel-
come," said Helen Ayscue.
"Mother took turns being grade
mother for each of us seven chil-
dren."
Farmers and textile workers,
Martha Crawford and Fred Owens
were introduced by her aunt and
their first date was in a 1928
Chevrolet which took them to a
Christmas play. On March 26,
1932 they were married in York, S.
C. Both worked at the Old Dilling
Mill and their first apartment was
in their present home at 204 E.
See Mrs. Owens, 2-A
By ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
The grandmother of the teenager
shot playing what police call a
form of Russian Roulette says she
thinks the shooting was accidental
and the result of kids fearing a
neighborhood gang and wanting to
learn to protect themselves.
Goldie
Leach, 53,
mourns the death
of Corey Leach,
14, a grandson
| she has raised
like a son. She
hopes if one
teenager learns a
lesson from the
tragedy that the
boy's death won't
LEACH be in vain.
a 5 7
I RA a
Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086 +35¢
Two days before his death,
Leach, a freshman at Kings
Mountain High School, told his
grandmother that he warned his
best friend Freddie Lamar ‘Adams,
17, charged with manslaughter in
the shooting, that someone was out
to get him.
Mrs. Leach said her grandson
was a quiet boy who had kept
things to himself since the death
last year of his 31-year-old mother.
He opened up to his grandmothe,
however, and told her of two inci-
dents he was worried about.
"These kids liked to walk and
they get together every night.
There are a lot of kids who live in
Northwoods. On September 5
three of Corey's friends were in a
car at a car wash and someone shot
into the vehicle. Several days after
Grandmother: Fear caused youth's de
Loaded gun leads to child's death
that Corey was walking with
Freddie Adams and Sheldon
Thompson and some ot er friends
when a neighbor pulle¢ a gun on
them. Apparently there vas a dis-
pute involving the neighbor's son
and some of the kids," said Leach.
Leach said she went to her job at
Copeland every day worried that
something bad was going to hap-
pen. Corey hung out with the older
guys and he and Freddie and
Shelton were just like brothers.
"The Lord takes'the best of the
bunch sometime to get through to
someone else," said Leach, who
made an appointment for Corey
with a counselor but Corey broke
his left arm and they didn't keep
. the appointment,
See Leach, 8-A
New report card designed
for KM elementary students
Elementary students will receive a new report card
this year which not only gives them a grade in aca-
demics but will show their progress in personal work
habits.
Asst. Supt. for Instruction Jane King said the new
report card is a result of new curriculum mandates
from the state, and that over 100 teachers from Kings
Mountain and Shelby worked over the summer to form
the new grading system.
’
After schools have had a chance to familiarize par-
ents with the new record-ke
find that it is a bet
ry) and U (unsatisfactory).
"We will keep a portfolio on each child so we can
talk with the parents about how their children are pro-
gressing,” she said. She said she hopes teachers will
have more parent conferences than in the past.
Supt. Bob McRae said the intention of the report
card is "not to be as concerned in giving A's and B's
than to communicate to parents how they are doing."
eping system, King said
” k: 1
Grading codes have been changed in the lower
grades. Kindergarten teacher Penny Anthony ex-
plained that the new code will include M (making
progress most of the time), S (some of the time) and N
(needs more time to develop), rather than S (satisfacto-
grades rather than A, B, C, and F, said teacher Susie
Bridges. "I never felt very comfortable with A, B, C
and F, having to give a letter grade when we were just
teaching the foundation,” she said. "This will give par-
"
them in-
groupe er !'C
ents a better idea of how well their students are doing."
She said teachers will be required to keep anecdotal
records and show written proof of exactly what each
child knows. "Even though that will add more work, it
will be more helpful to teachers than anything we've
ever done," she said. "Already this year I feel like 1
know more about my children than I ever have be-
0 1] Sk
In other action Monday night, the board:
BM Was informed of the annual District 6 meeting at
Schiele Museum in Gastonia on September 24, and ap-
pointed vice-chairman Priscilla Mauney as vice-presi-
dent of District 6. Mrs. Mauney will serve as president
next year when the meeting is held in Kings Mountain.
BM Was told of Parent Involvement Week October 4-
First and second grades will also go to M, S and N
MRS. FRED OWENS
Grover city commissioners Donald Rich, Jack Herndon, Jim
Howell, Tim, Rowland and Mayor Ronald Queen dedicate Grover
Municipal Park at a post Labor Day celebration Saturday.
10. Several activities are being planned, including a
dinner for PTO officers Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at Bethware; a
Parent/Superintendent Forum Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. at the
Middle School; and a Parent Health Fair and hotdog
supper Nov. 10 from 5-9 p.m. at the Middle School.
BW Was reminded of the annual Board Advance in
Boone Sept. 27-29.
See School, 8-A
KM to extend water to Dixon?
Kings Mountain will probably
offer water service to some Dixon
School Road residents if negotia-
tions with the state to run sewer
and water lines to the Rest
Stop/Welcome Center pan out.
Community Services Director
Tom Howard was authorized by
the city utilities committee
Monday to draft a technical agree-
ment with the state.
"It's a while off but we're contin-
uing the negotiations," said
Howard.
"This is a $1 million-plus project
but the state would fund about 85-
95 percent of the cost,” said
Howard in a presentation before
the utility commission chaired by
Councilman Al Moretz.
As the project progresses,
Howard will report to the utility
commission before their recom-
mendation for the project comes
before the full city board for action
and a determination of the cost of
tap-on fees.
In other business of the meeting,
the commission was presented a
draft of a revised agreement with
Gaston County of the Crowders
Creek sewer line and heard a report
from consulting engineer Bill Little
concerning a proposed electrical
peak shaving plant.
City Manager George Wood said
See Water, 10-A ¢
$230,000 Municipal Park
Grover's dream come true
The $230,000 Grover Municipal
Park has fulfilled a longtime dream
for residents.
"We want everyone to use this
facility," said Mayor Ronald
Queen, as he dedicated the picnic
shelter, playground equipment and
walking track Saturday afternoon.
Rev. John Bridges, pastor of
Grover First Baptist Church, dedi-
cated the facility "to the service of
the citizens and the glory of God."
The dedication opened a full day
of post Labor Day activitics, in-
cluding a BBQ supper that evening
at Grover Fire Department and a
street dance.
The 13-acre tract was bought in
1984 from Adrian Hardin for
$30,000. For a time Council feared
the land would be uscd for a hous-
ing development. "It was a proud
day when Council got the proper-
ty," said Queen.
National Guardsmen cleaned off
the property for a concession build-
ing put up at cost of $50,000. Carl
Champion was hired to seed and
grade the ballficld at cost of
$52,000. Council pitched in anoth-
er $15,000 for the walking track,
$10,000 for the new playground
fencing and $4,000 for fencing.
A matching federal grant helped
pay for the land.
Future improvements include
possible tennis courts, a lighted
track and blcachers.
"This is taxpayers’ money at
work," said Queen.
Lynn Rowland was chairman of
Saturday's events, assisted by
Kathy Neilly, Roxanne Bridges.
David Chadwick and Patsy
Rountree.
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