Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Nov. 29, 1984, edition 1 / Page 12
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Viewpoints Countywide zoning has waited too long Every year or so, members of the Hoke County Commission scratch their heads and talk about countywide zoning. The discussion usually comes up during public meetings, and the commissioners will say something like: "We need to look into coun tywide zoning some day." Following the comments, nothing else is done. - That has been the scenario for at least the last 10 years, and if it continues, the question of zoning may no longer be ah issue. Coun ty officials and taxpayers. will be faced with a greater problem. Rural acreage here is like a time bomb waiting to explode with a force which could alter the future for every Hoke County resident. Currently Hoke County's rural acreage is inexpensive compared to land in Cumberland County, and as Fayetteville grows, more developers will be eyeing the rolling hillsides on the west side of Lit tle Rockfish Creek for homesites. Cheap land prices are attractive for low-cost developments like "mobile home parks." Because there are no restrictions on the development of rural lands, Hoke County residents must trust builders to be responsible enough to construct quality projects which provide adequate sewage, water and roads to lot buyers. Unfortunately, some purchasers in new county developments are already finding that the soil on their lots is not suitable to allow pro per drainage from septic tanks. In other counties, and perhaps here, roads leading to new developments are no longer maintained by the builders after the lots are sold and rapidly become inoperative. Wells in some new pro jects have either run dry or become polluted after the developer washed his hands of the lots. Once problems occur, new residents, who are paying local taxes, turn to the county for help. In some cases the county can do nothing. In others public funds have to be used to correct to make the homesites livable. With subdivision regulations and zoning laws on the books, county inspectors would be able to head off problems earlier, and homebuyers and taxpayers would have recourse against unscrupulous developers. Zoning laws would also protect existing businesses, like pig, poultry or cattle farming, from subdivision encroachments and future complaints from new residents. Hoke County has needed zonin?and subdivision regulations for years. The need is now^becoming^ritical. We encourage HolTe CSfanTyCommissiorrmCTliUfcTS fb-pur zoning A. at the top of their agenda and to get started on the project before the end of the year. Countywide zoning will take time and study. If the commission gets started now, the regulations could be on the books by this next year and before more lives are disrupted by new uncontrolled developments. General's backing will help 401 cause The recent endorsement of the widening of US Highway 401 by Ft. Bragg Commanding General James J. Lindsay was good news for Hoke County residents. ? Although the general's support does not mean that this county will automatically receive a four-lane highway, what it does suggest is the project might get moved up on the state's construction priori ty list. The Ft. Bragg endorsement should give county officials an op portunity to lean a little heavier on the state Department of Transportation (DOT) for action. Lindsay's backing will also give this county ammunition to solicit help from elected federal officials like Sen. Jesse Helms and Con gressman Bill Hefner. For Hoke County, the widening of US 401 is more than just hav ing a nice road to travel between Raeford and Fayetteville. It is a vital link on which the future growth of the county could hinge. This county has a small tax base and a limited number of tax payers, but demands for better fire and police protection, improved schools, adequate health and social care and increases in other ser vices are mushrooming. Each year the county and city increase budgets to pay the rising costs of operating, and each year local property owners find the burden harder to bear. If the trend continues, Hoke County may be faced with dissolving the local government and joining a surrounding county for services. On the other hand, with an improved US 401, Hoke County would become more attractive to residential developers, who might build houses for middle-income commuting home buyers. New residents would not only pay more taxes, but they would also be customers for new businesses, which would also contribute to the local coffers. In addition, good highway access is a critical need for most in dustries which might be looking at North Carolina and Hoke Coun ty to set up operations. Hoke County has a strong case to present to the state and the federal highway departments for the widening of US 401 . Now, with General Lindsay aboard on the Hoke County effort, our case for improving the highway is even stronger. The News-Journal ? ? ? TWwtay ky .... nr0^, DkkiM hw, Ik., M DkkMt, 11* W. OwoU Ar?Mt, P.O. Bn SN Mid, n.c. ar* W la i ? ?????? mm om ?f Cmmtr YmMIIN si LOUIS H. FOG LEMAN, JR.. WARREN N. JOHNSTON Editor HENRY L. BLUE MM. PAUL DICKSON SAMC.1 ANNN. _ _,RX. omtr US Senate race could start soon abovA ihi* everyl'vme X o^a ovA^de. to* S\?me qoe* ou\. %. ?** With Jessie Helm's having won the U.S. Senate race, it will not be long before interested 1986 can didates will be letting the public know, probably before springtime. Former Senator Robert Morgan is regarded as a likely candidate for his old seat. John P. East received 898,064 to Morgan's 887,653 four years ago. Votes other minor can didates received were: F.W. Pasot to, 7,602; and the Socialist, Rebec ca Fmch, 4,346. Had Morgan put up a good race he would have been reelected without a doubt in 1978. He took too much for granted. INSURANCE MONEY. ..Wives are the beneficiaries of more than Al*h of life insurance policies. Children are the beneficiaries of aearly 17f7. ojf _ relatives are named 1 3^o of the time. Husbands are the beneficiaries of less than 10% of the policies, the Council reports. Estates and trust, institutions and other beneficiaries are named in the remaining life insurance policies. UNEMPLOYMENT. ..Americ ans currently are more concerned about unemployment than they are about inflation, according to the American Council of Life In surance. The council's latest nationwide survey found out that about 58% 2 People and Issues of those queried believe society should work harder at solving unemployment while 49 are more concerned about inflation. When the question was asked six years ago, 64V? said inflation was the danger, and 39Vo were worried about unemployment. MARRIAGES DECLINING? ... Are attachments becoming harder to make even in the caring and personal commitment oriented in the 1980's? Eagryear.1 furthe4*rt4tn^tiace 1975, the number of marriages declined, observes the American Council of Life Insurance. Citing figures from the National Center for Health Statistics, the Council notes that 1983's 2.4 million mar riages per thousand, people, dpwn from 10.8 in T$82, the highest race since 1972. While one year does not foretell a trend, the decline in marriages will have population watchers anx iously awaiting this year's results. SOCIAL SECURITY. ..The Life Insurance news data indicates that public confidence in Social Securi ty is declining. We quote: "Confidence in the future of the Social Security System has drop ped sharply in the last decade, ac cording to findings of the American Council of Life In surance. " The Council's latest nationwide survey found less than a third of the public confident about the system~9% very confident and 23% somewhat confident. By contrast, 43% said they are not too confident, while 25^? are not at all confident. In 1975, a Council survey found 63% of the public confident about Social Security (22% very confi dent and 41% somewhat confi dent), while 37% not too confident and 10% not at all confident. SCHOOL WlAYER...We read that more thai 54 %-are com ? ptflflYJffr I'^hool prayer" and another 25% are more than against, says the American Council of Life Insurance. Only 10% say they are "completely against school prayer." Raising taxes not question to be discussed Dear editor: At a high school football game, never criticize the quarterback in front of his parents. In a national election, never mention raising taxes iii front of the voters. Now that the election is over, I understand the word in Washington is that taxes won't be raised. Instead, the* tax structure will be simplified. To Congress, simplifying something means obscuring it. Never use the word when you've got a dozen or so lying around to cloud the issue with. The shortest path between two points is four or five paragraphs. I have thought long and hard on how Congress will go about simpli fying the tax structure. I believe I have it figured out. To simplify a tax structure all you do is make it simplier to figure out you owe more than you thought you did. Why make a per son wrack his brain going through a long, headachy tax form when a simple one will bring in just as much revenue and maybe more? What will constitute a simple tax structure? I figure it'll be one that an average Congressman can figure out all by himself. It may be years in coming. Speaking of words politicians use, one of the handiest they've ever gotten hold of is "mis-spoke." Let them say something ridiculous or make a promise they can't possibly keep and, when confronted with it, they say they mis-spoke. This seems to work satisfactorily in the political arena, but it's a shame it won't work in other areas. I won't attempt to report what the reaction would be if, when a note at the bank came due, you called lup him you mis-spoke when you pro mised to pay him back. Yours faithfully, J. A. Letters Policy .... Letters to the editor are encouraged and welcomed. Writers should keep letters as short as possible. Names, addresses and telephone numbers should be included and all letters must be signed. Names will be printed, however, other information will be kept confiden tial. We reserve the right to edit letters for good taste and brevity. Letters should be received by The News-Journal by noon on the Monday of the publication week. Remodeling could last a lifetime After two years of disarray, the construction finally seemed over. There was quiet in all rooms, and the dust and debris had been cleared. Late-night pounding of nails and the buzz of the electric circular saw no longer disturbed the tranquility. Even the neighbors seemed glad not to be living in a construction zone. It had been so long since 1 had done any work, that the pain and discoloration in my thumb, which had been smashed by numerous blows from a hammer, had disappeared. I did not hop around the room wailing anymore after I punctured a foot on the sharp end of a nail or stumped my toe on a carelessly discarded brick during a middle-of-the-night foray to the bathroom. Life seemed peaceful at last because, from all outward ap pearances, the remodeling of our house was complete. Oh sure, there was still plenty of work which could be done. A few pieces of trim here and there needed to be nailed in place, and the back porch seemed to be held up by memory. Everything could wait. "Let's enjoy living in an uncluttered house," I remember telling my wife. Cooking our meals in the upstairs bathroom, the only place with running water, had not been too bad. I did not mind the glass of water freezing at night on the bedside table or my feet sticking to the icy floor when I stepped out of the shower in the dead of winter. Life without heat was not that bad. After all we were tough. We had the pioneer spirit. We were glut tons for punishment. "Fun is fun, but it's time to spend a little time relaxing," I told her. Then, I came home from work three weeks ago, and she had taken the back end of our house off and put it in the yard. "Well, I got started and couldn't stop. Besides, it was only held up by memory, anyway," she said, when I questioned if she had taken leave of her senses. "It's a lot of fun, and it will relieve your frustrations," she add ed, handing me a crowbar and pointing towards a remaining wall. I assured her I wasn't frustrated, but that I was concerned if she did not stop, we might not have a place to sleep this winter. "I'm going inside to rescue the furniture, before the roof caves in," I said heroically. After I had saved two beds, three chairs and a table and had put them in the yard with the back end of the house, she stopped the demolition. "Now it's got to be built back, and it's all yours," she said. She had been doing most of the work, and now it was my turn. It had been weeks since I had lifted a hammer. I may have lost my touch, I told her. Warren Johnston The Puppy Papers But evening was falling, the wind was blowing and temperatures were dropping. 1 was inspired to help. "Maybe we had better call a contractor and move to Bermuda 1 until he finishes," I suggested. "I'll help out by making the call." Only the day before, I had my feet up on the dining room table and was smoking a cigar to commemorate the completion of remodeling. "You've done a good job here," I had told my wife, brushing off a long cigar ash, which had fallen on my reclining stomach, on to our newly carpeted floor. "Ever think about a career in the construction bizz?" I had said, noting that the ashes would keep the moths out of the carpet. I had not done much on the house since we started the project ' two years earlier by spending a weekend shoveling fallen plaster out of our kitchen. After that, I preferred to be brought in only for special jobs. The kind of things that would require the skill and sensitivity of a water buffalo. There was little of that work once the plaster was removed. Each evening I would come home, review my wife's progress and clear a path between our bed and the bathroom of discarded nails and bricks. Occasionally I would hold a eight-penny nail and hit my thumb i with a hammer, but other than that, my remodeling job was not too difficult. Now, I was back at work. There was a job for a water buffalo, and I had been assigned. Although it has been three weeks, I am still laboring to restore the back of the house. I leave the office early. I take days off. The remodeling job continues. My left thumb is beginning to look a little like chopped liver. However, I was fortunate when I hit myself in the head with the hammer. The blow did not break the skin, and the ache went away ' in two days. I am making progress. I have finally gotten trapezoidal floors to line up with a quadrangular roof so that I can build the walls. My wife inspects the work each day. She helps me read the tape measure and sweeps the nails out of the path between our bed and the bathroom. 1 am hoping for a completion date of early spring. That should leave me enough time to build the deck next year that my wife has planned. " -
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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Nov. 29, 1984, edition 1
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