Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Oct. 3, 1985, edition 1 / Page 1
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TKe News -Journal The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 Volume LXXVII Number 24 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA $10 PER YEAR 25 CENTS Thursday, October 3, 1985 Community meeting slated for E AS Hoke County residents, living in the 875 telephone exchange area, are being encouraged to attend a community meeting schedul ed for Turlington School on October 10 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is designed to explain extended telephone service (EAS) between the Raeford exchange and Fayetteville and to lay the groundwork for an upcoming public hearing before the North Carolina Utilities Commission. The entire commission will meet in Raeford on October 29 at Turlington to gather local opinions on the need for EAS. The commission cleared the way for the October 29 public hear ing Monday in a 3-2 vote by passing an order which includes a favorable argument for Hoke County's case. Utilities commissioners have acknowledged that rates in the Fayetteville exchange may not have to be increased due to a finding of the commission's Public Staff. "The Public Staff, after review of the cost study filed by Carolina (Telephone), has concluded that the cost of providing EAS between Raeford and Fayetteville, excluding the toll revenue loss and sav ings, can more than offset by increasing the basic monthly rates at Raeford by S4.S2 for residence customers and $10.78 for business customers with no increase for subscribers in the Fayetteville ex change// according to the order. Once EAS is established, the approximately 4,700 customers on the Raeford exchange would be able to call over 90,000 telephones for local rates. Backers of EAS see it as the most expedient way of increasing the tax base of Hoke County and stimulating economic growth. Hoke County currently has the lowest per capita income in the state and one of the lowest per capita retail sales figures. In addition, Hoke County has the fewest number of telephones per capita in the state. A recent survey of the calling patterns in Hoke County indicates that more funds are spent each month to call long distance between the Raeford and Fayetteville exchanges, than is spent by 875 ex change customers on basic monthly charges. Customers on the 875 exchange spent less than $500,000 for basic service last year. Toll charges between the exchanges were in excess of $600,000 for the same period. Supporters of EAS believe the disparity in the figures supports the need for the extended local service. An increase in rates for Raeford subscribers has been expected by supporters of the service, but a hike in the rate for Fayetteville customers could possibly kill efforts to establish EAS. A rate hike of the Cumberland exchanges would mean a vote by Fayetteville subscribers would be necessary, and supporters are not optimistic about EAS gaining approval from Cumberland County customers. Carolina Telephone wants to increase rates in both cities by using a "matrix" which is based on companywide averages of costs. Widespread backing from 875 customers is needed to make EAS a reality, supporters believe. Customers' need great for phone service Many customers in Hoke Coun ty 875 exchange need extended area service, but few as badly as Mary Lowry. With her husband in the military and an accute medical condition, Lowry spends a great deal of money on phone calls to Ft. Bragg, she said Monday. The Hoke County resident has a skin disorder which covers about f rbdilyv ftrtivritifli associated with the skin problem and a pinched nerve in her back, she said. "If it's not raining, I can get around with medication," Lowry said. Because of calls to hospital clinics, her phone bills average over $150 per month. "About 90% of my calls are to Fayetteville doctors," she said. "My long distance, out of state calls may have been $15 last month," said Lowry. "I'd be glad to speak before a - publi> fr? ??? hi fawr of the ex tended service," she said. "I spend a minimum of about $1,500 a year for phone bills," she said. "I'm hoping for more than the benefit of my pocketbook that we get it (EAS)," said Lowry. Rebecca Huggins, another Hoke County' resident, would be in favor of the service because of her 10-year-old son who is diabetic. "It's not unusual for me to have a $200 phone bill," Huggins said. Huggins, who is a resident of the Harmony Heights area of the county, says she also frequently has trotlble with her phong- going out of order. "If the phones go out, it's long distance to call a repairman," she said. In the last two years, phone ser vice has gone out on Huggins an estimated dozen times, she said. "In the two-and-a-half years we've been here, only once have we had a bill as low as $70 or $80," she said. "I call Fayetteville a lot because of my daughter," said Carolyn Peck. Her daughter Caroline, 9, is also .diabetic and has to spend.time at Womack Army Hospital. Each of the women said they would speak in the community gathering. Developer John Howard Economic group backs phone move By Ed Miller Members of the Raeford-Hoke Economic Development Commis sion passed a resolution Tuesday afternoon favoring extended area telephone service between Raeford and Fayetteville. The resolution was passed by members of the commission as a vehicle for letting the population know they are concerned for the progress of Raeford and Hoke County. Extended area service (EAS) is needed in Raeford and the rest of the 875 exchange because of its close proximity to Fayetteville and Cumberland County. "The pattern of economic growth for Hoke County lies in the geographical corridor between greater Fayetteville and the City of Raeford and its adjoining areas in Hoke County," according to the resolution. In the resolution, commission members went on to say that new growth for this area will be coming from Fayetteville and that growth in industry and residential areas is needed to relieve the tax burdens of all of the county's residents. With growth in industry and residential communities in the county, the tax base will be raised and taxes can remain the same or be lowered. There are also preparations be ing made to educate the public on the need for EAS, said Economic Developer John Howard. Currently, the names of about 20 "key people" in the county have been selected to testify in sup (See GROUP, page 12A) DSS garners funds for child day care By Ed Miller Although the Hoke County Department of Social Services (DSS) currently serves 43 children with day care, more services are in the planning because of an addi tional $38,9% allotted the county by the state. The state annually allows $77,004 for day care in Hoke County, but this year, the county will receive $115,000, according to Marianne Sheply of the local DSS. Around Town By Sam Morris Most folks in Hoke County were awaiting the rains that would come when the hurricane hit the North Carolina coast last Thursday. The course of the hurricane changed and we didn't get any rain. The nights have been cool for the past few days, but the temperature has been in the 70s during the daylight hours. The forecast is for rain Tuesday or Wednesday and the temperature to stay about as it has been for the past few days. ? ? ? I was talking recently with Julian Johnson about the cotton crop this year. He is in charge of the Oakdalc Gin and we were talk* ing about the number of bales of (See AROUND, page 12A) Of the children being served now, 32 of them are taken care of while their parents work, three are cared for while a parent returns to school, four are being monitored by a protective services program and four are in special centers for the developmentally disabled, Sheply told members of the DSS Board in a meeting Monday. Monthly, $5,857 is being spent for day care, said Sheply. There is now a waiting list of 1 1 United Why Goal for 1985 *28,853 children to be cared for by DSS, she said. Most of those children belong to parents that work second and third shifts. Those kinds of children can be serviced by the DSS but an "In dividual Child Care Arrangement or 1CCA" must be set up by workers, said Sheply. Parents who work at night are the only ones helped with ICCA's, she said. In the last two weeks, four peo ple have contacted DSS offering to be "family home providers," or places where ICCA's can be made for children. In action during Monday's meeting, DSS board members voted to prosecute another case of food stamp fraud in Hoke County. Recently, a case was successfully prosecuted and the department (See DSS, page 12A) United Fund starts drive A $28,853 budget has been pro posed for this year's drive of the Hoke County United Fund, which kicks off this week. This year's proposed budget was cut $2,381 from $31,234 as was re quested by a total of 27 local and state agencies. Hoke County agencies include Boy Scouts, the Lion's Club, the Red Cross, Girl Scouts, 4-H, the Rescue Squad, Senior Citizens, the Developmentally Disabled, Home Health Agency, the Hoke County Reading and Literacy Council and Share Your Christmas. State agencies that will be fund ed are the North Carolina United Way, the Children's Home Socie ty, the American Social Health Association, the Epilepsy Associa tion of North Carolina, Interna tional Social Services,. Florence Crktenton, the National Council on Aging, United Health Services, the Research Fund of North Carolina United Way, the Hospice of North Carolina, the Advocacy Center for Children's Education and Parent Training and the North Carolina Society for Autistic Adults and Children. According to the budget, only about S3, 105 has been designated to go to state leaving a budgeted total of $23,748 for local causes. The Arthritis Foundation has been cut from the state budget this year because of funding from other sources, said Hoke County Department of Social Services Director Ken Witherspoon. The Red Cross will get the largest amount of all those funded and will be receiving $5,000. Boy Scouts will be getting $4,950 and the Girl Scouts will receive $3,300. Other agencies getting $2,000 and above will be the Developmen tally Disabled, 4-H and the Hoke Literacy Council. Nice day for a ride These Raeford youngsters are taking advantage of the recent good weather by riding around their neighborhood. Although rain is need ed, Hoke County has been blessed with beautiful weather for the last several weeks, and no storms are being predicted for the coming days. Victim is critical following shooting By Ed Miller A Red Springs man was in critical condition Tuesday in the intensive care unit of a Chapel Hill Hospital while the man charged with his shooting was freed from the Hoke County Jail on the same day of his arrest. Raymond Henderson, 24, of Rt. I, Red Springs was admitted to Moore County Memorial Hospital last Friday night with a bullet wound to the right of his neck, ac cording to Hoke County Sheriff Dave Barrington. Johnny Lee Scott, 38, of Rt. 1, Box 306C, Shannon, has been charged with the shooting. Scott is out of jail under 57,500 bond, according to sheriff's department officials. Hoke County sheriff's deputies were alerted to the shooting after a witness to the crime was run off the road by Henderson as he ap parently ran from the driver of a brown car with a different colored hood. As the witness was run off the South Hoke Road, Henderson's truck stopped in front of him and the brown car pulled up just as Henderson jumped from the truck to run. A gun was hung from the win dow of the brown car and a shot was fired, witnesses told sheriff's deputies. Scott was the alleged driver of the car. The brown car took off quickly, according to the witness. The person went to Henderson's aid and, upon request, turned the victim over. Henderson said: "Johnny did it," according to the witness. Henderson also told Hoke County Detective J.R. Riley that Scott shot him, according to Bar rington. "He's got a record about a mile long," the sheriff said of Scott. In Hoke County alone, Scott has been charged with crimes ranging from resisting arrest in 1967 to larceny in 1969 to assault on a female this year. Although not convicted on all of the 11 charges made against him, Scott has served time for assaulting an officer, Hoke County Deputy Ronnie Lowry, and breaking, entering and larceny from convic tions in Hoke County. Scott also served time in 1980 on drug charges made in another county, according to Barrington. worms galore One might spot a worms nest such as this one especially on pecan trees and walnut trees. They may be attractive in a strange sort of way, but they will harm a tree. The limbs which house such nests will die and nests have been known to get large enough to almost cover a small
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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