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Page 4A TRIBUTE From Page 1A he said. “He took what we wanted to do by the horns and went with it. He was a big influence on the other players and that made our job a lot easier.” Lloyd said there’s no doubt that the lead- ership shown by Thompson in the new coaching staff’s first year on the job helped this year’s team achieve its goal of winning the conference championship. “When we got here he was one that to- tally bought into what we were doing,” Lloyd said. “He was totally on board and laid the ground work for what we accom- plished this season. He was a total team player and just really helped us get going because of his good attitude.” Thompson was not only a good football player, but a good person, the coaches said. “Desman was always a happy guy,” Cruise said. “The first time I met him he was smiling and the last time I saw him be- fore this tragedy he was smiling. He was a very happy young man and he wanted everyone around him to be happy. Not just football players, but all the kids just flocked around him and he used that to the good. He was a good leader, always trying to make everybody else happy.” Jiris Toney, a three-year starter at nose guard who made All-Conference this past season and was a finalist for the Charlotte Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Year Award, said Thompson was a big part of his progress as an athlete. “He played center, so the majority of the time we lined up against each other in prac- tice,” Toney said. “He made me a better football player. He would knock some heads and he got off the ball so fast for someone his size. He was a good guy. He talked a lot of junk but he made me try harder. He was a leader.” To assistant coach Amos Myles, Thomp- son was not only a good athlete but a close friend. “He was my next door neighbor,” he said. “He was a real fine young man and I consider him a part of my family. He was really a lovable, likeable guy. He was very special to me.” The Kings Mountain Herald Myles said Thompson was the first stu- dent he bonded with when he came to KMHS as a teacher and coach. “He would wash my car for me, but he’d charge me for it,” Myles laughed. “He would come over and play with my kids. My four-year-old son Andrew had grown attached to him. Desman would play with him and when he washed my car Andrew would play in the water. Desman was a very special person.” Thompson’s influence on other students reached far beyond the football field. He was a leader in the classroom as well. “Desman was a real good student,” said Principal Ronny Funderburke. “We talk a lot about test scores at Kings Mountain High School and he helped us a lot with good test scores. He was very efficient on exams. He was a good student and a good role model for younger kids. “One reason minorities do so well here is that we have some leaders like Desman who have shown that it is cool to be suc- cessful in the classroom,” Funderburke said. “Other kids looked up to him. They would say ‘well, there’s big Desman. He can do it in the classroom and on the foot- ball field, so we can t0o.’” : At the time of his death, Thompson was making plans to further his football career. Coach Myles said he had been working hard on running and lifting weights to enter Erie Community College in New York in the fall. He had trimmed down to 330 pounds. Thompson planned to spend his 19th birthday Monday helping Myles’ KMHS track team with its opening practice session. | “He was a good athlete,” Coach Lloyd said. “He was a good person and had a re- ally good personality. He had a good heart - and was real pleasant. He was a hard-work- ing person...a good guy.” Thompson’s funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at People’s Baptist Church. It won’t be an easy time for his family, friends and teammates. “Adjusting to losing someone so young is never easy,” said Coach Cruise, “but we can take comfort that Desman is in a better place than we are. That’s the silver lining behind this cloud of tragedy.” BUSINESS From Page 1A and door prizes," says Brutko who said the showcase gives the public an opportunity to preview local business in the commu- nity and Greater Kings Mountain area. The presenting sponsor for the Kings Mountain Business Showcase is Warlick & Hamrick Insurance. Event sponsors are Creative Catering, KFC, Kings Mountain High School, Sub- way, The Cup and Saucer Tea Room and The Sub Factory. Flower sponsors are The Amos Agency and Carolina Roses. Wednesday, February 18, 2009 SHADOWS From Page 1A minds of the future. Eight boy scouts from troops 39, 92, 93, and 95 assembled in the city’s great hall at 8:30 a.m. to draw their target for the day from a.arge enve- lope. Paul Pallado drew the Kings Mountain Fire De- partment. Kirby Hullender’ and Edward Blackburn got the police department. James Davis picked the codes . department. Noah Bolin got. public works, Dalton Naney - electric, and Corbin Berryman - gas. Keegan Sylvester was ex- cited about being appointed the mayor’s “shadow.” You’re going to be mayor for the day, Mayor Rick Murphrey told Sylvester, who was de- lighted with the news, but seemed a little taken back by the Herald “paparazzi” snapping photos nearby - all apart of the job. Before the scouts joined their leaders, talked with them about the various operations of city government. He shared with them that he, too, was a scout in his youth. Don Crawford, who has been with the Boy Scouts of America for 69 of the asso- ciation’s 99 years, said that the program has produced many leaders. Friday was just an example of some of Murphrey can to help the officers who respond to the scene. The information they gather not only gives the officer an idea of what to expect, but can save lives. A telecommunication of- ficer also has the opportu- nity to help diffuse a potential nightmare in their emergency conversations. They are indeed, officers with many hats. Capt. Johnson showed the scouts the conference room, lined on one wall with shelves filled with law books, reference materials and high school annuals. A glass case stood in one cor- ner of the room that holds some of the department’s relics, like old radios about five times the size of today’s equipment. “We used to call them ‘boat an- chors’,” he said, due to their size. He added that radios of the future will probably be even smaller. As technology advances the size of equipment is not the only thing that changes. Capt. Johnson showed the scouts some of the depart- -ment’s wireless technology they can use for surveil- lance. He walked the scouts through the department’s various offices, describing some of the processes offi- cers have to follow to give justice an opportunity to be served. Det. Todd McDougal, who was also once a scout, photo by EMILY WEAVER Mayor Rick Murphrey, right, talks to the Boy Scouts about city government during Friday's annual Boy Scout Day with the city. Scouts, left to right, are Noah Bolin, Edward Blackburn, Dalton Haney, Corbin Berryman, Paul Pil- lado, Kirby Hullender, James Davis, and Keegan Sylvester. full of the spoils of crimi- nals foiled. Hullender and Blackburn were very ex- cited about the morning’s adventures with the police and said that they now have a greater understanding of these public servants. Pallado also had a lot of fun with the fire depart- ment. He said that he toured the station, rode in a fire truck and learned all sorts of things about what it means to be a firefighter. He’s con- sidering being a fireman one day. Davis learned about the city’s various building codes as Director Holly Black showed him some of the books upstairs in her City Hall office. Berryman toured the gas department, learned how to put pipes together, how to climb poles, how to find gas leaks with modern equip- ment, how to use a metal detector to find wires and where the gas lines run un- derneath the city’s soil. He said that he had a very good time as he proudly donned a yellow hard hat given to him by his morning men- , tors. Naney, who shadowed the electric department, said that they looked at electrical wires and he got to see which energy sources were Duke and which were Kings Mountain. He said that he was also shown how to climb poles, although he the opportunities provided told the boys about “Police didn’t climb any himself. “I \ for a scout to learn and Explorers” - a co-ed branch had a good time,” he said, grow. ' of the boy scouts for those adding that they have com- Police Capt. Derek John- aged 14-21 who are inter- plicated jobs. son stressed the importance ested in law enforcement. Bolin, who has partici- of knowledge and making While talking about pated in Scout Day for the the right choices as Black- criminals and the dangers in second year in a row, got an burn and Hullender fol- society, Johnson shared inside look at public works. lowed him through some great advice with He said that they toured the headquarters at 9 a.m. Blackburn and Hullender. facility and he saw the dif- “There’s a lot of bad «Always be a leader. Don’t ferent sectors at work. things that goes and it’s our pe a follower,” he said. If And what of Junior job to catch them (the crim- someone ‘asks you to do Mayor Keegan Sylvester? inals), he told his shadows. something that you know is “We had fun today,” he They have a choice in wrong “be a man, stand up grinned. This honorable what they do. We allhavea and go the opposite direc- “shadow” went to the choice in life and if YOu tion.” YMCA, the walking track, make the Wrong choice, As the scouts gathered Patriot’s Park, the fire de- eventually, you'll have to pack at the senior center for partment, the industrial pay. lunch, Blackburn said that plant, and Mountain Rest He showed them the they also got to be finger- Cemetery, where he said he telecommunications office- printed and to ride in one of noticed many old graves the city's first line of de- the department’s new fully- and pondered the stories be- fense.” When an emergency equipped Dodge Chargers. hind some of the head- phone call comes into the He said that they saw a lot stones. There were a couple station, the telecommunica- of neat stuff in the KMPD of graves of infants that tion officers have to get as evidence room, which is died just days apart, he said. SRR . much information as they Sylvester also learned a Excessive sun exposure 1s the 23 EF | 2 little about the jobs of City . : Manager Marilyn Sellers major cause of skin cancer. | and City Clerk Ann Ses- ; i : i ni . During his bri Skin cancer is the fastest-growing cancer in the SURGE EET rh Is ref me United States - one in five Americans will develop Saturday, March 7 taxes - to the voiced relief some form of it during their lifetime according to FLAY the American Cancer Society. But the good news ato : th w. oi Blumenthal Cancer Center is that skin cancer is the most preventable type CLE, of cancer. And fee are things you gan do ny Ao to lower your risks. Learn more at this Free Skin Sd Cancer Screening. Call 980-487-3757 or email us By appointment only. at Rita.Wortman@carolinashealthcare.org today 980-487-3757 to schedule an appointment. 4 Lawrence Pearson, MD Joseph Urash, DO ADVERTISING S Phil Talbert, PA A NZ Carol Selsor, MD NEWS FIEMS & SOCIAL NOTES ; p.m. Friday : : : James Potts, MD LETTERS to the EDITOR Cleveland Regional Medical Center Doug Hobson, MD 12 p.m. Friday 201 East Grover Street NC, Shelby © www.clevelandregional.org 3 J ¥ 9 hpi Bill Parsons - Publisher Mail Subscription Rates Payable in Advance. ' {oparsens@Kingsmounainhg aid com) All Prices include 6% NC State Sales Tax. 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The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Feb. 18, 2009, edition 1
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