Wednesday, July 24, 2013
|
The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net
Page 3A
9 vie for 4 CC Board of Education seats
ELIZABETH STEWART
lib.kmherald@gmail.com
Politicking is picking up steam
in the fall elections for four seats up
for grabs on the Cleveland County
Board of Education.
Danny Blanton, 61, 1827 Creek
Ridge Road, Shelby, was the last to
file before candidate filing closed
at noon Friday, July 19, the fifth
challenger for one of the four seats
up for grabs.
Incumbent = board members
Kathy B. Falls of Grover, Phillip
Glover, S. Dale Oliver, and George
Litton, all of Shelby, had previ-
ously filed for reelection.
Filing last week were Darius
Griffin, 36, 1575 Timberlake Road,
Shelby, Donnie Thurman Jr., 29,
1414 Clearbrook Dr., Shelby, Jeff
Gregory 55, 1400 Mooresboro
Road, Shelby, and Kenneth Led-
ford, 66, 4102 Polkville Road,
Polkville, also filed.
“I’m running for the school
board because I owe a great debt of
gratitude to the public educational
system and Cleveland County com-
munity,” said Griffin, a newcomer
to politics. He added “Throughout
my life this community has edu-
cated me and encouraged a desire
for learning. This desire has
evolved into a passion and com-
mitment for advocacy and action.
He said that as
a board mem-
ber he will
combine his
leadership and
experience to
build and sup-
port relation-
ships between
schools and
community
program; collaboratively work with
board members to align school
board goals with the Cleveland
County School and community
goals; and contribute to strategic
evidence based policies that will
establish a safe environment where
all students graduate and are career,
college and citizenship ready.
Griffin is employed as Director
of Environmental Safety and
Health at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte. He holds a
bachelor’s degree in Occupational
Health & Safety and a Masters in
Public Administration. He is an
alumnus of Leadership North Car-
olina. He is married with two chil-
dren.
“I’m for the teachers,” says
Danny Blanton whose family has
been long active in education and
many of them employed in the
school system. “Cut corners some-
where else if we have to cut but
don’t cut the teachers,” says Blan-
Kathy Falls
ton. If elected,
he said his
focus will be
for the kids and
the teachers. |
He said that no
teachers should
have to take
money out of
their pockets
and buy sup-
plies for stu-
dents. “I would
support an au-
ditorium for
Upper Cleve-
land County
and research
should begin to
find funding
Phillip Glover
Danny Blanton
for that much- ;
needed auditorium,” he said. Blan-
ton added, “Technology is great but
we also need to get back to the ba-
sics in school.”
Donnie Thurman Jr. is a Shelby
native who majored in Sociology
and Psychology and played foot-
ball at Gardner Webb University,
and prior to that played football at
Crest High School where the
Chargers had an amazing record of
45-4. He was a team captain as a
middle linebacker at Crest and All
Conference. Regarded as a profes-
sional motivational speaker nation-
wide, he has spoken to over
850,000 youth
at schools,
churches and
organizations.
He became a
licensed minis-
ter in February
2010 at Palmer
Grove Baptist
Church = and
was ordained
as a preacher
of the gospel
by Ebenezer
Missionary
Baptist Associ-
ation. He
serves as youth
pastor at
Palmer Grove
Baptist Church
in Kingstown.
He married
Rachis Dowdy
on Marchv2,
2013. She and
her twin sister
formed Today
Mime in 2007 4
in the ministry, -yenneth Ledford
and she works
as a bioprocess technician.
“I like to stay involved,” says
Jeff Gregory, a Kings Mountain na-
tive who is running for the school
board. He advocates “no waste,
money well spent, and kids being
S. Dale Oliver
#3
Darius Griffin
safe and no
bullying.” He
said he would
push for what
is best for stu-
dents and |
teachers and §
recommends
the board take
a look at
smaller
schools and get
community in-
volvement.
A retired |
postmaster, he
is a 26-year
civil « service [8
employee and
is a decorated
soldier in the .
USAF where
he served four
years. He is
married to the
former Sonya
McAbee of
Kings Moun-
tain and they
have two chil-
dren, Tefticy Jeff Gregory
Michael and Stephanie. They for-
merly attended Second Baptist
Church in Kings Mountain and
now live in the New House com-
munity of Cleveland County.
What’s showing at Real to Reel FNB to swiichto Bank
A synopsis of the 34 films
to be shown July 24-27 by
the Cleveland County Arts
Council at Joy Performance
Center, 202 S. Railroad Ave.,
Kings Mountain follows.
Great films, silent auction,
raffles, Q&A-s with film-
makers, concessions, and.
awards party Saturday night.
The festival is co-spon-
sored by the Kings Mountain
Little Theatre and the His-
toric Kings Mountain
Tourism Development Au-
thority.
Wednesday shows were
reviewed in last week’s Her-
ald. An interview with the
writer/director of one of the
shows, “The New True
Charlie Wu,” rated PG, a 30-
minute short film, is another
story in this week’s Herald.
Thursday shows begin at
7 p.m. with a 14-minute, 24-
second documentary from
Georgia, “Ditching School
to Whistle,” rated G. In April
2012, filmmaker Len Chi set
out to compete in the Inter-
national Whistling competi-
tion and make a
documentary about it. This
short film explores not only
the fascinating people who
converge once a year for this
quirky event but also tells
the unexpectedly touching
stories of people who dis-
covered healing and therapy
through what may be dis-
missed by many as silly.
whistling.
“Brightwood” is an 18-
minute, 27-second short
from LaDora Sella, execu-
tive producer of Washington.
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It’s a story of a young girl’s
real and imaginary lives,
combining innocence with
deeper themes of finding
home and family. When
Sparrow discovers a nest of
baby mice in her sock
drawer her need to find a
family is revealed as she
faces a challenger greater
than any child should.
“Lil Tokyo Reporter” is a
30-minute short film from
writer, director and producer
Jeffrey Chin of California
and is 29 minutes, 27 sec-
onds in length and rated PG.
Keiko Agena is the lead
actor. 1935 Los Angeles,
community leader, Sei Fujii
uncovers the corrupt activi-
ties of his community’s un-
derground mafia. He must
choose between saving the
face of his deteriorating
community and confronting
the issues head on through
his newspaper. Based on a
true story.
The animation *’Parks,” 5
minutes 7 seconds, is from
North Carolina animator, di-
rector and writer Meredith
Hannah. Rated, G, it’s the
story of a scientist who
places the heart of his dead
wife into a new creation.
When the creation comes to
life, she tries to revive the
old love.
After intermission four
films will close out the
evening.
“Maiden Flight” is a 2-
minute, 48-second anima-
tion, rated G, from Dwayne
Martin, writer, producer, di-
rector from North Carolina.
It’s a story about the strength
it takes to let go of what you
loved most.
“Bathanti” is a 72-minute
documentary rated G. Pitts-
burgh native and North Car-
olina Poet Laureate Joseph
Bathanti travels with film-
maker Kevin Balling to the
places that inform Bathanti’s
poetry, novels, short stories
and essays. From the streets
of Pittsburgh to the rural
landscapes of North Car-
olina, the film reveals
Bathanti’s influences, inspi-
rations and literary style. In-
terviews with the author are
blended with the insight and
perceptive of writers
Michael Parker, Robert Mor-
gan, Kay Stripling Byer,
Heather Ross Miller and
Abigail DeWitt. This film
also presents readings of the
author’s work, interspersed
through location footage,
photos, archival film, text
and soundtrack.
“Wicked Silence,” is a 33
minutes, 14 second docu-
mentary rated PG by co-
writers, directors and
producers Jessica Pic and
Sana Haq from Winston-
Salem. The story is about
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. Board of North Carolina
of the Ozarks August 1
First National’s branch bank on West Mountain Street will
soon have a new sign — Bank of the Ozarks your hometown
bank.
First National shareholders approved the bank’s merger
Elaine, Ann and Willis, three
of some 8,000 victims of
forced sterilizations sanc-
tioned by the Eugenics
from the 1920s to the 1970s. into Bank of the Ozarks and expect to close on the deal July
Falsely accused of feeble- 31 with First National Bank branches to open August 1 as
mindedness, promiscuity Bank of the Ozarks.
In recent months the $67.8 million bank deal, first an-
nounced in January, was approved by federal and state regu-
lators and the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Shareholder approval was one of the final steps to be com-
pleted.
and being a burden on soci-
ety they were sterilized with-
out their knowledge. All
three of them were under the
age of 14. For years now
they have been fighting for
justice and reparations for
the wrong that was done
them. Behind them stands a
journalist and an advocate
for their rights, John Railey,
who has helped spread the
word about this atrocity
through his columns and
consistent campaigning for
compensation. “Wicked Si-
lence” is a story of the vic-
tims suffering but it is also a
story of hope and resilience.
“Franky and the Ant,” a
9-minute 7-second short
from Billy Hayes, writer,
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Comforter and Bedding Sale
City to continue seeking grants
The city has applied for and received a number of job
grants over the years from the North Carolina Rural Center
but last week the N.C. General Assembly eliminated state
funding for the nonprofit which was stung by a negative
audit, triggering the resignation of its longtime president.
Mayor Rick Murphrey said the city will continue to sub-
mit applications with the N.C. Department of Commerce .
Murphrey said that numerous businesses have been suc-
cessful in obtaining grants from the Rural Center, bringing
jobs to Kings Mountain. “They have been good to work with
and we have been pleased to help with applications for the
grants,” he said. “It seems it just got to be too political.”
By action of Governor Pat McCrory and the legislature a
new division was created with the N.C. Department of Com-
merce to focus on improving services to the state’s rural
counties. . ;
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