Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / Aug. 28, 2003, edition 1 / Page 1
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% KINGS MOUNTAI | S l nd ountaineers 7 host South Point Friday night A Q BS oO ee oo > FFD \, Q AFAR NY 2» FORE \ A c W Y AA Vol. 115 No. 35 Since 1889 50 Cents KM Council approves Incentives for industry BY ANDIE L. BRYMER Staff Writer = Billy Biggers back home, doing well after transplant BY ANDIE L. BRYMER Staff Writer A 20-year-old stranger saved Billy Biggers life. The Kings Mountain received a new heart August 3. Biggers received a call at 9:30 p.m. August 2, telling him a per- fect match had been found. A nurse asked if he and his wife could leave their Hoyle’s Road home for CMC within 30 minutes. With luggage prepacked in their van, the couple were on the road in 15 minutes. Scheduled for surgery at 1 a.m., Biggers had to wait until 6 a.m. The surgeon was called away for a patient in more serious condi- tion. While officials could not give them any information, the Biggers suspect that the delay meant the donor, a probable accident vic- tim, was kept on life support the entire night. Biggers’ wife Karen praises the donor’s family for waiting. “That was so unselfish. I'm thankful they were willing to do that.” After surgery, Biggers stayed in recovery for three days. Then he spent 15 days in the cardiac unit before coming home last week. “It was great (coming home). I was glad I was there. I was real fortunate but 18 days got old,” he said. In those 18 days, Biggers underwent several tests to see if his body was accepting the new heart. Initially, the results were not favorable. This meant he had to take powerful intravenous med- ications that left him too weak to move. It was then that he want- ed to give up. Bigger’s wife encouraged him with assurances that Kings Mountain City Council approved a change in its industrial incentive policy during Tuesday night's meeting. The change lowers the threshold to quali- fy for grants from a $750,000 investment to a $100,000 investment. Businesses who either build or expand at the $100,000 level can get one percent of their investment back over a five year peri- od of time. Businesses making a $1 million or more expansion get 1 1/4 percent of the investment back. Another quarter of a per- cent can be recouped by making the majori- ty of new jobs pay more than minimum wage. Businesses who want to use the rebate quicker may apply it to a reduction in tap and permit fees. Council member Dean Spears called the project “a chance to put a little money where our mouth is.” Council member Jim Guyton asked if lowering the threshold would result in higher taxes for residents. According to city planner Steve Killian, the answer is no. He said a business cannot get back more in taxes than it would pay in to the city. In other business, the council approved hiring a city engineer. Some $47,950 would be taken out of the professional services portion of the water/sewer fund to create money for the position. Mayor Rick Murphrey argued against the measure saying the budget for the year has ; already been approved and changes should = only be made after a work session. He also said the engineer position would cost at least $75,000 after that person is employed more than six months and becomes eligible. for retirement and other benefits. Council members Carl DeVane and Dean Spears voted against hiring an engineer. Council members voted to approve tak- ing over care of a water line installed by Jim Testa on Dixon School Road. The line serves Testa’s Kings Mountain Truck Plaza. Testa plans a residential development and small industry in that area. Council member Jim Guyton cast the only dissenting vote. The vote means the city will be responsi- - ble for maintenance of the lines but does not obligate the city to pay for any portion of installing those lines. Kings Mountain resident Betty Merritt told the council that water hook fees are higher for poor residents. She said residents in the lower income areas of town are required to pay a $300 deposit while resi- dents near Kings Mountain Country Club only pay $150. According to Merritt, middle class homeowners are charged $250. Merritt presented this information during the public comment portion of the meeting. After the meeting, Murphrey said the mat- * ter will be reviewed by staff and addressed at the next council work session. That work session is scheduled for Sept. See Council, 3A ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD Karen and Billy Biggers are thankful to the organ donor who saved Billy's life. God would see him through. “We give God the glory,” he said. : Biggers heart problems started in 2002. Unknown to anyone, a virus attacked his heart causing vomiting and breathing problems. Doctors initially suspected his gall bladder, removing the organ in July, 2002. The problems went away only to return in October. This time the correct diagnosis was made. Biggers was given medication but it did not work. Between then and March he was hospitalized twice and had 10 emergency room visits. April evaluations indicated the virus had damaged Biggers’ heart beyond repair. He was placed on the transplant list in June. Doctors told him that without a new heart, he had a 50 percent chance of living one to two years. Now Biggers’ body is getting used to its new heart. He takes immune suppressing medications that keep him from rejecting the organ. While the dosage will go down over time, doctors say he See Biggers, 3A Friday storm kayos power, causes fire BY ANDIE L. BRYMER Staff Writer A Friday afternoon electrical storm knocked off power for 70 percent of Kings Mountain and caused one fire. The outage happened when electrici- ty was disrupted at a substation on Gaston Street. Duke Power feeds elec- tricity to the city through this substa- tion and another one on N.C. 161. Power was restored to 98 percent of the city in 2 1/2 hours, according to Mayor Rick Murphrey. The mayor credited linemen for a speedy response. “They are dedicated people who go out in any conditions,” he said. Lightning struck a transformer at Anvil Knit causing a fire. No one was injured, according to Kings Mountain Fire Chief Frank Burns. Lightning struck several other trans- formers across town though no addi- tional fires were reported. A 23-year-old Shelby man was appar- ently struck by lightning at his Mountain Lane home. Cleveland County Emergency Medical Service responded. The man was given routine transport to Cleveland Regional Medical Center. ~ GARY STEWART / HERALD Kings Mountain Electric Dept. employees work on lines on Slater Street. ¢ Gas prices highest ever Grover appoints Adjustment Board BY ANDIE L. BRYMER Staff Writer members usually serve for three years but two years terms were created for the BY ANDIE L. BRYMER Staff Writer In an effort to get the cheapest fuel prices, cars’ bearing North Carolina plates are pulling up in droves to the gas pumps just over the South Carolina state line. “It’s always cheaper here,” said James Clark of Shelby. Kings Mountain resident Billy Lineberger is a regular at the South Carolina pumps. “Yea, it’s cheaper,” he said. Working in Grover gives him a chance to monitor the price difference. Jonathan Hollified, also of Kings Mountain, agrees though he is watching prices climb in both states. Grover Town Council appointed its board of adjustment during a Monday night meeting. Kobe Goforth, James Roper and Jean Francis will . serve on the board for three years. Town council mem- bers Robert Hunt and Max Rollins will serve for two years. Alternate Wesley Lail will serve for three years and alternate Gary Turner will serve for two years. inaugural board so terms would be staggered. Grover Mayor Bill Favell described the board as like “five judges.” With the creation of this board, Grover residents wanting a variance in zon- ing law still must seek a non-binding recommenda- tion from the Cleveland County zoning administra- tor. Then the Grover Board of Adjustment votes on the Clark was fueling up his According to AAA : The highest vote getters matter. An appeal to the t k at the Wilco = Carolinas, several factors are =~ ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD hs 8 : re / : fuck ne wee en SE James Clark and grandchildren Jessica Clark and Jacob received the three year term. board of adjustments’ deci FIRST NATIONAL BANK Celebrating 128 Years Clark traveled to South Carolina for lower gas prices. Kings Mountain 300 W. Mountain St. 704-739-4782 Gastonia 529 New Hope Road 106 S Lafayette St. 704-865-1233 All board of adjustment Shelby 704-484-6200 See Grover, 3A Bessemer City 225 Gastonia Hwy. 704-629-3906
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Aug. 28, 2003, edition 1
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