ee
ELIZABETH STEWART
staff writer
Eaton Corporation’s Kings
Mountain Truck Transmission
Plant is cutting 51 manufacturing
jobs, reducing its work force to
400. :
The layoff announcement by
one of the largest employers in the
area follows on the heels of simi-
lar news of local and area indus-
try hit by a sluggish economy and
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
reduction in demand of products.
Plant Manager Mike Iezzi said
Eaton will continue to heavily
support the community as it has
since the Cleveland, Ohio-based
plant opened in 1976 on Grover
Road and that he is hoping to
bring back some of those affected
by the layoffs by mid 2009. Sev-
erance packages and outplace-
ment services have been made
available for the employees.
The announcement of impend-
The Kings Mountain Herald
More laysoffs...this time 51 at Eaton
ing job loss in Kings Mountain -
now at nearly 700 - began in re-
cent weeks. Entertainment Distri-
bution Center announced last
week that it was closing its manu-
facturing and distribution center
on Grover Road and selling to
Sony and 419 employees would
be out of work by April 2009.
Last. month Fiber Textured
Fibers closed its Kings Mountain
operation, leaving 145 people out
of work, and during the summer
months both *Chris Craft and Ul-
tras Machine announced layoffs.
A Rapid Response state team is
assisting displaced workers at
KM’s EDC Plant this week. Em-
ployees could be taking part in job
fairs, getting new training or
going back to school.
But the job news was not all
bad. Carolina Finishing & Coat-
ing announced the purchase of
the Taggett Building on Country-
side Road; Southern Industrial
Page 3A
Constructors merged with Gibson
Industrial at 1051 York Road, and
Fan Corporation plans an addi-
tion to its location at Cleveland
County Industrial Park and PPG
Industries Fiber Glass Products
announced an expansion and the
addition of 120 new jobs over the
next three years at its Cleveland
County plant.
Kings Mountain
honors its heroes
ELIZABETH STEWART
staff writer
Kings Mountain paid tribute to its heroes Tuesday on
Veterans Day at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th
month remembering what was called “the war to end all
wars’ and all those who served in wars and conflicts
since.
The ceremonies, which began at the War Memorial on
Railroad Ave., a walk from downtown led by city and
county officials, the Burns High School Air Force ROTC,
the Loch Norman Pipe Band and mothers pushing babies in
strollers, law enforcement, and veterans themselves, some
in winter coats and others in short sleeves, paraded with
the American flags to Veterans Park of Mountain Rest
Cemetery.
The Loch Norman Pipe’s Band renditions of “Flowers
* of the Forest” at the opening at the War Memorial, their
rendition of Highland Cathedral and Amazing Grace to-
gether with the prayers and comments by Mayor Rick Mur-
phrey, Police Chief Melvin Proctor and American Legion
Post 155 Commander Claude Pearson added to the solemn
ceremony in Veterans Park as the wind whipped around the
American flags on the graves in front of the cross and as the
red, white and blue wreath was placed at the eternal flame.
The presentation and retirement of the colors by the ROTC
students, the pledge of allegiance by Scouts of Troop 93,
The National Anthem and her earlier rendition of God
Bless America by talented Shana Adams and the traditional
“Taps” by Paul Fulton made an impressive program.
“Since early frontier days when the Mountain Men
raised their own war cry for freedom and liberty we have
been caretakers of all that our forefathers fought for,” said
the mayor. “Our veterans have always answered the call to
defend and secure our freedom and today in Kings Moun-
tain we honor that same spirit and hope that led to the
founding of this great nation,” he said..
Murphrey said that banner of freedom has been handed
down to each generation and he thanked veterans past and
present who served our country following this great tradi-
tion with personal courage, defending our freedom and
keeping our homeland safe. ;
Chief Proctor prayed for God’s protection of troops in
harm’s way, peace for families of loved ones, and victory
in time of war.
“We offer profound gratitude to God for the blood and
sweat of sacrifice as our loved ones fight for honorable
world peace,” said Pearson, who said the country can reach
new heights for a better way of life because of the solid
foundation created by veterans everywhere who have sus-
tained our hope for America.
News briefs
Bloodmobile Wednesday
Turbo Systems, 203 Turbo Drive, will host the Gaston
County Public Blood Drive, a visit of the Red Cross blood-
mobile Wednesday, today, from noon until 4:30 p.m. The
public is invited to participate.
Board of Adjustment
The Kings Mountain Board of Adjustment will meet
Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Cham-
bers to hear a variance request from Ricky McNeely, 130
Honeywood Road.
Ordination Service
An Ordination service for Rev. Kenneth Leon Hopper
will be held on Sunday, Nov.16, at 5 p.m. at People Baptist
Church on Grove Street. The public is invited.
KMIS teacher attends seminar
Vonnie E. Stewart of Kings Mountain Intermediate School
recently attended a seminar held at the North Carolina Center
for the Advancement of Teaching. i
NCCAT provides seminars in the arts, sciences, humanities
and technology for pre-K through 12th-grade public school
teachers. The seminars are offered at no cost to teachers. They
are designed to renew teachers’ vitality for teaching and to
equip them with new knowledge for the classroom.
In Memory of Donald Fite :
January 22,1938 ~
November 8, 2000
We love & miss you,
your wife Lore Fite,
Jennifer & Dwayne Hord,
Dieter Fite, Kristina & Ashlee Owens,
Matthew, Cameron & Mitchell Hord
4 a SRNR -
TC oo CO TO mr 1 As St ns Ar A nr 0 neti, in FE me hE a) Ne Sp
LIGHTING UP - Todd Parker, Josh Conrad, Electric Supt. Nick
Hendricks and Mayor Rick Murphrey inspect the addition of brick
and lights to holly trees in downtown Kings Mountain.
City lights up holly trees
ELIZABETH STEWART
staff writer
Brightening up down-
town for the upcoming hol-
idays, crews from the city’s
Electric and Public Works
Departments were busy this
week completing the brick
work and lighting at the 50
holly trees which dot
Mountain, Battleground and
Railroad Avenues.
Nick Hendricks, Electric
Superintendent, said the ad-
dition of lights from the
base of the trees will liter-
Thank you
I would like to thank
each and every one that
has supported me
through the years.
My staff and I will do
our best to continue
to serve you in the future
as we have the past 13 years.
Bonnie Reece
Cleveland County Register of Deeds
ally light up the beautiful
trees festive with red
berries.
“We think that Kings
Mountain citizens and visi-
tors to our city will like this
additional holiday light-
ing,” said Mayor Rick Mur-
phrey.
No new Christmas deco-
ration is being added this
year but Murphrey said the
addition of brick planter
boxes, where flowers can be
added later on, and the
lights will shine to enhance
the plans by Mountaineer
: : Paid for by the Bonnie Reece campaign committee © \
SHIT GF SF oF LE ah eG Tuk Se ar hi Gtr 004 of
Partnership for holiday fes-
tivities which are gearing up
by hard-working commit-
tees.
Large Selection
Local Scouts,
Baptist group
to seek food
°®
to relieve
hunger
Rev. Charles Reed will
direct a county-wide appeal
being undertaken by the
Piedmont Council of the
Boy Scouts of America in
November.
This is the Piedmont
Council’s annual “Scouting
for Food” Good Turn, an ef-
fort to aid the hungry in
local communities through-
out Cleveland County.
As chairman of the Bat-
tleground District’s Scout-
ing for Food Good Turn,
Rev. Reed will direct the ef-
forts of an estimated 750
youth in scouting units that
will distribute door hangers
on Nov. 15 and retrieve
food collection bags and
transport them to commu-
nity food pantries and
churches on Nov. 22.
This is the 20th year in a
row that local scouts have
conducted a door-to-door
appeal for food.
Last year the group col-
lected an estimated 17,000
pounds of non-perishable
food for hungry people in
our local communities.
Rev. Reed is the ministry
team leader for the Greater
Cleveland County Baptist
Association, where he has
served since Oct. 1, 1990,
directing emergency relief
efforts for the association of
churches.
Reed points out that the
Piedmont Council’s Good
Turn is designated to pro-
vide immediate help for
local citizens who are hun-
gry and to focus local atten-
tion on solving the
continuing problem.
The scouts will seek
canned goods, with an em-
phasis on the foods most
needed for good nutrition.
‘Fire Department
fundraiser
Grover Firemen will
canvass the Grover Fire
District in a house to house
solicitation for benefit of
equipment beginning this
week. Donors will receive a
certificate fora family pho-
tograph to be scheduled by
appointment.
Diamond Solitaires
25% to
50% Off
EER
SESRRNEEES
TREES
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