We Can Save You Money!!! ©CommunityFirstMedia
704.739.3611
106 East Mountain Street Kings Mountain, NC 28086
www.KMinsure.com Volume 130 • Issue 7
kmherald.com • 704-739-7496
February 14, 2018
ALAN NORMAN
TIM MOORE
DOUG BRIDGES
RONNIE WHETSTINE
EDDIE HOLBROOK
MITZI McGRAW JOHNSON
75¢
TED ALEXANDER
November election
7 candidates file Monday on first day of filing GORDON AND AMELIA BLALOCK Photo contributed
Love is key to wedded bliss ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com
The Valentine love bug bit Gordon and Amelia Blalock in the 7th grade. He autographed her picture: “When you get married and have twins don’t bother me for safety pins.” The childhood sweethearts married on Dec. 22, 1961. The bride was 18 and the bridegroom was 19. Daughter Kem was followed by twin brothers, Kent and Keith Blalock. Every Valentine’s Day since and during their 56 years of married life, the Blalocks count their blessings for their three children, six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren with a 12th baby expected soon and for their scores of friends including their church family at Love Valley Baptist Church where the young children affectionately call them MawMaw and Paw-Paw. In this day and time wedded bliss often incurs challenges along the way. The
Blalocks are examples of how couples can live together in a give and take situation and happily. “We have always been too busy for problems,’’ said Mrs. Blalock, the former Amelia Stroupe of Gastonia, daughter of Dot Stroupe, who recently celebrated her 95th birthday, and the late pro baseball player Wink Stroupe. “And we’ve been Christians all our lives and our children and grandchildren serve the Lord,’’ said Mr. Blalock who said he was saved 48 years ago and his family is rooted in the church and missions. The grandchildren are Brittany Lindsay, Lindsay Perry, McKenzie Ballinger, Zack, Riley and Kylie Blalock. The great-grandchildren are Ethan, Micah, Faith and Charity Lindsay, Reese, Rhett, Ragan and Rowen Perry and Malachi, Emily and Katie Ballinger. Son Keith and his wife, Tracy, parents of the Blalock’s six grandchildren, See LOVE, Page 7A
City gets high marks in annual audit Auditors gave the City of Kings Mountain an unmodified opinion after the annual audit by Martin Starnes and Associates, and Jill Vang, auditor- incharge, stated at the recent city council meeting that the ‘’City staff has been very cooperative.’’ Chris Costner, Finance Director, presented a power point presentation of highlights of the annual audit for FY 16-17 ending June 30, 2017. He presented key financial results from the audit among them being the fund balance as it pertains to the General Fund as well as highlights concerning the City's enterprise (utility) funds.
Mr. Costner was very pleased to report that not only did the City receive a ‘’great audit but there were no findings or audit adjustments required as a result of the audit. ‘’ City Manager Marilyn Sellers praised the Finance Director and staff for their expertise and dedication. " I am very proud of the direction the City is headed and by being proactive we have placed the City in a great position for future growth," she said. ‘’ I am very pleased with staff maintaining adequate fund balance for the protection of our citizens" stated Mayor Scott Neisler. The city has received clean audits for a number of years but ‘unmodified” means an even higher mark for the city.
Seven candidates on the first day of filing for the Nov. 2018 election threw their hats in the ring for various offices. Sheriff Alan Norman, who filed for a third term, was greeted by 150 supporters who watched him sign in at the Cleveland County Board of Elections Monday. “There are no words
to say how I feel. I love being Sheriff and serving the people,’’ he said. Kings Mountain’s Tim Moore, Speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives, filed for the seat he had held in District 111 for 10 years. Three members of the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners filed. Eddie Holbrook, who
filed for a third term and is currently chairman of the board, and Doug Bridges and Ronnie Whetstine, both of whom were appointed to fill the unexpired terms of the late Ronnie Hawkins and Jason Falls, who stepped down to serve as interim county manager. Mitzi McGraw Johnson filed for another term as
Clerk of Superior Court and former Shelby Mayor Ted Alexander filed for the new Senate District 44 seat to represent all of Cleveland County, along with Lincoln County and a portion of Gaston County. Senator David Curtis, of Lincolnton, is also seeking the District 44 seat. Filing ends at noon on Feb. 28.
2 weekends at the Joy
Earhart show opens Feb. 23 by KMLT Eddie and Mona Hinson have been honored as Cleveland County YMCA Family of the Year. Photo submitted by KM YMCA
Hinsons are YMCA Family of the Year Eddie and Mona Hinson are the Cleveland County YMCA Family of the Year. The Kings Mountain couple, who have been active for 16 years at Kings Mountain Family YMCA, received the award at the Cleveland County YMCA’s annual banquet recently at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Shelby. At the local Y they take every group exercise class, volunteer in numerous Y events, participate in the annual Jingle Bell Rockin’ Run and give every year to the Y’s ‘We Build People Campaign.” Both retired, Eddie started exercise classes with his wife before he retired from a chemical plant in Charlotte and before that they were both active in the Kings Mountain Community Center, now the home of the Kings Mountain Family YMCA. The Hinsons have two daughters. Amanda and husband, Morris Maines, of Concord and Susan and husband, Kevin Randall, of Kings Mountain. Their pride and joy are the two grandsons, Preston and Logan Maines. The Hinsons are active in Bethlehem Baptist Church.
You may laugh and you may cry but Women’s History Month is the perfect time for “Amelia Earhart, Flights of Fancy,’’ the upcoming Kings Mountain Little Theatre drama about a great American icon for women everywhere. With nine days remaining for rehearsals until the show opens Feb. 23 for two weekends of performances Director Jim Chandler is busy directing a large cast of local actors and actresses at Joy Theatre. Play dates are Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23 and 24 and March 2 and March 3 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. Libby Hawkins is sponsoring the show in memory of her husband, Ronnie See EARHART, Page 7A
Joyce Orlando of Shelby as Amelia Earhart and Erica Carpenter of Kings Mountain right, as Elinor Smith in the upcoming performance of “Amelia Earhart, Flights of Fancy” which opens by Kings Mountain Little Theatre at the Joy on Friday Feb. 23. Photo provided by KMLT
Big send-off and farewell for National Guard Saturday A big send off and farewell ceremony will honor the North Carolina Army National Guard’s 878th Engineering Company deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m. at B. N. Barnes Auditorium on the campus of Kings Mountain High School. The public is invited. Gregory A. Lusk, Major General, NCARNG and Adjutant General, said attendance at this ceremony would be a visible sign of support, not only for the Unit, but for all members of the North See FAREWELL, Page 7A
NC Army National Guard’s 878th Engineering Company being deployed to Iraq. File photo
For Dental Implants Locally Here In Kings Mountain
Baker Dental Care Preventative, Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry
703 East King Street, Suite 9 Kings Mountain, NC www.BakerDentalCare.com
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