kmherald.net
Look FOR THE SPECIAL EDITION -
Volume 125 ¢ Issue 47 ¢ Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Knight David Mesimer confers knighthood upon Savion Chisholm, a fourth grader
at East Elementary School. The festivities were part of the school’s first Early
Act/First Knight awards ceremony, and included honors for grades K-4. Earlier
Friday, the school chartered a Rotary Club, which sponsors the Early Act/First
Knight program.
Photo by DAVE BLANTON
East Elementary
forms Rotary Club
m= DAVE BLANTON
{dave kmherald@gmail.com
Compassion and respect are the two
themes Friday as teachers, administra-
tors and Rotarians honor kindergarten
through 4th graders for their early
achievements in citizenship and lead-
ership.
East Elementary School is the proud
home of a Rotary Club after five ele-
mentary-aged officers were sworn in a
ceremony at the school Friday morn-
ing.
“’Rotary is a club that’s all over the
world that does amazing and good
works,” Rotary Regional President
Richard Theokas told a group of ex-
cited 4th graders.
« He reminded them that they are very
privileged to live in a safe and wealthy
country like the United States and that
making the world a better place — free
of hunger and war — starts with them.
East Elementary is the first school
in North Carolina to create a young-
sters equivalent of the well-known
service organization.
“You are very special,” Theokas
said. “You’re the very first in your
state, and that is something to be very
proud of.”
Later that day in the school’s audi-
torium, Early Act/First Knights ladies
and knights in medieval costumes,
proffered awards to more than a dozen
students for compassion and respect.
Four students from each class within
each grade were introduced to the stu-
dent body, parents and guests, and their
accomplishments in these two areas
were explained by principal Becky Bai-
ley and their teachers.
A program is scheduled every six
weeks at the elementary school, with
the aim of putting a spotlight on vari-
ous good citizenship qualities. The next
round of awards will focus on confi-
dence.
See EAST ELEMENTARY, 6A
Two boys watch a model train puff smoke as it chugs by a winter scene complete
with a scale model church and automobiles at the
Kings Mountain Historical Museum’s 10th annual
nm
9852570020
“Toys, Games and Trains” exhibit. The Piedmont
“S” Gaugers, a model train club, set up and main-
tain the popular train portion of the exhibit Tues-
days-Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays
1-4 p.m. through January 4.
Photo by DAVE BLANTON
Fd sokskkokkok kk kok kk kkk kkk kkkkFTRM 28086
LN 4003 04-17-14 0024A00 5p 3S
PER!
MAUNEY MEMORIAL aBRARY
100 S PIEDMONT AVE
KINGS MOUNTAIN NC 28086-3450
Kings Mountam Herald
15¢
Biden visits CCC|
w DAVE BLANTON
| dave. kmherald@gmail.com
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of
U.S. Vice-President Joe
: Biden, and U.S. Secretary
of Labor Thomas Perez §
were on hand Monday at §
Cleveland Community §
College to take a peek into §
computer networking and §
robotics classrooms and §
participate in a panel dis- pr jj|| Biden (above) and |
cussion about job readi- yg. Secretary of Labor
digital world. Shelby Monday to congrat- |
. “We've moved beyond yjate the college on its re-
train and pray,” said Perez, gant acquisition of millions |
who joined Biden in con- jn education grants.
gratulating the community
college in its recent selec-
tion to lead a $23 million grant to four schools focused |
on leveraging online learning, to expand training oppor-
| tunities for mission critical technology jobs. Cleveland
Community College is slated to receive about $13 mil- {
lion of the grant money. |
The smart education money these days must mirror
| itself against the realities of the actual economy, Perez
said.
“I’ve seen what community colleges do to change
lives,” said Biden, herself a community college profes- |
sor in the D.C. area. “It means that veterans, moms and |
See BIDEN, 9A A |
Richmond
to perform in
KM Nov. 24
Internationally known
recording star and country and
gospel music entertainer
Donny Richmond will present
a concert Sunday, Nov. 24 at
11 a.m. at Penley’s Chapel
Church, 1508 North Piedmont
Avenue.
“The genuine warmth and
sincerity of this man who is
dedicated to his faith and val-
ues is easily seen in his con-
certs,” said Kings Mountain Gospel music entertainer
Police Chief Melvin Proctor. Donny Richmond will per-
He became friends with Rich- form Nov. 24 at Penley’s
mond when he and his family Chapel Churh in Kings
visited Biblical Times Dinner Mountain.
Theatre in Pigeon Forge, TN, Contributed Photo
a show about favorite stories
from the good book that incorporates amazing technology
with holographic and computer special effects.
The Chief and Richmond have kept in touch and Rich-
mond has been anxious to sing and give his personal testi-
mony at the church where Proctor and his wife, Lisa, are
members.
The concert is free and open to the public. Richmond is
coming at no cost to the church but Proctor said a love of-
fering will be taken during the worship service.
Richmond is a six-time winner of Country Gospel En-
tertainer of the Year, Artist of the Decade and Living Leg-
end awards by Country Gospel Music Association.
Richmond’s “Jesus Is My Lifeline” duet with country leg-
end Stonewall Jackson is the longest-running No. 1 U. S.
Christian country hit of all time. He has scored 11 national
No. 1s in the U. S. and since 2006 has released many sin-
gles in Europe, including several No. 1s on the NCM Coun-
try Charts.
His concerts are considered a “must see” by country
music fans.
He has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry with such no-
tables as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks and
Willie Nelson.
Donny’s Christmas album, featured on United Kingdom
Country Radio, includes the No. 1 single, “That’s What
Christmas Means,” written by Donny, David Walker and
Randy Smith. This features performances by Hall of
Famers James Burton on guitar, Boots Randolph on sax,
The Jordanaires on backup vocals and Charlie McCoy on
harmonica and vibes. McCoy calls this “the best Christmas
See RICHMOND, 6A
Photo by DAVE BLANTON
A Family Tradition of Dignity,
##
& Operated Since 1947
Service & Understanding
108 S. Piedmont Ave. A
Kings Mountain, NC = #%
139-2591
Home for
Christmas
Holiday events in KM
“Home for Christmas - Kings
Mountain”— the traditional opening of
the holiday season— kicks off with the
Children’s Christmas Tree Lighting at
Mauney Memorial Library Monday
night, November 25 at 7 p.m.
The East and Grover Elementary
School Chorus will sing traditional
Christmas songs, while waiting for
Santa and the lighting of the giant
Christmas tree. Mayor Rick Murphrey
will read a Christmas story and chil-
dren will gather outside the library to
wait for Santa’s arrival in the Kings
See HOLIDAY EVENTS, 6A
Community
Thanksgiving
service Noy. 24
The community-wide pre-Thanks-
giving service will be held Sunday,
Nov. 24, at Temple Baptist Church on
North Cansler Street.
Pre-service music by the Kings
Mountain High School King’s review
will begin at 5:45 p.m. Rev. Ron Caul-
der, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church,
will deliver the message at 6 p.m.
A love offering will be taken to aid
the Kings Mountain Crisis Ministry in
assisting the needy.
Light refreshments will be served in
the church fellowship hall after the
service.
Rev. Scott Carpenter, Temple pastor,
invites the community to join in the
service of thanksgiving to God for His
blessings.
Young hero saves
great-grandmother
Jordyn Sanders, 9, is a hero in her
great-grandmother’s eyes.
Lois Owensby, 79, credits the East
School student with saving her life
when the quick-thinking youngster
called for help when Owensby’s pace-
maker stopped working.
“I came home after having an elec-
trocardiogram, felt nauseous and
thought I might be taking a virus and
lay down,” she recalled.
Great-grandchildren Jordan and her
brother, Garrett, 11, a student at KM In-
termediate School, were in the house.
Their mother, Leah Randall, was at
work.
Owensby said that her great-grand-
children found her after she apparently
fainted in the bathroom.
The nine year old quickly called her
mother at work and Randall called 911.
Most likely, she said there was a
short in the pacemaker. “The children
stayed right with me trying to talk to
me the whole time,” she said.
“My children made very adult and
scary choices to call me at work which
prompted me to call 911 and the EMTs
came and they answered all questions
and informed me that Grandmother
could have died in a matter of min-
utes,” said Leah Randall.
“I want everyone to know how
much I appreciate Jordyn and Garrett
and want them to be acknowledged for
their courage,” said the proud great-
grandmother.
The Owensby family includes son,
Chip, his wife, Sarah, five grandchil-
dren and six great-grandchildren.
heh
Mid-Day Special’
Cleaning, polishing, dental exam & xrays ONLY $149 for uninsured patients! re. $331
For details or to schedule an appointment contact Baker Dental Care today! Call 704-739-4461
703 E. Kings St., Suite 9, Kings Mountain ¢ www.BakerDentalCare.com
*Qffer valid for new patients only & in the absence of gum disease. Offer expires 1/31/14
10am-3pm
Limited time offer!
Now Open
on Fridays!
1
(oe