fr
A
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Vol. 118 No. 49 Since 1889 50 Cents
STEAG
coming
to KM
GARY STEWART
gstewart@kingsmountainherald.com
STEAG, LLC, a company that
cleans, processes and regener-
ates catalyst filters for power
plant smoke stacks, will begin
operation in the old Anvil Knit
building on Linwood Road dur-
ing the first quarter of 2007.
The company will eventually
employ approximately 35 per-
sons and will be a large City of
Kings Mountain utility user.
The company plans to invest
$5 million in the Kings
Mountain operation.
The official announcement by
the company was expected to be
made Wednesday afternoon at
the Chamber of Commerce and _
was not available at the Herald's
press deadline.
Kings Mountain Mayor Rick
Murphrey said the city is
pleased to see another major
industry cc ming to the city.
“We're excited about a compa-
ny coming and bringing jobs,”
he said. “Again, this shows that
Kings Mountain is moving pro-
gressively forward by.sadding +
additional industry to the com-
munity and bringing new jobs.
The staff and Council and citi-
zens continue to work to pro-
vide that business atmosphere
and maké sure we're competi-
tive with our utility rates. We
have a lot to offer in our city.”
STEAG, which originated in
Germany, has an office in
Charlotte.
Murphrey said the company
has indicated it will begin oper-
ation in Kings Mountain with
about 18 employees and hope-
fully increase to 35 or 40. It has
been permitted for 150,000 gal-
lons of water per day.
- “They intend to use local ven-
dors and skilled labor and
craftsmen,” Murphrey said.
“We're excited that they chose
Kings Mountain.”
Four injured
in two-vehicle
wreck Tuesday
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
A two-vehicle accident on
Reliance Road Tuesday left four
people in the hospital.
Four-year-old Seth Henson,
was thrown from one of the
vehicles upon impact and was
airlifted to Carolinas Medical
. Center in Charlotte. He was list-
ed in critical condition
Wednesday morning.
The driver, Justin Philip Dills,
17, and Henson's twin brother,
Braeden were also injured and
were both listed in stable condi-
tion at Cleveland Regional
Medical Center. Shirley Hachey,
51 “wireeof the other vehicle,
was said tebe in fair condition
at CMC. Nie of the four were
Dills, who
drive, was
mated 60 i a 35 mph zone
when he went letof center and
lost control of hi vehicle, a
black Ford pickup tek, said an
official with the Sta? Highway
Patrol. He said that Jills” vehi-
cle slid sideways int lane of
oncoming traffic, whe S a
driving a Toyota Tad n
a the side Of his
truck. ; i
—— KINGS MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS PARADE———
GARY STEWART / HERALD
A huge crowd fills Battleground Avenue to watch Saturday’s Kings Mountain Christmas parade. Below, Kings
Mountain High homecoming queen Monique McClain waves to the crowd on East Gold Street.
Thousands
line streets for
annual cvent
A Carolina Blue sky and comfortable 59-
degree temperature brought thousands out for
the annual Kings Mountain Christmas parade
Saturday afternoon.
Well over 100 units wound through three
* streets - East Gold, Battleground and King - in
a parade that lasted over 90 minutes.
Members of the 505th Engineering Battalion
of the NC National Guard served as Grand
Marshal. The soldiers recently returned from a
year’s duty in Iraq.
The soldiers, politicians, children from
dance schools and day care centers, beauty
-queens, churches, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus
and many others participated in the parade
and threw candy to the kids lining the streets.
Coming down East King Street, the National
Guardsmen ran out of candy. Two jumped off
the huge truck carrying the outfit and ran into
nearby Family Dollar, bought more candy and
caught back up with the truck a block down
the street.
Parade organizers, led by KM Special
Events coordinator Ellis Noell, termed the
event a huge success and they look forward to
an even bigger and better parade next year.
A Christmas Po-Knee
Hawks adds new meaning
to playing ‘horsie’ with kids
“Eureka moment. “He
sawed off the saddle and
head of a plastic hobby
horse and placed it on his
lap. His grandchildren
loved it. More of the simu-
lated feeling was brought to
life. They cried each time
they were taken off and
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
Of the many sights and
sounds at Mountaineer
Christmas this Friday, there
is one vendor’s booth you
won't want to miss. The
story behind the vendor is
St. Nick's lap
enough to warm the heart.
The product itself is a
favorite of all children.
Randy Hawks, of Mt.
Holly, is a grandfather.
When his grandchildren
were smaller he used to
bounce them on his knee to
simulate a horse ride, just
like many parents and
grandparents have done for
centuries. Then one day he
had: an' idea, ‘a pure
fought for turns on grand-
daddy’s lap.
But that wa's 15 years ago.
Having witnessed the suc-
cess and promise of his cre-
ation those many years ago,
Hawks tried to get a patent.
He documented his proofs,
drawings, sketches and had
them notarized. His papers
were in order. But money
was too tight to cover the
See Po-Knee, 2A
EMILY WEAVER / HERALD
Randy Hawks displays one of the Po-Knees he will be
selling at Mountaineer Christmas this Friday.
Mountaineer
Christmas
Friday night
Shopping, food entertainment
in downtown Kings Mountain
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
Celebrate a true Kings Mountain Christmas
downtown at Mountaineer Christmas on Friday
from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Downtown stores and booths will be open for
festive shopping and the Kings Mountain Little
Theatre will have a coffee house set up at the Joy
Performance Center on Railroad Avenue. Cash Pro
& Cleveland Music, Dellinger’s Jewel Shop, This
& That Novelty Shop, McGinnis Department
Store, the Harris Building, Bridges Hardware, and
Hometown Hardware will be offering different
treats and sales for festival-goers.
The Gazebo at Patriot's Park will house most of
the entertainment for the festival, where the
happy feet of local dance teams will “rock around
the Christmas tree” and local church groups will
fill the streets with carols. Musical stylings from
mountain dulcimers: will also drift through the
crisp winter air from the Gazebo.
Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will be taking a quick
break from the North pole to check their lists of
toys for KM girls and boys at Ashley’s Antiques.
cameras will be at the ready for a keepsake photo-
graph.
Bellus Tu Day Spa at ScissorSmith & Co. Salon,
125 W. Mountain Street, will be offering free 5-
minute massages and refreshments for those
already weary from the hustle and bustle of the
season. :
A store window decorating contest will be held.
Hot cider and other seasonal treats will be avail-
able from food vendors along with meals from
Mountain View Restaurant, subs from the Sub
Factory, pizza from Papa John’s, hot dogs from the
Nazarene church, and a variety of snacks from
Ricky Hall's “Cooking for Kids” booth, which
raises money for the Kings Mountain Student
Scholarship fund.
Grover parade
set Saturday
. EMILY WEAVER
. eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
Marvin Smith, a soldier with the 505th who
recently returned from Iraq, will serve as Grand
Marshal for ‘the Grover Christmas parade
Saturday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m.
Smith lives in Blacksburg, at a stone’s throw
from the Grover line, and said he feels very hon-
ored to be Grand Marshal. Other soldiers will be
the color guard in the parade.
“The welcome we received when we got back
from Iraq was unreal,” he said. “There’s truly no
place like home.”
The parade will begin at the corner of Linden
Street and Cleveland Avenue near First Baptist
Church. It will proceed up Cleveland, take a right
on Mulberry Street, left on Cherry Street, left on
Main Street and end just past Carolina Avenue
near Spring Acres. Nearly 50 participants have
signed up to join the parade but the Grover Rural
Volunteer Fire Department is hoping more people
will register. “Our goal is to have 75-100 partici-
pants in the parade and we'd love to exceed that
goal,” said Firefighter Jody Byers.
“We will be taking applications or registrations
up until 12 noon on Saturday, so it’s still not too
late to, sign up,” said Grover Police Chief and
Firefighter Shane Davis.
The Grover Women’s Club has organized the
parade for the past five years, but the responsibil-
ity now rests again with the fire department,
which used to be in charge of it years ago. “This is
our first year doing it in a while. But it will be
good,” Davis said.
Applications are available on-line at
grovervfd.com or grvfd.com. There is no registra-
tion fee or cost to join the parade. “The only thing
we ask of people is that they don’t hold up the
parade. Also for safety’s sake that they stay out of
the way of the floats and parade traffic,” Byers
said.
ict. by, Sl
“will be available for gift requests and
Bn ———————————
er e—
———
=