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Thursday, July 31, 2008
LUCY JOHNSON
KILLING
Lake
sifted
for
clues
Diane and Click Baldwin were photographed in May 2007 for ‘Gaston Boomers Monthly.’
Click, owner of Carolina Harley-Davidson Buell, died after a motorcycle wreck in Montana.
About 15 divers
began about 9
a.m. Wednesday
searching near
a boat ramp
at Allison Creek
landing on
Lake Wylie
John Clark /The Gazette
Friends‘blessed’
NORTH CAR
OLINA
SOUTH CAROLI
NA
Gaston
County
49
49
274
49
BY COREY FRIEDMAN
‘HE WAS JUST CLICK’
Friends remembered Baldwin
for his love of motorcycles, sense
of humor and generous spirit.
Gossage said he often described him as “part
Harley dealer, part philosopher” because of
his unique perspective and clever quips.
For years, friends have repeated a phrase
Baldwin coined at a cookout in Gossage’s
backyard. Gossage was leaving to oversee
construction at the new speedway in Fort
Worth, Texas.
! “A vehicle for his generosity”
by Gazette editorial page editor,
Barry Bridges on Page 7A.
FORECAST
HIGH
LOW
94° 72°
Lake
Wylie
C
rg
bu
len unty
k
c
o
e
M rk C
Yo
Source: CharMeck.org & Duke Power
Randy Erwin/The Gazette
BY AMANDA MILLARD
amillard@gastongazette.com
LAKE WYLIE, S.C. —
Divers found animal bones,
fishing rods and plenty of fish
hooks Wednesday but no evidence in the case of the 31year mother and nurse killed
two weeks ago.
Lucy Johnson’s house was
set on fire July 16. Officials
found her body inside the
home after the fire, but police
have not said exactly how she
died.
Her two children, 7-yearold Lauren and 6-month-old
Cason, were not at the 4844
Hidden Meadow Court home
when the fire began. They are
staying with their fathers.
Gaston County Police
Capt. Calvin Shaw said he
couldn’t say what the dive
team is searching for.
Gazette file photo by John Clark
This photo from January 2003 pictures the new Carolina Harley-Davidson. The Baldwins,
from left, are Diane, Click, Criket, Lynn, and Chelsea on motorcycle.
Community had his heart
BY COREY FRIEDMAN
cfriedman@gastongazette.com
When Click Baldwin played Santa Claus,
he wore black leather and rumbled in on a
gleaming Harley-Davidson.
For at least 20 years, the Harley Owners
of Gastonia brought Christmas gifts to
residents of Holy Angels, a Belmont facility for mentally and physically disabled
children and adults. Baldwin and fellow
HOG members spread smiles and Christmas cheer, said Holy Angels’ Sister Nancy
Nance.
“They always made the kids smile,” said
Nance, the vice president of community relations. “It made for some interesting pictures because you’d see these big guys in
leather and our kids, our residents who are
medically fragile. You’d see the soft and gentle side of the riders.”
Baldwin was renowned for his charity
work, from his involvement in NASCAR
driver Kyle Petty’s yearly benefit ride to his
willingness to provide local law enforcement agencies with top-of-the-line Harleys
at deep discounts.
!See
‘THEY WERE
GENEROUS OF SPIRIT’
!See
Community/Page 10A
MARKET
For business report, see Page 8A
Robert Gilbert, 54, Belmont
Billy Walker, 68, Lincolnton
Ronald Snodgrass, 65,
Charlotte
James Sparrow, 66, Gastonia
Lisa Masters, 38, Mount Hope,
W.Va.
Rachel Self, 85, Gastonia
Judith Plummer, Denver
James Southers, 84, Mount Holly
Florence Neely, 87, Gastonia
S&P 500
1,284.26
Joel White, 68, Lincolnton
Mary Foster, 85, Shelby
Donald Matthews, 50, Gastonia
John Beam, 40, Shelby
Timothy McMurry, 45,
Blacksburg, S.C.
Helena Wiggins, Gastonia
Jean Roberts, 79, Asheville
Donald Tilley Jr., 40, Kannapolis
Robert Fagan, 84, Clover, S.C.
Louise Stewart, 87, Clover, S.C.
-
+21.06
INDEX
NASDAQ
2,329.72
Business ..................8A
Classifieds ..........1-8D
Comics ....................5C
Crossword ..............2D
Debate ....................7A
Horoscope ..............2D
Lottery numbers ....2A
Movies .................... 3C
Obituaries................6A
Police blotter ..........5A
VIDEO ONLINE
Watch an online video
at gastongazette.com of
the Lake Wylie search.
!
the crash scene in Lolo, Mont., read and leave memories of Click and condolences for the Baldwin
family. To view all stories, videos and photos, go to: http://local.gastongazette.com/click.
For complete
weather, see
Page 2A
Search/Page 3A
Nance said Baldwin was always helpful
and cared deeply for Holy Angels’ residents.
! Go to www.gastongazette.com to find a photo slide show of Click Baldwin, links to view a video of
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
Page designed by Randy Erwin
Page edited by Liz Williams
To call The Gazette: 704-869-1700
Delivery questions: 704-869-1800
Police searching lake
Divers began searching
near a boat ramp at
Allison Creek landing
off Lake Wylie.
274
Eddie Gossage missed a call he never got
to return.
Click Baldwin left Gossage a voicemail
message around 8 a.m. Tuesday. An hour
later, Baldwin’s motorcycle collided with a
car in Montana. The renowned owner of
Carolina Harley-Davidson Buell in Gastonia
died late Tuesday from injuries he suffered
in the wreck.
“He’s just one of my closest
Read some friends,”
Gossage said. “He’s a
of the
brother.”
online
condolences The former public relations
on Page 3A chief at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, Gossage is
now president of Texas Motor Speedway. In
January, Baldwin rode to Texas from the Tar
Heel State to deliver Gossage’s new motorcycle.
“I’m blessed because in the
business I’m in, you get to know
some of the most colorful characters you’re ever going to come
across,” Gossage said Wednesday. “And out of all of them,
Click was the brightest bulb in
the bunch.”
Click/Page 10A
279
York
cfriedman@gastongazette.com
!See
Mecklenburg
274
County
S.C.
To CCounty,
lover
‘The brightest bulb in the bunch’
Kyle Petty
remembers
Click.
See
Page 10A
Gaston County
York County
-
+10.10
DOW
11,583.69
-
+186.13
INSERT TODAY
www.gastongazette.com The Gazette
Page designed by Randy Erwin; edited by Liz Williams
Thursday, July 31, 2008 3A
FROM THE FRONT PAGE
ONLINE CONDOLENCES
LUCY JOHNSON
KILLING
continued from Page 1A
Brittany Randolph/The Gazette
Click Baldwin, owner of Carolina Harley-Davidson, talks to a
crowd in October 2006 before taking off to the Victory Junction
Gang Camp in Randleman.
H
undreds of people took the time
Wednesday to pass on condolences to
the family of Click Baldwin through The
Gazette’s Web site.
Those notes came from people from California
to Florida, from residents of Boiling Springs to
Belmont.
To read more or to write an online note, go to
gastongazette.com and click on the main story
on Click Baldwin’s passing. There will be a link in
the story.
Here’s a sampling of some of the more than 33
pages of condolences written online Wednesday.
Keep your head up and your soul free, for you are on the
other side now, no one will forget you.
Buck Burr
(Gastonia)
——— ✤ ———
‘Tis a sad day in the Carolina’s. Not only a great man, but a
champion of charities and a great friend to all who had the
pleasure of meeting him.
There’s some heavy hearts here at The Fox today. Our
thoughts and prayers for Diane and Chelsea during this difficult time. Let us know if we can do anything.
Mr. Bill
(WRFX “The Fox”)
——— ✤ ———
Click has gone much too soon. The entire Harley family
grieves today.
Amy & Mark Rodgers
(Milwaukee)
——— ✤ ———
Diane & family, Take comfort in knowing that now you
have a special guardian angel to watch over you. Click had a
way of making everyone he spoke to feel special. You will all
be in our thoughts and prayers.
Kurt & Sandy Brandt
(Gastonia HOG Chapter) (Kings Mountain)
——— ✤ ———
No one lived life larger than Click. He was more than a
friend, he was an inspiration to me personally and professionally. I am so grateful to have just shared time with him in
Vegas.
Chelsea, your dad loved you more than anything in the
world. He is so proud of who you are and who you will become.
Me and my girls loved Click and will never forget him and
his “sugars.”
Darcy, Sofie & Harper Betlach
(Minneapolis)
——— ✤ ———
I had only just met Click at the last few Dealer Meetings,
but I could tell for sure he was the life of the party.
Full of life and a great sense of humor. My prayers are with
the close friends and family at this difficult time. It’s a sad
day in the world of Harley-Davidson.
Tracy Murphy
New River Harley-Davidson (Jacksonville, NC)
——— ✤ ———
Click was a man’s man, even if you were a stranger to him
he would instantly make you feel as if you were his friend for
years. As he told me many times “riding his motorcycle was
the most fun he could have with your clothes on.” Click will
be missed dearly by the entire charity ride family. It has been
an honor to ride with him for the past two years on the charity ride. Our heart felt prayers for Diane, Chelsea and family.
Jason Lawson & Tina Lacey (Hollywood, Fla.)
——— ✤ ———
Click was the one person I always enjoyed talking to at the
dealer show. Always made me laugh and had a great story to
share. He was a very unique individual that I personally will
truly miss. I saw him less than a week ago, and he told me
how he had left July 5th and wouldn’t stop riding until he returned from Sturgis. He loved to ride. God bless him and his
family. It was my honor to know him.
Bill Holnagel (Milwaukee)
——— ✤ ———
My thoughts and prayers are with you, Diane, your family,
and the good folks at Carolina H-D. Click was one of the
good ones. I bought my 1st HOG from him. He will be
missed greatly.
John Brooks (Boiling Springs)
——— ✤ ———
It is a very sad day here at Blu-Gas and for the community.
Click was a great friend to so many here. He always came
through the door with a smile and by the time he left, he had
passed it on to everyone here. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family during this time of loss. Our thoughts and
prayers are with you.
Employees of Blu-Gas Co Inc. (Gastonia)
——— ✤ ———
We will certainly miss Click. A gifted storyteller with a
great sense of humor he was certainly one of a kind. Always
proud to be a Harley-Davidson dealer his passion for motorcycling was genuine. Harley-Davidson and motorcycling in
general just lost a great ambassador.
Jeff & Carol Stevens (H-D of Bloomington, Ind.)
——— ✤ ———
We have lost a good friend. Click was one of a kind and he
will be missed so please keep all of his family in your prayers.
Click is now an angel watching over all of us motorcycle riders.
JR Tompkins (Bessemer City)
——— ✤ ———
Click made the South Point High class of 1973 mighty
proud over the years. What a life story from a Kentucky
coalmine worker to owner of one of the most successful HD
dealerships in the country. All from a Belmont boy! He did
mighty good! It is comforting to know that he went while following his passion. Diane and Chelsea, hang in there, our
thoughts and prayers are with you.
Steve Carrigan (Belmont)
Searching lake for clues
At one point, divers used a metal
detector to scan the water. Shaw said
that doesn’t mean they’re looking for a
weapon.
“It means we’re looking for something metal,” Shaw said.
Divers began searching near boat
ramps at the Allison Creek Boat Landing at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Divers from
Gaston Emergency Medical Services
and the York, S.C., County Sheriff’s Office also searched the water.
“This location does not point one
finger at any person of interest or another,” Shaw said. “I wouldn’t draw
any conclusions about who is involved and who isn’t involved.”
Divers can’t see the bottom of the
water once they go beyond 15 feet below the surface.
“You just use your hands,” said Gastonia Police Detective Heath McMullan, a member of the Gastonia Police
John Clark/The Gazette
Gastonia Police Department Capt. Rob Helton, right, talks with
dive-team members.
Underwater Search and Rescue Team.
“I can’t remember one time in six
years when we dived and could actually see.”
Divers will be back in the water
again today.
“I’m certainly hoping to find something,” Shaw said.
You can reach Amanda Millard at
704-869-1839.
The Gaston Gazette | www.gastongazette.com
7A
Debate
Thursday, July 31, 2008
“
PUBLISHER
| Jennie Lambert
EDITOR
| Hunter Bretzius
OUR VIEWS
EDITORIAL EDITOR
| Barry Bridges
OTHER VIEWS
”
This newspaper is dedicated
to furnishing information to
our readers so that they can
better promote and preserve
their own freedom and
THE FREEDOM encourage others to see its
PHILOSOPHY blessings.For only when
people understand freedom
and are free to control all they produce can we
develop to our utmost capabilities.We believe
that all people are equally endowed by their
Creator,and not by a government,with the
right to preserve their lives and property and
secure more freedom and keep it for
themselves and others.
Freedom is self-control — no more,no less.
A vehicle for
his generosity
W
hen people think of Clifton “Click” Baldwin, what often springs to mind are images of man and machine: Click sitting
confidently astride one of the Harley-Davidsons
that have come to symbolize America’s free spirit.
Those road-rumbling motorcycles helped make
him a fixture in the business community. At the
same time, the Harley served as more than a commodity or a hobby in his life. It also provided an
outlet for generosity and civic-mindedness.
When NASCAR’s Kyle
Petty wanted to start a
THE TOPIC
cross-country motorcyClick
Baldwin
cle ride to raise money
for critically ill children,
THE POINT
Mr. Baldwin got in on
Harleys made him
the ground floor.
a financial success
When local motorcyand also provided
clists organized poker
an outlet to help
runs to benefit charitathe community.
ble causes, more than
likely Mr. Baldwin had
some kind of involvement — publicity, registration, what have you.
When gas prices
passed $3 a gallon and
kept on accelerating, local police officials felt
even more fortunate to
have leased motorcycles
from Mr. Baldwin’s dealership — at a yearly cost
John Clark/The Gazette
of $1 per bike.
Given his connection Diane and Click Baldwin
with the Harley-Davidson, the news that Mr. Baldwin passed away this
week after receiving serious injuries in a motorcycle
wreck strikes a bittersweet note. At the same time,
his loved ones, friends and associates can take comfort in knowing that he leaves behind far more than
a successful business. His example shows us that
vehicles can take people places not just physically,
but also in the sense of moving toward a better
community.
More coverage, in print and online
See the news story on Page 1A, plus video
tributes and more at gastongazette.com
Lending a hand to neighbors
P
T
Thumbs Up to teens and adults
who have been volunteering this
summer with the Christian ministry Carolina Cross Connection.
The ministry offers free minor
home repairs to elderly residents
and families. A group based at Camp
Loy White in Casar has been working in both Gaston and Cleveland counties.
The teens and adults from church youth groups
volunteer their services for four weeks each summer. The groups are sent to five area camps, and coordinator Jonathan Harris said each camp helps an
average of 40 families per week during the monthlong program.
“It’s a really good opportunity to serve other people and to serve God,” said Mr. Harris. “It’s just very
fulfilling work. It kind of helps you be motivated
when you’re tired to know you’re just helping other
people out.”
MBS U
HU
A look at the green
politicking machine
L
et’s face it. The average individual
American has little or no clout with
Congress and can be safely ignored.
But it’s a different story with groups such
as Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra
Club and The Nature Conservancy. When
they speak, Congress listens. Unlike the
average American, they are well organized, loaded with cash and well positioned to be a disobedient congressman’s
worse nightmare. Their political and economic success has been a near disaster
for our nation.
For several decades, environmentalists
have managed to get Congress to keep
most of our oil resources off-limits to exploration and drilling. They’ve managed
to have the Congress enact onerous regulations that have made refinery construction impossible. Similarly, they’ve used
the courts and Congress to completely
stymie the construction of nuclear power
plants. As a result, energy prices are at
historic highs and threaten our economy
and national security.
What’s the political response to our energy problems? It’s more congressional
and White House kowtowing to environmentalists, farmers and multi-billion
dollar corporations such as Archer
Daniels Midland. Their “solution,” rather
than to solve our oil supply problem by
permitting drilling for the billions upon
billions of barrels of oil beneath the surface of our country, is to enact the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007
that mandates that oil companies increase the amount of ethanol mixed with
gasoline. Anyone with an ounce of brains
would have realized that diverting crops
from food to fuel use would raise the
prices of corn-fed livestock, such as pork,
beef, chicken and dairy products, and
products made from corn, such as cereals. Ethanol production has led to increases in other grain prices, such as soybean and wheat. Since the U.S. is the
world’s largest grain producer and exporter, higher grain prices have had a
huge impact on food prices worldwide.
Congress and the environmentalists
aren’t through with us. If you’re bothered
by skyrocketing food and energy prices,
wait until Congress re-introduces its environmentalist-inspired Climate Security
Act, so-called “Cap and Trade.” Cap and
Trade is deceptively peddled as a free-
FDA earns rotten tomatoes
for its salmonella response
The Palm Beach Post
F
lorida growers take no consolation
from the federal government’s announcement that all kinds of
tomatoes are safe to eat. The damage —
more than $100 million of it — has been
done to sales of the state’s crop.
Four months ago, the U.S. Food and
LET US HEAR WHAT YOU
HAVE TO SAY ONLINE
Post comments on 25 Words or Less,
The Soapbox Derby blog, Open Mike
political cartoons or on news articles
with Reader Comments.
market solution to the
yet-to-be-settled issue
of manmade climate
change. Under its provisions, companies
would be able to emit
greenhouse gases only
if they had a government allowance. The
WALTER
Congressional Budget
WILLIAMS Office estimates that a
Syndicated
15 percent cut in emissions would raise the annual average
household’s energy costs by $1,300. Since
energy is an input to everything we use,
we can expect everything to become
more costly, resulting in a reduction in
economic growth.
There’s a hateful side to Cap and Trade
that’s revealed by asking the question:
How will it be decided who received how
much allowance to emit greenhouse gases? Congress could sell the allowances
and/or give them away to favorite constituents. You can bet the rent money
that a new army of lobbyists, with special
pleadings, will descend on Washington to
lobby Congress. And you can be sure that
campaign contributions and favoritism
will play an important role in the decision of who received what amount of allowances.
Much worse than that is the massive
control government would have over our
economy and our lives. Congress might
decide that since tobacco use is unhealthy, it might not issue allowances to
tobacco companies. While many Americans might applaud that, how many
would like Congress to refuse to issue allowances to companies that produce
foods that some people deem unhealthy
such as french fries, sodas, canned soups
and potato chips. Congress might deny,
or threaten to deny, allowances to companies that in their opinion didn’t hire
enough women and minorities.
The thirst to wield massive control
over our economy helps explain the
near-religious belief in manmade global
warming and the attacks on those who
offer contradictory evidence.
Walter Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University in
Fairfax,Va.Write him c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles
CA 90045.
“
OPINIONS AROUND
THE SOUTHEAST
Drug Administration pointed to tomatoes as the primary suspect for the salmonella outbreak that was spreading
across the country. To date, more than
1,200 people in 42 states have gotten
sick from something, but the govern-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
● Require writer’s signature, address and
daytime phone number.
● May be edited for length, accuracy, etc.
● Preferred length is 300 words or less.
Longer letters may be considered for
“My Turn” columns.
“
LOG ON,
SOUND OFF
Comments from items on
gastongazette.com
On the late Click Baldwin:
I am so sorry for the Baldwin
family and the Carolina H-D
family. We have lost a wonderful
person. Click called himself a
“big kid”, he enjoyed having fun
and helping others. The whole
community has lost a great guy.
Click will be missed.
mounthollygirl
“
“
We will keep Diane and her
family in our thoughts and
prayers through this difficult
time. May you find
comfort in knowing he is in the
presence of God.
I believe in my
heart after knowing Click for over
10 years that he
is making God laugh with that
great sense of humor and that
witty smile he would flash …
Anyone who ever met Click
walked away a better person because of his gentle and kind
spirit. I will miss you, my friend.
God’s speed, Click Baldwin.
tombarrettjr
“
Diane, my prayers and
thoughts are with you and
the rest of the family. I will always remember what great
friends you and Click were to us
when our family was suffering
our loss.
MDIXON
“
My hope is that the loving
God wraps his arms around
this family and comforts them
like only he can. Rest in peace,
Click.
gastonmike
“
Click was a wonderful, energetic person, who brought a
smile to everyone who knew
him. His passing leaves an
emptiness in everyone’s heart
whose life he touched. Please
know that numerous thoughts
and prayers are with you.
carolinaracer
ment can’t figure out what. No evidence
exists to connect any of the illness with
any of the state’s produce.
Tomato growers correctly blame the
FDA for stigmatizing their product
without working more closely with the
industry early on to trace the problem
to its source. It appears that the government jumped to a convenient conclusion under public pressure to come up
with an answer — any answer.
● Writers are limited to one letter or
column published every 15 days.
● The Gazette does not publish poetry, form
letters, petitions or consumer complaints.
How to send them:
Mail: P.O. Box 1538 Gastonia, NC 28053
Fax: 704-867-5751
E-mail: gastongazette@gastongazette.com
SUBMITTED MATERIAL | All items submitted to The Gaston Gazette for publication become the property of the newspaper and are subject to reuse, in whole or part, in print, electronic formats and archives. Material is subject to editing and other changes.
10A Thursday, July 31, 2008
www.gastongazette.com The Gazette
Page edited by Liz Williams
REMEMBERING ‘CLICK’ BALDWIN
‘Click’was ‘the brightest bulb in the bunch’
continued from Page 1A
“He kept talking about how
proud he was that I was going to go
build this new speedway,” Gossage
said. “Click had a unique way of
saying things, and he said, ‘Everyone is going to want to suck up to
you. I’m glad I’m pre-sucked.’”
Baldwin counted NASCAR luminaries like Gossage and driver Kyle
Petty among his many friends, but
many describe the self-styled “Belmont Boy” as humble.
“If you would just meet Click on
the street, you would just think he
was a regular individual, not a
business owner or anything,” said
longtime friend Steve Jenkins of
Bessemer City. “He was just Click.”
Jenkins, who owns Steve’s Paint
and Body Shop, painted numerous
motorcycles and worked on special projects for Baldwin over the
years.
“It’s kind of hard to describe
Click,” Jenkins said. “He was just a
special individual. If you ever
needed anything, all you had to do
was ask him. He went out of his
way to help everybody.”
the East Coast to the West Coast.”
J. Wylie Goble was the librarian
at Belmont Junior High School
when Baldwin attended school
there. He had learned of Baldwin’s
dealership and recently saw him in
a television appearance from Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“I was delighted by his success
as any teacher is when they see
students succeed in life,” Goble
said in an e-mail to The Gazette.
“Click Baldwin is a loss to his family, friends and the motorcycle
world. He will be missed and remembered.”
Motorcycle riders and enthusiasts from across the United States
knew Baldwin from his involvement in the Kyle Petty Charity Ride
and numerous other rides and rallies. Myrtle Beach resident Lance
Thompson met Baldwin years ago
at the Rally in the Valley in Maggie
Valley.
“There was never a time that I
‘HE NEVER MET A
STRANGER’
Earl Calhoun remembers Baldwin as a teenager. He quizzed Calhoun and his friends about their
bikes when he was 16 or 17.
“He was an average kid who was
fascinated with motorcycles,” Calhoun said. “He would come up
and look at motorcycles and ask to
sit on our motorcycles, and we’d let
him sit on them.”
Calhoun, who lives in Bessemer
City, said he enjoyed getting to
know Baldwin as he grew up and
eventually opened his motorcycle
dealership.
“He was always talkative. He
never met a stranger,” Calhoun
said. “He had a lot of friends from
John Clark/The Gazette
In this photo from January 2003, Click Baldwin talks about the transformation of the old Hannaford’s grocery store into Carolina Harley-Davidson.
was around him that he didn’t
make me laugh and just lift my
spirits,” Thompson said. “He was
just that kind of guy.”
You can reach Corey Friedman at
704-869-1828.
Community had Baldwin’s heart, he had ‘generosity of spirit’
continued from Page 1A
“I think for Click and the
group, it was trying to help
those who may not be able
to do for themselves,” she
said. “They were very generous of spirit. I think sometimes when you see someone on a motorcycle dressed
in leather, you get a certain
image or preconceived notion of who they are, and
they’re not like that at all.”
In 1997, Harley-Davidson
bikes were in short supply
nationwide, with two-year
waiting lists for some models. When Baldwin heard
that the Dallas Police Department wanted a new
bike, he found one right
away and sold the $18,000
motorcycle
for
about
$13,000.
“They cut us a killer deal
on the price, and it was super-fast when we got it,”
said Police Chief Gary Buckner, who rode the motorcycle as a sergeant and captain
from 1997 to 2000.
Carolina Harley provided
prompt service when the
bike needed maintenance or
repairs, Buckner said.
“They’re a super bunch of
people to work with, and
that’s a direct reflection on
Click because he has good
people that he’s hired and
cultivated,” Buckner said.
“That all goes back to the
boss.”
‘HE’S BEEN A
TREMENDOUS
HELP’
Baldwin’s dealership leases three Harley-Davidson
motorcycles to the Gastonia
Police Department for $1
per year each. Chief Terry
Sult credits the deal with
jump-starting the department’s motorcycle unit.
After two years, the leased
motorcycles are returned to
Carolina Harley to be sold,
and the dealership provides
new bikes for the same onebuck lease.
“We would not have a
motorcycle unit if it was not
for Carolina Harley-Davidson or for Click,” Sult said
Wednesday. “These motorcycles are some of the most
effective traffic control devices we have.”
Sult said the bikes have
proven 10 times more effective than he first believed
they would be. Officers on
motorcycles can reach car
wrecks quicker than their
counterparts in police cruisers.
“We didn’t go to (Baldwin)
and ask him for the motorcycles,” Sult said. “He is really the one who kind of
pushed it along. He was just
a really good friend to law
enforcement, and he was
just a really good guy.”
Without Baldwin’s help,
Belmont probably wouldn’t
have a motorcycle patrol.
Carolina Harley-Davidson
leases two motorcycles to
THE CRASH THAT CLAIMED CLICK BALDWIN
Clifton “Click” Baldwin died Tuesday
night after emergency surgery at St.
Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula, Mont.
The Carolina Harley-Davidson Buell
o w n e r wa s i nv o l v e d i n a m o r ning
collision.
Baldwin’s 2009 Harley-Davidson struck
a 1999 Honda Civic on U.S. 12
outside Lolo, Mont., according to the
Montana Highway Patrol. The car was
turning left into the Traveler’s Rest
State Park when Baldwin tried to pass
in the left lane of the two-lane highway,
Trooper Patrick McCar thy told The
Gazette.
Montana television stations reported he
was not wearing a helmet at the time of
the crash. Montana law does not
require riders over 18 to wear helmets.
Baldwin struck the car as it turned and
was thrown off his motorcycle. He hit
the Belmont Police Department for $1 per year apiece.
“If it wasn’t for Click, we
probably would not have
the pavement and the signpost of a
reduce speed ahead sign on the
highway and was flown to the hospital
with serious injuries.
He died around 9:30 p.m. Mountain
Standard Time.
Joann Davidson of Missoula, who was
driving the Honda, and her 5-year-old
granddaughter were driven to the
hospital with minor injuries, McCarthy
said.
Baldwin was riding through Montana
with 14 other members of the
Hamsters Motorcycle Club. The group
was meeting other members for the
68th annual Sturgis Rally in Sturgis,
S.D., an event that draws hundreds of
thousands of motorcyclists.
He is survived by his wife, Diane, and
daughter, Chelsea.
— Corey Friedman
motorcycles just because of
budget restraints and stuff
like that,” said Belmont Police Capt. Charlie Franklin.
“He’s been a tremendous
help to law enforcement.”
You can reach Corey Friedman at 704-869-1828.
‘We have lost a great one’
NASCAR driver Kyle
Petty issued the following
statement on the death of
Click Baldwin:
Words cannot describe
what “Click”
Baldwin has
meant to me,
my family and
the Victory
Junction Gang
NASCAR
Camp.
driver
Back
in
Kyle Petty
1995, he and I,
along with a few other
close friends, were just a
group of guys that wanted
to ride our motorcycles
across the country. We
found out that we could
raise some money for
charity while doing it, and
the Kyle Petty Charity
Ride was born.
While it had my name
on it, “Click” was a driving force behind the ride.
There has never been a
more giving human being.
He was more than a
friend, he was like a
brother to me.
Please keep his wife Diane, his daughter Chelsea,
his mom, his brother and
his Carolina HarleyDavidson family in your
thoughts and prayers.
We have lost a great one.
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