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KJMQS^MOUMT^II^
MIRROB'HER&LD
15
VOL, 86 NO. 10
Cleveland County's Modern Newsweekly"
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 28086 THURSDAY, MARCH 6,1975
More Jobs Open
For Unemployed
Registrars, Judges
For ABC Vote
CITING REDEVELOPMENT PLANS - Hazel Brown points
areas under the Kings Mountain Redevelopment Commis-
ion program following last Thursday’s public hearing at city
(MRC Begins Condemnation
Proceedings On 3 Parcels
lings Mountain Redevelop-
int Commission has initiat-
condemnation proceedings
three of four parcels of 36
luired for proposed new
ilic hausinf
lene Wlifte, Executive
•ector, in a progress report
members at Tuesday’s
alar meeting, said title to
properties is expected to
'inhand”byApr. landthe
mission authorized Wm to
ite PHA Director Tom
rper giving a tentative
edule in which the PHA
expect conveyance of the
perties.
)nly possible “hitch”, said
rper, is that a 90-day notice
Btbegivffl tenants in one of
Photo By Tom McIntyre
hall. Mayor John Moss and KMRC Executive Director Gene
White look «i.
Registrars and judges have
been selected for the Kings
Mountain ABC referendum
Tues., Mar. 18.
Ward one (Qty Hall): Nell
Cranford, registrar - Mar
garet White and John White,
judges; ward two (American
Legion Post): James Adams,
registrar - Mrs. Fred Dixon
and Mrs. Humes Houston,
judges; ward three (East
School): Mrs. Dick Ware,
registrar - Peggy Hord and
Mrs. Roy Pearson, judges.
Ward four (North School):
Francis White, registrar -
Annie Murphy and Clyde
Blackwell, judges; ward five
(Armory): Becky Cook, regis
trar - Matoka (Campbell and
Katherine Wilson, judges; and
ward six (KM Senior High):
Betty Spears, registrar - Alma
Sellers and Audrey Dickey,
judges.
In March 18th special
city election, over 4,0(X) voters
will have the opportunity of
marking two ballots; one for
or against an ABC package
store, and two, for or against
sale of off-pmemises beer and
unfortified wine.
The Mirror-Herald plans to
publish sample ballots of each
in the Mar. 13 issue.
Polls will be open from 6:30
a. m. until 7:30 p. m.
the buildings before legal
eviction.
Properties involved are
owned by Preston McClure,
Mrs. Noah Gardner, andWar-
rectReynnldls. Fourth remain
ing property to b.:j acqi.iited is
owned by the Dr ace Peeler
Estate.
Attorney Robert Bradley
explained to the board any
court proceedings won’t hold
up the schedule.
Dean McGinnis, Assistant
Director, reported the KMRC
is in process of assisting Hern
don Waste Mill, Cansler St., in
moving to KM Industrial Park
which involves disassembling
equipment and relocation to
the new site. He said bids for
fter Bad Beginning
uesday Brighter
or Young Mother
Sprouse and her 18-
sth old son huddled to-
bar Under the covers in
jf trailer bedroom Monday
W to keep warm,
be only source of heat in
t^losed off room radiated
a hot plate.
'*8a, m. Tuesday the hot
“etfiretothe bed covers.
«n minutes later Kir^s
Wain firefighters and res-
f^^^paembers arrived to
the flames doused, one
"an suffering from smoke
„ on and a shivering
smother and her son.
awhile under an
Sanmaskinthebackofthe
««nueSquad ambulance
J Greeny manager of
iini f Park and other
the storj'’^^ Properties,
Sprouse moved to
t rented
■vldt and
utilir following day
nt a son
• •..lerless M„„.
I'lesday
ler anri^ ^rom her
'•'‘''grab''abu^ck7ofS:
ids. oot in thick
fen in ^""00
■hce," Mm arn-
"rs. Greene said.
“Thank God no one was hurt.
The only damage was loss of
bedding and smoke stains on
the trailer walls.”
Mrs. Greene said she then
learned the full story of how
Mrs. Sprouse’s husband had
walked out, that she had no
job, but had qualified for wel
fare assistance. “She had no
money to buy heating oil,” she
continued, “so she closed off
the bedroom and plugged in
the hot plate, whiA was too
close to the bed. That’s what
started the fire.
“When I asked her why^e
didn’t come and stay the night
with me, she told me she just
didn’t want to run the risk of
having another door slammed
in her face,” Mrs. Greene
said.
Mrs. Greene said she told
her new tenant “not everyone
slams doors in people’s
faces.” The firefighters, res
cuers and police officers then
proved it by shelling out
money from their own
pockets.
Rev. L. D. Scruggs, fire
department chaplain,said,
“By Tuesday afternoon Mrs.
Sprouse had75 gallons of heat
ing fuel and groceries for her
and her son.”
Mrs. Greene said she
wanted it publicly known what
the firemen, rescuers and
policemen had done for Kay
Sprouse and her son.
“I can’t say enou^ in
praise about these men,” she
said. “I think we all should
feel very proud of the type of
men we have doing these jobs.
They showed this young girl
that people in Kings Mountain
won’t slam doors against
other people in need.”
the project had been received
and estimated the work could
be completed in about two
weeks.
Mr. McGinnis also reported
that demolition contracts hud
been let for the Bonnie Mill
project and other buildings in
the area and that the Commis
sion is cooperating with the
city in enforcing codes on bill
boards and sign removal to
conform with city ordinances,
reporting specifically on im
provements in the Mountain
St. area of the city. He said
contract had been let for
painting and cleaning the wall
against B & B Food Store,
(cost $500,) and commended
the city crews for their as
sistance in the refurbishing ef
forts.
He explained an architect is
available at no cost to down
town merchants to give
preliminary layouts for im
provements to properties and
noted Foust, Plonk Brothers,
Carolina Mill Outlet, and own
ers of the Webb Building and
Fuller McGill Building down
town have utilized his serv
ices. “Before and after
drawings are giving the own
ers new ideas on improve
ments,” he said.
Director White said the
KMRC has the responsibility
to present a housing as
sistance plan as a key part of
the city’s long-term Can-
munity Development applica
tion to be “in” by March 15
and that his staff will “look at
every house in town” to
evaluate as to standard, sub
standard, etc. His staff will
updatethe 1970housing census
and “determine realistic an
nual goals to assist the needs
of lower-income people living
in the Kings Mountain area.”
Reporting more on Central
Business District improve
ments. White pointed to an up-
to-date map which illustrated
70 percent of the properties re
quired in the CBD for down
town renewal have i)een ac
quired, compared to 18 per
cent two years ago.
The Commission voted
unanimously to pay additional
compensation for acquisition
of property to Bridges Hard
ware Co. ($2,100) and to Phifer
Hardware cio. ($5,500) as re
sult of updated appraisal and
passed resolution authorizing
four staff members - Dean
McGinnis, Mikie Baity, Hazel
Brown and Annie Thombs, to
attend the annual meeting of
CCHRCO in Myrtle Beach, S.
C. Apr. 27-30.
TO SING SUNDAY
J. C. Power & Light Co., a
musical group of 18 college
young people, will sing at
morning and evening services
Sunday at Boyce Memorial
ARP Church.
OPERATION ID - Chief WIlUam Roper,
Kiwanis and Civitan Clubs represoitatlves Bob
Sub^* and O. C. Kiser, pose with one of the
large signs explaining Operation Identification
to be erected in Kings Mountain. Hie two clubs
are working with local police to promote the
program.
Operation Identification
Pushed By KMPD And Clubs
Kings Mountain Police, Ki
wanis and Civitan Clubs are
sponsoring Operation Identi
fication.
'The program was organized
to promote citizen partici
pation in stopping home and
office burglaries. The
program is exactly what it
says, a method of individuals
marking possessions for
identification by police in the
case of robberies.
“But more than that,” Chief
William Roper said, “the pro
gram is an attempt to drter
criminals from breaking into
your homes and businesses
and stealing your pos
sessions.”
A number of electric mark
ers have been purchased and
will be available to citizens for
loan on request. Citizens will
also be supplied with window
declasthat warn “all valuable
items on these premises are
marked for ready identifica
tion by law enforcement
agencies.”
With the electric marker,
which will work on metal,
plastic and wood, you inscribe
the valuable with “N. C.” and
your drivers license number.
If you have no license, then in
scribe Social Security number
after the N. C.
A number of Kings Moun
tain businesses will assist citi
zens with markers, in
structing in its use. Par
ticipating are: First Union
National Bank, First Citizens
Bank, Home Savings and
Loan, Kings Mountain Savings
and Loan, Bridges Hardware
and B. F. Maner Insurance.
Beginning Mon., Mar. 10
members of the Civitan Club
will assist citizens in marking
valuables from 6:30 until 9:30
p. m. at Central Barber Shop,
0. C. Kiser, Civitan spokes
man, said the club will con
tinue this aid Mondays, Mar.
17 and 25.
. Older citizens who cannot
get out may call the Kings
Mountain police and request a
representative be smt to their
homes to mark valuables.
Civitans and Kiwanians will
volunteer and show up at your
home with a letter of introduc
tion and authorization from
the police.
“We will also issue a booklet
in which you may catalog each
item you have marked for
identification,” Chief Roper
said. “This service is px-ovided
free.”
To remind citizens of the
program, large signs with
Operation Identification in
formation will be placed in
conspicuous sites about the
city.
Upton Bell Will Speak
Upton Bell, president and
General Manager of The
Charlotte Hornets football
team, will speak to the Kings
Mountain Rotary Club Thurs.,
Mar. 13.
Mayor John Henry Moss,
who arranged the program,
said Bell indicated he would
bring a couple of his outstand
ing players with him to the
luncheon.
By TOM McIntyre
Editor, Mirror-Herald
The City of Kings Mountain has been alloted
more funds to provide at least 15 public service
jobs.
Applications are now being taken at the mayor’s
office.
“Today and Friday we are making this first
priority of business,” Mayor John H. Moss told
The Mirror-Herald. “We’re here for business until
5p. m. today and from 9 a. m. until 5 p. m. Friday.
If it warrants, we will keep the office open longer
both today and Friday.”
All applications taken today
and Friday will be turned over
to the Employment Security
Commission office for cer
tification, according to Mayor
Moss.
“Hopefully we can put these
15 people to work next Mon
day,” the mayor said. “The
jobs are scheduled to run
through" July 15.”
Under the city’s first unem
ployed assistance funds three
persons were hired. The total
funding to date for public
service jobs here is $55,910.45.
This week the Democrat
leadership in Congress pro
posed to President Ford an
additional $5 billion-plus be
approved to aid the unem
ployed on the local level. If
this proposal is accepted and
approved it could mean even
more jobs available in Kii^s
Mountain, and perhaps for
longer periods of time.
“The new employes will be
utilized in improvement work
on sidewalks, drainage and
urban beautification,” Mayor
Moss said.
Under separate programs
there is a possibility of at least
60 more public service jobs
being available by mid-April.
Mayor Moss made this com
ment today, referring to the
city’s applications for funding
under urban beautification,
flood control, mini parks and a
park at Moss Lake.
Applications for $150,000,
$75,000, $125,000 and $250,000,
respectively, have beoi made
to the U. S. Commerce De
partment’s Economic De
velopment Assistance pro
gram.
“We will continue trying to
create as many jobs as possi
ble to bring assistance to
Kings Mountain’s unem
ployed,” Mayor Moss said.
Program
On Drugs
At Grover
Kings Mountain Det. Sgt.
Richard Reynolds will present
a program on drugs Fri., Mar.
7 at Grover School audi
torium.
The lecture, demonstration
and film will be presented ai 8
p. m., sponsored by the
Grover Junior Deputies, ac
cording to Mrs. Annette Har
din, director.
“We cannot hide from the
fact drugs and drug abuse
exists, even in our small cran-
munity,” Mrs. Hardin said.
“We hope people in Grover
will attend this meeting Fri
day and make themselves
aware of the situation and
possible ways to cope with the
situation.”
The program is free and the
public is invited.
Kiwanis
Birthday
Is Tonight
SBI Man
Speaking
Sunday
SBI Director Charles Dunn
will be guest speaker Sunday
night at 7:30 at Central United
Methodist Church.
Rev. P. H. Wau^, pastor,
said the community is invited
to join in the service.
Dunn has served as SBI
Director on appointment of
Attorney General Robert Mor
gan since Jan. 3, 1969. A
former newspaper reporter
and assistant to former Con
gressman Horace Kornegay
and former Governor Dan
Moore, he is much in demand
for church and civic programs
throughout the state.
Co-ordinator of the N. C.
Law Enforcement Associa
tions Council and Vice-
Chairman of the N. C. Or
ganized Crime-Study Commit
tee, Dunn is expected to deal
on law and order in his ad
dress, giving his audience
suggestions on how the public
can help in fighting crime.
Central Methodist Church is
currently holding special mis
sion emphasis season with
guest speakers invited.
The Kings Mountain
Kiwanis Club is 35 years old.
To celebrate the club’s
birthday Kiwanis Lt. Gov.
Oscar Aylor of Boone will
speak at toni^t’s meeting at
the Kings Mountain Woman’s
Qub.
Marvin Teer, president of
the KM club, said Harold Cog
gins, past president, will talk
about charter ni^t and give a
history of the local club.
All members are urged to
attend the 6:30 p. m. meeting,
Teer said.
Students To Hear
Red Cross Officer
Jay Johnson with American
Red Cross, Charlotte, will
speak to a student assembly at
Kings Mountain Senior High
Tues., Mar. 11 at 10:15 a. m.
Johnson will explain the
purpose of Red Cross Blood-
mobile visits and how the stu
dents may participate in the
give-in planned at the senior
high Tues., Mar. 18.
IN WHO’S WHO
Frankie Tliompson, nephew
of Mrs. Thelma Monroe of
Kings Mountain, has been
named to Who’s Who In
American Colleges and Uni
versities. An honor student at
Morristown (Tenn.) College,
Tliompson is vice president of
the Student Government As
sociation, Noblemen’s Club
and Natural Science Club, is a
member of the college choir
and Christian Student Move
ment and is on “The Red
Knight” (college publication)
staff.