THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD
October 3, 1996
Opinions
Gary
~ Stewart
Editor
Pressley's corner was
always spic and span
As I came to work each morning for the past
several years, there was always one thing I could
count on seeing.
Pressley Anderson.
Pressley was always on the job at a local self-
service gas station, walking around the parking
lot and clearing it of any piece of trash, cigarette
butt, or anything else that might spoil its appear-
m ance. Pressley’s "cor-
ner" was by far the
cleanest in town, one
that any business
would be proud of.
A couple of
weeks ago I began
noticing Pressley was-
n't out there anymore.
I wondered what was
wrong. Maybe he was
having health prob-
lems. I would have to
check it out.
AN | 3 1 Ek
oy; A call told me
PRESSLEY ANDERSON , ey's not having
health problems. He's as big and strong as ever.
But you might say he is suffering from a broken
heart.
After almost 18 years on the job, he was recent-
ly stunned by those awful words no one wants to
hear: "We don't need you anymore."
It's hard for him to understand, because he
feels he was always a dedicated worker. He says
he not only did the duties he was hired to do
such as keeping the place clean and stocked, but
made a special effort to be friendly to all the cus-
tomers and even perform some duties which
weren't in his job description such as pumping
gas and changing tires for the elderly and handi-
capped. I don't think I ever stopped at that station
that Pressley didn't greet me with a big smile,
give me one of his strong handshakes and ask me
how my family was doing or how I thought the
Mountaineers would do this season..And, he alr sa
Tle fe Natu
: 4
a, vy Gandy
Your Right To Say It
To the editor:
The legions of Hillary-bashers who resent the First
Lady for being an intelligent woman who isn't afraid to
speak her mind should turn their heads to the right
and look at Elizabeth Dole. Liddy is, as everyone
knows, from Salisbury and is indeed a charming lady,
but behind that Southern facade lie an intelligence and
drive that enabled her to graduate with honors from
Harvard Law School. Furthermore, anyone who saw
the Doles a few weeks ago when they appeared on
Larry King's TV interview show could not have failed
to notice how Liddy answered questions put to Bob be-
fore he scarcely had a chance to open his mouth.
As for Bill Clinton's telling bare-faced lies, let's look
at some Bob Dole continues to spread about Bill
Clinton:
- Bob Dole claimed President Clinton had given
America the largest tax increase in American history.
But according to the Tax Foundation (USA Today, Aug.
15, 1996): The largest tax increase, adjusted for infla-
tion, 1995 dollars, was the World War II tax increase
under FDR - $800 billion. Second was the 1982 tax in-
_ crease under Reagan that was authored by Bob Dole -
$269 billion: Third was President Clinton's 1993 deficit
reduction plan - $226 billion. Now, Dole could d have
kept his integrity and said it was one of the largest. But
he didn't. He lied.
- Bob Dole is running an ad that claims that taxation
on Americans is the highest ever, and he blames
most always told: me how:much-he-enjeyedther si President Sat Clifton ignoring. the! 400-plus tax increases
paper.
He took a lot of pride in his job - just as he does
as an umpire in the local youth baseball leagues.
He may make a wrong call now and then, but ev-
eryone who knows Pressley knows his heart's as
big as Texas and he always wants to do what's
right.
He was loyal. Although he was considered
part-time, he said he would sometimes spend 10
hours a day at the station and then go back at
night or on the weekends if he was needed.
Because he was so dedicated, his termination
was as devastating a blow as he has had in his al-
most 50 years. He said it was totally unexpected.
Businesses sometimes have to downsize or
make tough decisions, and even though we some-
times don't understand why, it is a fact of life that
sometimes bad things happen to good people.
But Pressley's not the type to mope around
and hold grudges. He's a devout Christian and
says he is certain that God will open another door
for him. Maybe even a bigger door!
That's why he has been walking the streets a lot
lately, checking with local businesses to see if
they have anything he can do. He has some
prospects, but nothing definite.
Anyone out there who desires to have a busi-
ness that is spic and span inside and out should
give him a call.
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Bob Dole voted for in his 30-something years in
Washington. The facts: The average federal rate for a
family of four, including Social Security and Medicare
withholding, declined from 16.83% in 1992 to 16.81% in
1995, according to the Department of Commerce. Dole
could have said the rate of decline was negligible. But
he didn't. He lied.
Speaking of draft-dodging, has anyone wondered
why Jack Kemp did not serve in Viet Nam, as Vice
President Gore did? Although Kemp was in good
enough shape to play in the NFL - 15 years - he was ex-
empted from Duty in Viet Nam because of an "injured"
shoulder. The Army form actually listed Kemp as dis-
abled. Hmmm. Wonder if he's been drawing benefits
all of these years?
As for campaign promises, Knight-Ridder recently
reported that they had studied President Clinton's, and
they said he clearly accomplished just over 70% of
them. They showed how he would have kept another
12% if not for the Republican partisanship.
President Clinton has been much more faithful to the
voters than the two previous presidents were. Here are
just a few of the many promises President Clinton has
kept:
Plie has dramatically reduced the number of federal
employees.
- He has worked toward a Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban treaty, and has signed treaties with compo-
nents of the old Soviet Union.
- He reduced the deficit through tax increases on
those families earning over $140,000 in taxable income,
spending cuts and program eliminations, and tax cred-
its for the working poor.
- He signed a crime bill that was tough on criminals,
paid for more prison space, and provided money for
Sidewalk Survey
Village helped raise Bob Dole too
preventative programs.
- He has worked to help sell American goods in
competition with foreign subsidized goods. For exam-
ple: The Saudis purchased billions of dollars’ worth of
Boeing jets after Clinton interceded personally with
King Fahd.
- He proposed welfare reform that would require
welfare recipients to train for and then work at a job in-
stead of collecting checks forever.
When Bob Dole made his GOP nominee speech, he
took issue with the First Lady and her book "It Takes a
Village." He said, "I am here to tell you, it does not take
a village to raise a child. It takes a family."
This from the same Bob Dole who told of his grand-
parents receiving federal welfare checks - checks he
himself signed while collecting a taxpayer supported
salary. This from the same Bob Dole that accepted do-
nations from his "village" of Russell, Kansas to pay, for
his doctor bills. This from the same Bob Dole that
might not be here to tell us anything if not for the help
he and his family received from his "village."
Did any of the Hillary-bashers actually read the First
Lady's explanation of her choice of titles for her best-
selling book before they dismissed it as "junk?"
"I chose that old American proverb to title this
book," she said, "because if offers a timeless reminder
that children will thrive only if their families thrive,
and if the whole of society cares enough to provide for
them." She clearly advocates a strong family. She also
knows, as we all do, that sometimegidogs take more.
than an individual family to survive.
It's true in Bob Dole's case, even if he won't admit it.
The two medics who died trying to reach Bob Dole
when he was wounded were not family members, nor
were the numerous doctors and nurses who worked
for hours saving and rebuilding his body.
It has clearly taken a large "village" to "raise" Bob
Dole.
Cerese Blanton
Thanks for supporting benefit
To the editor:
The Kings Mountain Senior Center would like
to express its sincere appreciation for the out-
standing response from the community in sup-
porting our recent fund raiser on Saturday,
September 14. Approximately $685.00 was raised
to be used to purchase a much needed lighted
marque sign for the front of the Senior Center.
We could not have done it without the many
volunteers including those who sang, prepared
hot dogs and baked goods, worked at the yard
sale, gift shop and gospel singing and helped to
clean up after the event.
Our new sign will help provide greater visibili-
ty to the community and help advertise special
events at the center. Thanks again for supporting
this project.
Monty Thornburg
Director of Aging
Superintendent
Kings Mountain Schools
to North Carolina schools
This year's session of the North Carolina General
Assembly approved legislation which places a bond is-
sue for public facilities on the ballot for the November
5 general elections.
The results of this vote will in large part determine
how much work school systems across the state will be
able to do in the near future to improve their facilities,
Kings Mountain included. In today's column I want to
give you some specifics about the bond vote and en-
courage eligible voters to go to the polls and vote "yes"
on November 5.
During last year we conducted a thorough review of
our facilities in order to provide a legislative study
commission with an accurate estimate of our funding
needs in regards to buildings, grounds, and technology.
We specified $12,919,070 of needs at current prices.
When the amount was adjusted for inflation in the
years the project would be needed, it became
$15,508,322. Obviously, this is a very substantial
amount, one we would not be able to reduce signifi-
cantly through our normal capital outlay funding.
It is only fair to point out that these figures can be
adjusted downward a bit. There is some construction
included on elementary school campuses that would
not be needed if the Board of Education decides to con-
struct an additional elementary school to serve the area
between Bethware and Grover. If it is decided that the
best course of action is to abandon the thought of an
additional school and do all of the expansion work that
would then be needed at our elementary schools, the
cost of the new school could be deleted, and that is
over $5 million. :
Even if the bond is approved, the share of the funds
available to Kings Mountain from the total package of
$1.8 billion would be $6,142,100, an amount not nearly
large enough to do everything we have included in our
needs list. Additionally, our funds would come to us
over a period of 4-5 yeas, not all at the front end.
Aside from an additional elementary school, our
needs include a wide variety of capital projects. Many
of the larger projects involve additional classrooms on
several i campuses. We have been telling you
about the growth we are experiencing in our system.
This year's 10th day enrollment of 4,202 (not including
Head Start's four classes and one Smart Start class) is
the largest we have experienced in some time. It is 115
more students than we had on the 10th day of 1995-96.
Our larger classes tend to be in the early years of
school, thus indicating that we will continue to grow, at
least slightly, in the next few years. Add to this fact the
state's emphasis on reducing class size in the early
grades, and our elementary facilities are becoming
quite crowded.
Space is already needed on several campuses. It ap-
sepears-that such:@need will arise at most of our schools
efore our growth disappears. When we completed our
most recent building program a few years ago, predic-
tions were that it would handle our needs for quite
some time. How quickly things change!
Other projects included in our plan cover the gamut
of school facilities needs. Consider the list: paving,
painting, heating and air conditioning upgrades, floor
treatments, door and hardware replacements, roof re-
placements, asbestos abatement in areas which are cur-
rently maintained within government regulations, ath-
letic field improvements, handicapped accessibility,
and window renovations. There is a lengthy listing of
peolest which range from a few thousand to several
undred thousand dollars in cost. Work would be done
on each of our eight school campuses.
A school system cannot afford to allow its facilities
to deteriorate. Our system has been fortunate over the
years to be able to keep its holdings in good condition.
We cannot stop now. Our goal will be to keep each of
our campuses in good repair, thus allowing our stu-
dents and employees to attend school in a clean, com-
fortable, safe environment. Our chances of accomplish-
ing this goal will diminish considerably if the bond
issue for facilities does not pass.
In my next column I will look further at the upcom-
ing bond issue and point out what I think are some ad-
ditional good reasons for voting yes. By the way, this
bond vote will be on the ballot with a vote on a $950
million bond vote for roads. However, you will be cast-
ing your vote separately in each issue. I plan to vote
yes for both issues as good roads are important to
schools just as are good facilities, however a person
wishing to vote yes on one issue and no on another
could do so.
By Elizabeth Stewart
off toda
La BE p=
JOHN MITCHELL
Auto parts salesman
Times are better for
me personally right now.
Four years ago things
were going downhill.
Plant worker
JAMES HAGLER
No. I don’t think
times are better. The job
situation is bad and peo-
ple are out of work.
Would you say your household was better or worse
y than you were four years ago?
TERRY GERMAN
Disabled veteran
I can’t see any differ-
ence really from now and
four years ago when the
national leaders were
elected.
area.
EDDIE BRIDGES
Auto parts salesman
Yes. I think business
has picked up over the
past four years in this
CHRIS PATTERSON
Concrete products
Yes. I think that overall
everything has improved
over the past four years
in this area.
TONERS
RS