% . Harris Funeral Home
4 ° I Locally Owned he
& Operated Since 1947
A Family Tradition of Dignity,
Service & Understanding
108 8. Piedmont Ave. &
Kings Mountain, NC
739-2591
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Volume 124 ¢ Issue 47 Wednesday, November 21, 2012 « 75¢
INSIDE eT
AAR CR ROI) HL
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Council Families file suit against CC Fair
to review
zoning
Public hearings on zoning matters
will comprise the major part of next
we ELIZABETH STEWART
lib.kmherald @gmail.com
Health officials tied to the fair’s
petting zoo an outbreak that made
106 people sick and led to the
death of a 2-year-old boy.
Gastonia Attorney Thomas D.
Bumgardner filed the action in
Gaston County Superior Court
which included appointment of
Guardian Ad Litem for the minor
‘children - attorney Edgar F. Bogle
for young Roberts and Brent Pat-
terson for young Dover.
* Plaintiffs are Michael and
Tracy Roberts, parents of Hannah,
and Mary Katherine Gordon and
Michael Dover, parents of Isaac
Dover. :
The families are seeking a jury
trial and damages totaling more
than $10,000 for each of four
claims for relief for both children
and the parents, for prejudgment
and post-judgment interest as pro-
vided by law; for all costs incurred
in bringing this action and for such
other and further relief that the
The family of two E-coli vic-
tims - 5-year-old Hannah Roberts
of Gastonia and 18-months-old
* Isaac Dover of Cherokee County,
SC - filed civil law suits Monday,
suing the Cleveland County Fair
Tuesday night’s 6 p.m.agenda of
Kings Mountain City Council.
The city’s Planning & Zoning
Board voted unanimously last Tues-
day to recommend to city council a
text amendment that will spell out
some 16 permitted uses for public,
commercial, and multiple recreational
and entertainment facilities.
A public hearing will be held on
request of Mike Brown, a Kings
Mountain businessman, who ‘has
See COUNCIL, 6A.
Shop Small
Business
Saturday
The Kings Mountain Herald is
proud to encourage a day dedicated
to supporting small businesses in
Kings Mountain.
This year on Saturday, Nov. 24,
get out and make a difference by
showing support and shopping at the
wonderful small businesses through-
out historic downtown Kings Moun-
tain. Whether it is retail stores,
restaurants, or other service
providers, when local small business
thrives, the community thrives.
The Herald wants to remind
everyone that dollars spent in lo-
cally-owned businesses have an
enormous impact in terms of keep-
ing the local economy alive. When
you shop locally, you simultane-
ously create jobs, help fund city
services through sales tax, invest in
neighborhood improvements, and
promote community development.
Last year, over one hundred mil-
lion people came together to “shop
small” in their communities nation-
wide on Small Business Saturday.
What are your
Thanksgiving
plans this year?
Kings Mountain citizens were
preparing for Thanksgiving this week.
Plans by many citizens were tradi-
tional with butcher sales indicating
turkey to be the menu favorite.
Students and school staffs were
looking forward to a long weekend
beginning Wednesday with closing of
schools.
Some churches were planning
services and early morning breakfasts
prepared by men of the church.
See THANKSGIVING, 3A
985257002001
for negligence.
The spectacular Christmas display by Grady and Katie Costner in the Mid-
pines Community is their Christmas gift to the community. They will flip the
switch Thanksgiving night at 5:30 p.m.
Mr. and Mrs. Christmas
(Costner) to turn on the
lights Thanksgiving night
Grady and Katie Costner could
change their names to Mr. and Mrs.
Christmas, and everyone who sees
their Christmas lights Thanksgiving
night and during the Christmas sea-
son would agree.
The Midpines couple’s holiday
light display gets bigger and bigger
every year. They will flip the
switch Thursday night at 5:30 p.m.
and every night through Christmas
Day until 9 or 10 p.m. each
evening.
“We started with just a handful
of lights about 25 years ago and
this is the 21st year that we have
about 200,000 light bulbs in this
yard, the property across from our
front door and the property across
the street from our back yard,” said
Katie. The neighbors call it a mini
McAdenville.
Using his welding and electrical
skills, Grady Costner adds some-
thing new every year and this year
he has illuminated race cars, ponies
and a float to add to a big assort-
ment of illuminated angels, a
carousel, poinsettias, toy soldiers, a
nativity, peacocks, carolers, trees,
and much more. And, of course,
Santa Claus is on hand to give each
- child a candy cane as families drive
through the merry Christmas dis-
play.
Scotty and Norma Costner
drove from Syacamore, Ala., and
Charles Costner helped Grady and
Katie put the finishing touches to
the Christmas scene. It has been
Katie’s job over the years to string
the lights as Grady is a busy elf in
his Santa workshop.
The display adds about $1,000 a
month to the couple’s utility bill.
“We couldn’t continue to say merry
Christmas this way without gener-
ous donations from the public,”
said Mrs. Costner.
See CC FAIR, 6A
Christmas is coming
to Kings Mountain!
Jingle Bell Run
Jingle, jingle, jingle! It’s time for the 12th Annual Jingle
Bell Rockin’ Run. The 10 a.m. run includes a 10k, 5k, 2 mile
run for grade school kids and a 600m fun run for preschool
kids. Saturday, Dec. 1 will be full of fun, from the live music
to the costume contest. This event has something for every
member of the family so do not miss it. Child Care will be
provided at the Joy Theater.
The race starts at Patriots Park, 220 S Railroad Ave., in
downtown Kings Mountain; the Fun Run (600 meter) starts
at 10 am with the 5k/10k immediately following the Fun
Run. You may register online @ http://precisiontimingsys-
tems.com. Early packet pickup is Friday, Nov. 30 from 3—
8:30 pm at the KM Joy Theater. Race day packet pickup and
registration are from 8-9:30 am at KM Joy Theater.
KM Christmas
Parade set for Dec. 1
Applications for parade entries in the annual Kings
Mountain Christmas Parade are now available online ‘at
www.cityofkm.com or can be picked up from Lynda Mattox
at City Hall. :
The parade will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 3 p.m.
This year’s Grand Marshal will be local Girl Scout
Troops, celebrating their 100th anniversary. There will also
be awards given to the best floats in six different categories:
Corporate, Small Business, Service Organization, Church,
Most Artistic and Best Overall. The parade will be video-
taped and will be shown on C-19, the Cleveland Community
College Public Access channel.
For additional information contact Ellis Noell, Public Re-
lations/Special Events Director, City of Kings Mountain,
704-473-8727.
Tree lighting kicks
off holiday season
The!lighting of the children’s Christmas tree, trimmed
with 3,000 lights, at Jacob S. Mauney Memorial Library
kicked off the holiday season in Kings Mountain Tuesday
night as crowds of wide-eyed and excited children sat on
Santa’s lap and gave the jolly ole man their wish list.
Prior to Santa’s arrival, the Kings Mountain Elementary
School Singers, under the direction of Susan Gray, sang
Christmas carols and Dr. Jeff Mauney, chairman of the li-
brary board, gave “state of the library” from a stage set up
by the city’s Special Events Coordinator Ellis Noell and city
crews in the street in front of the library..
Always a favorite of children was the reading of St.
Luke’s Christmas Story from the Bible and “Twas the Night
Before Christmas” by Kings Mountain Mayor Rick Mur-
phrey. Santa Claus switched the lights on the Christmas tree
and then took his chair to entertain and be entertained by the
children. :
Santa’s special elves were Marla Silaphet, Kayla Sayno-
rah, Molly Vongphouthone, and Courtney Elmore.
Other Christmas season events on tap in December ih-
clude: “Home for Christmas,” the annual city-sponsored
Christmas parade on Dec. 1 at 3 p.m.; the YMCA's Jingle
Bell Rockin’ Run Dec. 1 from 9 a.m.-noon at Patriots Park;
Santa’s Fire Truck Express Dec. 14 from 1-4 p.m. at he Kings
Mountain Historical Museum; and the traditional Christmas
Eve luminaries Dec. 24 from 5:30 p.m.-midnight at city
owned Mountain Rest Cemetery.
OPEN SATURDAYS AT 8:30 Walk-Ins Welcome __
Call 704-692-0843 + 703 E. King Street, Kings Mountain
Ten