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Volume 129 • Issue 10
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City Council ok’s sidewalk cafe SUNDAY, MARCH 12 2 AM
ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com
City Council gave the green light for the establishment and operation of Sidewalk Cafes in the municipal service district last Tuesday night.
The item was included on the consent agenda which does not allow for discussion unless a member of the board requests it. The consent agenda was adopted by vote of 5-2. Councilmen Tommy Hawkins and Keith Miller voted
“against.” Main Street Director Jan Harris said that the adoption of the ordinance means that Thoroughbred Partners can move forward with renovation at 133 West Mountain Street, formerly Stevo’s, beside of the Griffin Drug
building. Thoroughbred Partners has received a rehabilitation grant from the state for $200,000 and plans to also invest private funds and open a restaurant in the building and a sidewalk See COUNCIL OK, Page 7
7 new jobs
Industrial Commodities expanding
MUSICAL OPENS FRIDAY – Pictured are members of the cast of “The Fantasticks,’’ the musical that opens Friday by the Kings Mountain Little Theatre at the Joy. From left, Erica Carpenter as Mute, Kevin Burke as Henry, Katie Ujevich as Lisa, Sean Whitworth as Bellomy, Trey Ross as El Gallo, Jamie Brackett Hardin as Hucklebee, Austin Williams as Matt and Caroline Dedmon as Mortimer. Photo by BRIAN HALLMAN
L-T musical opens Friday The curtain goes up Friday on “The Fantasticks,’’ the musical being presented by Kings Mountain Little Theatre and corporate sponsor Harris Funeral Home at the Joy. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s matinee is at 3
p.m. Next weekend shows Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, are at 7:30 p.m. Jon Jones is director, Marianna Bracciole is assistant director and Jondra Harmon is music director. Musical staging is by Jones See MUSICAL, Page 7
Industrial Commodities, Inc., Glen Allen, Va., has purchased and is renovating the building at 210 Kinder Manufacturing Access Road in the Kings Mountain Industrial Park off NC 161 (Bessemer City Road) in Gaston County and will invest $3,050,000 over a three-year period and bring seven new jobs to the area. Joseph R. Pryor, Vice-President of Operations, and the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, of which Donny Hicks is Executive Director, made the announcement this week. Steve Nye, CEcD of the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, says ICI plans to create seven jobs with an average annual wage of $41,429. The 2016 average annual wage for Gaston County is calculated by the N.C. Department of Commerce Finance Center as $37,547. Last year the plant was
Industrial Commodities, Inc. has purchased a plant building off NC 161 to expand the delivery of food ingredients to customers across the U. S. and bring seven new jobs to the area rebuilt after a fire. Pryor said that for 35 plus years ICI has been delivering quality food ingredients to customers across the United States. He said ICI endures to deliver the industry’s best supply chain value to both suppliers and customers.
“This property, its infrastructure, our planned improvements and the team we are building will deliver on that promise for years to come. ICI would like to recognize and thank Gaston County and the city of Kings Mountain for their superior focus of support
towards our investment. We have found a home in Gaston County and look forward to the future partnership,’’ Pryor said. Kings Mountain Mayor Scott Neisler said “We are very happy and appreciate Industrial Commodities, See EXPANDING, Page 7
100th birthday March 18 By Loretta Husky Cozart Special to The Herald
Kings Mountain has lots of treasures, things life wouldn’t be the same without. Some of those treasures are tangible items, like Andrew Mauney’s diary, grandad’s tools, or grandma’s wedding ring. But, when it comes right down to it, these are just “things”. Our most valuable treasures are found in our people. We are blessed with wonderful teachers in our community, many of whom have inspired generations of students to follow in their footsteps. Today, I want to focus on one very special teacher, Miss Ruth Beam. If you’ve been in town for any length of time, you
RUTH BEAM
know that Kings Mountain had two Miss Beams. It became so confusing that folks began calling them the “Old Miss Beam” and the “Young Miss Beam.” For those that know the distinction, I am writing today about the “Young Miss
Beam”. I started my formal education at North Elementary School in 1966. Miss Beam was my first-grade teacher. Our school was half the size it is now; the “new part” wasn’t added until 1969. Most of the kids were from the neighborhood and our teachers were, too. Miss Beam lived on property adjoining the school grounds. We were a family. Miss Beam ran a tight ship; we learned the classroom rules and tried our best to behave. I’ve never managed a classroom, but I suspect managing a group of six-year-olds must be like herding cats. Nonetheless, Miss Beam did it with poise See 100TH BIRTHDAY, Page 4
Trail run Saturday at 9 The 8th annual Gateway Trail 5K/10 mile and fun run will be held Saturday from 9 a.m.-12 noon and packet pickup is Friday from 3-7 p.m. at the trail or on Saturday before the run.
Registration is $25 before March 11 and $30 on race day. “Participation has grown every year and we expect a great crowd on Saturday,’’ said Shirley Brutko, President of Gateway Trails. “It’s a challenging course but there’s also a fun run that everyone in the family
can enjoy,’’ she added. Prizes await the winners. The race will be held rain or shine. For more information, search for Kings Mountain Gateway Trail on Facebook or visit the trail’s website at www.KMGatewayTrails. org.
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Gene White enjoys walking for his health and since 2006 has logged 7,135 miles, majority of those miles at Gateway Trail. File photo
For Gene White a life-changing event
7,135 miles and counting Walking has been a personal life-changing event for Gene White and since 2006 he has logged 7,135 miles – an average of 630 miles a year. Gene doesn’t plan to quit. The benefit becomes automatic. The retired Planning Director for the City of Kings Mountain walked for three years at the city’s walking track near the YMCA. Since 2009 when Gateway Trail on S. Battleground Avenue was completed walking almost every day became pure pleasure.
‘’The life-saving event that caused me to begin my program of regular, recorded walking occurred in 2006 when I underwent 42 radiation treatments for prostate cancer. This lasted five days a week for eight weeks. Due to the horror stories of side effects, my decision was to begin walking and recording mileage each day as a distraction,’’ says Gene. He added, “During the eight weeks of treatment my mileage was 142. The last time I was a visitor it was still posted on the Oncology wall.
Gene says side effects turned out to be minimal or non-existent during both treatment and to this day. That was the point in time that he believed walking must really be a good thing. “The Gateway Trail is a pleasure to use. It is designed in such a fashion that it’s very easy to accommodate people of all ages, needs and challenges. The trail is clean, safe, scenic and well maintained. It is rare to walk the trail and not encounter different people of all ages,’’ says White. See WHITE, Page 4
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703 E. Kings St., Suite 9, Kings Mountain • www.BakerDentalCare.com