Vol. 115 No.4
~~ + Since 1889
50 Cents
uring
city Manager
Jimmy Maney
| Land AN
| LL LR :
; i HR 2 ont “ (5) iL ny fo
(07 Meni A
| oN! pTED TRIN
| 300465 Woo™
i WE :
2h i
| ;
Oratorical contest
keeps dream alive
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
Numerous people gathered at Kings Mountain High
School on Monday evening to hear the emotional per-
formances of Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a
The junior dance team of International Gates of Dance (above) performed an interpretive dance at the second
annual Martin Luther King Oratorical Competition at B.N. Barnes Auditorium Monday night. Below, Lester Williams
of Kings Mountain, who won first place, recites King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
ABIGAIL WOLFORD / HERALD
69 apply for
KM’s City
Manager job
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Sixty-nine people have
applied for the position of
Kings Mountain City
Manager and City Council
will begin screening applica-
tions in a closed session on
February 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Current City Manager
Jimmy Maney retired effec-
tive December 31, but has
agreed to stay on as interim
city manager on a part-time
basis until his replacement
is named.
Mayor Rick Murphrey
said the city has received
applications from all over
the United States with an
experience range of zero to
several years in municipal
administration. Murphrey
said no one currently
employed by the city has
applied.
The city recently adver-
tised the opening in some
state and national trade
publications, and that has
helped draw quality appli-
cants, Murphrey said.
“We have a wide range of
applicants,” he said. “The
Council has indicated they
would like to have someone
from North Carolina and
also from this area, if we
could, because they are
more familiar with the state
codes and statues, which is
very important.”
Other important qualities
would be someone experi-
enced in utilities and com-
munication skills, Murphrey
said.
“We would like to have
someone with as much utili-
ty experience as they could
have,” he said. “We're a
utility-driven town. We're
one of only eight cities in
North Carolina that sell four
utilities, so that’s where we
get most of out revenue.
We're hopeful we'll get
someone with good utility
experience.
“And, one of the other
things we've discussed is
that they have good com
j See City, 3A
Dream” speech at the second annual Martin Luther King
Oratorical Competition. Those who gathered were not
disappointed, as the five competitors delivered the =
speech in ways they felt they could best honor King.
King originally delivered the speech to 200,000 civil
rights marchers at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28,
1963. His memory was not distorted as the young and
old gathered in the auditorium to hear his words spoken
from both those who remembered him and those who
were not born until after he died.
Donna Huie Brooks, of Cleveland Headline News, was
emcee for the evening. She opened the evening with
remarks about the competition and the day. She
thanked the city for being willing to host such an event.
“While it’s for the entire community, the city of Kings
Mountain has taken upon itself to host this event in
honor of Martin Luther King,” said Brooks.
She honored the spirit of Martin Luther King and the
strivings of those who still long for his dreams to
See King, 3A
Two charged
Two individuals were charged last
week in connection with a December
drug bust in Kings Mountain.
Garreth Deron Thompson, 27, of 210
Maple Street, Shelby, was charged with
one count of possession with intent to
sell and deliver cocaine, and one count
of maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for
the purpose of selling controlled sub-
stances.
Both are felony charge.s He was
given a $20,000 secured bond.
During December's bust, which law
enforcement officials called “Operation
Sleigh Ride,” Thompson, who at the
time was residing at 939 Grace Street,
Man electrocuted i
Sunday afternoon
the ground.
Sgt. R.S. Davis of KMPD
administered CPR to Parker a:
until EMS arrived. He was
transported to Kings
Mountain Hospital where he
was pronounced dead.
A Kings Mountain man
was electrocuted Sunday
afternoon while attempting
to trim a tree on Center
Street.
According to Kings
Mountain Police, David
Allen Parker, 33, of 1361
Center Street, was on a 40-
foot extension ladder and
tried to throw a nylon rope
around the tree to secure the
ladder. The rope came into
contact with a primary elec-
tric line containing 7200
volts, that was located with-
in three feet of the tree.
Parker was shocked and fell
from the top of the ladder to
WINTER WALK
According to investigating
officer Lee Farris, two men
were on the ground holding
the ladder for Parker. Parker
landed on the men and one,
Lynn Heatherton, sustained
injuries to his neck and
- back. He was transported to
Cleveland Regional Medical
Center. The other man was
not hurt.
a NR
in connection to drug raid
Terrace. He faces one count each of sell
and deliver controlled substance, and
possession with intent to sell and
deliver cocaine. Proctor said his charge
was connected to the December bust
but he was not connected to the Grace
Street charges.
Twenty-one persons were charged in
December on 59 counts of various drug
charges. To date, Proctor said 17 of the
suspects have been arrested. The other
four are entered on the law enforce-
ment network all over the United
States.
King Mountain, was charged with one
count of possession with intent to
sell/deliver cocaine, and one count of
sell/deliver cocaine. He was jailed on a
$15,000 secured bond on those charges.
According to Det. Sgt. Lisa Proctor of
KMPD, Thompson was in court
Thursday for a probable cause hearing
. on those charges when he was served
with the latest charges.
Proctor said Thompson and others
who were living at the Grace Street
house in December have been evicted
by their landlord.
Also charged last week was Jonathan
Edward Adams, 26, of 319 Wilson See Charged, 3A
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
I.G. always has camera in hand
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
L.G. Alexander has been taking pictures since
the 1950s. Alexander and his camera have seen
many Cleveland County events, like weddings.
and family reunions. Although he does not
cover as many events as he used to, he still
enjoys his time with his camera.
“When I was in high school, I had a camera
that my sister’s boyfriend gave to me--it was his
excuse to see my sister--and the f-stops and shut-
ter speeds could be changed. It challenged me to
get good pictures,” said Alexander.
He said he would send his film through the
drugstore to be developed. On a roll of 24 expo-
sures, he would sometimes get back 16-18 prints.
“The challenge for me was to get back 24 out of
24,” he said.
In the army, he had a friend who had brought
‘his camera with him to Orlean France, where
Alexander was stationed for two years in the late
1950s. Alexander asked the guy if he could take
some pictures of him to send back to his mother
in the states. The friend encouraged him to send
home for his own camera, which he did.. When
Alexander received his camera, it still had unde-
veloped film in it. The friend showed him how
to develop the film.
See 1.G., 3A
GARY STEWART / THE HERALD
Not even snow will keep the most dedicated walkers
from getting their daily exercise. These men and women
were walking after Thursdays snowfall at the walking
track at Jake Early Sports Complex. The weatherman is
calling for another chance of snow today.
ALEXANDER
Gastonia Shelby: -
529 New Hope Road 106 S Lafayette St.
704-865-1233 704-484-6200
- Bessemer City
225 Gastonia Hwy.
704-629-3906
Kings Mountain
300 W. Mountain St.
704-739-4782
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Celebrating 129 Years
oR.
XX
YOUR
HOMETOWN
* BANK