Editors Note: The idea of a Sports Complex is not new or recently invented. A committee established many years ago to study building ball fields in Upper Cleveland County even got so far as 40 Acres of land in Polkville were donated to the County for the project before the lack of action by the Commissioners killed the project-but did not return the land to Polkville. The County rents the land out for farming and gives the proceeds ($2,500) to the secret Economic Development crowd.

The present City of Shelby’s 10-year Master Plan calls for a Sports Complex and a partnership with a private business to operate, but such plans have languished for almost 10 years.

Now, Mr. Willie Green has proposed to the City of Shelby and to the Cleveland County Commissioners, at their Meeting on February 6, 2018, a solid and impressive plan for a very well thought out and planned Sports Complex in Shelby to be located between Holly Oak Park and the Shelby High School Baseball Field. Mr. Green purchased this land with his own money. In addition to training the local and surrounding counties student-athletes in private and group training, the proposed sports complex would also be made available to all four County High Schools sports programs for their practices at designated times and to the general public, depending on the final partnership agreement between himself and the County. Scroll on back to my article published Feb 8, 2018 for more details. At this February 6th Commissioner’s meeting Mr. Green did not specify any particular form of agreement or contract as that would be developed during negotiations after the Commissioners performed their own due diligence.

What Mr. Green did say was that he would be totally transparent and make all documents, financial and contractual and all other records relating to the partnership available to the public. Mr. Green offered no kickbacks or under the table payoffs to the Commissioners, their families or “friends” or anybody else. And, since Mr. Green’s proposal on February 6, 2018, there have been various rumors, statements, false allegations and slanderous personal attacks floating around Cleveland that Willie Green is trying to basically “screw” the county out of a bunch of money and abscond with the funds. All this is a character assassination attempt to kill public opinion on the project without providing facts. All done through the back door-old time Cleveland County style dirty politics. Mr. Green has heard these allegations, as well as myself, in various forms and from various people.

So, Mr. Green and myself had a very detailed and comprehensive conversation regarding how this sport complex idea came about, what is offered, what will be gained by the county and who would pay for the project. Hang on folks, you are about to hear (read) something you have never heard before and may never hear again in the potential business arrangements between a private person and the Cleveland County Commissioners.

Read on:

The following is in Mr. Green’s own words as best as I could write them down. My comments are in parenthesis.

Mr. Green’s purpose in this discussion is to set the record straight and educate the public about his Sports Complex proposal.

Mr. Green did not provide or propose any financial arrangement for his Sports Complex proposal at the February 6, 2018 Commissioners meeting because he knew the county had certain North Carolina General Statutes (statutory) restraints with any private-public arrangement as he was proposing. Mr. Green wanted the county to do their own due diligence in finding out what they could or could not do under the law before starting any financial and contractual negotiations, as to do otherwise would waste a lot of everybody’s time.

Around March 2016, two years prior to his February 2018 presentation to the County Commissioners, Mr. Green learned that the City of Shelby intended to spend $millions on the City Park and the McBrayer Park and relatively nothing on the historic Holly Oak Park. Mr. Green approached the City of Shelby with propositions to purchase, lease or a combination purchase or lease of Holly Oak Park and make Holly Oak Park open to all. The City of Shelby said land covenants did not allow the sale of Holly Oak Park but he might be able to lease a part of the park. Mr. Green’s bankers were hesitant to make loans of $5 million for facilities that would be built on leased property.

In July of 2016 Mr. Green purchased 16 acres of private property land that adjoined Holly Oak Park and the Shelby High School baseball field that is used for the American Legion World Series. Mr. Green had this property cleared at his own expense. At that time the Holly Oak Park partial lease was still on the table, where the park would be used for sports outdoor training, summer camps hosted by former professional and college athletes and other sports related programs. But The City of Shelby later withdrew their offer to lease any Holly Oak Park property, despite their earlier written commitments of a detailed public private partnership with Mr. Green’s company.

Mr. Green had previously determined that Cleveland County had no Parks and Recreation Department to serve the entire county, but through a partnership, the County could easily have one. In July of 2016 Mr. Green approached Cleveland County and was told that they had no interest (although they had already accepted a transfer of 40 acres from Polkville for the construction of a Ballfield-sports complex). Mr. Green’s research indicated there were many “indoor travel ball” events (basketball, volleyball, gymnastics etc.) that lacked local facilities but would bring in tournaments for over 40 weekends per year, with an economic impact estimate of $8-$10 million per year in weekend hotel stays, restaurants visits and retail sales. Compared to the American League World Series which brings in an event for only 10 days. County “leaders” at that time (Like Jason Falls) refused to talk to Mr. Green about his sports event hosting ideas.

To show there is a demand and dire need for an indoor sports training facility in Cleveland County. In May 2017, Mr. Green purchased with his own money, the Historic Old Cleveland Training School building located at 341 Hudson St. where the African American students attended school before desegregation. And he converted the former school gymnasium into an indoor turf field and weight room sports training facility, where currently many of our local student-athletes, college athletes who are from the county and athletes from other school districts are training together as one group(s) or as individuals. And travel baseball and softball teams from the county rent the facility on weekends for team practice.

After the February 6, 2018 presentation it was determined that according to NC General Statue on Public Private Partnerships, there were three options for a public-private partnership in a Sports Complex that Cleveland County could do:
Help financially with infrastructure cost. (County presently builds “Spec” structures to help with economic development.) The County would not do this for Mr. Green, citing the NC Statue prohibits the county from assisting a private business in construction cost or site development.

County build structures and lease back to Mr. Green to operate. The County again said No to Mr. Green (although the County spends $Millions on the Old Courthouse and leases to Destination Cleveland County for $1 per year for 10 years with the option for another 10 years at $1 per year. The County even gave away the Old Doran Mill property for nothing, allowed the recipients to sell $1 million of scrap metal off the property, mill the old mill beams for flooring at the NewGrass Brewery and then the recipients gave the property back to the County.)

Mr. Green would finance the Sports Complex himself and the County would lease time for the facilities to be used by all four high school’s athletic programs, and the public would be allowed to use facilities and its’ amenities at certain set times during the week. The amount of the lease would be at “Fair Market Rates determined by a comparative analysis of other such Sports Complex facilities.

(Option three above seems to be the only way Cleveland County will do business with Mr. Green, an African American. Presently Cleveland County has not done business with any African American owned business.)

Where the Sports Complex stands at this very moment-Option 3: Mr. Green is set to finance the Sports Complex himself at a cost of between $5-6 Million. Mr. Green would operate the facilities and all Cleveland County has to do is provide Mr. Green a lease and service agreement, detailing the partnership of what will be given to the county and what will be received from the county. Mr. Green has provided Cleveland County a formal and legal proposal to do this. All that is necessary to close the deal is for Cleveland County to agree on a Fair Market Rate and sign the papers.

Editor’s Note: I know of no other private person making such a good deal to Cleveland County on such good and fair terms. But knowing Cleveland County, the only reason such a project as this has been turned down is because of the following:
Mr. Green is an African-American.
Mr. Green has offered no kickbacks or under the table payments to anyone.
Mr. Green has stated that all records, documents, financials, etc. relating to the partnership with the county, will be available to the public for any taxpayer to inspect.

Call your Commissioners and voice your opinion. Better yet, vote on Election Day. May 8th for the Democrat Primary Election. The on Primary Election for Commissioners. Then vote in the General Election on November 6. This will be your only way to have a say on anything in Cleveland County.

Editor’s Note: The “Russian Collusion” noted in the title of the article is part of a joke between Rev. Dante Murphy and myself over the political corruption and racism going on in Cleveland County Government. It is Rev. Murphy’s contention that what is mostly termed as “racism” actually springs from “corruption.” And, in jest, we conclude that all this corruption that undermines our Democracy must be a part of the Russian Collusion theory that everybody is talking about.

This comment below is from Rev. Dante Murphy

Robert,
I am in awe as to how the Shelby Star is being used to manipulate the community. It appears that the newspaper article on the school suspensions were clearly an effort to give the school (favorable) coverage in violating the students First Amendment Rights. Notice that the Star’ article emphasizes that the students were suspended for “insubordination” and not for having flags on their vehicles. There is a legal significance to this because it is clearly established that Schools are not allowed to punish speech just because they don’t like it. They can enact reasonable restrictions to control it, but cannot punish speech based on its content. There is a fancy term called “viewpoint-neutral.” The case Tinker v. Des Moine settled this issue, but only a few know about it. This Conclusion or rather “collusion” was to cover up a scheme to violate the students rights.

So, the violation is that the students should have never been instructed to remove the flags from their vehicle (in the first place). That is the action that lead to the insubordination. This could easily be another Title IX (discrimination) action.

This tactic was used last year when the Star wrote the article about the settlement with DSS. In that article they emphasized DSS’s payment having nothing to do with the “admission of guilt.” This perturbed me because the evidence itself pointed to guilt. I encourage somebody, people, to show up at the county commissioners and express themselves Tuesday (May 1, 2018).

Rev. Dante’ A. Murphy

The link to the Tinker v Des Moines case brief is shown below. Click on the link and scroll down to the Supreme Court ruling. You will find proof positive that the schools violated the students rights. But don’t just believe me, read it for yourself. You will learn stuff they don’t teach at CCS. The truth!!! And that is a shame.

Link

Overall, Cleveland County will have three Elected Offices for various Republican Candidates.

US Congress-NC District 10
The Race for the US Congress NC 10th District includes all of Cleveland County, all of Lincoln County, All of Gaston County, all of Rutherford County, Most of Catawba County, Polk County and stretches up to Buncombe County and includes Asheville in a recently redrawn District. The population is more than 750,000.

The incumbent, Patrick McHenry faces Jeff Gregory and Gina Collias of Cleveland County and three other candidates from somewhere else.

Patrick McHenry has turned out to be a career establishment politician whose influence has lessened with the election of Donald Trump as President. McHenry also has NOT aligned himself with the Freedom Caucus headed by NC District 11 Representative Mark Meadows who may become the next US Speaker of the House and whose stand on issues is very close to those of most Cleveland County residents. McHenry, as an incumbent is well funded by lobbyists.

Jeff Gregory from Mooresboro is very conservative, down to earth and well informed on major issues facing Cleveland County in this day and time.

Gina Collias from Kings Mountain proclaims herself to be a Pro-Choice Progressive Republican woman. Pro Choice, Progressive and making being a woman a political imperative is the definition of a liberal Nancy Pelosi Democrat.

Therefore, I give Jeff Gregory the Home Boy advantage and recommend voting for Jeff Gregory for NC 10 US Congressional District in the 2018 Cleveland County Republican Primary Election.

Overall, Cleveland County will have three Elected Offices for various Republican Candidates.

NC Senate District 44
The Race for NC Senate District 44 will include all of Cleveland County, all of Lincoln County and parts of Gaston County. This is a newly drawn district and may be subject to Court challenges.

The incumbent Dr. David Curtis of Lincoln County will face challengers Ted Alexander of Cleveland County and Martin Oakes of Lincoln County.

Just about all of us have been bombarded recently with “Mailers” regarding this Senate Race. A NC Republican Senatorial Committee is pushing Incumbent Candidate David Curtis and throwing off on Martin Oakes and Ted Alexander. A new and somewhat secret group called NC Citizens for Clear Action, INC. Are pushing Ted Alexander and throwing off on David Curtis. Martin Oakes is pushed by the Oakes for Senate and appears to be throwing off on nobody.

All in all, each of these candidates claim to be conservative Republicans in a Conservative Republican leaning district. After reviewing all this, it appears that Cleveland County Voters should be looking for the candidate that would best represent Cleveland County. A local boy. The “:Homeboy” advantage.

That would be Ted Alexander from Shelby. Ted is a former Mayor of Shelby but also believed by some to be on the meek and mild side of politics. And my taste for politics is strong, very conservative and assertive for the citizens you represent.

But Ted has Speaker of the House Tim Moore and Representative Kelly Hastings to help guide Ted through any rough spots he might encounter in Raleigh. And would multiply Cleveland County’s influence in Raleigh.

Therefore, I recommend voting for Ted Alexander for Senate District 44 in the 2018 Republican Primary Election.

Overall, Cleveland County will have three Elected Offices for various Republican Candidates.

NC House District 110:
The Race for NC House District 110 will include only parts of Cleveland County and parts of Gaston County.

The incumbent Kelly Hastings will face challenger Charlene High from Dallas, NC.

Kelly Hastings has been elected and re-elected numerous times over the years by wide margins, often unopposed,. Kelly is rated high in conservative groups, the NRA and also voted for guns to be allowed in churches under certain circumstances. During certain district line changes, Kelly was my Representative here in Fallston. Kelly has deep roots in Cleveland County and we believe Kelly has served us well. Kelly presently serves on many important Committees and works well with Speaker of the House Tim Moore.

Charlene High is an unknown quantity who says her best qualification is being a good listener. Charlene’s political website indicates she is Pro-Life- Pro Second Amendment, would vote to ban abortion, advocates traditional families, but would support a legal “review” of cutting funds for Planned Parenthood, among other things.

So, Charlene High advocates some of the same conservative things that Kelly Hastings advocates, as shown by his voting record, but would be mostly a Kelly “Lite” with no political influence in Raleigh and from somewhere else besides Cleveland County.

Our recommendation is vote for Kelly Hastings for the NC District 110 Representative in the Republican Primary Election on May 8, 2018..

At “Massa Eddie” Holbrook’s voting rally held last week at the Cleveland County Fairground Massa Eddie stated that he was going to utilize social media, such as Facebook, to a large extent in his re-election campaign for County Commissioner. Apparently Massa Eddie meant what he said. And just as apparent Massa Eddie has enlisted a Facebook junkie, (Not his real name). to do some dirty tricks for him.

First of all, Bartholomew Cubbins calls me concerned that in my articles regarding the Democrat Primary Election Forum sponsored by the “People for a Stronger Cleveland County,” where I identified the race card Massa Eddie was playing and recommended the two black candidates Chris Gash and Todd McIntosh for the Office of County Commissioner. And perhaps other articles. Cubbins tells me that former school board member Donnie Thurman, Jr. was supporting Chris Gash and that Cleveland County did not need Chris Gash as a commissioner. Of course I have already heard from sources as well as my own appraisal of the political atmosphere surrounding this commissioner’s election that Massa Eddie was scared of getting beat because of the two black candidates running and the black percentage in the Democrat Party running at 40%. Meaning a strong black turnout for the two black candidates could defeat Holbrook. Other indications were Holbrook’s wife allegedly urging Unaffiliated white voters to vote for Massa Eddie in the Democrat Primary. Massa Eddie himself, at his voting rally, was urging white Democrats to vote for him in the primary election, with the undercurrent meaning being “single shot vote for me.” Go to Holbrook’s own website for that. In his call Cubbins goes on and on pushing for me to recommend Massa Eddie, insinuating that Cleveland County does not need two black county commissioners.

I restated to Cubbins that I considered what was said at the forum by all the Democrat candidates as well as Massa Eddie’s record in office. I reminded Cubbins of Massa Eddie raising of the fire tax by 75%, secretly selling the Hospital at pawnshop prices and spending all the money, the vindictiveness of abolishing the Coroner’s Office, wasting so much tax dollars on various projects that turned out to be boondoggles. Cubbins brought up the Sports Complex proposed to the County by Willie Green and what I thought about it. I replied that I was at the Commissioner’s Meeting when the proposal was made and was impressed. Cubbins insinuated that something was shady about the Sports Complex project and hoped Massa Eddie would turn it down, That Willie Green must have told Dena Green to keep her mouth shut at School Board meetings. My comment was that Willie Green had presented what seemed to me to be a fair proposal and if the county decides not to go with it that Mr. Green deserved good and valid reasons for the county to decline his proposal.

In the end, I was not convinced by Cubbins to change my mind and recommend Massa Eddie Holbrook for Commissioner. And I thought that was the end of that.

It was not the end of anything. Next thing I know I received a notification from Facebook that Bartholomew Cubbins had made a Facebook comment about me. So, I take a look. I find a comment from Bartholomew Cubbins on another persons Facebook page basically accusing me making false statements in my articles and that a better source of information was needed in Cleveland County.

So, I sent a personal email to Cubbins that only stated that “Facebook sent this to me.” which included the Facebook notification and Cubbins’ comment and left it at that.

Cubbins replies that “The race baiting not helpful to anyone.”

I reply back saying that his comment made no mention of race baiting. In the meantime smelling a Massa Eddie influence here based on the discussions above. So, I made the statement that this was all about me not recommending Massa Eddie. Then Cubbins comes back saying he didn’t even know Eddie Holbrook. Which I suspected was a lie that he was told to say. All this being on private emails and I decided to waste no more time communicating with Bartholomew Cubbins.

Then, today, Facebook sends me more notifications that Bartholomew Cubbins is making comments about me. Saying that I didn’t tell the truth, called people names, etc.

So, I make Facebook replies for Cubbins to provide one instance of any false statements I might have made. Never mentioning another word about Massa Eddie. As Cubbins was showing a pattern of just spouting off, I figured he would slip up soon. Which he did. Cubbins says Eddie Holbrook is ten times the man that I was. A pretty strong statement for Cubbins to make after he had just previously stated that he didn’t know Eddie Holbrook.

So, I had all the proof I needed to know that Massa Eddie or another of Holbrook’s sycophants had pulled Cubbins’ strings to do all the name calling and false accusations about me on Facebook. Certainly for the purpose of causing more racial divisiveness in the Democrat Primary Election in hopes of splitting off some black votes for Massa Eddie to get through the primary where Holbrook’s big money might not have so much influence.

Then I stepped outside for a bit and when I came back to my computer, Cubbins had deleted much of his onerous Facebook comments and all of my replies demanding one single instance of mis-statements in my articles. My read on that was Massa Eddie or a sycophant had gotten wind of Cubbins reckless and careless implication that Massa Eddie was somehow involved with this dirty political trick on the voters of Cleveland County and told Cubbins to delete it from Facebook.

The reason for putting this information out for all to see is that voters are being swamped by information regarding the political candidates. Most of my readers know that I very often say “Do not believe me, check it out for yourself” and then provide the documented proof for all to see. In regards to the Candidates Forum report that I have previously reported and the CCS School Board Meeting Monday Evening, there are other witnesses, a CCS webcast and other records that back up my reports and my commentary and analysis includes reasoned conclusions that are so stated in my articles.

Beware of those calling my articles false and full of lies. I send every article I write to the people noted in the article in an advance copy of the article and request questions or comments. If Massa Eddie or anybody else wants to challenge my accuracy, they have every opportunity to do so. Yet, someone like Bartholomew Cubbins comes along and wants to dissuade you of the truth about Massa Eddie Holbrook.

In this regard, I urge everyone that reads my articles, the Shelby Star or anything else to always keep an open mind and use your own critical thinking skills. And especially to vote on Election Day. The Early Voting for the Democrat and Republican Primary Elections are going on as we speak. The Primary Election Day is May 8, 2018. Do your duty to get yourself informed and vote. Otherwise the same old crowd goes back in and all you taxpayers get screwed. Again!!!

Editor’s Note: “Bartholomew Cubbins” is a fictional young boy character in a Dr. Seuss book titled “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” who goes on an adventure. I used this fictional name as the character in this article apparently thinks being a Massa Eddie flunky is a political adventure. There are many who will know exactly who Bartholomew Cubbins really is.

If you watched the April 23, 2018 School Board meeting on the CCS Website broadcast you missed the fireworks after the Closed Session came back illegally into Open Session. Go to the CCS website for the details of the otherwise short, technical and unexciting School Board “Workshop” meeting. Unexciting except for the VFW Presentation where the Local VFW Post has donated over $90,000 to help children with autism and Gene Ramsey and Roger Vassey were awarded “Superman” like “Hero” capes. If the VFW knew just how much waste there is at CCS, they might want to find another place to put their charitable contributions. Or at least some accounting for where the money is spent.

But, The real excitement at this CCS Board meeting started before the meeting and right at the end.

I arrived early for this April 23, 2018 School Board Workshop and made my way up front as I usually do. If you watch the CCS broadcast, you will see the back of my head in the lower left hand screen.

As I was making my way to my usual seat Jo Boggs was at her place and I spoke. “Jo” I said, “How did the protest at Burns today turn out?” Jo says, “we got a lot of rain.” Since I live in Fallston too, I already knew it was raining. Then I said, “That’s not what I was talking about.” Jo looked down and refused to say another word. To which I replied, “I’ll take that as a ‘no comment.”‘ I sat down and talked to others coming in and sitting behind me who saw and heard the whole thing. Making a mental note to myself to remember who they were as you can never tell in this day and time regarding phony allegations of harassment.

A bit later but before the meeting started, The Rev. Melvin Clark of Washington Missionary Baptist went up to Shearra Miller regarding the Song Oh Susanna having racially offensive language in it’s original 1848 version being taught to Elementary children at Washington Elementary School. Many parents were incensed over this racial insensitivity being dumped upon their young black children by an official representative of Cleveland County Schools. Rev. Clark was trying to make arrangements to publicly voice his concerns, for the record, to the entire School Board. A contingency of supporters were present with Rev. Clark as was a Charlotte TV Reporter. Go back and read my previous article for more details on the song and the controversial lyrics that have mostly been left out over the years due to the racially insensitive content of the second verse.

But, Rev. Clark was denied the right by Chairman Miller to speak publicly to the School Board. The meeting agenda had been hastily revised to add a “Closed Session” at the end of the workshop to illegally discuss the song issue as “personnel matters,” behind closed doors and without news cameras.

And, when I said “illegal closed session” I mean illegal. North Carolina General Statue 143-318.11(a) very strictly lists only ten very specific reasons for a governmental agency such as a school board to go behind closed doors. Look them up. None of them apply to what Rev. Clark wanted to address the School Board about, and to go behind doors anyway is against the law. Also, NO CCS Board Member made a motion to allow Rev. Clark to address the school board about his concerns. Meaning ALL of them were in on it. And they all knew they could make such a motion as I told them about this option in my previous article that I sent directly to ALL of the School Board and the Superintendent. They were ALL involved in this blatant act of cover-up and disrespect to the citizens of Cleveland County as well as North Carolina Law.

But there was more. Much more to be covered-up.

Like the Protest at Burns High School about many students being suspended for having American Flags on their vehicles. Last I heard it was American Flags, then Confederate Flags and even one tag with a Bald Eagle giving his middle “claw.”

This flag and tag racial controversy was turned over by the School Board to the Shelby Star to cover-up. The Star ran an article today saying the allegation about suspending students for refusing to remove American Flags from their vehicles was not true. Only Confederate Flags according to CCS and the Star. =But CCS refused to say how many students were suspended, My sources, who I believe much more than I do CCS and the Star, say it was American Flags, Confederate Flags and the Eagle flag. No mention of the Protest Monday.

The Burns and CCS folks, according to the Star, said the Flags/tags “were seen as disruptive to the school” (Burns). No mention of how a flag/tag on a cart in the school parking lot could “disrupt” the school, Burns or any other school for that matter. No mention or explanation of why no other schools were so disrupted. Only Burns! Just like the Burns FFA “Cotton” booth at the Fair last year that CCS banned and the
School Board refused to talk about it. “Bully” Glover, CCS Board Chairman claimed he didn’t know anything about that.

Then, CCS and the Star admit that the students were not suspended to having racially disruptive flags/tags. They were suspended for “insubordination” for refusing to take the flags/tags off their cars and trucks.

Last time I looked at the First Amendment such flags/tags are completely legal My vehicles have a Confederate Battle Flag on their license plates that were legally issued by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. It is a Sons of Confederate Veterans commerative tag that I pay extra for. And why do I have such a tag with the Confederate Battle Flag on it? The answer is plain and simple. I am a Son of a (actually several) Confederate Veteran(s) and I am not ashamed to be proud of who I am. I don’t apologize because by forefathers fought the British at the Battle of Kings Mountain in the Revolutionary Way, Chancelloresville, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg during the Civil War under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee and my father is a World War II Veteran who fought under General George S. Patton in France, Belgium and Germany. Also, I don’t intend to offend anybody because of the Sons Of Confederate Veterans tags on my vehicle. I don’t care if I offend certain Democrats by also leaving my Trump 2016 sticker on my vehicle. Which I drive to School Board meetings without causing disruptions. I let my articles do that to the status quo.

Back to the Burns and insubordination issue.

The Nuremberg War Trials at the end of World War II established that NAZI war criminals could not use the defense that they were “just taking orders” for the war crimes they committed. They were held responsible for their own actions even when under direct orders to do criminal acts. Many were hung and served long sentences for what they did. Although some NAZIs escaped to South America, they were hunted down and prosecuted for their crimes.

Well, High School Students (Staff and Administration too) at Burns High School are also responsible for their actions. They (Students and staff) are also responsible for standing up for what is right. When it is legal and within the students rights to put American Flags, Confederate Flags and Uppity Bald Eagle Flags on their personal vehicles; it is also legal and within their rights to refuse to obey direct orders from anybody but their parents to remove those flags and tags. I suspect some parents and their suspended students are out talking to lawyers already. Just what CCS needs is another lawsuit they can’t win.

No wonder so many students are confused with what they are taught at CCS Schools and what they read in the Star. CCS says their goal is to educate students to be ready to be Enrolled in College, Employed or Enlisted in the Military when they graduate High School. Those that enlist may well be fighting to defend America within a year from now. Some may be eligible to vote tomorrow. And they are confused by their broken Cleveland County Education system.

None of this mattered to the School Board last night as they apparently thought they had bigger fish to fry.

At the end of the regular agenda, the CCS Board illegally voted to go into closed session. They took Rev. Clark and two others into the closed session where the public could not know what was said. A little bit later, Rev. Clark and the two others come out of the closed session, tell the others in attendance their part was over and they all leave.

Myself and a few others stay because the School Board legally has to come back into open session to announce and vote on any action they want to take before they can adjourn the board meeting.

When the School Board does come back into the auditorium everybody knew there had been fireworks behind those closed doors that was spilling over right before our eyes. Board Member Danny Blanton was threatening to call the Sheriff’s Department. Chairman Shearra Miller was totally flustered, forgot that she had to call the open session back into order before she did anything else. Then Miller asks for a vote to adjourn, which passes. The Board heads straight to the side door before our eyes, Except Danny Blanton who goes back to the Shelby Police Department Officer talking about “stolen time” at Communities-In-Schools (a continuing scandal there with continuing cover-up by Roger Harris). Then Blanton also goes out the side door followed shortly by myself and Commissioner Doug Bridges who was in attendance to find Blanton, Dena Green and Stephen Fisher in the corridor all in animated discussion but head out as soon as Bridges and I come through the door. Still talking about “Stolen Time” and going to the Sheriff’s Department in the morning.

As it was raining, we all head to our vehicles and leave. What happens next will be reported as soon as it happens.

As for all you 52,000 voters who stayed home during the 2017 School Board Election, this is what you get. Scandal after scandal after scandal followed by cover-up after cover-up after cover-up until Hell freezes over.

However, If you want to start changing things for the better, see through all the plantation politics and racial divisiveness started by Commissioner Massa Eddie Holbrook, vote Chris Gash and Todd McIntosh in the Democrat Commissioner Primary Election. Early voting is gong on right now and the Election Day is May 8th.

I smell a rat!!! A triple edge race card, almost certainly orchestrated by paid professional political consultants is in play to divide Democrat voters; whites from the blacks and simultaneously divide the blacks against the blacks is brewing strong in this year’s Democrat Primary Election for County Commissioners. All intended to re-elect Massa Eddie Holbrook. The tactics are not new to Cleveland County. They were used in the 2017 School Board Election to Re-elect Phillip “Bully” Glover and the two black candidates. Including a sexual predator.

This is how the numbers work:

Cleveland County Democrats are 60% white and 40% black.

There are two vacancies and three candidates.

Holbrook is the white privileged white incumbent candidate with plenty of campaign money.

The other two candidates are young black men challengers who have much less campaign cash.

Holbrook needs white voter turnout single shot voting for him to win.

In the 2017 School Board Election an “incident” was created at the Cleveland County Fair where an agriculture related display from the Burns High School FFA that was related to picking cotton was deemed “racial” by the School Board and banned from the Fair. Although no black citizen had complained, black citizens were blamed for having the “Cotton” booth banned and removed. Unaffiliated and Republicans white voter were incensed but didn’t turn out to vote. Black citizens did in greater numbers. There were four seats and two black candidates and the black voters were asked by the Democrat leadership advised by their paid political consultants to cast one of their left over votes to Bully Glover. White Democrat voters were asked to single shot vote for Bully Glover. Bully ended up as the top vote getter. And what did we get? More failed education coming out of CCS.

Now, fast forward to the 2018 Democrat Primary for County Commissioner.

All of a sudden it is election time-early voting, and “Racial” incidents are popping up out of nowhere. The “Flag” protest at Burns High School. The “Oh Susanna” song at Washington Elementary School. And Massa Eddie Holbrook calling on his white and black Democrat “friends” (sycophants and Uncle Toms) to single shot vote for him.

All the while Massa Eddie is spreading all the false diatribe that he has brought 8,000 jobs to Cleveland County when those numbers don’t add up when you consider over 20,000 people in Cleveland County are on Foodstamps because they are either unemployed or under-employed.

Massa’s two opponents realize the disparity in Massa’s propaganda and offer measures to improve the broken education system that has allowed so many citizens to have to depend on Foodstamps to survive.

So folks, either stay stuck on stupid or turn out to vote. Voting for the two black candidates will remove Massa Eddie from his grip on the County Commissioners and allow Honesty, Openness and Transparency to prevail. Voting for the two H.O.T. candidates will also put a stop to the paid political consultants coming in and starting so much “racial” trouble that would not exist otherwise.

Early Voting is going on right now. Primary Election day is May 8th. Go vote.

It’s 8:15 Monday Morning and cars and trucks have lined up at Lawndale ready to protest the suspensions of Burns students over a Flag that CCS says is “racial.” What happens next will be interesting.

The Flag of interest was first reported as the American Flag, later the Confederate Battle Flag and now a flag with a Bald Eagle showing its middle claw. Or all of the above. Word is students were told to remove whatever flags and those that refused were suspended for “insubordination.”

All this right in the middle of Early Voting in the 2018 Primary Election, especially the Democrat Primary.

And, the controversy about the song “Oh Susanna” at Washington Elementary School that has just came out. And Massa Eddie Holbrook playing the race card in the Democrat Primary in his very divisive campaign calling for white Democrats to single-shot vote for him as his claimed support by the black community turned out to be false.

All this mess, In my opinion is a planned scheme orchestrated by a professional political consultant on Holbrook’s payroll. And patterned just like the Phillip “Bully” Glover’s banning of the Burns High School FFA “Cotton” Fair Booth that CCS decided was “racial.”

All this racial stuff centering around Burns High School and the Upper end of Cleveland County whose voters are too stupid to turn out to vote anyway. And the same old crowd gets itself re-electted.

Editor’s Note: The message below was posted on Rev. Melvin Clark’s Facebook page. Rev. Clark, Pastor of Missionary Baptist Church near Waco, is a man of action. After being held hostage at gunpoint in his own church as well as the episode in Charleston, SC where 9 were gunned down and the shooter apprehended in Shelby, Rev. Clark went public with his plan to train and arm 10 of his churchgoers to act as “Security Guards” during church services. Similar plans have been suggested at Cleveland County Schools but CCS has rejected such common sense programs. After reading this message below you will see that the CCS School Board may not have any common sense to begin with. Stay tuned for my next article regarding the race card being played by Commissioner Candidate “Massa” Eddie Holbrook as there are a series of racially charged issues going on along with this issue right in the middle of Early Voting in the Democrat Primary Election. Rev. Clark plans on addressing the School Board tonight at 6:00 PM at the CCS Central Services building. The meeting is scheduled as a “Work Shop” which CCS uses as a way to not allow public participation. However, a Board member may make a motion to amend their agenda to allow Rev. Clark to speak. Refusing to allow Rev. Clark the opportunity to speak at this meeting, as the next meeting is after the Primary Election, would certainly indicate a planned scheme to divide the white Democrat vote from the black vote and divide the black vote among itself. All for the express benefit of re-election Massa Eddie Holbrook.

Rev. Clark’s Facebook Message:

Music Teacher at our school Washington Elementary School decides to play a racist song with the “N”—-R in it knowing it would be unacceptable and only got a few days suspension. We are outraged at her actions and the action of the school system leadership.

Pastor Melvin Clark

It is with these expectations in mind that we are very concerned with the recent actions of the music teacher at Washington Elementary School and the subsequent handling of the situation by the local educational authority, Cleveland County Schools.

The music instructor at Washington Elementary, after informing the students that a song (Oh! Susanna) was a controversial selection, decided to play the song not only once, but several times for the six-year-old students in her class – stating to the students that Oh! Susanna is her favorite song. The song, Oh! Susanna, is a song replete with blatant racial over and undertones; a song steeped in the ideals of the “Old South” and created for the performance by white artists with their faces painted in black as a parody to mock African-American slaves.

This is CLEARLY INAPPROPRIATE. Public educators must follow the standards set by the State and by the local educational authority – and, when in doubt, must counsel with the curriculum specialists assigned to their designated schools. It is obvious that this particular educator’s blatant disregard for the district’s Mission, Vision and Core Statements goes unchecked as she is STILL on staff after only a brief removal from the classroom. She was then allowed to return and lead the school choir in a public presentation.

We, as a group of very concerned citizens, find the lack of further discipline not only morally fallacious, but also as a bold indication of the extreme level of disregard for the racists actions of this public servant who perpetrated a wrong against some of our children. We as a minority community have tried, to no avail, to prick the morally bankrupt conscience of the leadership in the Cleveland County School System.

It is obvious that the music teacher had some doubts regarding the appropriateness of this song; however, she decided to proceed. How can we continue to have faith in a system that continues to fail us? How do we trust THIS TEACHER and the Cleveland County School System to work with us in our efforts to destroy the disparities that continually plague our communities? How can we trust this teacher, who has CLEARLY demonstrated that her judgement is skewed, to provide a quality and fair experience for our children in the classroom – especially when it comes to grades and discipline?

The time is NOW, Facebook Family, to say enough is enough! There is NO PLACE for racism in our public school system! We need to DEMAND that this teacher be removed from our school and our school system! This teacher MUST NOT be left to her own racist devices when it comes to our innocent, impressionable children ANYWHERE in this school district!

Please join me in sending Dr. Stephen Fisher, the Superintendent of Cleveland County Schools, an email at srfisher@clevelandcountyschools.org requesting the IMMEDIATE removal of the music teacher at Washington Elementary School from any contact with ANY children in our school district – and especially children of color.

We have included in this letter the lyrics to the song, Oh! Susanna. We are confident that you will decide that these lyrics are inappropriate for young ears, inappropriate to be heard even in our own homes and that THIS teacher has NO PLACE in our school system!

Oh! Susanna
BY: Stephen Foster

I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
I’m going to Louisiana
My true love for to see

It rained all night
The day I left
The weather it was dry
The sun so hot
I froze to death
Susanna, don’t you cry

Oh, Susanna
Oh don’t you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I jump’d aboard the telegraph
And trabbled down de ribber
De lectrick fluid magnified
And kill’d five hundred Nigga
De bulgine bust and de hoss ran off
I really thought I’d die
I shut my eyes to hold my bref
Susanna don’t you cry

Oh, Susanna
Oh don’t you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I had a dream the other night
When everything was still
I thought I saw Susanna
A-coming down the hill

The buckwheat cake
Was in her mouth
The tear was
In her eye
Says I, I’m coming from the south
Susanna, don’t you cry

Oh, Susanna
Oh don’t you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I soon will be in New Orleans
And then I’ll look around
And when I find Susanna
I’ll fall upon the ground
But if I do not find her
This darkey’l surely die
And when I’m dead and buried
Susanna, don’t you cry

Oh, Susanna
Oh don’t you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

Oh, Susanna
Oh don’t you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee