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Kings Mountain Herald kmherald.net

Volume 124 • Issue 45 • Wednesday, November 7, 2012 • 75¢

Accor out, voters elect Allen, Hawkins, Hutchins ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com

Cleveland County voters ousted Democrat Mary Accor of Kings Mountain Tuesday night from the board of commissioners, electing Republican Susan Allen of Shelby and re-electing incumbents Ronnie Hawkins and Johnny Hutchins, both of Kings Mountain. Accor, who retired Oct. 31 from the Cleveland County Schools after 33 1/2 years, had served 15 years on the commission and is a former chairman. “The people have spoken,’’ said

Mrs. Accor. “I have no regrets and I wish the new board all the best as they go forward. Republicans took control of the county board again Election Day. Four of the five are Republicans. With the defeat of Accor, Eddie Holbrook of Shelby will serve as the lone Democrat on the board. Kings Mountain mortician Ronnie Hawkins led the ticket with 20,708 votes and was re-elected to his fourth term on the board. He is a former board chairman. “I just want to thank Cleveland County citizens for their confidence. With their votes I think

they believe that we are doing a good job and we put the people first. During the past four years we have worked diliSusan Allen gently to bring new industry and jobs to our county, a better quality of live and have been good stewards of the people’s money with no increase in taxes. I continue to pledge not to burden our citizens with added taxes and sup-

port incentives for small businesses because Mom and Pop businesses are the main stay of our communities. What is frustrating is that we bring Johnny Hutchins in100 jobs and lose some, but we are proud of the diversity of these industries that bring jobs to our people.� Incumbent chairman Hutchins garnered 20,641 votes. Allen, the political newcomer,

received 19,698 to A c c o r ’ s 17,330. A total of 37,348 voters went to the polls or 58.75 percent. Cleveland Ronnie Hawkins County also supported Pat McCrory of Charlotte for governor by a 24 percent margin. WCNC Channel 36 announced McCrory as the winner See VOTE, 7A

More jobs on the way for KM STEAG Energy Services announced this week plans to create 29 new jobs and invest $6 million in the next three years at the Kings Mountain industry on Linwood Road. With technology he introduced from Germany, Hans-Ulrich Hartenstein and his wife, Brigitte, are husband and wife in business at STEAG Energy Services LLC, a rapidly growing production facility which began operations here in December 2006 with announcement to create 21 full time jobs. Since 2006 the company has grown to 63 permanent employees. In April, the company announced an expansion of 15 full time jobs and an investment of $3 million. STEAG Energy serves power plants throughout the continent. The Hartensteins, who came to Kings Mountain in December 2006, in-

vested $12 million and are currently operating two production lines with 63 employees on 2 1/2 shifts seven days a week. As production lines increase they hope to employ 30-40 more and double that number by the end of the decade. With incentives from the city and county and a grant for which the city has applied for them from the Rural Center for $384,000, the couple want to add a third and fourth production line and hire more employees. Currently leasing the former Anvil Knitwear Plant (also former Craftspun) 15-acre site, the Hartensteins hope to purchase the site. “We are using all the space, 360,000 square feet “as is� in the several buildings but we want to add offices and more production areas, this is a good fit for us’’ said Hans who also wants to purchase the old Phenix Plant nearby for a warehouse.

The STEAG facility cleans honeycomb-like structures called catalysts. The catalysts help power plants control the emission of nitrogen oxides. The mayor termed the process as ‘’refurbishing smokestacks of power plants.� Last month a total of 335 truck loads went out from the local plant. An average size power plant uses 500 of the modules or catalysts. Additionally, the Hartensteins will offer next year an apprenticeship program with area schools and colleges where students interested in chemistry and engineering can work, earn a salary and go to school, graduating with an associate degree. “We’re really excited to start this program where students, particularly those who are chemistry students and have some available skills, can work 3-4 days a week and attend

How did the schools vote? Find out on page 3A

See STEAG, 7A

Putnam remembers Viet Nam BETH BROCK beth.kmherald@gmail.com

Mayor Rick Murphrey consults with Bobby Day, the contractor with Beam Construction, at the site of Patriots Memorial. photo by ELLIS NOELL

Parade, dedication planned to honor Vets The City of Kings Mountain will host the annual Veteran’s Day Observance on Monday, November 12. The observance will begin with a parade starting at the War Memorial on Railroad Avenue, across

from the Joy Performance Center, at 9:45 a.m. The Kings Mountain Police Department Honor Guard will step off the parade and will also include the Loch Norman Pipe Band and all veterans and their families who

would like to join in the parade. The parade will proceed to Patriots Park where the observance will continue. At the site of the newly conSee VETERAN’S DAY, 7A

When Viet Nam veteran Daryl Putnam arrived home after serving 18 months in Viet Nam, there were no flags waving, no parades, and no recognition of any sort to welcome him and his fellow soldiers home. Many of the other soldiers were spit upon, ridiculed, and even called “baby killers.� He was at Ft. Bragg for nine weeks, in basic training. Then he was sent to Tigerland, at Ft. Pope, LA, for special training. Located in the bayous of Louisiana, Tigerland helped prepare him for Viet Nam. Entire villages, resembling those in Viet Nam, were set up. There were booby traps and training sessions to teach him to look for “Charlie.� He stated that the indoctrination was fairly accurate, but there was nothing that could have prepared him for the real thing. After his training at Tigerland, Daryl came home for 30 days, then, was off to Ft. Lewis, WA. From Ft. Lewis, he flew to Cam Rahn Bay,

Viet Nam. A member of the 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, he served in the combat soldier infantry, as a sniper and a “grunt.� Except for the war, the country was very pretty. The I Corps division of Viet Nam, where he was located, was broken into four corps. It was a demilitarized zone, which divided North and South Viet Nam. He served in Operation Pegasus, which was a mission to relieve the besieged Marines at Khe Sanh. Daryl enlisted in the US Army on Sept. 27, 1967.

Honorably discharged in Sept. 1971, he was assigned to a reserve unit for three years. He feels that the recognition Viet Nam veterans get today is nice, but “too little, too late.� “It would have been nice then, but it (Viet Nam) is pretty much forgotten today. Many kids 21 and under don’t even know about Viet Nam,� Daryl says. He is proud of Kings Mountain for the recognition given veterans, including the new memorial at Patriots Park. A Kings Mountain native, he attended Kings Mountain See PUTNAM, 7A

Restaurant expected to re-open with new owner Watch for the reopening of Battleground Steak House & Grill. The Railroad Avenue restaurant closed several weeks ago but a contract is expected to be signed this week with the new tenant. The restaurant will fea-

ture American cuisine, including steaks, daily lunch specials, hamburgers, chicken, seafood, pasta, etc. A grand opening is planned in the next few weeks with an announcement in The Herald.

OBITUARIES - 2A, 6A Lemeul Beattie, Kings Mountain Harry Coggins, Shelby Betty Dixon, Shelby Rev. Paul Grigg, Kings Mountain

Doris Howze, Kings Mountain Georgia Foster, Charlotte Joseph Hoyle, Kings Mountain

Ralph McKinney Jr., Shelby Freida Ramseur, Bessemer City Rachel Reynolds, Kings Mountain Donald Shelton Sr., Shelby

Reach a whole new market today with KMHerald.net Call 704-739-7496 for more information!


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