OUR
OPINION
R :
Thinking
jo
Thursday, July 11, 2002
Editor: Gary Stewart 739-7496
I
YOUR VIEW
‘bout things
and people
Just wondering:
Why do
they have
magazines
in an eye
doctor’s
office? The
reason
you're in
there in the
first place is :
Gary Stewart
because |
you can’t Editor
see!
Do deer and cattle know
they're supposed to cross
the road only where the
crossing signs are?
Why do you park in a
driveway and drive on a
parkway?
If winning isn’t impor-
tant, why do they keep
score?
If blondes have more fun,
do they know it?
Just thinking:
=
e Kings Mountain High
If Stephen Fisher is as
fierce a competitor as head
coach as he was as a base-
ball player, he'll get the
most out of his talent as
new head baseball coach of
the KM Mountaineers. Of all
the outstanding players I've
seen here in my time, he’s
one of the few that just
absolutely refused to let
anyone beat him.
It seems like July 4th is
getting hotter and hotter. I
used to could stay at a city
celebration all day, now it’s
all I can do to stand that hot
sun for a couple hours.
Maybe it’s not that it’s get-
ting hotter, but I'm getting...
older. The heat last week iit
didn’t seem tobe having <b |!
that much effect on the
kids...
Where has the summer
gone? One of the announce-
ments made at Monday
night's school board meet-
ing is that teachers will be
returning to work on July
29th. Kids, time's running
~ out! .
Merger or not,
KM should keep
its hospital
This merger is moving, but is it at its
conclusion? Staff Writer .
Kings Mountain Hospital and SS
Cleveland Regional Medical Center started discussing
merger possibilities this year and by July 15, the first
approval for the two hospitals integration may happen.
Unlike the school merger, Kings Mountain would not be
yielding power to Shelby, but Charlotte.
Both Cleveland County hospitals are managed by
Carolinas HealthCare System, which has Carolinas
Medical Center as-its flagship facility.
Unlike the school merger which took place behind
closed doors and made itself known after commissioners
hand delivered a letter to a newspaper, merger talks with
the two hospitals has mostly been done out in the open.
And considering both hospitals are owned by county
citizens, it’s a good thing.
Lets just hope all involved stick to their guns and
Kings Mountain keeps its hospital.
The town now has an office housing the county's
American Red Cross Chapter, a satellite county health
department office and a new complex housing doctors’
offices.
And while mergers seem to always have people talking
around here, another issue that occurred in California has
had several people speaking out.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the
words “under God” in the pledge of allegiance are uncon-
stitutional.
Wow is the only word that could describe that decision.
More words could not begin to describe the absurdity or
lack of reasoning used in the decision.
If the pledge ruling stands, which it hopefully will not,
what's next?
Do we ban any songs that have any implicit or explicit
religious meaning? Where does it end?
If a person who gets offended at every little thing can
bring such a trivial lawsuit this high in the court system,
something needs to be done.
Either remove the judges that let such frivolous things
go through the court system or implement a stiff financial
penalty for anyone who files such laughable litigation.
See Ben, 5A
Ben Ledbetter
Nostalgia:
A friend who collects stuff
brought me something I
hadn't seen in years the
other day: A Double Cola.
You ‘youngins won't know
what I'm talking about, but
it was a very tasty soft drink
back when I was a kid. I
didn’t know they still made
them. He found this one in
Tennessee. Wonder if there
are any Lotta Colas still
around?
Another friend called to
ask if I could remember
when President Roosevelt
rode through Kings
Mountain (in a car, not on
the train as he did some-
times going to Georgia). I've
seen it in old papers before,
and I suspect it was in the
See Gary, 5A
School baseball team of 1993 won the Sta
against Asheboro at KM’s Lancaster Field. One of its players - ace pitcher Stephen Fisher - Wednesday was named new
head coach of the Mountaineers. Members of the ‘93 team included, front row, left to right, Chris Rider, Caja Ormand,
Mike Smith, Kevin Melton, Robert Wingo and Sheldon Smith. Second row, Robbie Ruff, Todd Ware, Doran Moore,
TeeGee Goforth, Stephen Fisher and Rick Marr. Back row, Shane Webb, Damon Putnam, David R. Jenkins, Benji Ingle,
Sharee Hopper, Johnny Bunch, David C. Jenkins and Lewis Nantz.
: Se ;
nship in a best-of-three series
ER a
Ps
te
a
3A champio
Ee
One too many
trips to the trap
and you're dead
Alan Hodg
This is a two part ditty. The first part Guest Column
doesn’t have anything to do with the sec- u
ond part but for some reason or another they seem to go
together rather well. Sort of like a slice; of.cold pizza and, a
cup of coffee for breakfast, Lriono0 2 (list
There is a word in the language that has become more
and more irritating to me. No, it’s not seborrhea, it is
celebrity.
What is a celebrity? Who decides who will become a
celebrity? Who worships celebrities and places them on a
higher pedestal than mere mortals? Last but not least,
what gives so called celebrities the right to think they can
mostly do as they please?
In both TV and print we are constantly bombarded with
the shines of spoiled brats young and old who have been
crowned as celebrities. These reported exploits, travails,
and pseudo-triumphs are not limited to the television
show that has a man who looks like he was made of plas-
Sa
Si
313 ih
the type which also feature such journalism as Bill
Clinton's relationship with a creature from outer space.
No indeed, celebrities and their indulgent lives are a
regular page feature of many newspapers who feel it nec-
essary to inform the populace of so and so’s divorce, or
this that and the other’s latest tantrum. Why waste space
on this rot? Not I.
Who cares what happens in Malibu? Who gives a flip
over the latest Hollywood scandal? Like my mammy used
to say about flies and wasps - ignore them and they will
go away.
Now for the next chunk of opinion from Old Alan.
I have this past week been witness to a death caused by
two very powerful forces - that is, greed and overconfi-
dence.
For several evenings the slumber at my dwelling place
was disturbed by a scritching, scratching, and gnawing
sound in the darkness. No, I was not having a snack. It
was a mouse seeking air conditioned comfort and free-
See Alan, 5A
o
7
tic as the host. Nor are they to be found only in tabloids of
Citizens need
to be heard
on merger
of hospitals
To the editor:
I am writing this letter in
response to the article
“Done Deal?” published on
July 4, 2002 in the Kings
Mountain Herald.
The future of Kings
Mountain Hospital (KMH)
is going to be decided on
July 15, 2002 when the
advisory board of Kings
Mountain Hospital will
vote over the “letter of
intention of merger” with
Cleveland Regional
Medical Center (CRMC).
The Charlotte Hospital
System (CHS) leased Kings
Mountain Hospital in 1995
and promised to help the
hospital as long as it stays
profitable. But for the past
four years, CHS has
refused to financially assist
Kings Mountain Hospital
which has hindered the
growth of the hospital.
Kings Mountain Hospital
is not in any dire need of
financial help but is going
through growing pains.
Because of this area’s
potential for growth,
CRMC administrator, John
Young, has referred to
Kings Mountain as a “fer-
tile crescent” of the county.
This projected growth cre-
ates the need for financial
resources for Kings
Mountain Hospital.
Charlotte Hospital
System has directed Kings
"NISRaIn Fos ital to seek
fitidheial dsbistante from!
Cleveland Regional
Medical Center. This shift
in their policy, originally
unforeseen, is aimed to
give CRMC control of
Kings Mountain Hospital.
A shift in control, whether
short-term or long-term,
may jeopardize the exis-
tence of Kings Mountain
Hospital as an acute care
facility.
Kings Mountain Hospital
has several options to con-
sider at this juncture:
1 - Go back to CHS and
request them to reconsider
financial assistance to ful-
fill their promise and
moral obligation to KMH.
this may require persua-
sion by the county com-
missioners, local leaders,
and members of the com-
munity.
2 - For Kings Mountain
Hospital to be left alone
and expand when funds
become available from the
day-to-day operations of
the hospital. Meanwhile,
seek funds from the com-
munity for the growth and
expansion of the hospital,
similar to community proj-
See Letter, 5A
SIDEWALK
SURVEY
B... hdd i,
BY BEN LEDBETTER
THE HERALD
Do you think
America has become
more patriotic since
Oh, without a doubt.
People are finally realizing
what this country’s all
about.
I'm hopeful. I think it
brought us to our knees.
September 11°?
Esther Muench
Got a question you'd like to sub- X .
9 y Kings Mountain
mit to Sidewalk Survey? Send your
question by mail to us here at The
Herald. If we use your question,
we'll give you the credit.
Larry Bridges
Kings Mountain
I think so. You just see a
lot more flags.
Well, people have more
customs. I just wish it
never happened, it’s a bad
Kim Shelton thing.
Kings Mountain
Memory Lowery
Kings Mountain
Yes. It seems like the peo-
ple are coming together
more.
Glenda Moultry
Kings Mountain