KINGS MOUNTAIN
The Heral
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Vol. 116 No. 47
%
Since 1889
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local students
8A
50 Cents
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
American heritage.”
peace.”
personal courage.
Kings Mountain paid tribute to its veterans last week
with a parade and ceremony.
“Our veterans have marched in and out of hell around
the world,” American Legion Commander Claude
Pearson told the veterans, their families and others
assembled at Mountain Rest Cemetery Nov. 11. “The sol-
dier above all prays for peace.”
Referring to the Sept. 11 attacks on America, Pearson
told the crowd that America has been lucky for a “good
long time” to avoid such.
“America is strong. We will stop terrorism,” he said.
Pearson remembered the men and women who have
set aside civilian pursuits to “preserve our precious
In his prayer, Pearson asked the Lord to “protect and
hold in your hand” the soldiers now serving.
Larry Deaver, 23rd District American Legion com-
mander, presented Mayor Rick Murphrey with a flag
remembering soldiers missing in action.
“You've held that banner high through some desperate
" times,” Murphrey told the crowd. “We're a grateful com-
munity. We remember their service in both war and
Murphrey lauded soldiers’ loyalty, duty, honor and
“Some have given the ultimate price,” the mayor said.
See Veterans, 2A
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i
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
One-year-old Kole Short, top photo, watches the Veterans Day parade go through downtown Thursday morning.
Below, members of the Kings Mountain Police Color Guard and the Loch Norman Pipe Band lead the march from
downtown to Mountain Rest Cemetery for the annual observance at Veterans Park.
The soldier
prays for peace
Action
delayed
on video
poker permit
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
The Kings Mountain
Board of Adjustment
delayed taking action on a
conditional use permit
request by Trent Testa
Tuesday night.
The request is for an
annual renewal of a permit
which would allow Kings
Mountain Truck Plaza to
keep its three video poker
machines for another year.
Paperwork from the
Cleveland County Sheriff's
Office could not be located,
according to City Planner
Steve Killian. The plaza is
located at 400 Dixon School
Road.
“I think he actually pro-
duced those last time,” said
Testa’s attorney Tim Moore.
The board tentatively
rescheduled its meeting for
Tuesday at 9 a.m. to give
Testa time to secure copies
of the paperwork. The
meeting will be held at city
hall and is open to the pub-
lic.
One Day at a Time
American Cancer Society urges smokers to
kick habit during Great American Smokeout
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Put down that cigarette. Give it up for
one day. It's the American Cancer Society’s
Great American Smoke Out. While the
annual stop smoking day started with grass
roots events in the early 1970s, it went
nationwide in 1977.
An estimated 46 million American adults
smoke despite the habit’s link to lung and
other cancers.
In honor of the smoke out, two former
smokers agreed to share their story with the
Herald.
Sandra Jenkins, 29, had puffed away since
age 13. Since getting involved with ACS’s
Relay for Life earlier this year, she tried to
uit.
2 “I knew it wasn 't good for me,” Jenkins
said.
The Antioch woman had watched her
aunt, a three-packs-a-day smoker, die of
emphysema.
“She really suffered,” Jenkins said.
She also feared what her example said to
the her church youth group.
“That's not a good role model,” Jenkins
said.
A smoking cessation inhaler didn’t work
for Jenkins. The burning sensation was too
uncomfortable. She considered either patch-
p<
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Employee takes a smoke break at Kings
Mountain business
es or pills but went cold turkey. The reason -
Jenkins discovered in August she was preg-
nant.
“The baby has no control over what I put
in my body,” she said. “It wasn't just me.”
Jenkins doubts whether she would have
been able to give it up any other way. She
wants to stay smoke free after the baby is
born.
“I know if I take one smoke it will take
See Smoke, 2A
a
KM City
Manager 1s
back on job
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
ak
Kings Mountains city manager was back on the job
Monday after a month-long leave of absence.
“I'm happy to be back,” Greg McGinnis said in a phone
interview Tuesday morning.
McGinnis declined to give
specifics of why he was out,
only saying he had “person-
al things I needed to take
care of.”
Council members also
have declined to say why
they gave McGinnis a leave,
citing confidentiality of per-
sonnel matters. McGinnis
said he was grateful that
Mayor Rick Murphrey and
council members had
worked with him.
The federal Family
Medical Leave Act only
applies to employees who
have been on the job a year
or more. However, under
the city’s policy, employees
can be granted up to a
year’s leave, apparently
without a stipulation on
length of employment.
McGinnis praised the job City Clerk Marilyn Sellars did
as acting city manager. He said Sellars told him it had been
a learning experience. He also credited department heads
and staff.
“I’m happy
to be back.”
Greg McGinnis
See Manager, 2A
‘Great Thing’
MRI equipment approved
for Kings Mountain Hospital
OR
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Kings Mountain residents will no longer have to choose
between going out of town or using a mobile MRI unit that
only visits on Sundays. Kings Mountain Hospital has been
granted permission to install a permanent machine at the
hospital.
“It will be a great thing for Kings Mountain,” hospital
vice-president Alex Bell said Monday.
Before purchasing an MRI and much other high tech
equipment, hospitals must get approval from the state
Division of Facility Services. This process attempts to pre-
vent unnecessary and costly duplication of services, state
officials say.
Kings Mountain Hospital competed with CaroMont
Health of Gaston County for permission to have an MRI.
CaroMont wanted to build a free standing facility in Kings
Mountain. During a public hearing last November, KMH
argued that it is safer for critically ill patients to use an in-
house unit than be transported by ambulance to a free-
standing facility. The in-house unit can also be accessed
faster.
“It’s the right thing for the Kings Mountain area,” Bell ~~ *
said about the state’s decision.
See MRI, 2A
City to light
Christmas tree
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Santa Clause will bring Christmas to Kings Mountain
Tuesday night.
The fire department will give Saint Nick a ride to
Mauney Memorial Library for the annual city tree lighting
at 7 p.m.
“Santa will be there to meet and greet the kids,” said Ellis
Noell, city events coordinator.
Stephanie Pasour’s kindergarten honors students from
East, North and West elementary schools will sing. The
Images Performance Group from Dance Reflections will
perform.
Mayor Rick Murphrey will read “Twas the Night Before
Christmas.”
Dr. Jeff Mauney and library Director Jeff Mauney will
speak.
A reception for Santa will follow in the Harris Children’s
Wing, downstairs meeting area.
The event is free and open to the public.
The city will holds its annual Christmas parade Dec. 4 at
See Christmas, 2A
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