The He
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Board
discusses
merger,
class size
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
An East Elementary
kindergarten classroom is
exceeding state size limits.
Kings Mountain District
Schools board members
looked at the issue during
their Monday night meet-
ing.
There are 49 students
enrolled in East
Elementary’s two kinder-
garten classrooms. This
means one class has 24 stu-
dents and another has 25
students. State standards
- limit kindergartens to 24
students.
“We're not going to have
classes oversized,”
Superintendent Larry Allen
said during the meeting.
Allen said the problem
could be alleviated either
by moving a student to
another school or by shift-
ing teachers around within
the school.
Classroom numbers are
not considered official until
10 days into the start of
school.
In other business, school
board members pledged to
continue the fight to keep
Kings Mountain District
Schools from merging with
jt Cleveland County.
| Last week, a state appeals
court ruled against Kings
Mountain. That decision
becomes official Aug. 25.
School attorneys will file
an appeal of that decision to
the state Supreme Court
Aug. 26. Department of
Justice and legislative inter-
vention are two other
options.
Board member Stella
Putnam criticized the
court’s decision.
“I'm real disappointed in
the court system. It’s never
been about the children,”
she said.
Other board members
shared similar sentiments.
Terry McClain questioned
if judges were afraid to rule
against the state.
“It’s hard to understand,”
McClain said.
“Bigger is not always bet-
ter. I've never seen it would
benefit our schools,” said
board member Michael
Smith.
* The school board
approved four children to
See Board, 3A
By ANDIE BRYMEJ A
Staff Writer
Months ago U/ arjnes
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the people of Sings
Mountain. Ja oof that
banner arrived bagk in town
with woris of gi itude
from thoge sapgemarines.
Over/100 marnes signed
the back of thepanner.
“You're the jest. You
make us proud to serve Sur
country,” write LCPL
wrote!’ |
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Patriotic/banner
returnsArom Iraq
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Celebrating 129 Years
Vol. 115 No. 33
SCHOOL DAYS
first day of school Monday.
BY ANDIE BRYMER
Staff Writer
of school went well despite traffic con-
gestion around the campuses.
In kindergarten classrooms across
first taste of education.
The crayons came ovat East
Elementary after stud:nts in Melinda
Canniff’s kindergar#n classroom heard
lunch time apprached.
his first day good.” His teacher made
sure Bayne 4d classmates had sweet
memories Af their first classroom experi-
ence. bi
“We Jave candy in our cubbie and we
get to ae it home,” Bayne explained.
Th. Kindergartner with a sweet tooth
nc yet remember the new pal’s name.
See Opening, 3A
School officials say Monday's first day
Kings Mountain many students got their
the story “The Litte Engine That Could.”
They colored pices of a train engine as
As Bayne Sriouse colored, he declared
saiche had made a new friend but could
For Micayla West meeting the class pet,
MOUNTAIN
¥
srk og 0001
Since 1889
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Emory “Nunu” Wingate enjoys playing during Smart Start library orientation on the
Except for traffic,
opening went well
Library helps children
get off to a good start
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
As children’s librarian Christy Conner
showed parents a room full of toys,
games, video and books, one joked that
it was like being in Wal-Mart. While the
variety of educational supplies available
for check out may be greater than the
department store, the price is always
less. Everything can be borrowed for
free. =
The parents were participating in
Smart Start orientation Monday after-
noon. The state funded preschool pro-
gram for children ages three and four
attempts to make literacy a part of their
lives. ; si
“We are immersing the children in
language. What better place do you find
language than the library,” said Karen
Lineberger, a pre-school inclusion
See Library, 3A
3 Al LIBRARY
FiO i
ret SERN QE caone-s0s
M--‘aineers B3
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50 Cents
KM Council
votes down
4-year term
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Kings Mountain officials
will continue to serve two
year terms. That comes after
a proposal to extend terms
from two to four years was
defeated.
Votes were cast in a spe-
cial called meeting of City
Council Tuesday night at
City Hall. Councilman
Howard Shipp made the
motion and councilman
Rick Moore seconded it.
Shipp and Moore cast the
only votes for the measure.
Shipp favored the meas-
ure because it would elimi-
nate the possibility that an
entirely new council and
mayor could be voted in at
one time.
Shipp said in earlier inter-
views that it takes council
members four years to
become proficient at their
jobs.
Council members Clavon
Kelly, Dean Spears, Carl
DeVane and Gene White
voted against the measure.
Had the measure passed
. the council, it would have
| appeared on the ballot the
during the November 4 gen-
eral election. The measure
also would have called for
staggered terms for council
members.
White was the only coun-
cil member to make remarks
on the matter during the
meeting. He said two year
terms help insure accounta-
bility.
White also said that two
year terms were the wish of
the electorate. Term limits
were switched from four
years to two years following
a 1995 referendum.
“The voters have already
spoken,” he said.
That vote came after
White circulated a petition
requiring the matter be
placed before the citizens.
White was not yet serving
_ on the city council at that
time.
White secured more than
the 10 percent of required
signatures. The measure
passed 485 to 340. Eighteen
percent of the city’s 4,500
registered voters turned out
for the referendum. )
White pushed for the two
See Council, 3A
nicknames like Genghis
Khan, Snarf, Fats and
Poundcake.
The front of the banner
reads “Kings Mountain
Supports Our Troops.” Local
residents signed the banner
March 29 during a commu-
nity rally.
Mayor Rick Murphrey
organized the rally after
hearing about protest
against U.S. involvement in
Iraq.
“It’s our responsibility to
support our troops,” he
said.
The banner will be on dis-
play at city hall for one
month. After that it will be
See Banner, 3A
Kings Mountain
300 W. Mountain St.
704-739-4782
(Gastonia
704-865-1233
: ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Mayor Rick Murphrey, right, and Ellis Noell look over signatures on banner that soldiers
in Iraq returned to the City of Kings Mountain last week.
Shelby
529 New Hope Road 106 S Lafayette St.
704-484-6200
225 Gastonia Hwy.
Jim Guyton
withdraws
from race
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer oo
Kings Mountain City
Councilman Jim Guyton
has withdrawn his name as
a candidate in the upcom-
ing election. Fellow council
members and officials are
praising Guyton’s work on
the council. i /
Guyton, who will finish
out his term, is opting not
to run again due to health
problems. He told the
Herald last week that he
made the decision after
talking with his family.
“At this time we felt like
it wouldn't be best,” he said
of running again.
~ Guyton said it was not an
easy decision to make.
Councilman Dean Spears
praised Guyton’s dedication
to the people he represents.
“He's really concerned
about the people in his
. Spears s ly
occasion had paid the water *
bills of Ward 2 residents
when those bills where the
resultofaleak. . =
Guyton also took time to
investigate citizen com-
plaints, Spears said.
Council member Carl
DeVane said he admired
Guyton’s forthrightness.
~ “You always knew where
he stands. We might not
always agree but I respect
him,” DeVane said. “He's a
great guy.” :
~ According to DeVane,
Guyton was especially good
at handling utility matters.
Guyton worked in that field
prior to retirement.
Councilman Rick Moore
served on the utilities com-
mittee with Guyton.
“With me being a new-
comer, Jim has taught me a
lot of things,” Moore said.
“He has been a pleasure to
work with.”
Mayor Rick Murphrey
has worked with Guyton
for several years, first as a
council member and then as +
mayor. Murphrey describe;
See Jim, 3A 0
City seeks
grants for
Gateway
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
When the Gateway
Project is complete, hikers
will be able to walk from
- Kings Mountain state and
national parks to City and
Davidson lakes and into
town.
The project is nearing the
end of the planning stage,
according to Kings
Mountain Mayor Rick
Murphrey. City officials are
now seeking grants to fund
implementation. :
‘ Passive recreation like
See Grants, 3A
Bessemer City
704-629-3906
i