BE ea
i
ENT
The Kings Mountain Herald
Page 7A
March 10, 2005
Loos bt
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Grover Town Council voted
Monday night four to one to create
its own police department.
The town is terminating its con-
tract with the Cleveland County
Sheriff's Office to provide Grover a
deputy 40 hours per week. The
contract ends June 30. That agree-
ment will cost the town $58,300 by
the end of fiscal year 2004-2005,
according to Mayor Robert Sides.
Sides says Grover will have to
spend $53,000 the first year to start
its own department. The depart-
ment would start with one officer.
Costs will run around $45,000
annually after that.
Commissioner Bill Willis who
cast the lone dissenting vote
argued that the town cannot afford
its own department. He argued
that the town would attract young,
motivated officers who would use
the job to gain experience and then
move to larger departments. Sides
countered that that situation hap-
pens in Kings Mountain, Shelby
and other cities.
Commissioner Max Rollins
argued that currently the town has
no one to enforce its ordinances.
He cited the junked car ordinance.
Nor does the town have anyone to
monitor traffic around Grover
Elementary.
“If we want police in Grover we
are going to have to have our
own,” Rollins said.
Rollins said he had studied job
advertisements in police maga-
zines. Towns around the size of
Grover were offering approximate-
ly $28,000 in annual salary for
chiefs of police.
Sides advocated a community
policing style for the town.
“I don’t mean anything disre-
spectful. It’s not a personal issue.
There will be some changes,” Sides
said.
Sides, who formerly worked as a
police officer in Grover, maintains
law enforcement certification. He
offered to train the new chief.
“If I have to walk the streets
with them to show them what to
do I will,” he said.
Before the vote Lawndale Police
Chief John Ruppe talked with the
council on how that town formed
its own department two years ago.
Lawndale is giving Grover a used
patrol car. Ruppe explained how
the town can access military sur-
plus equipment. :
During the public comment peri-
od at the close of the meeting, an
unidentified member of the audi-
ence asked when Grover would
approve alcohol sales. She said this
would allow more municipal serv-
ices without higher taxes.
Sides said he supported putting
the issue before citizens in a refer-
endum. He acknowledged some
individuals don’t approve of alco-
hol.
“Just because it’s there you don't
have to buy it,” Sides said.
Willis said alcohol sales were not
a big issue because it was available
over the South Carolina line which
is adjacent to Grover.
Commissioner Jackie Bennett
said it could bring nicer restau-
rants to the town. She said allow-
ing Sunday sales could make up
for the revenue Grover has lost to
South Carolina. That state does not
allow alcohol sales on Sunday.
Commissioners Rollins, Barry
Toney and John Harry declined
comment.
Council approved a plan to dis-
allow left turns in and out of
Clean up graves
at Mountain Rest
Mountain Rest Cemetery
superintendent Dorus
Bennett is asking all persons
with grave plots to clear
them of all old flowers,
lights and other accessories
immediately so the cemetery
can begin preparing for the
Easter season.
Hospital officer
to speak at church
New Byhum'’s Chapel
A.M.E. Zion Church, 213
North Cansler Street, Kings
Mountain, will hold a health
awareness program Tuesday
at 7 p.m. in the Family Life
Center.
Guest speaker is Sheri De
Shazo, RN, Vice
President/Chief Nurse
Executive and Chief
Operating Officer at Kings
Mountain Hospital. She will
speak on the current expan-
sion and future growth of
Kings Mountain Hospital.
The program is free and
open to the public.
Refreshments will be served.
For more information call
739-9586, 739-2606 or 730-
0027.
Raiders first
in duckpins
Allen’s Raiders grabbed
the lead on the first night of
the fourth quarter in mixed
duckpin bowling action
Thursday at Dilling Heating.
The Raiders swept
Tommy's Strike Force 8-0
behind a 136 line and 375 set
Merck’s Murderers 6-2. Ed
Philbeck led the Warriors
with a 118 lie and 340 set
and Pernell Byers led the
Murderers with a 106 line
and 310 set.
BRGS to meet
Sunday in Shelby
Kim Wetmore, director of
the Genealogy Department
of Catawba County Library,
will speak on “How to
Prove Your Civil War
Ancestor” at Sunday’s meet-
ing of the Broad River
Genealogical Society at 3
p.m. at the Neal Senior
Center, H.T. Harris Drive,
Shelby.
Cleveland County NC
Heritage Books Volume II
will be available after the
meeting.
Gaston AAUW
to have fund raiser
The Gaston Regional
Branch of the American
Association of University
Women is holding its annual
Fun For Fellowships
Thursday, March 17 at the
fellowship hall of First ARP
Church, 317 South Chester
St., Gastonia.
Dinner will be served at
6:30, followed by a variety of
games. Door prizes will be
awarded at 9:30.
Tickets are $10. All profits
go to the assocation’s educa-
tional foundation, which
grants fellowships for
women working beyond the
master’s level.
For more information call
853-2822.
AARP meeting
at Patrick Center
The Kings Mountain
Chapter of AARP will meet
Tuesday, March 15 at 1 p.m.
at the Patrick Center, 909
East King Street.
Tammy Patterson and
Patti McMurray from
Hospice will present a pro-
gram on Palliative Care.
Hospice is celebrating its
20th year in Cleveland
County.
The AARP will also meet
on Tuesday, April 19 at 1
p.m. Persons ages 55 and
over are invited to join.
Diabetic screening
set at Patrick Center
Free diabetes blood glu-
cose screenings will be given
Tuesday, March 22 from 10
a.m-2 p.m. at the H.
Lawrence Patrick Senior Life
and Conference Center, 909
East King Street, Kings
Mountain.
The event is sponsored by
Cleveland Regional Medical
. Center.
For more information call
the Patrick Center at 734-
0447.
Legislative breakfast
set at Patrick Center
The annual legislative
breakfast will be held Friday,
April 8 at 7:30 a.m. at the
Patrick Center, 909 East King
Street, Kings Mountain.
The cost is $6 per person.
Local and state legislators
will be on hand to discuss
issues involving senior citi-
tors questions about any Senior Games set
issue.
Tickets may be obtained at
the Patrick Center or
Cleveland county Council
on Aging in Shelby.
Reservations are necessary
by April 1. For more infor-
mation call The Patrick
Center at 734-0447 or
April 18-21.
18 at Gardner-Webb
in Cleveland County
Opening ceremony for the
sports competition is April
Grover Elementary from 7 to 8:30
a.m. and 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. The
town now will have to request per-
mission from the state Department
of Transportation.
Council members discussed a
recent rash of vandalism. An elec-
tric meter in the park bathroom
has been smashed twice, according
to Willis. Cars have been vandal-
ized at the town hall. Items were
taken from cars parked at First
Baptist Church on Sunday morn-
ing.
Wittis questioned if terrorism
laws could be used in the prosecu-
tion. He said the problem is par-
ents not controlling their children.
Some progress had been made in
finding the offenders, according to
Willis.
Andie Brymer can be reached at
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.c
om or 704-739-7496.
the Patrick Center, 909 East
King Street, Kings Mountain
or call 734-0447 for more
information.
Senior Games for adults 55
year of age and older will be
held in Cleveland County
BRIEFS DEADLINE
Deadline for receiving
briefs is 12 noon Monday.
Bring them by the Herald,
call 739-7496, fax 739-0611 or
Council on Aging at 482- : ! e mail
3488. University. gstewart@kingsmountain-
For an entry packet, goby parald.com
Income tax help
at Patrick Center
AARP volunteers will be
at The Patrick Center in
Kings Mountain Tuesday,
March 15 to help senior citi-
zens with income tax coun-
seling and form preparation.
Middle and low income
taxpayers age 60 and older
may receive the services.
The Senior Center also
offers a State Health
Insurance Information
Program (SHIIP) that helps
| was in an accident
. Medicare beneficiaries and ® yesterday and
their families make health ® before | even got
insurance choices. 9) ;
For more information call home from the hos
Carolyn Bell, SHIIP coun-
selor, at 734-0447.
sign a release.
Senior Tar Heel should | do?
cards available
Senior Tar Heel Cards for
North Carolinians age 60
and older are available at ® with the train acci-
the Patrick Center, 909 East dent down in South
King Street, Kings Carolina. Many insurance
Mountain.
Card holders receive dis-
counts at numerous busi-
nesses in the state.
To obtain a card, go to the
Senior Center. Take identifi-
cation such as a driver
what are
from Allen Myers. - zens. The public is invited to Jjcense or social security claim that this is to benefit
The KM Warriors defeated attend and may ask legisla- card. ; the people in the wreck and
to promptly address their
VOTING enough poll workers to staff Blanton said the Kings elections. claims. However thelr geil
more than three sites. Mountain voting site would The proposed Boiling is the same as it is in almost
From 1A Westmoreland said workers cost between $12,000 and Springs site is located at the all facets of their business.
Cleveland County more
accessibility.” Wells accused
the GOP of having earlier
fought satellite voting.
Westmoreland denied that
charge saying a plan submit-
ted by Democrats put
polling places in areas with
Democrat majorities.
Westmoreland said it
would be hard to find
would again be an issue if
the voting period was longer
than six days.
“There’s a very real issue
in getting the right person
and getting them trained
right,” he said. “Not every-
.one can work a poll.” Poll
workers make around $10
an hour and are primarily
retired individuals.
Elections Director Debra
$15,000 to operate. Blanton
would not offer an opinion
on the plan itself.
Ruth Wilson, a Republican
member of the county board
of elections, called the plan a
“good idea.”
If the plan is approved,
Kings Mountain will act as a
pilot during its November
city council and mayoral
town hall. The third site
would be located in
Lawndale at the Upper
Cleveland Rescue building.
Both the mayors of Kings
Mountain and Boiling
Springs endorsed the ‘plan.
claims.
Andie Brymer can be
reached at
abrymer@kingsmountain-
herald.com or 704-739-7496.
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the partial checks issued by
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language that they were full
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This column provides general information only and is not a substitute for specific
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the column's author or Harris Ragan Patterson and Rodgers is intended or implied.