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704-466-6008 Volume 134 • Issue 33
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
kmherald.com • 704-484-1047
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NC BeachBlast Festival at Patriots Park this weekend, Aug. 19-20 Come and join the fun at Patriots Park Gazebo on Saturday, August 20.(Photos provided)
Contests, Performances and Beach Ball Drop August 20 at Patriots Park Splish Splash! We are going to have a BLAST! Contests, dance performances and much more are back at the NC BeachBlast Festival presented by Two Kings Casino, Saturday, August 20. Tiny Tots ages 6 and
under can enter to take part in the Tiny Tots and Teenie Bikinis Contest while all ages can register to take part in the annual Watermelon Eating Contest. Join the fun at the Patriots Park Gazebo as many of your neighborhood dance
troops perform their latest routines with music provided by DJ Lamar Walker. The NC BeachBlast Festival would not be the same without its traditional Beach Ball Drop. Over 150 beach balls will be dropped See CONTESTS, Page 4A
The City of Kings Mountain brings the Beach back to downtown as the NC Beach Blast Festival comes to Patriots Park, Friday and Saturday August 19 and 20! Presented by Two Kings Casino, the festival opens Friday August 19 at 5pm with DJ Eric Bowman followed by Blackwater Band at 6:00 pm and East Coast Party Band on stage at 8:00 pm. Beginning Saturday, August 20 at 10:00 am, you
can enjoy a full-day of food, music and fun with DJ Johnny B and five of the hottest Carolina Beach Music bands in the Southeast – The Embers
featuring Craig Woolard, Carolina Coast Band, The Catalinas, and Gary Lowder See BEACHBLAST, Page 4A
Adventure awaits young and young-at-heart at the NC BeachBlast Festival Ahoy, Me Hearties! Pirates, Mermaids, and more are on their way to the NC BeachBlast Festival, Saturday, August 20. Pirate Bay, an immersive pirate adventure brings pirates, swashbuckling swordfights, and treasure hunts to Patriots Park. Inflatables, balloon artists, face painting and a caricature artist will be on hand to liven the fun. The Mermaid Encounter comes back to the festival with fin-tastic photo opportunities for lads and lassies throughout the day. Amazing stilt per-
Trent Troxel (far right), vice president of the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, and Catawba Nation Assistant Chief Jason Harris (far left) present checks to the Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council and the HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County. The funds were raised by the Catawba Two Kings Casino from patron donations. At the presentation were (left to right) Scott Neisler, mayor of Kings Mountain and board member of the HealthCare Foundation; Dick Baker Jr., executive director, and CEO of the HealthCare Foundation; Dwayne Rogers, a council member on the Catawba Nation Executive Committee; and Cathy Robertson, executive director of the Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council. Photo provided formers and other pop-up characters will be seen throughout the festival as
well. Be sure to say hi to old friends Fin, Gill, and See ADVENTURE, Page 4A
Struggling downtown businesses ask city to set things right On Monday, August 15, City of Kings Mountain held a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. to discuss a potential incentive loan program for businesses in downtown who are impacted by Streetscape. The room filled, all chairs taken, with only standing room available, showed support for local businessowners as they struggle to stay in business during the Streetscape project. This meeting is a continuation of one held on Thursday, August 11, where Economic Development
Director Stuart Gilbert discussed the parameters of a loan program for downtown merchants impacted by this project. During his presentation, Gilbert commented that some merchants were looking for free money, to which many downtown merchants took offense. Public comment was not allowed at that time. Monday evening’s meeting called for public input and several merchants and property owners spoke. They were joined by citizens who also came to support them. Those who talked asked for redress, pleading that the city remedy their situation due to hardships placed upon them by Streetscape.
Mountain Holiday owner Beth Allen’s presentation most succinctly shared the frustrations of many in the room when she addressed city council saying, “Thank you for upgrading our town to make it a place where people will want to visit. But I want to talk about right now. The way it is, there won’t be a future for Mountain Holiday,” her voice wavered. “I am proud to be a part of what we have established, and I hate to see it be under attack. Mountain Holiday is my dream. And, by God, you are crushing it down to where it’s absolutely nothing. In the month of May, my business was See STRUGGLING, Page10A
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Catawba Two Kings Casino donates $12k to local nonprofits The Catawba Two Kings Casino Share Change program has raised a total of $12,000 for two organizations: the Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council and the HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County. Share Change, the Catawba Nation’s charitable initiative through the casino, enables patrons to donate the remaining change on slot vouchers by dropping them in the Share Change ticket boxes located on the casino floor. “The Share Change program is an important initiative to help the Catawba Nation and Catawba Two Kings Casino make a positive change in the community,” Catawba Assistant Chief Jason Harris said. “We are thankful for our generous casino patrons and are happy to support these wonderful organizations.” The casino launched the Share Change program several weeks after its July 2021
opening, and new charitable recipients are designated every three months. With this donation, the program has provided $39,000 to organizations in the Cleveland County community since the start of the program. Both the Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council (APC) and the HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County each received $6,000. The funds were raised from April through June 30, 2022. The APC provides professional, nonjudgmental services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. In addition to serving as Cleveland County’s only rape crisis center, the APC provides access to free services such as professional therapy, crisis counseling, advocacy, shelter, and transportation services. All services aim to alleviate the distress associated with the survivors’ trauma to increase emotional stabilization
and safe, independent living moving forward. “Thank you so much for supporting the community,” said Cathy Robertson, executive director of the Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council. “All the services we provide are completely free of charge because we believe being a victim should not cost. This will help us to continue to provide those services to Cleveland County residents.” The mission of the HealthCare Foundation is simply to improve the health and wellbeing of all citizens of Cleveland County. The organization provides Community Health Grants to qualified nonprofit organizations in Cleveland County that seek support for innovative programs or initiatives that address targeted healthcare concerns and/or the social determinants of health and See NONPROFITS, Page 2A
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