KMH_102815

Page 1

FOR WARD 4

FOR WARD 1

Howard Shipp

Lamar Fletcher

Rodney Gordon

Kay Hambright

Dean Spears

FOR AT-LARGE

FOR WARD 5

Rick Moore

Jay Rhodes

Patty Hall

Keith Miller

Jerry Mullinax

Bobby Pearson

5-A-Ride Taxi Ride for $5.00 anywhere in city limits $

kmherald.com

Volume 127 • Issue 43 • Wednesday, October 28, 2015

75¢

10.00 KM out of city limits $ 15.00 Shelby/Gastonia $ 30.00 Charlotte Airport

Smart Taxi, Smart Delivery - providing Kings Mtn. friendly dependable transportation

704-466-4946

Election Day is Tuesday ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com

Kings Mountain voters will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3 to elect a mayor and four members of city council and to join their Cleveland County neighbors in electing five members to the Board of Education from a field of 17 candidates. Some residents will also be voting for members of the county water board. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7: 30 p.m. Early voting at the Cleveland County Board of Elections continues today, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 9

a.m.-5 p.m. Chief interest is in the mayor's race where 15-year mayor Rick Murphrey faces three challenges by a former mayor, Scott Neisler, and two political newcomers, Beauford Burton and Eugene (Sherlock) Holmes. Murphrey, who became mayor in 2000 following six years on city council, says that he is running on his record, 21 years in city government and business and leadership experience for over 20 years as a textile executive in sales and marketing. He points with pride that the city is in the best financial shape ever in its history and sees the mayor's

role as marketing and selling Kings Mountain to bring jobs to Kings Mountain and economic development. Neisler, who served as mayor three terms, 1991-99, says that forging private/public partnerships would take Kings Mountain to the next level and private and public working together would result in new and different solutions. Both Murphrey and Neisler agree that a casino would have a positive impact, not only because the city would sell the utilities, but that this would mean reduced utility rates to taxpayers and more growth from a large economic development project

Public weighs in Polling on prayer issue places before school board for Nov. 3 DAVE BLANTON dave.kmherald@gmail.com

Public opinion about a possible change in prayer policy dominated the Cleveland County Schools Board of Education meeting Monday night. Most of the fifteen members of the public who addressed the board were passionately in favor of a move that would allow a prayer to be held at the opening of school board meetings. School board meetings have for some

years opened with a moment of silence. “We want God back in our schools,” said Rodney Fitch, a sergeant with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department. Fitch was representing the Christian Law Enforcement Association, a local group that has been vocal about the prayer issue. Expecting a much larger than usual crowd for the often lightly attended school board meetings, officials moved the venue to the gymnasium of Shelby See PUBLIC, Page 8A

election Polls open at two sites in Kings Mountain city and four sites in the outlying areas for voters to cast votes Tuesday, Nov.3. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. In Kings Mountain the two voting sites are Kings Mountain South at the H. Lawrence Patrick Senior Center, 909 E. King Street and See POLLING, Page 8A

which would bring jobs. Majority of city council and mayor candidates say the council has no say if and when a casino could or would come to this area. Federal officials with the Board of Indian Affairs will ultimately make that decision and Rick Murphrey Scott Neisler Beauford Burton Sherlock Holmes the wait isn't over yet before we know if the Catawba Indian Nation Chief tive impact on the area would Dixon community near Kings Bill Harris said the location be alarming. The qualities he Mountain will become home would make it a prime site would bring to the job, he to an expansive 16-acre 1.8 and a travel-tourism destina- said, are his desire to serve million-square-foot Catawba tion. God and the city with honIndian Nation resort and caBeauford Burton, a new- esty and through the realizasino, a project that would comer to city politics, is tion that we can't be blessed create thousands of jobs and strongly opposed to the idea by God if we disobey Him. hotel rooms on site. In 2013 of a casino and says its nega- See ELECTION DAY, Page 8A

FOR MAYOR

Observers weigh in on school board race DAVE BLANTON dave.kmherald@gmail.com

When voters head to the polls on Tuesday, they’ll have lots of choices when it comes to the school board ballot, which has 17 candidates vying for five seats. That large Danny field is being Blanton attributed to a number of reasons -- from increased disapproval of school board policy to heightened interest

Main water line dedicated NTE to begin construction on Dec. 1 at new power plant to Walt Ollis, Al Moretz Construction is expected to start the first of December on the new NTE power plant off Dixon School Road. Gemma Power Systems, contractor, will be hiring 300-400 construction workers during the month of November. Over 600 people applied for various jobs with GEMMA during a job fair last Wednesday at Patrick Senior Center. Mike Green, Vice-President of NTE, told members of the Kings Mountain Rotary club Thursday that the new plant will be on-line before 2018 and “everything is on schedule and we are

What does the City's and NTE's relationship mean to the city and citizens over a 20 year period? asked one Rotarian. ''It means savings to our customers if managed properly and truly multi-millions per year derived from electric costs reductions. The city will sell all four utilities and NTE will be the city's See NTE, Page 10A

The completed 36-inch water transmission line from Moss Lake to town was dedicated to two men who were leaders in the project – the late Walt Ollis and the late Al Moretz. Mayor Rick Murphrey, city council members, and members of the Ollis and Moretz families stand before the plaque which went up adjacent to the roadway where the last pipe was installed recently on Cansler Street. Photo by HALEY WILSON

A completed 36 inch water transmission main line from Moss Lake to town was the passion of the late Walt Ollis, the city's Water Resources Director for 24 years, and the late Al Moretz, who after his service as a city councilman

For Dental Implants Locally Here In Kings Mountain

Baker Dental Care Preventative, Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

set policy for Cleveland County Schools, a district that serves about 16,000 students. “Five seats make up a majority of the board,” said board member Donnie Thurman, Jr., also serving his first term on the nine-person panel. “We can see some drastic changes because of that.” The board’s vice-chair Shearra B. Miller joins Roger Harris, Richard Hooker, Jr., and Jerry Hoyle in their respective incumbent bids. Jack Hamrick, Jr., is not running for reelection. See OBSERVERS, Page 8A

Great Pumpkin Parade Friday

ready to go.” Currently Duke Energy is relocating approximately 2,000 feet of electrical transmission lines that run through the generation facility site. Green said that NTE is responsible for all costs associated with the relocation of the lines. The City's Energy Services Director Nick Hendricks joined Green in updates about the project

in local education matters, including the sometimes controversial Common Core curriculum. “Some of them incumbents have lost some of their support by their actions,” said Board of Education member Danny Blanton, who is serving his first term since being elected in 2013. “With so many running in this election, the votes are going to be scattered.” The outcome of the election has the potential of changing the texture of the panel, which helps

became consulting engineer for the water transmission project. Both of them would be smiling today that their dream is now a reality. Mayor Rick Murphrey, members of the Ollis and See WATER LINE, Page 8A

2014 Great Pumpkin Parade – (File photo)

The City of Kings Mountain will host the annual “Great Pumpkin Halloween Parade” on Friday, October 30th. Children are invited to gather at the City Hall Plaza on Cherokee Street at Gold Street at 10 a.m. and walk with Mayor Rick Murphrey on the parade route to the Gazebo at Patriots Park for post-parade activities.

Mauney Memorial Library’s Harris Children’s Department, in cooperation with Cleveland County Childcare Connections, Partnership for Children - Community Play and Learn Program, Smart Start, and NC Pre-K will provide entertainment, games, Halloween stories, songs, sing-along’s and a See GREAT PARADE, Page 8A

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

call us at 704-739-4461

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


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.