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January 18, 2012 The Kings Mountain Herald Page 3A Video sweeps debate continues in Grover Council sets Feb. 6 public hearing to consider moratorium on business permits (Ed. note - Because part of this “story was omitted inadvertently in last week's Herald, it is reprinted this week in its entirety.) ELIZABETH STEWART Lib.kmherald@gmail.net GROVER - The controversy over video sweepstakes gaming continued Monday night and as tempers flared at the town board meeting Mayor J.D. Ledford called a halt to the "city recognition por- tion" of the meeting but not before Don Johnson, who rents his build- ings on Main Street to sweepstakes parlors and Dennis Moss, who op- erates Cyberline, had their say. The discussion came minutes before the board unanimously set a public hearing for Feb. 6 to con- sider a moratorium on issuing con- ditional use permits for video sweepstakes. The change in the or- dinance requires public notice and a public hearing. "We just want to operate our businesses and not be harassed by police," said Johnson. Deputy Roy Dyer, a new councilman, took issue and denied the accusation. "It's against the law to operate against the conditions of condi- tional use permits and police are doing their job and our two auxil- iary policemen work for free," he added. "I personally don't want that kind of element in this town but the bottom line is that we don't want criminal activity in this town, we had rather have nothing." + The two uniformed auxiliary and part time officer stood at the back of the meeting room and the chief of police sat at the table with council members. Chief Eric Buff said a police car was parked for a day or two in the parking lot across from the sweep- stakes parlors because of com- plaints by .a citizen of traffic _violations. "We're legal," said Dennis Moss of Cyberline. "Do you want busi- ness in this town or a ghost town?" to which board member Brent White responded; "We want busi- ness that is legal." Johnson said that the town was stagnant before new businesses opened on Main Street several years ago. Several weeks ago he said tenants were notified they were operating illegally - that the state had outlawed certain games and an investigation was underway. "The chief was nice about it, two businesses ordered new soft- ware for the machines and re- opened, others are still closed, but police cars pull up behind cars in the parking lot and we just want to operate our businesses," Moss said. Johnson said the group Has hired a lawyer and will fight the revocation by the county of his ten- ants' conditional use permits at the Jan. 19 meeting of the Grover board of adjustment. WELCOME: mat rolled out for state’s second largest solar farm in KM | photo by ELLIS NOELL State Department of Commerce Secretary J. Keith Crisco cuts a ribbon welcoming Strata Solar to Kings Mountain Thursday. Strata Solar CEO Markus Wilhelm is to the left of Crisco. FROM Page 1 Emily Felt, of Duke Energy - the top cus- tomer of the KM solar farm, thanked Strata Solar for the extra volts now surging into their grids, courtesy of the sun. » Wilhelm thanked the many partners, which helped them grow the "second largest solar farm in the state". "We started this here because of the polit- ical support and the incredible support from everybody here in Cleveland County" and the state, he said. "The support we've got here is the best we've ever got." Crisco thanked the company for the jobs it created to build the farm. "This is 70 jobs, that's a good thing, “he said. "It's been a very good day," Crisco added, considering the recent industry announce- ments of Baldor's expansion in Cleveland County and Freightliner's resurgence in Gas- ton County, which brought 1200 more jobs back to the area. * This solar farm, he said, "is part of an en- ergy sector that is growing in North Carolina." Wilhelm said that they have 10-15 solar projects planned across the state and added that he'd like to have another one in Kings Mountain. "This was a tremendous experience for all of us. It was a privileged chance to work with such a great team," he said. The Cleveland County Board of Commis- sioners approved an incentive deal, granting back 25 percent of the county property tax to the industry over 10 years, to entice Strata Solar. The "lack of red tape" in the county was another perk that paved the way for the in- dustry's arrival, Wilhelm said. County commission chairman Johnny Hutchins and Mayor Rick Murphrey wel- comed Strata Solar to the neighborhood. This multi-million dollar solar farm, sprouting from a partnership between Stratus Solar and Birdseye Renewable Energy, is set to produce around 5 megawatts of electricity a day for Duke Energy. DREAM: of MLK lives on at city hall FROM Page 1 City Hall depicts a varied theme of the artist's impres- sion of his/her "Vision of the American Dream". The six top winners in the contest and a unity award from Mayor Rick Murphrey will be presented at the Jan. 31 6 p.m. meeting of Kings Mountain City Council. A re- ception was held at City Hall Monday night when the cash awards were announced: . $150 to first place winners in both youth and adult cate- gories; $100 to second place winners and $50 to third place winners. Ellis Noell, city events di- rector, coordinated the cele- bration of talent. Co-sponsors with the city in the photography contest were Mickey Corry, local attorney, Cleveland County NAACP, and the Kings Mountain Her- ald. Mayor Rick Murphrey announced the award recipi- ents and all adult winners in the contest were present along with relatives of the first place youth winner. ‘Larry and Janie McVay said their 19-year-old son, Brian Johnson, a student at St. Augustine College in Raleigh, will be excited at the news that his collage of family pictures was top place winner in the youth division. The photograph shows his grandparents, Willie and Viola McVay holding the first born of their 11 children, Janie Ruth McVay; a little girl in the cotton fields (Brian's great-great grand- mother Janie House) a pic- ture of Dr. King and a picture . ties." "Dreams in Black and White" won for B. Starr Dove the top award in the adult category of the contest. In her photograph, she pic- Second place in the youth: division went to Douglas Parker for his photograph, "Free Now" a picture of a young man ready to salute $e American flag; and third tured two ; place went little girls to Aaron happily Even though we Watson for playing to- he of] .i "Freedom gether, tak- face to Serve ing her . and Play" vision from of today, 7 oll * showing a Dr King dave a dream. A who said he . hea and musi- dreamed of 7 “aq cian with "little black wooed ¢ his guitar. girls and lit- deeply oz The tle white Bmenican dream " mayor's girls play- ’ va to ng to ~ € n a gether." Dr. Wantin Luther King fr. © Hart's Other "Ever top winners in the adult divi- sion of the contest were the second place award for "Big Dreams Start Small" by La- Sundra Williams who de- picted entrepreneurship. Her photograph was of young people involved in lawn work. Third place winner Erica Williams' depiction of "Sea of Possibilities" showed a man standing on a shore. Burning Hope - the Ameri- can Dream" depicted a flame blowing in the wind - Dr. King's light that will con- tinue to burn for generations to come. Rev. John Houze, pastor ‘of People's Baptist Church, delivered the message at the early morning church service at Bynum's Chapel which at- tracted a full house. photos by EMILY WEAVER Janie McVay, left, Lary McVay and Vickey Knox look at photographs on the theme “What is Your Vision of the American Dream” submitted by residents at the city’s celebration of Mar- tin Luther King Jr. Day Monday. The McVay’s son, Brian Johnson, won first place for his fam- ily collage, “Grand Mom’s Realities.” ~ CHEROKEE ‘Thursday Night: Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and green beans. Friday Night: Pan Fried Halibut with mango salsa, citrus rice and mixed vegetables. Saturday Night: Marinated Sirloin with fried shrimp, baked potato and side salad. Sunday: Fried Chicken or Meatloaf ; with collard greens or candied yams. 230 STREET Johnny Hutchins, chairman of the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners, admires the prize-winning photograph of KM student Brian Johnson at the city-sponsored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration Monday. of President Barack Obama when he campaigned in Charlotte in 2008. It was en- titled, "GrandMom's Reali- www.cherokeestreettavern.com 238 Cherokee St., Kings Mountain ® 704.739.1292 Wendy Isbell - Publisher wendy.kmherald @ gmail.com Emily Weaver - Editor Mail Subscription Rates Payable in Advance. All Prices include 6.75% NC State Sales Tax. ; : 1 Year 6 Months Sy de gna.com Gaston & Cleveland County $30.00 $19.50 Gary Stewart - Sports Editor Other NC Counties $35.00 $22.50 Lib Stewart - Staff Reporter Outside NC $50.00 $39.00 Published every Wednesday Periodicals postage at Kings Mountain, NC 28086 USPS 931-040 by Gemini Newspapers, Inc. Postmaster, send address changes to: P. O. Box 769, Kings Mountain, NC 28086 Phone (704) 739-7496 ° Fax (704) 739-0611 Office: 700 East Gold Street » Kings Mountain, NC 28086 E-mail: kathy.kmherald@gmail.com Kyra A. Turner - Staff Reporter Rick Hord - Sales Manager Lisa Zyble - General Operations Manager Graphics & Composing Wendy Isbell - Business Manager Kathy Reynolds - Circulation/Classified © 2012 Gemini Newspapers, Inc.. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or news that we deem inappropriate or offensive to our readership.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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