}
:
1
5
b
§
vo 2 AB iu
Kings
WI I Pw Sw BA oe
2
Harris Funeral Home
By EMILY WEAVER
Editor
A Haitian family with
ties to Kings Mountain is
in danger and KMHS
teacher Dan Potter is seek-
ing donations to help them.
Jean Constant fled Haiti
with his family in June
2001. Their lives were in
danger so they sought
refuge in the United States
of America.
For a few years, they
lived without fear in the
land of the free. Jean and
Maggie Constant's second
son, Daniel, was born
here—an American citizen.
Their first son, Junior,
started school here.
Jean became head soc-
cer coach for the men's var-
sity and the women's junior
varsity teams at Kings
Mountain High School.
The family attended regu-
lar worship services at their
church, the Kings Moun-
tain House of Prayer. It was
"a good life, but their wel-
| come was about to expire.
The Constants were in
the country on a vacation
visa and the courts said that
vacation was over in 2004.
The family petitioned the
government for political
HELPING HANDS
KMHS raises money
for Haitian family
. Browns honor Jonas M ‘
D 68+ years of Bridges, ee
love this Mrs. Winnie Seneca
st Yalsntine' 8 Robinson
5 pass away Sue
EMILY WEAVER/HERALD
KMHS 9th grader Jason Dawkins, left, buys a snow cone from seniors Lind-
sey Wright and Jaris Williams, who are helping raise money for a Haitian fam-
ily with ties to Kings Mountain.
asylum.
In Haiti, a country then
wracked by political unrest,
corruption and poverty,
Maggie spoke out against
the: govérnment: on. the
radio. But free speech is
not a right granted-in Haiti:
The Constants received
threatening phone calls.
And one day, while Maggie
was taking Junior, then
about four years old, to the
doctor, they were pulled
over by the Haitian police.
The officer had his gun
drawn and ordered Maggie
out of the ear, fdcording
KMHS Civics and Bee.
nomics teacher Dan Potter,
who coached soccer at the
school for many years and
still keeps in contact with
Maggie refused. She
locked the car doors and
started beating the horn to
draw a crowd, Potter said.
JME police shot her tire
ade tly
| After that harrowing en-
counter they fled to the
U.S., they told the judge.
But since they had no hard
evidence, no police report
sheriff which is highlighting
Moore (R) of Kings Moun-
“tain for House District 111
his friends, the Constants. See HAITI. 3A
International tubing company
to make first U.S. home in KM
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Staff Writer
Solaris Industries Inc., an
international manufacturer
of steel tubing, will bring a
potential of 40 jobs to Kings
Mountain in the next three
years and taxable investment
of up to $3.2 million.
"Project Bonjour"-the
name given to the recruiting
plan by city and county offi-
cials to land the new Cana-
dian industry-was lauded
Thursday as the French Con-
nection to future develop-
ment.
Mayor Rick Mutphrey
said the company will locate
here at 133 Industrial Drive
and is expected to serve an
expanding U.S. market. The
new industry will occupy the
100,000 square foot building
previously home to Tube En-
terprises and Common-
wealth Aluminum, off
Highway 161 South near I-
85. While salaries will vary
by function, the new posi-
tions will pay an average an-
nual wage of $32,080, not
including benefits, which is
higher than the Cleveland
County annual wage of
$31,200.
Solaris Industries Inc. is a
wholly owned subsidiary of
Delhi Solac Inc. of Canada
and produces steel tubing for
use in furniture,
houses, fencing, store dis-
plays, scaffolding,
recreational equipment,
garage doors, restaurant and
hospital equipment, mechan-
ical applications and the au-
tomotive industry.
The mayor said he is anx-
ious for Canadian officials to
come to Kings Mountain in
green-
the next several months to
hear more about their open-
ing plans.
"We are excited," said
city manager Marilyn Sell-
ers. Given the county's 15.1
percent unemployment, she
joined the mayor in being
optimistic about more jobs
for local people.
The new company will be
a water; sewer and natural
gas customer of the city.
Governor Beverly Purdue
made the industrial an-
nouncement from Raleigh
Thursday in connection with
her announcement of a One
North Carolina Fund Grant
to aid the project.
Last week county com-
missioners approved an in-
centive grant and city
council is expected to follow
suit Feb. 23.
In a press release issued
from the governor's office
Cleveland County officials
joined city officials in wel-
coming the new industry.
"We have been working
* to recruit this viable com-
pany to Cleveland County
since May 2009, its first
United States subsidiary,"
said Kristin Fletcher, VP of
Economic Development for
the county's Economic De-
velopment Partnership. She
added that because of the
Bi
EMILY WEAVER/HERALD
Kings Mountain Mayor Rick Murphrey and City
Manager Marilyn Sellers stand in front of the fu-
ture home of Solaris Industries on Industrial Drive
in Kings Mountain. Canadian officials are ex-
pected to come to Kings Mountain soon to an-
nounce opening plans.
‘available workforce and for Solaris was that the facil-
close proximity to Charlotte, ity in Kings Mountain con-
one of the other major draws See COMPANY, 3A
flappy Customers
td
ara Our Business!
209 S. Battleground Ave., Kings Mountain ® 704.739.5411
www. alliancebankandtrust.com © MEMBER FDIC
Locally Ouned
& Operated Since 1947
A Family Tradition of Dignity,
Service & Understanding
108'S! Piedmont Ave.
Kings Mountain; NC IY
139-2591
Volume 122 « Issue 6 * Wednesday, February 10, 2010
= IN THE RUNNING
And they're off
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Staff Writer
The 2010 election season
heated up on the first day of
filing Monday as nine candi-
dates for more than 15
elected positions threw their
hats in the ring by paying fil-
ing fees at the Cleveland
County Board of Elections.
Alan Norman of Lawn-
dale, one of three hopefuls
for the sheriff's seat, was the
first to arrive at 7:10 a.m.
and he brought along a con-
tingent of supporters in one
of the biggest turnouts
Elections Director Debra
Blanton said she had seen. A
sign she said that citizens are
getting. excited about the
May primary and the race for
ALAN NORMAN
this election year contests.
Chief deputy Danny Gor-
don of Lawndale and retired
State Highway patrolman
Michael Chapman of Shelby,
also Democrats, who like
Norman announced for sher-
iff early in the fall, filed
Monday morning.
Filing for re-election on
Monday were N.C. Rep. Tim
DANNY GORDON
and N.C. Senator Debbie
Clary (R) of Cherryville for
Senate District 46.
‘Drug heads’
BEWARE
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Staff Writer
MIKE CHAPMAN
KMPD Sgt Lisa Proctor is sending a message to "drug
heads."
"Stay out of Kings Mountain, ‘doctor shopping' won't pay
off, we'll get you with the help of local pharmacists."
Kings Mountain Police made a total of 252 drug arrests
last year, the majority of those charges prescription fraud and
controlled substance fraud.
Proctor, who joined KMPD 18 years ago, is credited with
115 drug arrests last year.
Mayor Rick Murphrey commended Proctor Friday for her
"sommitment and passion in fighting crime."
"Lisa is an excellent Christian role model for young peo-
ple to follow, not only through her police work but also her
commitment to traditional family values and community
service. Lisa has served the community with distinction
demonstrating always her willingness to place her concern
for the public good ahead of her personal interests." ©
Acknowledging the surprise commendation, Proctor took
the occasion to commend local pharmacists and their em-
ployees for working closely with police in apprehending sus-
pects.
"Drug heads" use several means to obtain prescription
drugs illegally. They say they are calling a pharmacy from a
doctor's office. Alert and suspicious pharmacists call the doc-
tor's office to verify, then run a check by tapping into a cen-
tral data base and call police. Other 'patients' travel I-85 and
doctor shop. One person may go to a doctor and a pharmacy
with an insurance card, then go to another doctor and phar-
macy and pay cash and/or copy a doctor's prescription pad or
a computer facsimile and take it to a pharmacy. *They try all
kinds of ways to get drugs," says Proctor.
One woman was arrested recently on one felony count of
prescription fraud. Police followed up and booked her on 41
additional felony counts of obtaining a controlled substance
by fraud.
Why the increase of prescription fraud in Kings Moun-
tain?
Narcotics obtained illegally sell on the street for $5 to $10
See DRUGS, 4A
Alliance
Bank&Trust
Building Communities
=m
5
i