Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / July 27, 1995, edition 1 / Page 1
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Vol. 107 No. 30 Thursday, July 27, 1995 Joel Rountree leaves KMHS for Crest 6-A Br Er mire IT ERR iii atl im or a 3 J 4 { £ 0. Ptl. Ron Creech, KMPD try new Community Policing program By ELIZABETH STEWART of The Herald Staff Ptl. Ron Creech will start foot patrol on a different beat this fall in the innovative C.O.P. program, a first-time venture for Kings Moun- tain Police Department but one that has worked successfully in other departments. “I’m excited,” said Creech Tuesday as he met two of the residents of Parrish and Thornburg Drive, his first assignment from Chief of Police Bob Hayes. “Citizens have be a part of this program for it to be successful,” Creech told Soyini Hall and Kisha Raymond who welcomed him to the community. The three-year program operates with a federal grant which targets public housing areas. The aim of community-oriented policing, a new philosophy of policing, is to identify problems and come up with solutions before they develop into crime but have a uniformed on the scene to enforce the laws. “It’s a crime prevention program and not a quick cure,” said Creech, who has been a KMPD patrolman for two years. Creech looks at his new role as a partner- ship with the community and hopes to develop . imaginative, new ways to address community * problems in areas of public housing where the majority are law abiding citizens who he said could be afraid to talk to police for fear of retaliation. “I want to be their friend and I want to help get them better lighting, for instance, and listen to their concerns and problems and help them find solutions before a crime occurs,” he said. The C.O.P. program is modeled after the highly successful Lumberton Police Depart- ment program which began in 1992 and where 75 officers on that force are assigned specific areas to patrol in a department-wide C.O.P. program that was initiated after civil disorder in that community. Shelby Police Department also has a suc- cessful C.O.P. program and Creech will start training with that department soon and take three weeks of training by the North Carolina Crime Standards Commission in Salemburg. Creech, who completed rookie school at Gaston College before he joined KMPD in 1993, says his previous experience working with people as a warehouse supervisor and his service in the Vietnam War era will help him in dealing with people. Chief Bob Hayes said that Creech “has a great rapport with people and a good listener.” Hayes said that the C.O.P. program will increase police effectiveness by attacking problems that give rise to incidents that con- sume patrol and investigative time. Creech was promoted to his new job on July 1. Bicycle patrol has grown in popularity throughout the county and is catching on in this area. Creech will get some experiences with bicycles in training with Shelby Police but will be using his patrol car and working foot patrol when he assumes his official du- ties in early fall. See C.O.P., 3-A ¥ Ptl. Ron Creech talks with Soyini Hall, left, and Kisha Raymond, holding 18-months-old Dazzia White, on his new "'beat,'' which he will begin: with the new progrant approved in a three-year federal grant called Community Oriented Policin 4 iz # a NIVINAOH SONIA y1ye 9808 OO 3001 TAY LHOR veer Ty THORN LANAVE 1 s6/12/01 FRESE LE) 8 “ 208033 1U05-1U-EVD sa da% Kings Mountain, N.C. » 28086 « 50¢ Gary Hicks appointed Interim City Manager Gary Hicks, 57, Kings Mountain's new interim city manager hired unanimously by City Council Tuesday night, is no stranger to Kings Mountain city govern- ment. Back in 1965-67 he prepared the zoning and sub-di- vision ordinances for the city as the planning consul- tant to the planning commission and City Council. "I remember very 7 po well all the details of working on the Highway 74 Bypass of Kings Mountain," he said. Hicks said after the meeting Tuesday that he recalled fond mem- ories of working with former commissioners O. O. Walker and Norman King, both now deceased. "I am not coming in- to the job with any pre- Uohceived ideas," he GARY HICKS Hicks, retired city manager of the City of Gastonia 20 years (1973-93) and Gastonia city planner (1968- 73) is currently serving as interim manager for the “own of Lowell. He handled zoning and subdivision reports and par- ticipated in revision of zoning ordinances for the city of Charlotte from March 1962-October 1963 and land planner for the City of High Point from October 1963- April 1965. As a planner with the Division of Community Planning from April 1965-June 1967 he worked for Kings Mountain on a contract basis. He was senior planner for Slash Pine Planning Commission in Waycross, Ga. from June 1967-June 19 : 5 J hae oi Ci : Fy KM Mayor seeks second term, but no other filing reported Her dream of coming to America came true Monday for 33-year-old Russian born Natasha Starostina of Moscow. The members of Macedonia Baptist Church sent Starostina a round-trip airplane ticket and more than 50 people welcomed her. "T was so tired after riding 20 hours in an airplane but so happy to see new friends Pastor David Philbeck and Hal Glass and meet so many nice people,” said Starostina, who was the Russian interpreter for the 1992 Rick Gage World Help Crusade in which Philbeck and Glass participated in the Soviet Union. "We were fortunate to have Natasha as our inter- preter for our seven day mission trip and we became good friends and wanted our church family to get to know her too," said Philbeck. Dr. Roberson joins Durham in KM, Adams back with Health Department Dr. Lewis H. Roberson 29, has worked at the local clinic for joined the medical staff of Kings several months, has resumed his son of Mrs. Pauline Roberson of Mountain Medical Center Monday. duties with the Cleveland County Greenville and the late Rodney A graduate of East Carolina Health Department. University School of Medicine at Greenville, he completed his resi- Practice. : Roberson joins veteran Kings family medicine. Dr. Charles Adams, veteran Primary enjoying her visit to KM, America Kings Mountain Medical Center pleted his undergraduate studies at dency at East Carolina Family is an affiliate of Cleco Primary East Carolina University. He is Care Network Inc. Sharon Swartz will join the Mountain physician Dr. Thomas Center in several weeks as a physi- ; Durham in the general practice of cian's assistant, according to Janet piration of my life," said Roberson. S. Eckard, Cleveland County He said he is delighted to be in Care Network Kings Mountain and to be a part of L— SN ri the medical community. Mayor Scott Neisler made it of- ficial Tuesday that he is a candi- date for reelection to a two-year term. The Macedonia congregation served ice cream and homemade cakes at a welcome Natasha party Monday night. Uniquely American barbeciie and hush puppies ~ “Neisler, were a treat for the petite brunette Tuesday at Town & 39, paid his Country Barbecue. filing fee in "We have three McDonald's in Moscow but I had mid after never heard of barbecue," said the vivacious mother of noon to two who speaks English fluently and is quickly learn- Elections ing to adapt to American slang. Bion itd She wants to see a baseball game, the ocean, the Chairman mountains, a real live buffalo, shop until she drops and Becky Cook. make plenty of pictures for her family, husband Lt. The an. Col. Vladimir Starostina, a 20- year career officer in nouncement ish CL the Russian military, and their two sons, ages 6 and 8. NAT 30a STAROSTING by Neisler NEISLER See Russia, 3-A makes the mayor's race in October a two-man race between Neisler and former commissioner Jim Childers. No other candidates filed this week in what election officials call a slow filing and lack-luster politi- cal season. "It could be that candidates don't want to be elected for a two year term as opposed to the customary four years or it could be that candi- dates are playing a waiting game and will file at the last minute," said Cook. Filing deadline is 12 days away, at noon on August 4. Neisler said in his filing state- ment that he has most enjoyed be- ing involved in the different activi- ties in Kings Mountain during the last four years as mayor and in the Roberson is single. He is the Roberson. He graduated from J.H. Rose High School and also com- Baptist. "Being a doctor has been the as- DR. LEWIS ROBERSON Kings Mountain family doctor who Coordinator. The Cleveland Chamber committee to promote downtown Kings Mountain, seated, I-r, Becky Hughes, Ellis Noell, Tim Miller and Linda and Don Allen. Back row, Ronnie Whetstine Peggy Paksoy, Larry Hamrick, Bryan Riggins, Jeannie Moore, Sandra Wilson and Bernice Chappell. The Cleveland Chamber and lo- cal merchants are gearing up for a Coca Cola Carolina Panther Run for History with downtown Kings Mountain as a focal part of the August 7 event. Chamber executives Becky Hughes, membership chairman, Peggy Paksoy, president and chief executive officer, and local Chamber officer Jeannie Moore met with key business leaders Tuesday night at First Citizens Bank to plan Kings Mountain's participation in the event. The Panther run from Charlotte to Clemson University will be sponsored by Coca Cola. Various people will run the ball at different legs of the route. Mayor Scott Neisler will run the game ball into Kings Mountain and members of the high school varsity football team will participate. Full details of the event will be announced by the Chamber next week. Moore said that she anticipated that some food vendors will want to take part in the event and that a general cleanup day will be set so that local merchants and the com- munity can get the downtown in tip top shape for visitors. Paksoy said that she is working with Chief of Police Bob Hayes on the Panther route which will mean that some streets will be closed in the main business district. Paksoy said that the Advisory Board of the Chamber is looking at positive ways to improve the city, focusing on the appearance that visitors gets on a first visit. previous two years as a council- man. "I have always strived and will continue to strive to be a first class mayor," he said. "I believe that the role of mayor is an important one and I have al- ways wanted to perform all may- oral duties to the best of my ability. I am not connected to anyone and I have nothing to gain by being in office but my overall considera- tions have one interest in mind, to do what I think is best for the citi- zens of Kings Mountain." Neisler took the occasion to speak out against what he called two unnecessary tax increases that have increased taxes eight cents per $100 property valuation over the past two years. "I would like to continue to serve as your voice for a strong city manager form of government that is conservative so that we might move away from the current spend and tax philosophy. I want to restore confidence in our city gov- ernment and in these past four years I have learned many things that will help me represent you in the future." The candidates to date: For mayor - Jim Childers and incumbent Scott Neisler. For Ward I - incumbent Phil Hager. See Mayor, 3-A KM to host Panther Run She encouraged merchants to take pride in their store fronts and urged county-wide cooperation of local governments with an eye to- ward each municipality working together. "Since Kings Mountain is an his- torical place we need to concen- trate on that," she said. Paksoy said that first impres- sions are lasting - the beautiful re- stored historic homes, flags waving and well-kept lawns. She com- mended the good mix of specialty shops in the downtown area as a drawing card for shoppers and visi- tors. The group of merchants at Tuesday's meeting are on the Chamber's committee to promote downtown.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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July 27, 1995, edition 1
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