Thursday, April 29, 2004
Hawkins,
Moore
file for
reelection
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Ronnie Hawkins, one of
three Cleveland County
Commissioners up for re-
election, filed to run
Monday,
the first day
of the filing
period.
i |[Hawkins, a
52-year-old
Republican,
is vice-pres-
ident of
Harris
Funeral
Home in
Kings Mountain.
Commission Chairperson
Mary Accor and
Commissioner Tom Bridges,
both Democrats, have indi-
cated they will file for re-
election as well. They have
until May 7.
Hawkins called the last
three years “the most diffi-
cult the county has faced in
a long time.”
He numbered state budg-
et cuts, the drought of 2002,
a forced school system
merger and the general eco-
nomic downturn as obsta-
cles he and fellow board
members faced.
During the current
board’s tenure, the county
entered into a water agree-
ment to aid the City of
Shelby which Hawkins said
benefits the county’s
growth and economy.
Hawkins, Accor and
Bridges, all from Kings
Mountain, ran opposing
school merger. When the
Department of Justice
refused to intervene in
January and the merged
system became a reality,
Hawkins said the board
then backed it.
“We're going to move on
and make it the best school
system in the state,” he
said.
According to Hawkins, a
one cent sales tax is the
only issue that the vote split
along party lines with the
Democrat majority oppos-
ing the tax.
Despite that one area of
contention, Hawkins says
he hopes to serve again
with the same board.
“I think they did a hell of
a job. I look forward to
serving with them again,”
he said. “We did what was
in the best interest of the
community, the best interest
of the people.”
Republican Will
Troutman, 28, of Shelby
See Hawkins, 3A
HAWKINS
KINGS MOUNTAIN oon
307 11-11-05 0002400 8p 8S
Vol. 116 No. 18
Since 1889
Sit
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Dena Blalock, left, and Missy Bailey fill out luminary bags at Monday’s meeting of
the Relay for Life committee at the Patrick Center. The annual Relay is Friday and
Saturday at the Walking Track on Cleveland Avenue. p
Opening ceremonies Friday
at 6 p.m. at Walking Track
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Kings Mountain's Relay for Life has
raised approximately $50,000 so far this
year and that number is expected to
increase following this weekend's annual
fundraiser.
Opening ceremonies are Friday at 6
p.m. at the municipal walking track near
the YMCA. Cancer survivors will cele-
brate life by making the first lap together.
Music begins at 7 p.m. The Echo 1313
Blues Funk Band takes the stage at 8 p.m.
Luminaries which will spell out “hope”
will be lit at 9 p.m. Participants will walk
a silent lap in honor and memory of peo-
ple affected by cancer as Paul Webb plays
the bagpipes.
Cross Reference will perform at 9:30
p.m. Echo takes the stage again at 10:30
am.
The David Baptist Church Dance Troop
performs at 11:15. A womanless beauty
pageant begins at midnight.
The action will pick back up 7 a.m.
Saturday morning with music by Wanda-
Wilson. High Lonesome takes the stage at
8 a.m. and United at 9 a.m. Signs of Hope
play at 10 a.m.
A final lap and closing ceremonies are
at 11 a.m.
Luminaries may be purchased up to 8
p.m. Friday. For more information, call
Andrea Whitesides at 704-730-1227; Dena
Blalock, 704-739-1564; Tracy Bledsoe, 704-
937-3249; Melissa Davis, 704-739-9655 or
Kathy Lovelace, 704-937-9268.
Teams include Bethlehem Baptist,
Bethware School, Boyce Memorial ARP
Church, Central United Methodist
Church, City of Kings Mountain,
Cleveland Home Health, David Baptist,
Diane’s Crusaders, Eaton, El Bethel =
United Methodist, Farm Bureau, First
National Bank, First Baptist Church -!
Whitesides SS, First Baptist Church ~
Wannabees, Frank Phillips Express, Grace
United Methodist, Grover School, Katie's
Small Wonders, Kings Mountain Hospital,
Kings Mountain High School, Kings
Mountain Intermediate School, Kings
Mountain Middle School Sundancers,
Kings Mountain Woman's Club, Lockhart
Team, Mac's Grocery, Petro Express,
Resurrection Lutheran Church, Shelby
Star, Summit Place, Total Care, Tracy
Bledsoe’s Team, Wachovia, West School
and the YMCA.
Grand Relay Club Winners are individ-
uals who have raised $1,000 or more.
Those people include Melissa Davis, Joyce
Roark, Tracy Bledsoe, Sandra Jenkins,
See Relay, 2A
SENIOR PLAY
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Kasey Sizemore goes over her lines from “The Complete
Works of William Shakespeare Abridges” which seven
KMHS seniors will present Friday and Saturday at 7:30
p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at B.N. Barnes Auditorium.
See story on page 3A.
Grover to hold
first May Fest
GROVER - The town of Grover will have its first May |
Fest on May 1. A day of food, music, crafts and games and
an evening street dance are planned.
“We have given our park a face lift, spruced things up a
bit and want to get everyone together for a great celebra-
tion,” said Evelyn Willis of the Grover Women’s Club.
The festival starts at 10 a.m. at the town’s park. Residents
gathered earlier in the month for a clean-up day and are
now ready to show off their work.
The Grover Fire Department will host a car show on
Laurel Avenue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will have hot
dogs for sale. Other foods include ice cream, boiled peanuts
and candy apples.
Nashville singer and song writer Brandy Clark will per-
form at the picnic shelter and street dance.
The Huffman family will bring its petting zoo.
Throughout the day entertainers will perform at the park
picnic shelter. Those include The Edmondson Family,
Bethany Baptist Praise and Worship Team and Drama
Group, Allen Memorial Baptist quartet, Long Branch
& y
See Grover, 2A
~
5
MAUNEY MEMORIAL LIBRARY
; ; 100 S PIEDHONT AVE
Tl KINGS MOUNTAIN NC 28086-3414
Hall of rame
6A"
50 Cents
White chides
Council on
budget, city
manager issue
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Former Kings Mountain
City Councilman Gene
White chided the current
administration for not yet
holding public hearings on
the 2004-2005 budget.
White's remarks came
during the public comment
portion of Tuesday night's
council meeting.
Councilman Jerry
Mullinax agreed with White
regarding the budget. This
remark was made during
the council members’ com-
ment period.
White also said Kings
Mountain has lost two city
managers for the “specific
stated reason the mayor and
some city council members
do not recognize the council
- manager form of govern-
ment.”
Former City Manager Phil
Ponder issued a memo Feb.
13 stating this.
Mayor Rick Murphrey
corrected White, saying that
was an alleged reason.
White expressed concern
that the situation will not be
corrected.
“Nothing gets changed,
(nor) will change based on
historical accounts,” White
said.
He then said the mayor
and some portion of the
council are trying to dis-
credit the Kings Mountain
Police Department.
White questioned
Murphrey’s credibility.
“Does the public believe
anything will be changed til
the current mayor is
replaced?” White said.
He warned the council
that it will be blamed for |
mistakes. :
“You get the blame
because you have the vote,”
White said.
During the council mem-
bers’ comment period, he
Mayor Pro-tem Carl DeVane = I |
noted White's presence at wae
meetings. rls
“Mr. White I'm glad you :
kept up your perfect atten- wor
dance,” DeVane said. : ‘
In other business, Council
member Kay Hambright
cast the lone dissenting vote
against rezoning the VEW
"See Council, 5A
New School Board
seeks budget increase
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
The Cleveland County
Board of Education is
expected tonight to formally
approve asking county com-
missioners for an increase in
funding including $3.3 mil-
lion in capital improve-
ments, $1.1 million in infla-
tionary increases and
$751,500 to even out spend-
ing at schools across the sys-
tem.
Kings Mountain High
School’s Phifer Road project
and enclosing the Nanny
building are the two largest
items in the capital request
falling under repairs and
renovations.
Officials say this should
reduce some of the 15
mobile units now at KMHS.
Associate Superintendent
Dr. Larry Allen presented
his assessment of system
wide capital needs. The $3.3
million includes $185,000 in
paving; $420,000, vehicle
replacement; $115,000,
painting; $497,001, roofs;
$2,078,054, repairs and reno-
vations; $450,000, HVAC;
$56,000, furniture; $373,935,
electronics and security;
$193,182, floor replacements;
$137,200, landscaping,
$259,742, small needs grants
for all schools; and $11,344,
modular units.
“Not everything on that
list is a got to,”
Superintendent Dr. Gene
Moore said.
One million in funds for
capital expenses can be used
from the existing budget,
according to Moore, bring-
ing what is requested this
year to $3.1 million.
The $751,500 figure evens
up local monies which each
of the three pre-merger
boards spent in different
ways. This does not include
the approximate $1,412 per
pupil allotment coming
from the county.
The $1.1 million includes
$360,000 to equalize teacher
supplements across the
three former systems,
$235,000 in benefit increases,
See Budget, 2A
Nashville singer and song writer Brandy Clark will be the
featured entertainer at Saturdays May Fest in Grover. *
?