Kings Mountain Herald
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Volume 125 • Issue 9 • Wednesday, February 27, 2013 • 75¢
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INSIDE Beauty & The Beast.... 3A
1B
Drug Bust
Drivers are feeling the pain at the pump
Over 3,000 pills confiscated
By Alan Hodge
On Friday, Feb. 15, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, along with Agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Seand N.C. curity Department of the Secretary of State, conducted an undercover operation, making a controlled delivery of prescription medication. The medication was shipped illegally into the Cynthia Sandlin US from outside the country, to 105 Mail Rd., Kings Mountain. The
Special to the Herald Alan.bannernews@gmail.com
See DRUG BUST, 7A The gas price at Battleground BP in Kings Mountain Tuesday morning was $3.84 per gallon. Photo by BETH BROCK
Just when drivers thought their wallets were getting a bit of relief at the pump, gas prices are on the rise once again to the highest levels in months. Just over the past few weeks, gas prices in our area have gone up nearly 30 cents per gallon with the average price for regular unleaded hovering around $3.75. Unleaded premium is over the $4 a gallon mark at around $4.05 a gallon. “This is the 33rd day in a row that we’ve seen a consecutive increase,” said AAA spokesperson Nancy White. Back on December 20, gas prices were at their lowest point in quite a while
at “just” $3.22 a gallon for regular. In 2012, the highest gas prices were recorded on April 6 when a gallon of the precious liquid hit a yearly high of $3.91 a gallon. For folks who care to travel across the South Carolina state line for a few cents off their gas purchase, the price down there is hovering around $3.35 a gallon. Local drivers are steamed over the price hike. Rodney Huffstickler was at Rollins 76 station on Hickory Grove Rd. and smells a conspiracy. “Everybody in Washington has stock in oil,” he said. Vicki Cauthen was also at Rollins. “People won’t be able to get to work because of the prices,” she said. “It’s See FUEL COSTS, 7A
How does it feel to be hungry? Service dog sniffs out trouble ELIZABETH STEWART
Students take part in 30 hour famine BETH BROCK beth.kmherald@gmail.com
Over 100 area students learned how hungry feels this past weekend. Starting at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, these kids fasted for 30 hours in order to see exactly how it feels to be hungry. The students were from area middle and high schools, and the fasting event was sponsored by World Vision. In Kings Mountain, Central United Methodist hosted 78 students from First Presbyterian, First Baptist, Central United Methodist, Patterson Grove Baptist, and Bethlehem Baptist churches. Grace Christian Academy hosted students from the school, Christian Freedom Baptist Church and some of the students’ friends from other churches. Participants brought in donations ranging from $15 to $100. They had been asked to raise money by sacrificing things such as tea at lunch, extra sweets, etc. During the 30 hours of fasting, the kids were allowed as much water as they wanted, and had juice on a regular schedule. They were presented programs on hunger around the world, and in the US. During the 30 hours, the students worked on projects to help others–the kids from the Central United Methodist group volunteered at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Shelby, cleaned up at the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail, played Bingo and socialized with See HUNGRY?, 7A
Grants bring new industries to the area Recent local and county industry job announcements have landed five industries with North Carolina One grants totaling more than $1 million. The amount of money received is based on the job creation of the company. Incentive agreements from the city and county drive the job creation. The five companies receiving the state grants are: Baldor Electric, $400,000; Schletter, Inc., $630,000; Kings Plush, $56,000; STEAG Energy LLC, $50,000; and Greenheck Fan Corp (Kitchen Ventilation) $150,000.
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Brianna Rochford, 12, and her brother, Connor, 16, have a new four-legged friend. The jet black female service dog, delivered to the Rochford home at Woodbridge Thursday, is four months old, and answers to Claddagh, the Gaelic name for friendship, loyalty and love. She will shadow Brianna wherever she goes and her incredible nose will help Brianna keep her blood sugar in range. Connor Rochford, who got his much-wanted driver’s license in December 2012, just found out that he carries the Type I diabetes gene two weeks ago and will be checking his sugar just like his sister. They
were each diagnosed with juvenile diabetes after separate bouts with the flu. Claddagh won’t be going to Kings Mountain Middle School with 7th grader Brianna this school year, but by next school year she should be fully trained to accompany her young mistress in any environment. Their parents, Jacquie and Jim Rochford, said Claddagh showed them a few days ago just how quickly she picks up on the smell of blood. Brianna, who has operated her own insulin pump 4-1/2 years and checks her blood sugar up to 10 times a day, had checked it 30 minutes before the dog arrived. The reading was 112, which is a normal glucose level. Claddagh started licking and pawing
Brianna (right) and Connor Rochford with their service dog, Claddagh. (when they touch you with their reading again and it was a high paw) and Brianna took the See CLADDAGH, 7A
Book Club set to celebrate 100 years! ELIZABETH STEWART lib.kmherald@gmail.com
Not many clubs and businesses celebrate 100 years. The Thursday Afternoon Book Club is an exception and will kick off its century mark with a grand opening of the city’s first Little Free Lending Library in a little red caboose library box Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at the KM Arts Center at the Depot. The Book Club was started by a group of women in 1913 and is thought to be the oldest social club in Cleveland County. Meeting every month, club members from the beginning have read and passed on books to others. A recent program whetted their appetite for a small lending library going up in front of the Arts Center in collaboration with Southern Arts Society. Club President Susan Champion credits Erin Broadbent, Superintendent of the Kings Mountain National Military Park, as the inspiration for the project. An avid reader, Broadbent told them about the website little free lending library.org and all 20 members got excited. A
story about the long history of the book club, a group picture, and listing of 10 books from the club’s reading list is featured in this month’s edition of “Our State Magazine.’’ Champion said members contacted artist Camiel Brad-
shaw and woodworking expert Ben Hubbard and the first Little Free Lending Library took shape. Hubbard created the design from dimensions outlined on the Library Lending website and has fashioned a 12x14 caboose and wheels secured on a
See BOOK CLUB, 8A
Hundreds of Cedar Waxwings returned to Kings Mountain last week to feast on the holly berries of the trees that line Battleground and Railroad avenues. The hungry flocks are flying back and forth downtown, showing off their daring and dazzling aeronautics for visitors and filling the air with high, thin whistles. Photo by ELLIS NOELL
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4x4 with sliding front doors and knobs to open for books which will be displayed by club members for the reading public. Bradshaw has painted the caboose fire engine red. A sign on
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