4
Thursday, October 4, 2001
Vol. 113 No. 40
Since 188
Mounties host
Burns Friday
in big SWFH
conference battle
Page 1B
50 Cents
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
At first glance, it was your typical
September Sunday afternoon visit to
grandma's house.
The younger kids played out in the back
yard and climbed trees. The older men sat
around a picnic table and talked.
But inside, it was much different.
In the kitchen, a Thanksgiving Day din-
ner was spread on the table; and in the liv-
. tions about the current world situation.
- CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY
Barber family celebrates
Christmas early prior to
Navy SEAL’s deployment
a military expert to figure out that he
could be sailing into dangerous waters.
Although he is among what is probably
the best trained military unit in the world
and he supports whatever military action
may be coming, Barber has mixed emo-
Asked about a retaliation in
Afghanistan, which is already a country -
devastated by past wars, Barber admitted
he doesn’t know how effective it would be.
He does, however, have strong feelings
Staff Writer
Christmas tree.
ing room presents neatly wrapped in red
paper and bows were piled under a
At the home of Mary and John Barber Sr.
on Fulton Drive, it was a Sunday afternoon
filled with happy memories - even a visit
from Santa Claus - and perhaps deep
down a concern about what may be facing
their grandson, Michael Barber.
The younger Barber is a U.S. Navy SEAL
who will soon be deployed to a part of the
world that he is not at liberty to discuss.
But with the terrorist attacks on the World
Trace Center and Pentagon, it doesn’t take
strike us with terror
prevent it is to have
formed in 1962 by P
See Barber
Grady and Katie Costner’s American flag lights up Midpines
about the recent attacks in the U.S.
“All of these countries cannot stand up
to us militarily,” he said, “so they have to
people coming into this nation.”
This will be Barber's first deployment
since becoming a Navy SEAL. SEALS,
which stands for from the SEA, from the
AIR, and from the LAND, are an outfit
maritime counterpart to the U.S. Army
ists. The only way to
tighter security on
resident Kennedy as a
Page 3A home Sunday.
Lights come aglow early at
Costner’s Midpines home
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Over the years Grady and Katie
Costner’s Midpines home has become
known as Little McAdenville.
Each year at Christmas their home
comes aglow with 150,000 Christinas i
lights, decorating everything from trees to
Biblical and cartoon characters. ;
The lights are on early this year, but
they're not depicting their usual scenes.
After the September 11 terrorist attacks
in the U.S., Costner went to his backyard
shop and made frames for an American
flag and a sign “God Bless America.” Mrs.
Costner strung 350 lights on the flag and
the red, white and blue proudly flies on a
pole in the couple’s front yard for all to
see.
Even prior to the attacks, the Costners
discussed purchasing a big flag to fly dur-
ing July Fourth and other special occa-
sions. After the attacks, Mrs. Costner
searched stores all over the area but could-
n't find a traditional cloth U.S. flag.
“So I just went down to the shop and |,
built on,” Costner said.
The flag flies on a large pole that the
Costners usually use for their Christmas
carrousel.
Costner said it took him about a day to
make the flag, and it took Mrs. Costner
another day to string the lights.
The 21/2 feet by 4 feet flag has drawn
. Michael Barber opens Christmas presents at his grandparents:
enormous attention from neighbors and
passersby. Already, other folks are asking
Costner to make them one.
“I really didn’t do this to sell,” he said.
“But I did make flags for two ladies.”
The Costners, who are now busy build-
ing scenes for their Christmas display, say
they will leave the tiag in place until'the
“war” against terrorism is over. “We may
even leave it up permanently, or else
replace it with a real American flag,”
Costner said.
“But this one’s prettier than a regular
flag,” Mrs. Costner added.
Both have their pros and cons, Costner
said. ;
“The only time you can see a real flag is
during the day,” Costner said, “and the
only time you can see ours is at night.”
With the recent terrorist attacks drawing
more emphasis to patriotism, and
Christmas just around the corner, the
Costners feel they'll have more visitors
than ever during this Christmas season.
They're already stringing some of the
“higher” Christmas lights and will begin
assembling the yard scenes after
Halloween. The lights will be turned on
Thanksgiving Day from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and
burn throughout the Christmas season.
“I've been making Christmas scenes all
summer,” Costner said. “I believe more
people than ever will come to see them this.
year. People are getting pretty overloaded
on watching TV news all the time.”
Grace Methodist
bloodmobile nets 67
pints for Red Cross
By BEN LEDBETTER
Staff Writer
When the Cleveland County
Chapter of the American Red
Cross started its bloodmobile
last Thursday at Grace United
Methodist Church, expectations
for blood donations looked to
be going well.
Blood Services Director Sandi -
Bolick said approximately 25
people had shown up within
the first hour.
The blood drive went from
1:30 p.m.-6 p.m. that evening.
At approximately 4 p.m.,
Bolick said about 40 pints of
blood had been donated, and
the number was expected to
rise.
“I'm expecting another rush
“hour,”
probably within the next half
Bolick said.
And at the end of the drive,
- the final count was 67 pints of
blood, with eight people donat-
ing for the first time, according
to Grace United Méthodist and
the Red Cross. :
But the blood drives are
about other things besides giv-
ing blood, Bolick said.
“This is a social visit,” Bolick
said. “Because everybody
knows everybody and they just
enjoy seeing each other every
eight weeks.”
While lots of regular donors
show up at area bloodmobiles,
Bolick said a lot of first-time
donors have turned out since
See Bleedmobile Page 3A
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Celebrating 127 Years
300 W. Mountain St.
BEN LEDBETTER/THE HERALD
Scott Carpenter, a Red Cross volunteer, gives blood at the blood drive
last week at Grace United Methodist Church.
Kings Mountain
704-739-4782
Gastonia
529 New Hope Road
704-865-1233
Shelby
106 S. Lafayette St.
704-484-6200
Economic
outlook
not good
Unemployment rate 12%,
KM plant may be closing
By BEN LEDBETTER
One of Kings Mountain's oldest mills may be
succumbing to the textile slowdown in Cleveland
County.
According to a letter sent from Mauney
Hosiery to the city, the mill may be closing.
“We were saddened to hear about that,” City of
Kings Mountain Mayor Rick Murphrey said.
“They were one of the leaders in'the hosiery busi-
ness for many years.”
Kemp Mauney, President of the mill would not
comment “until we could figure out what's hap-
pening here.”
“I would not want to say anything that would
jeopardize us from operating,” Mauney said:
Mill employee David Faunce also declined
comment.
The hosiery plant located on Pine Street, off
Battleground Avenue was founded in 1937 by
W.K. Mauney Jr.
If the plant closed it could also raise the unem-
ployment rate in Cleveland County.
The county’s jobless rate went down by a tenth
of a percentage point from July's figures, but the
county’s figures are still the highest in the state,
according to August figures released by the North
Carolina Employment Security Commission.
Cleveland County's rate dropped from 12.2
percent in July to 12.1 percent in August while
See KM Plant Page 3A
People more
concerned
about flying
since attacks
By BEN LEDBETTER
Staff Writer
Sweeping security changes are coming to air-
ports, including positioning of National Guard
Troops at security gates, and retraining of security
workers.
President Bush announced the changes during
a speech last week at Chicago’s O'Hare Airport,
which was designed to make air travel safer and
to bolster confidence in flying after the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks.
The Associated Press reported last week that
governors in Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Minnesota,
and Kentucky were among those responding
quickly to Bush’s request to mobilize National
Guard units at the federal government's expense.
In North Carolina, National Guard troops will
be called to 12 of the state’s commercial airports.
According to an NC National Guard spokesper-
son, the airports are: Asheville Regional in
Fletcher, Charlotte / Douglas International, Craven
Regional in New Bern, Fayeteville, Piedmont
Triad International in Greensboro, Hickory
Regional, Wilmington International, Kinston -
Regional Jetport, Albert J. Ellis Airport in
Richlands, Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville,
Raliegh-Durham International, and the Moore
County-Airport in Pinehurst.
Public Affairs Officer Capt. Robert Carver said
the mission is expected to take between four to
six months, and will involve the FAA working
with the National Guard and Governor Easley’s
office.
“It will involve National Guard members being
an armed and visible deterrent at commercial air-
ports in the state,” Carver said.
The United States Government wants to have
the operation running by October 5, Carver said.
He said the troops will be augmenting the securi-
ty force and local law enforcement already at the
_ airports.
Nationwide, the operation will involve 422 air-
ports, with about 5,000 National Guard Troops
being used.
- The largest NC National Guard Battalion in the
area is the 505th Engineering Battalion in
Gastonia.
See Safety Page 3A
Bessemer City
1225 Gastonia Hwy.
704-629-3906
Member FDIC