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"Building Communicative Bridges In A Tri-Racial Setting"
VOLUME 31 NUMBER 44 _ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2003 25c
Mayor Milton Hunt announces bid for Re-Election
Mayor Milton R Hunt, 59, announces
his bid for re-election as
Mayor of the Town of Pembroke
He is married to Polly Deese Hunt
They have two children and six
grandchildren. Mayor Hunt is selfemployed
in Dry Wall Construction.
semi-retired
During his tenure as Mayor, Hunt
as seen tremendous growth and
progress in the Town of Pembroke,
particularly in the commercial areas
Competent town government
must have a willingness to do
whatever is necessary to help with
the growth of the town, promote
good relationships with the citizens,
business and the University
of North Carolina at Pembroke
Hunt released the following statement:
"It is a known fact that
progress doesn't come about by
sitting back and doing nothing It
has been my pleasure to serve
with many council people that pro
motes the substantial growth of
the town I have been a part of
Under my administration, the town
has been able to move into the next
Century better prepared to serve
our town
"A good example of the substantial
growth of new business and
job opportunities in the town is
the Wal-Mart which is coming
soon, along with other businesses
to better serve our town and community
The Town of Pembroke in
the future will continue to have expanded
services because there are
many planned areas of growth already
in progress
"As you know, Com-Tech, the Industrial
Park on the outskirts of
town will soon be providing many
jobs which will help to decease the
unemployment rate The Town of
Pembroke played a major role in
making this a reality 1 continue to
serve on the Board of Directors of
Corn-Tech
"It has been my pleasure to serve
the town and community for many
years With your help and vote, I
will continue to bring my experience
and give my time to ensuring
that the entire town where 1 was
born and raised (I have never lived
outside the town) continues to
prosper"
Mayor Hunt has served on the
following prestigious boards: Cardinal
Health Agency-two years,
Robeson Community Collegeseven
and one-half years, two
years as Vice Chairman, Lumber
River Council of Governments,
two years; Southeastern Economic
Development Committee,
two years, Pembroke Civic Club
(Jaycees), twenty-eight years,
Lumbee Tribal Chairman, three
years; Chairman of the Robeson
County Democratic Party for four
years, Founder and president of
the Big Buck Hunting Club, 25
years; Com-tech Board of Directors,
three years. Chairman Advisory
Board, Progressive State
Banking, sixteen years. Bicentennial
Committee, UNCP, Department
of Social Services Board of
Directors, four years
Hunt continued "1 list these
boards and committees that I have
served on and some 1 continue to
be a part of, because the combination
of these services and the
knowledge and contacts 1 have
made in the various capacities has
helped me to have a broader view
of how to improve the Town of
Pembroke and the contacts I've
made have made it possible for me
to be an effective leader and see
the tremendous growth of our
town Your vote on November 4,
2003 will be greatly appreciated."
Mayor Milton R. Hunt
Miss UNCP steps down
Pembroke-Aja Locklear notified
UNCP Pembroke officials
Monday of her decision to step
down as the reigning Miss
UNCP.
"We regret that this situation has
occurred," said Dr. Diane Jones,
Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs. "In light of the circumstances
in this case, we believe it
is in the best interest of .everyone
involved that UNC Pembroke
accept Aja's decision to relinquish
the title so that she can turn
her full attention to the pursuit of
her education. It is time to leave
these unfortunate events behind
and move forward."
A sophomore, Locklear won the
title of Miss UNCP on January
30, 2003. A Miss UNCP she was
a contestant in the Miss North
Carolina Pageant.
Newspaper reports stated that
Locklear was found guilty of a
misdemeanor on Friday. October
25 in Robeson County District
Court, stemming from a
September 27 charge.
Due to the nature of the case,
University officials decided the
best course of action was to wait
for the court to rule on the case.
Locklear's decision to step down
makes is unnecessary for the
University to make any changes
in reaction to the court's Finding.
The 2003 Pageant runner-up will
be offered the opportunity complete
the on-year term as Miss
UNCP. The next 2004 Pageant is
scheduled for January 29 and
seven contestants have entered
the scholarship competition.
Capt. McNeill to lead county
law enforcement association
PEMBROKE, N.C.Assistant
Chief Larry McNeill
of the UNC Pembroke Police
and Public Safety Department
was elected president of the
Robeson County Law
Enforcement Executive
Officer's Association.
The association consists of
top executive law enforcement
officers of agencies in Robeson
and Hoke counties. Its mission is
to network on law enforcement
issues and to build ties between
different agencies.
UNCP has been a memberagency
of the association sine it
began 10 years ago.
"I believe this is an important
agency for the local law enforcement,
and I am honored to be
elected to lead them," Capt.
McNeill said. "Our mission is to
improve the quality of life in
Robeson and Hoke counties
through effective law enforcement
methods."
"Helping people by making
neighborhoods safer is what we
do in law enforcement and in the
association," he said.
UNCP Campus Police Chief
David Helton said
Capt.McNeill's election was
well deserved.
"Capt.McNeill is a long-time
member of the association and a
dedicated public servant," Chief
Helton said. "He will do a great
job in promoting law enforcement
as president."
The Law Enforcement
Association also hosts the Arthur
Oxendine Memorial Firearms
Competition and Scholarship
Banquet each year to promote
firearms proficiency and to fund
four $750 scholarships each
year.
McNeill is a 30-year veteran
of campus law enforcement who
has risen to the rank of captain
and to the position of Assistant
Chief. He is also a Pembroke
Town Councilman and a member
of Congressman Mike
Mclntyre's Law Enforcement
Advisory Committee.
McNeill is married to the former
Glenda Gail Jacobs, and
they have four children.
Tribal government
receives REACH Grant
The Lumbee Tribe has
received a grant in the amount of
$150,000 from the U.S.
Department of Health & Human
Services to administer the
* Residential Energy Assistance
Challenge (REACh) Option
under the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP), currently operated
by the Tribe.
Under the REACh Program,
the Tribe has committed to using
the funds to assist 75 Lumbee
families in the counties of Hoke,
Robeson and Scotland to reduce
the energy burden through the
purchase of heating or cooling
systems , installation of weatherization
assistance by window
installation, and various energy
conservation educational material.
These services will occur in
collaboration and will target
tribal members who are served
through the LIHEAP. LIHEAP
provides American Indian families
with heating and cooling
assistance. The household must
meet the guide line , cannot have
resources over $2,200, and must
be an American Indian with the
energy bill in their name.
Further information can be
obtained by contacting June
Jacobs or Betty Deese at the
Lumbee Tribal Office at 910521-7861
or 800-659-6585.
UNCP's Youth Smart
writing contest winners
PEMBROKE,N.C.-In
observance of the events that
occurred September 11,2001,
the UNCP YouthStart Program
held an Essay/Poetry Contest for
the program participants as a
way to express what September
11 meant to them.
Martha Chavis,( left), a
junior at South Robeson High
School, was the winner of the
Poetry Contest, titled"Where
were You?" Tabitha Jacobs
(right), a junior at Purnell Swett
High School, was the winner of
the Essay Contest, titled "It
could Have Been You." Both
students received a Certificate of
Award, $25.00 Wal-Mart Gift
Card and a YouthStart Duffel
bag.
Arts Council sponsors
Contra Dance
Red Springs-The Red
Springs Arts Council will sponsor
a contra dance on Saturday
night, November 15th. The
dance will be held in the old
gym at the Flora Macdonald
Academy in Red Springs and
will feature the live "old time"
and Celtic music of the Myrtle
Beach band Gaelstorm. Linda
Thomas will be the caller for
this dance and she is equally talented
with beginners and longterm
dancers. According to Arts
Council President, John
Bowman, "Contra dancing is a
form of traditional folk dancing
that is similar to square dancing,
but sets of couples dance in fac
,ng lines, li is an easy form of
dance to learn, the music is livelv
and the dancing can be vigorous.
No experience is necessary
as each dance is taught by the
caller, and with Linda Thomas,
we will have one of the best
callers around. Both couples and
singles are welcomed. And you
don't have to dance if you don't
want to; the music is a treat in
and of itself! " The dance will
began at 8:00 p.m., but there
will be free contra dance
instruction before the dance at
7:30 taught by experienced
dancers; Tickets for the
Saturday night dance are $5 and
will be available at the door.
Gospel sing sponsored
by tribal government
The Lumbec Tribe will host a
gospel singing featuring: the
Oxendines, the Pierces, Brother
Wilbert& Family, Scottie
Deal.and Shelly Strickland. The
singing will start at 7 p.m. at
Old Prospect Church. It is free
and everyone is invited to
attend.
The event is to sponsor Miss
Shelly Strickland as Miss Indian
North Carolina.
A former Miss Lumbee, Miss
Strickland has well represented
us and we arc confident that she
will live up to our expectations.
Admission is free, however,
a love offering to help cover the
traveling expenses for Miss
Strickland will be appreciated.
Tribal government awards
scholarships
The Lumbee Tribe presented
cholarships to four enrolled
ribal members seeking higher
ducation on Friday, October 9,
1003. The funds were provided
hrough the Annual Lumbee
["ribal Council Golf
rournament.
Darlene Jacobs , Tribal
\dministrator said, "I am
:xtremely proud to be part of a
>rocess that assists our
\merican Indian students in pursuing
their careers and fulfilling
iheir dreams. In meeting these
young ladies one-on-one and
looking at their backgrounds and
understanding their admirable
goals, I truly believe they will be
highly successful and make the
Lumbee people proud."
The recipients were Heather
McPhail, a freshman at UNC
Greensboro majoring in Nursing
. June Hunt and Tracy Locklear
, both seniors at UNC Pembroke
seeking a degree in Elementary
Education K-Sixth and Tressa
McLemore, a junior at UNC
Pembroke seeking a degree in
Birth through Kindergarten
Education.
The scholarships awarded
were based on a written essay
and grade-point average of 2.5
or higher. McPhail was the first
recipient of the William Lonnie
Revels Scholarship, which is
given to the applicant with the
highest grade point average.
Tracy Guerra, Scholarship
Committee Chairwoman said,"it
is always a pleasure to assist
members in their pursuit for
higher education. The committee
selected these ladies out of the
numerous qualified applicants.
We regrettably did not have the
funds to assist all the members
who applied and are deserving ,
but I feel confident that the
awardees chosen will utilize
these funds in a manner to the
benefit of not only themselves,
but to the tribe and future generations
to come."
The awardees will receive
$500 per semester pending their
grade point average.
Local Authority Enters
World of Cyberspace
PEMBROKE-Pembroke
Housing Authority , one of five
public housing authorities operating
within Robeson County, Is
the-^irst to create a web site for
use in operating and managing its
affordable housing program. The
Authority first began using web
site for practical use in the dayto-day
operations in August
2002. Since that time, nearly four
thousand visitors have accessed
the Authority's website. The
address is
www, pcmbrokcha.com.
The Authority's mission is to
provide decent, safe, and sanitary
housing for qualified applicants
of Pembroke and surrounding
communities. "Our website will
increase the accessibility of our
programs," says J.Garth
Locklear, Chairman of the Board
of Commissioners. "We strive to
provide for fair housing and
equal opportunity for all interested
persons," says Locklear. "By
offering access to our services
via our website twenty-four
hours a day-seven days a week,
applicants and interested parties
may contact us through this website
and receive valuable information
pertinent to our housing
assistance program. Vendors and
contractors can also register their
business with our Procurement
Office. Simply put, we are available
on a limited basis after
hours," states Locklear.
The staff of the Authority maintains
the website with
Macromedia Dream Weaver MX
soft ware. Items accessible from
the website include office e- mail
addresses for administrative staff,
pertinent policies and procedures
relevant to the daily operations
and management, employment
application, housing assistance
application, FY2004 Annual
Plan, organizational chart, and
general information and details
of the housing stock. Photos of
the Board of Commissioners.
Mayor, and staff are available for
identification purposes.
Upgrades and additions planned
for the future include floor plans
of existing housing units, site
layouts, email addresses for
maintenance employees and an
electronic Newsletter. The website
is currently under review by
the staff for compliance with
ADA accessibility guidelines.
The website was designed by the
staff of the Authority and constructed
by Reggie Oxcndine of
the UNCP Regional Center for
Economic. Community and
Professional Development.
UNCP in partnership with
Advanced Internet Technologies
(AIT) of Fayettevillc, North
Carolina, provides web-hosting
services to the Authority.