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Kings Mountain, NC «Since 1889 50¢
Michelle Warren, the reigning
Miss North Carolina and first
runnerup to Miss America 1997,
proved she was in tune with
teenagers Tuesday.
Suffering obvious.y from a
migraine headache, she stood in
front of a cheering throng of
Kings Mountain Middle stu-
dents and when they asked her
to sing "The National Anthem"
she responded without hesita-
tion and then left them with
some advice.
"You can do anything you
want to and if you want it bad
enough you can find ways to do
it," she said, challenging stu-
dents to plan now for college
and occupations.
Warren, a rising senior at the
University of North Carolina in
Charlotte majoring in clinical
psychology, called her reign as
the state's beauty queen "an in-
credible experience."
Four years ago before she
started entering beauty
pageants, Warren said she had
no money for college and was
working full time. She is taking
advantage of $42,000 in scholar-
ship money from the Miss
America pageant to complete
her education when her reign is
Former Kings Mountain
- Mayor John Henry Moss will
: serve as marshal for the Kings
‘Mountain Christmas Parade
- Friday, December 5, at 6:30 p.m. .
. The 100-plus unit parade will
“be held for the first time during
: the evening and in conjunction
“with A Mountaineer Christmas
planned by the Kings Mountain
Business and Professional
~ Association.
Plans for the holiday event
are shaping up, according to
President Kathy Neely and City
Recreation Director Tripp Hord.
Downtown events will start
at 5 p.m. and continue until 10
p.m. Fireworks will brighten
the sky about 9 p.m. Two sepa-
rate stages with ongoing enter-
tainment, Santa and Mrs. Claus,
a live nativity scene, horse and
buggy rides, Christmas carolers,
The Gaston County Choral
Miss N.C.
visits KMMS
over. Meantime, she is traveling
as many as 2,000 miles a month
talking before youth groups
abcut domestic violence.
"Every 15 seconds in this
country a woman is beaten, in
North Carolina alone, 25,000
families are dealing with do-
mestic violence," said Warren.
She said she hopes. to send a
message to young students that
they need to take self respect
with them when they start dat-
ing. "Abuse happens every day
but don't let it happen to you,"
she said.
Wearing slim black pants and
a royal blue top that accentuat-
ed her slender five feet seven
107 pound frame and blonde
hair, the Gaston County native
said it was a relief after over
three weeks this fall in Atlantic
City, New Jersey to finish as
first runner up to Miss America.
"This was my fifth pageant
and I knew it was my last," said
Warren who admitted to being
a little nervous when she en-
tered the Miss North Carolina
competition, won and went on
to compete for the big scholar-
ship money.
A real trooper, Warren be-
comes an instant role model for
JOHN H. MOSS
are just a few of the entertain-
ment features of the 1997 event.
A Christmas tree decorating
contest and a float contest are
open to the public.
City Manager Jimmy Maney
said Tuesday that The Christian
Knights of
BEAUTY QUEEN VISITS - Miss North Carolina Michelle Warren talks with
students at Kings Mountain Middle School Tuesday, Students, from left, are
Tina Sprouse, Brooke Blackburn, Richie Griffin and Dustin Calvert.
a year. Replying to questions from eager
students, she said she was too busy to
think of marriage but admitted she has a
good-looking boyfriend.
She said she has been offered a record-
ing contract and a trip to New York for
auditioning on Broadway, but right now
she's busy traveling the state to push her
programs.
Warren told students she had a severe
weight problem as a student at Grier
Junior High and weighed about 150
ounds at Ashbrook High S
the Ku Klux Klan,
the first group to sign up for the
parade, pulled out of the lineup
this week and will not partici-
pate.
Maney talked with represen-
tatives of the organization
Tuesday who said they were
pulling out "for the considera-
tion of the children."
Maney quoted Klan leaders
who said they felt it would be
better for the Klan to march at a
future date and by themselves
rather than in a big group.
"They said they felt for the con-
sideration of the children they
would pull out of the parade
and march at a later date,” said
Maney. :
U. S. Congresswoman Sue
Myrick, the Piedmont Pistons,
celebrity beauty queens, march-
"I made up my mind that I would slim
down and that good guys do finish first,"
she said.
Friendly, personable and dignified, she
encouraged the kids to plan out their
lives. "I didn't become Miss North
Carolina overnight."
Warren gold students to "map our your
curriculum now, have a plan for your life,
because all you do now lays the founda-
undation fo
i
tion for high school and high schools lays
follov
Election
hearing
Friday
A hearing on alleged voting irregularities at
East Kings Mountain precinct will be held Friday
atl p.m.
Director of Elections Debra Blanton said the
public hearing will be held in the conference
room at the Cleveland County Administration
Building. 311 Marion Street, in Shelby.
At issue is the Ward 2 seat on the Kings
Mountain Council.
Last Monday, the board conducted four re-
counts and declared that incumbent Jerry
Mullinax was the winner on November 4 by a
one-vote margin over challenger and former
commissioner Jim Guyton. Mullinax also beat
Guyton two years ago by a one vote margin.
Guyton charged that some people voted in the
Ward 2 race on November 4 who were not enti-
tled to do so and has sought a new election.
Blanton said the board was able to account for
every ballot voted in the Ward 2 race when it re-
counted the votes. However, she said the board
found two ballots were given out in error.
"We are amassing all the information and that
evidence will be presented at Friday's hearing
and the board will make a decision on findings of
fact and if they find this warrants sending that
information to the state board we will do that so
the state board can review it at its meeting
December 2 in Raleigh, " said Blanton. |
"We are making this hearing as public as we
RE
ES
is getting
face lift
The City Hall is getting a face
lift.
Painting crews started paint-
ing the interior lobby and of-
fices Saturday and before they
finish the Council Chambers |
and offices will have all-white
ceilings with lulled beige walls
and navy blue accents in area
where there are now colored
walls.
In addition, new grey/beige
tinted carpet is replacing 20-
year-old carpet. The Council
Chambers is also expected to
get new chairs and a new sound
system. The Battle of Kings
Mountain painting in the lobby
will be moved to a central loca-
ing bands and dancers, and of
course, Santa Claus, are among
Society and Handbell Choirs
guests of the holiday event.
GETTING READY FOR HOLIDAYS - City electric department
employee Josh Conrad checks the lights on one of the trees in
the downtown area. The city will turn the Christmas lights on
Thanksgiving night.
tion in Chambers.
Personnel are also moving to
See City, 7A
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
GROVER - Five meetings after Men's
Community Action was formed, a group of
Grover residents are making a difference.
Kenny Bell, who helped organize the group
and hosted a cookout for about 50 young people
and guests at his home on a recent Saturday, says
kids are learning that the street "is not where the
action is."
"The action is in community activities where
boys and girls will play basketball, volleyball and
kickball and get involved in a safe, healthy, re-
spectful lifestyle," says Bell.
Bell said a group of neighbors got together one
afternoon at his house and got the ball rolling for
a Men's Community Action Club of Grover.
"We raised funds and cooked and served 125
hot dogs with all the trimmings as our first youth
activity and boy did we have a good time," said
club president Robert Brooks. ;
Bell, treasurer of the group, said the club will
concentrate on helping needy families and pro-
vide fruit baskets for the elderly during the
Christmas season but after the holidays the youth
Men's Community Action Club
making difference in community |
James Smith. Secretary Rufus Smith said the goal
of the program is to give kids something to do
and get them involved in community activities.
"We want to show the youth of this community
an alternative action of life as opposed to the usu-
al actions of the world," explained Bell.
Ed Guy, assistant principal at Parker Street
School, was guest speaker at the first meeting of
the club at which youth attended.
"] talked about choices and how it's important
for young people to make the right choices and
say no to alcohol and drugs," said Guy.
Guy and his son, Anthony, joined the club ac-
tivity by accident. Mr. Guy, who was running for
an outside seat on the board of education,
stopped in the community several weeks ago to
renew acquaintances with Kenny Bell and his
friends
"Kenny is one of my former students at the |
Middle School and we got to talking about some
of the ways that the new club could make a dif-
ference in the lives of young people and he invit-
ed me to share some of my experiences as a coun-
selor over the years," said Guy.
activities will swing into high gear.
"We hope to plan a car show and sponsor car
washes and other activities," said Vice-President
See Club, 3A
MEN'S COMMUNITY ACTION CLUB - The Men's Community Action Club has formed in the Long
Branch Community of Grover. Front row, Sam Camp, left, and Rufus Smith. Back row, from left,
Anthony Guy, Kenny Bell, Ed Guy, Robert Brooks, vernon Bell and James Smith Jr.