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Black commissioners not sworn in
Dickson reelected chairman of County Board
The first action Monday
night of the newly-sworn board
of county commissioners was a
split vote.
Cecil Dickson was reelected
chairman and E.T. Vanhoy was
reelected vice-chairman by a
vote of 3-2.
New commissioner Jim
Crawley made the motion to
delay the vote until two new
black commissioners are seated.
Ralph Gilbert seconded the mo-
tion but it was defeated by
Dickson, Vanhoy and Sam
Gold.
Dickson said he was disap-
pointed in the split vote. He ac-
knowledged the board had pre-
vious conflicts but said he
hoped the commissioners would
work together as a team.
Crawley said he wanted to
postpone the election of the
board officers for up to six
months until the black commis-
sioners are sworn in. In the in-
terim, he suggested that
Dickson and Vanhoy retain their
positions until the vote.
After the vote, Gilbert com-
plained that the board had de-
layed such a vote in the past and
should have done so again.
But Dickson said the out-
come would have been the same
if the two black commissioners
had been seated.
Gilbert asked Dickson if the
two appointees had promised to
vote for him.
"I polled the minority candi-
dates and I stand by my state-
ment," said Dickson.
"I didn't ask them to vote for
me," Dickson said.
See Dickson, 16-A
Because of pending completion of a legal set-
tlement, Bobby Malloy and Willie McIntosh
were not sworn in Monday as the two minority
members on the Cleveland County Board of
Commissioners.
U.S. District Court Judge Stanley Sporkin is re-
viewing their selections, part of a legal settle-
ment with the NAACP, which had to be submit-
ted to the U. S. District Court in Washington, DC
if the commissioners chose people the NAACP
has objected to.
Shelby engineer Malloy and Shelby Police Lt.
McIntosh were not the final choices of the
NAACP who had considered 22 nominees for he
two new seats which expands the board's mem-
bership to seven.
The county board made its decision in a 4-1
vote, bypassing the recommendation of the
NAACP. Joyce Cashion of Kings Mountain cast
the "no" vote, saying she objected to any commis-
A CHRISTMAS WISH
Tabitha and Billy
need van for i trips
Santa Claus is getting a tall
order from two special children.
Billy Dean Byers Jr., 9, and
his sister, Tabitha, 5, need a spe-
cially-equipped van to carry
them to Duke Medical Center
for treatment of Battens dis-
ease, a rare genetic illness
which struck the boy when he
was three and his sister when
on it and no lift for Billy's spe-
cial chair and I can't let my wife
take the kids by herself for fear
the old car will break down,"
said Billy Sr., a truck driver.
The family travels 170 miles
to Durham every four to six
months or as often as the chil-
dren need to go. In between vis-
its to Duke, they go to their pe-
diatrician in Shelby for blood
work or if the children catch
colds.
When they go to Durham,
Billy Sr. must take a day off
from work. It takes the both of
them to lift Billy Jr., who
weighs about 50 pounds, and
his wheelchair, which also
weighs about 50 pounds, into
the van.
In times
The lights on the Christmas
tree fascinate Tab Byers.
The darling little five-year-
old fondled the green branches
dazzled by the bright balls and
by the music box which played
Christmas melodies.
"I'd do anything to save this
child," said her doting father,
Billy Pyers Sr., who said he and
Byers
Tuesday Patricia Byers had
planned to meet her husband in
Durham with the children. She
couldn't make the trip because
the family car broke down.
Because Byers is the only one
working, the family doesn't
have the money to buy a new
rhandicapped-equipped van
which could cost as much as
mother.
The family receives help with
Billy Jr.'s medical bills through
Cleveland Center's Community
Alternatives Program for the
mentally retarded. The program
also pays for respite care, which
allows Patricia to get out of the
house for a few hours on
Saturday. A nurse and physical
therapist come once a month
from Cleveland Home Health to
work with the children and a
teacher from North Shelby
School comes once a week to
work with Billy Jr. Some insur-
ance is available for Tabitha
through Billy Sr.'s job but there
are insufficient funds for a car.
See Van, 16-A
around the clock care from their
sioner being appointed and favored district repre-
sentation on the board by election of voters.
The appointment process, the result of a Voting
Rights Act lawsuit, has cost the county
$66,663.97, according to a report released last
week from the county manager's office. The law-
suit was filed by Rev. M. L. Campbell of Kings
Mountain, representing the NAACP.
The County Board of Commissioners an-
nounced the appointments of the minority mem-
bers November 15. Two days after the board vot-
ed, the NAACP rejected a request by the board to
withdraw their objection to Malloy and McIntosh.
Originally, seven nominees met the NAACP's
criteria of leadership experience but only two,
Larry Corry, a former county school board mem-
ber, and Phil Hager, a Kings Mountain City
Councilman, were considered finalists. Both had
said they were interested in serving on the board
See NAACP, 16-A
Siblings Tabitha (left) and Billy Byers Jr. battling Batten's dis:
ease
of trouble, depend on faith
his wife's faith sustain them
.through the bad times.
Billy and Patricia Byers are
in a race against time.
Their only two children,
Tabitha, 5, and her brother,
Billy Jr., 9, are fighting Batten's
disease, an incurable genetic
disease that affects the brain
and causes deterioration of the
intellect and neurological symp-
toms - twitching, seizures, psy-
chotic behavior, spasticity of
legs and arms.
The life expectancy of chil-
dren with this disease is 8 to 12
years.
"We're hoping to make this a
special Christmas," says
Patricia, combing her daughter's
auburn hair into a pony tail and
smoothing the Minnie Mouse
pants and shirt after a romp in
the gaily<colored "ball pen"
which was an early present to
the youngster.
"Two hundred more balls in
this play pen is what we need to
See Children, 16-A
Grover hoard doesn't
replace commissioner
GROVER - Town Board vot-
ed 3-1 Monday to leave the
empty seat on the five-member
board of commissioners open
for 11 months until the next
election.
The action came over opposi-
tion from three women, one of
whom was the fourth highest
votegetter in the November
1993 election. Cindy Cook, a
local beautician, expressed in-
terest in the seat after the
October Hi of Sandra
ounci
: Koy Saltz oo No Nctorer x
so voiced disapproval of the ac-
tion taken by Councilmen Jack
Herndon, Tim Rowland and
Noel Spivey.
Saltz polled each board mem-
ber for his reasons but got little
response.
Herndon said he made up his
mind after hearing offensive
language by Cook during the
October open session.
"I would say it again," said
Cook, who said other officials
had used worse language in
open meetings.
"This is a personal thing be-
tween me and Spivey and the
others are taking sides and too
much of a coward to admit it."
Rowland said the board's ac-
tion was in the best interest of
the community but Cook dis-
agreed. She said she received
89 votes to Spivey's 93 in the
recent election with voters giv-
ing tie votes to Rowland and
Sides among 12 names on the
ballot for three seats open on
the board.
Sides said Council should
stick to the election results and
appoint the next highest vote-
getter, Cook.
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The jolly old man from the North Pole waves to the crowd in Kings Mountain's Christmas pa-
rade Saturday. He'll be riding in the Grover parade this Saturday afternoon.
Yip
Wt: 57
7/7
Gi Yi %
See Grover, 15-A
Grover may hire
part-time officer
GROVER - Mayor Ronald
Queen says he may hire a third
part-time police officer soon.
Queen made the statement
during an update of the town's
policing status Monday night.
He said that currently there
are two full-time, off-duty sher-
iffs deputies patrolling the
g y and ¢ is wo king two
CENQS
with new Sheriff Dan Crawford
about the availability of the of-
ficers working additional hours
and Crawford indicated his on-
ly restriction on deputies is that
they should not patrol Grover
streets before their regular
county shifts. Queen said the
current deputies work about 22
hours each week in Grover. :
In other business, the board:
Set public hearing for January
2 on an ordinance regulating
adult-type establishments such
as adult book stores and placed
a six month's moratorium on is-
suing of business licenses for
such establishments on recom-
mendation of Town Attorney
Mickey Corry.
Transferred the cable fran-
chise from Vision Cable to
Time Warner Communications
pending posting of bond by the
company.
Tabled the drafting of a noise
ordinance after Corry said that
it's tough to criminally prose-
cute. The mayor said the town
has been enforcing the spééd
limit and with good results.
Donated $700 to the Little
See Police, 15-A
Grover Christmas parade is Saturday
GROVER - Santa Claus is coming to town in a
103-unit Christmas parade Saturday at 1 p.m.
Newly-sworn Cleveland County Sheriff Dan
Crawford will be parade marshal.
The parade will form in Spring Acres and wind
Angels
Deparcnent.
Grover Industries float.
Homecoming Queen. Carolina Cruisers, Little
Bay Care.
Oak Grove Fire Department,
American Red Cross van.
Crest High School
Blacksburg. SC Fire
American Red Cross
Queen said he had ‘spoken (i
down the Main Street of Grover before disband-
ing on Cleveland Avenue near the First Baptist
Church.
Grover Woman's Club
is sponsoring the holiday spec-
tacle which will feature three
high school bands. from Kings
Mountain. Blacksburg, SC und
Gaffney. SC. numerous floats.
beauty queens and dignitaries.
Woman's Club President
Bobbic Spivey and Gail
Wilson. a member of the pa-
rade committee. announced the
order of entries in the parade:
Units of Grover Police.
Blacksburg. SC Band.
Cleveland County Sheriff's car. NC Highw:
Patrol. Grand Marshal Dan Crawford, Gros
Town officials float. Blacksburg Homeconu
Queen. WBTV float. Saint Peter's Chur
KMHS Homecoming Queen. Shelby Head
News. Grover Fire Truck 347. Blacksburg.
Junior Miss. Little Mr. and Miss Blacksbusg
CRAWFORT
clown and Optimist Cheerleaders football mem:
bers and Queen and Junior Pee Wee Queen.
Also: Grover School bicycle riders from sec-
0 ; grade: Senator Ollie Harris. Blacksburg, SC
Girl Scout Troops 5 and 196: Penny Dowda's
ancemasters, Pol am, Grover School bicycle
fers from third arn fourth grades. Senator-cleet
nis Davis. Finally Restaurant float, Grover
! Holiness Church, TNT. WADA Radio and
Aouse of Representatives-Elect Debbie Clary,
veland Comn nity College car. Shelby
S.jopper v wlby High School Homecoming
{Yona . SC High School Band. Shriners
' ns. Kings Mountain Drama Club,
Natiunal Bank, Long Branch Diy
s Moun; in Carousel Queen tg Hey
PN ep —
41 nternational Ulera-Pori
| a sor School bicycle riders
: i over Lions Club float,
¥ 3 eve. Charlie's Pizza, vantz
"3 cland Fire Unit 1. Naor
ok in h Company. Angie's Angels
Jerald IS. Shriners wheelchair CHIR,
Parade,
1A