Thursday, August 19, 2004 Vol. 116 No. 34
Since 1889
KINGS MOUNTAIN
Special section
on high school
50 Cents
Inside...
football
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Audra Price votes Tuesday in the run-off election at
Precinct 1 polling place, Second Baptist Church.
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Cleveland County Commissioner
and incumbent Tom Bridges beat chal-
lenger Kenneth Ledford by a 20 per-
cent margin in Tuesday’s primary run-
off election.
“We're happy. We just got out and
worked a little harder,” Bridges said
late Tuesday night.
As fourth place finisher Ledford was
able to ask for a run-off after the July
~~
Bridges wins runoff
Advances to November general election
20 election because no candidate got a
40 percent margin plus one, according
to Elections Director Debra Blanton.
Bridges said he was over confident
during the first primary.
“We got more organized,” he said.
Bridges” wife Ada Bridges, his
daughters and friends called support-
ers reminding them to vote, and post-
ed campaign signs.
“I appreciate all who helped us. I
want to thank them,” he said. “I need
their support in November.”
Bridges says there
is a “good chance” he
and fellow incum-
bents board
Chairperson Mary
Accor, a Democrat, and Republican
Ronnie Hawkins will be re-elected in
November. All are from Kings
Mountain.
“They're a little stronger but I'm
going to get out there and work,”
Bridges said.
See Bridges, 3A
BRIDGES
Thornton
NUMBER PLEASE
battling
Hepatitis
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Working in an Arizona
doctor’s office, Debra
Thornton helped with med-
ical procedures. Using her
bare hands, she applied
direct pressure to stop
bleeding. That was before
gloves
were a
routine
part of
health
care.
Today
Thornton
is back in
Cleveland
County
and bat-
thing
Hepatitis C, the liver dis-
ease she contracted from a
patient. Thornton, a Kings
Mountain native, was diag-
nosed in 1994. The
acupuncturist she worked
for offered a routine physi-
cal exam during a slow day
at the office. In tears he told
Thornton what her blood
test revealed.
Because Hepatitis affects
the liver, Thornton saw a
specialist. She was injected
with Interferon three times
weekly for one year.
Thornton describes the gru-
eling treatment as like being
hit by a semi and dragged a.
1,000 yards. She says the flu fu
feels like a common cold by
THORNTON
sd-2201
comparison. At times
See Thornton, 3A
x
Grant provides
smoke detectors
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
. Kings Mountain Fire Department wants to make sure
every home inside the city has at least one smoke detector.
' This summer the department installed over 100 and now
has 50 more available.
“They're the cheapest, most reliable fire protection device
ever made,” said Jamie Black, fire inspector.
. The smoke detectors are provided through the state 2004
Fire Act Grant. Fire fighters are targeting the elderly and
economically disadvantaged. Installation | is on a first come,
first serve basis.
Firefighters will help the home owner select the best
place to put the smoke detector, install the device and
review exit strategies in case of fire. The smoke detectors
See Grant, 3A
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Bell South Lineman Ken Green works on North Piedmont Avenue earlier this week.
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Kings Mountain Fireman Bobby Cash and his co-workers
will install free smoke detectors for city residents.
Study shows 3,500 jobs lost
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
A study commissioned by the
Cleveland County Chamber and com-
pleted by the Center for Competitive
Economics at UNC-Chapel Hill was
released last week.
~ It indicates approximately 43 compa-
nies have closed or downsized since
2001 leaving 3,500 people without jobs.
Over $637.5 million in output has been
lost and $175 million in labor income.
The county’s unemployment rate
has climbed from four percent in 1990
to over 12 percent in 2003. The coun-
ty’s poverty rate was nearly 14 percent
in 2003, three percentage points higher
than other areas in the Charlotte
region.
Most highdrwoge manufacturing
jobs have been replaced with lower
paying and fewer service-sector jobs.
Chamber officials estimate that its
development strategy will help the
county with private sector investments
SPRATT PRG I Fn Gl 2 mate ER fv PUGET TE . ol adatom
in auto/truck manufacturing, electron-
ics, biotech and agribusiness, plastics,
new office (includes business and con-
sulting), woodworking, metal fabrica-
tion, food preparation and general :
manufacturing. The total anticipated
investment is around $500 million.
The study includes a report by
Michael Porter which named the coun-
ty as leading the country in employ-
ment in the traded construction materi-
als cluster.
See Study, 3A
STILL
CRUZIN
Saturday night concert features
one of south’s most popular bands
By ANDIE BRYMER
Staff Writer
Known as the party band of
the south, Still Cruzin visits
Kings Mountain Saturday
night.
The performance, second in
the three-part Summer Nights
Concert Series, goes from 7 to
10 p.m. at the walking track
adjacent to the Jake Early Sports Complex/ YMCA.
The band plays shag, beach, golden oldies, Motown,
swing and rhythm and blues.
Still Cruzin has been the opening act and served as back
up for Percy Sledge, The Four Tops, The Drifters, James
Brown and The Platters.
The band is over 16 years old. After several members left
a few years ago, Johnny Brown reformed the group to be
bigger and better than ever, adding a live horn section.
The horn section coupled with rhythm players has result-
ed in an explosion of “Rhythm & Beach.” The style is good
for dancing and provides a good venue for vocal arrange-
ments. Still Cruzin is styled with the triple-team frontman-
ship of John Goudy, Donald Ceasar and Doug Kay.
Mayor Rick Murphrey and Special Events Coordinator
Ellis Noell decided to bring the band to Kings Mountain
after hearing them audition at a South Carolina trade show.
For a sneak preview, visit stillcruzin.com.
“They're high entertainment. They had everybody jump-
ing,” Noell said.
The Summer Concert Series opened last month during
the Beach Blast with Billy Scott and the Prophets. The series
winds up Sept. 11 when the Coastline Band takes the stage.
A 9-11 observance is planned for that morning. Police, fire,
rescue and the Loch Nornian Pipe Band will participate.
Mrs. Cline, 91,
still going strong
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Kings Mountain native
Elizabeth Cline credits hard
work and raising several chil-
dren for her longevity. Mrs.
Cline will turn 91 next week.
She celebrates Saturday with a
family cook-out. Relatives i“
from across the southeast are
expected. :
Mrs. Cline remembers when
Kings Mountain was much
smaller, roads were dirt and
the Bonnie Cotton Mill stood
at the corner city hall occupies
today.
“I get lost going out of
es ns ELIZABETH CLINE
changed since her childhood, Mrs. Cline quickly responds
“everything.”
Her family was living in a home plosided by the mill
when she born. It was located about where today’s Post
Office stands.
As an adult, Mrs. Cline worked for 28 years at Mauney
Hosiery knitting socks.
“It’s hard work but I liked it. I liked the work. I liked the
people,” she said. .
For over 60 years, Mrs. Cline has lived in the Falls Street
home her father Jeff Huffstickler built. Mrs. Cline’s husband
Ray was in the Navy during World War II when her father
asked the family to move in. Mr. Huffstickler expanded the
See Cline, 2A