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Thursday, January 12, 2006 Vol. 118 No. 2
ANDIE BRYMER
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Grover mayor Robert Sides speaks dum.
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Grover residents will vote on
beer and wine sales, on and off
premise, in early April. Town
commissioners voted 3-2 for
holding a referendum during
Monday night's council meeting.
Commissioners Adam Green
and Barry Toney cast the dissent-
ing votes. Commissioners Jackie
Bennett, Calvin Huffman and
Brent White voted for the referen-
KINGS MOUNTAIN
Since 1889
tional law enforcement which
would be needed as a result of
alcohol sales. Green said that
Kings Mountain Police Chief
Melvin Proctor told him that his
department spends 20 percent of
its time dealing with alcohol-relat-
ed issues.
Grover has one police officer on
its force. Mayor Robert Sides said
that the town is planning to form
a police auxiliary to provide addi-
tional officers. There are individu-
als who will work on an auxiliary
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HAUNEY MEMORIAL LIBRARY
KINGS MOUNTAIN NC 28086-3414
Mountaineers edge
Chase for first
basketball victory
50 Cents
New Grover Council votes
for beer and wine referendum
Sides said an affirmative vote
was crucial to the town financial-
ly. He argued that stores selling
alcohol are located just over the
South Carolina state line which
can be seen from the Town Hall
parking lot.
“The town is losing all the rev-
enues and profits,” Sides said.
“You don’t have to buy it if you
don’t want it. You don’t have to
vote for it (a referendum), just
allow others to.”
Sides told the council that
Grover has lost revenue with the
8A
He argued that if change doesn’t
occur residents will have to bear
the expense.
“I'm not interested in being re-
elected. I ran to change the town!”
Sides said.
The town will hold its referen-
dum probably on April 4, accord-
ing to Steve Wells, chairman of
the Cleveland County Board of
Elections. Wells was at Monday
night's meeting.
Sides said that two businesses
had expressed interest in selling
in favor of alcohol referendum at
Monday night’s Council meeting.
M.L. King
celebration
is Monday
The City of Kings
Mountain will host the fifth
annual Martin Luther King
Jr. Observance on Monday,
Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the
Joy Performance Center.
The keynote speaker will
be Rev. W.H. Puryear, the
pastor at Bynum’s Chapel
AME Zion Church.
Seven students have been
selected as semi-finalists in
a writing competition on
“Keeping the Dream Alive.”
The students are Nicole
Moore, Jaye Jackson, Ashley
Dalton, Jerrick Crawford,
Luke Breakfield, Sarah
Roper and Charlie
Christenbury.
They will be judged by a
panel of community lead-
ers. The top three will
receive prizes of $100, $75
and $50.
The event also includes
music by Shana Adams and
Ebenezer Missionary
Baptist and Vestibule AME
Zion church choirs. The
International Gates of
Dance and the Silver
Strutters will perform.
Lester Williams will
deliver King’s famous “I
Have A Dream” speech
which was first heard from
the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963.
For additional informa-
tion, call 703-730-2103 or
visit www.cityofkm.com.
The event is open to the
public.
HM The annual breakfast
and program honoring the
memory of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. will be held
Monday, January 16 at 8
a.m. at Bynum Chapel AME
Zion Church Family Life
Center, Ellis Street, Kings
Mountain.
. There will be fellowship,
songs, dancers, inspira-
tional thoughts and food.
: Keynote speaker will be
the Rev. John Houze, pastor
of Peoples Baptist Church,
Kings Mountain.
: Master of Ceremonies
will be Bishop Roger
Woodard, pastor of Family
Worship Center.
Toney and Green argued that
the town could not afford addi-
for free to keep their law enforce-
ment certification active, accord-
ing to the mayor.
—— NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANNED ——
ANDIE L. BRYMER/HERALD
John Harris of John O. Harris Interest explains plans for a new medical facility in
Kings Mountain.
Harris to build medical facility at KMCC
and restore former Kings Mountain Drug
ANDIE BRYMER
ow abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
John O. Harris Interest has three proj-
ects getting under way, two in Kings
Mountain and one in Bessemer City.
The company expects to close on the
purchase of two acres of land from Kings
Mountain Country Club next week,
according to John Harris of JOHI. Harris
plans to build an upscale, two-story,
30,000 square-foot, brick medical build-
ing. OrthoCarolina will be the lead ten-
ant and may also be an equity partner.
The construction means KMCC'’s num-
ber one par 5 will become a 400 yard par
4. However, Harris’ first order of busi-
ness is removing an unused tennis court.
Part of the deal between KMCC and
JOHI includes funds for improvement of
the KMCC'’s parking lot.
Kings Mountain Hospital sits across
Edgemont Road from the planned med-
ical building. Last year the hospital com-
pleted construction of a new surgery
department among other expansion proj-
ects. Officials there have said the hospital
wants to be a leader in orthopedic sur-
gery.
Hatris has purchased the former Kings
Mountain Drug at 209 South
Battleground Avenue. He plans a com-
plete overhaul of the structure taking it
back to its original state. Brickwork, the
ceiling and hardwood floors will be
exposed.
Harris is talking with an individual
who wants to open a gift shop and cafe
serving gourmet coffee and desserts in
the 2,650 square foot downstairs. This
area will have an open floor plan. JOHI
plans to move its office into the 1,150
upstairs loft.
Construction should begin next week
on a medical building in Bessemer City
at Bessemer City Road and Best Street.
This is across from the new First
National Bank branch. Cleveland Health
Ventures, LLC plans to open Bessemer
City Medical Clinic there. The building
will blend with the new bank which was
designed by the same architect.
Roger Holland is the architect and
Fred Blackley the landscape architect for
all three projects. Carolina Artisans is the
general contractors for the 209 South
Battleground Ave. and Bessemer City
projects. Harris is talking with Beam
Construction about heading up the
Kings Mountain medical building.
closing of Minette Mills and the
slow down at Grover Industries.
Building in schools’ plans for 2006
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Cleveland County Schools will con-
tinue to look at redistricting issues and
make a decision on the Phifer Road
proposed vocational building this year.
Early this year the board is expected
to receive an estimate on how much
the Phifer Road project will cost and
vote on whether it will spend the
money. Kings Mountain High School
hopes to use the building, a former
mill, across from its main campus to
house vocational classrooms. Currently
the high school is overcrowded. Much
of the parking area is taken up with
mobile classrooms.
Redistricting probably will not affect
Kings Mountain or upper Cleveland
area schools unless housing patterns
change dramatically, according to CCS
Board Chairman Dr. George Litton.
The only local problem has been at
West Elementary where enrollment
had to be capped last year because of
space issues.
CCS is in the middle of the first year
of a three-year redistricting plan, Litton"
said. Last year the board made its first
reassignment which affected students
}
at Elizabeth Elementary in Shelby.
The next issue is balancing out pupil
numbers at Shelby and Crest middle
and high schools. Shelby is the least
utilized school and Crest the highest
utilized, according to Litton.
A new middle and high school for
the southern portion of the county
won't happen in the near future. Litton
said one would be “way down the
line.”
The CCS board is expected to finish
writing its policies this year, Litton
said. When merger happened in 2003
the board voted to create new policies.
{
alcohol. After the meeting Mike
Heath said he would open a store
See Grover, 6A ;
Council votes 3-1
to rezone land
owned by Huffman
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
After having two rezoning requests halted in June, South
Carolina developer Calvin Huffman vowed he would move
to Grover, run for council and “change things.”
He succeeded. Huffman won a seat on council in
November. Monday night his rezoning requests were
approved 3-1. The rezoning changes property on Locust
and Maple streets from Light Industrial to Restricted
Residential.
+. Veteran Commissioner Barry Toney, who has consistently
17 voted against the rezoning requests and granting related
public hearings, cast the lone dissenting vote.
Commissioners Jackie Bennett, Adam Green and Brent
White voted for the rezoning. Green and White were elect-
ed in November. Huffman did not vote on the requests.
Five people spoke against the rezoning during a public
hearing held immediately prior to the vote.
Former mayor Bill Favell said that Huffman may use
what he called a loophole to build a large subdivision with-
out providing infrastructure. Developers are not required to
invest in infrastructure for minor subdivision of five or
See Huffman, 6A
Relay for Life kicks off
April 28-29 fund raiser
ANDIE BRYMER
abrymer@kingsmountainherald.com
Relay for Life is going Hawaiian this year. Participants in
the signature American Cancer Society fund raiser will dec-
orate their campsites with a tropical theme during the April
28 and 29 event at the Kings Mountain Walking Track.
Ten teams registered during a Monday night captains’
meeting. Two participants, Taylor Davis and Joyce Roark,
have already attained Grand Relay status by raising $1,000
each. Another person is at $900 already.
Most of the teams have participated before; however, a
group of baseball moms have formed a brand new team for
2006. Several other individuals showed up Monday night to
join a team.
Tammy Hogue, a Relay co-chairperson, encourages work-
places, churches, clubs, groups of friends and families to
form teams. To do so, the captain should contact Hogue or
co-captain Tammy White, complete a registration form and
pay the $100 fee, The American Cancer Society sets the
amount at $100 so members of a 10-member team would
each pay $10.
Several changes are taking place this year. Luminaries
may be personalized. Hogue says participants might choose
to place photos or writing on the bags.
“Each luminary hopefully will be individualized,” she
said. “It will be real special as we walk around the track.”
This year’s event will have added emphasis on survivors.
i See Relay, 6A
GARY STEWART / HERALD
The home of Mary Grier on Dixon School Road was
destroyed by fire Friday. The fire reportedly was caused
{0
by a candle.