KM Herald 3-25-20

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HORD’S CONTAINER SERVICE (704) 466-6008 Volume 132 • Issue 13

kmherald.com • 704-739-7496

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

75¢

KM City services impacted by COVID-19 By Marilyn Sellers City Manager

Christmas lights will be turned on tonight at 7:30pm until 10pm. File photo

Lights to brighten citizen’s spirits By Loretta Cozart Starting today, the City of Kings Mountain is turning on the Christmas lights downtown from 7:30 pm – 10 pm to lift the spirits of the community. There will be no music to accompany the lights, because the city doesn’t wish to encourage gatherings. It is just a re-

minder that we are in this together. This gesture is similar to what Americans have begun doing across the nation, adding a strand or two of Christmas lights on their porches and decks in an effort to lift up neighbors as we practice social distancing. Since most Americans know where their Christmas

light are, having just used them, this job shouldn’t be too hard. And if you haven’t bothered to take down those Christmas lights just yet, you are ahead of the game. Together Apart, let’s lift each other up. Grab a strand of lights and shine the light of hope into the world, one household at a time.

Cyberattack on City of Shelby

On Tuesday, March 17, Breanna Joel was sworn in as Kings Mountain’s newest officer to join the force. Pictured (L-R): Chief Lisa Proctor, Officer Breanna Joel, and Mayor Scott Neisler. Photo provided

Certain business types closed

Governor closes schools thru May 15 On Monday, Governor Roy Cooper ordered tighter limits on gatherings and extended school closures statewide to May 15, 2020. The order also closed some businesses that require close social interaction and limited visitors to long-term care centers. The Executive Order’s effective date will be Wednesday, March 25. “Each and every choice we are making is intended to flatten the curve and provide our health care system the ability to treat the sickest patients in the coming months.

This is what we need to do to slow the spread of this illness and protect the health and safety of North Carolinians,” Governor Cooper said. Also Monday, the Governor’s request for a major disaster declaration for North Carolina was received by FEMA. This specifically requested Individual Assistance, Crisis Counseling Program, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance and more. 50-plus member gatherings are banned and close-contact business closed. Monday’s announcement prioritized social distancing by lowering the threshold on large gatherings to ban See CLOSES, Page 2A

On the evening of Wednesday, March 18, the City of Shelby notified the public that they had received notice of a cyber-malware attack. According to the press release, “City of Shelby is now in the recovery process. We are uncertain at this time of how long the recovery process may take, but we are diligently working to correct the issue as soon as possible.” At the time of the press release, it appears that personal information of our employees or customers has not been compromised. “The City’s computer systems are currently down, however, there has been no impact to public safety or the 911 center. As we have new information, we will share it with our employees and the public. Look for updates on the City’s Facebook page, and on our website at cityofshelby.com,” the release stated. Thank you in advance for your patience as we navigate through this situation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Public Information Officer at 704-4189097.

T h e Coronavirus outbreak COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation and the City of Kings Mountain continues to monitor and evaluate all policies and procedures on a daily basis. The safety and health of our employees and the public is our top priority as we strive to ensure the continuous delivery of services to our community. The City’s staff are working diligently to supply the needs of our citizens while minimizing their exposure. If you have flu like symptoms, are quarantined, or under self-quarantine and need emergency services please let the dispatcher know. Sharing this information with 911 dispatchers will help our police, fire, and first responders take the necessary precautions to avoid any spread of the novel coronavirus. Let’s do our due diligence to protect our com-

munity by following all mandates and recommendations by State, Federal and Health Officials regarding social interactions/ distancing and proper hygiene. (See helpful links provided below). I encourage you to think of everyone affected during this time of uncertainty. Be creative in showing someone you care. Help our staff minimize face to face contact by the following: - Use our website and online resources. Call our main line if you need any assistance or have questions. (704)-734-0333 - Contact us via email. We are utilizing email as much as possible in the event we are unable to occupy offices. Department emails and phone numbers are on our website. - Pay your utility bills: • Online https://www. cityofkm.com/330/OnlineBill-Pay • Drive-Thru Window at City Hall • Drop-Box at City Hall (Drop box is checked on a daily basis) • Mail your payment to us at: PO Box 429 Kings

Mountain NC 28086. Temporary closures and modification to City operations: City/Building Services As of Thursday March 19, all city buildings are conducting business but with limited access to the public. Garbage collections will continue on a normal schedule unless notified otherwise. For police reports contact the records officer at (704) 734-4600, Monday-Friday 8-5. Patrick Senior Center is closed until further notice. All March and April rentals at the Patrick Center are cancelled. Call about future dates. Check their Facebook page or call for the latest information regarding food and medical transportation. Every weekday at 10 am check out their Facebook Live for updates and interaction. https://www.facebook. com/PatrickSeniorCenter (704) 734-0447 Mauney Memorial Library The library is closed to the public until further notice. See SERVICES, Page 7A

School lunches continue during time of quarantine By Loretta Cozart Cleveland County Schools continues to provide meals to students after Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 117, directing the statewide closure of K-12 public schools to limit the spread of COVID-19. Free bagged lunches are now available for children, 2-18, Monday through Friday from 11:30 am until 1 pm. Parents can pick-up meals in drive thru fashion at your child’s school, with the exception of Kings Mountain High School and East School. KMHS, is co-located with Kings Mountain Middle School, so the middle school cafeteria will handle meals for both sites. East

Cleveland County S C H O O L S

Elementary is not serving because they do not currently have a Cafeteria Manager. Families from that school should go to North School instead. Students do not have to be in the vehicle for parents to receive meals. With each meal, a breakfast is included for the following day. As of March 18, families without transportation could have meals delivered to their home. Currently, all home deliveries are handled by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland County. The number to call for delivery is 704-480-5569. As of Thursday, March

29, 25,326 lunches and breakfasts had been served and the number of meals served has increased daily: • Monday lunches and Tuesday breakfasts: 1,957 and 1,799 • Tuesday lunches and Wednesday breakfasts: 2,915 & 2,937 • Wednesday lunches and Thursday breakfasts: 3,939 & 3,931 • Thursday lunches and Friday breakfasts: 3,921 and 3,927 In addition to these measures by Cleveland County Schools, Governor Roy Cooper wrote President Donald Trump asking for key waivers that will allow North Carolina to adapt federal food and healthcare programs to better serve See LUNCHES, Page 7A

Takeout and delivery in the new normal By Loretta Cozart Kings Mountain’s and Grover’s restaurant owners had to make tough decisions last week after Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order to end in-restaurant dining due to the Coronavirus. The executive order does not

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prevent restaurants from filling take-out, drive thru, or delivery orders however, leaving a glimmer of hope for those who love local restaurant options. Many restaurants remain open, with some even offering delivery for local customers. In this difficult

time, remember restauranteurs and their staff and support them in the weeks ahead. We are all in this together. With so many options available, the hardest part will be choosing between take-out, drive thru, or delivery.

238 Cherokee Grill 704-739-1292 222 S. Railroad Avenue Accepting debit / credit cards only, no cash. Limited Menu is updated daily, depending on daily shipments call-in for take-out and local delivery – within. See TAKEOUT, Page 7A

Just a few benefits of Dental Implants: • Improved appearance. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. • Improved speech. Dental implants allow you to speak without the worry that your dentures might slip. • Improved self-esteem. Smile again and feel better about yourself. • Durable. Implants are very durable and with proper care, can last a lifetime. To find out more about Dental Implants and schedule your next appointment

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703 E. Kings St., Suite 9, Kings Mountain • www.BakerDentalCare.com


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