The Her
Thursday, January 2, 2003
Vol. 115 No. 1
Since 1889
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Drought,
ice storm
top stories
of year in KM
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
The top stories in Kings Mountain
in the year 2002 mirrored the top sto-
ries over North Carolina and many
other states.
Two weather-related events claim
the top two positions in the top ten
stories compiled by Herald staff.
Coming in at #1 was the five-year
drought that has devastated this area
and much of the State.
With rainfall below normal for the
fifth summer in a row, many wells
went dry and creeks and rivers that
supply municipal water systems also
ran dangerously low.
The summer was particularly
rough, as the area went almost two
months without substantial rainfall.
The Broad River, which supplies
water to Shelby and the Upper
Cleveland County Sanitary District,
almost went dry and resulted in
Kings Mountain selling water to
Shelby out of Moss Lake.
Temporary lines were installed
from Moss Lake to Shelby and Shelby
purchased emergency water for
almost two weeks until rain began
refilling the Broad. Moss Lake's level
was down about five feet during the
height of the drought, but heavier
than normal rainfall in the Fall has
put it back at full pond.
The drought prompted Mayor Rick
Murphrey and former Mayor John
Moss to revive Moss's 1983 plan for a
second lake at Muddy Fork Creek.
City Council gave authority to study
the possibility but that’s as far as the
plan has gone thus far.
Shelby drew about two million gal-
lons a day from Moss Lake for a peri-
od of almost two weeks. The County
Board of Commissioners approved
some funds, and Shelby, the County
and the Sanitary District also
received some grant money to help
provide approximately $6 million to
run lines from the New Broad to
Shelby’s water plant for future emer-
gencies.
A December ice storm that resulted
LOOK BACK
AT 2002
TOP TEN
The weather provided the top two stories of the year for Kings Mountain
and surrounding areas. During the summer the area suffered through a
drought. Top photo shows temporary water lines that carried water from
Moss Lake to Shelby. In December, an ice storm caused almost a half-mil-
lion dollar damage. Lower photo shows Kings Mountain electrical depart-
ment workers repairing a transformer at Cleveland Avenue and King Street.
in loss of power for up to two weeks
in North Carolina was rated the #2
story of the year.
The City of Kings Mountain lost
power for up to five days in some
areas, and had financial losses in
excess of $450,000.
Probably because of its aggressive
tree-trimming policy, the city fared
better than most areas. Over one mil-
lion Duke Power customers lost
power, and in some cases it wasn't
restored for almost two weeks.
Many counties in North Carolina,
including Cleveland, were declared
disaster areas making them eligible
for federal assistance to recoup some
See Top Ten, 3A
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
Blanton permanent fixture at KMPD
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
Marty Blanton began working for the
Kings Mountain Police Department on
August 25, 1977. Twenty-five years
later, she is still there and still liking
her job.
Blanton was born in Kings Mountain
and is a 1971 graduate of Kings
Mountain High School, where she
played in the percussion section in the
band. She took some computer cours-
es at Cleveland Community College
and then went through some training
in the police department after she
began her job as the administrative
assistant there.
Blanton said that she is glad that she
stayed in Kings Mountain and that the
idea of leaving never really occurred to
her.
“That's where I grew up, and it was
home. I enjoy the small town atmos-
9©
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hall]
HOMETOWN
BANK
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Celebrating 129 Years
phere. I
never
really
ever
thought
about
leav-
ing,”
she
said.
She
said she
raised
her chil-
dren in
the
local
school
system,
where
she knew most of the people, and felt
comfortable sending her kids to school
each day.
As the administrative assistant,
MARTY BLANTON
Kings Mountain
300 W. Mountain St.
704-739-4782
Blanton answers the phone for the
police chief and patrol captain, keeps
up with reports and grants, writes
memos, does paperwork and the pay-
roll, and whatever else needs to be
done. She normally works 8-5 each
day. :
“I've never dreaded to come to work.
It’s just that kind of job that you enjoy
the work that you do,” she said.
Blanton said that she enjoys the
variety of activities that occur each day.
“There is always something differ-
ent happening. These are good people
to work with and for,” she said. “The
city administration has a great benefit
package and treats their employees
fairly.”
Blanton said she will probably stay
at least five more years at the police
department before she retires. She
would like to finish 30 years there at
least, she said. In her first 25 years,
See Blanton, 3A
Gastonia
704-865-1233
TO 2003
KM should be
a safer place
to live in 2003
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
In the year to come,
Kings Mountain should
- become a safer place in
many ways, said Mayor
Rick Murphrey.
The city will help pro-
tect its citizens during disas-
ters like the ice storm by
establishing an emergency
shelter, said Murphrey. The
primary shelter site will
probably be the senior cen-
ter, he said, because it is
large enough to hold a num-
ber of people. Also, the cen-
ter is on the main road, and
most people are familiar
with it and would feel com-
fortable using it, he said.
The senior center
already has large rooms and
kitchens, as well as gas heat
and gas water. The only
_. major addition needed. at
the enter would be a gener-
ator, said Murphrey.
A secondary shelter may
also be established at the
Kings Mountain Armory.
Currently city officials are
talking with the national
guard about providing a
second shelter within the
armory for citizens, said
Murphrey.
Plans are also being
New industries,
revitalization KM’s
top goals
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
In the year to come,
Kings Mountain citizens can
look forward to many
improvements in their city,
making the area an even
better place to live, said
Mayor Rick Murphrey.
“We will continue with
economic development and
working with the county
and state to bring in new
industry and create new
jobs. Last year we were suc-
cessful,” said Murphrey.
Companies that moved
into Kings Mountain includ-
ed NVR, Blanchford, two
Sara Lee expansions, Hi-
Tech, and Encompass, said.
Murphrey.
“With these new addi-
tions, 700-800 jobs were cre-
ated in total,” said
Murphrey. “We'll continue
to work for economic devel-
opment.”
Making economic devel-
opment even more feasible,
Kings Mountain was again
named one of the top 50
cities to start new businesses
in the Site Selection maga-
zine this year, said
Murphrey.
Murphrey said that the
city will continue in its pre-
Shelby
529 New Hope Road 106 S Lafayette St.
704-484-6200
made to renovate and
improve the command cen-
ter for emergencies. Also,
Murphrey said police and
fire fighters will probably
have to go through addi-
tional training to meet
Bush's new homeland secu-
rity requirements.
“We're going to make
sure our resources are pro-
tected,” said Murphrey.
The city will also contin-
ue to focus on eliminating
crime in the community,
said Murphrey. Currently
the city is working with the
county to establish a drug
task force to help eliminate
illegal drugs in Kings
Mountain. Necessary
equipment, like video cam- |
eras in police cars, will also J
be provided.
“We want adequate pro-
tection and security for our
citizens,” gad Iviurphuc ya
This past week, the city
performed numerous arrests
and issued more warrants in
a drug raid called Operation
Sleigh Ride, said Murphrey.
He said the city would con-
tinue to try to eliminate the
use of illegal drugs.
“We want to make it a
clean city, a city that you're
proud of,” he said.
for 2003
ventive maintenance poli-
cies, which provides safe
working environments for
city associates as well.
The quality of life pro-
grams, like Keep Kings
Mountain Beautiful, a
branch of Keep America
Beautiful, will also continue
to be focused on in the next
year. At the same time,
Murphrey said the city
would continue to revitalize
and improve the downtown
area. With the new “active
living by design” programs
being promoted in the
Pedestrian Roadshows, the
city may also see more
greenways, bike paths, and
sidewalks to encourage peo-
ple to exercise more often
and more safely.
“The downtown area is
the heart of the community,
and it makes a statement to
prospective businesses,”
said Murphrey. “The quali-
ty of life improvements are
what we want to do.”
The special events in the
city, like the fourth of July
celebration, drew more than
40,000 people last year, said
Murphrey, and the city will
continue to hold events for
the citizens of Kings
Mountain and surrounding
areas.
Er —
TERK
Bessemer City
225 Gastonia Hwy. |
704-629-3906