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www.KMinsure.com Volume 132 • Issue 7
kmherald.com • 704-739-7496
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
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Tornado, rain, and wind make a mess in southern parts of the city By Loretta Cozart The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed an EF-2 tornado touched down in the Dixon community of Kings Mountain on Thursday morning. Kings Mountain Police Department responded quickly, directing traffic through the area. During a week of tumultuous weather, starting with sunny 75-degree days followed with rain and high winds, tornadoes, floods and then a light snow, this has been a week many won’t soon forget. According to the NWS’s report, the tornado began near the intersection of Battleground Road and I-85 at 10:55 am on Feb. 6. Trees were snapped and uprooted along the path as it moved east near the intersection of Dixon School Road and Bethlehem Rd. Near that location, a couple homes were damaged. Just east of there, the
strongest damage was found, and four high tension electrical transmission towers were blown down. The damage suggests wind speeds of 130 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The tornado weakened as it moved east as it snapped and uprooted trees as it crossed York Road and the Gaston County line. More snapped trees were found as the tornado moved east and crossed the Kings Mountain Pinnacle and Sparrow Springs Road. The damage near Freedom Mill Road, with snapped and broken large tranches. The tornado lasted about 10-minutes, the NWS concluded. Reading the report is much like watching the radar, you can understand where the tornado traveled thanks to satellites monitoring from 22,300 miles above the Earth. But, from that distance, you can’t see See TORNADO, Page 7
The house at Dixon School Road and Bethlehem Road suffered heavy damage from falling trees. Photo by Jennifer Fite Hord
Main Street unveiling introduces citizens to downtown vision By Loretta Cozart
A crowd of interested citizens gathered at The Revolution1 coffee shop to hear about Main Street’s plans for downtown. Photos Loretta Cozart
Chamber After Hours at KM Art Center Feb. 25 The Kings Mountain Gateway Trail and the Kings Mountain Art Center will host a Chamber sponsored Business After Hours on Tuesday, February 25, 5:30 to 7 pm at the center at 301 N. Piedmont Avenue. The Business After
Hours is a networking event held the fourth Thursday of each month and hosted by Chamber Member Businesses. For more information, contact the chamber at 704.487.8521 or email info@clevelandchamber. org.
2020 Race Schedule & Winner Updates See Page 4B
Kings Mountain’s Main Street Program introduced its new economic positioning/vision through 2025 at an unveiling in downtown on Feb. 4. Mainstreet Director, Susan Matheson, welcomed those gathered at The Revolution1 coffee shop and introduced her board members, Ed Blackburn, Jim Champion, Jackie Falls, David Faunce, Iris Hubbard, Erin Jolly, and Ken Pflieger. Following a community input session held last August, the Main Street Program formulated their vision statement which
invites others to visit the “pivotal lifestyle center for the community that offers authentic locally owned shopping and dining, live entertainment venues and multi-generational housing options. Come experience the new downtown revolution!” After the presentation, four groups visited four sites of progress in the downtown district. One of the earliest downtown visionaries was Kings Mountain native, Jackie Houston Falls, who started J. Houston Properties in 2009 and purchased 203 S. Battleground Avenue. “When I purchased this See MAIN STREET, Page 2A
Woman’s Club names Smith Woman of the Year By Anne Gamble
Sunshine Smith has been a member of the GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman’s Club for three years. She is currently serving her second year of her 1st Vice President term. She has been a member of the Arts Community Service Program for two years and this year, a new member to the International Outreach Community Service Program where she has already begun talks
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with past and current members of the program on the organizations and activities the program will target this year. Sunshine is a mother of two elementary school age children and volunteers her time outside the club staying active with them. She has been a member of their school’s PTO organization for the past five consecutive years. She leads the annual Boston Butt sale for the PTO and donates 100%
of the proceeds towards the improvement of technology totaling thus far over $5000 and projected $2000 plus this year. She was a member of the decorating committee for the Blue and Gold banquet for Boy Scouts of America. She is an active member of First Baptist Church of Kings Mountain and volunteers where needed with the GA’s. Her full-time career is Director of Operations with See Smith, Page 6A
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