Thursday, August 26, 2004
i"
Elmore
named
publisher
of Herald
Don Elmore Jr. of
Gastonia has been named
publisher of the Kings
Mountain Herald and its
sister publications in the
North Carolina chain of
Republic Newspapers, Inc.
Republic Newspapers
also owns the Cherryville
Eagle, Belmont Banner and
Mount Holly News.
Elmore began his news-
paper career in advertising
sales with the Charlotte
Observer. He joined the
staff of the Gaston Gazette
iin 1993 and worked his way
“>. up from an advertising
sales representative to ad
director in Hickory.
He is a Gastonia native
and a graduate of the
University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. He
and his wife, Kim, have two
children, Josh and Emily.
+ Elmore is active in First
Baptist Church, Gastonia,
where he teaches the youth
Sunday School class, sings
in the choir and serves on
numerous committees. He
is active in numerous com-
munity activities, including
the Little Theatre of
Gastonia and United Way.
“Each of our community
newspapers has a long tra-
dition of excellence and my
goal is for us to continue to
be a vital part of the com-
munities we serve,” Elmore
said. “Being born and
raised in Gastonia I already
know many folks in the
area. I look forward to
renewing those old friend-
ships and building new
ones. I'm also looking for-
ward to becoming an active
participant in each of our
communities.”
arr.
EEER
© 3
Vol. 116 No. 35
Since 1889
Yeliow Jjuitnceo
| lose to R-S
: Central
1B
50 Cents
McGinnis new city manager
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
A Kings Mountain native came on
board as city manager Monday morn-
ing. Greg McGinnis was selected as
manager by a 4-3 vote of the city coun-
cil Friday.
“He'll do great. He's a good family
man, a professional,” Mayor Rick
Murphrey said.
McGinnis will be paid $65,000 annu-
ally, the same insurance and retirement
benefits offered to all full-time employ-
ees and a $400 monthly car allowance.
The city will pay up to $2,500 in mov-
ing expenses.
McGinnis said the four to three vote
to hire does not bother him.
“That's just part of the process,” he
said. “A small amount of controversy
doesn’t bother me.”
McGinnis worked as town manager
in Boiling Springs from 2001 to 2003.
He left that position after Emory
University offered him a full scholar-
ship to its seminary program. The fam-
ily was not able to sell its Cleveland
County home so McGinnis had to
decline the offer and was again in the
job market.
He managed the Town of
DAVIDSON SCHOOL REMEMBERED
Vinalhaven, Maine from 2000 to 2001.
The town had a year-round population
of 1,200 and a summer population of
6,000.
McGinnis worked as assistant city
manager of Kannapolis from 1998 to
2000. He interned as a budget analyst
and in management in the City of
Charlotte from 1996 to 1998. There he
assisted in the development of a $900
million operating and capital budget.
McGinnis served in the U.S. Army
for four years. He is a member of the
International and N.C. City County
Managers associations.
See McGinnis, 2A
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
The crowd cheers as a historical marker for Davidson School is unveiled Friday morning. Below, Air Force Master Sgt.-
Retired James Thombs, vice-president of the Davidson Alumni Association, addresses the crowd.
Historical marker designates
site of old Davidson School
2 unrelated drug cases net
marijuana and cocaine arrests
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
They didn’t have new textbooks, nor
a gym. Basketball was played outside
on a clay court set on a hill. Uniforms
were mismatched cast-offs from
Central High School. A pot belly stove
heated the building. There was no
lunchroom till 1945. Despite the lack of
funding, Davidson School alumni say
good teachers gave them a top notch
education.
The school was commemorated with
a marker Friday morning. Alumni, city
officials and others gathered for an
unveiling ceremony at the corner of
Watterson and Parker streets.
“Davidson School meant everything
to the community. They were so proud
of the school, the children,” said
Margaret Leach, Class of 1945. “It’s just
a thrill to see this plaque here.”
Leach credited PTA parents like John
Ross, Lee Ross, R.J. Davidson, Roy
Brown and Rev. R.L. Garvin for their
efforts at improving the school’s mea-
ger material resources. Verlee Mask
was also instrumental in the PTA.
Leach cited teachers like Rubin
Lindsay and first grade teacher Mattie
Gidney who taught both her and her
son. Gidney was still on the faculty
when Leach returned to Davidson as a
teacher in the 1950s.
| See Davidson, 3A
GREG MCGINNIS
Councilors
boycott
closed
session
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
In a dramatic protest,
three Kings Mountain City
Council members refused to
participate in a closed ses-
sion meeting Friday
evening.
Kay Hambright, Jerry
Mullinax and Brenda Ross
remained in the council
chambers while councilmen
Houston Shipp, Carl
DeVane, Rick Moore and
Howard Shipp and Mayor
Rick Murphrey met in a
conference room to discuss
hiring Greg McGinnis as’
Kings Mountain's perma-
nent city manager.
“We didn’t boycott the
closed session, they boy-
cotted us before the closed
session,” Mullinax said.
“Why should I go? It’s been
cut and dried for several
days. We weren't invited to
the process.”
Mullinax contends that
he, Hambright and Ross
were left out of the hiring
process by the other four
council members and the
mayor.
Murphrey said he was
surprised that the three
opted not to attend the
closed session.
“That was their opportu-
nity to come in and discuss
the pros and cons,”
Murphrey said.
Item four of the agenda
called for a closed session to
discuss the city manager
position. Item five ended
the closed session and item
six was to “make an
appointment for the posi-
tion of city manager and
enter into an employment
See Meeting, 2A
GROWING PROBLEM
64 property owners owe city $16,223
for mowing and abatement services
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Kings Mountain Police seized marijuana, cash, a gun
and drug paraphernalia in a bust last week. Detectives
Sgt. C.N. Moore, left, Sgt. Lisa Proctor and Cpl. B.C.
Burnette are pictured with Mayor Rick Murphrey, right.
During the past week Kings Mountain
Police have seized three-quarters of a
pound of marijuana and 2 ounces of
cocaine in two unrelated cases.
Marvin Shawn Ezzell of 803 4th Street
was arrested Aug. 17 for possession of
cocaine. Ezzell was jailed in the Cleveland
County Detention Center in Shelby.
The street value of the drug is estimated
at $3,000. Police also seized a loaded 25 cal-
iber automatic pistol, $600 in cash and
drug paraphernalia from the residence.
On Aug. 19, officers stopped Jose Luis
Hernandez Nava, 25, of 561 Crocker Road,
Kings Mountain on suspicion of driving
while impaired. During the arrest, Cpl. J.C.
Shull and other officers established cause
to search the vehicle. They discovered 2
ounces of cocaine and 2 ounces of an
unidentified substance. When processed
into crack, the drug has a street value
between $5,000 and $10,000, according to
Detective Sgt. Lisa Proctor.
See Drugs, 3A
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
&) |
Overgrown grass and other nui-
sances are getting costly for Kings
* Mountain. A total of 64 property
owners have racked up $16,223 for’
mowing and other abatement serv-
ices over the past five years.
“It ends up being costly to the
taxpayers,” said Holly Black, direc-
tor of building codes and zoning
enforcement. A
Around 11 property owners make
up the bulk of the debt with some
owing close to $1,000. If the num-
bers get much higher it will be cost
effective for the city to begin legal
action, Black said.
Last year the city investigated 249
cases of overgrown grass. Lawn
care companies were contracted to
mow 68 times. The companies are
hired on a rotating basis.
According to Black, 11 of those
were repeat offenders. Many of the
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
This yard is among several within
the Kings Mountain city limits
cited for overgrown grass.
yards mowed were rental proper-
ties. Invoices are sent to property
owners, not residents.
So far this year 128 investigations
have been conducted with 25 result-
ing in the city having to cut the
+ See Grass, 2A
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