MOORE
BILLS
KM Representative
backing amendment
defining marriage,
tax break for soldiers
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
A tax-break for soldiers,
closing a loophole in sex
offender registration laws
and a Constitutional
amendment banning gay
marriage are on:Rep. Tim
Moore’s agenda for this
year’s legislative session.
Moore, who represents
Cleveland County, learned
about the gap in the sex
offender law last year while
working on a child abuse
and neglect study commit-
tee. Under current law sex
offenders who move into
North Carolina are not
required to register with the
state, unlike individuals
convicted in North
Carolina.
If the law passes, new
residents who fail to regis-
ter will face felony charges.
The legislation calls for
“appropriate funds” to noti-
fy affected individuals.
While Moore said there is
no way to know exactly
how many people are
unregistered, he believes it’s
not a large group of people.
Moore said the cost will be
minimal. He doesn’t antici-
pate any opposition.
The Defense of Marriage
legislation would allow
North Carolina voters to
decide if the current legal
definition of marriage
should be given constitu-
tional status. At present the
law which defines marriage
as between one man and,
one woman is only an ordi-
nance. It could be overruled
by a judge. Giving it consti-
tutional status would mean
only the General Assembly
could reverse the law.
Moore said without the
amendment marriage could
include three or four peo-
ple.
“It undermines the fabric
which defines society and
familial relationships,” he
said.
Moore said he fears the
legislation will be buried in
committee by the majority
party. He has received calls
and emails from local folks
who are opposed to it.
The amendment would
not affect contracts between
individuals.
Another bill would
exempt active duty military
personnel including
National Guard soldiers
See Moore, 5A
Thomasson
is retiring
After 52 years of practic-
ing law in Kings Mountain,
George
Thomasson
is retiring.
Thomasson
officially
closed his
office on
West
Mountain
Street on
January 31.
THOMASSON Kings
Mountain native,
Thomasson'’s goal was
always to become a lawyer.
After two years of study at
Davidson College, his edu-
cation was interrupted by.
World War II, but after the
war he returned home and
completed his education at
Duke University.
During his professional
career in Kings Mountain,
he not only served citizens
in all types of law matters
but also served at times as
See Thomasson, 5A
James Ira Cable, 70 years.
KINGS MOUNTAIN
The Heral
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Vol. 117 No. 6 Since 1889
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
James and Ruth Hollifield, above, have been married for 61 years. Willie and James
Cable, below, have been married for 70 years.
Cables wed 70 years ago,
Hollifields married 61 years
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
whom died soon after birth. They raised
Staff Writer
a boy who was orphaned. Today he
works as a chef in Washington state.
Before retirement, Mrs. Hollifield
worked in the office at the Lilly Mill. Her
husband worked at J.P. Stevens and then
at Esther Mills repairing looms.
They have traveled with senior citizen
groups to Florida, Upper Reuben Falls in
Chattanooga and Williamsburg, Va.
While many of today’s marriages don’t
last, two area couples have made it well
past the 50 year mark.
James and Ruth Hollifield have been
married 61 years and and Willie and
The Hollifields married April 17, 1943
in Gaffney, S.C. She was 17 years old and
had just graduated from high
school. He was 18 or 19.
James Hollifield
was delivering
papers for the
The Cables married April
21, 1934 in Kings
Mountain after a year-
long courtship.
They were intro-
Greenville duced by his
News when \ brother who
he met his was married
bride. Her to her sister.
father also The cou-
worked for ple and their
the newspa- four children,
Glen, Betty,
Barbara and:
Phyllis, lived in
per’s circula-
tion depart-
ment. She had
accompanied iY ’ Gaston and
him on a delivery / Cleveland coun-
that fateful day. ties and also western
Their paths continued North Carolina and
to cross. eastern Tennessee.
Mr. Cable worked as cook for a
year while the Fontana Dam was built.
The family lived in a cabin near the con-
struction site. He also worked for Alcoa
Steel in Tennessee.
Daughter Betty Lewis says she learned
stability and give and take from her pats
ent’s marriage.
“Everywhere I went I saw
her,” James Hollifield said.
The couple believe God meant for
them to meet and marry. Faith is central
to the advice they give young people.
“Let the Lord find a mate for you,”
James Hollifield said.
Continuing to allow God the lead role,
enduring love and not taking on exces-
sive debt round out their philosophy of
marriage.
The couple had two children, both of
Andie Brymer can be reached at
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com or
704-739-7496.
Retirement not
in Bennett's plans
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Cemetery. He's been there
ever since.
Call it a job and Bennett
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
Turning 80 isn’t a good
reason to retire from full-
time employment, according
to Dorus Bennett. The octo-
genarian has worked for the
City of Kings Mountain for
19 years. He has no plans to
slow down despite reaching
his eighth decade last week.
Bennett retired from his’
first career at Bennett Brick
and Tile at age 60.
“I found out it (retirement)
wasn’t all it was cooked up
to be,” Bennett said. “I had
to be doing something.”
Bennett took what he
thought was a summer job at
Moss Lake in April, 1986. In
July city officials asked him
to work at Mountain Rest
will quickly correct that.
“What I do is a service.”
While Bennett doesn’t
believe in ghosts, he was
apprehensive about the job.
It was the prospect of deal-
ing with grieving people
which made him nervous.
‘He turned to three ministers.
They all gave him the same
advice - be a good listener.
“That's what I try to do. I
listen,” Bennett said. “I've
cried with lots of them. I've
prayed with lots of them.”
While Bennett accepts
death will come to everyone,
working with families who
have lost a child is never
easy, he said.
See Bennett, 5A
50 Cents
-r 5
tournament
1B
Bush speech
brings mixed
reaction here
Social Security, Iraq focus
of State of Union address
BY ANDIE L, BRYMER
Staff Writer
President George Bush's recent state of the union address -
is getting raves from area Republicans though local
Democrats aren't so impressed.
Republican Cleveland County Commissioner Ronnie
Hawkins said the speech was well thought out and well
delivered. Hawkins was happy to see Social Security
addressed. He believes the program has been an issue dur-
ing every presidential election.
“We can work together to see if it works (Bush's plan)
and be big enough if it isn’t to look in another direction,” he
said.
Hawkins believes the United States.is doing more good
in Iraq than news reports indicate.
“We've got a right to be proud of the troops and the Iraqi
people with elections,” Hawkins said.
Cleveland County Republican Party Chairman Wes
Westmoreland called Bush's speech “strong.”
“It’s obvious why he got more votes than anyone in his-
tory,” Westmoreland said.
He praised Bush for wanting to simplify the tax code and
change Social Security. Westmoreland liked the idea of asso-
ciational health care plans. These would allow different
companies within an industry to purchase health insurance
for employees at a less expensive rate. The associational
plans would not require more money just a change in the
law, he said.
Bob Maner, a Kings Mountain Republican, liked the
speech especially the part about the future of freedom in
See Bush, 5A
Grover to pay $5,000
for revitalization plan
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
.Grover Town Council
voted unanimously Monday
to spend $5,000 in hopes of
a revitalizing the town.
Grover will contract with
CMR Services to look for
infrastructure grants.
Officials hope this will
attract industry.
“They can give their pro-
fessional guidance on where
we can best focus our ener-
gies,” said Bill Willis, a town
commissioner.
Commissioner Barry
Toney likened the grant to
an investment.
Commissioner John Harry
agreed.
“If we don’t spend this
$5,000 we know what we're
going to get,” he said.
Commissioner Max
Rollins questioned if the
services were the same as
the Cleveland County
Chamber of Commerce's
20/20 economic develop-
ment program.
Earlier in the meeting
chamber officials pitched
their program to the council.
The chamber is asking
municipalities for their sup-
port. One portion of the pro-
gram is a data base of avail-
able commercial and indus-
trial properties.
“We know towns are
strapped. At least pass a res-
olution supporting an eco-
nomic development strate-
gy,” said Scott Darnell, sen- :
ior vice-president for eco-
nomic development.
While the chamber has
asked the City of Kings
Mountain for $90,000, no
amount was specified at the
Grover meeting.
In other business, council
unanimously approved a
one-year contract with the
Grover Women's Club to
run the concession stand at
the town park. Club mem-
See Grover, 5A
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Dorus Bennett, supervisor of Mountain Rest Cemetery, recently turned 80 years
old but has no plans to retire. He tried it one time and didn’t like it.