Thursday, October 27, 2005
Vol. 117 No. 43
KINGS MOUNTAI
The Heral
Since 1889
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50 Cents
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KMHS kickers
tie East in final
home game
10B
GOP wants
Geddings off
new lottery
commission
WKMT owner says he’s
the only person on the
board with experience
: NDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Republicans are calling on Kevin
Geddings, owner of WKMT, to step down
from the newly formed North Carolina
Lottery Commission. Geddings calls the
request partisan politics.
In a press release issued last week, GOP
party Chairman Ferrell Blount makes refer-
ences to “news reports earlier published
that Geddings had a previous business rela-
tionship with Alan Middleton, who is now
a vice president with Scientific Games - a
major lottery vendor.”
Geddings said Monday
that he disclosed what he
calls a long time family
friendship immediately
upon being appointed.
Geddings has pledged
to recluse himself from
any votes concerning
Scientific Games. Blount
wrote “there is no point
on having a lottery com-
missioner who cannot
fulfill all of his duties.”
Geddings contends that the Republican
leadership has never been in favor of an
education lottery.
Geddings said that he served as a volun-
teer chairman of the effort to pass a lottery
in South Carolina. He was the chief of staff
for that state’s governor Jim Hodges when
the lottery was implemented in South
Carolina.
Geddings said he was chosen for the
North Carolina Lottery Commission
because of his experience. He also said he is
the only person on the nine-member com-
mission who has this experience.
Commissioners are not salaried,
Geddings said.
Geddings wrote an editorial in the June
23, 2005 Kings Mountain Herald supporting
the lottery. His company, Geddings and
Phillips Communications, created all the
television and radio advertising in the suc-
cessful statewide referendum for an educa-
tion lottery in Tennessee.
FCC approves
sale of WKMT
to Danny Fontana
- ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
GEDDINGS
- The FCC has approved the sale of WKMT
to Danny Fontana, according to current
owner Kevin Geddings.
A Now. 30 closing is expected, according to
Geddings.
Fontana’s CRN Communications immedi-
ate plan is to upgrade the signal from 1,000
watts to 10,000 watts, according to Casey
Shannon, vice-president of operations.
According to a rough estimate by Shannon,
listeners will be able to pick up the signal
from western- most North Carolina to north
of Charlotte.
It is not known at this time if there will
be programming changes.
“We've made no definite decisions on
that,” Shannon said.
According to an August 25 Charlotte
Observer article, Fontana plans to make
WKMT “the home of his syndicated faith-
lifestyle talk show and a noontime local
financial program, ‘Lunch Money.”
Geddings and his wife Kris Geddings,
who own Geddings and Phillips
Broadcasting, purchased the station in
September 2004 from founder Jonas
Bridges.
Fontana is the host of The Danny Fontana
Show.
According to the show's website, recent
guests have included US Representative
Robin Hayes, Rabbi Benny Elon, Mark
Sutherland and Cindy Costano. The website
describes the show as looking at issues
“from a political, economic and spiritual
perspective.”
Aa
How economic development works
in Kings Mountain, Cleveland County
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Economic development is a partnership
between the state, cities and the county,
local officials say.
Kings Mountain has a voice on a new
seven-member Cleveland County Chamber
of Commerce executive board for economic
development formed in September. Kings
Mountain Mayor Rick Murphrey serves
along with county Commissioner Willie
McIntosh and Shelby’s mayor. Adelaide
Craver of First National Bank, Sandra
Keeter of Keeter Motors, Lloyd Williams of
Carolina Energies and citizen representative
Gary Boggs of Fallston round out the
board.
“It’s more of a true board, representative
of Kings Mountain, Shelby, the county,”
said Scott Darnell, Chamber senior vice-
president for economic development. “I
don’t think you can get more of a partner-
ship than that.”
Committees, formed to carry out the
Chamber’s 20/20 Campaign, will answer to
this board. The 20/20 Campaign calls for
recruiting new business and industry,
expanding and retaining existing business
and industry, marketing, work place devel-
opment and quality of life.
City managers from Kings Mountain,
Shelby and Boiling Springs along with the
Cleveland County manager serve in a non-
voting capacity on the board.
The city has supported county-wide eco-
nomic development efforts the past two
years with $30,000 contributions each year,
according to City Manager Greg McGinnis.
The Chamber’s Economic Development
Commission works with local industrial
real estate brokers including Coldwell
Banker, John Barker and Bill Chambless
and regional Charlotte brokers to bring
business and industry to the area, Darnell
said.
Cleveland’s EDC is a member of the
Charlotte Regional Partnership. The 16-
—FRIGHT NIGHT
Haunted Trail volunteers at Gargoyles on Battleground Rd. include Gwynneth Kelley,
left, front, Joe Burns and Samantha Kelley, Jennifer Stillwell, left, rear, Joan Gunther,
Dawne Burton and Bodean the Grim Reaper.
Caution urged on Halloween,
Daylight Savings Time to end
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Kings Mountain Fire Departments
reminds the public to use care with
Halloween decorations.
This year a special emphasis is being
placed on snuffing out candles.
Candles should never be left unattend-
ed nor placed near flammable items. Use
extra caution when burning candles near
small children. Before throwing away a
candle, place it in a cup of water for a few
minutes to keep it from re-igniting in the
trash. Do not overload electrical outlets
with Halloween lights and only use
approved drop cords out of doors.
Fire Chief Frank Burns said he antici-
pates a lot of people will use alternative
heating sources due to higher fuel prices
this winter. He advises following factory
recommendations.
“Don’t buy something you don’t know
how to operate,” he said.
As the weather gets cooler, all heating
devices should be checked and chimneys
cleaned.
See Caution, 2A
county organization markets the region
nationally and globally.
While the emphasis is on working togeth-
er, what happens when two areas in
Cleveland County are recruiting the same
industry?
“The company chooses. Everyone will
have the opportunity to present their case,”
Darnell said.
. McGinnis said he had not seen instances
of intra-county competition for new indus-
try. He added that development in one area
of the county benefits the entire county.
The county needs more industrial land;
according to Darnell. The county’s industri-
al park located in west Kings Mountain has
room for seven or eight more businesses, he
said. :
Darnell doesn’t think the county’s prox-
imity to South Carolina hinders its econom-
ic development efforts.
“We don’t see a lot of competition from
See Development, 2A
Energy Task Force
appointed to help
citizens deal with
higher fuel prices
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
The City of Kings Mountain has estab-
lished an energy assistance task force to
deal with expected higher fuel prices.
Members were announced during!
Tuesday night's council meeting and are
City Manager Greg McGinnis, Jean Wyatt,
David Ozmore, Monty Thornburg, Wilson.
Griffin, Jim Childers, Rev. John Houze and
Gary Joy. City events director Ellis Noell
will coordinate their activities with the
public.
The task force will seek out programs
which will help residents and other energy
consumers deal with predicted higher
prices.
“It’s a top priority for us,” said Mayor
Rick Murphrey.
Currently the city has the SSI Electric
Program. Individuals who are either 65 or
older or disabled and also have a house-
hold income less than $20,000 are eligible to
receive 10 percent off their electric bill. The
criteria may be relaxed, Murphrey said.
Five city employees were recognized for
their service. Donald Coxey for five years.
as a sanitation equipment operator; Mike
Brown, five years, building inspector; Darla
Bridges, five years, information technology
director; Penny Fulton, 10 years, informa-
tion officer - police department; Johnny
Putnam Jr., 10 years, electric line crew fore-
man.
* Former City Councilman Gene White
told the council a city engineer is needed.
He questioned Travel and Tourism
Authority grant spending.
Mayor Rick Murphrey proclaimed
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month
and this week as Red Ribbon Drug
Awareness Week. Kings Mountain High
School senior Trey Robinson was recog-
nized for his anti-drug work. He is doing a
senior project promoting a drug free
lifestyle.
Grim Reaper Day at KMHS reminds
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Members of the Kings
Mountain High School
Ambassadors club had lit-
tle to say on Tuesday but
their message was clear -
bons.
drugs are deadly. ment to a drug free
The students painted lifestyle.
their faces white for Grim : ; hs
Reaper Day and attempt- During Friday night's
ed to remain silent.
On Monday they hand-
ed out suckers with a
drug-free message to stu-
dents as they entered the
building.
On Wednesday stu-
free message.
senior project.
dents were encouraged to
sign a drug free pledge
banner and pick up 3
bracelets, stickers and rib- :
Today students are
wearing red as a commit-
ball game, cheerleaders
will toss to the crowd
water bottles with a drug
students that drugs are dangerous
JOTBALL HOME VS Io
R.S. CENTRAL ?
RED RIBBON WEEK
T. 24-28
CELEBRATE
CI.
The week-long event
was planned by Trey
Robinson as part of his
Reaper Day as part of an anti-drug campaign.
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Harsh Patel, left, Cody Barrett, Lauren Gaffney, Casey Shirey, Lacey Beam,
Kristyn Funderburke and Trey Robinson painted their faces white for Grim