=
Shes
rns ——
rr
i a
a
=n
=
A i sms
Tr = a -
ea
January 1, 2004
The Kings Mountain Herald
Page 3A
TOP TEN
From 1A
Other top stories in Kings
Mountain during the year
ran the gamut from the
longstanding school merger
and economic issues to
Kings Mountain people’s
involvement in the War in _
Iraq and a local story of
heroism.
We placed the other nine
stores of the top ten in this
order:
2 - Police heroes.
In July Kings Mountain
police officers W.E. Ellis and
Tony Walker were credited
with saving the life of a
Kings Mountain woman
who was trapped inside a
burning home in the
Country Creek subdivision.
Ellis was patrolling in the
area when the dispatcher’s
call went out, and the young
officer hurried to the scene
to learn that a woman who
had to use a walker to get
around was trapped inside.
Ellis entered the home and
found the woman in the
kitchen area. Shortly after-
ward, Walker arrived on the
scene and helped Ellis pull .
the woman to safety.
3 - Explosives lab.
Another police story
turned out to be one of the
biggest in town during 2003.
While putting out a fire on
Morris Street, local fire fight-
ers and police noticed some
unusual looking items in the
yard of a house across the
street. Upon investigation,
police found material that
can be used to make explo-
sives.
After weeks of investiga-
tion four men were charged.
4 - Video poker.
There weren't many meet-
ings of the Kings Mountain
Board of Adjustments that
did not involve requests
from area business owners
to obtain conditional use
permits to allow video poker
machines.
In most cases, they were
denied but in one recent
meeting the board approved
a permit for Jim Testa to .
operate three machines-at i:
his Kings Mountain Travel
Plaza that is located just out-
side the city in the two-mile
ET].
That action brought sharp
criticism from Don Johnson,
who has been involved in a
court case with the city since
Kings Mountain approved
its strict video poker ordi-
nance over two years ago.
Johnson claimed the city
was giving Testa special
treatment because he
intends to develop some
land he owns along I-85 and
Dixon School Road.
Johnson was issued a per-
mit to operate machines in
his business in the Silver
Express shopping center.
And, just a couple of
weeks ago the city was
awarded over $500,000 in
negotiated fines in a court
case involving seven area
video poker operators. The
biggest fine levied, over
$300,000 was against
Johnson, but that case and
cases against Am Vets and
VEW went to trial. Four
other operators reached an
agreement with the city to
pay reduced fines and
remove their machines.
5 - War
The war in Iraq touched
almost every family in town
because they had family and
friends involved with the
military.
Many local National
Guardsmen were called into
active duty for service in
Iraq, including Kings
Mountain police officers
Brad Bumgardner and Lance
Johnson.
Tensions had been build-
ing for several years over
the United States’ belief that
Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein was stockpiling
nuclear weapons and the
U.N. eventually sent a
weapons inspection team to
Iraq.
In March President Bush
gave an ultimatum to
Hussein and his two sons to
leave Iraq within 48 hours to
avoid war.
After several months of
fighting, the war was
declared over but the U.S.
has continued to suffer casu-
alties. But about three weeks
ago, Hussein was captured
by U.S. troops hiding in a
cellar near a farm house in
his hometown.
Throughout the year the
city held numerous patriotic
rallies to support our troops,
and also to welcome back a
number of Kings Mountain
National Guardsmen who
had been called into active
duty last year to serve at
various military bases when
regular military personnel
were sent overseas.
6 - Economy.
Kings Mountain had an
up-and-down year economi-
cally, but it seemed like the
down times were more
numerous and devastating.
Several companies
announced during the year
that they would expand or
locate here, thus providing
some jobs for an area that
has been hit hard by unem-
ployment the last several |
years.”
f yd
But several other compa-
nies went by the wayside,
and many of them were big
employers.
Anvil Knit announced in
May that it would totally
close its Kings Mountain
plant, cutting out 430 jobs.
Harris Welco shut down in
June, meaning the loss of
approximately 150 more
jobs.
Grover Industries scaled
down its local operation late
in the year.
Mayflower Vehicle
Systems announced an
$882,000 expansion which
would create 15 new jobs.
Gibson Industrial Services
announced it would move
its operation from Charlotte
to Kings Mountain, though
how many jobs it would cre-
ate is uncertain.
7 - Water/weather.
What a difference a year
makes.
In 2002 Kings Mountain
was experiencing the fifth
straight year of drought.
Wells, rivers and other water
supplies had either gone dry
or were at dangerously low
levels. Kings Mountain sup-
plied water to Shelby when
its water source, the Broad
River, almost went dry.
Kings Mountain officials
were even talking about the
possibility of building
another lake near Moss Lake
to take care of future water
needs in the city and area.
But then the skies opened
up.
In 2003 Kings Mountain
received one of its biggest
rainfall totals ever. Local
weather tracker Kenneth
Kitzmiller said almost 85
inches of rain fell during the
calendar year, compared to
only 35 the year before.
The few problems that the
excessive rainfall brought
were minor compared to the
effects of the drought.
The large amount of rain
was at least partly to blame
for an algae problem at
Moss Lake, which made
drinking water smell and
taste bad. Of course, it
helped the sale of bottled
water at local grocery stores.
After about three weeks of
treatment, the problem
cleared up.
Heavy rains also con-
tributed to some minor
wrecks and storm drainage
problems, and there were a
couple of instances where it
caused sewage overflows
into area creeks, but none
serious.
Kings Mountain experi-
enced a pretty good snow
storm in January, as well as
a couple ice storms. A late
January snow dumped 6 1/2
inches in the area, but the
only major problems,
according to police, were
tractor trailers coming off
the interstate and blocking
roads.
The sub-freezing tempera-
tures that accompanied the
storm led to a lot of water
pipes freezing and kept local
plumbers as busy as they
wanted to be.
8 - School merger.
How many years has this
been in the top tén? Three.
Well, next year it will be
four but it will probably be
over.
Kings Mountain lost its
last two chances at having
the Cleveland County
School Merger Plan reversed
as the NC Court of Appeals
ruled against KM 3-0, and
the State Supreme Court
refused to hear an appeal.
Thus, the issue is now in
the hands of the U.S. Justice
Department and that body
has indicated it will proba-
bly make its decision no
later than January 12. If the
DOJ rules that the plan does
not violate the voting rights
of persons who live in the
city limits of Kings
Mountain but also in Gaston
County, the merger will go
into effect unless Kings
Mountain District Schools
appeals the ruling to the
U.S. District Court in
Washington, DC.
Merger wasn’t the only
news coming out of KMDS
during the year.
The School Board vated to
enter into a contract with
Energy Education Inc. to
reduce energy costs in the
schools.
Kings Mountain's new
Intermediate School had to
be evacuated when someone
working at the New Life
Enrichment Center on Kings
Mountain Blvd. dug into a
natural gas line.
KM schools again scored
high in the State ABC tests.
Bethware, North, East, West
and KM Middle were named
schools of excellence, mean-
ing that over 90 percent of
their students met proficien-
cy standards.
The School Board
approved a 25 percent
increase in local teacher sup-
plements and approved
$211,163 renovation of the
KMHS cafeteria.
The School Board
approved spending over $1
million from its fund bal-
ance for technology updates
and capital improvements.
9 - Flu
Kings Mountain and
Cleveland County experi-
enced a major flu outbreak
late in the year that is con-
tinuing into the new year.
By December most area
medical facilities had run
out of the flu vaccine and
most of what was being
ordered by health depart-
ments was being earmarked
for the citizens at highest
risk, including children and
senior citizens.
The first week of
December, Kings Mountain
High School reported 175
absences a day compared to
a typical absentee rate of 35
students.
10 - New city manager.
After a search that saw
almost a hundred people
send in an application,
Kings Mountain City
Council in April hired Phil
Ponder of Gaston County as
its new city manager.
Ponder replaced Jimmy
Maney, who retired late last
year but agreed to stay in an
interim capacity until a new
city manager was found.
Hiring a city manager
wasn’t the only major'deci-
sion by Council in ‘03.
The city put into place a
number of homeland securi-
ty measures in case of terror-
ist acts or natural disasters.
It discussed designating the
Patrick Center as an emer-
gency shelter and purchase a
$40,000 generator, but put
the plans on hold.
Council considered annex-
ing approximately 600 acres
on Highway 74, then backed
off on it.
The city agreed to pay for
renovation the old Southern
Railway Depot and lease the
building to the Southern
Arts Society for one dollar a
month.
Council held a public
hearing on returning to four-
year terms for commission-
ers and the mayor. The only
two people to speak at the
meeting opposed the idea.
Council later voted against it
5-2, with Rick Moore and
MAD COW
From 1A
do that at this time.
Yarbro doesn’t think con-
sumers should be con-
cerned. The only cows iden-
tified as having mad cow
have been Holstein dairy
cows, he said. These make
up one percent of the entire
national beef market, Yarbro
said.
According to Yarbro, the
beef sold in grocery stores
comes from 18-month-old
calves which are younger
than the three-year-old ban
on by-products.
For 21 years, upper
Cleveland cattle farmer Dot
Houlditch has sold natural
beef on the wholesale mar-
ket. This fall she realized the
niche market among local
consumers concerned about
beef safety.
Houlditch gave her farm a
name - Red Feather Farm,
printed brochures, took two
calves to Forest City for
slaughter and processing,
then sold the meat to good
reviews.
Houlditch’s cattle eat pes-
ticide and herbicide free hay
and grass.
“People are becoming
more and more aware,” she
said.
She can be reached at 704-
538-3834.
Harris Teeter has seen a
small drop in meat pur-
chased, though a manager
credited that to the price
going up. The price increase
is due to the supply going
down, he said.
A Food Lion manager
reported no drop in sales.
Winn Dixie could not be
reached for comment.
At Hallelujah Acres, a
Shelby area health food
store and educational center,
interest continues to grow in
vegetarian diets.
Spokesperson Linda
Vaughan did not credit this
specifically to mad cow dis-
ease, instead, she says peo-
ple are becoming more con-
cerned about health overall.
Started by Rev. George
Malkmus, the center bases
its nutritional plan on
Genesis 1:29 which he inter-
prets to support a plant
based diet.
Information on free semi-
nars is available by calling
1-800-915-9355.
While mad cow has
caused a stir in the United
States, the United Kingdom
has been hardest hit.
Cambridge University
prion specialist David R.
Brown doubts the common-
ly accepted theory on mad
cow: Instead, he says that
mad cow is not an infectious
disease instead he points to
phosmet organophosphate
as the cause. The chemical
has been used by British
farmers to treat warble flies.
KINGS MOUNTAIN
erald
Published every Thursday
Periodicals postage at Kings Mountain, NC 28086
USPS 118-880 by Republic Newspapers, Inc.
Postmaster, send address changes to:
P. O. Box 769, Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Phone (704) 739-7496 © Fax (704) 739-0611
Office: 824-1 East King Street ® Kings Mountain, NC 28086
E-mail: kmhnews@aol.com :
The H
Mike Blanton Publisher
Gary Stewart Editor
Andie Brymer Staff Writer
Lisa Upton eirissrssintineiuiireivieesns Advertising Representative
| Shelley Campbell............. or ..Composition Manager
Mail Subscription Rates
Payable in Advance. All Prices include 6% NC State Sales Tax.
1 Year 6 Months
Gaston & Cleveland County ~~ $27.00 $17.50
Other NC Counties $28.50 $19.25
Outside NC $33.50 $21.25
IN Republic BAYS Newspapers, Inc. Menber
sero emsen BR Noth Cao Pres Asocin
Howard Shipp the only sup-
porters.
Council approved a new
incentives policy for indus-
tries, lowering the threshold
to qualify for grants from a
$750,000 investment to a
$100,000 investment.
Ponder told Council in a
work session that the city’s
general fund balance had
declined from 46 percent in
1998-99 to 19 percent in
2002-03. The good news to
that is that the 19 percent is
still above the state recom-
mended eight percent mini-
mum.
Council came under fire
when it was pointed out that
beer and wine was served at
a Veteran's Day reception at
the History Museum. City
ordinances state that alcohol
cannot be served on city
property.
Councilman Carl DeVane
requested that the matter be
put on the agenda for the
December meeting and
intended to make a motion
that consumption of alcohol
be allowed at the Museum
and Southern Arts Society
but withdrew his request
due to the “withdrawal of a
commitment by an outgoing
council member.”
Other notes of interest
from 2003:
-David Allen Parker, 33,
was electrocuted while
attempting to trim a tree on
Center St.
-Cleveland County Health
Department received it first
shipment of smallpox vacci-
nations in early February,
part of the plan set forth by
president Bush as part of
Homeland Security.
-Kings Mountain mourned
with the nation when the
Columbia Space Shuttle dis-
integrated on its return to
earth.
-Gas prices rose to an all-
time high of $1.62 per gallon
in February. AAA Carolinas
attributed the hike to the
labor strikes in Venezuela.
-A KM woman trying to
smoke black window spi-
ders out from under a
kitchen cabinet accidentally
set her house eon fire.
-Price of natural gas
jumped 38 percent in
February.
-Mary Neisler received the
KMBPA Gateway Award.
-The city received a
$40,000 capacity building
grant from the NC rural
Economic Development
Center to help plan for criti-
cally needed water and
wastewater projects. KM
said it would use the money
to investigate creating
another lake near Moss Lake
-Don Phifer received a
new liver in transplant sur-
gery at Duke Medical
Center.
-Leaders of the Ebenezer
community met with sher-
iff’s office officials to discuss
ways to rid the community
of drug dealers.
-Rain didn’t dampen the
enthusiasm at the annual
Firehouse Cook-off at the
Walking Track. The Hickory
Knoll Cookers of Franklin
were crowned grand cham-
pion.
-The History Museum and
Senior Center appeared
before City Council to
request an increase in funds
from the city.
-Spectrum was evacuated
after a malfunction in a dye
making area resulted in
chemical fumes.
-Walkers weathered a ter-
rible thunderstorm and
wind gusts of up to 60 miles
per hour to raise over
$85,000 at the annual Relay
for Life.
-The city adopted a $26
million 2003-04 budget.
-A.B. Snow, founding
member of the Southern
Arts Society, died.
-Dennis Edward Moore
died when he was struck by
a train near Linwood Road.
-Duke Power crews
rerouted electrical lines
along NC 161, preparing for
construction of a new bridge
and access ramps onto I-85.
-Cleveland County Health
Care announced acquisition
of the practice of Dr. Philip
Day in Grover and an $8
million expansion project at
Kings Mountain Hospital.
Most of the money will be
used in the emergency and
surgery departments.
-9-month-old Christopher
Broome underwent heart
surgery.
-Grover Council passed a
$542,872 budget.
-John O. Plonk Jr., busi-
ness and church leader, died.
He started the lay person on
call ministry, the community
kitchen, and the annual
preaching mission at Central
United Methodist Church.
-An increase of approxi-
mately 140 students at Kings
Mountain High has resulted
in numerous mobile units
being put n place.
-The Housing Finance
Agency announced it will
give Eagan Partners a
$391,557 construction tax
credit for construction of a
56-unit apartment complex
on Kings Mountain Blvd.
-KM Little Theatre
announce plans to survey
area residents to see if there
is interest in an outdoor
drama.
-Billy Biggers received a
heart transplant August 3 at
Carolinas Medical Center.
-Gas prices range from
$1.63 to $1.73 per gallon in
August, the highest ever
here.
-Hazel Lee Gill, owner of
J.W. Gill & Sons Funeral
Home, died in September.
He began his professional
career working in a hard-
ware store and later owned
Hazel Lee Gill Trucking. He
and Raleigh Brown formed
Gill and Brown Funeral
Home in 1954, and in 1969
he founded J.W. Gill & Sons.
-KM electrical linemen
Mike Houser, Josh Conrad
and John Putnam helped
restore power in eastern NC
after two hurricanes ravaged
the area.
-KM Rotary Club made a
pitch to City Council to
expand Patriots Park as part
of the club’s 100th birthday
celebration.
-Keith Bradley of the
Westover Community
accused city council of using
a legal loophole to avoid
installing water and sewer
in the neighborhood.
Read Your Hometown Newspaper Weekly.
IRS Ways
To Start Out The
New Year:
Ric Francis
Insurance Company
Buckle Up!
Don’t Drink & Drive!
Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company and
Allstate Life Insurance Company, Home Cffice: Northbrook, lllinois © 2042 Alistate
S
Allstate.
You're in good bards.
Ric Francis
308 E. King Street
Kings Mountain, NC
704.739.1820