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Vol. 109 No. 52
Thursday, December 25, 1997
by ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
All Joe and Teresa Ayers want for Christmas
and the New Year is continued good health for
their children.
Their children, Chris, 8, and Jessica, 11, return
to Shriners Hospital in Greenville, SC in April for
more treatments from an inherited disease which
in layman's language is known as bone spurs in
the joints.
The children were among those entertained by
White Plains Shrine Club Thursday at Masonic
Hall at the annual party for crippled and burned
children.
"We heard about the Shriners Hospital from
our orthopedic doctor about a year ago and we
are pleased with the treatments the children are
receiving at Shriners Hospital," said Mrs. Ayers.
Mr. Ayers was born with spurs in the joints
but he said he never realized it was an inherited
disease. The children were diagnosed with the
same problems when they were about three years
old.
"When it rains or is extremely cold our joints
ache," says Ayers who described his problem as
similar to arthritis.
Both children are active in school and the
whole family is active in Northside Baptist
Church on Piedmont Avenue.
Mrs. Ayers said the children "don't get any spe-
cial treatment at home, they are just normal and
very loving kids and we enjoy spending time
-with family."
Ayers says he prays every night for his children
and for all those children helped by Shriners
Hospitals.
Chris is a third grader: He asked Santa for spe-
cial presents for his parents and sister and a sur-
prise for himself. The affectionate little boy kissed
Santa and thanked him for his present and sever-
al times during the party kissed and hugged his
Making Christmas Merrier
Shriners give party for children who have been in their hospitals
parents.
ents," said their proud father.
Christmas shopping with a
Cop was a first time experience
for five Kings Mountain young-
sters early Tuesday morning.
"It makes my Christmas,"
‘said Kings Mountain Sgt. Derek
Johnson.
Johnson said local officers
with Fraternal Order of Police
Lodge 18 joined others from the
county in sponsoring the shop-
ping trip for 25 underprivileged
children.
"We took them to Kmart in
Jessica, a sixth grader at the Middle Scheol,
was a little shy about sitting on Santa's lap but
she shook his hand and thanked him for her gift.
"We just count ourselves as very lucky par-
Cook
party Thursday at Masonic Hall.
Shelby about 7 a.m. and bought
$100 worth of clothes for each
one of them and afterwards
went to Time Warner Cable on
Fallston Road in Shelby where
toys were distributed," said
Johnson.
Johnson said the ages of the
children range from four
months to 14 years.
The annual Shop with a Cop
Christmas program provides
warm clothing for boys and
girls who otherwise might not
have adequate winter clothes,
according to Johnson.
* Johnson said local police usu-
ally participate in the event but
this is the first year the number
of underprivileged has been as
large from the Kings Mountain
area.
"The kids really had a good
time but I think we had a better
time because it made us feel so
good inside," said Johnson.
LISTEN UP SANTA - Chiistonfisy yorlE talks to Santa at the White Plains Shrine Club Christmas
Needy KM youngsters get to shop with a cop
"The kids really
had a good time but
I think we had a
better time because
it made us feel so
good inside."
Kings Mountain, NC Since 1889 «50¢
Home for
Christmas
Brown's sister says his release
from jail was 'answer to prayer’
by ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
Mike Brown's family got their Christmas wish.
The Kings Mountain businessman was released
from Mecklenburg County Jail Monday, free un-
til he is sentenced next month in federal court af-
ter pleading guilty to possession of child pornog-
raphy.
Brown's sister, Jan Deaton, said theirs was a
family reunion. "It has been a nightmare," said
Deaton who asks for prayer from the community.
"We just could not get through all this without
the support of family and friends and we do have
a lot of friends in town," she said. i
"Our prayers were answered."
"We are a close knit family and we
stick gether through thick and thin."
-Jan Deaton
DEREK JOHNSON
Lake Commission may push for payment of late fees
The new Moss Lake
Commission may push for pay-
ment of delinquent fees as their
first order of business in New
Year 1998.
Reviewing budget materials
for about two hours Thursday
night, the committee took no
formal action but plans to meet
again January 15 at 7:30 p.m. at
City Hall.
How to determine who are
the delinquent property owners
will be tough, according to
Planning Director Steve Killian
who serves as secretary to the
board.
"We looked at how to keep
track of all the uses and users of
Moss Lake and at some 20
pages of materials the city pro-
vided as well as budgets from
the past year and those previ-
ously," he said.
'One of the priorities of the
new board is to check out all
the numbers including the
county's estimated number of
iake front lots and numbers of
improvements on the lake such
as piers.
See Lake, 3A
Carolina State now First Charter National Bank
Carolina State Bank, a Kings
Mountain financial institution
for seven years, has been ac-
quired by First Charter
National Bank of Concord.
The merger of three area
branch banks with First
Charter, effective Tuesday, will
combine assets of $750 million.
Stockholders of Carolina
State confirmed the merger
Monday.
At acquisition, the assets of
the four branch banks in this
area merged with First Charter
was $140 million, Carolina State
Bank John Godbold said this
week. Carolina also operates
branch banks in Shelby, Forest
City and Boiling Springs.
Godbold said there will be no
changes in staff.
The new name was posted at
the local bank Tuesday and
callers to the office were being
greeted with First Charter
National Bank. Signs posted in
the lobby advertised "staff will
remain the same, same smiles,
same faces."
Branch office manager Joann
Hall said other members of the
See Bank, 7A
Deaton said the family had not been able to
talk to Brown except by telephone since he was
jailed December 10. Deaton was cooking a meal
Monday afternoon and she was expecting a
number of relatives to join Brown's immediate
family for supper at his North Piedmont Avenue
home.
Deaton said the family has been told by
Charlotte Attorney Charles Morgan not to talk
with reporters.
"We have had so many telephone calls and
cards from caring people that I want them to
know that we appreciate them,” she said.
“We are a close knit family and we stick togeth-
er through thick and thin," said Deaton.
"This has probably brought our family even
closer together," she said.
Brown, 48, is under house arrest and was freed
under $50,000 unsecured bond. Other stipulation
of his release by U.S. Magistrate Charles Horn
was that Brown undergo tests by Charlotte psy-
chologist Dr. William Tyson and according to
Deaton the tests determined that Brown was not
in danger of engaging in child molestation or in
danger of harming himself. "Mike passed those
tests with flying colors," she said.
Other terms of Brown's presentencing release
were that Brown wear an electronic monitoring
bracelet around his ankle which will show his lo-
cation to authorities 24 hours a day; that he have
no contact with any minors without another
adult present; that he continue in whatever treat-
ment program Dr. Tyson prescribes while the
charges are pending; and that he follow any
terms set by probation officers.
Deaton said Brown will be able to return to his
job and will be able to go to church.
Brown faces a minimum of 21 to 27 months in
prison, with a maximum of five years, and a
$500,000 fine.
See Brown, 6A
CITY COUNCIL SWORN - Seven members of Kings Mountain City Council took the oath of office
last week in ceremonies led by District 27-B Court Judge Larry Wilson. From left, Rick Murphrey,
Phil Hager, Clavon Kelly, Bob Hayes, Gene White, Mayor Scott Neisler and Norma Bridges, front
row, Mayor pro tem. The Ward 2 Councilman won't be sworn until after a state-ordered run-off
election Feb. 24.
Obituaries. ........... 3A
Jeanette Mullinax
Bertha Styers
Bernard Patterson
Madison Blanton
Verdie Bridges
Ruby Smith
Ruth Randle
Rev. George Leigh
x. Decorating :
4° A Surber Family
Tradition
7A
School Kids
Em
: Downtown |
write letters oy
Park taking §
to Santa
Section C_ \
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shape |
See page 6A ; 1