KINGS MOUNTAIN
The Heral
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Vol. 117 No. 3
Since 1889
s-year-old
donates hair
to Locks of Love
1B
50 Cents
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
the Joy Performance Center.
Kings Mountain High School stu-
dents spoke about the influence of
mid-20th Century civil rights leader
Dr. Martin Luther King during an
oratorical contest Monday night at
First place winner Nicole Moore,
an 11th grader, credited King and
other civil rights activists for assuring
she had “the luxury of receiving an
education without having to have so
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
much conflict and controversy sur-
rounding me.”
Moore said she carried King’s
torch of peace and tolerance by
befriending people of different cul-
tures.
Second place winner Spencer
Erwin, a junior at KMHS, spoke
about a children’s tutoring program
he and his mother started. Erwin
described working with a first grader
who could neither read nor write.
The boy surprised Erwin when he
See King, 5A
<
JOSEPH BRYMER/HERALD
Tasha Feester, above, performs a lyrical dance during the Dr. Martin Luther King Day Oratorical Contest. Mistress
of Ceremonies Donna Huie Brooks, left, hugs contest winner Nicole Moore.
Nicole Moore wins
oratorical contest
Hospital construction nearing end
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
A $12 million building and renovation project
at Kings Mountain Hospital is expected to be
complete by year’s end, officials say.
The first phase, a new 4,000-square-feet physi-
cal therapy department, is slated for completion
in March. It will be housed in the former admin-
istration department located in the front of the
building.
The second phase, 27,000 square feet in emer-
gency and surgery space, should be occupied by
June. This portion of the project also includes
another 6,000 square feet in remodeling.
The new surgical department is located above
the new emergency department for quick trans-
fer of patients. The rooms will be bigger.
“It brings them up to current standards for
operating rooms,” said Alex Bell, KMH vice-pres-
ident.
The emergency department will include a sep-
arate entrance for patients using an ambulance.
See Hospital, 5A
Board to vote
on video poker
next Thursday
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Kings Mountain Board of
Adjustment will vote on
two video poker permit
renewals next Thursday.
The board held a public
hearing on the two applica-
tions late Tuesday after-
noon.
Board members quizzed
applicant Ken Hamrick
why the Mecklenburg
County Sheriff's
Department had signed off
on one of his video poker
machines. He will bring
appropriate documentation
to the meeting next week.
The machines are owned by
Mountain Associates and
located at 606 East King
See Poker, 2A
at Kings Mountain Hospital.
Mrs. Lena McGill, a Kings Mountain native, turned 99-
years-old in December.
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Construction continues on new emergency and surgical departments
— KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
‘A Wonderful Life’
for Lena McGill, 99
‘BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
At age 99, Lena McGill can look back
with contentedness and say “I've had a
wonderful life.”
The Kings Mountain native continues to
be a vibrant member of the Summit Place
Assisted Living Community.
Mrs. McGill was born and raised in a
downtown home behind the old Plonk
Brothers Store.
“I had wonderful parents,” she said.
“Especially my mama. She was beautiful,
calm, serene. People liked her.” :
Mrs. McGill met her husband John
McGill at Boyce Memorial Associate
Reformed Presbyterian Church.
KM Council
expected to
act on 10-year
pact with YMCA
Mullinax opposed to idea,
others lean toward approval
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
The Kings Mountain
Family YMCA's request for
a 10-year contract with the
city is expected to appear
on the city council agenda
next Tuesday.
In December council
voted five to one to adopt
a resolution of intent to
enter into the agreement.
Councilman Jerry Mullinax
who cast the lone dissent-
ing vote said Monday he
continues to oppose the
contract.
Mullinax praised the
YMCA but said he opposes
any 10-year contracts.
Long range contracts could
put a burden on future
council members who are
bound by terms they did
not vote on, according to
Mullinax.
Council member
Howard Shipp had not
made up his mind.
“I'm still praying, pon-
dering, thinking,” he said.
Shipp called the contract
a “big change from what
we've been doing.”
At-large council member
Houston Corn had not
made his final decision
either but appeared to lean
toward approval.
Last
“I don’t really have any
problem. A lot of people
use the Y,” he said.
Rick Moore, the city’s
other at-large council
member, said he did not
have a problem with the
10-year lease and said the
YMCA had done a good
job. Moore did say he
wanted to be sure every-
one could use the YMCA
regardless of finances.
The YMCA'’s We Build
People campaign raises
funds for individuals who
cannot afford membership
dues.
Mayor Rick Murphrey
hopes the council will give
the YMCA the 10-year con-
tract. The current contract,
signed in 1999, bound the
city and the YMCA until
2002 then gives automatic
renewals for the next seven
years unless one party opts
out. Murphrey said the sta-
bility of the contract would
help the YMCA expand.
Since 1999, the city has
paid the YMCA $300,000
annually to manage its
recreation program. The
contract would lock-in that
rate for the next 10 years.
David Ozmore, associate
director of operations for
the YMCA, called the cur-
See YMCA, 2A
Shot
Restriction lifted on flu vaccine
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Come Monday the restric-
tions on flu vaccine will be
lifted. The Cleveland
County Health Department
has 350 doses.
Late last year health offi-
cials across the country lim-
ited access to the shots
because of short supplies
due to manufacturing prob-
lems. Initially only the very
old, very young, those with
immune compromising con-
ditions and health care
workers were eligible.
On Jan. 24 anyone can get
the shot. Despite the timing,
it’s not too late to be immu-
nized.
“We haven't gotten to our
peak (flu season) yet,” said
Gay Melton, adult health
Supervisor.
The shot confers immuni-
ty after 10 days. As of Jan.
13, state officials have veri-
fied 24 cases of influenza.
The vaccine is free though
the health department will
bill Medicare and Medicaid
for administering the dose.
The shot is available at
the Kings Mountain satellite
office. It is open from 8:30
a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30
p.m. For more information,
call 704-730-1371.
“We grew up together.”
- Though early marriage was common
then, Mrs. McGill's mother encouraged her
to wait a few years. She took her mother’s
advice and majored in home economics at
Erskine College.
“I had a lot of friends. We had fun. We
followed the rules.”
After graduation she worked in South
Carolina before returning to Kings
Mountain.
The McGills married in 1933 in a lawn
ceremony at her parents’ home. The newly
married couple built a home across the
drive from her parents.
Mr. McGill worked as a pharmacist at
Kings Mountain Drugstore which he
See McGill, 5A
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