Vol. 109 No. 51
New KM
Council
sworn In
: Three-term Councilwoman
Norma, Bridges was unani-
mously elected mayor pro tem
by the newly-
sworn City
Co une
Tuesday in its
first official ac-
fion.
Bridges is be-
ginning her
11th year and
fourth term on
the board. She
has served once
BRIDGES previously as
mayor pro tem.
At-Large Commissioner
Bridges led the ticket in the
November 4 municipal election.
Outgoing mayor pro tem Phil
Hager of Ward I nominated
Bridges. The seconding was by
Ward 5 Commissioner Rick
Murphrey.
"I feel honored,” said Bridges.
"With the fine leadership of
the city manager and the excel-
lent employees I feel our board
can accomplish much in the
coming year," she said.
Other newly elected city offi-
cials echoed Bridges' praise of
city management and staff.
"It's an humbling experience
to be elected three times," said
Mayor Scott Neisler. "We've
gone through eight years of
struggle to get our finances
back in shape and the board has
made tough decisions."
At-Large Councilman and
new member Bob Hayes said he
- brings 36 years of public service
3 to his new role. He pledged to
work hard to be a good council
member." :
Murphrey said he was proud
of Kings Mountain and of the
accomplishments of the board
See Council, 5A
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brisk business.
Photos by Lib Stewart
With just a week left until Christmas,
Kings Mountain citizens are busy
getting in their last-minute shopping
and errands. The U.S. Postal Service
reported that Monday was its busiest
day of the year with over 280 million
pieces of mail handled. Kings Mountain
Post Office was no exception to that
trend as citizens lined up all day long
mailing packages and cards. Stella
Putnam, left, and Dot Jonas in photo at
right were mailing packages to out-of-
town friends and relatives. And
Christmas tree farms and lots also had
In photo below, Bob
Bridges and his grandson, John
Bridges, have cut down a White Pine
Christmas tree for family friend, Jake
Bridges, at Bob Bridges’ Christmas
Tree Farm on Dixon School Road.
KM City Council denies satellite annexation for Conner
In one of the last actions
Tuesday by the retiring City
Council, a request for satellite
annexation was denied.
"This is no way a reflection
of Terry Conner but this board
has always been against satel-
lite annexation and it's always
come back to haunt us," said
Ward I Councilman Phil Hager
in making the motion.
Terry Conner, operator of
Terry's Seafood on York Road,
asked for annexation, saying
one of the benefits would be a
City Council may
City Attorney Mickey Corry
recommended to City Council
Tuesday night that the city step
up its annexation efforts and
annex by January 30, 1998 prop-
erties adjacent to the city limits
on ‘Second ‘Street and
Canterbury Road areas not in-
cluded in current litigation.
The board will probably take
action at a called meeting early
next month.
‘its decision on
reduction in his insurance costs
by 50 percent.
But Rev. Clarence: Wright,
Sarah Adams and Bobby
Maner, all of the York Road and
Galilee Church Community,
said the restaurant wanted to
offer beer and wine to its cus-
tomers and needed permits be-
cause it is outside the city lim-
its.
Maner and Gene White, new-
ly-elected Ward 4 Councilman,
said the Council should make
economic
grounds and said annexation
would favor only the property
owners. White noted that the
restaurant, formerly operated
for 30 years as Paul's Seafood,
was a successful business.
We don't need beer and wine
in our community," said
Adams.
"The additional costs to the
city to take in .8 acres is not
warranted," said Maner.
Conner said he is currently
paying $5,682.56 annually for
his commercial business insur-
consider contiguous annexation
Corry reported that on
December 5 an order was
signed in Superior Court siding
with the city in a suit filed
against the city by several in-
dustries who oppose the annex-
ation. The suit had challenged
the city's annexation process
which the court ruled was cor-
rect.
A notice of appeal is expected
in 30 days but Corry said the
judge's ruling means that the
city can annex all other proper-
ties not involved in litigation.
The city began an aggressive
policy of annexation several
years ago, moving to take in 219
acres of a section described as
97-A on Second Street and 1,054
acres on Canterbury Road in a
section described as 97-B.
See Annex, 5A
City pledges $100,000 to library building campaign
An early Christmas gift of a
$100,000 pledge by the City of
Kings Mountain kicked off
Mauney Memorial Library's
fund drive for $524,000 for a
new children's wing.
Councilman Rick Murphrey
made the motion that Council
earmark funds over a three-year
. period to pay off the pledge.
Library Board Chairman Dr.
Jeff Mauney and steering com-
mittee co-chairman Stella
Putnam said a pledge from the
city would boost contributions
from the private sector who will
be asked to fund 80 percent of
the project.
Charles Mauney, of Mauney
Hosiery, and Thad Roberts, of
Reliance Electric, are also co-
chairmen with Putnam, of
Neisler Brothers, of the steering
committee which includes
Murphrey, Mayor Scott Neisler,
Paul Brintley, Corky Fulton,
Mounicineers fo
host North-South
Doubleheader
See Page 1C
Elaine Grigg, Brenda Lovelace,
Nancy Scism, Trip Herndon,
Larry Hamrick Sr., Grady
Howard, Tim Plonk, Mary
Neisler, Butch Kerns, Ronnie
Hawkins, Mary Accor and
Librarian Rose Turner.
Dr. Mauney said the new ad-
dition of 2,500 square feet
would be a state-of-the-art facil-
ity offering more books, more
See Library, 5A
ance and by obtaining city fire
and police service his premium
would be $2,987.37 per year.
White, retired city planning
director, said the request is a
perfect example of why the city
needs strict standards for an-
nexation. He said state statutes
point out that satellite annexa-
tion must be justified as a clear
benefit of the city and not the
applicant.
Outgoing Councilman Jerry
White seconded Hager's motion
to deny the request
Claus: -
Mike Brown
admits guilt
in porn case
Agents say he
transmitted child:
photos on Internet
Kings Mountain developer
Michael Eugene Brown, 48,
pled guilty Monday in an
Internet-related case of posses-
sion of child pornography.
As friends and family
watched in U. S. District Court
in Charlotte, a tearful Brown
pled for forgiveness from his
family, the community and
God.
Brown will be sentenced ear-
ly next year. Under U. S. sen-
tencing guidelines for people
with no criminal record, Brown
could face between 21 and 27
months in prison.
U.S. District Judge Carl
Horne continued Brown's de-
tention hearing until December
17 when he will rule on
whether to allow bond. Brown
has been in Mecklenburg
County jail since he was arrest-
ed at his business in Kings
Mountain last week.
According to a clerk in the
U.S. District office, the judge
asked for more information
from federal agents about
whether Brown will be charged
in an unrelated 1995 child mo-
lestation case in Cleveland
County:
© The Charlotte Observer re-
i ported that on Fridayia woman
asked authorities to investigate
Brown in the case. The woman
said her daughter told her the
molester used the name "Joe"
and lived in a home that was al-
legedly one of Brown's rental
properties.
Brown's lawyer, Chuck
Morgan, tried to separate
Brown from that case Monday,
cross-examining U.S. Customs
Special Agent Patrick McDavid
on the witness stand of the
woman's report that the al-
leged molester of her 3 1/2 year
old daughter resembled "Santa
and singer Kenny
Rogers." Brown owns some 70
rental properties in Cleveland
County.
The Charlotte Observer also
reported that Preston Brown
told federal agents he had
warned his father that child
pornography was illegal after
MIKE BROWN
Preston saw something on his
father's computer directory that
appeared to be child pornogra-
phy.
Last week, Preston Brown
told the press the allegations
against his father were untrue,
that Brown wasn't involved in
child pornography and that
Brown knew little abut comput-
ers.
Preston Brown has not re-
turned calls from The Herald.
Eleven other relatives de:
fended Brows at Monday's
‘hearing, saying he has never
harmed their children.
Mike Brown, of 1317 N.
Piedmont Ave:, was arrested
December 10 after U.S. Customs
officials, aided by Kings
Mountain police and the
Cleveland County Sheriff's
Department armed with search
warrants, raided his East King
Street business and seized com-
puters and financial and tele-
phone records.
When the warrant was
served, U. 5. Customs Special
Agent Patrick McDavid said
Brown admitted to agents that
he had received child pornogra-
phy and transmitted it on the
Internet using his computers
according to an affidavit filed in
U. S. District Court.
McDavid alleges in a 12-page
complaint: filed December10
and an affidavit dated
See Brown, 5A
HONORED FOR SERVICE - Retiring Board of Education members Rev. Billy Houze,
left, and
Connie Allison were presented plaques by Supt. Dr. Bob McRae at Monday night's school board
meeting.
ie ciommatiama i Sm nashisn
Funderburke
KMHS Teacher of
Month
See page 6
A
KM Rotary Club
to feed needy
See page 3A
CT RIOR IRIN