Thursday, January 6, 2005
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Trisha Beaver, an LPN with the Cleveland
County Health Department, prepares a flu
vaccine at the Kings Mountain Clinic
King Day
oratorical
contest
January 17
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Eight Kings Mountain
High School students will
compete in a Martin Luther
King Day oratorical contest
Jan. 17.
Two students each will
represent ninth through
12th grade. Students will be
selected to read essays they
have written on “what the
dream means to me.”
The City of Kings
Mountain first sponsored
the contest four years ago.
During the first few years,
participants read King’s “I
have a dream” speech. Then
organizers changed the
focus to essays.
Past winner Tyree Surratt
will read the famous
address. St. Peters
Missionary Baptist Choir,
the International Gates of
Dance, Kings Mountain
High School and St. Peters
step teams will perform.
Donna Huie-Brooks of
TV 33 will serve as mistress
of ceremonies.
The event begins at 6:30
p.m. at the Joy Performance
Center and is free and open
to the public.
20/20 group
to meet with
KM Council
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Cleveland County
Chamber of Commerce offi-
cials will pitch their 20/20
Partnership to the Kings
Mountain City Council
Friday afternoon.
The Chamber hopes to
raise $3.5 million in an
effort to expand the existing
business and industrial
base, recruit higher paying
See 20/20, 3A
Vol. 117 No. 1
KINGS MOUNTA
Since 1889
Popular antique
tractor show
becoming New
Year's tradition
50 Cents
e flu shots
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
A steady stream of patients
are rolling up their sleeves and
getting a flu shot at the
Cleveland County Health
Department’s Kings Mountain
site.
Staff started administering the
vaccine Monday morning. By
Tuesday afternoon they had
given approximately 50 shots.
The county received 1,100 doses
from state officials late last
week.
Vaccine shortages in late 2004
meant many folks went without
the shot. This round of vaccine is
limited to individuals ages 50 to
64 and out-of-home caregivers
and household contacts of per-
sons at risk. High risks people
include those aged 65 and older,
children less than two-years-old,
pregnant women and people
with chronic health problems.
Mountain office is open from
8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30
p.m.
Nine cases of the flu have
been reported. this year in North
Carolina, according to Gay
Melton, adult health supervisor.
The 2004-2005 flu season is
expected to peak in February,
Melton said. The vaccine takes
10 to 14 days to become effec-
tive.
Some common sense health
Those include frequent-hand
washing, eating right and get-
ting adequate rest and exercise.
Symptoms of the flu include
extreme fatigue, severe muscle
and joint ache and sometimes a
dry cough. In addition to these
symptoms, children may exhibit
nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Adults may be contagious one
day before becoming sick and
three to seven days after the first
symptom, according to the.
The shot is free. The Kings
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Alicia Guinn works out on the stationary bike.
She has lost 14 pounds since joining the YMCA
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
life. As a teenager, he was stopped and
cited by Highway Patrol Officer J.R. Reid.
Initially Allen wasn’t happy about the
ticket but then realized the officer's
demeanor was one he wanted to emulate.
“Tt was his mannerisms, professional
image,” Allen said.
After graduating from Kings Mountain
High School and working three years as a
machinist at Reliance Electric, Allen
Basic School. That was 1987. .
Cleveland County's 15 troopers, two ser-
A speeding ticket changed David Allen's
entered the North Carolina Highway Patrol
Today Allen is a First Sergeant supervising
geants and administrative assistant. Before
that he was stationed in Asheville,
Charlotte and Gastonia. Allen has two
rules - enjoy the job and work well with
others.
Allen says the patrol is a career, not just
a job. The camaraderie, professionalism
and traditions of the organization which is
celebrating its 75th anniversary this year
translate to high employee retention,
according to Allen.
While the patrol is most widely known
for investigating traffic accidents and issu-
ing citations, the organization has other
roles. Homeland security and responding
to natural and man made disasters, work-
ing with other law enforcement agencies
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
First Sgt. David Allen knows §
what it’s like to get a ticket
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Chad Roberts, who has lost 50 pounds over the past two years, lifts weights at the Kings Mountain
Family YMCA.
No time like present
for getting in shape
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Getting in shape may be one of the most fre-
quently made New Year's resolutions. Three
Kings Mountain residents share their fitness
stories as an inspiration to others that may be
considering shedding some pounds.
Chad Roberts, 16, lost 50 pounds over two
years. Roberts, who races motocross dirt bikes,
was encouraged by the father of a friend and
fellow racer to work out. Taking the pounds off
improves racing speed.
As a young child Roberts was thin.
“Then I just started laying around, eating,”
he said.
Roberts would snack on ice cream and chips
well past 9 p.m.
Two years ago he started working out on a
step machine, then he added a five-mile jog.
After joining the Kings Mountain Family
YMCA Roberts started lifting free weights and
riding a stationary bike.
See Shape, 3A
tips may keep the flu at bay.
health department.
New school
board to see
first election
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Four Cleveland County Schools board seats are
up for re-election in November. Those include
seats held by at-large members Chairman Dr.
George Litton, Mary Evans and Dr. Steve Curtis
and appointed member Terry McClain.
Litton would not speculate Tuesday on whether
he would run again.
“It’s a little early,” he said. “We're still about a
year away.”
Litton did say that regardless if he ran he
would still be interested in working with young
people. Litton retired ‘as principal of Crest High
School in 1995. :
The other five members’ seats are up in 2007.
All members with the exception of McClain were
part of the board appointed in 2000 when
Cleveland County initiated a merger of the coun-
ty’s then three school systems. The staggered
terms come up for re-election based on the merg-
er plan. Under that plan, all seats eventually end
up being for four years.
McClain was appointed by the board in 2004 to
replace the seat held by Dr. Larry Allen. Allen had
to leave the board when he was hired as superin-
tendent of then Kings Mountain District Schools.
McClain served on the former KMDS board.
Stella Putnam who served on the KMDS board
said she has not yet decided if she will run for the
Cleveland board.
“I certainly support the schools. We've got great
people on the board,” she said. “I want it to keep
See Election, 3A
School Board may discuss
hearing on attendance lines
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer :
The Cleveland County Schools board will meet
Monday night at the county office building on
Post Road at 7 p.m.
While the agenda has not yet been set,
Chairperson Dr. George Litton said the board may
discuss holding a hearing on moving attendance
lines at Elizabeth Elementary and setting a calen-
dar for the 2005-2006 academic year.
While Elizabeth Elementary is located in
Shelby, policies established around changing its
lines will set precedent for the rest of the system.
As the system expands with a fifth high school
and middle school, more attendance lines will be
See Board, 3A
on drug interdiction task forces and addi-
tional joint projects are part of the job.
See Allen, 3A
North Carolina Highway Patrol First Sgt. David Allen supervises troopers across
Cleveland County and is active in the community.
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
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