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VOL. 3 NO. 26
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 28086 THURSDAY, MARCH?, 1974
Seal
Design
Urged
The Kings Mountain Cen-
^ I tennial Commission is again
lA-ging citizens to enter the
centennial seal design contest
Prizes for the top three
winners are a $25 Savii^s
Bond for first; and $10 and $5
in cash for second and third
placers, plus all three receive
two reserve tickets each to the
historical spectacular in
October.
Deadline for the entries is
April 1 and all citizens are
invited to enter the contest
The guidelines are as
follows:
The Official Seal: (1) should
be as simple in design as
^possible to allow repor-
iiction; (2) should be sym
bolic of the event and the
community; (3) should depict
progress, tell an historical
story or highlight some
historical shrine; (4) must
include the name Kings
Mountain Centennial and the
dates 1874-1974; (5) must be in
black and white, six inches in
diameter, without the name of
the entrant or any other
identification marks. A second
sheet of paper bearing the
name and full address of the
artist must accompany the
sketch; (6) must have the
postmark April 1, 1974 or an
earlier date, on the envelope;
T7), must be original, not
■copies from any drnwii^, ,
puolished^ll hotograph *
illustration or city insignia;
and (8) must be the work of
the entrant.
All entries become the
property of the KMCC, Inc.,
and will be adopted to the
commission’s needs.
There is no age limit for
entrants.
Entries are to be mailed to:
Kings Mountain Centennial
Commissiion, Inc., P.O. Box
100, Kings Mountain, 28086.
lot
'V
- N N
^ I
****ni,- iTMur*'
KIDDIE CAGERS - What do kids in Kings
Mountain do when the sun shines warmly these
winter days? What do you think? They grab a
couple of basketballs and head for the nearest
Photo by Jay Ashley
neighborhood net. There are no rules in these
games, just whoever gets the ball gets his or
her shot at the basket. This photo was snapped
near the Pine Manor Apartments.
Blalock
b Tops
In SWC
Kings Mountain placed three
players on the All-
Southwestern Conference
basketball team announced
today by W.C. Clary,
executive secretary of the
Western N.C. High Schools
Activities Association.
Seniors Kathy Ledford and
Butch Blalock made the team
for the second straight years
and junior Sandra Byers was
selected for the first time. In
addition. Blalock was named
player of the year.
Blalock, who has also been
selected to play in the Marion
Civitan Classic March 16, led
the Southwestern Conference
in scoring with 780 points and
a 32.5 average. He was the
first player in the 2(l-year
history of the SWC to average
over 30 points for a single
season.
Ledford and Byers formed
«ie of the top 1-2 scoring
punches in the conference in
kfiding the Mountainettes to a
H-lOpverall record
In addition to Blalock, the
boys all-conference team
included Goldie Byers of
Bessemer City, Melvin
Watkins of East Rutherford,
Lewis Crosby of Crest, John
iBorders of Burns, Jim Stowe
of South Point, Ken Robinson
of Chase, Mac Green of East
[Gaston and James McKissick
id Paul Gash of Shelby.
In addition to Ledford and
lyers, the girls team included
le Carlton, Frank McCorkle,
■inda Stone and Ruth Sexton
[If East Gaston, Susan Warlick
j^d To-esa Bolt <rf Burns, Pat
lyce of Crest, C.B. Brannon
luth Point and Sallie Biack
mb
Off To Washington^ D.C.
The Kings Mountain
Redevelopment Commission
at its regular monthly meeting
IXiesday morning voted to
send its director. Gene White,
and Mayor John H. Moss to
Washington, D.C., March 14
for a legislative day meeting
with state congressional
representatives.
White told the board of
directors that "three major
pieces of legislation are to be
voted upon and the outcomes
will determine the future of
redevelopment and housing
authorities.”
White said Mayor Moss had
forwarded a letter to 10th
district Congressman Jim
Broyhill inviting him to attend
the meeting and added that
Broyhill indicated he would be
present.
In other action, the board of
directors granted vacation
pay to employes who did not
take all of their vacation time
last year, and authorized a
five-year lease of a copier and
dictaphone equipment. Cost
will be $63.34 per month or
$90.64 per month if the com
mission decides to include a
service contract.
The commission discussed
several other items of
business, including office
(See TO D.C. p.5A)
Chamber Asks Opinions
Along with a membership
drive the Kings Mountain
Chamber of Commerce is
conducting an opinion pioil.
Both letters have been mailed
to current and potential
members.
A total of 12 questions have
been posed concerning the
function and operation of the
local chamber, plus a plea for
director nominations for the
coming year.
The poll asks:
(1) Do you feel new city
maps (being printed) should
be available upon request with
or without charge to replace
chamber funds?
(2) Do you get your moneys
worth for your chamber dues
and what suggestions do you
have?
(3) If available, would you
prefer a wall plaque or decal
for office door to display y(xjr
chamber membership?
(4) Do you have a fuel
shortage, or anticipate one. do
you have a plan of action for
emergency shortages?
(Chamber intends acting as
clearing source for info.)
(5) Do you plan anything
special in your business for
Centennial Year?
(6) Do you favor an airport
for Kings Mountain? How to
(See CHAMBER p.5A)
Q &
In-Depth Look At KMPD
By JAY ASHLEY
Mirror Staff Writer
(Editors note: Since Kings MounUin has a new Chief of Police,
the Mirror decided on this in-depth interview for our readers.
The interview was taped and appears below.)
MIRROR- How long have you been with the Kings Mountain
Police Department?
ROPER-17 and one-half years as of July 15.
MIRROR-For background, where do you live, family, etc.
ROPER-203 Fairview St. My wife is Betty Gladden Roper and
children are William Keith, Cheryl and Karen,
MIRROR- Why did you get into police work?
ROPER- r ve always admired a policeman. During the service
I was in the Marine Corps and pulled two years as an MP and I
liked it. I was stationed at Charleston Naval Base for two
years.
MIRROR- Are you a native of Kings Mountain.
ROPER- Yes. All my life.
MIRROR- With your permission I attended the recent pei^
sonnel meeting of the KMPD. In that meeting you said there
would be some changes made and proceeded to promote three
men to the rank of sergeant and re-assigned another to the
detective division. Do you think this move will aid in uniting
the men.
ROPER- Yes I do. I believe it gives a man something to l(x>k
forward to. It also gives the man prestige.
MIRROR- In my close work with the KMPD since 1 have been
associated with the newspaper, I have often heard Ulk and
seen a general feeling of low morale in the ranks. Do you think
morale is up now?
ROPER- Yes sir I do.
MIRROR- How can it stay up?
ROPER- By merely backing the men and listening to any
complaints and following through if they do have a complaint
MIRROR- Have you had any complaints in your week as chief?
ROPER- No
MIRROR- According toa recent board meeting, the men in the
department issued a petition that seemed to back you 100 per
cent for chief. Why do you think this is so?
ROPER-Well, they all told methey’d back me for chief 100 per
cent and that they’d confront the board with it.
MIRROR- you and C'apt. J.D. Barrett were choices for the
position. Is there any jealousy between you two on the matter?
ROPER- None at all.
MIRROR- Back to the personnel meeting. You made a
statement to the effect that there would be no backstabbing in
the department. What did you mean?
(See QdiA p.2A>
fj
KMPD CHIEF WILLIAM ROPER JR.
J.D. Hodge
Files For
N.C. Senate
Three Police Officers
Promoted By Chief
r Shelby.
Authority Adds To Report
Water quality management
was the main topic of con
versation at Friday’s meeting
of the Kings Mountain Lake
Authority.
Tom Cox, an engineer,
told the authority the John
Henry Moss Reservoir is
smaller than most Class Three
lakes, but that it would
classify for recreational
purposes provided the city
keeps strict control over water
quality in the lake.
“It’s unusual,” Cox said,
“for a Class Three lake to
have as its primary function
water supply, rather than
hydroelectric power.”
One of the items the
authority will have to keep an
eagle eye on is to make sure
there are no “fixed or
floating” structures along the
lake shore in which motor fuel
is in danger of leaking from.
Cox said cluster mooring
facilities are preferred for
policing reasons.
In his report Cox also
pointed out that lake front lots
should be permitted only one
pier projection, no longer than
60 feet from the shore, no
deeper than four,feet and in
coves, projections should not
cross more than one third the
width.
(See AUTHORITY p.5A)
John C. Hodge Sr., a Gaston
County building contractor,
was one of the last State
Senate candidates to an
nounce prior to filing
deadlines last week.
The 44-year old Republican
candidate made an un
successful bid for the Gaston
County Board of Com
missioners in 1972, polling
over 14.000 votes.
“After careful con
sideration,” Hodge said in his
filing statement. “I have
decided to offer myself as a
candidate for the State Senate.
I am not running to serve any
special interest groups or to
grind any particular axes. My
sole aim is to represent all the
people fairly.
“The people of this district
gave Governor Holshouser a
substantial majority, yet his
hands have been tied by a
Democratic legislature,” he
continued. “This legislature
has been more interested in
playing partisan politics than
in rendering service and fair
representation to the people.
“1 feel that it is time that we
give our governor the support
he deserves by electing
Republicans to the legislature
to work with him,” the can
didate continued. “I intend to
be successful in my bid for the
Senateand promise to propose
and support such legislation
as would be beneficial to the
people of our state"
Hodge is married to the
former Gloria Vincelette and
resides on Rash Rd., Gaston
County. They have five
children and are members of
the Wesleyan Church of
Bessemer City.
The candidate graduated
from Gastonia high and at
tended the Army Leadership
Training c(Hirses while ser
ving for three years in the U.S.
Army Medical Corps.
Three officers in the Kings
Mountain Police Department
were promoted and one man
re-assigned to the detective
division last Thursday af
ternoon in a police personnel
meeting.
Chief William Roper ad
dressed the men in the first
personnel meeting held since
the former chief left.
Personnel meetings are held
once a month for the purpose
of discussing matters within
the department and problems
that may arise.
Roper prefaced his
remarks by thanking the men
for their support of him as
shown in the recent city board
meeting. In that meeting,
dispatcher Black Leonard told
the commissioners the men in
the department backed Roper
JOHNNY BELK
..Detective Lt.
RICHARD REYNOLDS
..DelertiveSgt
BYNUMCOOK
..Sergeant
'mml
L.D. BEATTIE
..Sergeant
for chief 100 percent.
The new chief told the of
ficers he had looked over the
situation in the department
and decided on promotions.
Lt. Johnny Belk, who
previously was a shift com
mander, was re-assigned to
plainclothes detective, along
with Richard Reynolds. In the
meeting, Reynolds was also
promoted to the rank of
sergeant.
Belk resides at 110 Waco Rd.
with his wife Glenda and two
daughters Kathy and Pam.
Johnny has been with the
department for eight years,
moving through the ranks to
lieutenant.
Reynolds has been with the
KMPD for five years total, his
service interrupted for two
months when he was with the
Shelby PD. Richard, his wife
Cecile, and sons, Todd and
Mike, live at 200 Waco Rd.
Reynolds was on Belk’s shift
for four of his five years and
the duo said they felt they
could work very well together.
Hoping for good things, Belk
quipp^, “crime is over in KM
now.''
Moving in to take over
Belk’s shift is L.D. Beattie
who was promoted to sergeant
along with Bynum Cook.
Beattie has been in law en
forcement for 18 years, nine of
which were as a constable.
“Lum”. as he is called, lives
at 711 Meadowbrook Dr. with
his wife Betty Lee. His
children are Mrs. Priscilla
Fletcher, Christy and Julie
Cook all of Kings Mountain,
and Steve, who resides in
Connecticut.
Bynum P. Cook will assume
the shift command previously
held by Capt. J.D. Barrett who
is now AssL Chief of Police.
Cook lives at 600 Temple St.
He and wife Mildred have a
son, kenneth. Bynum is a also
seasoned officer of 18 years,
and has also put in duties with
the Corrections Department in
Person County. In service.
Cook was with the military
police.