Thursday, January 4, 2007
»
Vol. 119 No. 1
Since 1889
50 Cents
PR
Saddam’s
death may
someday be
a victory
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
The “Butcher of Baghdad” is
no more. On Saturday,
December 31, 2006, at 6 am in
Iraq (Friday at 10 am Eastern
Standard Time) Saddam
Hussein was executed. But what
will this act mean for the rest of
the Iraqi people and for our sol-
diers? Kings Mountain native
and defense contractor, Jeff
Goode, has been to Iraq a few
times and many other places in
the middle east. He is currently
stationed in Sudan where there
is also a great deal of conflict. He
shares his thoughts about the
tyranical leader’s fall below:
“1 think it will eventually
become a victory for us but in
the meantime it will be one
more cause for the insurgency or
reason to kill Americans.
Understanding their culture is
the key here in that they do not
look at death or executions the
same way we do. Death is not a
deterrent there but rather a bat-
tle cry (jihad). Dying for one's
cause is the supreme reward for
your ‘struggle’ against what you
perceive as injustice. The Shiite
See Saddam, 3A
County
native
remembers
Gerald Ford
| EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
There is a Cleveland County
connection to our nation’s 38th
president, Gerald Ford, who
died last week.
Jim Hastings was born in
Casar in 1943. He grew up in the
Delight community, a place he
described as “staunch republi-
can” and one of the only com-
munities in Cleveland County,
at the time, to be so. Conceived
republican, he graduated from
the old Polkville High School in
1970. From Cleveland County
he traveled to Boone, where he
attended and graduated from
Appalachian State University.
Hastings was very active in the
Jaycees, a leadership, network-
ing and volunteer organization
that was very powerful in the
50s, 60s and 70s.
‘He volunteered in the political
arena for about 10 years. “I was
really more interested in Jaycees
than anything else though,
because it was an exciting
opportunity to make contacts
and meet new people,” he said.
His work with the influential
Jaycees and his “staunch”
republican background caught
the eyes of former president
" Richard Nixon, who recruited
him through strategist Brad
Hayes, for his Southern Strategy
Campaign of 1962. Hastings
said that a majority of the South
and of North Carolina had been
voting democrat since the Civil
War. Nixon wanted that to
change. He wanted to revive the
republican . ticket in the South
for himself and for other repub-
lican leaders. The plan was sim-
ple: Republican James
Holshouser was a young rising
See Ford, 3A
the week.
A TASTE OF SPRING
David Oliver and his niece, 10-year-old Cheyenne Oliver, enjoy the sunshine as they relax on a park bench at the
Kings Mountain Walking Track. Kings Mountain’s spring-like weather is expected to continue the remainder of
JOSEPH BRYMER / HERALD
A project of
KMHS student Kolin Thennis uses his Senior
ving
Project to make a difference in local family’s life
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
As the first semester of classes at
Kings Mountain High School wind
down, the seniors are preparing for
their presentations of Senior Projects
that most of them have worked dili-
gently on over the past five months.
Each student has chosen a subject,
cause and plan of action that has merit
to their future. Eighteen-year-old
Kolin Thennis, of Kings Mountain,
based his project on his love for car
repairs and love for his fellow man.
He raised about $1,600 to purchase a
used car for a local family, struggling
from a lack of transportation. With the
help of his mentor, Youth Dir. Matt
Morris (from his church Central
UMC), and his father, Troy Thennis, he
fixed the car up, got it ready for the
road and for the family.
“I really like doing auto mechanic
work on cars and I've been doing it for
two, maybe three years. I really want-
ed to do something that has to do with
cars,” he said. “Me and my mentor
were talking about it and we both
came up with the idea of it being cool
"to find a family that is in need of a car
and giving it to them.”
The steps of his project spanned
throughout most of his first semester.
He first sent out letters to family and
friends asking for monetary donations
to help with his project. “After that I
started looking around and going to
the Community Kitchen at my church,
trying to look for a family that fit the
requirements of what I thought would
be a good family to give the car to,” he
See Thennis, 8A
KOLIN THENNIS
County Board
honors Bridges,
approves funds
for Ultra Machine
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
Kings Mountain native J.C. Bridges, 83, was hon-
ored and awarded with a plaque depicting some of
the history of Kings Mountain and Cleveland
County Tuesday night at the Cleveland County
Commissioners meeting for his 3 years of service on
the Cleveland County Healthcare System's board of
directors and his prior 28 years of service on the
board of directors at Kings Mountain Hospital.
The county hospital system describes Bridges as
a leader in the community. He co-operated Kings
Mountain's first and only airport after WWII in the
40s. He gave private flying lessons along with his
partner Archie Costner.
Just as he led the way in KM flight, he also lead
hundreds of soldiers as a flight instructor in Texas
for the Army Air Corps, now the Air Force, during
World War II. He served 29 years in the military,
retiring with the earned title of lieutenant corporal.
“Here we have a pilot, a business person and a
world-class athlet¢é who has worked on the board
on behalf of our citizens,” said Larry Corry, chair-
man of the Cleveland County HealthCare System
Board of Trustees. “We thank you so very much.”
A member of the Kings Mountain Kiwanis Club
for over 60 years, the Wachovia Bank board, the
Neisler Life Enrichment Center and on the board of
deacons at KM Baptist church, Bridges is. stepping
down from most of his leadership roles to enjoy
more time with his wife of 61 years, Edith, and their
family. iy : Ry :
Also at the meeting, a public hearing was held in
regards to an incentive package for Kings
Mountain's Ultra Machine and Fabrication plant
which is expanding into Cleveland County creating
at least 60 new pogitions. No one spoke.
Commissioners approved the incentives.
Commissioner Ronnie Hawkins proposed that
Doug Lawing be appointed as the new board mem-
ber for Kings Mountain's Planning and Zoning
Board and that KMPD Ofc. Bob Myers be appoint-
ed as the city’s new member on the Board of
Adjustments. Johnny Hutchins seconded the
motion and the board unanimously approved the
new appointments. Both Myers and Lawing will
serve 3-year terms in the positions ending in 2009.
David Ozmore from the Kings Mountain Family
YMCA presented the board with statistics and facts
" on the new Cleveland County Shrink Down pro-
gram which begins on Monday. The 10-week pro-
gram is free to every county citizen and to every cit-
izen that works within the county. Register online at
www.clevelandcountyshrinkdown.com or on the
day it begins at the Kings Mountain YMCA and
other participating locations. He said that during
the first week they will be providing healthy
lifestyles education to participants and a weigh-in.
“We hope people will create a habit of healthy liv-
ing over the next 10 weeks,” he said.
Ozmore added that the program will involve fun
competition. “Kings Mountain will be competing
against Cleveland County and other areas will also
compete against each other,” he said. “It takes 10
weeks to break a habit and it takes 10 weeks to cre-
ate a habit.”
Centenarian
Friends and family help Mrs. Mauney celebrate
100th birthday at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church
. EMILY WEAVER
. eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
Catherine Herman Mauney celebrated
her centennial birthday with over 50
friends and family members at St.
Matthew’s Lutheran Church on
Saturday afternoon. Her real date of
birth falls on December 14, but since not
every one could make it to that party
they decided to throw another one. Five
generations of the Mauney family filled
the fellowship hall, along with other
merged families, like the Hermans, the
Housers and the James.
“We're all related in some way or
another,” laughed Lynne Mauney,
daughter-in-law to Catherine.
They all seemed to enjoy each other
too, greeting with hugs, kisses, and “I
haven't seen you in so long.” Like a
mother duck gathering her young flock,
Catherine summoned her. family from
across the 50 states for a reunion sparked
by her 100 years of memories with them.
Her weathered face and worn eyes were
lit up with the youthful, radiant glow of
a 30-year-old as she looked upon each
loved ones face. Her youth came back to
her as she soaked up the joy of a happy
room filled with love.
Her son Herman said that she was
raised in a family of 11 children, nine of
whom made it to adulthood. Mrs.
Mauney and her 98-year-old sister
Carrie Jane are the last two remaining of
See Mrs. Mauney, 3A
EMILY WEAVER / HERALD
Miss Catherine Herman Mauney celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends
at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church on Saturday. Louis Dellinger stopped by to wish her
a Happy Birthday and to reminisce about some of those good old days. |,