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www.KMinsure.com Volume 132 • Issue 20
Senior Night drive-through Thursday, May 14 at KMHS Kings Mountain High School’s Athletic Department will be honoring its spring sports seniors with a special drive through Senior Night May 14 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Gary Stewart Blvd, which is the road that goes around all of the outdoor athletic facilities at KMHS. KMHS asks that all seniors’ cars turn into the high school at the stop light on Phifer Road and continue driving by the football, baseball and softball fields. Exit to Phifer Road
at Kings Mountain Middle School. Stadium lights will burn from 6:30-10:30 p.m. in honor of the entire senior class and all other spring athletes that lost their season.
Athletic Director Matt Bridges urges the community to participate in the drive through and turning on their porch lights from 6:30-10:30 p.m. “We ask that all people who participate in the drive through to remain inside the car and enjoy what our coaches have put together for these athletes,” Bridges said. “Community, please come out and show your support for this group of seniors that lost their season due to COVID 19.”
KMHS Drum Majors honor band director and seniors By Loretta Cozart The drum majors at Kings Mountain High School showed appreciation to their Band Director, Mr. Washburn and to graduating seniors on May 6 with a parade of cars in the parking lot at KMHS. The senior year of high school is a time of transition, one that takes most students an entire year to process. With COVID-19, the school year was cut short this year and many seniors have not had the opportunity to spend time with their teachers and friends as they progress toward graduation. Distance
kmherald.com • 704-484-1047
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Mr. Washburn KMHS Band Director See more photos on page 10
learning can help, but it is not the same as one-on-one interaction.
Senior Drum Major Aliyah Camp and junior Drum Major Jenna Ramsey coordinated the effort with the seniors. The seniors participating created signs of appreciation for Mr. Washburn and displayed them as they drove through. “Junior Drum Major Jenna Ramsey said of the event, “It went way better than I thought possible. The seniors were honored, and they showed their appreciation for Mr. Washburn. We all had a great time doing it and I’m sure Mr. Washburn appreciated it also.”
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NC reopens for busines By Loretta Cozart
Phase I Executive Order No.138 was issued by Governor Cooper on May 5 and revised Executive Order No.131 regarding specific requirements for retail businesses that can be open to customers. Other businesses were impacted by the order, as well. The new order went into effect on Friday, May 8 at 5 pm. Among other things, the Order requires businesses to restrict the number of customers and to follow certain social distancing guidelines. To limit the number of customers in a retail establishment, the Order requires an Emergency Maximum Occupancy (EMO) be determined and posted. Beth and Dave Allen opened Mountain Holiday for business in anticipation of Mother’s Day just as the Order went into effect. When asked about the reopening, Dave Allen said, “It went great. We opened on Friday at 5 pm for 2 hours and we had people coming in throughout the time. Not heavy but con-
sistent. We posted the state guidelines and put down 6-foot marks on the floor as guidance and as a reminder for staying safe. On Saturday we were open from 10 am to 3 pm. It was another good day with customers coming in and shopping
for Mother’s Day. We are so thankful for customers coming out and supporting Mountain Holiday,” Allen added. Executive Order No. 138 has the following requirements for all businesses and customers:
Commercial activity
People can leave home for commercial activity and more businesses are open
Retail
50% capacity allowed with cleaning and social distancing; view guidance
Gatherings
10-person limit; gathering outdoors with friends allowed
Child care
Child care centers open for working parents or those looking for work
Teleworking
Encouraged
Bars and restaurants
Take-out and delivery
Barbers, salons and massage
Closed
Theaters, music venues and bowling alleys
Closed
Gyms
Closed
Playgrounds
Closed
Visitation at long-term care centers
Not allowed
Worship services
Outdoor services allowed
State parks and trails
Opening encouraged
Face coverings
Encouraged See BUSINESS, Page 7
City Council meeting streamed on Facebook Live for second month By Loretta Cozart Governor Cooper’s stay at home order continued the streaming of City Council meetings to Kings Mountain on April 28 at 6 pm. Mayor Neisler welcomed the citizens who watched the meeting online. The order restricts participation to ten people. Attending this meeting were Mayor Scott Neisler, Councilmembers Keith Miller, Jimmy West, Jay Rhodes, Mike Butler, Annie Thombs, Tommy Hawkins, and David Allen. City Manager Marilyn Sellers and City Attorney Mickey Corry were also in attendance with City Clerk Karen Tucker and City Marketing and Communications Specialist Janet Hart. In his opening remarks, Mayor Neisler thank the com-
munity for their support of his family upon the passing of his son, Garrett. ”My family and I were moved by the all the cards and support and I want to personally thank everyone,” he said. Councilman Tommy Hawkins had missed two council meetings due to health issues and shared, “I am glad to be here tonight.” City Council unanimously approved the Consent Agenda that included adopting a resolution to award a financing bid to Community Lending Partners for $300,216.49 to finance 25 - Scott X3 Pro Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) & Air System Units for the Fire Department. Budget Amendment for purchase of fire SCBA units with a 10% down payment due September 1, 2020 with financing for seven years at $42,225 with the first payment due Sept. 1, 2021. The council also adopted a resolution to enter into a
10-year lease with the Kings Mountain Historical Museum Foundation, Inc. and authorized the mayor to sign the lease agreement. Council adopted a resolution and authorized a Notice of Publication regarding an 11-foot strip of property that was inadvertently left out of the offer, which was awarded as a high bid at the regular council meeting on March 31, and previous advertisements for the sale of property to Thoroughbred Partners, Ltd., commonly known as “Senior Park.” It was the intention of the offer and the vote of council to award this bid to include the entirety of this property known as “Senior Park.” The Regular Meeting was closed, and a Public Hearing began to consider two items. First was to adopt a resolution for a Building Reuse Grant Application, Project GRIFF. The Building Reuse Grant is See CITY COUNCIL, Page 7
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An artist’s rendering of the Catawba Indian Nation’s proposed gaming resort in Kings Mountain. (Rendering by SOSH Architects)
US District Court denies ECBI request By Loretta Cozart On April 30, a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) against the Kings Mountain site being taken into trust by the Catawba Nation was denied by US District Court Judge James E. Boasberg in Washington, DC. In September 2018, the Catawba Indian Nation asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), a part of the Department of the Interior(DOI), to
take a 16-acre parcel of land in North Carolina into trust so that the Nation could build a casino and entertainment complex. After nearly a year and a half of studies, meetings, and other regulatory processing, the BIA agreed to the acquisition. Immediately following that decision, the ECBI filed a suit against DOI, BIA, and several agency officials, asserting that Interior’s action violated a host of federal statutes and regulations. The same day it filed its
complaint, the EBCI moved the Court to preliminarily enjoin the transfer of land. The DOI, joined by the Catawba Nation, maintained that the circumstances did not merit that extraordinary form of relief. Finding that the ECBI had not established irreparable harm, the court agreed and denied the EBCI’s motion for a Preliminary Injunction. Background The opinion of the Court See REQUEST, Page 7
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