Now's the time to get
your car ready for winter
“page 4A
BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
Don’t let Old Man Winter
blow a chill wind up your
tailpipe this driving season.
With temperatures destined to
drop over the next few weeks,
the time is nigh to give your au-
to a good mechanical and cos-
metic going over.
There are many things that a
person of even limited mechan-
ical ability can do to make sure
their car is ready for winter. Top
on the list is checking your bat-
tery. Probably more winter au-
tomotive woes are associated
with dead or weak batteries
than with any other part of a
car. Checking you battery posts
for cleanliness and battery case
for correct fluid cell level will
go a long way towards making
sure Ol’ Bessie fires up on frosty
mornings.
Next on your automotive
winter program is the antifreeze
level and condition. Antifreeze
is actually something of a mis-
nomer, because this vital green
liquid both protects the engine
from heat as well as cold.
Though a car owner can check
the level of their coolant, fur-
ther maintenance is best left to a
garage.
“Besides level, the strength
and lubricity of coolant needs to
be taken into account concern-
ing its condition,” said Tim
Holland, assistant manager of
Lube N’ Cruise in Kings
Mountain. “Coolant also needs
to be flushed and replaced ev-
ery two years or so to maintain
its highest lubricating and cool-
ing qualities. While the cooling
system is being flushed, it’s also
a good idea to check the condi-
tion of hoses and belts.”
If your car has seen a lot of
~
Herald/Times
miles since its last tune-up, now
is the time to get that job done.
The important thing to remem-
ber is that years ago, a person
could tune their own car. Now,
computer chips and electronic
fuel injection make that next to
impossible.
“Replacing items such as
PCV valves and checking the
condition of air filters and fuel
filters is an important part of
winterizing,” Holland said. “An
oil change and complete lubri-
cation is also a good idea before
cold weather arrives.”
With the mechanical side of
your car’s needs satisfied, it’s
good to turn some attention to
the body. Though most new
cars have superior rust protec-
tion and paint jobs designed to
shine for years with little or no
trouble, it’s still wise to puta
coat of polymer based protec-
tant on external surfaces.
Weekly washing with a clean- :
ing liquid designed specifically :
for cars is also good. The use of :
plain dish detergent to wash ~~:
your car should be avoided as
that type of soap will quickly
strip off protectants and lessen
rather than lengthen the life of
your car’s paint. :
As long as you have the hose
out washing the body of your :
vehicle, take a few minutes to §
thoroughly flush the underside :
and wheel wells. Doing this will }
get rid of accumulated mud and ;
salt that leads to underbody ~~
rust.
Final tips to make your car
safe and reliable for the winter
months include checking the
windshield wiper blades for
flexibility and overall condition, §
keeping the fuel tank at least
half full to prevent internal :
rusting, and checking tire infla- :
tion pressure and tread depth. :
Have a safe pet Halloween
Though most people think of
Halloween in terms of kids
dressing up and going out trick
or treating, pet owners need to
know that their canine and fe-
line friends are also aware
something strange is in the air.
With all the focus on safety for
kids, Fido or JoJo sometimes get
left out of the Halloween safety
equation.
Dressing pets up in
Halloween costumes seems like
a cute idea to some pet owners,
but several things need to be
kept in mind to prevent
Halloween from becoming
scarier than planned. Before
costuming your pet, take their
individual personalities into
consideration. Some dogs and
cats are compliant and seem to
really enjoy wearing an outfit.
Anyone who has seen the
“Wishbone” TV series knows
just how much that pooch likes
his wardrobe. Other pets are
not too sure about being clad in
a Halloween costume and be-
come skittish or irritable.
Once you get the costume is-
sue settled with your pet, con-
sider where you want to take
them and how they might react
to people dressed in odd outfits.
Even if you decide to let your
pet go costumeless and stay at
home, be aware of how they
will treat trick or treaters at
your door. If you know your
dog is very territorial and pro-
tective of your household, you
might consider restraining it or
keeping it out of the living
room where it could bite some-
one.
What goes into your pet's
stomach is another Halloween
pet safety factor to figure.
Although candy might not be
bad fora pet owner, the effect it |
has on animals can be quite dif- :
ferent. Chocolate is especially ~~:
dangerous and can lead to sick- :
ness and even death in animals. :
Hard candy can also become
lodged in a pet's throat as can
candy wrappers.
Using common sense, know-
ing your pet's disposition, and
remembering that pets are de-
pendent upon their owner’s :
judgment in many areas can en- :
sure a safe and happy 3
Halloween.
KM folks recall favorite Halloween
BY HEATHER BARR
Looking back on past
‘Halloweens a person can recall
many tales of tricks, treats and
(dressing up.
§ ANON ATTEN A ron
It is interesting and personal
to find out what other people
dressed up as or did on
Halloween.
Some famous athletes told
Sports Illustrated Kids maga-
zine what they were. Troy
Aikman, football player for the
Dallas Cowboys, was Dracula
when he was 10 years old.
Dominique Dawes, US Olympic
gymnast, was a clown ages 6 to
10. Chris Zorich, football player
for the Chicago Bears, was the
Hunchback of Notre Dame
once.
Local “celebrities” also recall
their favorite Halloween cos-
tumes and pranks.
“I remember when I was in
third or fourth grade we would
' goto the’ principal’s house,
knock on the door and hide.
Once I even hid under a car.
The only costume I remember is
wearing a mask,” said Wade
Tyner of Wade Ford.
“I remember the school carni-
vals on Halloween,” said John
McGinnis of McGinnis
Department Store.
“I just remember trick or treat-
ing in my hometown of
Peachland and getting home-
made stuff. It was fun because
everyone knew everyone and it
Deuces Wild increase
lead in duckpin bowling
i Deuces Wild (40-16) swept
' Thursday’s Heroes (30-26) 8-0
Thursday night to increase its
lead to 10 games in Mixed
Duckpin Bowling League ac-
tion.
Greg Evans led the winners
with a 139 line and 377 set, and
Sue Abernathy had a 129-334.
Ed Philbeck had a 132 line and
347 set and Allen Myers had a
107-305 for the Heroes.
In another match Barrett's
Bombers (24-32) and Zeke’s
Zingers (18-38) split 4-4.
Tommy Barrett led the Bombers
with a 129 line and 363 set.
Zeke Rybezyk had a 119-327
and Greg Mocanu a 120-311 for
the Zingers.
In Tuesday night action, the
first place Duck Heads (40-16)
defeated Tyrene’s Ducks (24-32)
6-2, and the Old Timers (26-30)
swept Ducks Unlimited (22-34)
8-0.
Mark Midgette led the Duck
Heads with a 147 line and 379
set and Zeke Rybczyk added a
140-356. Ed Philbeck led
Tyrene's Ducks with a 116-322.
Chuck Ruley had a 119-334,
Colleen Philbeck 121-320 and
John Dilling 107-310 to lead the
Old Timers. Robbie Hullender
led Ducks Unlimited with a
127-355.
was really safe,” said Bob
McRae, Superintendent of
Kings Mountain Schools.
“We didn’t celebrate
Halloween in the South of New
Orleans. All Saints Day on
Novémibet'l was celebrated
and everything closed down.
People decorated graves and
everything. I never heard of
trick or treating until we moved
into town when I was 12 and by
then I was too old,” said Rose
Turner, Librarian at Mauney
Memorial Library.
“I remember dressing up as
Uncle Sam for this bicycle
parade we had every year in
my hometown of Glen Burnie,
Maryland. My mom made the
costume with a big top hat and
we decorated my bicycle in
crepe paper,” said Jay Rhodes
of the Chamber of Commerce.
“I dressed up as an Indian all
the time because my father and
I were in the YMCA Indian ~~ i
Guides. I also remémber when &
we had a foreign exchange stu *§”
dent when I was in high school. ;
It was funny because he had
never seen Halloween celebrat-
ed before, so that year he
dressed up in a mask and tried
to scare people,” said Tripp
Hord, director of Parks and
Recreation.
“One year I was a ghost and
they put white shoe polish on
my face. It took a long time to
get off,” said Mayor Scott
Neisler.
SS
ALAN HODGE/THE HERALD
Kings Mountain Women’s Club members Nancy Ross (left) and
Linda Dixon took a moment from cooking the good food
served at the Fall Festival last Wednesday to enjoy one of
the flower exhibits. Over 800 diners feasted on the lunch and
dinner the Women’s Club provided.
SIDEWALK SURVEY
By ALAN HODGE Herald/Times
mW
“It's better if the child-
ren celebrate
Halloween in a
‘Both ways of cele-
brating Halloween can
be used.
The children shouldn't
be on the streets, but
have a Halloween party
Should Halloween trick or treating be held the traditional way or in a structured setting?
structured setting. at church. well as an organized better.
event.
Cindi Randal Angelica Sanders Kim Kays Everette Osborne
Cory Jolly —~ Weaverville Shelby Fletcher Shelby
| think it can be done
in a manner to allow
for the old tradition as
With crime the way it
is, an organized
Halloween party is
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LETTERS
=
October 28, 1999
Kids Etc.!
program off
to good start
To the editor:
Another school year is here
and the Kids Etc.! Program is
off to a great start! We would
like to tell you a little about our
program.
Our program started in 1988
i when a community need was
recognized. The program start-
ed at West Elementary with 12
students as an “after school care
program.” It has now grown to, .
serve approximately 225 stu-
dents in all five elementary
schools in the Kings Mountain
District.
Kids Etc.! exceeds childcare
standards set forth by the North
Carolina Department of Public
Instruction. Each staff member
is certified in CPR and first aid” °
training. All employees have re-
ceived their child care creden- -
tials. Our philosophy is that all
school age children should be
cared for in a safe, nurturing,
environment with materials and
activities that are age appropri-
ate. The Kids Etc.! staff recog-
nizes each child as an individu-
al, and much of a child’s
self-image is developed during
these early school years.
We provide homework time
for all our children and our staff
is always willing to help any-
one who has a question about
their homework.
We have a balance of self-di-
rected and adult-guided activi-
ties. Material and activities are
provided and are intended to
stimulate the child's emotional,
social, intellectual and physical
development.
Kids Etc.! also has speciality
instructors and resources from
the community that visit each
site. Financial assistance may be
available for those that meet ~~
certain requirements. Kids Etc.!
operates on teacher workdays"
from 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Patsy Walker
Thank God
video poker
is going out
God gets the glory and honor
for the recent South Carolina
Supreme Court ruling that bans
video poker in the Palmetto
State. Only a sovereign Lord
who is in control could get five
Supreme Court judges to agree
that a moral issue is more im-
portant than America’s idol, the
“almighty dollar.”
While non-believers scratch
their heads and wonder what
happened and what comes
next, it’s a “sure bet” that God
already knows what the future
holds and God will use this de-
velopment for His good will
and the saving of many souls.
Christians everywhere
should be praising God for His
divine intervention and praying
for those affected by this
change. This is another oppor-
tunity for Christians to reach
out and show non-believers the
love and compassion of Jesus
and pray for God to soften
hearts.
I pray that during the tumul-
tuous days ahead these non-be-
lievers will come to know and
trust Jesus, the only person who
longs to make them “real win-
ners” of eternal life and that's
no “game of chance.”
Mindy Acuna
Kings Mountain
Look inward
for changes
you expect
To the editor:
In response to Dr. McRae’s
~ “conversation” on attendance in
our schools:
On behalf of many parents,
we become frustrated through
our attempts to communicate
successfully with the faculty on
our children’s educational mat-
ters. Too often parents fail to
find the partnership in our dis-
trict that is essential to the stu-
dent's educational interest.
When parents find themselves
in this situation, they eventually
lose hope in finding adequate
help in maintaining a health
perspective of school issues, for
their children. Demands be-
come unreasonable burdens not
only to parents, even more so
for the student.
Life doesn’t operate on de-
mand performance, and we
don’t get what we don’t earn.
This is no different than a poor-
ly managed business having
problems keeping customers.
Stop pointing fingers and share
the responsibility. Look inward
"for the désired changes you ex-
pect.
Sarah D. Parker
Farmville
thanks KM
for support
(Ed. Note: The following let-
ter. was written to the Kings
Mountain Mayor and Board of
~ Commissioners).
Dear Mayor and Board:
As Mayor of Farmville and
on behalf of the flood victims in
our community, I wish to ex-
press our appreciation to the
“good people of Kings Mountain
for their generous contribution
‘of food, clothing, and cleaning
* supplies that we received this
past weekend.
Certainly, we are experienc-
ing a situation like we thought
could never happen here.
However, through the spirit of
people such as those in Kings
Mountain, we are making
progress and we will recover.
Please share this with those re-
sponsible.
Give our regards to
Commissioner Rick Murphrey,
a native son of Farmville.
Robert L. Evans
Kyle Smith
good choice
for mayor
To the editor:
I want to recommend to the
citizens of Kings Mountain Kyle
~ Smith for mayor.
I have had several dealings
with Mr. Smith in the past when
he was mayor and I always was
treated with dignity and re-
spect.
One time I was involved in
an'accident with a city vehicle.
Mr. Smith and Mr. Woods called
me up to City Hall. We went in
Mr. Smith's office and discussed
the accident. I did not get the
answer I wanted, but they did
“treat me like a human being.
I think this is the kind of
mayor we need. One we can
trust and one that is fair, and
one who believes that everyone
is created equal.
He owes nobody anything
and I know that he cannot be
pressured into changing his
vote on any issue.
Let's elect Kyle Smith mayor
on November 2.
Theresa Falls
Letter Policy
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are able to share their views. We
therefore limit the number of
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.Also, we ask that you keep your
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Handwritten letters are accept-
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reserve the right to edit letters
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Letters must be received no
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the week they are to be pub-
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aE