Thursday, December 15, 2005 Vol. 117 No. 50
KINGS MOUNTAIN
he Herald
Since 1889
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KINGS MOUNTAIN NC
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—— CHRISTMAS OPPORTUNITIES ————
. ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
Kings Mountain Fire Fighter Gary Hensley bags toys
on Monday morning.
Firemen, Dollar General
donating toys to children
Kings Mountain Fire Department and Dollar General
are making Christmas special for area children who
participate in the Communities in School's program.
Dollar General stores in Kings Mountain and
Gastonia donated toys. Fire fighters and volunteers
sorted the goodies by age and gender earlier this week.
The elementary-age children will visit the fire depart-
ment later this month, meet with Santa and receive the
presents.
Luminary display Christmas Eve
The annual Mountain Rest Cemetery luminary dis-
play will be held December 24 from 6-12 p.m. The
organizing committee is in need of milk jugs and vol-
unteers. For more information call Jim Belt at 739-5425.
Kids’ penny drive gets boost
The Central United Methodist Church's Carpenter’s
Clubhouse Preschool wants to thank anonymous
donors who are helping with a penny drive.
According to Director Patsy Walker, after a story ran
in last week’s Herald, the next morning staff found an
antique, white, Jeannie-style vase and a drinking pitch~
er filled with coins outside the door. On Monday
another batch of coins greeted staff.
“I wanted them to know we're appreciative,” Walker
said.
Unsigned notes designated the money go toward the
pre-school’s effort to buy presents for four, lower-
income children. The students are trying to raise $100
by Dec. 17.
Walker said the gifts reminded her of Christian
singer Amy Grant's television show about miracles.
“It blessed me,” she said of the donations.
The students were moved as well.
“When we showed them they jumped up and
down,” Walker said.
Teachers Walker and Christy Kinmon are helping the
students choose gifts from sale papers. The staff mem-
ber believe the project is teaching the children about
giving.
“It's planting a seed in these little kids’ hearts,”
Walker said. “They're burdened to help these four chil-
dren.”
Early ad deadlines for Herald
The Kings Mountain Herald will be closed on
* Monday, Dec. 26 for the Christmas holiday and on
Monday, Jan. 2 for the New Year holiday.
~~ The Thursday, Dec. 29 and Thursday, Jan. 5 papers
will be published on their regular day; however, adver-
tising deadlines will change. All advertisements for the
. December 29 paper must be received by Friday, Dec. 23
. at 1 p.m. All advertisements for the January 5 paper
must be received by Friday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. The same
advertising deadlines apply for The Cherryville Eagle
and The bannernews.
State Alexander,
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Rev. State Alexander has retired from Good Hope
Presbyterian Church and this time he says it’s for good.
The 89-year-old pastor has retired twice before but went
back to his post.
After developing problems seeing, Rev. Alexander's
wife Mary Alexander drove him from their Charlotte
home to the Kings Mountain church. Now she is no longer
able to do so, making it hard for the aging couple to make
the commute.
Rev. Alexander has served the church as pastor and
moderator since the mid-1970s while also working as a
. supply minister for the Catawba Synod.
Helping his congregation grow in faith has been impor-
tant to Rev. Alexander. Equally important is the concept of
social justice. The church started a community tutoring
program in the late 1970s. Rev. Alexander worked with the
city to redevelop housing. He recommended locating
apartments across the city and mingling residents of vary-
ing ages, proposals which were accepted.
David Moore is now leading the congregation.
New KM Council sworn in,
grants hearing on rezoning
B : abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Four new Kings Mountain City
Council members took the oath of
office during Tuesday night's meeting.
Veteran Councilman Houston Corn
was unanimously voted mayor pro-
tem.
Judge Anna FE. Foster delivered the
oath of office to newcomers Mike
Butler, Rodney Gordon, Keith Miller
and Dean Spears, the latter having
served in past years on the council,
and incumbents Mayor Rick Murphrey
and council members Howard Shipp,
Jerry Mullinax and Houston Corn.
City Attorney Mickey Corry was
unanimously retained by the new
council.
Outgoing council members were *
honored with a plaque and pen set.
Kay Hambright said she was a “little
bit sad” but honored to have served.
She wished everyone a Merry
Christmas.
“I'm not ashamed to say ‘Merry
Christmas’ because Christ is the most
important thing for me,” she said.
Hambright went on to compliment
new Ward 4 councilman Rodney
Gordon.
“I think he’s going to do a great job,”
she said.
Rick Moore reflected back on his
term.
“Four years ago I didn’t think I had
an enemy in town... In four years you
get them all mad,” he said. :
Brenda Ross complimented the
“I couldn’t have had a better group
to serve with. To quote Tina Turner
‘you're simply the best,” she said.
In an emotional presentation, Mayor
Murphrey honored former Ward 5
Councilman Carl DeVane, who opted
not to run again due to health prob-
lems. His wife Barbara DeVane accept-
ed a plaque and pen on his Behalf.
Murphrey described him as “dedicat-
ed” and a “friend.”
“We miss him,” Murphrey said,
struggling to get the words out.
“Carl dearly loved being on this
council. If he were able, he would be
right here,” Barbara DeVane said.
In other business, Council unani-
mously granted a public hearing to
Robert Bazzle who is requesting a 605
- N. Piedmont property owned by Glenn
council and staff.
See Council, 6A
Kings Mountain police officer Lisa Proctor helps Santa Claus load toys into the back of a
truck Monday afternoon at The Auction Block.
Police, businesses help make
Christmas brighter for children
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
shopping.
Customers at The Auction Block are help-
ing Kings Mountain Police Department with
its toy drive. On Monday officers, accompa-
nied by Santa, picked up several boxes of
toys which customers and the auction house
donated.
The business, owned by Jason and Nancy
Falls, collected over 2,000 toys for KMPD,
Grover PD, Grover Fire Department and the
Greater Cleveland County Baptist
Association.
Some of the gifts donated included
Barbies, bikes, toy trucks, stuffed animals,
baby dolls, coloring books and sand art kits.
The contingent also stopped by Dollar’
General to pick up toys the store and its cus-
tomers donated.
KMPD will set up a Santa’s workshop
needed.
KINGS MOU!
which parents can visit to select toys for
their children. Officers also will take parents
Items for children 10 and older are still
Donation jars are at Love's Fish Box,
Dollar General on Cherokee Street, Family
Dollar on East King Street, Old Country
Store on 216 North, Kings Mountain City
Hall, The Pier, ABC store, Linwood
Restaurant, Kings Mountain Police
Department and McAbee’s Grocery Store.
Toys are being collected at the Dollar Tree
Mountain Police' Department at P.O. Box 7,
Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086. Checks should
be noted for “Children’s Christmas Fund.”
All donations should be in by Dec. 19.
6 crews
battle fire
near Grover
Tuesday
NDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.co
GROVER - Led by
Grover Fire Department,
fire fighters from five
additional departments
battled a blaze at Kings
Mountain International
Tuesday.
The fire at the 1755
South Battleground
Avenue metal fabrication
plant started around 10
a.m.
The fire remains under
investigation by the
Cleveland County Fire
Marshall's Office.
Grover Fire Department
was the first on the scene.
Bethlehem, Oak Grove,
Number 3, Cleveland
County and Kings
Mountain fire departments
were called in to help.
Cleveland County EMS
was on stand by and the
Red Cross provided food
and liquids for fire fight-
ers. Around 80 people
were on the scene.
There were no injuries
and employees were safely
evacuated, according to
Fire Fighter Joey Davis, a .
spokesman for Grover Fire
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
and toys and money are being collected at Qommwd. had to b
the Dollar General on Shelby Road. ov Alii a. ig
Donations also may be mailed to the Kings due to a leaking gas leak.
It was brought under con-
trol and fire fighters were
able to re-enter the build-
ing.
89, retires as Good Hope's pastor
“He's doing very well,” Rev. Alexander said.
Rev. Alexander grew up in South Carolina. He was
always active in church but had not planned on becoming
a pastor. That changed in college when he served in a
Sunday school mission for rural groups, leading Bible
study. He describes that job as a “place to meet people, do
the caring, direct them in the right path.”
Rev. Alexander graduated from Johnson C. Smith
University with a major in history and minors in sociology
and psychology. He went on to seminary, majoring in both
divinity and religious education.
Rev. Alexander met his wife Mary while a student at the
Charlotte campus. He lived with her grandmother who
introduced the two. She went on to Central University in
Durham, majoring in education before the couple married
on June 28, 1944, Rev. Alexander’s birthday.
After 61 years of marriage, the Alexanders have sage
advice for young couples.
Both parties should write down their expectations, then
share those lists, Mrs. Alexander recommends.
Rev. Alexander says that disagreements can be a good
time to work out issues and adjust thinking. Couples
should be aware of the impact their own families of origin
See Pastor, 6A
ANDIE BRYMER / HERALD
Rev. State Alexander and his wife Mary were honored
by Good Hope Presbyterian Sunday upon his retire-
ment.