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Volume 130 • Issue 18
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May 2, 2018
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Voters go to the polls
May Primary Tuesday EDDIE HOLBROOK
THREE SENIORS AND SERVICE DOGS – Brianna Rochford, left, with Claddagh, Mackenzie Ramsey with Violet, and Tyler Withers with Bingo can be seen on the campus of Kings Mountain High School on any given school day. The service dogs are best friends and lifelines of their young masters and will be going to college too in the fall. Photo by LIB STEWART
For 3 KMHS Seniors
Service dogs are Lifelines The trio of service dogs on the campus of Kings Mountain High School are a lifeline for seniors Brianna Rochford, Mackenzie Ramsey and Tyler Withers. First and foremost for the dogs are meeting the needs of their young masters and then air, water and food – in that order. Mackenzie Ramsey suffered her first epileptic seizure in class last April. Violet, a beautiful white Lab, is her constant companion, day and night. Violet sleeps with her and if there’s trouble she whines. Brianna Rochford chose the name Claddagh for her beautiful black Lab because the name means love, friendship and loyalty and he is all those attributes. Brianna was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at age seven and Claddagh has saved her life more than once. When her blood sugar gets out of range, the dog whines and if asleep he awakens her with his paws on her back. “He’s
always a sniffer,’’ says Ramsey. Tyler Withers, diagnosed with diabetes Oct. 2, 2007, became life-long buddies with Bingo April 22, 2012. Bingo, a beautiful black Lab, got his name because it means ‘on the spot’ and that’s Bingo. “He’s saved my life more than once too, whining and using his paw to wake me up,’’ said T yler. Bingo doesn’t go to school every day. He protects his master from home most of the time through his sense of smell, alerts Withers’ Mom and she calls the high school. Tyler says the dog can alert him to any changes five miles away from his classroom. All three seniors can tell stories of how they cope beautifully with challenges that began for them at a young age and how they are excelling in high school and planning for college. Mackenzie is the daughter of Sean and Stephanie Ramsey. She plays soccer
Day of Prayer Thursday A community-wide National Day of Prayer service will be held Thursday, May 3, at 12 noon in front of Kings Mountain City Hall sponsored by the Kings Mountain Ministerial Association. The 67th annual observance is on the theme “Unity” based on Ephesians 4:3 “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Mayor pro tem Rodney Gordon will give the welcome and preside at the service conducted by ministers of the Kings Mountain Ministerial Association. Prayers for the community and nation will feature the service which will also include special music. “You are invited to be part of this time of prayer as we join fellow citizens across America in crying out for God’s help, direction, healing and unity upon our beloved nation,’’ said Rev. Ron Caulder, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church and Ministerial Association President.
and has signed with Spartanburg Methodist College to play soccer and will major in Early Education. She wants to teach first grade. At KMHS she has also been active in the Art Club and FCA. Brianna Rochford, daughter of Jim and Jacquie Rochford, plans to attend Wingate University and major in Biology and Pre-Medicine. Cheerleader two years and a soccer player last year, she is active in Art, Interact and Beta Clubs at KMHS and is a champion Irish dancer at Connick School of Irish Dance in Charlotte. She performed solo dance as a competition in the Irish Nationals. She is a Youth Ambassador for the American Diabetes Association. Brianna’s dog became her best friend when she was in the 7th grade. Like her classmates Tyler Withers and MacKenzie Ramsey, she says her service dog “is See SERVICE DOGS, Page 7A
CHRIS GASH
TODD McINTOSH
GINA COLLIAS
PATRICK McHENRY
Kings Mountain area voters will go to the polls in the May 8 Primary Tuesday and the winners will face- competition in the November CHARLENE JEFF TED KELLY general election. HIGH GREGORY ALEXANDER HASTINGS Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and Grove Road; and Waco at registered under. Unaffiliated close at 7:30 a.m. The Kings Mountain area Waco Community Volunteer voters can pick whether they polling places are: Kings Fire Department, new build- want to vote in the RepubliMountain North at the Patrick ing, 421 S. Main Street, in can or Democratic Primary. The names of 11 RepubSenior Center, 909 E. King Waco. Board of Elections Direc- licans and three Democrats St.; Kings Mountain South at Mauney Memorial Li- tor Clifton Philbeck says that will be on the ballots to be brary, 100 S. Piedmont Ave.; typically non-presidential pri- given to voters. The four runBethware precinct at Bethle- maries only have a 10-15% offs are hotly contested, and hem Baptist Church Activi- turnout in Cleveland County. several Kings Mountain area ties Center, 1017 Bethlehem He added that North Caro- residents are among the canRoad; Grover at Grover Town lina features a semi-closed didates and challengers. Gina Collias, of Kings Hall, 207 Mulberry Road, primary system. Voters regGrover; Oak Grove precinct istered as Republican and Mountain, a lawyer, is the at Oak Grove Baptist Church Democrat can only vote in the See PRIMARY, Page 7A Fellowship Hall, 1022 Oak Primary for the party they are
City Council moves ahead to fill Ward I position The person who is selected by city council to fill the unexpired Ward I seat held by the late Rev. Howard Shipp will serve until the position goes up for re-election in November 2019. City Council last Tuesday unanimously approved the application process and said the new councilman will take office after July 1 which is the beginning of the new fiscal year. Applications are to be hand-delivered to City Clerk Karen Tucker at City Hall by
12 noon on Thursday, May 31. There are no exceptions to the deadline. The three-page application is on the city’s website at www.cityofkm.com and at City Hall, 101 West Gold Street. The requirements are that the applicant must be a United States citizen at least 21 years of age; have not been convicted of a felony, of if they have, they have completed their sentence including any probation or parole; and have been a resident of Ward I for at least 30 days
prior to the date the vacancy occurred. The signed application grants permission to the City of Kings Mountain to conduct a police, court, and records investigation of the applicant. All applications received will be distributed by the City Clerk to each Council member for their review by email or placed in mail boxes at City Hall, as preferred by each member. See SEAT, Page 7A
Showcasing New Financial Planner student talent The Kings Mountain High School Theatre Department is producing something completely original - a new works festival showcasing the talent of young writers, directors, performers, designers, and technicians May 4, 5, and 6. Tickets for the show at B. N. Barnes Auditorium are $5 and can be purchased at the door or by visiting www.kmhsarts.org. Cleveland County Schools Renaissance Gold Card holders and children five and under are free. Students were given the opportunity to write 5-15-minute short plays, find directors, cast actors, rehearse, and produce shows See STUDENT, Page 7A
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Move over men! In an industry dominated by males Amy Byars-Harmon is the new fiAMY nancial p l a n n e r BYARS-HARMON in town, a challenging profession she has mastered with ease and efficiency for 14 years. The new Kings Mountain businesswoman admits that attracting women to the financial profession remains
a huge challenge but those who’ve found their calling are determined to tackle it. The industry remains dominated by men at a time when professions like medicine and law are evenly split between men and women. Amy opened her office March 19 at 219 S. Battleground Ave. Suite 5 and she and her husband Tommy Harmon, the city’s Assistant Fire Chief, moved April 17 to Kings Mountain and live in the Woodbridge community. They are newlyweds, married last December. The door of her new of-
fice reflects Amy’s interest in Kings Mountain heritage and the Battle of Kings Mountain. She has redesigned a silhouette of Kings Mountain with the word Revolutionary and her profile. Her renovated office includes photographs of women patriots of the Revolutionary War including Betsy Ross, another “Winds of Change” and awards from Metropolitan Life as “New Agent of the Year” and’’ Associate of the Year’ and’’ Agency Builder of the year’’ award from New York Life. She works with clients See HARMONS, Page 7A
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