SECTION II
- journal
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1982
Congress Race Could Be Close I
by Warren Johnston
Both candidates vying for the
Eighth Congressional seat were
unsure whether the present decline
in interest rates is a sign of
economic improvement, however,
in interviews last week both dif
fered sharply over the Reagan
Administration's handling of the
country's finances.
Despite the nation's S153 billion
deficit and the largest federal tax
increase in history, which were
cited by 8th District Rep. William
G. Hefner, Republican challenger
Harris D. Blake believes that the
Reagan Administration is doing a
good job bringing the economy
under control.
"The President has a long term
policy to reduce the growth of
government, and he is doing that."
' Blake said.
"I'll leave it to the Republicans
to defend the Reagan budget,"
Hefner said.
"We will have the largest tax
increase in history. Unemployment
has reached 10.1% and the deficit
won't come under $150 billion,"
the incumbent congressman said.
One of the biggest mistakes
made by the President was a veto of
a housing bill passed by Congress
earlier this year, Hefner said,
noting that the Republicans in
Congress who had previously
backed the bill shifted to the
Administration side and sustained
the veto.
Harris Blake
That bill would have created
jobs and gotten the housing in
dustry, along with other industries
going again, he said.
Cher 17,000 small businesses will
go broke this year, Hefner added.
Hoke County Problems
The national government has a
trillion dollar debt, and paying
interest to service that debt is
drying up capital and is causing
unemployment. Blake said.
To stabilize the economy is going
to take a long time and can not be
done quickly, he added.
"There is no quick fix. The
Democrats want to give us a quick
fix, but we get deeper in debt each
time they give us a quick fix,"
Blake said.
The national debt needs to be
reduced or the country will go
broke trying to service it. If
more money has to be printed to
cover the debt, people will begin to
lose their freedom, he said.
The problems facing the nation
are facing Hoke County, he added.
In order to solve the problems in
the 8th District and the county,
interest rates have to stay down,
Hefner said.
"What we have to have is low
interest fixed rates for housing and
automobiles," the Congressman
said. "Housing has got to lead us
out of the recession."
While serving in Congress, Hef
ner said he has been successful in
helping bring industry to the
District.
If re-elected, Hefner said he
would continue to work for the
district and Hoke County.
Efforts will be made to visit
Hoke County on a regular basis,
Hefner said. Voters in Scotland
County will attest he has been
available, he added.
About The Vote
Hoke County will shift from the
Seventh Congressional District and
will join 1 1 other counties this year
8r%^here'. ^ ^ Raef?rd May?r John K McNei" and his d??* Friday's
in the Eighth District.
If Hefner, who is seeking his fifth
term in Congress, is re-elected it
will be his first opportunity to serve
the people of Hoke County.
The Concord resident now serves
on the House Appropriations Com
mittee, the Defense Subcommittee
and the Subcommittee on Military
Construction. He also serves House
Budget Committee.
The 52-year-old Hefner entered
Congress after spending 20 years in
the entertainment and radio busi
ness.
As of the middle of October,
Hefner reported raising S206.854
for his campaign, and having spent
- Hi
$184,879.
A portion of the money came
from Political Action Committees
(PACs) related to the aircraft
industry. Hefner also reported
$1,000 contributions from cam
paign committees of fellow House
(See CONGRKSSIONAL. page 3)
Buddy Blue Bill Cameron Wjiher Coley Onnie Bratcher Dudley Charlotte Kelly Bobbv Wright
Six Hopefuls Vie For Three Board Seats
by BUI Lindau
The News-Journal asked each of
the six candidates for the three
positions on the Hoke County
Board of Education up for election
November 2 questions to provide
the voters with knowledge of the
convictions of each candidate on
matters significant to the Hoke
County schools and school stu
dents. The questions and the
answers of each candidate follow.
The candidates will be elected on
a nonpartisan basis for terms of
four years each. The winners will
join the two members whose terms
won't expire till 1984 -- Mrs. Mina
Townsend and Mrs. Ruth McNair.
The candidates running for the
board positions are Bill Cameron,
current board chairman, seeking
his second four-year term; Walter
Coley, board member also running
Cor his second term; Robert
(Bobby) Wright, serving the un
expired portion of Dr. R.M. Jor
dan's term and running tor his First
full term; Onnie Bratcher Dudley;
Charlotte R. Kelly and J.H.
(Buddy) Blue.
The responses follow.
To the question, "Do you have or
have you had any children in Hoke
County schools, Cameron replied
he has a son in the First Grade of
J.W. McLauchlin School and a
daughter in the Sixth Grade of
J.W. Turlington. Coley and Wright
also replied they each had three
children in Hoke schools.
Mrs. Kelly has two who are
students, one at Upchurch Junior
High and the other at West Hoke
School .
Mrs. Dudley replied, "yes," and
Blue said his daughter was a
student in the county school system
for six years before she moved to
Raleigh last spring.
"What qualifies you to be on the
board?" was the next question.
"Four years experience on the job,
a college degree, regular attend
ance at all meetings except one
(because of a death in the family),"
Coley answered.
Cameron said: "I was a teacher
for 1 1 years, four years in the Hoke
County school system. 1 majored in
education at the University of
Tennessee after my graduation
from Hoke County High School.
This background has given me first
hand experience from the perspec
tive of a teacher, and my previous
experience on the board has given
me insight into the necessary
leadership required of a board
member. I understand how a
school system should work to be
effective. My experience in educa
tion in other educational systems in
and out of state has given me a
basis of comparison. I basically
care about what happens in our
schools."
Wright's answer: "I graduated
from Hoke High School and Camp
bell College. I am a farmer and I
know the necessity of hard work,
sound money management, and the
responsibility of leadership."
Mrs. Kelly said: "I worked in the
Hoke County school system for four
years, I was one of the Vour
originators of the Hoke County
PTA, and 1 have traveled through
out the state of North Carolina
attending workshops that have
given me exposure to the educa
tional system and its needs."
"1 believe," Blue answered,
"that I understand what the goals
of our public school system should
be and what the role of the Hoke
County Board of Education should
be in attaining these goals."
Mrs. Dudley replied, "My sin
cere desire to serve the parents and
children of Hoke County."
Why does the candidate want to
be on the Board of Education?
"Hoke County," Cameron an
swered, "is my home and I love it. I
graduated here. My children will
graduate from this system. Our
neighbors' children will graduate
from this system. The education
provided to all our children is an
investment into our entire county's
future. We want our children and
grandchildren to prosper now and
in the future by the experience
provided for them in our schools."
Coley said, "Because I want to be
a part of the decision-making
process as it pertains to the school
system of our county. Several
important decisions will have to be
made in the new term of office after
the November 2nd election."
Wright replied: "...because I
have three children in the Hoke
County schools, and 1 believe
education is one of the most
important factors affecting the
quality of the lives of our children. 1
want the best possible education for
all children in Hoke County. Our
children are our greatest resource;
our hope for the future of Hoke
County.
Mrs. Kelly said: "1 believe my
experience, knowledge, concern for
fairness will help me to better
represent the people of the coun
ty"
Mrs. Dudley answered:. "Be
cause 1 am concerned about the
children of Hoke County." Blue
replied, "A majority of Hoke
(See SCHOOL BOARD, page 3)
Half Hoke Commission Up For Grabs
John G. Balfour
Cleo Bratcher Jr.
James A. Hunt
Evelyn Manning
by Warren Johnston
In interviews last week, three of
the four candidates running in
Tuesday's election for a seat on the
Hoke County Commission said
unemployment was the greatest
problem facing local residents.
Commissioner James A. Hunt,
who is seeking re-election, could
not be reached for comment.
Hunt will be vying for votes with
Commission Chairman John G.
Balfour and political newcomers
Cleo Bratcher Jr, and Evelyn
Manning, who is on the Republican
ticket.
Bratcher and Hunt received the
Democratic Party nomination after
garnering the top votes in the July
27 primary runoff over incumbent
Mable Riley and Raeford druggist
Tom Howell.
Although unemployment was
cited as the biggest problem in the
county. Manning also believes that
the physical condition of the
schools ranks high on the list of
matters needing attention.
Hoke County has been growing
slowly over the last 70 years because
there are few opportunities here for
young people. Manning said, not
ing that industries need to be
brought in to create jobs.
"Most of the people born in
Hoke County have left to find
jobs," the Republican hopeful said.
If elected, Manning said she
would like to accomplish the goal of
bringing at least one industry to
Hoke County during the next four
years.
Overcrowding in the school and
(See COMMISSION, page 5)