Cleveland County adds House Speaker Tim Moore to welcome signs

Drivers heading into Cleveland County will now be informed they’re entering N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore’s home turf.

The “Welcome To Cleveland County” highway signs now list two things that county leaders like to boast about: The county is home to Moore as well as the American Legion World Series.

Moore noted the sign change on Twitter Friday morning:

The Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce also provided Moore with a keepsake version of the sign:

The push to get Moore on the signs was led by Cleveland County Commissioner Eddie Holbrook and former Sens. Wes Westmoreland and Debbie Clary, according to Cleveland Chamber of Commerce president Bill Watson.

Holbrook leads the American Legion World Series, which is also noted on the welcome signs and received $200,000 in this year’s state budget for stadium upgrades.

“They all rallied their resources and connections and learned about what the Department of Transportation requires,” Watson said. Moore serves as the county attorney who advises the commissioners.

The county has installed four signs at locations that didn’t previously have “welcome” signs. County Manager Jeff Richardson said the signs will cost less than $6,000, and the price is being split between private donors and the Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership.

Dome wondered if any other notable Cleveland County residents or former residents might have been in the running for a road sign shout-out.

The county, located about 30 minutes west of Charlotte, was also home to bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs, football player Charlie “Choo-Choo” Justice, country singer Patty Loveless and basketball player David Thompson.

None of them appear on the county’s welcome signs, prompting a few gripes on Twitter about Moore’s selection after one year as House speaker.

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Cleveland County adds House Speaker Tim Moore to welcome signs."