By Loretta Cozart

On August 5, Blessed Boutique and Consignment celebrated it’s second month anniversary at their new location at 210 East Kings Street in Kings Mountain. Destiny Lindsay operated her business from home on Walker Street for nearly two years before making the leap to lease a storefront. “I told my husband we just didn’t have any more room at home and I needed to rent space. Within 3-days, this property became available,” she said.
Downstairs, she uses two rooms for her own boutique, offering clothes, shoes, and accessories. Upstairs, she rents space and currently has 20 vendors, from consultants like Paparazzi Jewelry to Pillow Street. “We also have vendors who make their own crafts, like wreaths and tumblers. There’s all sorts of stuff,” Destiny said. “We rent space by the month and do not take a percentage of sales.” That is a good option for vendors who want
to know their fixed costs. “We’re always looking for new vendors,” she added.
The shop carries size small to 3x, so there is something there for everyone. Other items include children’s clothes, bows, jewelry, paintings, tumblers, dreamcatchers, shoes, birdhouses, wallets, accessories, pillows, candles, woodcrafts, and wall-art weaving. New items are added daily.
The shop is open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 am – 6 pm, Wednesday 10 am – 5 pm, and Saturday 10 am – 4 pm. They are closed on Tuesday and Sunday.
Destiny has lived in Kings Mountain since 2011 and graduated Kings Mountain High School in 2015. She and her husband have three children: Cooper, 7, Aiden 5, and Rosie 6 months.

By Loretta Cozart

On August 3, Kings Mountain celebrated National Night Out in a big way at Patriots Park. Kids and parents turned out to celebrate, meeting officers, deputies, and first responders, along with others from Kings Mountain who support safe communities.
Police Chief Lisa Proctor, along with other local dignitaries welcomed those in attendance and shared the importance of the night.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.
   Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.

A few weeks ago, Verizon began installation of a new cell tower to help with poor phone coverage in town. Citizens seemed surprised at the news, but the topic was discussed in January at a Public Hearing of the Kings Mountain Board of Adjustments on January 19.
According to now retired David W. Owens of the UNC School of Government, “Quasi-judicial decisions involve the application of zoning policies already established in the ordinance to individual situations--for example, variances, special- and conditional-use permits (even if issued by the governing board), appeals, and interpretations. Quasi-judicial decisions involve two key elements: the finding of facts regarding the specific proposal and the exercise of some discretion in applying predetermined policies to the situation.”
Owens goes on to share, “Both (legislative and Quasi-judicial) hearings are open to the public and are intended to solicit comments, but they have different standards for the notice required prior to the hearing, as well as for who can speak, what issues are appropriately raised, the formality with which the hearing must be conducted, and the records that must be maintained.”
The cell tower is located at 500 S. Railroad Avenue. Joel K. Harris of Baker Donelson applied for a conditional use permit for  Verizon Wireless cell phone tower requesting a variance of setback from 131.25 feet to 106.25 feet. To mitigate concerns about the tower not meeting the 75% of tower height setback, the tower has a 25-feet engineered fall-zone radius so that in the event of failure, it would fall entirely within the parent parcels.
Twenty-four companies and individuals were notified of the conditional use permit request in a letter mailed on January 6. Notices went to the applicant, the owners of the affected property, the owners of abutting properties, and anyone else required to receive notice under the ordinance.

By Loretta Cozart

On Friday, July 30, at 11:06 am, a Piedmont, LLC landscaping truck hauling equipment on a trailer behind, got caught on a cement pole at the Gold Street railroad crossing in Kings Mountain. According to witnesses, two men in the truck got out to see what got caught just as the crossing arms dropped and the signal indicated an approaching train.
The men moved away from the truck and witnesses in downtown watched as the Norfolk Southern cargo train traveling from South to North sounded its horn loudly before impacting and demolishing the truck. Along with the truck, the crossing arm and signal were pulled from the ground. Nobody was hurt in the accident.
The driver of the truck, Joseph David Bridges of Shelby, works for Piedmont, LLC, a landscaping company based in Mooresville, NC
Regarding the accident, KMPD Police Chief Lisa Proctor said, “When crossing over any crossing one must make sure that they do so in a safe manner and when you are pulling a trailer you have to allow yourself more room to make the turn based on the length of the trailer.”
She went on to day, “There are several other routes one could use in town instead of this location when you are pulling a trailer of any size. It's always best to err on the side of caution and go the extra block or two, instead of trying to cross there with a trailer.”
Preston Brown captured the impact on video, as did Grace Graham who was on S. Railroad Avenue near the intersection. Bystanders took photos of the scene and shared them with the Herald.

Full-day Festival set for August 21st

Vendor registration has officially opened for the NC BeachBlast Festival, the City of Kings Mountain’s award winning full-day Carolina Beach Music Festival scheduled for 10:00am-10:00pm, August 21st, 2021.
Vendors, who are interested, are encouraged to register at www.kingsmountainevents.com/vendor-application.
Registration for Arts/Craft/Information Vendors-$30.00. Registration for Food/Beverage Vendors-$100.00.
Space is limited. To register, vendors must agree to stay for the duration of the event.
Bring your grass table skirts, seashells and sand dollars, vendors are asked to decorate booths to match the beach theme of the event. One lucky vendor will win a Mayor’s Choice prize for best set-up.
For more information on the NC BeachBlast Festival contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101 or visit their website at www.kingsmountainevents.com/nc-beachblast-festival. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

The City of Kings Mountain looks forward to this year’s NC BeachBlast Festival located at Patriots Park. A portion of Railroad Avenue and West Gold Street surrounding Patriots Park will be closed beginning at midnight Thursday, August 19th, 2021, and remain closed or barricaded until midnight, Saturday, August 21, 2021. Please use
extreme caution when traveling on Cansler Street due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads if you are impacted by this change. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

By Loretta Cozart

Tempers flared during city council as staff, citizens, and city council shared their frustrations over communication related to the downtown Street-scape project.
Early in the meeting, City Manager Marilyn Seller announced an update of Kings Mountain’s Streetscape plan during the city council meeting on July 27. “I'm very excited to give an update on our downtown Streetscape phase two. The streetlight design has been completed, lights and poles have been selected, and
all  the materials have been quoted as of last week. The DOT responded back to our design and calculations last week and have approved with one minor change. So, we are working on that change and that should be approved soon. All the Wi-Fi equipment has been mounted in phase two. The testing is now being done and everything will be completed within the next two weeks. Documents for bidding is being gathered and will be sent out soon. We are still targeting Thanksgiving for completion, weather permitting and we receive all supplies. So, we are hoping for a Thanksgiving and are still on board with that.”
During citizen recognition, developer David Stone requested that the city consider a special committee to improve communication related to Streetscape. “We had an unofficial public meeting on May 10. The most update I’ve had in the last 90-days on the Streetscape is what Marilyn Sellers just shared right there. That’s great news, but the fact is we left the meeting expecting that as soon as you had a detailed plan, more than the detail in the lobby, that you would share it. It hasn’t occurred. We want collaboration and (what we are getting) this doesn’t work for us businesspeople. We’ve asked for more communication on Streetscape and it’s not occurring.”
“Here’s what I’d like to see. I'd like a special committee formed with two people on the council, two property owners, two business owners to oversee Streetscape from here to this completion,” he said.  “And I'm asking instead of an informal meeting with council with the business meeting, that you do a public hearing with the business owners so that everything goes on record, and we have a clear action plan for how you're going to be better transparent, communicate, and partner with the downtown business owners.  it's very clear when we talk off the record things don't get done; there's no follow up. If it takes talking on the record to get the follow up, let's do it. Inaction, that's what breeds distrust,” Stone said.
Later, during the regular meeting, Main Street Coordinator Christy Adkins asked city council to help decide between two logo designs for rebranding downtown. Her committee had a 50/50 split on which logo was better and asked for the council’s input.
Councilman David Allen asked how current business owners responded to the concepts and Adkins replied, “We have not approached a whole lot of the current business owners. We wanted to see what your thoughts were on this before we did that.” Allen said, “I would think that would be a prudent step, since we are looking for buy-in. We are looking for them to support this, so I would think we should take these (concepts) and shop them around and let’s get some feedback from them.”
Councilman Jimmy West said he agreed with Councilman Allen. “I think the business owners feel they have been left in the dark long enough. I think their input would be vital in our deciding. If we decide without their input, that would not be a good move.” Adkins was directed by council to get additional input to come to a consensus and bring it before city council again in the next month or two.
Before concluding the meeting, Councilman West reiterated his concern that downtown property owners and business feel left out on the Streetscape plan. “I think David had a great idea and I would like to see us look into that more closely to determine if we should make a committee like David recommended to keep everybody abreast. I don’t know if we can do that tonight, but I’d hate to see it fall by the wayside like the last meeting did. We need to try to meet these guys in the middle. We made a pact to do that, and we haven’t done that.”
Mayor Neisler reminded the business owners. “The city has a thing called Main Street that is our vehicle for downtown. I know we’ve been talking about these plans since 2018, so there has been plenty of time that input could have been made. We are waiting on DOT approval, which we didn’t anticipate. Otherwise, we’d be further down the road on this. The fact of the matter is there has been input and there is a vehicle we setup called Main Street where input can be done. I’d like to see it be a part of Main Street where you get together.”
West continued, “This meeting in May what we talked about doing, none of that’s been done. And I’m not saying that we dropped the ball, or they dropped the ball. It’s just, the ball has been dropped. (We should) work together as a group to be more informed.”
David Stone spoke saying, “Nobody on the Main Street Advisory Board could give me an update on Streetscape because the last four or five meeting have been cancelled. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate you saying that we have a process, but that process is broken.”
   Councilwoman Annie Thombs spoke saying, “We have a vehicle already in place, but evidently the vehicle is not working to produce the benefits that would be viable for both the property owners and the city. So, I would ask that management would come together and find out what can be done to improve the current vehicle that we have in order to make things functional for all parties concerned. This is the second time we’ve had this request and there must be a solution. You can’t solve a problem on the level of the problem. We need management to come together and fix this, so it doesn’t happen again.”
Councilman Allen reminded city council, “The mayor has the power to create an ad-hoc committee. And really what we are talking about is communication. Perhaps we could put together some communication between us and the group and involve whoever you want to, Sir. Obviously, something is not getting communicated. I put that back on you, Sir.”
  Jay Rhodes commented, “I was involved starting in 2018 and we had citizen’s involvement. We had Mr. Flowe come, and he visited with every business owner. I don’t understand what we are arguing over or complaining about. We are going to put sidewalks and lighting in and change the dynamics some. We put picture out and all we are really doing is making the sidewalks where you don’t hurt someone and get new lighting.”
Keith Miller explained that  the delay in the project was due to a change in leadership at the DOT. “The new people decided that, no, they want to slow down and look at it from their perspective, maybe get engineering studies, new requirements. So, we had to deal with new people now.”  So, there's no point in showing the public where we're at when we don't know where we're at. Because DOT could make us change a lot of things, it’s their street. Then you got the railroad right-of-way. So, my understanding is that you know the lack of information is more a function of the process sort of got hijacked by the new folks at DOT. That burned six to eight weeks and that’s where we’re at.”
Assistant City Manager Nick Hendricks asked to speak. “Gary Spangler, DOT for many, many years retired that staff totally changed. That project went from an easement to a project, which dealt with hydraulics and other processes so there has been a lot of change associated with that. There was an enormous amount of work to go into the hydraulics associated with that process.  It went from check the box on easement to a package this thick, creating all of water flow, water outlets, inflows and outflows. So, it was a huge mark to be able to get it from where we were to today.  So Gary and Richard Flowe both emailed myself Marilyn. Marilyn asked me about an update, and we did get it approved except for one minor drainage issue right here on the railroad. So, the biggest hurdle has been crossed.”
“I think it would behoove me not to say that, and I’m going to say that because I am going to support the City of Kings Mountain employees. City of Kings Mountain’s employees have always done a  tremendous job. They worked their butts off over the last many years in the downtown area. The gazebo, you’ve seen it; you’ve seen what's been done down there. The City of Kings Mountain has done a tremendous value to the downtown area and will continue to, just like we treat the downtown just like we do any other part of town. And that is a value. My office is always open, communication is two-way street process. It takes two people, any time you ask me my work, you can always come and meet me anytime, any day, and talk with me about anything you want to talk about. I work pretty much 12-14 hours a day; enjoy the conversation. Come meet with me, I give you all the updates you want to acknowledge you. The Streetscape, there has been several cancellations. Cancellations are called a product of productivity.When you have nothing to talk about, there's no use to meet. When the DOT hold you up, there’s nothing else to talk about. When you've already made the decision to pick the light you need, there's no other decision to make. It becomes a time waiting game, so there's no use to continue talking about something until there is a decision that must be made. Lastly, nothing that we do will adversely affect any business or the design thereof. We must come back to your door threshold, we must go back to where you were, and we must meet that grade. So, regardless of the design that you may be doing, could be doing, or should be doing, think about it. We're working on public right-of-way. Public right-of-way is a right-of-way that is owned and operated by the City of Kings Mountain citizens. We only can work in that area, so therefore no design or nobody to change, or we can change anything that adversely effects that. Ken Fieger can come visit me anytime he wants, bring your drawings. We’ll talk about it. But we cannot adversely affect what you have. No different than me not going down and speaking to Papa John's, He hasn't come and said, “Well, wait a minute, you’re going to upset my door.” I can’t. The law says I can only work in my area and wherever his door is, I’ve got to meet that threshold. Meaning ground down, ground over, flatten down and meet the hydraulics.
So, as for us holding up the project, that's baloney.
   I'm getting tired of getting beat up on Streetscape. We work our tails off down there, and continue to work our tails off down there, we spent more money down there, and I've always had open door policy to help anybody coming and going.  My projects prove it, and it shows. Any other comments or questions?
 Jimmy West said, “I got one. I don’t think you know; I wasn’t beating up on you personally, Nick.”
“Well, I take it that way, Mr. West, because I’m personally the Project Manager.”
“Well, I understand that” West said.
“I don’t keep nobody in the dark,” Henricks replied.
“Okay. What I asked for was to allow these gentlemen right here who own these businesses to have some input downtown. And this thing got run all around the table here for no reason. And if that offended you, then I am sorry.”
“Well, it did,” Hendricks replied.
“Well, I’m sorry that it did,” West said.
“Well, I’m sorry, it did,” Hendricks replied.
“But the bottom line is nobody came in here to kick your ass over Streetscape,” West said.
“Well, it sure felt like it did, Mr. West. It does,” said Hendricks.
Mr. West said, “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way.”
“I am sorry you feel that way, yes Sir,” Hendricks replied.
City Manager Marilyn Sellers interjected saying, “I’ll just have to say I’ve seen a lot of correspondence from staff and emails, and we have really corresponded with all the downtown business through Main Street and through different committees. Staff have reached out: I see a lot of correspondence. But we could always do better, and we will try our best in the future. I'm not sure how, because I've noticed and have personally seen the commitment and the correspondence that they have given.”
Councilman West commented, “I don't think anybody's questioning the city side of their commitment, Marilyn. I don't think that at all. I don't think these gentlemen question that. We're just trying to figure out a better way to keep people informed and for them to have their input and we are not doing that.
I know and I agree with Nick. We can’t go in there and fix their business for them. I know that; they know that. But they feel like they are kept in the dark.”
City Attorney Mickey Corry reminded everyone, “We have gotten so far off the agenda.”
Councilman West stated, “I haven’t even seen the plans downtown. So, if I’ve not seen them, I’m sure they haven’t seen them.”
Sellers replied, “We’ve not either. They have not been released from the consultant. That is what we keep trying to tell everyone. We don’t have them yet.”
Again Atty. Corry reminded city council they had strayed far from the agenda. So, Mayor Neisler asked for a motion to adjourn. Mr. Miller made the motion, and the vote was unanimous.

By Betsy Wells

The Cleveland County Commission for Women will host its twenty-ninth Distinguished Women’s Banquet on Thursday, August 26, 2021, at the LeGrand Center, 1800 E. Marion St, Shelby at 6:30 PM.  Valerie Boyd (704-813-7713) is chairing the 2021 Banquet Committee. Tanzy Wallace (704-300-5439) is co-chair.
The Commission solicited nominations from the community to find these “Distinguished Women”.  After reviewing the numerous applications that were submitted, the group selected the following women for the 2021 Distinguished Women Awards:
1. Carol Ann Hoard:  Known as The Christmas Tree Lady who has spread Christmas cheer and goodwill throughout appearances in New York on “The Today Show” & last year throughout Shelby distributing toilet paper and gift cards during the Covid crisis.
2. Lisa Proctor:  First female Chief of Police in Kings Mountain and Cleveland County. A leader in her community. Joined the Kings Mountain Police Department in 1992. Describes herself as a Christian, writer, competitive horseback rider, & cancer survivor.
3.  Terricia (Teresa) Wingo:  Known as the “Trunk Lady” throughout this area because she gives food, clothing, etc to the needy. Even the shoes off her feet if someone is barefoot and needs shoes. This is her mission in life.  A true Good Samaritan.
   Tickets for the banquet are $40 and may be picked up at the Cleveland County Arts Council on Courthouse Square in Shelby (9AM to 5 PM) Tuesday, Aug 2nd through Friday, Aug 20th.    No tickets will be sold at the door, nor will money be taken at the event. Please go by the Arts Council to get your tickets.
   Also tickets may be purchased on line at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2021-distinguished-women-banquet-tickets-163495325921. Check out the Commission for Women’s Facebook page for additional information.
   Members of the Commission are: Valerie Boyd, Tanzy Wallace, Diane Davis, Debra Blanton, Linda Martin, Robert Miller, Shirley Lail, Mary Accor, Cathy Robertson, Betsy Harnage, Patti Alexander, Joyce Coleman, Sandy Bailey, Holly Wall, Betsy Wells, and Commissioner Ronnie Whetstine.
Women who have been honored:
(1992)  * NC Senator Helen Rhyne Marvin, *Joyce Cashion, *NC Rep Edith Lutz,   *Martha Lee Scruggs, *Rosalynd Gilliatt,   *Grace Hamrick,   *Doris Borders,  Patty Dorian,   Dorothy  Edwards,    * Aileen Ford,   *Ellen Powell,    Dot Roark 
(1993)  Chinetta Brooks,     *Arrie Ellis,     * Virginia Raymer
(1994)  Marietta Floyd,  Jacqueline  Lavender,    *Thelma McVae
(1995)  Nancy Abasiekong,   Suzi Kennedy,    Linda Thrift
(1996)  Anganette Homsley,   *Dr. Lonnie Proctor,   Elizabeth Shipley
(1997)  Dr. Dottie McIntyre,  *Esther Plummer,  Kay Archer Price,   *Betty Withrow
(1998)  Julia Banks,   * Adelaide Craver,    Anne Short
(1999)  *Barbara Brock,    *Erma Drum,    Madge Wray
(2000)  *Rosaline Hunt,    Emily Ousley,      *Jackie Rountree
(2001)  Commissioner  Mary Accor,  the late Fay Webb Gardner,
             *Katie Norris,  Page Sherer
(2002)  *Beverly Shuford,    *Kathleen Hamrick,  * Ezra Bridges
(2003)  Karla Haynes,     *Brenda Page,     *Betty Roberts
(2004)  LouVerne McCray,     Jane Bryson Blake,     the late Bess Gardner Hoey
(2005)  *Betty Jean Mauney,    *Aloyse Jones,   * Annie Farley Dawkins
(2006)  Margie Christopher,       Shirley Lail,      Phyllis Sims
(2007)  Dr. Nellie Aspel,   *Lucille  Evans,    Mary Neisler  
(2008)  Shirley Brutko,  *Daeira Roberts,  * Evelyn  West
(2009)  Jo Powell Boggs, Lillie Hinton,  Zita  Roberts
(2010)  *Sybil Dixon, Jeanne Patterson, Suzette Ross, Elizabeth “Lib” Stewart
(2011)  * Lou Ballew, Helen Barrow, Elizabeth “Lib” Revels, Ruth Wilson
(2012)   Annie Mae Ross Beam, Dr.Collette Deviney, Patti Norman, Stella Putnam
(2013)   Dr Laura Bingham, Jane Cooke, Mary Degree, Dr. Jane King
(2014)   Libbey Lavender, Dr. Linda Hopper, Betsy Wells
(2015)  Dr. Shannon Kennedy,   Sharon Martin,   Marguerite Mebane
(2016)  Gaye DeVoe, Shearra Miller, Macy Stinchcomb, Rev. Frances Webber
(2017)  Doris H. Dedmon, Ramona Gash, Kathryn Hamrick, Kathy Wilson
(2018)  Tropzie McCluney, Bess-Alice Phifer,  Venita Roberts
(2019)  Susan K. Allen, Betty Gamble,  Dr. B.J. Zamora
(2020)  No Banquet--COVID
(* deceased)
   Committee Chairwomen include Valerie Boyd, 2021 Banquet Chair, 704-813-7113 cell. vrboyd@bellsouth.net. Tanzy Wallace, 2021 Banquet Co-Chair, 704-300-5439 tanzybw@gmail.com, Betsy Wells, 2021 Publicity Chair. 704-477-7024 cell betsywells@yahoo.com.
 

Urges other
agencies and
private employers
to do the same 

On July 29, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. announced that state government would begin verifying vaccination status of its workers. Employees not vaccinated are required to wear a mask and be tested at least once a week. Thursday’s announcement comes as North Carolina’s latest upswing in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is driven by unvaccinated North Carolinians.
 “Until more people get the vaccine, we will continue living with the very real threat of serious disease, and we will continue to see more dangerous and contagious variants like Delta,” said Governor Cooper.
NCDHHS updated guidance encourages private sector businesses to, at a minimum, verify vaccination status for their workers as well. The requirement for state government employees applies to cabinet agencies and is included in Executive Order 224.
All workers must either:
1. Provide proof that they are Fully Vaccinated; or
2. Be tested at least once a week for COVID-19.
All other state and local government agencies are strongly encouraged to voluntarily adopt similar policies.
“There is only one way out of this pandemic and that is vaccination. Our trends are accelerating at an alarmingly fast rate and the highest rates of viral spread are happening in areas with low vaccination rates and among those who are not fully vaccinated,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are already vaccinated, I call on you to urge your unvaccinated family and friends to get their shot now. It is not an understatement to say that you will save lives by doing so.”
The NCDHHS updated guidance reminds unvaccinated people that they need to continue practicing the three Ws – wear a mask in all indoor public settings, wait six feet apart in all public settings and wash hands often. In addition, unvaccinated people should not gather with other unvaccinated people who do not live with them. If they do, they should stay outside and keep 6 feet of distance. In addition, unvaccinated people should not travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new mask guidance this week based on levels of transmission in communities. The new maps designate counties as areas of low (blue), moderate (yellow), substantial (orange) or high (red) transmission. Moving forward, everyone in a red or orange county in North Carolina, including those who have been vaccinated, should wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Additionally, in accordance with the updated CDC guidance, all K-12 schools should require universal masking, regardless of vaccination status. NCDHHS is updating its guidance for schools to align with this recommendation.
To date, North Carolina has administered nearly 9.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 57 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. Sixty-one percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 86 percent of North Carolinians 65 and over.

On July 26, NC House Speaker Tim Moore responded to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announcement that the Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF) will now require employees at all state healthcare facilities to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30.
All DSOHF employees who are not fully vaccinated by the deadline will "be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, for unacceptable personal conduct," according to the announcement.
“I have personally been vaccinated against COVID-19, and I have done my best to help educate the public and urge others to get vaccinated if they choose to do so. But at the end of the day, the decision whether, or not, to vaccinate is a personal one and should be made between a doctor and patient. North Carolinians will not be bullied into being vaccinated against their will, particularly with a vaccine that has yet to be approved by the FDA.”
He continued, “Our healthcare workers are certainly capable of weighing the risks and benefits and can make their own decision about the vaccine. This mandate could force healthcare workers to choose between their employment and their conscience. Now is not the time to risk losing any of our healthcare workers who have been at the front lines of this pandemic.”

Downtown Wi-Fi installation began in July and will be completed by August 31 –  Shown above  is a map showing the general location of the access points and the approximate coverage area.                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Photo by City of Kings Mountain Main Street Program)
 

The City of Kings Mountain will celebrate National Night Out, Tuesda3y, August 3, at the Gazebo in Patriots Park.
This special event gives the community the opportunity to meet local law enforcement and first responders while offering food, music and a variety of family friendly activities.
Community Partners such as Safe Kids of Cleveland County and Kings Mountain YMCA, will be on hand with games and activities as well. Special guests include Cleveland Community College’s Yeti mascot and Chase from Paw Patrol.
National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen communities by encouraging neighborhoods to engage in stronger relationships with each other and with the local law enforcement partners.
Great food, fun games, inflatables and much more are available! All the fun starts in Patriots Park at 6 pm. Patriots Park is located at 220 South Railroad Avenue. Due to this special event, a portion of Railroad Avenue and West Gold Street surrounding Patriots Park will be closed beginning at 5:30pm, August 3, and remain closed or barricaded until 9:30 pm. Please use extreme caution when traveling in the area due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads  if  you  are  impacted  by this change.
For more information on National Night Out, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

By Loretta Cozart

When Mike Butler decided to open Butler’s Garage in 1995, little did he know that his son, Bryan, who was about to graduate college at UNC-Charlotte, would follow in his footsteps twenty-four years later. Mike started the business after taking early retirement from Winn-Dixie when the Kings Mountain store announced it was closing. He opened a one-bay garage at 205 E. King Street and over the years, the business expanded to three-bays.
“Opening a garage wasn’t such a far reach for my dad. His father, Claude ‘Smokie’ Butler, was a backyard mechanic who taught his  kids  mechanical BUTLER
work; they had a garage on their property. Dad started buying equipment and pretty soon he was doing a lot of the pre-work with Kings Mountain Auto Sales, getting their cars ready to sell. They kept him really, really busy. His reputation just grew from there. He always had cars in the lot and had the reputation for hiring good mechanics,” Bryan said of his dad.
After college, Bryan became a commercial relationship banker with a huge territory in western NC and worked in that field for 25-years. I did a lot of driving,” he recalls. “One day, dad came to me and said he was going to retire. Mom had retired and he was ready to do so, too. The more I thought about it, I thought maybe I could take the business, grow it, and have someone run it for me. My wife, Stephanie, was supportive of me and said we were in a good place in our lives to try and that I should go for it. When I asked dad about it, he said he thought that would be cool.”
Two years later, Bryan and Stephanie bought a lot at 404 E. King Street, just down the block from the shop’s old location. “The rest is history. I disappeared from the banking industry and started doing this. I just wish I had done it 10-years earlier.”
Mike now helps in the business. “I put dad on special projects. He’s my go-to-guy for the motors and the bigger jobs that we get around here; I don’t think I’ve ever seen him happier. To be able to work with my dad now is really great, because I had been away from Kings Mountain for a long time.”
Butler’s Tire and Auto Service currently has eight-bays, with a mechanic working in each. They shop specializes in full-service work and are one of a few in town that do. “We do everything, from tires, to engines, to transmissions. Some places won’t do valve cover gaskets, but we do it all - including tires. We are a one-stop-shop,” Bryan said. “And we keep all the work in-house.”
“We bought all-new ROTARY® equipment when we opened this shop. They are well-known for lifts and alignment machines. And we are the only shop in town with a zero entry lift, so low cars like Corvettes can drive straight onto the lift and not worry about rubbing. People who lower their cars can come here and to get alignments and things like that.”
Bryan says he focuses on customer service, offering a 2-year warranty on most repairs. “We are a good old family business with a good reputation. If someone is unhappy about something, they can just come talk with me. I’ll be glad to have a conversation with them and make it right.” Bryan said, “Our reputation is something I want to continue to build upon. That’s why we have been for around so long.”
When asked where he sees the business going, Bryan said, “I feel we are going to continue to grow. We’ve got two-acres here and have plenty of room if we want to expand. I am always looking for other ventures, like popular franchises that might be a hit here. I own the property next to me it has good road frontage on King Street. So, I keep my options open.”
   “But my first job is to make sure this place does really well. So far, it’s been really good. We are growing every month and that’s all you can ask for,” he said. “I am excited I am part of the future here. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right. I want everyone to come here and feel comfortable while they sit in the lobby. Customers can watch TV and enjoy a free water or coffee. If you have to get your car fixed, and you have to stay here, I want you to be comfortable. This is my vision built on my father’s reputation.”
When asked about the 1948 Ford he drives around town, Bryan shared the story. “We moved back to Kings Mountain about a year ago and we were looking for a house with property. We came across the Herndon residence and went to see it. That truck was in the garage. So I asked, ‘Does the truck come with the house?’” It did, and Bryan didn’t have to do anything to the truck; he drives it as he found it. “All I did was put stickers on the side and put gas in it. That’s it. It is definitely a conversation starter.”
Bryan Butler and wife Stefanie now live in Kings Mountain with their two boys, Ethan, 20, a junior at Virginia Tech, and Corbin, 9, who is in the fourth grade. One day, Bryan may have a similar conversation with his sons about taking over Butler’s Tire and Auto Service. But for now, he’s glad to be back home in Kings Mountain with his family carrying on the family tradition in a business his father started over 25 years ago.

By Kimberly Herndon,
Senior Planner,
City of  Kings Mountain
Planning Department

On Tuesday, June 29, City Council adopted the City of Kings Mountain Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The UDO provides regulations for land use and development in the City of Kings Mountain and its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. The new ordinance replaces the City of Kings Mountain Zoning Ordinance, originally adopted in December of 1996, and the City of Kings Mountain Subdivision Ordinance, originally adopted in April of 1996, and all of the subsequent amendments. These ordinances had long served the community. With changing times, it was time for the ordinances to changes as well.
   The need for a UDO came about as a result of a number of factors. In 2019, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted a complete reorganization of the state’s planning and development regulations. State standards from 1905 to present day were revised, consolidated, and clarified. The new Chapter 160D mandated that every city and county development regulation in the state to be updated by January 1, 2021. Due to the effects of Covid 19 a six-month extension was allowed, thus bringing the new deadline to July 1, 2021. The City of Kings Mountain UDO became effective on July 1, 2021 in compliance with the state law.
   The city planning staff worked with Kendig Keast Collaborative, a consulting firm known for their work in land use codes and specializing in performance zoning. Bret Keast, Principal, and Kelli McCormick, Senior Associate, worked with the city planning staff to evaluate the existing city ordinances and draft a new unified ordinance to carry the city into the future. A series of community meetings were held via Zoom and in-person. The City Planning & Zoning Board hosted public input sessions, board workshops, and participated in joint workshops with city council. Edits and public hearings continued until the time the ordinance was adopted.
   One goal of the UDO process was to make the code more user friendly and understandable. The entire ordinance was moved to EnCode Plus software. The use of EnCode allows the ordinance to be easily accessed by any from the city’s web site. The code is now a searchable document and can easily lead users to the sections in which they have interest with a simple search by topic. Reference sections appear as interactive links for easy access to charts, tables, and diagrams. Definitions are also linked to text for clarity.
    Another feature of the software is its link to the official zoning map. Once updated, users can search by property address and easily access zoning information as well as information linked to the Cleveland and Gaston County GIS databases. The map function will go live once the official zoning map is updated with the proper zoning terminology.
   The UDO replaced the old Euclidian zoning model that had been used since the 1990’s with a hybrid zoning classification system that merges aspects of Euclidian zoning with performance based zoning. In so doing, the zoning classifications were changed.
   An example of this type of update that effects residential properties is in the difference between the old Residential-10 zoning and the new Suburban Residential Classification. Residential 10 (R-10) zoning was converted to Suburban Residential (SR). The Suburban Residential (SR) classification now allows for three different development types based upon the desired character of a neighborhood. Standard lots (S) is most similar to the old R-10 designation. Cluster (C) and Planned (PL) are additional designations in this classification that allow for higher density development upon compliance with additional development standards. This approach allows housing to be addressed with residential standards, allow for clustering, and bonus techniques compatible with resource protection and quality design.
   The UDO and the related Official Zoning Map are the first steps in moving the development and land uses forward. The City of Kings Mountain and surrounding ETJ are currently experiencing record growth and development requests. Ensuring that land use compatibility is maintained, and that growth is managed in a controlled fashion are critical to community development and sustainability. Development guidelines can often be perceived as difficult or overbearing. In reality, good development is always welcome in a community and encouraged. Development increases the tax base, allows for variety of housing options, new commerce, new jobs, and quality of life.
   The UDO can be accessed on the City of Kings Mountain website on the Community Planning & Economic Development page. The link is: http://online.encodeplus.com/regs/kingsmountain-nc-update/
   The UDO and official zoning map did not make broad scale changes to zoning classifications. If your property was zoned residential prior to July 1, 2021 it is still zoned residential today. The name of the zone has changed. Some changes have been made in allowances and setbacks within zoning classifications. A table of uses is included in the UDO that outlines what uses are permitted in each of the zones. Some uses require special use permits and other uses are limited. Terms and definitions are included to provide clarity. Questions and concerns about land use and the UDO may be addressed to the planning office.
   Zoning permits, rezoning applications, subdivision requests, address requests, and text amendments will be handled as in the past. Forms for such requests continue to be available online. In the near future, these forms will be moved to OpenGov, a new online format being implemented by city staff. At that time, all new applications will come through the online portal and be reviewed by staff.
   A new zoning map will be generated in conjunction with the comprehensive plan that is being written. The City of Kings Mountain had paused its work on the Vision 2040 Comprehensive Plan due to Covid 19 and the inability to host community input sessions in person. The planning staff has restarted these efforts and will work to complete the new plan by the end of 2021/early 2022. Based upon the findings of the comprehensive plan and analysis of existing land uses, economic forecasts, development needs of the community, and supply of undeveloped land, the zoning map will be updated to meet the needs of the future of the community. Public input is welcomed as this process moves forward.

The City of Kings Mountain will welcome Shafer, who, along with Greg “Eggman” Moore and Liz Luke, was a part of Magic 96.1 FM’s morning show “Shafer and The Eggman”, as Master of Ceremonies for The Voltage Brothers concert, Saturday, July 17, 2021.
Born in upstate New York, Shafer’s radio career has taken him to St. Louis, Tampa, Cleveland, New York, and Charlotte.
Having spent nearly 25 years in Charlotte radio, Shafer is no stranger to the music scene either. In 1996, he founded the popular group, The Band of Gold. Three years later The Band of Gold was headlining Kings Mountain’s very first BeachBlast Festival. The band continues to tour.
Shafer continues to work in radio serving as a volunteer DJ on WSGE 97.1 FM, Gaston College’s on campus radio station. He also serves as Master of Ceremonies for the Carolina Beach Music Association Awards.
The Voltage Brothers concert is a part of the LIVE at Patriots Park Concert Series and Cruise-In hosted by the City of Kings Mountain. Jim Shafer will open the show at 6:00 pm. The Voltage Brothers will follow at 7:00 pm.
The Cruise-In will begin at 5:00 pm. Want to participate? All makes and models are welcome.
Food trucks, concessions, games, and beverages will be available as well.
For more information on the Concert Series or Cruise-In, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

By January Costa,
Director and Curator

Be a part of the development of KMHM! Please support the museum during this time to help us with our fundraising efforts! Proceeds go toward the everyday operations of the museum.
Every September, Kings Mountain Historical Museum hosts a fundraiser to generate revenue necessary to support our programming. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions on the museum this year, and the need to social distance for safety measures, we are continuing the reverse raffle and auction this year in an online format. The museum will not have an in-person event as we have in prior years.
This year the 18th Annual Reverse Raffle and Auction will be back to the tradition again of the reverse raffle for prizes with a ticket drawing to be posted online on September 18, 2021, through our social media. Tickets are on sale for $100 to be entered into the drawing for door prizes and the chance to win $5,000!!!
The online auction will start on September 10 and run until September 19 and is open to all bidders. You can find the auction link at:
https://www.32auctions.com/KMHMfundraiser2021
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased from Board Members, calling the museum, emailing the museum at  kmhmdirector@outlook.com or by mailing a check to Kings Mountain Historical Museum, P.O. Box 552, Kings Mountain, NC 28086.
Each ticket is $100. It also includes a 1 in 300 chance of winning the $5,000 Raffle Prize, along with other raffle items!
This event is a great opportunity for local business owners to showcase their business while investing in the community. Kings Mountain Historical Museum is currently welcoming event sponsors as well as in-kind donations for auction items. The Museum is recognized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt organization; donations are tax deductible as permissible by law.  To find out more about sponsorship and donation opportunities, please call 704-739-1019 or email kmhmdirector@outlook.com.
For more information, please visit our event page:
https://www.kingsmountainmuseum.org/annual-fundraiser You can also call (704) 739-1019 or follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Shuttle Service
to be offered to Concert/Cruise-In goers July 17th, 2021

Heavy traffic is expected in Downtown Kings Mountain, July 17, 2021 as the City of Kings Mountain hosts the third concert and Cruise-in of the summer at Patriots Park.
Roads impacted during the events will be Railroad Avenue, West Gold Street and a portion of West Mountain and South Cansler Streets. As a result, the City is offering Shuttle Pick-Up and Drop-Off at the following locations:
• First Baptist Church located at 605 West King Street, Kings Mountain
• Patrick Senior Center located at 909 East Kings Street, Kings Mountain
• Cherokee Street Parking-located at South Cherokee Street
• Parkdale Mill-500 South Railroad Avenue
Shuttle service will begin at 4:00 PM and end at 11:00 PM.
The City urges patrons to use the shuttle services as parking will be scarce in the downtown.
Motorists are urged to use extreme caution when traveling through Downtown Kings Mountain due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads if you are impacted by road closures.
For more information on the Concert Series or Cruise-In, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

The City of Kings Mountain Special Events Department will host a Concert Series and Cruise-In, Saturday, July 17, 2021. Several roads in the Downtown area will be impacted during the events. Railroad Avenue, West Gold Street surrounding Patriots Park and a portion of West Mountain and South Cansler Streets will be closed beginning 2:00 pm, Saturday July 17, and remain closed or barricaded until 11:00 pm. Further information regarding road closures is listed below.
• Partial Barricade placement will begin at 8:00 am – some roads will still be accessible during this time, but vehicles must be moved by 2:00 pm
• Additional Barricade placement will begin at 2:00 pm
• Roads closed at 2:00 pm and remain closed until 11:00 pm (ALL unauthorized vehicles will be towed after 2:00 pm)
• Arrival time for Cruise-In participants will begin at 4:00 pm with the Cruise-In beginning at 5:00 pm-Concert will begin at 6:00 pm
Participants in the Cruise-In and concert goers, must use travel from King Street to Cansler Street for access to Railroad Avenue, Mountain and Gold Streets
Motorists are urged to use extreme caution when traveling through Downtown Kings Mountain due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads if you are impacted by this change.
For more information on the Cruise-In or Concert Series, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

Mark your calendar now for this fun family-friendly event. Members from the audience perform alongside two actors (equipped with a gigantic trunk full of puppets, costumes, and props) to bring classic fables like "Tortoise and the Hare", "Lion and the Mouse", and "The Boy who Cried Wolf" to life! This program will take place at Patriots Park Amphitheatre on July 14 at 10 am.
This interactive production is sure to be a hit and leave your audience laughing for weeks. The show is full of silly comedy, interactive games, and engaging storytelling. The audience will be on the edge of their seats, laughing the whole way. You've never seen these fables presented like this before.
For questions, or to join our Friends of the Library, email info@mauneylibrary.org or call the library at (704) 739-2371. The Friends of the Mauney Memorial Library thank the community for its continued support. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Mauney Memorial Library is located at 100 S. Piedmont Avenue, Kings Mountain, NC.
For the latest in library news and events, visit www.mauneylibrary.org.  

By Anne Gamble

GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman’s Club holds its annual Indoor Yard Sale at the clubhouse was so successful, they decided to continue it this Saturday, July 10, from 7 am until noon. All proceeds go directly into our Sallie Southall Cotten Scholarship Fund.
The Woman’s Club gives a $1,000 scholarship each year to a senior boy or girl attending a 4-year university in North Carolina.
Huge variety of items from household, craft, home decor, toys, and clothing. Come early so you do not miss out on the best selections.
The GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman’s Club, and club president, Denise Cobb, invites the public to join us in raising funds for the future. “We value our students in Kings Mountain and want to support them in their pursuit of a 4 year degree at a North Carolina institution.”
See GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman’s Club Facebook page, gfwcnckm, for more information and updates.
Kings Mountain Woman’s Club is located at 108 East Mountain Street.

sino pre-launch facility in Kings Mountain opened to the public at noon on July 1, after Catawba Nation Chief Bill Harris cut a ceremonial ribbon with tribal, local, and state government leaders.
The 500-slot temporary facility was built in only four months using prefabricated modular structures on part of a 17-acre site just off Interstate 85, about 35 miles west of Charlotte. The facility, which will be open 24 hours daily, is providing an initial opportunity for patrons in the Charlotte region and beyond to game with limited food and beverage services and other guest amenities.
For the Catawba Nation, July 1 opening represented the culmination of three decades seeking to finally benefit from the federal service area of six North Carolina counties, including Cleveland County, that it was assigned by Congress in 1993 to recognize the tribe’s aboriginal and historical ties to the state.
“Catawba Two Kings Casino represents the righting of a historical wrong for the Catawba Nation,” Chief Harris said. “But it is also so much more. It represents a prosperous future and renewed kinship between the Catawba Nation and the many communities that now occupy Catawba ancestral lands, including Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, and the State of North Carolina.
“For many of us, it represents a bright future – a future with more jobs and educational opportunities. We are thankful for the relationships that have been created in each community, for our partnerships with Delaware Casino
North and SkyBoat Gaming, and for the invaluable leadership that came from local officials in making this project a reality,” Harris said.
Harris was joined at the ribbon cutting by Catawba Assistant Chief Jason Harris, Catawba Council members and Catawba Gaming Commission officials, state and local government officials and representatives of Delaware North, the Catawba’s consultant on the casino project, and SkyBoat Gaming, its developer.
“What an exciting day it is to finally get this entertainment complex open,” Kings Mountain Mayor Scott Neisler said. “It brings so many positive aspects to our community -- job creation, new housing opportunities, support for the Catawba Nation, and a significant economic impact to our community for years to come.”
About 250 people, including a significant number of Catawba Nation members, are employed at the pre-launch facility. It also created construction jobs in the region, with more to come when construction begins on an introductory phase of the $273 million full casino resort.
“This new entertainment facility is another step in creating jobs and economic benefits by making Cleveland County a destination for people throughout the Charlotte region and beyond," Cleveland County Commissioner Johnny Hutchins said. “We thank the Catawba Nation and its partners for seeing this through and look forward to the casino resort’s continued development.” 
Construction on the introductory phase – which will be part of the permanent casino and feature an additional 1,300 slot machines, restaurants, and other amenities – is expected to begin by year’s end and will take about a year to complete. The full casino resort project is expected to create 2,600 permanent jobs at full buildout and thousands of construction jobs in the region.
“Delaware North is incredibly proud of our partnership with the Catawba Nation,” said Lou Jacobs, CEO of Delaware North, the project consultant. “Two Kings will be a world-class destination for hospitality and entertainment, as well as an enduring driver of economic opportunity for the region. We are grateful to everyone in Kings Mountain, Cleveland County and the state of North Carolina who helped to make today’s ribbon cutting possible.” 
The Catawba Nation’s Tribal-State Compact with the State of North Carolina will allow the state to share in revenues generated by the new casino. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s approval of the compact earlier this year allows the Catawba to conduct Class III gaming, including operating slot machines and table games.
In March 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior, following a thorough, years-long review, took 17 acres of land into trust status in Cleveland County, North Carolina, for the Catawba Nation. The action recognized the Catawba Nation’s historical and ancestral ties to its aboriginal lands throughout North Carolina, as evidenced by names such as Catawba County and Catawba College, as well as in the six counties, including Cleveland County, specifically identified by Congress as part of the Catawba’s service area. The compact with North Carolina acknowledges this connection to North Carolina as well.
In addition to creating revenue for the State of North Carolina, the casino will help support an education fund that will benefit environmental conservation, provide educational support for members of federal and state-recognized tribes, support local communities on economic development initiatives, and foster employment opportunities on or near Catawba lands.

By Loretta Cozart

During the June 29 City Council meeting, Sergeant Keith Davis was awarded his service weapon and badge by Mayor Scott Neisler in anticipation of his retirement on Wednesday, June 30.
Sgt. Davis began his employment with the Kings Mountain Police Department on June 7, 2000, as a Patrol Officer.  On June 25, 2001, Sergeant Davis transferred to the COPS Division. On July 22, 2002, Sergeant Davis moved to the Patrol Division and on September 26, 2008, he was promoted to Corporal.  He remained in the Patrol Division until January 24, 2020, at which point he was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to Lake Patrol and has remained in this position since that date, performing a very dedicated and dutiful service.
“As Sergeant, Davis was a dedicated public servant having conducted himself in a professional manner, earning the respect of those with whom he served, and those he was entrusted to serve, contributing to the betterment of his department and the community as a whole,” said KM Police Chief Lisa Proctor.
It is customary to present an officer with 20 years or more of service with their service weapon and badge worn and/or carried by him.

Celebrate our nation’s independence in an all-new way as the City of Kings Mountain presents Red, White, and Boom! On Saturday, July 3, the City will produce two events simultaneously to honor our country on its 245th birthday and you get to choose which celebration you and your family will attend.
Bring your family to Patriots Park in Downtown for food trucks and inflatables. DJ Tony Cutlass will MC the event from Liberty Falls Amphitheatre. Cleveland County’s own ACE Party Band will take the stage at 6:30 pm. For the first time ever, an amazing patriotic laser light show will take over Patriots Park at 9:45 pm.
The City of Kings Mountain will present their signature, unrivaled fireworks display at 9:45 pm as well from the Deal Park Walking Track (located behind the YMCA) with music that syncs to your radio at 101.1 FM.
Whether you choose to celebrate from Patriots Park (220 South Railroad Avenue) or the Deal Park Walking Track (211 North Cleveland Avenue), Red, White and Boom! in Kings Mountain will be a blast.
Many roads within the city will be impacted during this event including Battleground and Railroad Avenues, Cansler, Gold and Mountain Streets in our Downtown, Hwy 161/Cleveland Avenue, and surrounding side streets. Please use extreme caution when traveling these roads due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads if you are impacted by this change. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
For more information on both Red, White and Boom celebrations, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com/red-white-boom. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

By Loretta Cozart
After years of speculation and discussion, the long awaited Catawba Two Kings Casino, located at 538 Kings Mountain Boulevard, opens to the public on Thursday, July 1. The pre-launch facility, as it is known, is not a permanent facility but one that is intended to get things started.
The 14,700 sq. foot prelaunch facility is being constructed from 23 modular units placed side-by-side to form one large space containing 500 slot machines. The gaming area is about 14,700 square feet and the administration area is about 4,200 square feet. The remaining six units will be used for an administrative area and for restrooms.
The smoke-free facility will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will provide a snack bar, service bar, with an outside area for food trucks and dining. Parking for 650 cars will be available with a capacity of 1,100 people. Smoking is not allowed inside the venue but will be allowed outside in designated areas.
The next phase of construction, called the introductory phase, is slated to begin in January. This phase marks the beginning of vertical construction and will house approximately 1,360 slot machines when completed. The projected timeline for this phase is approximately one-year and should be finished in 2022. A parking garage will be constructed to provide parking for construction workers, to be followed by patrons to Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort once construction is complete.
The final phase of the casino project will include a hotel, table games, and a resort, but no timeline has yet been set as to when that phase will begin. When completed, the total investment estimated by the Department of the Interior is $273 million dollars.
Lead consultant for Delaware North Chuck Kilroy announced that approximately 260 people were hired during two job fairs held in May at the LeGrand Center. “We hire people with upbeat personalities who have connections to the community. People think that working in a casino is like what you see in movies, like Ocean’s Eleven. It’s not. The people that work in casinos are real people who go home; they coach little league, and they lead Girl Scout troops,” Kilroy said. It is estimated 2,600 people will work in Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort when construction is complete.

Band to appear
at Liberty Falls
Amphitheatre,
July 3, 2021

Cleveland County’s own ACE Party Band will highlight the City of Kings Mountain’s Red, White and Boom Celebration scheduled for July 3, 2021 at Patriots Park.
For the first time ever, ACE will appear at Liberty Falls Amphitheatre performing music from all genres spanning over the past 50 years, from Beach and Motown, to Top 40s, Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, and Country.
Bring your lawn chair, but be prepared to dance! This diverse group of talented musicians is guaranteed to get you up on your feet.
The Red, White and Boom Celebration will begin at 6:00pm with ACE Party Band taking the stage at 6:30pm.
Patriots Park is located at 220 South Railroad Avenue, Kings Mountain.
For more information on ACE Party Band or the Red White and Boom Celebration, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com.red-white-boom. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman's Club holds its annual Indoor Yard Sale at the clubhouse this Saturday, June 19, from 7 am until noon this Saturday. All proceeds go directly into their Sallie Southall Cotten Scholarship Fund.
The Woman's Club gives a $1,000 scholarship each year to a senior boy or girl attending a 4 year university in North Carolina.
Huge variety of items from household, craft, home decor, toys, and clothing. Come early so you do not miss out on the best selections.
The GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman's Club, and club president, Denise Cobb, invites the public to join us in raising funds for the future. We value our students in Kings Mountain and want to support them in their pursuit of a 4 year degree at a North Carolina institution.
See GFWC NC Kings Mountain Woman's Club Facebook page, gfwcnckm, for more information and updates. They will be posting pictures of special items that will be on sale Saturday.
Kings Mountain Woman’s Club is located at 108 East Mountain Street.

By Loretta Cozart

On Tuesday, June 8, William Donald (Don) Crawford received his 80-year gold pin for his service to the Piedmont Council and the Battleground District of Boy Scouts of America. At the ceremony, Kirk Setzer, Director of Field Service for the Piedmont Council, presented Don with a framed certificate and gold pin.
“Boy Scouts of America, Piedmont Council, presents this certificate in honor of William Donald Crawford for his 80 years of dedication and service to scouting and the Piedmont Council. The youth we serve today will lead us tomorrow,” Setzer said. “In my 28 years of scouting, I don’t believe I have ever awarded an 80-year pin!”
Donald Crawford became a Boy Scout in 1940 and earned his Eagle rank in 1948. At the age of 11, Crawford joined Troop 5 as a Cub Scout and picked up rocks for 5 cents an hour to pay for his uniform. The rocks were used to build the Scout clubhouse at the southeast corner of Cansler and Walker Streets. The rock house is now a private residence.
Governor Mike Easley honored him with the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest award to a civilian, in 2006. He is also recipient of the Silver Beaver award, the Order of the Arrow, and Charles Bell award, among many others.
He retired from the US Post Office at Kings Mountain after 22 years after serving as a US Postal Inspector in 1964 and then working as a clerk. He was employed by the National Park Service eight years, including six years at Cape Hatteras National Seashore at Manteo and two years at Kings Mountain National Military Park.
During his long tenure in scouting, he has served Kings Mountain District, Piedmont Council, Battleground District, and Tidewater Council as a Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, wood badge Scoutmaster, assistant district commissioner, assistant Council commissioner and member of the Piedmont Council executive board to name a few of the positions he has held.
He has attended 10 national Boy Scout Jamborees. In 1973 and 1977 the national jamborees were held at Morane State Park, PA. He attended as a representative of the National Park Service on the conservation trail and was the Mountain Man firing a flint lock rifle, telling the difference of life then and now. He helped develop a living history program on the site which is still used by the National Park Service at Boy Scout Jamborees.
A life member of Boyce Memorial ARP Church, he previously taught Sabbath School, was Sunday School superintendent, and a past chairman of the board of deacons.
 In April 2016, the Piedmont Boy Scout Council honored Crawford with the distinguished National Eagle Scout Association award at a banquet at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory.
Crawford received the Dr. Charles Bell Award at the third annual Friends of Scouting dinner on April 27, 2000, at First Baptist Church. East School was recognized for its contribution to Scouting through its successful Cub Scout program.
That year, Pack 93 was honored as a “Quality Unit” for two straight years. Ninety-eight percent of all registered scouts advanced within the Pack, and over 80% regularly attended their Monday meetings at East School.
Crawford has a legacy of leadership in Kings Mountain, from scouting to his work, religious, and charitable life. His work with youth has impacted thousands who knew him personally, or through the funds his charitable work impacted.
Crawford continues his service to the Piedmont Council of Boy Scouts and is an Executive Board Member.

City Manager Marilyn Sellers announced during the May City Council meeting, “The City of Kings Mountain is very proud to announce that the water transmission loop system project is complete. The inspections have been performed, valves turned on, and water is flowing as I speak. This is a monumental accomplishment that has been a 40-50 year goal of past management, water directors and consultants.”
“This sets the City’s reliability standards at a whole different level and a definite economic development driver. We have seen a lot of accomplishments overs the years – too many to list – but this has to be in the top five. We will have some type of ceremony/ribbon cutting to celebrate such a historical event with the date to be announced later. Thank you to our current and past staff along with consultants for the great work in seeing this through to its completion,” she said.
The Complete Water Distribution Project, which made this loop system project possible, cost approximately $40 million dollars and includes the expansion of the T.J. Ellison Water Plant from 8.0 MGD to 12.0 MGD production (and designed to be easily expanded without major infrastructure cost), installation of 8 miles of 36” water transmission line, and encircles the entire water distribution system totaling 15 miles of 12” to 24” water line. The majority of the funding was through interest-free loans, state grants, private development, and current rate payers/users. The last stage of ‘the project that included the transmission loop system was approximately 1.0 million dollars.
All customers will benefit from the loop system. The primary advantage will be to reduce water outages due to multiple water feeds. The City can now isolate each section of the system to keep water supplied to their customers during a line break. Customers will notice improved water quality due to removal of dead ends on the system with improved circulation and there will be consistent water pressure throughout the city now that they have looped the water lines together. The system all allows for increased capacity for future economic development.
The looped system will reduce water outages significantly by having multiple ways to supply water to the community. All customers will experience the same flow, quality, and pressure. The transmission lines are the backbone of the water system, and this is in excellent condition and according to the DEQ Local Water Supply Plan considering the anticipated growth. The city should be poised to serve present and future customers until at least year 2050. The City will continue to address aging distribution lines in top priority areas of the City through the capital improvements plan.