Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / July 8, 1976, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
lii; » '' t NCPA Award Winning Newspaper KJtlC&JftOUtlTAIM MIBROft-HEB&LD 15' VOL. 87 NO. 27 KINGS MOUNTAIN. NORTH CAROLINA 28086 THURSDAY. JULY 8. 1976 To Draw Death Penalty Statute Harris Favors Special Session Last Friday, the U. S. Supreme Court struck down North Carolinas death penalty law. ruling it imoonstitutional, while upholding the laws of Georgia. Florida and Texas. The mandatory death penalty in certain cases took the burden of sentence recommendation away from the jury and at the same time gave the judge no authority to impose anything other than death. The statutes in Georgia, Florida and Texas establish specific guidelines for judges and juries to use in determining which convicted citizens would get death Grover Adopts Budget and which would get life in capital crimes. The news met various reaction across the state. Gov. Jim Holshuuser who voted against the death penalty when he was a legislator, commented that he would have to study the ruling before he made comment. However, closer to home. Sen. Ollie Harris of Kings Mountain said, “I was very disappointed the North Carolina law was ruled unconstitutional. I wish the Governor and the members of the General Assembly would call a special session to handle it. “If this doesn’t happen,” Harris continued, “I will make it my first order of business, if I get elected, to introduce legislation that would reinstate the death penalty for certain capital crimes in North Carolina.” Sen. Harris said tar heel legislators would have to simply get copies of the Ga>rgia or Florida law to use as a guideline to introduce a workable death penalty law here. “I am willing to return to Raleigh for a special session at no charge to the tax payers to get this situation settled,” Harris said. In commenting on the 116 inmates on death row in Central Prison, Raleigh, Harris said, “I hope there is something that can be done about those on death row now to see that they never get paroled. Those convicted of capital crimes should have already been executed.” With the state’s death penalty law ruled unconstitutional, those inmates awaiting execution could have their sentences commuted to life im- pris<>nment. In that case the inmates would be eligible for parole in 20 years. “I am really of the opinion that the death penalty is a deterent to crime,” Sen. Harris said. “In the 1930’s, following the Charles Lindbergh child kidnapping when kidnapping was made a capital crime, that type of crime was slowed Considerably.” Harris said in his four-country district “eighty-five percent or better of the people highly favor the death penalty in certain crimes, such as first degree murder and rape. I share their opinion.” Sen. Harris said it was also his opinion that should a special session of the legislature be called the General Assembly could write effective legislation that would be upheld by the Supreme Court concerning the death penalty. However, in an interview with the Associated Press, Rep. Carl Stewart of Gastonia, who is the top choice as the next speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, said, “I think it is incumbent upon the legislature to examine the decision and fashion another statute that will meet the constitutional lest, whateverthat may be.” But Stewart also said he didn't think a special session to consider a statute would be ad visable. GROVER — The town council here has adopted a $99,613.32 budget for the 1976-77 fiscal year and maintained the 35 cents per $100 valuation tax rate. The new budget represents an increase of $21,113.38 over the fiscal budget which ended June 30. That budget was adopted at $78,499.94. Under the new budget the town estimates spending as follows: fire department — $3,500 i street lighting — $2,500; garbage collection — $11,420; street repairs and maintenance — $1,250; new paving and sidewalk improvements — $20,000; deputy — $10,723.95; utilities, including new well and water lines — $38,000; and r^reation — $3,629_ (which w91 be paid with revenue*sharingttai(is). Estimated revenues for the coming year are as follows; property taxes — $36,400: franchise tax — $8,800; in tangibles tax — $1,250; Powell Bill funds $9,100; local sales tax — $8,800; interest on savings $6,000; tax refunds — $250; Natural and Ek;onomic Resources grant for deputy — $5,834.32; itilities — $18,750; and revenue sharing — $3,629. Are You Registered For Primary Just a reminder that voter registration’ for the Aug. 17 Democrat and Republican Primary- elections will end at 5 p. m., Mon., July 19. Although the registration books remain open year-round, citizens 18-years of age (or who will be 18 by Nov. 2) must register by the July 19 deadline in order to vote in the Aug. 17 primary. The deadline for voter registration for the Nov. 2,1976 general election is Mon , Oct. 4 at 5 p. m. The Cleveland County Elections Board also suggests that voters who have changed addresses within the county since their registration should check with their registrars to fill out a change of address form and to determine if they are now residing in a different precinct. The Aug. 17 primary will be for Democrats and Republicans only, since there are no Labor or American Parly candidates in the running. In the Kings Mountain area eligible ’ citizens may make appointments with registrars or judges to register for the Aug. 17 primary. In the Bethware Community the registrar is Hazel McNeilly, Rt. 2, Box 486C, phone 739-4820. Bethware judges eligible to register voters are Aileen Herndon. Rt. 2, Box 525, phone 739-2209 and Herman Goforth, Rt. 3, phone 739- 5160. West Kings Mountain the registrar is Mrs. Geraldine Myers, 317 Scotland Dr., phone 739-9188. Judges: Mrs. Frankie White, 304 Silver St., phone 739-8347 and Mrs. Rebecca Cook, 717 Meadowbrook Rd., phone 739-3950. Elast Kings Mountain, registrar, Mrs. Margaret White, phone 739-4019 (registration at Harris Funeral Home). Judges: Connie G. Putnam, 311 York Rd.. phone 739-4511 and Mrs. Grace A. Talbert, 200 S. Oriental Ave.; phone 739-- 4419. Bethware Community voters will vote I at Bethware School, West KM voters cast ; f ballots at the National Guard Armory ), and East KM voters at the Community > Center. The polls will open on Aug. 17 at r 6:30a.m.andcloseat7:30p.m. City Lands Big Industry iOM MclNTYRE tor, Mirror-Herald c.-A X TUG O W AR — These youngsters are pulling with all their strength to win (he tug o war event during Satur day’s Independence Day activities at Deal Street Park. Guess what happened to the boy in the hat? To see. turn to Page 4-A. Union Underwear, a division of Northwest Industries, will begin operation in Kings Mountain immediately, > according to an announcement made Wednesday at city hall. Union is the largest manufacturer for men and boys under’vear in the world and the : Kings Mountain location will be the 15th site in the United States for the organization. Mayor John H. Moss and the co-chairmen of the mayor’s industrial committee, L. E. (Josh) Hinnant and Sen. Ollie Harris, made the announcement about 2:45 p. m. Wednesday. The big news, according to the announcement, is the em ployment of 1,500 persons by the en<l of the last quarter of 1977. Union-Underwear will establish operation in the present Kingsmont Knit-Oxford In dustries plant at York Rd. and Frederickson St. Union officials said they intend to retain the 290 present Kingsmont employes Suicide Ruled In Willis Death The sh(xiting death of a 28-year old City of Kings Mountain employe has been ruled suicide by an assistant Gaston CVninty coroner. Jack Monroe Willis died from a single 22 caliber bullet wound in his neck last Thursday afternoon as he sat in his car in front of the residence of his father-in-law, Labon Eugene Eamey. Earney resides at 2438 Milton Ave., (Gastonia. Don Conrad, assistant coroner, said Willis’ body was discovered in his car with the doors locked from the inside. The 22-caliber rifle was butt-down on the fkxir with (he muzzle aimed at Willis’ neck. Gastonia city police officer L. D. Crawford said he was told by Earney that Willis had come to Eamey’s home about 5:45 p. m. last Thursday to see his estranged wife. Willis and his wife, ac cording to police, had been separated about five weeks. During this period Mrs. Willis had returned to live with her father. Earney told police that he had in formed Willis his daughter had just left, then returned to his home to eat supper. About 15 minutes later Earney said he came back outside and discovered Willis’ in his car. Willis was employed in the Kings Mountain water department. He resided in Gastonia. and gradually increase the employment rolls to 1,500. Hinnant read a statement from John B. Holland, chairman of the board. Union Underwear, Inc. “Gentlemen, Union Un derwear, Inc. and Oxford In dustries of Atlanta, Ga. have entered into an agreement whereby Union is purchasing Oxford’s plant and will im mediately begin phasing out the present operation and move toward new equipment and full production of union Underwear products which are marketed throughout the United States with warehouses and sales organizations in the Common Market Sales Complex.” Holland stated that Kings Mountain was selectetl because of the cooperation and efforts by the mayor and the mayor’s in dustrial committee. Holland also said prior to settling on Kings Mountain, the company had looked in Oklahoma, Louisiana and several other states before making a final decision on Kings Mountain. ”We look forward to beginning the operation in Kings Mountain immediately and feel we have made an excellent "choice in coming here,” Holland stated. Joe Medalie, executive vice president of Union, stated “It is our intention to retain Oxford’s 290 employes and when full production is achieved, the plant will employ approximately 1,500 people. The target date for achieving full employment is by the last (luarter of 1977.” Mayor Moss said officials from Union will be in Kings Mountain next week to begin planning the new operation. When Union Underwear, Bell Asks Reimbursement By TOM MclNTYRE editor, Mirror-Herald A resolution to what Southern Bell will do concerning placing their phone lines underground in the S. Chero.ee St. municipal parking lot is no clearer today than it was two weeks ago. The city’s plans call for removal of all poles and wiring above ground and placing them in pipes beneath the parking lot as a beautification move. The contract for completion of the lot is Oct. 1, 1976. Dan Carter, district engineer for Southern Bell, told the Mirror-Herald this week that Bell sees no real problem in conforming to the city’s wishes as far as the parking lot is concerned, but that the phone company cannot make a decision on the matter until the down town Kings Mountain merchants decide what type of renovation and beautification they want on the backs of their buildings. “1 have met with Mayor (John) Moss and members of the redevelopment commission in Kings Mountain to discuss the matter,” Carter said. “I told them at that time that Bell feels there should be reimbursement for this non-betterment work on our part" In other words. Bell feels taking down phone lines, running them underground and reconnecting the service is not bettering the service, only making it available by a another means. “We feel that if the city’s wants the lines out of sight in that area for beautification sake, then Bell should be reimbursed for the expense of making the change," Carter said. Carter said a Bell representative has contacted merchants in the central business dictrict to ask them what plans they were making to renovate the ex teriors of their buildings. “The situation there is,” Carter said, “not many of the merchants know what they plan to do. In many cases the tenant is not the owner of the building, therefore those tenants have no idea what will be done to beautify the rear of their buildings.” Carter said Bell will conform to the building improvements, but also Bell feels “to go in there now at some expense before the renovation work is done to those buildings would be foolish. We would only have to go back and redo that work later.” He said he suggested to the mayor in a meeting two weeks ago that the poles and phone lines be left as they are until ouineimng concrete is planned by the merchants as far as their buildings are concerned. “Bell is talking about a temporary plan,” Carter said, “which is no different than what the merchants are planning I suppose they plan to renovate the backs of their builefings at some time in the future. When that is done, then we can engineer the best way to improve the looks of the phone service. I don't think that is an unfair attitude.” Carter said submerging the phone lines at a later date doesn't necessarily mean the parking lot would have to be dug up. ‘We are concerned more with the five to 10 feet between the backs of the buildings and the parking lot,” he continued. “It Would be a simple thing to trench a line behind the sidewalk, but it would not be wise to do that work until we know exactly what is going to be dotft in that area by the property owners.” carter said tne worx in this particular case would not mean a great deal of expense, but that the Kings Mountain project is only one of many in this district. He said Bell is now in litigation with the City of Gastonia in its downtown area where a mall-type concept is being proposed. Also the Town of Spindale has requested a change in phone line display under a renewal project. “The problem is Bell is being clob bered by many such projects under renewal plans,” Carter said. “Total these projects and you see it would be quite an investment. Bell feels that it is not its responsibility to conform to any beautification projects.’ Carter said the Bell policy is the same today as it was in 1969 when he met the first time with Mayor Moss and Joe Laney, then director of the KM Redevelopment Commission, to discuss the proposal downtown. ‘ L,aney read a statement, r presume, that came from HUD in Atlanta,” Carter said. “The program outline stated that utilities would be relocated at the owner’s expense. I lOld Laney and the mayor at that time it was a great statement, but that it doesn’t bring to bear a whole lot of pressure Bell still wants to know if it will be reimbursed for non-hetterment work.” which manufactures Fruit of The Loom brand T-shirts and shorts for men and boys, is operating at full capacity the plant will use about one million gallons of water per day and the waste from the plant will be treated at the new' nilot plant, Mayof Moss said Union will take over Kingsmont’s natural gas allocation and will operate on the same interruptable schedule as other plants in the area. Hinnant said work by the in dustrial committee began in March with Union Uncierwear officials, who are headquartered in Bowling Green, Ky. The purchase was not disclosed Wednesday, but it was indicated it will be announced within a few days Grover Wants To Be KM Sewer Customer The Town of Grover wants to be an . outside city industrial waste customer of the City of Kings Mountain. Grover Mayor W. W. (Bill) Camp and Minefte Mills Secretary Charlie Douval met with the mayor’s sewer committee Tuesday. Chairman Norman King presided and other members were present were Comm. Bill Grissom. Comm. Corbet Nicholson, chairman of the water study committee, and Mayor John Moss. Mayor Camp told the group that Grover is interested in a rate for both water and sewer from Kings Mountain but Chairman King said the city is confronted with EPA criteria and a 201 Sewer s’udy which is not yet complete before firm rates can be established. Mr. Douval said a time element on the decision as far as Grover is concerned is critical. He said that Miiiette Mills has contracted to build a secondary waste treatment plant estimated to cost bet ween $206,000 to $225,000 and operational deadline for the new treatment plant izider federal guidelines is June 20, 1977. Camp said Minette Mills and Grover Induitries project 60,000 gallons of sewage a day. Replying to a question. Comm. King said that (he boundaries for the 201 study now underway joins Kings Mountain and Grover. To a question of a combined water and sewer rate. Camp replied that Grover’s water rate needs stuefy. “Our rate,” he said,” begins at about where yours ends. Oir lowest rate now is 40 cents. We couldn’t buv for 52 cents and sell for 32.” Mechanical Difficulties Because of mechanical difficulties, the print in Sec tion B in today’s Mirror- Herald is not easy to read. The Mirror-Herald apologizes for this in convenience and will make the correct*'"" in next week’s paper.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 8, 1976, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75