rt
GUEST
COLUMN
n
Teens at
KMHS are
compassionate
(ED. Note: Today The
Herald begins a bimonthly
column by Kings Mountain
High student Donna
Tackett. The column will
deal with news about peo-
ple and events at KMHS.
Look for Donna’s column
every other week).
BY DONNA TACKETT
I recently entered a local
store and proceeded to shop
casually.
After mak-
ing my
final selec-
tions, I
then head-
ed for the
checkout
counter. It
a 4 was at the
Donna Tackett checkout
KMHS News counter
8 that I
handed the clerk a $100 bill
with which I intended to
pay the cost of my selec-
tions. As soon as I handed
the clerk the bill, I received
such a look of suspicion that
would have caused the
Pope to question his
motives.
Why are teenagers
viewed with such constant
scrutiny? If you really think
about it, every age group
has its flaws. In fact, I
would be willing to say that
the mistakes made by
teenagers are equal in
amount to mistakes made
by adults. Sure, some
teenagers may steal a CD,
but some adults embezzle
company funds. Some
teenagers lie to their parents
and teachers, and some
adults lie to their spouses
and bosses. Some teenagers
cheat on tests, but then
again some adults cheat on
their other half. If both
groups are equal in the
amount of sins committed,
why should my group be
viewed in such a degrading
way?
I for one am sick of being
seen as a member of
“Generation X.” I wish that
the people who assigned
this name to my generation
would have taken a
moment to see what we are
really about. My generation,
“Generation X,” is actually
composed of some very
compassionate and caring
individuals.
A good example of this
compassion can be found at
Kings Mountain High
School. Recently an event at
the school named Pennies
for Patients raised money
for blood cancer research.
This endeavor was lead by
Mrs. Jackson whose class-
room is located in mobile
unit 12.
Another example of the
compassion of “Generation
X” can be found only a few
mobile units down in the
classroom of Senora Canipe.
It is in Senora Canipe’s
classroom that the Kings
Mountain Spanish Club
meets. In its second major
civic activity of the year, the
Spanish Club has decided to
host a book drive from
February 1 through 23. Led
See Donna, 5A
The Angels Battling Cancer Relay for Life team is accepting $1 donations for a chance to win this swing on display at
Kings Mountain City Hall. Members seated on the swing include Kayla Capps, left, Ethan Capps and Ashton Withers.
Standing around the swing are members Bryson Bailey, left, Colby Bailey, Morgan Scism, Micah Waters, Johnna Scism
and Taylor Davis. Other members are Lyndsey Murphey, Haven Sites and Lauren Ferrell. Norman Davis made the swing.
The ABC team also is selling chances on an afghan designed by breast cancer survivor Cathy Powell. Team members
range from ages one through 10. The team is leading the Kings Mountain Relay in money raised this year. To make a
donation, contact a team member or see Betty Mitchell at city hall.
Council vote
WAS a vote
for recreation
With a raging obesity epidemic, the
Kings Mountain City Council did the
right thing when it approved a 10-year
contract with the YMCA.
Here in Kings Mountain and across the country, we're
getting fatter and fatter. Over the past 100 years, we've
moved off the farm and into the office yet we continue to
eat like we've got 40 acres to plow. Recreation programs
give us a chance to work off some of those calories.
Is it the government's role to help us be healthy?
Maybe, maybe not. That debate could go on and on. The
real question is what's in the government's best interest. I
believe the answer is recreation spending.
The sicker people are, the more tax money must be
spent on Medicare and Medicaid. Illness leads to job loss.
That means less tax revenue coming in and more money
going out in welfare spending.
It’s cheaper to use our tax dollars on prevention.
Recreation programs are the ideal vehicle.
Another way to cut back on healthcare spending is to
eliminate tobacco use. The research is in. The golden leaf
causes lung and other cancers as well as respiratory ill-
nesses. Again, lost productivity.
I'm not naive enough to say we should ban tobacco.
We saw how well prohibition worked in the 1920s when
the government banned the sale of alcohol. That piece of
legislation spawned an enormous underground market.
Instead, do away with all public smoking. Limit light-
ing up to private vehicles and residences. No more smok-
ing areas. No more smelly ashtrays at the entrance of
businesses. No more puffing away in parks and other
public spaces.
I know, nicotine is addictive. Smokers will have a hard
time finding a place for their fix. That's the point. This
strategy may make continuing the habit harder than quit-
ting. :
1 a lighter note, I saw “Aviator,” the story of Howard
Hughes’ life, Friday night. The almost-three-hour movie
dragged a bit in the beginning but the last hour made up
for the initial sluggishness.
Film maker Martin Scorsese paints Hughes as a man
obsessed both with germs and building airplanes. The
heroic Hughes stands up to a congressman on the take.
He also finds time to romance Kathryn Hepburn who
goes on to break his heart. Definitely worth seeing.
Andie Brymer
Staff Writer
Andie Brymer can be reached at 739-7496 or
abrymer@kingsmountainherald,com i TEA
3% Af
What's your bid
for mooned rock
and certificate?
Isn't this a wonderful country?
A fellow from Belmont has parlayed
a styrofoam cup with a few table-
spoons of water into a flourishing
enterprise.
This guy attended an Elvis concert
in 1978, and after Elvis had left the building he picked up
the half finished cup of water from the stage and brought
it home. He says the king drank from the cup, and I have
no cause to doubt him.
The budding entrepreneur posted the water on E-bay,
and sold it for over $400. That worked out so well, he
decided to post the cup next.
As it turns out, a company submitted a bid to have the
man bring the cup to Boulder, Colorado. They won't say
how much loot changed hands, but the cup, along with
its owner is now on tour, and is available for exhibit.
I can just see myself paying an admittance charge to go
into an establishment and stare at a styrofoam cup. I put
that right up there with going out on I-85 in mid-August
to watch the recaps peel off.
I guess that’s no worse than paying big money for a
picture of a soup can, as some so-called art experts have
done.
I read somewhere last week that a woman has posted a
grilled cheese sandwich on E-bay, and the bidding has
reached $28,000. The lady took a couple of nibbles from
the sandwich, and before she could take another, noticed
the sandwich looked like the Virgin Mary, so naturally the
next thing to do was to auction her lunch on E-bay. What
a stroke of genius.
This just proves that mental illness strikes somewhere
in this country every six seconds. I am absolutely certain
that every inmate in every institution in the USA is
browsing the Internet constantly.
How about those moon rocks NASA put on tour
around the country? Thousands of people went to see the
moon rocks. They stood around and mumbled to each
other about how wonderful it was to be able to see a
moon rock.
Heck, I can look up almost every night and see where
moon rocks came from, and I don’t have to buy a ticket.
A couple of years ago, a baseball player for the Arizona
Diamondbacks spit out his wad of bubble gum, and a fan
spotted the sticky gob, scooped it up and sold it as base-
ball memorabilia.
Belle Acres Golf and Country Club on South Boulevard
See Heffner, 5A
Jim Heffner
Columnist
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
TG&Y was
coming back
to KM in ‘85
From the Thursday,
January 31, 1985 edition of
The Herald:
TG&Y Stores will reopen
its West Gate Plaza store in
Kings Mountain at 1316
Shelby Road on May 12.
TG&Y closed its Kings
Mountain store in October,
1984 but after extensive
efforts by Mayor John
Moss and the public decid-
ed to revaluate and consid-
er returning to Kings
Mountain.
The light snow which fell
in Kings Mountain
Monday didn’t look like
much to some folks, but it
was a welcomed sight for
young people who had a
day off from school
Tuesday.
The city commissioners
Monday night said it
would enforce an ordi-
nance requiring all resi-
dents to apply for and post
street numbers on all
buildings in the city.
Residents have until April
1 to comply with the ordi-
nance or face a misde-
meanor charge.
Painting has been Helen
Wells’ love since she was a
little girl and now she has
opened her own studio in
the old First Union
Building downtown.
Kings Mountain's
George Adams had his jer-
sey retired and dedicated
during last week's
Gardner-Webb-USC-Aiken
basketball game at G-W'’s
Paul Porter Arena.
Kings Mountain's Jerry
Adams has announced his
resignation as head football
coach at East Gaston High
School. Adams will remain
as the Warriors’ athletic
director.
Kings Mountain native
Andrea Huffstetler Beason
last week recorded her
100th coaching victory for
Ashley Junior High's girls
basketball team.
Kings Mountain defeated
Chase 76-53 Tuesday night
to regain first place in the
Southwestern Conference
with a 12-1 record. Lavar
Curry led the way with 20
points. Darrell Crocker had
15, Jerry Jordan 14 and
Lenny Rayford 10.
Albert Martin, of Route
5, Kings Mountain, sur-
prised a would-be robber
at his home Thursday.
Dawn S. Bowen, daugh-
ter of George E. and Lucille
C. Bowen of Route 4, has
been assigned to Sheppard
Air Force Base, Texas, after
completing Air Force basic
training.
Navy Seaman Terry L.
McClain, son of Charles L.
and Sally McClain of Route
5, has completed recruit
training at Naval Recruit
Training Command, San
Diego, CA.
SIDEWALK
SURVEY
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
THE HERALD
wu
What is
your best
Valentine’s
Day memory?
This guy I had been dat-
ing a few times, he came
by to give me roses.
Lisa Lacroix
Shelby
Spending time with some-
one special.
Tony Leach
Kings Mountain
i
cin SS SRR
I've had so many good My husband and I were
ones I'm afraid to say. playing hide and go seek.
Otis Falls He tried for two hours to
Fort Mill find me. I was sitting
among the grandkids
stuffed animals.
June Phifer
Kings Mountain
Last year when I met my
husband.
April Gass
Kings Mountain