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ne IN,
Thursday, May 19, 2005
SMASH
HIT
Police say man
rams car into
music store,
steals guitars
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
A Dallas man was jailed -
after he allegedly used his
car to knock out a door and
window at Cleveland
Music.
Timothy Darrell Davis,
46, of 206 West Gibbs Street,
was arrested early Monday
morning by Dallas Police
who charged him in con-
nection with other inci-
dents. Davis also faces
felony breaking and enter-
ing, felony larceny and
damage to property charges
in the Cleveland Music inci-
dent, according to Kings
Mountain Police. Davis was
jailed in Gaston County.
A witness saw the inci-
dent and noted the license
tag number which police
used to track the suspect.
Several guitars were
stolen and some have been
recovered, according to
KMPD Sgt. C. Moore.
The incident happened at
approximately 8:57 p.m.
Sunday. No one was
injured. Moore said he is
not aware of other incidents
in Kings Mountain of a
vehicle being used to obtain
entry into a building.
Video poker
fines upheld
by KM Board
of Adjustment
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
The Kings Mountain
Board of Adjustment
Tuesday afternoon upheld a
Planning Department deci-
sion on video poker
machines at Little Dan's,
726 York Road.
Last month the store
appealed the department's
request that they remove
two machines. The store
also faces a $69,000 fine.
The fines have accrued
since Jan. 31, 2001 when a
city ordinance went into
effect requiring video poker
operators secure a condi-
tional use permit.
According to Zoning
Administrator Holly Black,
Little Dan’s did not apply
for the permit. Black
believes the store had the
machines before Jan. 31,
2001 based on information
from the Cleveland County
Sheriff's Department.
No one from Little Dan's
was at the Monday meeting
nor at the April meeting.
In cases like this, typical-
ly the store owner either
removes the machines and
pays the fines or the matter
goes to court. Taking the
store owner to court would
require a vote by city coun-
cil.
Grad section
inside Herald
A special section in today’s
Herald salutes the 2005
graduates of Kings
Mountain High School and
Hope Christian Academy.
KMHS graduation is
Saturday morning at 10
o'clock at John Gamble
© Stadium. Be sure to see spe-
cial parking instructions in
the graduation section.
The section begins on 1B.
Vol. 117 No. 19
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Appreciation of others who
helped them achieve tremendous
success in sports was a common
theme for the three men and one
ball team inducted into the Kings
Mountain Sports Hall of Fame at its
18th annual ceremony Saturday
night at Kings Mountain High's B.N.
Barnes Auditorium.
While Coach Denny Hicks, base-
ball slugger Paul Brannon and pro-
fessional spftball sensation Rusty
Bumgardner all had exceptional ath-
letic ability and could have achieved
much on their own, they were quick
to recognize family, coaches, team-
mates and the community for their
support.
In all cases, it was evident that
while sports has been important to
them, the'single most important fac-
~ pushing me day in and day out I
Since 1889
tor in their success was family.
Brannon, who is still the North
Carolina home run king 16 years
after leading the Mountaineers to
the 1989 state championship, said
the “single most important” person
in molding his baseball talent was
his father, Dean Brannon.
He recalled as an 8-year-old little
leaguer in Asheville, that he sat on
the bench more than he played. In
one game, his team was losing by
two runs, it was two outs in the bot-
tom of the fifth, and he was the only
kid that hadn't played. He was
called on to pinch hit, and hit his
first grand slam ever.
From that point on, he said he and
his father “worked and worked and
worked” to hone his baseball skills.
“Had it not been for my father
never would have accomplished
See Hall, 12A
50 Cents
KM Council
Ingjde...
ner KM star
makes USA
lal volleyball
team
2A
to look at
pay hikes
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Some of the city’s lowest paid workers may be getting a
raise.
During a Friday morning work session Councilman Jerry
Mullinax advocated for increasing the pay of cemetery
maintenance workers. Sanitation and street maintenance
workers also were included
in the discussion.
Mullinax wanted to bring
the workers up to $10 an
hour which he said in an
interview Tuesday consti-
tutes.a “decent salary.”
“A lot of them do a real
good job and they don’t get
paid for it,” Mullinax said.
The raises which are writ-
ten into the 2005-2006 budg-
et may not be that high but
will be “well above” the
three percent cost-of-living
increase budgeted for all
“A lot of them
do a real good
job and they
don’t get paid
for it.”
Jerry Mullinax
City Councilman
employees, according to City Manager Greg McGinnis.
Raising the lowest paid workers to $10 an hour would
make their salaries comparable with equipment operators,
McGinnis said.
The budget also includes money for a formal salary study
to address inequities.
“That will tell us where our people stand,” McGinnis
said.
Currently, some new hires, after the probationary period,
are making as much as someone who has worked at the Sty
a few years.
The study also will look at job titles and descriptions. ts ;
See Council, 5A rE Wo 1
GARY STEWART JH HERALD
Three individuals and the 1989 state championship KMHS baseball team
were inducted into the Hall of Fame Saturday night at B.N. Barnes
Auditorium. Left to right are retired KMHS football coach Denny Hicks,
professional softball star Rusty Bumgardner, Coach Bruce Clark repre-
senting the ‘89 Mountaineers, and North Carolina’s all-time prep home run
king Paul Brannon.
Baccalaureate held at KM
BY ANDIE L. BRYMER
Staff Writer
Face your fears, forget failures and rely on
faith was the message seniors heard during
Sunday night's
Baccalaureate service.
The Kings Mountain
Ministerial Association
sponsored the service held
at Barnes Auditorium.
Rev. Ron Caulder whose
daughter Sara is a member
of the Class of 2005 deliv-
ered the message. He called
graduation “a day of praise
and thanksgiving.”
“You would not have
made it where you are
tonight without the grace of
God,” Caulder said.
Referring to the New
Testament book of Timothy,
Caulder told the students
that fear does not come from
God instead love and self-
control do.
“Seniors, graduates, don’t
settle for mediocracy. Live
courageously, trust in the enablement of
God's Holy Spirit. Make wise choices,”
Caulder said. “Be a person of integrity.
Apply the principles of character education
when you go to college, the service or enter
he
a vocation.”
Caulder reminded the students that
Thomas Edison, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Albert
Einstein and Walt Disney had all suffered
failures but went on to succeed.
“Seniors I challenge you
tonight to never give up.
Your failures can be step-
ping stones to success,”
Caulder said.
He advised the students to
rely on God and seek out a
church or campus ministry.
“Graduates, if you're going
to run the race of life look to
Jesus,” Caulder said.
Senior Philip Bunch gave
his testimony, telling his
classmates that he had real-
ized Christ was at the center
of everything.
“My education really was
coming to know Christ and
giving his love to others,”
Bunch said.
Student Johnathan Frady
led a prayer and Megan
Wright read scripture. Class
President Marcus Jimson
gave the welcome.
Students Megan Wright, Amanda Hord
and Lindsey Carpenter signed as Christy
Billings sang “Go Light Your World.”
Stephanie Echols sang “Legacy.”
JOSEPH BYRMER/HERALD
Rev. Ron Caulder delivered the message Sunday night dur-
ing the KMHS baccalaureate service at B.N. Barnes
Auditorium. Left, Megan Wright reads scripture.