Thursday, September 22, 2005
Vol. 117 No. 38
Since 1889
#
50 Cents
Jenkins captains USA quad rughy team
Former KMHS athlete got involved after breaking neck
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
A Kings Mountain native is in Brazil
playing quad rugby in the World
Wheelchair Games this week.
David Jenkins is captain of the USA
Wheelchair Rugby Team. He also plays for
the Hoveround Gunners, a Florida team.
Jenkins has played for nine years. He got
involved while a patient at the Charlotte
Institute of Rehabilitation. Jenkins was
there after breaking his neck in a diving
accident at age 18. He played on a Queen
City team for three years before moving to
Bradenton, Fla. to play there.
Quad rugby players must have an
impairment in all four limbs. Each team
member is assessed a rating from .5 to 3.5
based on the severity of the impairment.
Four members are on the court at any given
time. Together, their rating cannot equal
over eight.
Players wear gloves taped to the wrists.
Their legs are taped into the chair. A ratchet
Inmates
charged
in attack
of jailer
James Douglas Bennett of
Kings Mountain, a
Cleveland County Sheriff's
Office detention officer, is
recovering from injuries he
received Monday morning
when he was attacked by
two inmates.
David William Pace, 32,
of 202 Morris Street, Kings
Mountain and Jason
Nicholas Alderman, 27, of
4465 Meadow Trail,
Cummings, Ga. have been
charged with attempted
murder, first degree kidnap-
ping, common law robbery
and misdemeanor escape in
connection with the inci-
dent, according to Sheriff
Raymond Hamrick.
Bennett, 64, was struck on
the head, face, arms and
legs with a piece of wood
thought to be a broom han-
dle. His handcuffs were
taken and used to cuff him
to a bed. He was gagged,
strangled and his hands
and legs were tied with a
piece of cloth, according to
the CCSO. He sustained a
broken ankle, Hamrick said.
After the attack two other
detention officers spotted
similar to what snowboarders use works as
a seat belt.
“You move, your chair moves,” Jenkins
explains. :
Jenkins is a class two, meaning he has
use of his triceps and biceps and strong
shoulders. His hands are weak and he has
no use of his abdominal muscles.
He trains seven days a week, working
out at a gym five days and “pushing” or
playing the other two.
Dedication to training earned him a spot
as an alternate to the Paralympic Games in
Greece last year. In December he'll try out
for the International Wheelchair Rugby
Federation World Championships which
are held in Christchurch, New Zealand. The
event is next summer.
Jenkins has a long sports history. While a
student at Kings Mountain High School, he
pitched for the school’s 1993 state champi-
onship team. Immediately following his
accident, he didn’t realize he could still
See Jenkins, 3A
GOFORTH GRAVEYARD RESTORATION
at Goforth’s grave was installed
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Kings Mountain native David Jenkins
competes at quad rugby.
Mountaineers
lose to Crest 7th
straight time
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Don Jenkins and Margaret Ledford, top photo, are restoring the Goforth Cemetery. Below, Preston
Goforth’s grave marker.
Two restoring cemetery plot
of Revolutionary War private
ANDIE BRYMER
1B
Mayoral
candidates
discuss
the issues
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Where do mayoral candidates stand on
issues? The Herald posed three questions to
the three individuals running for the office.
What is the role of the mayor?
Incumbent Rick Murphrey:
“The mayor is to work in close harmony
with citizens, city council, city manager and
staff to insure that Kings Mountain contin-
ues to prosper and provide a better quality
of life for all residents. Also, to be a
spokesperson for our city in marketing,
selling, promoting our city to attract new
jobs and to conduct the business [city coun-
cil] meetings.”
Murphrey also said that the mayor repre-
sents everyone, promotes unity, family val-
ues and personal growth in city associates
and the community.
Candidate Kyle Smith:
“To publicize the city. To praise Kings
Mountain every chance I get.”
According to Smith, former mayor Scott
Neisler said the mayor should be the
“biggest advertising agent you've got.”
“1 wholeheartedly agree,” Smith said.
Smith said when he was mayor previous-
ly the city went to a city manager form of
government.
“I think we've sort of gotten away from
it,” he said. =
Candidate Gilbert “Pee Wee” Hamrick:
“All he is supposed to do is attend the
meetings and let the city manager run the
city.
What role does the city play in econom-
ic development in light of there being no
economic development director? -
Murphrey:
“The city must continue to position itself
to attract additional new industry.”
Murphrey says this is done through
sound finances, incentive plans, upgrades
in infrastructure and support services, qual-
ity of life programming like downtown
revitalization, beautification and the
Gateway festival, an official city web site,
economic development brochure, land
development, an abundant water supply at
Moss Lake, visits with the Department of
Commerce in Raleigh, continued partner-
ships with the state and county EDC and
competitive tax and utility rates.
“We've done all of the above and we'll
continue to do so to attract new industry.”
Candidate Kyle Smith:
“The city, Cleveland County
Commissioners and the Cleveland County
Chamber of Commerce should work with
Alderman entering the con-
trol room. They locked him
in and waited on additional
officers to arrive. Alderman
tore ceiling tiles, light fix-
tures and air conditioning
duct work looking for an
escape, officials say. He did
an approximate $2,000 in
damage to the room.
Alderman was being held
on charges of trafficking
amphetamine and. cocaine
possession with intent to
sell. Other charges include
possession of a firearm by a
felon and possession of a
stolen firearm, reckless
driving, speeding to elude
arrest and larceny of a vehi-
cle. He is considered a fugi-
tive from Georgia.
CCSO officials say
Alderman had packed the
lock to his cell with paper
causing it to fail. This gave
him the opportunity to
leave his cell and assault
Bennett while he was hand-
ing out clean linens and
towels.
Bennett was treated and
released after the attack.
Sheriff Raymond Hamrick
said that when he visited
Bennett at the hospital after
"the attack he was more con-
cerned about his co-workers
than himself.
Revolutionary War private who
died at the Battle of Kings
Mountain is now being
restored.
Preston Goforth Jr. is buried
in the middle of what is known
as the Goforth Cemetery locat-
ed off Afton Drive.
Don Jenkins and Margaret
Ledford began clearing the
graveyard in early summer.
Brush and poison oak had
grown up around the wooded
cemetery. Of the graves which
were marked, many had dam-
aged headstones.
“We've still got a ways to
go,” Ledford said.
The marker that now stands
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com 2 et of a WPA project in
The long neglected grave of a Ledford and Jenkins hope to
get the cemetery incorporated
so it can be cared for in perpe-
tuity. Two Travel and Tourism
grants have funded the work so
far. Plans also include a gate,
landscaping, an official state
historical marker, foot stones for
all the graves and a marker list-
ing the names of everyone
buried there. The work would
make a good Eagle Scout proj-
ect, they say.
“This is a big part of our
area’s history,” Ledford said.
She fears the Revolutionary
War's significance is forgotten.
Over 800 men from this area
fought, Ledford said.
See Grave, 3A
Bell Tower ‘finally happening’
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
‘Workers are installing a ground
grid for a bell tower at Mountain
Rest Cemetery this week, according
to project coordinator Jim Belt.
“It’s finally happening,” Belt said
Tuesday morning.
Belt hopes to have the tower com-
pleted by Christmas. For the last
several years James Belt Ministries
has lit luminaries at the cemetery on
Christmas Eve attracting people
from across the region.
Last summer Belt asked the city
to become custodian of the money
he has raised to fund the bell tower.
Currently the balance stands at
$21,152, according to the city.
Concrete Speciality Contractors has
been paid $3,959 out of the fund for
work it did in March.
Belt said the idea for a bell tower
came from luminary volunteers who
noticed one area of the cemetery
stood bare. They discovered that
planners had originally meant for a
bell tower to occupy the spot.
Belt has raised funds for the bell
tower by selling memorial bricks.
industrial realtors to bring in industry.”
Hamrick declined to answer.
What is Kings Mountain's strongest
quality?
Murphrey:
“Kings Mountain is a loving, caring com-
munity and the people are the strongest
quality.”
Smith:
“I've lived all over before retiring from
the Navy. This is the nicest place to live.”
He cited low utility rates, low taxes and a
strategic location.
Hamrick:
“Its location.”
The Kings Mountain mayor and City
Council election is Tuesday, November 8.
See next week's Herald for City Council
candidates’ response to issues.
Candidate forum tonight at CCC
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Kings Mountain City Council and
mayoral candidates along with
Shelby City Council candidates will
participate in a forum tonight at
6:30 p.m. at Cleveland Community
College.
The Governmental Affairs
Division of the Cleveland County
Chamber is coordinating the event
which is open to the public.
The following Kings Mountain
Council candidates have confirmed
they will attend: Lamar Fletcher,
Tommy Hawkins, Keith Miller, Roy
“Butch” Pearson, Jr. and Dean
Spears.
Councilmen Carl DeVane and
Jerry Mullinax have declined the
invitation, according to chamber
officials. Mayoral candidate Kyle
Smith also has declined. Other can-
didates have not responded.
Candidates will be asked to
respond to questions prepared by
the forum committee. The questions
will not be made available in
advance. Each question will have
time limits from 30 seconds to two
See Forum, 3A
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