See Page 3B Volume 129 • Issue 43
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
kmherald.com • 704-739-7496
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Greenway joins Chase ends with man City staff fatally shot by police Balancing growth while protecting those things that Kings Mountain people hold dear is the goal of Eric Greenway, the City of Kings Mountain’s new Director of Planning and Economic Development. Greenway comes to Kings Mountain from Bryan County, Ga., and his first day on the job was Monday when he met co-workers in Planning and Zoning on the second floor of City Hall and shared goals with City Manager Marilyn Sellers and Mayor Scott Neisler. “I sense the community pride and your pride in the history of Kings Mountain and I am excited and looking forward to working with businesses and all citizens to grow Kings Mountain,’’ he said. With 24 years’ experience managing, directing and administering programs related to finance, land use, infrastructure, real estate development planning, entitlement, and permitting, he is a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a South Carolina licensed real estate professional. For Greenway it’s like coming home. He grew up around the Kings Mountain area and his mother, Judy Greenwood, still resides in the York/Clover, SC area in the McGill Store community. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Secondary Education Minor from Winthrop College and a Masters degree in Secondary Education with emphasis in the Social Sciences from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. Most recently he served
ERIC GREENWAY as a private planning, entitlement and land use consultant involved with large land use and economic development projects in the low- country of South Carolina. He assisted Keystone (Huger, South Carolina), Volvo (Berkeley County), and Adams Outdoor International Mercantile and Sunoco through the entitlement, development agreement drafting, and the permitting processes. In the Fall of 2015, he was engaged by the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Thomas and Hutton Engineering to assist with bringing the Volvo project in Berkeley County, which had encountered community opposition and regulatory roadblocks. In less than 10 days, the project was back on track and continues to stay on course as the project moves forward. He also worked since February 2016 with Bryan County, Ga, the 22nd fastest growing county in the US, to develop a State of Georgia compliant planning program and inspections department including supervising the development, See GREENWAY, Page 7A
A chase across state lines and three counties in which multiple shots were reportedly fired at officers ended with the suspect shot and killed Thursday morning by police in Kings Mountain. Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, Gaston County Police, York County Sheriff’s Office, State Troopers with the N. C. Highway Patrol, Clover, SC police and Kings Mountain Police Department were all involved in the incident which ended on Highway 161 near US 74 on Branch Street. The Special Bureau of Investigation has not completed its investigation but has identified the man killed as 26-year-old Matthew
Allen Whitley, of Jim Patterson Road. He died about an hour after the vehicle chase began around 8 a.m. on Shannon Bradley Road in Gastonia following a report of a hit and run. Troopers reportedly spotted the suspect vehicle and tried to get the driver to pull over but he refused, instead leading them for several miles before crossing over into York County, SC. Troopers reportedly tried to perform a PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) and the suspect fired a shot. The trooper was not hit. Once in York County the suspect rammed a police cruiser, then fired at officers while driving in reverse. Law
enforcement followed the suspect back into North Carolina and into Kings Mountain where the pursuit ended around 9 a.m. on Cleveland Avenue. Officials confirmed the suspect got out of his car on Cleveland Avenue firing at officers. “He took off up a hill on Branch Street toward Lighthouse Church, firing shots over his shoulder as he ran,’’ according to Kings Mountain Police Chief Jerry Tessneer. “He came around the church in the grassy area and pointed a gun at my officers Ptl. Chris Tate and Ptl. Josh Bryant,’’ he said. Tessneer said that both Tate and Bryant are on paid administrative leave while
the State Bureau of Investigation investigates the case, a standard procedure in police-involved shootings. He said SBI agents recovered body camera footage from Kings Mountain Police and dash cam footage from multiple agencies involved in the chase. The SBI will present evidence to Cleveland County District Attorney Mike Miller, who will then review the case to determine if any charges will be filed. A portion of Cleveland Avenue was closed by police most of the day Thursday and a Kings Mountain fire truck was used to block the crime scene and highway as investigators worked the case.
100 years old today
Helen’s golden years full of memories ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com
Helen Williams Bullock was driving her own car at age 97 and teaching a Young Adult class at First Baptist Church. She will celebrate her 100th birthday Wednesday (today) and friends from far and near will come to First Baptist Church from 2-4 p.m. to help her celebrate. She doesn’t know the party details but she is looking forward to seeing everyone including her great nephew from Minnesota and friends from Alabama, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, NC. “I am excited,’’ said the silver-haired Kings Mountain native, born on a farm, graduated in 1934 from
HELEN BULLOCK Central High School and earned her degree in Home Economics from Woman’s College in Greensboro. She taught home economics for 32 years but recalls that her service as a WAC during World War II was her big goal and adventure in life.
“I joined the Army and was turned down one time but I kept on until I served my country at the age of 24 as a WAC,’’ said Helen, who was stationed in Virginia in the Army’s communications division. Although she was instructed not to say what she did, her discharge papers would later state that she served in intelligence. Helen served from January 1943 to May 1945. In 1944 she married Welford Bullock who served in the US Navy in the Pacific Theatre of Operations during World War II. In 1992 the Bullocks returned to Kings Mountain and home. Helen is the daughter of the late Wray and Emma May Ware Williams. Her brother was the
late Toby Williams. There were four children in the Williams family and she describes the location of the family farm “as where Watterson Street stops. Her immediate family lived to old age, she said, Mr. Bullock died in 2003 at the age of 90 and she is surviving member of her family. The trick to staying young – and Mrs. Bullock belies her age – is to “stay busy, get involved in the community, and keep your mind active.” A resident at White Oak Manor, Mrs. Bullock works puzzles, listens to books on recordings, bird watches (a woodpecker has joined other birds at the feeder See HELEN, Page 7A
Great Pumpkin
Halloween Parade Tuesday at 10 a.m. Calling all Ghosties, Ghoulies and Scary Wee Beasties! The City of Kings Mountain will host the annual Great Pumpkin Halloween Parade Tuesday, Oct. 31. Come dressed in your best costume and march downtown to Patriots Park. Children are invited to gather at the City Hall Plaza, 101 W. Gold Street, at 9:30 a.m. to line up. At 10 a.m. the foot parade will be led by Mayor Scott Neisler on a route to the Gazebo at Patriots Park for post-parade activities. Kings Mountain Main Street Special Events De-
File Photo by Gary Smart partment, Mauney Memorial Library’s Harris Children’s Department, in cooperation with Dance Magic Studio, Cleveland County Childcare Connections and Partnership for Children will provide entertainment, games, Halloween stories, songs, singalongs and fun for all. The Kings Mountain Police Department and the
Kings Mountain Fire Department will have a patrol car and a fire truck on display. Local merchants are encouraged to dress in costumes to greet the children along the parade route. Tables will be provided at Patriots Park for businesses to use to give away candy and treats. Afterwards, children and parents are welcome to stay and play, have a picnic lunch or dine in one of the convenient downtown restaurants. The parade will start at the City Hall Plaza and continue to Battleground Avenue, Mountain Street and South Railroad Avenue and end at Patriots Park. For additional information call 704-734-0333 or visit www.cityofkm.com
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HOMECOMING QUEEN – Paloma Detloff was crowned Kings Mountain High School Homecoming Queen for 2017 at half-time of Friday night’s Homecoming football game at John Gamble Stadium. She is pictured with her father Stanley Detloff. See more Homecoming pictures in today’s Herald on page 8B. Photo by GARY SMART
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