Patterson Springs wreck - 7.31.07

Photo by Jeff Melton

A Cleveland County woman was thrown from her GMC Jimmy after she rolled it four times on Creek Ridge Road just outside the Patterson Springs city limits.

A Trooper on the scene said she was unconscious when she was taken to Cleveland Regional Medical Center.

More on Horace and my lack of bluegrass knowledge - 7.24.07

For those that haven't met me, I'm not from here. The south is something new to me. I lived most of my life in New Jersey. So there are several things that northerners know nothing about: sweet tea, BBQ, Sonic to name a few. We also know nothing about bluegrass music.

So since my move to North Carolina about three years ago, I've been called on a few times to write about bluegrass musicians.


Here was my first attempt working for the Lenoir News-Topic almost two years ago: A story about Carl Story, who played for the Lonesome Mountaineers.


My second attempt was writing about Horace Scruggs, brother of Earl Scruggs. This morning I got an e-mail from Dr. Bobby Jones, who played with Horace in the FlintHill Band. He shared the following story:

Horace was not only an incredibly accurate rhythm
guitarist, but an all around good guy. Growing up on
the farm, he and his brothers became quite ingenious
at survival skills. Horace seemed to know how to do a
little of everything. He built his own home, he could
do auto work, he refinished furniture and worked on
grandfather clocks. Back in the days you could get
dynamite at the hardware store, he used it to blow the
large holes in the ground needed to set out pecan
trees. Man, I'd end up blowing up my house!
Here is a story about Horace I thought you might
enjoy. Years ago, I was working in the office one
day, and it was a real barn burner- sick folks
everywhere. My wife had a new stove, and called to
say it wasn't working right. I couldn't leave (and
wouldn't know how to fix it anyway) and gave her a
couple of names to call. When I got home, she was
cooking away, and I asked her what happened.
Turns out Horace was in the office that day, and
overheard the conversation. He brought his tools and
fixed it right up, and never said a word about it.
(Even his family didn't know all these years later.)
That was the kind of guy he was, always getting things
done is his own quiet way. We once did a Sally Goodin
take-off, and a truer catch phrase was never coined-
As the song, and your article, says, "Horace is a
Good'un."

Jeremy Leatherwood, left, is shown here with Horace Scruggs and a new Gibson guitar that was sent to Scruggs by Gibson on his birthday. The photo was contributed to The Star by Steve Leatherwood.

Christopher and Layfatte wreck - 7.22.07

Emergency personnel from Cleveland EMS, Shelby Rescue and Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department responded to a two car wreck at the intersection of Christopher Road and Lafayette Street about 4 p.m. Sunday. One person in each vehicle was take to Cleveland Regional Medical Center.

KM Beach Blast photos - 7.21.07

Watermelon eating contest

Jousting

Teenie Weenie Bikini Contest

Train rides

Getting wet

Hit and run update - 7.16.07

Two months after Jonathan Scruggs was killed by a hit and run driver, spray paint marks still remain. Photo by Jeff Melton.

It's about 1:30. The grand jury is meeting in the Cleveland County Law Enforcement Center. Currently they are at lunch. I've been told that the Johnathon Scruggs' case will be presented to the grand jury today.


I went out to the scene of the hit and run this morning. Shattered glass and spray paint labeling where Scruggs' shoe landed still mark the spot on Caleb Road where he was struck and killed by a hit and run driver as he walked home from work last May.

Scruggs was found laying in a ditch near his Caleb Road home on May 23 by his father and younger brother, who decided to go look for him after he failed to return home after work and school.

The 18-year-old with Asperger’s Disease (mild autism)had just finished his first day of school at Cleveland Community College and his first day of work at the Five Guys restaurant in the Cleveland Mall. Scruggs got done his shift early at the restaurant and decided to walk home.

Troopers say a red 1998 Saturn, driven by White, struck Scruggs from behind. The wreck report states White was driving 60 miles per hour in a 45-mph zone. The impact smashed the right side of the car and windshield and sent Scruggs flying with him landing 67 feet from the point of impact.

Troopers said White told them hit thought he hit a mailbox or deer.

Shelby plans to sell farmer's market building - 7.12-.07

Shelby will begin taking proposals next week on the farmer's market building. City officials said it's time for the building to be privately owned. Read more about the story by CLICKING HERE.

Wreck on U.S. 74 - 7.12.07

A single car wreck sent one woman to the hospital after she rolled her car on U.S. 74 across from Big Lots.

Birthday Celebration - 7.9.07

Board of Elections member Ruth Wilson celebrates Board of Elections Director Deborah Blanton's birthday Monday afternoon.

Fox bites 5-year-old - 7.2.07

Two children, in separate attacks in the Kingstown area, were bit by a fox Sunday afternoon. Despite being bit by the fox, the five-year old boy choked the fox to death. The photo of the bite above, was shot at the hospital by his mother using her cell phone.

KM Councilman's house burns - 7.1.07

A fire – most likely caused by gas stored too close to a hot water heater – ripped through a portion of Kings Mountain Councilman Keith Miller’s home Sunday afternoon.