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Obituaries ........................ 2A Police Log ........................ 4A Lifestyles ......................... 5A
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Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Volume 128 • Issue 22
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City seeks Library funds ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com
RELAY FOR LIFE –Cancer survivors in steamy, blistering heat walked the first lap in Friday's Relay for Life at John Gamble Stadium at Kings Mountain High School. Twenty-four teams participated in the event and raised thousands of dollars. “There is no finish until we find a cure” was the inspiration for the campaign. See more photos by Smart inside today's Herald. See page 12A for more information and photos. Photo by GARY SMART
Pastor’s Cuba Trip was ‘Lifechanging’ ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com
His recent trip to Cuba “was life changing” for Dr. Jonathan Bundon, Worship Pastor at First Baptist Church for the past 10 years. Jonathan said he hopes as the embargo is lifted that the Cuban people will remain strong to share the gospel and with all the new technology to distract them he prays they will be diligent in their memorization of scripture, study and teaching of music and continue to reach others through music. Bundon said “The Cuban people are loving, gracious and welcoming wherever we went and we were blessed by each encounter and ministry opportunity.” The Kings Mountain man is a member of the prestigious national vocal ensemble, The Centurymen, an auditioned men's chorus of 100 professional Baptist musicians from across the United States. Annually, the chorus tours nationally and internationally including Europe, Russia, the People's Republic of China, Greece,
Kings Mountain's Jonathan Bundon plays the harmonica, above, as he teaches Cubans to play. The Countrymen, of which he is a member, performed at concert halls in which the Gospel could not be preached but could be sung. Israel, Germany and most recently in Cuba where their tour was considered a
cultural event. Musical ambassadors See CUBA TRIP, Page 7A
The city is seeking funding from the state to construct a new library. City Council last Tuesday approved a resolution to make a request to the State of North Carolina for any and all funding which may be available to include a complex which will not only be a library but a cultural center which benefits tourism “and enhances the lives of a number of citizens.” City Attorney Clayward C. Corry Jr. said that there
Porter’s Group Expanding 24 jobs
City Council will hold public hearing June 28 to invite citizen input concerning project FAB, a prospective industry which
could bring up to 143 existing jobs and up to 44 new jobs in the metal fabrication industry The project site involves existing industrial buildings and is served by city water, sewer and natural gas. Council will consider an industrial incentive for the project.
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Johnson) and Thoroughbred Partners ( Ruppe). City Council is expected to adopt a resolution forming the Redevelopment Commission in June and appointing five to nine members to the committee who will draft the plan in July. A public hearing is expected to be held in September. A second public hearing on the CDBG application to rehabilitate the two commercial buildings in downtown Kings Mountain will be held June 28 at 6 p.m. at city hall. At that meeting council will be asked to See CITY, Page 8A
Budget Hearing Thursday, June 16 City residents get break on cemetery fees
Porter's Group Inc. will expand its North Carolina presence with a new facility, A&A Transfer, Inc., which which will create 24 jobs on Norrick Road and hire an additional 20 workers over the coming three years as it invests $3.75 million in manufacturing fabricated metal parts for buyers in automotive, energy, construction and other industries. The vacant building is located at the end of Margrace Road. The City of Kings Mountain will be facilitating and administering a $297,600 NC Rural Division Infrastructure Grant for a total grant amount of $312,300. The county board of commissioners and Kings Mountain city council have both approved economic development incentive grants, a 5% match, for the project code named Project Maroon. “We are delighted to See 24 JOBS, Page 8A
Project FAB KMHS Seniors win BIG could bring jobs Kings Mountain High School seniors won scholarships totaling nearly $2 million dollars – the total $1,948,906 – and announced at Senior Awards Night Thursday at B.N. Barnes Auditorium. Demetrius Hill received the Gates Millennium Scholarship which will pay four years of college costs and money for graduate school. He also won the Chuck Gordon Dedication award, the
is no assurance that any funding might be available but if there may be some funds available that the city should request them now. In other major action, council took the first step in the formation of a Redevelopment Commission by advertising for the formation of a redevelopment commission. The city has tentatively received a half million dollar grant from a Community Development Block Grant for improvements of buildings in blighted areas and this grant specifically was awarded for projects Afab Promotions (
Golden Leaf scholarship, the NCHSAA Minority Endowed scholarship, the Wellington-Hamrick scholarship, the KM Hall of Fame Scholarship, the Ebenezer Baptist Church scholarship and the Charlotte Observer Scholar award. The American Legion Outstanding Boy award went to Gibson Conner and the Outstanding Senior Girl award went to Taylor Davis. See KMHS SENIORS, Page 13A
City residents will find no increases for cemetery lots and opening and closing of graves in the proposed city budget. Their rates will remain the same: $350 for a lot and $375 for closing of graves. City Manager Marilyn Sellers said there was a typographical error in the proposed budget presented to the media at the recent work session. “Our citizens pay city taxes and the burden on customers outside the city limits is due to limited space for city residents and additional property anticipated to be needed within the next five years.” Proposed increases for outside residents are: $3,000 for a plot ( from $1750) and $3,000 for opening and closing of
graves ( from $530) For inside-city residents the proposed budget includes a 3 cent property tax increase ( from 40 cents to 43 cents per $100 valuation); sanitation fee increase from $7.63 to $9.54 per month; reycling fee increase from $2 to $2.75; and basic facility rate for natural gas, from $6.50 to $7.50. Public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 6 p.m. at city hall. The proposed budget can be viewed in full at City Hall and at Mauney Memorial Library, 100 S. Piedmont Avenue. City council will vote on adoption of the budget on June 16. The public is invited.
Beating the Odds Brady Williams, 15, is a fighter and is one of 12 boys in the United States chosen to be in a medical trial for a new medication for life-threatening Duchenne Muscular Distrophy. Recently, Brady and his mother, Martha Williams, went to the nation's capital and testified before the Federal Drug Administration to ask for their approval of the new drug which currently isn't FDA approved. Brady, a freshman at Kings Mountain High School, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at age 5. He has been in
BRADY WILLIAMS clinical trial for 4 ½ years on Eteplirsen. See BEATING, Page 7A
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