Hans Kissle Company, a fresh foods manufacturer, will create 219 new jobs in Gaston County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $42.2 million to build a food manufacturing facility in Apple Creek Corporate Center.
“North Carolina’s agricultural and manufacturing legacy continues to attract growing companies to counties like Gaston,” said Governor Cooper. “Our skilled workforce and great quality of life are key ingredients for our thriving manufacturing industry.”
Hans Kissle manufactures a wide variety of high quality fresh prepared foods for supermarkets and foodservice customers throughout the United States. Since opening as an in-house commissary for a Massachusetts grocery chain in 1984, the company now serves a menu of 700 items, including premium entrees, delicatessen salads, side dishes, quiches and other great tasting,
fresh ready-to-eat foods, to a broad range of retail customers. Hans Kissle’s expansion to the Southeastern United States will increase production and distribution capacity for its food items and add approximately 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
   “We are excited to be able to expand production to meet the growing demand for our premium products from consumers and retail partners in the Southeast,” said Scott Moffitt, CEO of Hans Kissle Company. “Gastonia is a thriving community with a talented workforce, and we are proud to put down roots and call it home for our new facility. We look forward to bringing great jobs to the community and being a positive contributor in many ways.”
   “It’s no secret that North Carolina is the special ingredient for growing food companies,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “With the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast and the third largest state in the nation for food and beverage processing, Hans Kissle’s decision is a strong signal to other food companies that North Carolina is a great place to do business.”
   The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the state’s efforts to support Hans Kissle’s location to North Carolina. Altogether, the average annual salary for the new positions meets Gaston County’s average annual wage of $42,018. The project could create a potential annual payroll impact of more than $9.2 million each year.
   Hans Kissle’s project will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $599 million. Using a formula that considers the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $2,156,400 spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.
   Because Hans Kissle is locating to Gaston County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 2, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $239,600 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities across the state finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.
   “This is another great win for our region and state,” said N.C. Senator Kathy Harrington. “We welcome these additional jobs and investment for Gaston County and look forward to seeing what Hans Kissle will grow here.”
   “We welcome Hans Kissle to North Carolina,” said N.C. Representative John Torbett. “This announcement is yet another example of how Gaston County has a winning recipe for successfully attracting companies across all industries.”
   In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, the North Carolina Community College System, Gaston College, Gaston County, the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, the City of Gastonia, and Rutherford Electric.

Kings Mountain Little Theatre, Inc. and corporate sponsor Harris Funeral Home announce performance dates for “Four Weddings and an Elvis.”  Director Wendy Walega encourages everyone to make plans to see this adult comedy by Nancy Frick.
Final performance dates are this weekend: Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, May 22 at 3:00 PM at the Joy Performance Center in Kings Mountain
Please contact the theater regarding ticket information at tickets@kmlt.org or by calling 704-730-9408. Tickets may be purchased online at www.kmlt.org or at the box office one hour before showtime. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.
Only KMLT season members may make reservations at tickets@kmlt.org or by calling 704-730-9408. Reservations must be made at least one day in advance of the performance you wish to attend.
You are cordially invited to attend “Four Weddings and an Elvis”
Sandy, the four-times-married-three-times-divorced owner of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, has certainly seen her fair share of matrimonies! In this hilarious show, we witness four of her funniest and most memorable:
1. Bev and Stan, who are getting married by the King himself as revenge on their exes.
2. Vanessa and Bryce, two arrogant aging stars who are tying the knot as a publicity ploy and are vexed by an aging Elvis who doesn’t know who they are.
3  Marvin and Fiona, two people who met online and who are trying to get married before the police arrive!
4. And the final, most touching wedding of all – Sandy’s fifth and final wedding to the love of her life!
The Cast: Bev – Jennifer Dockery; Stan – Greg Dixo; Sandy - Estelle Grabert; John – Chad Spurling; Lou - Jim Champion; Vanessa – Dawn Rickus; Bryce – Kevin Burke; Marvin - Michael Medlin; Fiona – Sara Corbin; Fist – Robert Owens; Paulo – Derek Rickus and Ken – guest star.
Kings Mountain Little Theatre, Inc. is a volunteer based, 501c3 tax-exempt community theater. It owns and operates the Joy Performance Center and the Liberty Mountain Garden. It is a funded affiliate of the Cleveland County Arts Council and is supported in part by a Grassroots Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency.
Kings Mountain Little Theatre, Inc. is a volunteer based, 501c3 tax-exempt community theater. It owns and operates the Joy Performance Center and the Liberty Mountain Garden. It is a funded affiliate of the Cleveland County Arts Council and is supported in part by a Grassroots Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency.
For more detailed information, please visit www.kmlt.org or the Kings Mountain Little  Theatre Facebook page.

​​Kings Mountain area voters will go to the polls Tuesday, May 17 and poll watchers say chief interest in the Primary are local and county races.
Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
Polling places inside the city are KM North, Patrick Senior Center, 909 E. King Street, and KM South at Mauney Memorial Library, 100 S. Piedmont Avenue. Other polling places: Bethware- Bethlehem Baptist Church Activities Center, 1017 Bethware Road; Oak Grove Baptist Church fellowship hall, 1022 Oak Grove Road; Grover Town Hall, 207 Mulberry Road, Grover; Waco, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 235 AW Black Street, Waco, KM voters in the Gaston County area of Kings Mountain, vote at the Patrick Center or Crowders Mountain Church.
The city election, where incumbents Mike Butler, Ward 2 councilman seeking a 5th four year-term, and Tommy Hawkins Ward 3 councilman, seeking a 4th four-year term, is shaping up to be the race to watch. Butler is challenged by Patty Hall and Hawkins is challenged by Jim Larson.
Cleveland County voters will also decide at the Primary election whether businesses can sell beer and wine countywide.
County Commissioners voted unanimously  on  Nov. 2, 2021, to put beer and fortified wine sales on the ballot to give businesses in unincorporating areas to have the same opportunities to sell in their businesses as the other 11 towns and cities in the county.
Eleven candidates are vying for four seats open on the county board of education and four candidates are running for two open seats on the board of commissioners.
In the board of education race, Meghan Hoppes, Democrat, is challenging the three incumbent Democrats Philip Glover, Coleman Hunt, and Dena Green, all of Shelby, while Republicans in the Primary are Aaron Bridges, incumbent Danny Blanton, Annette Fain, Ronnie Grigg all of Shelby, Dale Riviere Kings Mountain, Walter Scott Spurling of Lawndale and Glenda Womack, of Mooresboro, all Republicans.  The Primary voters will determine candidates on the ballots in November.
No Democrats are running for county committees. The number of Democrats was insufficient to require a Primary election. The three incumbents Philip Glover, Dena Green, and Coleman Hunt and Meghan Hoppes, challenger, will appear alongside the four winners of the Republican Primary election on May 17.
In the board of commissioner’s race David White of Shelby and Malarie Thompson, Lawndale, are challenging incumbent Republicans Deb Hardin and Doug Bridges, both of Shelby, in the Primary. Voters at the. The Primary will determine which two candidates will be on the ballots in November.
If a second Primary is needed it will be on July 5. The general election is scheduled for November 8.
Jeff Gregory of Cleveland County was one of 7 people filing for the US House District 10 Congressional seat.
Seventy-six candidates filed for local, county, state, US Senate, US House, Court of Appeals and NC Supreme Court Associate justices during the filing period from Feb. 24-March 4.

Candidates running for election in the Kings Mountain City Council, County Board of Education, and County Board of Commissioners were asked to submit their platforms to share with our readers. Their answers are below. Candidates are listed alphabetically.

CITY COUNCIL
WARD 2

MIKE BUTLER
I am asking for your support and vote on May 17. I have lived in Ward 2 for 50 years with my wife, Kathy. I will work for you to serve your problems with the city.
New Economic Development includes the following:
• City council approved agreement with Equus Partners for a new 100,000 square foot building for a new industry.
• City council approved agreement with Benestar Brands new 125,000 square foot building, 129 jobs at $41,969 average salary.
• City Council state approved grant for Cryton renovation of 114,815. Square feet, 10 new jobs
• City Council approved matching grant to Appalachian Gear company downtown showrooms and plant, up to 25 jobs.
•  City Council approved agreement with TKCMLC new 1,200,200 square feet industry building.
• Biscuitville and Starbucks on York Road, both completed.
Thank you for your past and continued support. If you need a ride to vote, please call me.

PATTY HALL
“I take any job I undertake seriously and that’s my pledge to voters in Ward 2 if they elect me,’’ says Patty Hall, candidate for Ward 2 city commissioner.
Since September 1993 Hall has been head of the City of Cherryville Water Department and has served and certified for over 20 years as an examiner of tests submitted by water treatment plants.
“I have a great staff at the water plant, and I don’t ask them to do anything I can’t do,’’ she added. During her career in the water treatment industry, she also worked for six years at the Bessemer City water plant. For over two years she worked with Division of Social Services working with disadvantaged children.
Patty and Stanley Hall were married in 1977. They like to spend time with family and spoil their nieces and nephews.
    The Halls are active in Tabernacle Baptist Church.

CITY COUNCIL
WARD 3

TOMMY HAWKINS
A lot of good things are happening in Kings Mountain for all of us and I want to continue to be part of the excitement while working with council and staff to see those projects successful and bring the best quality of life for all our citizens.
I thank you for your friendship and support as I have served 12 years as representative of Ward 3 on City Council and I ask for your continued support and friendship.
   I was born and raised in Kings Mountain and my wife, Kay, and I raised our three daughters here and they have given us three precious grandchildren.
Educated at Kings Mountain High School and Gaston College, I am retired after 42 years with Campbell Soups and am operating my own business, Tommy’s Birdhouses. I have been a member of First Wesleyan Church on N. Piedmont Avenue for 58 years and active in Kings Mountain’s Chapter of Gideons International.

JIM LARSON
Born in Memphis and later relocating to Ohio, Jim married his high school sweetheart Penny. Now married 41 years, Jim and Penny have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. The family home is within Ward 3 in Kings Mountain.
Jim served 11 years in the military serving in the United States Marine Corps, honing his leadership skills, and studied at Coastal Carolina University and Eastern Carolina University while stationed in the Carolinas. Since leaving the Marine Corps, Jim has had a 37-year career in advanced technology working in a variety of engineering field service and sales roles.
For the last 22 years Jim has worked for the Walt Disney company as a leader in their critical facility organization. Jim was a member of the core team that selected Kings Mountain as the location for Disney’s largest technology center. Jim has been the site’s operations leader.
   Drawn to Kings Mountain’s charm and attributes, Jim moved his family to town in 2012 and became active members of Central United Methodist Church and leads the church-wide Sunday School class at Central. He enjoys hunting and spending time with his family.
“Kings Mountain offers so much to the residents and visitors and it’s where my family calls home,’’ says Jim. He says he looks forward to serving the community as the Ward 3 representative to Kings Mountain City Council.

BOARD OF
EDUCATION

DANNY BLANTON
• Our teachers and students come first.
• I will be transparent with taxpayers.
• I vow to closely monitor spending and ask questions to get answers for taxpayers.
• I believe curriculum should be personalized to meet individual student needs including preparing them for entry into the workplace.
• Being a leader sometimes requires making difficult decisions. I will approach them with common sense for our teachers and children’s best interest and safety.

AARON BRIDGES
• My name is Aaron Bridges, born and raised in Cleveland County.
• I am a parent, a concerned citizen and graduate of Cleveland County Schools.
• I see the direction of the Educational System in America and it has motivated me to run here for our local school board. I see other school systems across the US and want to ensure Cleveland County gives our students the best educational experience possible. I want my children and the children of Cleveland County to have the resources they need at their disposal to help make them successful.
• I am one individual attempting to make a difference and will work to the best of my ability if elected to the Board of Education.
• Please vote for Aaron Bridges for Cleveland County Board of Education in 2022. Thank You.

ANNETTE FAIN
• I WILL be your voice for the children that come first, for the parents to be heard and for the educators.
• I WILL put an end to CRT/TSEL and SEL and make sure the 3R’s and our factual American History stories are taught.
• I WILL make sure our students are served nutritional meals and make sure all schools follow the same policy manual for Cleveland County Schools.
• Take a chance to make the change! Vote for Annette Fain for the Cleveland County Board of Education.

RONNIE GRIGG
• Make that change May 17. Our children come first! Your vote is your voice.

DALE RIVIERE
• I Serve God.
• I served 7 years in the US Marine Corps.
• I serve as a baseball coach at the local YMCA.
• I serve on international mission trips.
• I serve as a husband to my beautiful wife.
• I serve as a father to my incredible children.
• I want to serve our school system and community.
I will bring sound and logical leadership to the Board of Education and work together with our existing members to accomplish what is best for our children. I promise to be a champion in parent choice based on my faith in Christ and the morals and ethics that I have held true to since becoming a servant of God. This school system means so much to us (Cleveland County) residents and with a Board of Education that can work together for good we can put the job of teacher into the teacher’s hands, the job of staff into the staff’s hands, and the job of parents in parents’ hands like it should be and move past politics into common sense decisions and making for the well-being and education of our students, our children.

WALTER SCOTT SPURLING
Walter Scott Spurling is a native of Belwood, NC. He graduated from Burns High School in 1985 and Nashville Auto Diesel College in 1986. In November 1987 he entered the US Army, completed basic training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri and Advanced Individual Training at Redstone Arsenal, Fort Belvoir, VA (where their oldest son, Lee, was born), Germany (where their youngest, Dustin, was born), Fort Eustis, VA, Japan, and Hawaii.
Walter has been to many countries in the Middle East, including England, Poland, Austria, France, Turkey, Iraq, just about all the countries in the Middle East, South Korea, Australia and more.
He retired on Jan. 1, 2014, and returned to Cleveland County. He taught at Crest High School for 3.5 years and is currently teaching at Cleveland Community College.

GLENDA WOMACK
I am a Christian Mom who wants to protect all the children from the craziness that’s sweeping our nation.
I believe that:
• Schools should be open with no mandates for masks or Covid shots to attend.
• Every student should be taught History from a viewpoint how and why we became the greatest nation on Earth and worth defending.
• Parents need to be involved by knowing what their child is learning and attending board meetings to express their concerns for the schools and their children.
• People should be judged by their character and not the color of their skin.
The name “Restroom Roy” on bathrooms, if  so named, should be changed to make them unmistakably understood the difference in which God made us.
• Support the teachers to create a good work environment for them to teach.
Born and raised in South Carolina, I graduated from Crest High School and USC Spartanburg with BS in Business Administration. I became a stay-at-home Mom after the birth of our second child. John Womack and I have been married 16 years and our three children will be attending Boiling Springs, Elementary, Crest Middle and Crest High next school year. We live in Mooresboro.  Our family is active in Camps Creek Baptist Church,
Many parents across the US are battling obstacles concerning their child’s education, and some schools closed. Children got behind in their studies. Students were indoctrinated at all levels with critical race theory to further divide races, peoples, and religion. Gender identity issues have been promoted in such a way that rules have been made that cross the line and create unsafe places for kids to thrive.
I decided to run for the school board to give parents a voice in the decision making of our board. I ask for your vote at the polls on May 17.

BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS

DOUG BRIDGES
   It is an honor to serve as a Cleveland County Commissioner. I have been involved in many programs to make our county a better place.
   Economic development, public safety and community wellness are only a few of the services. We weathered a pandemic, recreated new jobs, adopted a land use plan, and cut taxes. We have made our county stronger but there is still work to do.
Please vote for Doug Bridges for County Commissioner.

DEB HARDIN
From a dying county in 2016 to topping 100,000 in the census released in 2021, Cleveland County continues to prosper. Even with prosperity we still have work to do.
Public safety is of utmost importance. New construction added a new EMS base in Casar. The very first day 9-1-1 received a call of a pediatric seizure. The response time was 2 minutes.
Open market for commercial waste haulers is now a reality, ending a one hauler franchise. We now have 16 haulers participating.
Economic development from December 2018 to December 2021 was over 265 million and created over 1,000 new jobs.
Manufacturing continues to grow, and we hope to focus not only on blue collar but white-collar workers as well.
County taxes were cut 3.25 cents, below revenue neutral in 2020.
I would like to thank the citizens of Cleveland County for trusting me to serve this term and I am hopeful with your vote and support to continue working for you, making Cleveland County a better place to live, work, and play.

MALARIE THOMPSON
I am a Christian Conservative Republican looking to represent all voices in Cleveland County.  I will put the needs of the community first and invest in our current county residents. I am a resident of Upper Cleveland County and will work to represent the views of our townships and unincorporated areas. I truly care for our community and keeping our county heritage strong. Vote Thompson for Cleveland County Commissioner.

DAVID WHITE
It would be an honor for me to serve as County Commissioner for Cleveland County.
•If elected, I promise to listen to the people of this great county and do my best to serve you.
•I would like to see a growth in economic development throughout the county while supporting our local businesses.
• I would also like to see an increase in our promotion of bringing more tourists to this beautiful county we live in.
• Further, I would like to dig deeper into finding funding for programs that help support local farmers and continue to support our recycling program.
•  I also believe that our future, the youth of Cleveland County, need programs to provide them with the skills and education to thrive in this world and to become upstanding adults.
• I firmly believe in being transparent with anyone and I would appreciate your vote on May 17th.

The founders of a fake “hedge fund” appeared in court today and pleaded guilty to federal charges for orchestrating a $4 million Ponzi scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S.  Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Austin Delano Page, 26, of Grover, N.C., pleaded guilty to wire fraud, and Brandon Alexander Teague, 26, of Belmont, N.C., pleaded guilty to securities fraud. U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler accepted the defendants’ guilty pleas, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of NC.
   North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall, Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney King in making the announcement.
See GUILTY, Page 5A
From Page 1A
According to filed plea documents and the plea hearings, from October 2020 to December 2021, Page and Teague engaged in an investment scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors, some of whom were at or near retirement age, of more than $4 million. Court documents show that the defendants falsely represented to victims that Page and Teague were running a hedge fund in Kings Mountain, N.C., D&T Investment Group (D&T), that invested in various securities, including stock of well-known companies like Apple. Contrary to representations made to victim investors, D&T was not a hedge fund and it did not hold any securities licenses or registrations. Also, Page and Teague were not licensed to sell securities and did not have a background associated with the sale of securities. In fact, prior to orchestrating the investment scheme the defendants sold campers.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Page and Teague required investors to sign, among other documents, an investment contract with D&T. These documents contained false information, including that D&T would guarantee 100% of the investors’ initial investment, and that investors would receive 70% of the trading profits. In reality, the investors’ money was not guaranteed, and the purported “profits” investors received were Ponzi-style payments, whereby the defendants used new investors’ money to make payments to existing investors. To cover up the fraud, Page and Teague sent victim investors monthly statements that reflected fictitious trading gains. When certain investors and D&T employees began to question the legitimacy of D&T’s operations, Page created fictitious screenshots of various financial accounts that reflected inflated D&T account balances. For example, Page created a fake screenshot of a D&T brokerage account that reflected a balance of over $16,000,000, when in reality the account had a balance of less than   $7.00.
   Contrary to representations made to victims, their money was not generally invested in securities. In addition to making Ponzi payments to investors, a significant portion of the funds was used to pay excessive salaries and other compensation to D&T employees, including to members of Page’s family. For example, Page paid several D&T employees annual salaries of over $100,000 and also paid certain employees several thousand dollars each for getting the D&T company logo tattooed on their bodies. The defendants also squandered victims’ money on personal expenses such as clothing, jewelry, travel, luxury car rentals, and to make cash withdrawals.
   On December 2, 2021, as the fraudulent scheme was collapsing, the defendants traveled to Italy. On the same day, Page informed D&T employees, who did not know that D&T was a fraud, that they would be closing the company. The pair was arrested on New Year’s Eve at JFK Airport in New York upon their voluntary return to the United States.
   The defendants were released on bond with home detention and location monitoring following the plea hearings. Page pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Teague pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date for the defendants has not been set.
   In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the Securities Division of the North Carolina Secretary of State, the FBI and USPIS for their investigation of the case.
   Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, oversees the prosecution.

By Lib Stewart

Early voting for the May 17, 2022, Primary Election begins Thursday, April 28 at 8 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at the H. Lawrence Patrick Senior Life & Conference Center, 909 East King Street, Kings Mountain.
The hours are 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturday, May 14, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Elections Director Clifton Philbeck reminds that all Cleveland County registered voters are eligible to vote in the upcoming May 17 Primary election. Two parties - Republican and Democrat - have primary elections, the City of Kings Mountain has a municipal election and Cleveland County is holding a beer and wine referendum.
Philbeck reminds that the Republican and Democrat Primaries are semi-closed which means that registered Republicans must vote a Republican ballot, registered Democrats must vote a Democrat ballot, registered Libertarians must vote a non-partisan ballot, registered Unaffiliated can choose a Republican or Nonpartisan ballot. 17-year-olds can vote in the May 17 Primary if they are 18 years old by November 8, 2022. 17-year-olds cannot vote in the non-partisan races – Kings Mountain municipal election or Cleveland County beer and wine referendum.
The deadline to register to vote and make any changes to current registration is April 22 at 5 p.m. with the Board of Elections. If someone misses this deadline, they will be allowed same day to register and vote and make changes during early voting.
Deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, May 10, 2022, with the Cleveland County Board of Elections, 215 Patton Drive, Shelby, NC 28150.