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Volume 131 • Issue 35
August 28, 2019
kmherald.com • 704-739-7496
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Crowds of people gathered to enjoy the 20th Annual Kings Mountain Beach Blast celebration last weekend. See more photos on page 7A. (Photo by Scott Neisler)
2019 Beach Blast was a hit
By Loretta Cozart
Last weekend, thousands of beach music fans made their way to Kings Mountain for the 20th Annual Kings Mountain Beach Blast celebration. The oppressive Friday night heat gave way to cooler temps on Saturday, as a light rain fell in the early part of the day.
It was decided the event would go on and by early evening a thousand plus fans were at the venue enjoying music, food, crafts, games and rides. The temperatures Saturday evening dropped to the 60’s, but that didn’t deter the fans who came to hear The Band of Oz. Folks
danced the Shag in front of the stage and in the crowd until the last note played. Across the center of the seating area, sponsor pagodas were setup giving them an excellent view of the stage. Beach music fans sat closer to the stage and a friendly atmosphere was enjoyed by everyone. Kids
had their choice of a variety of games and activities until darkness fell. “What a fantastic night we had in Kings Mountain as we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Beach Blast! I stayed all day and our visitors commented how well the event went. They were also complimentary on how
well the park turned out. Liberty Falls Amphitheater at Patriot’s Park is now open in Kings Mountain," said Mayor Neisler. “This promises to be the epicenter of entertainment for a long time to come. Many thanks to the employees that made this two and a half year dream come true!”
Despite the large crowd of attendees, there were no incidents reported by the Kings Mountain Police Department. Primary sponsors for this event include NTE Energy, LLC, Shelby Asphalt & Paving, and Kings Mountain Travel and Tourism.
Retirement Sale
Mary Jo’s Cloth Store to close end of month Cleveland County students returned to school on Monday, August 26. Gary Smart caught these handsome KMHS seniors on camera, looking ready and prepared.
Dr. Eskridge retires By Loretta Cozart On June 30, Kings Mountain’s beloved veterinarian, Dr. Jerry Eskridge, retired from his practice of 42 years. When asked about his career, Dr. Eskridge said, “My career started out different from how it ended. I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in Industrial Relations in 1961. My first job was at Margrace Mill in Kings Mountain for two years. “Then I was hired to work at Fiber Industries in Earl. My wife Lynn and I married in 1965 and our first children were Britt, an English setter and Shamrock, an Irish setter who slept with us every night. I loved these ‘kids’ and looked forward to getting home from work every day to spend time with them. The Eskridge’s are Cleveland County natives. Lynn Lineberger Eskridge grew up in Shelby and lived next door to Red Bridges on Suttle Street. Jerry Eskridge was
Mary Jo’s Cloth Store announced a retirement sale beginning August 25. The goal is to sell through the store’s remaining inventory, as their doors will close after the end of the sale. Mary Jo Cloninger started her famous cloth store with a $500 loan from her father and a few scraps of cloth. As the business grew, her husband, Polie Cloninger, joined her overseeing operational aspects of the store. The store’s humble beginnings laid the path for Mary Jo’s fabric empire, as
American Legion Veteran’s breakfast September 7
Dr. Jerry Eskridge treats a patient at his practice in September 1995. Herald archive raised in Double Shoals and Over time, Eskridge felt his grandfather ran the local a growing interest in the mill, so one can understand care and welfare of animals. why he began his career in “I grew up with pets and my that field. See ESKRIDGE, Page 2A
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Mark your calender for September 7 for American Legion Post 155 Veteran’s Breakfast. The Legion invites all veterans to join them from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for a free Veteran’s Breakfast at the Otis D. Green Post home on East Gold Street. Breakfast includes made-to-order eggs, bacon, liver mush, gravy, grits, biscuits, toast, coffee and juice. All veterans are invited to this free breakfast the first Saturday of every month. Others are welcome to attend for a small donation which helps fund future breakfasts.
generations of fabric seekers have shopped for materials for everything from prom and wedding dresses to upholstery and quilting musthaves for almost 70 years. Thomas Cloninger, Mary Jo Cloninger’s son, took over the day-to-day opera-
tions of the business a few years ago when his mother’s health began to decline. Thomas is set to retire at the end of August. “My mother always said there can only be one Mary Jo’s because there’s only one Mary Jo,” reminisced Mary Jo’s Owner/Operator, Thomas Cloninger. “No one could run this place like Mary Jo herself, and the time has come for me to retire. We plan to sell through the limited inventory still available as well as the fixtures See MARY JO’S, Page 2A
16th annual
Museum fundraiser in ten days By Loretta Cozart With only ten days remaining until the 16th annual Museum fundraiser, get your ticket today and support a good cause that preserves local history. Tickets are still available at the museum or on Eventbrite at:https:// www.eventbrite.com/o/ kings-mountain-historical-museum-19839500123 This year's event will be held on Saturday, September 7th at 5:30 PM at the Patrick Senior Center. Come dressed as your favorite book character. Every ticket holder has a chance to win the $10,000 grand prize. That winner will
be drawn out of a barrel of 300 tickets at the end of the night. The night begins with hors d’oeuvres and silent auctions offering a variety of delicious cakes and gifts from the local area. Dinner will be served at 6 pm, followed by an exciting Live Auction evening. At the end of the night, one lucky ticket winner will be picked to take home the Grand Prize of $10,000. This event a allows local business owners to showcase their business while investing in the community. To find out more about sponsorship and donation opportunities, See MUSEUM, Page 2A
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703 E. Kings St., Suite 9, Kings Mountain • www.BakerDentalCare.com