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www.KMinsure.com Volume 132 • Issue 42
kmherald.com • 704-484-1047
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 DEMOCRATS
SAMANTHA DAVIS
ROGER HARRIS
RICHARD HOOKER
75¢
REPUBLICANS
SHEARRA MILLER
MICHAEL TOLBERT
RODNEY FITCH
RONALD HUMPHRIES
ROBERT QUEEN
JOEL SHORES
GREG TAYLOR
School Board candidates speak out The competitive local school board race will probably be one of the most watched on Election Day Nov. 3 because of the number of seats to be filled. Poll-watchers say the race is also significant because the results could also determine the majority Party on the 9-member board. Ten candidates – 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans- seek 5 open seats on the Cleveland County Board of Education
The candidates are Democrats Samantha Davis, Roger Harris, Richard Hooker, and Michael Tolbert, all of Shelby and Shearra Miller of Kings Mountain. Republicans are Rodney Fitch, Robert Queen, Joel Shores, and Greg Taylor, all of Shelby, and Ronald Humphries of Kings Mountain. Candidates responded to eight questions in a 90-minute forum at Cleveland Community College sponsored by
CCC, C-19TV, The Star, and Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce. C-19TV is broadcasting the forum until Election Day. There were obvious differences expressed but all candidates gave frank answers to the questions posed by moderators Andy Dedmon and Mike Philbeck of Political Smackdown, a C-19 TV program conducted by CCC broadcasting students. All candidates were pre-
pared to speak about transparency with the public, safety in the schools and the Coronavirus pandemic, graduation, taxing, and the current policy of how an attorney is used. Majority of candidates said the school system needs to work on transparency and one political newcomer said on a rating of 10 the record would not top 4. “I’ve attended meetings, taken notes and submitted questions to the board but
I don’t get answers,’’ said Queen. Joel Shores, who retired from the Sheriff’s Department, called for a culture change. He said he had hired folks and sent them to the schools and they were sent back because they couldn’t read or write on the 9th grade level. Tolbert said the schools are doing a good job on transparency. “We need to build on that,’’ he added.
Majority of candidates say they favor having an attorney present at all regular board meetings. Some candidates would prefer a local attorney who specializes in education. “We don’t need an attorney coming from Raleigh who knows nothing about Kings Mountain,’’ was the statement of majority of candidates. Shores, Humphries, Taylor, Queen, Fitch and See CANDIDATES, Page 4A
Early Voting kicks-off Thursday for 17 days
Volunteers work hard to harvest sweet potatoes at the Botts site two weeks ago. Photo by Doug Sharp
Potato Project harvested 3,000 pounds of potatoes By Loretta Cozart Cleveland County Potato Projected harvested 30,000 pounds of sweet potatoes two weeks ago at the Botts site and 941 boxes of very nice produce was distributed last week.
Wet conditions will keep workers out of the field early this week, but they hope to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday beginning at 9 am. To prepare for harvest, all vines have been cut away from potatoes, so they must be
harvested, or they will rot. The organization is also facing a box shortage. If you are aware of a large supply of boxes, please call Doug Sharp at 704-4725128. ABC boxes work well for this purpose.
Senior Center hosts drive-thru volunteer appreciation event Patrick Senior Center honored their volunteers with a special drive-thru Volunteer Appreciation event on September 29 at the center. The theme of this year’s event was “Excellence. Every day, Every time!” Each volunteer received a catered ChickFil-A lunch along with a certificate of appreciation and a zippered multi-purpose bag printed with this year’s theme. The center had 132 volunteers this year giving a total of 10,252 hours of volunteer service. Janet Beani was recognized as Volunteer of the Year, with 1,104 hours of service this year. Janet joined See EVENT, Page 4A
Pictured (L-R) Volunteer of the Year Janet Beani and Patrick Center Director Tabitha Thomas. Photo by Lynn Lail
Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15 at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 220 N. Watterson Street and continues through Saturday, Oct. 31 - a total of 17 days and 167 hours and Saturdays and Sundays. “The health and safety of everyone is high priority this year and Kings Mountain is among four large sites in the county opening early morning, late evenings, Saturday and Sunday hours to give voters every opportunity to safely cast a ballot,’’ say Board of Elections Chairman Doug Sharp and Board of Elections Director Clifton Philbeck. Evening hours are 8 a.m.-
7:30 p.m. on Oct. 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27,28, 29; Saturday hours are 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Oct. 31; Sunday hours are 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 18, Oct. 25. Safeguards will be in place as voters cast their ballots and these include PPE’s for all poll workers and voters who don’t bring their own, single-use pens,
sanitation stations, and protective barriers. The site will be professionally cleaned throughout the entire 17-day period and election workers will routinely sanitize all surfaces. Many people are voting by mail this year because of the global pandemic. The deadline to submit a request to the Cleveland County Board of Elections is October 27. For your ballot to count, the voter and a witness must sign it and you can return it return it by taking it to the early voting site, mailing it or dropping it off at the Cleveland County Board of Elections in Shelby by Nov. 3.
Howard, Bridges left their mark Grady K. Howard Sr., who died Sept. 6 at age 97, and Norma F a l l s HOWARD Bridges, who died Sept. 17 at age 88, left their mark on the Kings Mountain commuBRIDGES nity. Howard, former Administrator of Kings Mountain Hospital, and Bridges, former city commissioner and the city’s first female elected to this office, left behind a legacy of service and leadership. “I met Grady Howard in 1953 when he came to
work at the hospital and as a young reporter I went to his office from the Herald to start what began a weekly log in the paper – the names and dates of discharged patients,’’ said Lib Stewart, longtime employee of the Herald. The last interview was for a feature section on veterans and Howard was among the few World War II veterans living at the time. “Grady Howard was a great friend of the Herald and a favorite reader. He told us what he liked and often congratulated us on putting out a good hometown newspaper,’’ added Stewart. Ms. Stewart continued, “I covered city council for years and worked with mayors and elected officials, including Norma Bridges. “Norma Bridges was always open with the Press.
She had a great rapport with voters and swept the field of candidates on election day. Her fellow council members honored her as mayor pro tempore. “Bridges was a champion for young people and the Parks & Recreation committee was her favorite place for service. She and her husband attended the games and helped the players in many ways while keeping out of the spotlight, Stewart said. “This year we have mourned the deaths of many citizens. Their pictures and obituaries in the Herald tell some of their story of their close-knit relationship with family, friends, and the community. Mr. Howard and Mrs. Bridges are among those who left behind a lasting legacy,’’ said Stewart.
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