The Heral:,
Thursday, March 20, 2003
KINGS
Vol. 115 No. 12
MOUNTAIN
Since 1889
50 Cents
6A
President’s ultimatum to Hussein
brings mixed reactions in KM
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
On Monday evening, President
Bush gave Saddam Hussein and
his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq and
avoid war. Otherwise, the United
States would strike, alone if neces-
sary.
On Tuesday, several citizens of
Kings Mountain reacted to the
President's speech and his steps
toward war.
Joe Hedden, a World War II vet-
eran who was part of many
famous kattles, including Okinawa
and Iwo Jima, said that he agrees
with the actions the United States
is taking.
“I think we're just as right as we
can be,” said Hedden. “I have
seen a lot of war, and I know that
there’s only one answer to what
we have in the Middle East. I'm
afraid we're going to have to do
Gateway
project
discussed
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
the same thing with Korea.”
He said Saddam Hussein is a
very scary person who must be
removed from power.
“You've got to stop people like
that,” he said.
Cleveland County Democratic
Party Chair and Kings Mountain
citizen Betsy Wells disagreed with
the actions the President now
plans to take against Iraq. She said
she missed the President’s speech
because she was at play practice at
the high school. She is the drama
director at Kings Mountain High
School.
Wells expressed concern as the
aunt of one of the soldiers near the
border of Iraq.
“I totally support the troops, but
I just think it’s wrong,” she said.
She said the government should
wait to launch an attack since Iraq
was finally beginning to comply
“I'm afraid we’re
going to have to
do the same thing
with Korea.”
Joe Hedden
World War Il veteran
with the weapons inspectors. The
United States should not under- -
mine its relationship with the
United Nations.
“I think we should wait since
they [Iraq] were complying with t
he inspectors. We should wait and
see what the UN says,” she said.
She also said that people should
remember that Saddam Hussein is
not Osama Bin Laden. Last year,
Bush told the American people
that Osama Bin Laden was the’
enemy. Now, he has switched
lanes. She said she worried about
the world’s reaction to the war.
“I just think it’s going to hurt
our image in the world,” she said.
The President should also think
of the soldiers who are overseas,
she said. She acknowledged that
he does not have any relatives in
the Middle East and expressed
concern for her nephew's safety.
Howard Avnet, a recent addition
to the Kings Mountain community,
worked for the department of taxa-
tion and finance in New York City
for many years. He said that 42
members of that department, the
offices of which were located in the
World Trade Center, were killed on
September 11. He, personally, was
On Wednesday, five Kings Mountain
officials joined many others in a teleconfer-
ence to discuss developing trails and
Gateway communities near parks. The
teleconference took place in Cowpens and
lasted about two hours.
Five Kings Mountain officials attended
the event, including Steve Killian, director
of planning and economic development;
Ellis Noell, special events and public rela-
tions director; Tripp Hord; and two mem-
bers of the planning board.
Ed McMahon, vice president of the con-
servation fund, led the talk. McMahon is
one of the foremost authorities on
Gateway community and trail planning.
Killian said that McMahon was scheduled
to come to Kings Mountain at one time but
that an automobile accident kept him from
visiting.
The teleconference was simply another
educational opportunity for those
involved in the Gateway project, said
Killian. Previously, planners have attend-
ed a session in Charlotte given by the
Catawba River Basin group.
teway, 3A
See Gateway, between 1790 and 1810.
; GARY STEWART / HERALD
Charlie Padgett takes advantage of a break in the weather Tuesday to put
cedar shingles on the Barber Cabin, which is being reconstructed behind the
Kings Mountain History Museum. The cabin was constructed sometime
the depot.
‘exterior imi rovements of
not there since he had already
retired.
He said that the crime was
heinous, but at the same time, the
thought of going to war makes
him feel very badly.
“The world is a crazy place
unfortunately,” he said. “I'd prefer
not to see war, but at the same
time, I'm not sure what we should
do.”
He said he supports the
President’s actions, although he
said he may be being brave
because he knows that he will not
be called on to fight in the war.
“I hope God is guiding our
leader’s actions, and His will will
be done,” he said.
Rev. Dale Swofford, of Grace :
United Methodist Church,
expressed his concern about the
situation in the world.
See Reactions, 3A
Landmarks Committee
approves renovations
plan for old SR depot
. BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD The colors represent a tran-
Staff Writer sition between the Victorian
The Historic Landmark and Arts and Crafts periods
Commission met on Friday in American history, said
| to approve a “Certificate of ~~ Mary Neisler, chair of the
4 WTR for. the... Historic Landm ks
TAN Commission.
e commission
unanimously approved the
Pat Childers, fundraising
chair for the Southern Arts
Society, said the colors could
lean toward either period,
although she said the neigh-
+ borhood is Victorian. The
colors fit in with the
Victorian period. The com-
mission also approved the
replacement of the gutters
on the depot since they will
be painted appropriate col-
paint color and roofing
materials that the Southern
Arts Society has chosen to
use on the building.
In order for the Southern
Arts Society to get a build-
ing permit, they had to
bring their choices for the
exterior of the building
before the Historic
Landmark Commission ors.
since the depot is in the his-
toric district. Everyone who “We trust the Southern
Arts Society with everything
they want to do,” said
Neisler. “We hope everyone
in our historic district will
do this [bring proposed
changes to the exterior of
their building before the
Historic Landmarks
Commission].”
The interior changes on a :
building do not concern the
Historic Landmarks
Commission, said Neisler.
lives in the historic district
has to go through the com-
mission before they can
make any changes to the
exterior of their home or
business.
The Southern Arts Society
has chosen six different
shades of maroon and green
for the depot, which they
recently leased from the
City of Kings Mountain.
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
City Finance Director Lori Hall
balances job, family and college
BY ABIGAIL WOLFORD
Staff Writer
the city.
band, Shane, and their three children.
i. Ry
LORI HALL
OXc)
S55) FIRST NATIONAL BANK
wh (oletrating 129 Years
Lori Hall has balanced working for the City of Kings
Mountain, raising her three sons, and attending college for
almost ten years. She is currently the finance director for
Hall was born in Kings Mountain and attended Kings
Mountain schools. She said she decided to stay in the area
because she likes the small town atmosphere and good peo-
ple she has met here. She said she also has a lot of family in
the area. She currently lives in Bessemer City ‘with her hus-
Hall began working for the city in September, 1993, as a
member of the billing department. In November, 1996, she
became the interim finance director and then became the
permanent finance director in June, 1997.
Hall said she has always been academic-minded. She
graduated ninth in her class from Kings Mountain High
School, then briefly attended Gardner-Webb University on a
Kings Mountain
300 W. Mountain St.
704-739-4782
Ethel
Gastonia
529 New Hope Road 106 S Iataguite St.
704-865-1233
Childers notes 96th year,
looking forward to many more
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Special to The Herald ;
Ethel Farris Childers, 96, celebrated her birthday Sunday
with her four children, 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grand-
children, two great-great grandchildren and one great-
great-great grandchild.
Not many families can boast of a sixth generation but
Ashtyn McKayla Martin's arrival five months ago to Dee
and Scott Martin brought this happy distinction to the fami-
ly.
The oldest member of Dixon Presbyterian Church, Ethel
enjoyed reminiscing with friends and family about growing
up in the Dixon community at the drop-in party at the
home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mildred and John
Caldwell.
“We had a really good time,” sid Childers, whose birth-
day was March 18.
Homebound for several years, Ethel likes company and
keeps up with the news of church and community activities
See Childers, 3A
ETHEL CHILDERS
Shelby Bessemer City
225 Gastonia Hwy.
704-484-6200 704-629-3906