Thursday, October 7, 1999
Vol. 111 No. 40
Since 1889
© ©
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Q A +
WS vipat
90-year-old
Kings Mountain barber
Wynn Huskey hangs
up his clippers
Page 3A
COMMUNITY
Gun lock program
could be lifesaver
A massive gun lock pro-
gram, which allows parents to
+ purchase gun locks for a small
fee, could be a lifesaver for
youngsters in Cleveland
County. 5A
Local family helps
NC flood victims
Helping flood victims in
eastern North Carolina is a
family affair for the Bledsoes
of Kings Mountain. 5A
Mammography Day
set at KM Hospital
October is Breast Cancer
Awareness Month and the
staff of Kings Mountain
Hospital is sponsoring a
Mammography Day on
October 15. 5B
Johnny Harris named
Paul Harris Fellow
Kings Mountain’s Johnny
Harris, president of Harris
Funeral Home, was inducted
as a Paul Harris Fellow at
Thursday’s meeting of the
Kings Mountain Rotary Club.
9A ;
1974 time capsule
to be opened today
The time capsule buried in
the front lawn of Mauney |
Memorial Library during the
city’s centennial celebration in
1974 will be opened during a
5:30 p.m. ceremony today. 7A -
Longtime furniture
dealer Gene Timms dies
Gene Timms, who died last
week at the age of 72, is re-
membered by his co-workers
as a professional, a devoted
family man, and a generous
donor to many area causes. 3A
andidates speak out at forum
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Kings Mountain City Council
and School Board candidates
participated in a public forum
Tuesday night at B.N. Barnes
Auditorium.
Sponsored by the Kings
Mountain Citizens for Effective
Government, the forum focused
on a handful of questions pre-
pared by the committee and
prepared closing statements by
each candidate. Jay Rhodes of
the Kings Mountain Branch of
the Cleveland County Chamber
of Commerce, was moderator.
Candidates were questioned
by groups, with the School
Board candidates appearing
first, followed by City Council
hopefuls, and finally the candi-
dates for Mayor.
Mayoral candidates partici-
pating were former mayor Kyle
Smith, current City Council
members Rick Murphrey and
~ Norma Bridges, and newcomer
Ted Chandler. Gilbert “Pee
Wee” Hamrick did not partici-
pate. Those five candidates
hope to take over the responsi-
bilities of present Mayor Scott
Neisler, who is not running for
reelection.
Most of the candidates
agreed on most questions, how-
SS
ever, Smith differed from the
others on annexation.
Murphrey, Bridges and
Chandler all said they are in fa-
vor of annexation, but Smith
said he approves of “voluntary”
annexation only.
Each candidate was also
asked what is his or her #1 goal
if elected. Smith said his main
concern is “cleaning up the
town,” especially King Street.
Murphrey spoke of a “long-
range business plan,” Chandler
said he would recruit “depart-
ment stores and restaurants,”
and Mrs. Bridges said her main
goals are to. continue the city’s
capital improvement plan and
With the leaves across North Carolina rapidly changing color, now is the time to enjoy some great times out-
doors. From the Blue Ridge Parkway to country backroads in Cleveland County, there are plenty of places to
stop and reflect on the beauty of nature.
Leaf it and Love it
to enforce codes.
Smith also differed in re-
sponse to a question of what the
candidates would most like to
change about city government.
Murphrey and Bridges said
they had no major changes in
mind although there is “need
. for improvement,” Smith said
he “would like to see favoritism
cut out.” Chandler said the
question can best be answered
“by the citizens.”
In answer to a question about
what can be done to make the
city more attractive for home
buyers and developers, Smith
reiterated his clean-up idea and
added that the city should “put
Sunday.
some teeth into ordinances”
that require citizens to keep
their property clean. He also
said the city must keep taxes
and utility rates fair to every-
one.
* Murphrey praised the close
proximity of the city to major °
highways, Southern Railway
and Charlotte Douglas Airport
and the city’s well-managed
utilities system and the town’s
“lowest tax rate of any city in
the area.”
Smith said he is concerned
about the potential “over-
growth” of the eastern part of
See Forum, 3A
City, battle
celebrations
slated today
The City of Kings Mountain and Kings
Mountain National Military Park are gearing up
for a couple of celebrations commemorating the
219th anniversary of the Battle of Kings Mountain
and the 125th anniversary of the City.
At 3 p.m. today, the Overmountain Men will
complete their 300-mile trek from Abingdon, VA,
and upon their arrival Dr. Terry Mays, author of
Historical Dictionary of the American Revolution,
will deliver the address. Following the program
in the amphitheater, a wreath laying ceremony i
will be held at the U.S. Monument, which is the ~~
‘i site of the surrender of the loyalist forces on :
§ October 7, 1780. Other spec
"1 are free fo the public are slate
cial programs which’
od Sry and
At 5:30 p.m., the City of Kings Mountain will
hold a ceremony in the front lawn of Mauney
Memorial Library where Mayor Scott Neisler, city
officials and library officials will open the time
capsule which was buried during the city’s cen-
tennial celebration in 1974.
Items will be inspected. Another time capsule
will be buried later in the year and will include
items relative to Kings Mountain in the 1900s and
the dawn of the new millennium.
Kings Mountain is also preparing for its annual
Mountaineer Days celebration, which this year
will be a four-day event October 13-16.
The event kicks off next Wednesday night at
SPORTS Leaves hitting peak in Western North Carolina
6:30 p.m. with a gospel sing on the back lawn of
great leafing are South Mountains
State Park, Crowders Mountain
State Park, and Kings Mountain
National Military Park and State
Park. For the energetic, the one
BY ALAN HODGE’
Staff Writer
Mountaineers, Burns
have back to the wall
It’s the time of year to leaf it and
love it. With fall foliage experts pre-
Perennial Southwestern 3A
Conference football powers
dicting one of the most beautiful
autumn leaf seasons in years, the
hour hike up Kings Pinnacle at
Crowders Mountain State Park will
foliage from Kings Mountain and
to spend some quality time with
nature. One option is to hit
Highway 226 north out of Shelby,
stay on that road through Marion,
then on to Little Switzerland and
Cleveland County are a great w, ay : City Hall. Featured singers are Fifth Sunday and
Jim Belt. Recreation Director Tripp Hord, who is
coordinating the week's activities, said the public
is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to
sit on. Admission is free.
Numerous events are scheduled for next
Burns and Kings Mountain
will have their backs to the
wall when they tee it up
Friday at 7:30 at Burns. Each
team already has a conference
loss and is in danger of being
eliminated as a state playoff
contender. 1B
KMHS line coach Dave :
Farquharson tries to fire up his
players in loss at Forestview.
1B
Po ©
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FIRST NATIONAL BANK
days are nigh for a road trip in
search of some soul stirring moun-
tain and foothills vistas.
Spots right in Cleveland County
or on its borders that provide some
75th Cleveland County Fair "8
continues through weekend |
BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
The 75th Annual Cleveland
County Fair is in full swing this
week at the fairgrounds on
Highway 74 Business in Shelby.
Good weather and a great show
have had people thronging to
the rides, food, and exhibits that
will entertain nearly 200,000 pa-
trons before ending this
Saturday night at 11 pm.
Rides are a big part of any °
fair, and Cleveland County has
plenty of them. Located on a gi-
“ant midway which is operated
by Reithoffer Shows, this year’s
rides offer everything from a
gentle boost to a stomach
wrenching twist. Especially
prominent on the fair landscape
is the 100 foot tall ferris wheel.
Just a few of the rides include
the Zipper, the Twister, Tilt a
: Whirl, and a brightly painted
RN NER
- at the Cleveland County Fair
Kings Mountain
300 W. Mountain St.
the Blue Ridge Parkway. Another
jaunt is to simply hit Highway 74 :
West and whiz on up to Chimney
Rock and Lake Lure. Yet another
See Leaves, 6A
provide a breathtaking view of the
Piedmont leaves that on a clear day
takes in a panorama stretching
from Charlotte to Shelby.
Quick road trips'in search of fall
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, including enter-
tainment, fireworks and the dedication of the
new downtown gazebo. A complete list of those
activities will be published in next week’s Herald.
merry go round.
Visitors strolling the midway
will find plenty more to amuse
themselves. In addition to a
house of mifrors and kid's fun
house, there are radio control
stock cars, many games of
chance, Sampson the giant
horse, a laser gun shooting
gallery, and even an old time
sledge hammer and bell test of
strength. Of course, each game
booth on the midway is fairly
dripping with brightly colored
~ stuffed animals and other good- |
ies for those skillful enough to
win.
Riding all the rides and play-
ing at games of skill will defi-
nitely work up an appetite, and
the Cleveland County Fair can
handle the biggest ones.
Beckoning customers with
ALAN HODGE/THE HERALD
Getting ready for another flight, Caroline Donald of Greenville, S.C. was having a great time with
her mom at the Cleveland County Fair. Caroline took to the air like a veteran flier.
See Fair, 3A
Sa
Main Office
106 S. Lafayette St.
484-6200
(Tr
529 New Hope Rd.
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