Thursday, May 25, 2000
Vol. 112 No. 21
4
Since 1889
50 Cents
WI ors?
final thoughts
before graduating
Mixed Memories
Memorial Day time to reflect on good times and bad
BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
Though EdenGardens resi-
dents Ed Humphries and
Beaufort Wright's rooms are on-
ly a few feet apart, their
wartime experiences in the ser-
vice of our nation spans several
decades as well as the globe.
Good friends who often sit
together at the same table dur-
ing meals, Humphries and
Wright share the bond that only
those who have been soldiers
know. Though their military ex-
periences were different, each
man was touched by memories
they cannot forget.
Originally from the
Bethlehem community near
Kings Mountain, Ed Humphries
was a young married man sell-
ing shoes in Suffolk, Virginia
when Uncle Sam called his
number in 1939.
Humphries service was in the
U.S. Army Air Corps supply
department. His outfit was the
9th Air Force, originally based
in England.
“I got to England in 1942
while the Germans were drop-
ping bombs,” Humphries said.
“Later on, the Germans sent
rockets over as well.”
After the D-Day invasion on
June 6, 1944, Humphries and
his unit found itself at ad-
vanced air bases in France: The
See M-Day, 3A
Friends Ed Humphries (left) and Beaufort Wright of:
ALAN HODGE /THE HERALD:
EdenGardens in Kings Mountain often share a dinner table
and stories of their Army days. Both men say they have good-
and bad memories of their wartime service. ge
GARY STEWART / THE HERALD
In the tradition of the Circuit Riding Preacher, Rev. Dale Swofford arrives at church on horse-
back to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Grace United Methodist Church Sunday morning.
Lake officer continues search
The official rescue search for the body of Moss
about 45 rescuers and volunteers searched the
Lake drowning victim James Roy Carroll Sr. was
called off last Wednesday, but Kings Mountain
Police Lake Officer Bob Myers and other lake per-
sonnel continue a daily dragging process in hopes
of helping the family bring some closure to the
tragedy.
The body of James Roy Carroll Jr. was found
last Tuesday by a high-powered, infrared camera
in 48 feet of water. The body of James Roy Carroll
Sr. is believed to be in the same area, but because
of heavy silt and very cold water temperature res-
cue personnel were not able to locate it through
diving and camera efforts.
The two Shelby men drowned while on a fish-
area all day Monday through Wednesday before
calling off their efforts. g
Myers said he and other lake personnel have
been dragging about 2 1/2 hours each afternoon
but their efforts have been unsuccessful.
“We're looking in the same general area where
the son’s body was located,” Myers said. “But
we're talking about 48 feet of water where the
water temperature is about 40 degrees. The infor-
mation I get from rescue personnel and the coro-
ner is that water that cold will keep any body gas-
tric functions down so the body won't bloat and
come to the surface. It might be quite a bit longer
before the body is found, but we're still going to
GARY STEWART/ HERALD
When Harold Usry of
Irvington, NJ clocks in for a
day’s work, he catches the at-
tention of a lot of people. He
paints flag poles, and Monday
morning was caught painting
near the very top of the flag
ing trip on Saturday, May 13. It is believed they
quit fishing and started swimming on a very hot,
muggy day. Other boaters reported hearing calls
some closure to
for help and seeing one man flailing his arms be-
fore going under.
Over 70 rescue, fire and law enforcement per-
sonnel searched all day on Mother’s Day, and
A memorial service for James Carroll Sr. and a
funeral service for James Carroll Jr. was held last
Saturday at Clay-Barnette Chapel in Shelby.
KM teacher/coach faces
indecent liberties charge
A Kings Mountain teacher
and coach was charged Friday
with one felony count of al-
legedly taking indecent liberties
with a student.
Kings Mountain Police Ptl.
D.W. Tedder charged Russell
Edward “Rusty” Bumgardner,
30, of 1948 County Line Road,
Kings Mountain after a traffic
stop on North Piedmont
Avenue.
He was taken to the
Cleveland County Jail and later
released under a $15,000 se-
cured bond.
According to a KMPD press
release, a KMHS student was
allegedly “kissed and rubbed
on...against the will of the stu-
dent.”
tant football and assistant base-
ball coach at KMHS.
Ronnie Wilson, Asst. Supt. for
Personnel for Kings Mountain
District Schools, said the case is
a personnel matter and is under
investigation by school officials.
Police also made numerous
other felony arrests during the
past week.
Scotty Eugene Mullinax, 38,
of 500 Crescent Hill, was arrest-
éd Friday on charges of break-
ing and entering, felony larceny,
and felony possession of stolen
goods.
He was jailed under a
$15,000 secured bond.
Terrance Rashaun Duncan,
16, of 416 Battleground Avenue,
was arrested at Bojangles May
do some dragging every day and see if we can
find him. I'm sure the family would like to have
this.”
but KM merger
fight will continue
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Although their attempt to
get an injunction to stop the
State Board of Education from
acting on the Cleveland
County Commissioners merg-
er plan niext week failed
Monday in Wake County
Superior Court, Kings
Mountain School Board mem-
bers vow to fight merger until
the very end.
Judge Henry V. Barnette Jr.
denied the injunction because
it was “premature” but gave
the School Board attorneys
hope that, if the State Board
‘approves the plan on
Thursday, June 1, they would
still have time to seek an in-
junction prior to the plan’s im-
‘plementation on July 1.
KMDS attorneys Richard
Schwartz and Brian Shaw
claimed that the merger plan
causes “irreparable harm” to
183 Kings Mountain students
who live in Gaston County but
also in the Kings Mountain
city limits, and who are ex-
cluded from the commission-
ers’ merger plan.
However, the judge said the
State Board cannot cause ir-
reparable harm prior to mak-
ing a decision on the matter.
Kings Mountain officials
were disappointed by the deci-
sion, but say they still feel
good about their chances of
stopping the merger.
“I'm no attorney,” said Supt.
Dr. Bob McRae, “but what I
understood was he didn’t say
anything that would indicate
we wouldn't have a good ar-
gument on the Gaston County
issue, but it was his feeling =
that it was inappropriate for
him to grant an injunction pri-
or to the State Board making a
decision.”
Kings Mountain school offi-
cials hope the State Board will
not approve the plan because
of the Gaston County issue.
They claim those students
have been a part of KMDS for
years and that the Cleveland
County commissioners did not
abide by a General Statute that
they interpret to require ap-
proval of the merger plan by
Gaston County
Commissioners.
“The State Board certainly
has not approved the plan yet,
and there’s no absolute that
they're going to approve it,”
McRae said. “But we do know
that their staff attorney, prior
to their last meeting, had sug-
gested that they approve the
plan and let the courts decide
it.
“Our argument is pretty
strong. We certainly think our
attorneys have done an excel-
lent job to present an argu-
ment to validate the Gaston
County kids being a part of
our school system.”
Board member Ronnie
Hawkins said, even though he
was disappointed with the
judge’s ruling, he is still posi-
tive about Kings Mountain's
chances of eventually defeat-
ing the merger plan. He said
the judge and the State School
Board have to make decisions
based on the law and cannot
take into account the huge fi-
nancial burden merger will
See Merger, 7A
Injunction denied,
Eo tt
pole at the office of Kings
Mountain District Schools. He
will be in town for several days
Bumgardner is employed in
the Choice (alternative) pro-
gram at Kings Mountain
22 on two outstanding warrants
GARY STEWART / THE HERA
for robbery with a dangerous LD
Kings Mountain High graduating seniors make the long walk from the
5 ) V Bra school t
Stadium for Friday night's 1999-2000 commencement ceremonies. Over 220 do, Samble
. painting at all schools and at Middle School, and is an assis- See Police, 3A diplomas.
many municipal buildings.
Kings Mountain Gastonia Shelby Bessemer City
FIRST NATIONAL BANK 300 Ww Mountain St. 529 New Hope Rd. 106 S. Lafayette St. 1225 Gastonia Hwy.
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