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School News
The signing by the city of
an Oak Street area study
agreement with Norfolk
Southern Railway and N. C.
Department of Transportation
is geared to improving safety
at railroad crossings, accord-
ing to Mayor Rick Murphrey.
City Manager Marilyn
Sellers told city council at the
recent meeting that the agree-
ment does not bind Kings
Mountain financially but that
it is a step “in removing all
the existing barriers and get-
ting a better solution in
place.”
The closed Oak Street
crossing had been the scene
of numerous wrecks where
truck drivers ignored the
posted signs and became
stuck on the tracks.
The scope of the study by
a DOT engineering firm will
- look at restricting truck traf-
fic over the humped cross-
ings in the downtown area,
including Gold Street and
Mountain, along the Norfolk
Southern railway corridor,
encouraging trucks to utilize
the grade-separated King
Street crossing.
The traffic control/en-
hancement study will look at
potential use of oversized
signs and/or flashing beacons *
to direct truck traffic to US
74 Business (King Street);
the installation of signage at
truck cab heights to improve
visibility; advance signage
along NC 216 (Battleground
Avenue) to prohibit truck left
turns onto Gold Street and
Mountain Street crossings;
assigning an identity to the
industrial park area that the
trucks are accessing, and use
the name as a part of direc-
tional signs to identify the
route to/from Battleground,
Cansler, and King streets
(preferred route); narrowing
the crossings at Gold and
Mountain streets; placing
overhead barriers on each ap-
proach at Gold and Mountain
streets that would physically
Keeping trucks off the i.
stop a large truck; and make
improvements to Cansler
Street and/or its intersection
with King Street to allow for
better truck access to the in-
dustrial park.
The mayor said the Rail
Division will schedule a
meeting with DOT, city offi-
cials, and railroad officials to
discuss the scope of work,
deliverables and schedules.
Ellis new Chief
of Police for
Bessemer City
BESSEMER CITY — Thomas Ellis, Jr., a
_ retired District Commander of the North Car-
olina Highway Patrol, is this city’s new police
chief. He began his new duties Friday.
Ellis emerged as top candidate of three in
the running for the new position created when
town fathers decided in January for Bessemer
City to run its own department.
“Chief Ellis is a perfect fit for Bessemer
City and we are very excited about the future,”
See ELLIS, 6A
Fundraising
campaign
underway for
Patrick Center
Kicked off by the city’s pledge of $75,000
a year for four years, the $1.26 million cam-
paign for a 4,200 square foot addition to H.
Lawrence Patrick Senior Life & Conference
Center is underway.
City council made it official last Tuesday
night by unanimous vote of support for the
project.
Cleveland County Commissioners have
been asked for a contribution and may discuss
participation in the fundraising at the March
19 meeting in Shelby.
The city donation kicks off an initial cam-
paign for $300,000 for the expansion of the
center which has seen increased growth in par-
ticipation by senior residents.
Oklahoma opens
March 15, tickets
on sale now
Tickets are on sale by the Kings Mountain
Little Theatre for the musical “Oklahoma”
which opens Friday, March 15, at Joy Per-
formance Center,
The show plays March 16, March 22 and
March 23 at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinee on
March 17 at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and Harris Funeral Home
is sponsoring the performances. Call 704-730-
9408 for reservations.
“We have a talented cast who plan to bring
to Kings Mountain theatre- -goers a show that
you are sure to enjoy,” said director Jim
Champion.
811298525"00200" "1
5 gz ELIZABETH STEWART
. lib.kmherald @gmail.com
K-9 Kasey hung up his badge
after seven years with the Kings
Mountain Police Department Feb. 26
and retired to begin a more relaxed
life as a pet of his handler, Ptl. Chris
Graham.
Officer Graham became Kasey’s
handler on Feb. 17, 2007 after inherit-
ing the shepherd from another handler.
Born July 5, 2004, Kasey began his tour
of duty Jan. 6, 2006.
~ Chief Melvin Proctor said Kasey was
successful early in his career and earned
a good reputation with all agencies around
after he was called to assist the highway
patrol that had been involved in a car chase
' where three suspects fled into the woods.
Kasey hangs up his badge
Kasey tracked the suspects down and all
three were apprehended. Kasey went back
into the woods and found the handgun that
one of the suspects had and after police real-
ized that one of the suspects had lost his car
keys, Kasey went back into the woods and
located the keys.
Proctor said Kasey has had numerous as-
sists over his seven year career: used 903
times, had 532 arrests and found drugs 345
times. More than once Kasey has found keys
lost by some of his friends at work.
Chief Proctor said Kasey was so superior
at his State K-9 trials that the evaluators rec-
ommended that he be sent to the National
Trials in Indiana. They believed he would
win it easily because of his ability to find
drugs and in record time. Kasey was sched-
uled to go to the Trials but a severe outbreak
See KASEY, 5A
Looking for a good book? Visit the Lite Red Caboose
Mayor Rick Murphrey and Mary Lou Ware cut the ribbon officially 0 Senin fie Thurstay Aitzmunn Book Club’s Little Free Library last
Thursday in front of the Kings Mountain Art Center on Piedmont Avenue.
The early memories by the 20 members
of the Thursday Afternoon Book Club
evoked laughter and good times. But their
goals are similar to those women who 100
years ago dressed up in hats and gloves and
read good books.
“We don’t dress the way they did back
then but we like to read and share books
with others,” said Vice President Kathy
Goforth who helped other members dedi-
cate a Little Free Library Thursday in front
of the Kings Mountain Art Center, the old
Kings Mountain Depot.
And as the members began the program
there was the familiar sound of: a choo
choo train passing by.
The free books are housed in a little red
caboose, the woodworking handiwork of
Ben Hubbard. Artist Camiel Bradshaw
added the finishing touch of decorative fire
engine red paint.
Erin Broadbent, Superintendent of
Kings Mountain National Military Park,
had the idea for the project and said she
was thrilled to be at the ribbon cutting. “I
can’t wait for people to begin reading
books from this little library,” she said
Thursday. Broadbent added that she hoped
other little libraries would spring up at
other locations in town. Sharon Stack,
Mauney Memorial Librarian, had high
praise for the project, as did Mayor Rick
Murphrey who took Broadbent’s challenge
to work on placing a little library at city
hall.
The book club partnered with the
Southern Arts Society and the Art Center
in the project. All members are contribut-
Photo by ELLIS NOELL
ing good books for the reading public.
The book club project and 100th year
celebration was the focus of a feature story
in the March edition of “Our State” maga-
zine. Mary Lou Ware submitted the mate-
rials and a photographer and writer came
to Kings Mountain for the interviews and
photograph sessions.
Officers of the book club are Susan
Champion, president; Kathy Goforth, vice-
president; Mary Lou Ware, secretary; and
Barbara D. Bridges, treasurer. Other mem-
bers are Pat Plonk, Jan Sabetti, Ellen Bur-
ris, Carolyn McGinnis, Julia Hunt, Pam
Goforth, Anita Campbell, Ann Brogdon,
Becky Champion, Linda Dixon, Vivian
Duncan, Mary Anne Gibson, Jeannie
Moore, Jaquitha Reid, Patsy Rountree and
Marion Thomasson.
(Call 704-692-0843 ° 703 E. King Street, Kings Mountain
OPEN SATURDAYS AT 8:30 Walk-Ins Welcome