The Kings Mountain Herald
July 31, 2008
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i
B LETTER OF APOLOGY
EE
Truck drivers here’s your sign
‘Do not cross Oak and Gold street railroad tracks’
EMILY WEAVER
eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com
After four train collisions in
four years, involving trucks
stuck on the railroad tracks at
the Oak Street crossing, the city
has said “no more.” New signs
and new fines are paving the
way for truck and train safety.
Mayor Rick Murphrey said
that they put up additional sig-
nage to discourage trucks from
crossing the tracks at Oak Street
several months ago. Signs have
also been added to the Gold
Street crossing.
Over a month ago, a truck
attempted to cross the tracks at
Gold Street and, like so many
before on Oak, its undercarriage
became stuck. While workers
tried to free the truck, the shrill
sound of a Norfolk Southern
train’s whistle announced its
coming from the south. Luckily,
the train was stopped in time
and the truck was freed. No col-
lision.
But the sight of rescue work-
ers scrambling to free a truck
before a train rips through it or
cleaning up the wreckage after-
wards has usually been at the
Oak Street crossing, not Gold
Street. Perhaps that is why the
same signs posted at the corner
of Oak Street and Railroad
Avenue can now be seen on its
neighboring intersection.
The original orange diagonal
sign, which illustrates the fate
of trucks, which attempt to use
the crossing, with’ lightning
bolts signaling “danger” is sta-
tioned at both crossings.
Murphrey said that drivers are
supposed to learn about these
“broken truck” signals before
they get their licenses. :
If that sign is too confusing,
though, there is another one at
both crossings, which spells out
in plain English and in large red
letters “ABSOLUTELY NO
TRUCK CROSSING.” If plain
English is hard for some drivers
to understand, another sign will
soon be at the crossings explain-
ing “NO” in Spanish.
But, just in case, ‘there is
another sign stationed beneath
the red, octagonal Stop signs at
both crossings, which offer a
way for drivers to avoid all con-
fusion. It simply reads:
“TRUCK ROUTE TO BUS. 74.”
The directional signs lead truck
drivers down Gold Street to
Cansler Street, where they will
then turn right and, at the sec-
ond stop light, make a final,
safe right onto U.S. Hwy. 74.
The driver of the last truck
that was stuck and struck at the
Oak Street crossing said that he
was only going by what his GPS
(Global Positioning Satellite)
navigational system told him. It
told him to turn right over the
crossing. It didn’t tell him that a
train would meet him there.
The mayor said that they are
working with the map-makers
for GPS systems in motor vehi-
cles to remove the crossings
from their register.
. If all else fails, the city council
voted Tuesday night to increase
the fines for truck drivers, who
take the crossings and become
stuck, from $50, as ordained by
North Carolina general statutes
to $500 — now ordained by city
statutes.
“We don’t want to close (the
crossings) down for our citi-
zens. It’s still safe for them to
use, it’s just the trucks and their
landing gear that is going to get
stuck, especially when they are
loaded and even when they are
not,” Murphrey said. “We hope
to prevent future accidents and
still keep it open for the citizens
to use.”
Bethware Fair runs through
Saturday at Bethware School
The 2008 Bethware Fair con-
tinues on the grounds of
Bethware Elementary until
Saturday. Gates open each night
at 6 p.m. and close at 11 p.m.
On Thursday, July 31, 2008,
midway riders can purchase an
arm band for $15 each, which
will allow them to ride as much
as they like. Entertainment will
be provided by the Brandon
McSwain Band on the midway.
On Friday, August 1, 2008,
arm bands will also be sold for
$15 each for unlimited rides.
Entertainment will be provided
on the midway by DJ Tracy
Stewart and local churches.
On closing night, Saturday,
August 2, 2008, prizes will be
given away. Prizes, in the past
have included $100 and bicy-
cles. Rides and shows will be on
the midway. Entertainment will
be provided by DJ Tracy
Stewart and local churches.
Parking costs $3. There is no
admission fee to enter the fair.
Rides are provided by
Smokey Mountain
Amusements. The 2008 Fair
Queen is Sara Nicole Mayes,
daughter of Craig and Kaye
Mayes of Kings Mountain.
The Bethware Community
Fair is sponsored each year by
the Bethware Progressive Club.
This year marks the 61st annual
fair.
NEWS BRIEFS
¥
Basile graduates Basic
Army National Guard Pvt.
Jeffery A. Basile has graduated
from basic combat training at Fort
Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of train-
ing, the soldier studied the Army
mission, history, tradition and core
values, physical fitness, and
received instruction and practice
in basic combat skills, military
weapons, chemical warfare and
bayonet training, drill and cere-
mony, marching, rifle marksman-
ship, armed and unarmed com-
bat, map reading, field tactics, mil-
itary courtesy, military justice sys-
tem, basic first aid, foot marches,
and field training exercises.
He is the son of Deborah -
Conway of Scism Farm Road,
Kings Mountain.
Basile is a 2008 graduate of
Kings Mountain High School.
Bennett presents two
original plays in
Hendersonville
Two plays written by Kings
Mountain Playwright Tom
Bennett were presented as part of
an “Evening of Shorts” perform-
ance July 26-27th at Crazy Lady
Café in downtown
Hendersonville.
“The American Dream” and
“Side Effects” were both written
and performed by Bennett at the
“Evening of Shorts.” A play-
wright, actor and musician from
Kings Mountain, he has per-
formed with the Kings Mountain
Little Theatre and Greater Shelby
Community Theatre. His short
plays have been produced in
Charlotte and Rock Hill, S.C, as
well asin Hendersonville. Bennett
is an active member of Lost
Playwrights of Western North
Carolina, which produces the
short plays each month.
CBC blood drive slated
August 6 at KMH
Community Blood Center of the
Carolinas will be conducting a
blood drive at Kings Mountain
Hospital on Wednesday, August 6,
2008 from 9:30-12:30 p.m.
The Community Blood Center
of the Carolinas, is a 501(C)(3) non-
profit group, formed through the
combined efforts of the four hospi-
tal systems serving the Charlotte
metro region. It provides more
than 90% of the blood to 14 area
hospitals including: Gaston
Memorial Hospital, Piedmont
Medical Center and all of the .
Carolinas HealthCare and
Presbyterian ~~ Hospitals in
Mecklenburg County. All the
blood CBCC collects in the com-
munity is returned to the commu-
nity at the lowest possible cost
consistent with the highest
required quality, according to
CBCC.
Kings
Herald
Published every Thursday
Periodicals postage at Kings Mountain, NC 28086
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Postmaster, send address changes to: P. 0. Box 769, Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Phone (704) 739-7496 ¢ Fax (704) 739-0611
Office: 824-1 East King Street * Kings Mountain, NC 28086
E-mail: heraldnews @kingsmountainherald.com
Bill Parsons - Publisher
(bparsons @kingsmountainherald.com)
Emily Weaver - Editor
(eweaver@kingsmountainherald.com)
Rebecca T. Piscopo - Staff Reporter
Gary Stewart - Staff Writer
Nancy Miller - Advertising Coordinator
Dan Shoemaker - Composing
Lisa Zyble - Composing
Kathy Reynolds - Office Manager
Janey Ollis - Circulation/Classified
Betty Johnson - Mailroom Supervisor
Helen Wells - Inserter
Mary Wood - Inserter
Gaston & Cleveland County
Other NC Counties
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