Thursday, Juné 29, 2006 t
Vol. 118 No. 26
Since 1889
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2A
HOMEFRONT
84 acres annexed
for development
The city annexed 84 acres at
Phifer Road and Camelot Drive
Tuesday, paving the way for
Hardyal Shergill and MAG Land
Developers to build 238 single
family homes.
Shergill had petitioned the city
for voluntary annexation.
The area can be provided with
fire services, water and sewer
services that are substantially
equivalent to those within the
corporate limits.
A second annexation request
is on the agenda for the July 25
meeting of city council. Randy
Bates and Mann Properties want
112 acres at Kings Crossing on
Countryside Road annexed by
the city for a new subdivision of
380 single family residences.
Ruppe & Woody
file for incentives
Ruppe & Woody Associates is
applying for an incentive grant
from the City of Kings Mountain
to buy $827,000 in new equip-
ment which could add 17 new
jobs at its Charles Street industry.
City Council Tuesday set a pub-
lic hearing on the request at the
July 25 city council meeting.
President George A. Ruppe
said the company may add addi-
tional shifts for a seven day swing
shift schedule that would create
more jobs. The firm currently has
22 full time employees.
Ruppe said the new jobs
would include two fixers, seven
knitters, six seamers, one person
in quality control and one person
in shipping/receiving. He said
the addition of the new employ-
ees would mean an addition to
payroll of $257,000 annually.
RADAR WATCH
Kings Mountain Police will be
running radar July 2-8 at the fol-
lowing locations:
Sunday, July 2 - York Rd.
Monday, July 3 - Watterson St.
Tuesday, July 4 - Kings
Mountain Blvd.
Wednesday, July 5 - Gold St.
Thursday, July 6 - Shelby Rd.
Friday, July 7 - Waco Rd.
Saturday, July 8 - Linwood Rd.
*KMPD also runs radar every
day on I-85 and US 74 bypass.
DEATHS
Austine Chambers Moore, 85
Curtis Carroll, 77
Helen Harmon Waters, 84
Phillip L. Shouse III, 68
Estelle Wright Turner, 80
Evelyn Wright Scism, 82
Elvenia Cox, 92 See Page 4A
Classified 4B
Lifestyles 1B
Obituaries 4A Opinion 3A
Police 4A Business 2A
Sports 5A Worship 6B
This week’s advertising sections:
CVS
Hyundai
Food Lion
Advance Auto
South East National
McKenney Dodge
Home Depot
Special Section:
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City to negotiate J-year deal
with Mountaineer Partnership
YE
ELIZABETH STEWART
“Herald Correspondent
By a 6-1 vote, Kings Mountain
City Council Tuesday night
approved an ordinance recreating
and redefining a Downtown
Municipal Service District and
authorized City Attorney Mickey
Corry to enter into negotiations for
a three-year contract with
Mountaineer Partnership.
“I don't like taxes in any form,”
councilman Jerry Mullinax said
after the meeting, referring to the
self-taxing district, set at a rate of
23.62 cents on the $100 property
valuation with the city matching
the MSDA proceeds..
The Municipal Service District
was created three years ago and
Mountaineer Partnership
President Jonie Smith and busi-
nessmen Larry Hamrick Sr. and
Jack Majors had high praise for the
progress in downtown revitaliza-
tion and the Main Street USA pro-
gram that has addressed economic
restructuring, operations planning
and design, among other things.
Councilman Keith Miller raised
several questions in the current
contract which Corry said he
would clarify with language in the
new contract to state what hap-
pens to public funds if the program
is dissolved, who owns the public
funds, the city or the MSDA, and
how are funds designated. He
suggested that Partnership officers
present a proposed budget to city
council in advance of budget
See Partnership, 2A
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Fireworks light up the sky at last year’s Fourth of July celebration at the Kings Mountain Walking
Track.
Entertainment, fireworks to highlight
celebration Tuesday at walking track
EMILY WEAVER
. eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
The evening sky will explode
with colors in celebration of
Kings Mountain's Fabulous 4th
at the Walking Track Stage in the
Jake Early Sports Complex on
Tuesday, July 4th. What has been
labeled “the best fireworks show
within a five county radius,” will
begin at 6 pm with a flyover of
ultra lights and a concert by the
Southern Rock band,
SmokeBreak.
The Fabulous 4th parade will
begin at 9 pm, with the KMPD
Honor Guard, Cub Scout Pack 95,
the Loch Norman Pipe Band, the
505th NC National Guard, Dale
Putham as the Over Mountain
Man, and Mayor Rick Murphrey
on horseback in full
Revolutionary War garb.
Kings Mountain's award win-
ning singer, Shana Adams, will
serenade the crowd with the tra-
ditional “Star Spangled Banner.”
KMPD Sgt. Lisa Proctor will lead
the crowd in the “Pledge of
Allegiance.” Sabrina Collias will
sing “God Bless America,” fol-
lowed by her sister, Cellia
Collias, singing “My Country “Tis
of Thee.”
The mayor will then pro-
nounce his patriotic message
with a medley from the Loch
Norman Pipe Band. The Honor
Guard, with patriotic pride, will
See Fourth, 2A
Grover Board
okays budget,
talks zoning
Hearing called to discuss doing
away with zoning regulations
I EMILY WEAVER
vl eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
The Grover Town Council met for
their July Substitute meeting Monday
night to present the town's finalized
or approved budget for the 2006-2007
fiscal year. The approved buaget calls
for a tax rate of 29 cents per $100
property valuation and a sewer tax
rate of nine cents per $100 assessed
valuation.
The revenues for the General Fund
are set for a total of $237,290. It is bro-
ken down into Office Operations at
$40,430, Town Hall Operations at
$39,090, Maintenance at $21,230,
Police Department at $66,574, Fire
Department at $12,000,
Environmental = Operations at
$41,500, Street Operations at $7,000,
and Community Improvement at
$9,466.
For the Cemetery Fund, revenues
are set at $8,400 with expenditures at
$8,400. The Power Fund revenues are
set at $28,000 with expenditures also
at $28,000. The Water and Sewer
Fund revenues are set at a total of
$329,250, broken down into the
Office / Administrative Department
set at $93,112, Maintenance at
$61,095, and Operations at $175,043.
The grand total for revenues in all of
these funds equal $602,940.
Council members also discussed
the possibility of doing away with
zoning laws and restrictions. “My
dealings with zoning in the past three
years, has not been real satisfactory,”
said Councilman Calvin Huffman.
See Grover, 5A
Most fireworks illegal in North Carolina
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
During this time of celebration
Fireworks law violations are
considered misdemeanors and
are punishable by law with up to
$500 in fines or up to six months
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
Roger Cozart of Cherokee Fireworks helps Betty Washburn and Jewel Dills
pick out fireworks for their Fourth of July festivities.
of our country’s independence,
some may be wondering if they
will be on the right side of the
law. The consumer fireworks con-
sidered legal in the state of NC,
according to NC General Statutes
14-410 through 14-415, are gener-
ally classified as sparklers, foun-
tains, and novelty fireworks or
items that do not explode or are
not intended to spin or to leave
the ground and fly through the
air. Illegal fireworks are consid-
ered those such as firecrackers,
ground spinners, roman candles,
rockets (including bottle rockets),
mortars, explosive or aerial fire-
works and the like.
in prison, depending upon the
level and severity of the violation.
“Any calls on fireworks that we
respond to will be in conjunction
with the police department,” said
KM Fire Inspector Joey Davis.
“They're the enforcers and we're
the putter-outers.”
He said that trucks will be on
standby at the Fabulous 4th cele-
bration at the Walking Track as a
“precautionary measure.”
KMFD’s job at the July 4th event
will be to approve the fireworks
permit, approve the site plans
and enforce the safe area. But
crews will also be at the ready to
See Fireworks, 3A