Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / March 8, 1984, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Hoke County News - Volume LXXV Number 46 The News-Journal Established 1928 ^ ,r?- " ? ? Mixed drink plan to A move calling for a referendum to approve the sale of mixed beverages in Hoke County will probably be launched in early May, a spokesman for a group backing the legislation said Mon day. 0 Supporters of the effort see the sale of mixed beverages as a method of improving the tax base in Hoke, as well as a "good source" of revenue for the county, spokesman J.H. Blue Jr. said. A request for the referendum had been on the agenda for action during Monday's regular county commission meeting, but backers 0 decided to delay until after the May 8 primary election. Efforts to change the drinking laws in the county were apparently sparked by a developer who is in terested in building a motel in Raeford. The "out-of-town" developer ? Around Town By Sam Morris I believe the biggest snow that ever hit Hoke County was in the late 1920s. It was in March and the depth was from two to three feet. Everything was at a standstill for a few days and many stores were A closed during that time. Of course all schools were closed. The reason this is recalled is that the forecasters of the weather says that snow could come to us on Wednesday. The same people said that it would rain Monday after noon and night, but the heavy rain Monday morning' stopped my foil, game on the sixth hole. So it could be fair and warm Wednesday! 0 From all reports the bingo games at the Civic Center last Saturday night did real well. These games are sponsored by the Raeford Junior Woman's Club and will continue each Saturday night during March. The big prize of $50 was won last week by Kerry Booker, a Hoke _ High student. The club wants to V thank all patrons and asks them to return. So go out and enjoy the games and fellowship and help a worthy cause sponsored by the club. The News-Journal tries to run all deaths and funerals of Hoke County people. Sometimes some _ are missed because they are datelined in daily papers from other towns besides Raeford. The local editor and reporter are not old Hoke County citizens like Paul Dickson and myself, so they don't recognize the names. We would like to have all obituaries of Hoke County people in the paper. It would help us if the family of deceased persons would ask the funeral home to call the ? paper. The newspaper would also like more information about the deceased than is usually turned in to a daily newspaper. We are now preparing a form to give to local funeral homes and would ap preciate if you would take time to fill this form out so that the obituary will be complete. Your cooperation in this matter _ will be greatly appreciated by War W ren Johnston, editor, who is new to the county. If anyone can suggest anything else helpful, please let us know. Thanks. ? ? ? Did you fill out the question naire concerning the Sandhill Community College coming to ^ Raeford? If you didn't, then take V time now and do so. This is an im portant project for Raeford and Hoke County. If you don't have a form, then contact Earl Fowler at the Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Com merce and I am sure that he will obtain one for you. ? ? ? <%. It was good to read that the (See AROUND, page 12) apparently feels that the motel would be more successful if the facility included a restaurant which could serve mixed drinks, Blue said. Delaying the action on the referendum will not jeopardize the motel, he added. The group of about 25 businessmen seek to change the laws here to allow mixed drinks, malt beverages and wine to be sold and consumed in restaurants, hotels, private clubs, convention centers and community theatres. In order to qualify for the license, a restaurant would have to maintain a separate kitchen, have 36 seats inside and derive at least half its income from the sale of food. Although the group had initially sought to have the referendum held in conjunction with the May 8 primary election, Blue said those plans were scrubbed because the timing was not right. "We realized that we did not have the votes on the commission which would be required to get the referendum called Blue said. Some members of the commis sion apparently felt the mixed drink question would become an unfair campaign issue for the two commissioners seeking reelection, and therefore opposed a referen dum being held until after the primary. The commission is only being asked to call the election, not en dorse change in the taws, Blue said. "If they vote in favor of the referendum, it doesn't mean that they are in favor of mixed drinks, only that they want the public to decide," he said. However, if the commission fails to call a referendum, then Blue said the group will seek to get the required number of registered voters to sign a petition calling for the election. Supporters of changing the pre sent laws feel that mixed drinks will: ?Increase direct tax revenues which can help defray some of the cost of improving the county's schools. ?Make the county more attrac tive to industry, which will help improve the tax base. ? Insure the development of bet ter restaurants and motels which will make the county more appeal ing as a place to live and will help attract industry executives and employees who are now living in other counties. ?Put Hoke County on an even par with surrounding counties which allow mixed beverages to be served. (Scotland County is 1 Concentrated effort This Upchurch Junior High student appears to be during a band class last week. (Photo by Pam putting every effort into getting each note perfect Frederick ) Music building Hoke schools By Sherry Matthews Since the late 1950's and early 1960's music has flourished throughout the Hoke County School systems and is spreading its wings fur ther with each new year, ac cording to Hoke Cultural Arts Coordinator Mary Archie McNeill. "Music has and always will be a vital part of education in this county," McNeill said. "It provides students with a chance to broaden their musical skills and build self esteem," she added. Seven teachers provide musical instruction to students throughout the school systems. "We offer a wide variety of musical education," McNeill said. From kindergarten until eighth gr4de, every student is given the opportunity to excel in a kaleidoscope of courses from general music and band to guitar and recorder lessons. At the high school level, students are provided with chorus, chorale, band, barber shop quartet, beauty shop quartet and music theory classes. All the high school courses are offered as electives. Elementary students are given an introduction into the world of music through lessons in melody, harmony and singing. They also receive "hands-on experience" with rhythm in struments. Since 1983, students at Turl ington have been introduced to the "recorder program" in conjunction with their general music instruction. At Upchurch, guitar lessons are provided to every student through the general music class. (See MUSIC, page 10) Funds sought for minority programs Hoke County School Board members approved two proposals Tuesday night that will allow school authorities to seek over 5160,000 in state funds to be used for educational programs. The funds, if approved by the state, will be used for two minority programs, according to Assistant Superintendent Ginny Hayes. Hayes will be asking for $65,607 for the Migrant Education summer school program and will be apply ing for S97.559 in the Indian Education Program (IEP). "This is the first time we have applied for this type of summer school funds," Hayes said. "I feel it is very worthwhile for us to try for this money," she add ed. Included in the proposed budget, which will be submitted to (See SCHOOL, page 12) Lead readings soar, cleanup starts Additional treatment began Saturday to an Ashley Heights dump site which recent tests show ed contained levels of toxic lead 1,600V? higher than considered safe, a state health official said Monday. Despite extensive cleanup efforts and some treatment in the area, re cent test results indicate that lead levels still far exceed safe limits, Department of Human Resources (DHR) spokesman Terry Dover said. Goldsboro businessman Woody Wilson Jr., who operated a battery dismantling operation on the site, has agreed to treat the area with agricultural lime and to haul some of the worse contamination to an incinerator, Dover said, adding that lime is expected to chemically react with the lead and dilute the contamination. The area of concern is approx imately 50 feet by 100 feet and the contaminated soil is only about six inches deep, Dover said. Heavy concentrations of lead apparently occurred when the bat teries were dismantled and sulfuric acid was spilled. Lead-laced sulfuric acid is hard to remove from soil, Dover said. Recent tests have shown that the lead is not leaching into the soil outside the contaminated area, the DHR official said. Prior to an earlier cleanup by Wilson, concentrations of 11.3 parts per million of lead were found at the site. A light treatment of lime ap parently changed the chemical makeup of the lead which made it easier to test, Dover said. Recent samples showed "hot spots" with readings of 36, 35, 40, 24, and 80 parts per million, Dover said, noting that 5 parts per million is considered safe. "Concentrations have not changed, our testing methods have just gotten better," Dover said. Soil in areas where the readings reached 80 parts per million will be hauled to Goldsboro and burned for recycling, he said. From 150 to 250 gallons of soil are soaked so heavily that they will have to be removed, Dover added. The Ashley Heights area is fenc ed, the DHR official said. Further tests will be conducted in about one month, he said. surface in May scheduled to vote on the matter on May 8. Cumberland and Moore have the law.) Presently Hoke County restaurants and clubs have brown bagging permits which allow patrons to bring liquor and con sume it on premises. The present law is "ridiculous" because it allows establishments to sell beer and wine for off-premises consumption only, but allows li quor to be consumed on premises, Blue said. "Customers can buy beer and wine, but they can't drink it in the restaurant. They can go to the neighborhood ABC store, buy a fifth, take it to the restaurant and consume it at their leisure. That's ridiculous," Blue said. Hoke County receives about $45,000 per year in tax revenue from the sale of liquor. Additional revenue is also taken in from beer and wine retail sales. Tax clerk OK'd In other business during the regular meeting Monday, the com missioners OK'd the hiring of a clerk to collect back taxes. Under the approved plan, a clerk would be hired for around $11,500 per year and would spend the majority of the year trying to collect delinquent taxes which date back to 1973. The county presently has about SI 50,000 in uncollected taxes which would be targeted by the new clerk, Tax Collector Elizabeth Livingston said. After 15 months the position will be reviewed to determine if the collection efforts are working. County Manager James Martin said. (See MIXED, page 11) City spurns CP&L , cuts franchise term Raeford officials have countered a franchise renewal agreement pro posed by Carolina Power & Light (CP&L) by slicing the normal term of the contract in half. If successful in the negotiations, Raeford will become the only municipality dealing with the multi-state utility which has a fran chise agreement of less than 60 years. CP&L is presently studying a proposal from City Attorney R. Palmer Willcox which would renew the utility's franchise with Raeford for a period of 30 years. The proposal would also allow both parties to review the agree ment after the first 10 years and every five years thereafter, members of the City Council were told Monday night. Presently CP&L has no fran chise agreements of less than 60 years with municipalities in North and South Carolina, a company spokesman said Tuesday. Under the agreement, CP&L has the right to place poles and run lines on city owned property. "Sixty years is a long time. A lot of things can happen in 60 years," Mayor John K. McNeill said dur ing the regular council meeting. "We'd be boxing in the next generation as far as electric power is concerned," McNeill said. CP&L is not likely to pull up its poles, Councilman Joe Upchurch said, noting that the utility might go along with proposed agreement. As an alternative to renewing the franchise, Raeford could decide to go into the retail electricity business. Although many cities find operating electric utilities to be profitable ventures, the funds needed for Raeford to purchase poles, lines and equipment might put the option out of reach. "1 don't think the City of Raeford wants to take over the distribution of electricity now, but 10 years from now, who knows," McNeill said. "Things could change," he add ed. CD funds sought A second try to revamp a por tion of the city with federal com munity development funds was given a green light by the council. Raeford will make a second at tempt to garner $750,000 in CD funds to improve drainage and housing in an area on Wooley Street. A similar bid last year failed to get approval by the state commit tee which oversees the distribution of the federal grant money. Following a public hearing Mon day night, council members decid ed to renew the application, but also to attempt to overcome the objections which knocked Raeford out of the money last year. (See CP&I., page 1 1) Hoke couple arrested , child abuse charged A Hoke County couple were in jail Tuesday after being arrested and charged with child abuse. Joseph Glover, 33, and Margaret Glover, 40, of the Har mony Heights Trailer Park, were arrested Friday, Hoke County Sheriff's Department records show. The couple is believed to have been taken into custody following a hearing in juvenile court on Fri day. Reliable sources say that the child is three years old, and is now in the custody of the Hoke County Department of Social Services (DSS). DSS Director Ken Witherspoon refused to comment about the case, noting that the law prohibits any public communication about such matters. Both of the defendants have been placed under a $500 secured bond and are scheduled to appear in Hoke District Court Friday, police sources say. Hoke Sheriff Dave Barrington and Assistant District Attorney Jean Powell could not be reached for further comment about the case prior to press time. In an unrelated incident, a Fayetteville woman was arrested Monday aft?r she was allegedly shoplifting in a local store, Raeford Police Chief Leonard Wiggins said. Victoria Graham, 31, of Fayet teville was apprehended by Max way employees Monday after she attempted to conceal $55.75 in clothing. Raeford police arrested Graham and charged her with the shoplift ing. She is scheduled to appear in Hoke District Court this week, Wiggins said. Police officers also arrested a 17-year-old Hoke youth following the larceny of two candy bars from the Raeford A&P store. James Kenneth Harris, 17, of Reeves Street was apprehended Thursday by A&P employees after he allegedly took candy bars, valued at $2.58, from the store. Law enforcement officers ar rested the youth and charged him with the larceny of the two candy bars, Wiggins said. In further action, employees of the Convenient Mart on Prospect Avenue reported that someone pumped $11.13 in gas into their tank and drove off without paying. An investigation into the matter, is continuing, Wiggins said. In county crime, sheriff's reports show that Hoke resident Ava Glisson of Rt. 5, Raeford reported a breaking, entering and larceny of her storage room. (See COUPLE, page 10)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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March 8, 1984, edition 1
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