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Volume 132 • Issue 8
kmherald.com • 704-739-7496
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
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Early voting underway KINGS MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL Photo by Loretta Cozart
Cleveland County Schools reach agreement with KMHS transgender student By Loretta Cozart On Feb. 11, Cleveland County Schools reached an agreement with a transgender student who identifies as male and has stage four kidney disease. The student and his parents sued Cleveland County Board of Education, Superintendent Stephen Fisher, and Kings Mountain High School Principal Julie Rikard last month. Prior to his freshman year, the student and his mother advised the school that he would be transitioning to a boy and asked the school to allow him to
accommodate his request to use boys’ restroom. His request was denied, and the student was told to use the girls’ restroom. After beginning testosterone treatments in his sophomore year, the student asked to be allowed to use the boys’ room a second time. The school instead allowed him the use of a single-stall staff restroom. The student and his family proceeded with the lawsuit. In a statement released by Cleveland County Schools Superintendent, Stephen Fisher, he said, “Pursuant to a court order signed by a judge, a student
who had been using single stall private restrooms was been given permission to use the student restroom of their choice.” “A final order for the matter was signed by Judge Bell earlier this month and the case has been dismissed. The finalized order provides summary details of the dismissal,” he shared. According to the dismissal order, the agreement does not change the school’s policy and does not establish a precedent going forward.
Early voting for this year’s Primary election continues every weekday from 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. through Feb. 28 and on Saturday, Feb. 29 when polling closes at 3 p.m. at the Kings Mountain Fire Museum, 269 Cleveland Avenue. On the local level is a Republican Primary for school board and board of county commissioners. On the ballot for county commissioner are Republicans Johnny Hutchins, Kings Mountain; Ronnie Whetstine, Shelby; Robbie Morgan, Fallston,
Newton Barrett, Casar; Matthew Canipe, Rodney Fitch, Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Shelby; and Ron Humphries See VOTING, Page 7A
Trail Ranger, Cliff Laurich, opens the dam so the accumulated water could run-off. This dam caused water to run across part of the trail. Photo Shirley Brutko
Industrious beavers dam stream at Gateway Trail By Loretta Cozart
This house next to Dixon Presbyterian Church lost its roof, carport, and a storage room. Photos provided
Thomas McNeilly, Casar, and Dennis Davis, Lattimore. Running for school board from the Republican party are Dawn Rowland, Junie
Six new beaver dams have sprung up along a narrow stream beside Kings Mountain Gateway Trail’s Foote Tail, on the south side of I-85. Trail Ranger, Cliff Laurich, opened the dams so the accumulated water could run-off. Beaver construct dams on flowing water to back it up so that it becomes deep enough for them to swim.
Beaver build a lodge of sticks that has an underwater entrance. With few natural predators, beaver can thrive and multiply anywhere there is water and ample food. According to North Carolina Wildlife Commission, the beaver were nearly trapped to extinction because their fur was highly sought after for hats and clothing. They were a vital part of the economy during
the 1800s. The last recorded native NC beaver was recorded in 1897. In 1939, 29 beaver were relocated to North Carolina from Pennsylvania. By 1953, more than 1,000 of their offspring inhabited seven counties. Today, beaver can be found in every county in the state. According to NC law, beaver may not be livetrapped and relocated. Trapped beaver must be released or euthanized.
Tornado cleanup continues By Loretta Cozart The Dixon community was hard hit when an EF-2 tornado touched down on February 6 before lunchtime. Six tornados were reported in North Carolina that day, but those living along Dixon School Road suffered the heaviest damage. One week later the cleanup has begun, but things aren’t back to normal. The four toppled high-tension electrical transmission towers have been replaced and the
teams of repairman have gone. Only the muddy ground filled with tire tracks hint at the level of work that took place there last week. Dixon Presbyterian Church’s roof has been repaired, but trees remain toppled all around the building. A red dumpster remains out back, a telltale sign that work on the interior continues. The home next to the church lost most of its shingles, a car port, and attached storage room. A tarp covering the roof until assessments can be made and work begins. Just down the block, the home on the corner at Bethlehem Road lost its
porch and fence to falling trees. Just beyond that, a barn was destroyed. The tin roof was lifted off, shredded, and cast about the area. Huge Oak trees were toppled over. Those that weren’t toppled lost their huge limbs that became projectiles in the wind. Areas off Dixon School Road also suffered damage to a lesser extent. On Wells Road, huge Oak trees had been cut and stacked like cord wood. A small house with roof damage was covered in blue tarps, with tree limbs piled nearby. The Dixon School Road community is slowly rebuilding. Friends and family have come together
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This huge tree adjacent to the Dixon Presbyterian Church, fell away from the building. to repair and rebuild. Eventually all the repairs will be completed and the
tornado a distant memory. The outward signs of damage may be soon gone, but
the frightening moments of that day may linger a lifetime.
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