Yiewpoints
Old armory would make
good incubator project
There is little question this county has too many vacant buildings
and not enough jobs, but news of marketing the old armory
building as an industrial site is received with mixed emotions.
Under the approved plan, the county would sell the building,
along with 1.4 acres, for about $200,000 to any industry interested
in locating at the site.
Taxpayers could use the revenue from the sale to help pay the cost
of running this county, and the jobless rate is a clear indication
another employer is needed, but there is a lingering question if giv
ing up a public asset like the armory might not come back to haunt
us.
This county might be better off by allowing the building to be us
ed for a limited period, so that it could be retained for future public
needs.
Under a state-sponsored business incubator program, the armory
could be used by private industry for as much as five years and then
returned to the public.
There are 14 incubator projects in North Carolina, and many of
them are located in counties like Macon, Haywood and McDowell
and in smaller communities such as Ahoskie, Hillsborough and
Boone.
Not only would the program put the armory to a useful revenue
producing purpose, but it would also create a facility which would
help new struggling businesses.
Through the incubator plan, counties can get a one-to-one match
of up to $200,000 for building renovations for providing services to
the tenants. The old armory building could be used as Hoke Coun
ty's match to gain the state funds.
Incubators are used to nurture new businesses into healthy ones
by providing them with below market rents and low-cost support
services during their start-up years.
Technical and educational assistance could also be provided
through the new Hoke County satellite of Sandhills Community
College. Such a program would benefit the new firms and would be
in keeping with the institution's role in the community.
Although it is difficult to see into the future, it is easy to imagine
in five or 10 years, Hoke County might need the armory to meet
recreational or community needs.
To replace the square footage of the armory with a new building
would be far more costly than $200,000.
We encourage members of the county commission to develop the
armory under the incubator program and to preserve the option for
the building's future use as a public facility.
The armory is a fine facility, and when it is coupled with the ar
mory ball park, it becomes an asset most counties our size can not
afford.
It would be unfortunate for Hoke County to step backwards for
the short-termed benefits of a $200,000 sale.
Christmas tree needed
City of Raeford crews were busily installing the same tired old
Christmas decorations on utility poles this week, and it was difficult
not to think there should be more in this community to bring in the
Yule season.
A Christmas tree lighting on a crisp late November or early
December evening would lift the spirits of the grumpiest in the com
munity, particularly if the event included carols from all of the
county's church choirs.
There will be no Christmas parade in Hoke County this year,
however, there is still time for a tree lighting.
Hoke County has a long history of community events at
Christmas. It is a tradition which should not be forgotten.
United Fund helps Hoke
Hoke County's United Fund has moved over the halfway point
towards a goal of $28,853, and the drive's directors are pushing to
reach the mark before December.
Money for this year's drive will go to meet the fundraising
demands of 1 1 Hoke County agencies, and will insure those groups
of financial stability during the coming year.
United Fund helps Hoke County children by supporting the
Children's Center, the Boy and Girl Scouts, the 4-H Council and
Share Your Christmas.
Aid is given to this county's elderly through the United Fund con
tributions to St. Joseph Home Health Agency, Senior Citizens' pro
grams, the Raeford Lion's Club project and Share Your Christmas.
Residents of all ages are given a hand through contributions to
the Hoke County Rescue Squad, the Reading and Literacy Council
and the local chapter of the American Red Cross.
The Hoke County United Fund needs the support of everyone liv
ing in the county during the last weeks of the drive.
If you cannot give anything else, give $1. It will make a dif
ference.
The News-Journal
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Letters
To The
Editor
Participation
in schools urged
To the Editor:
The Hoke County Association
of Educators is joining our
nation's celebration of American
Education Week November 17-23.
This year's theme "America's
Public Schools: The Subject is Ex
cellence."
This theme translates into a
commitment by Hoke County
educators to excellence here in the
schools of Hoke County.
We urge parents and friends of
education in Hoke County to learn
more about the exciting things that
are going on in schools this week
and throughout the year.
You are encouraged to visit the
schools and see first hand the ex
cellent manner in which knowledge
is being shared.
Your support and encourage
ment is essential to the ongoing
process of education here in Hoke
County.
Hoke County NCAE
President
Jacqueline Miller -Gladney
The amount of money
Americans now spend on health
care averages out to $1,500 each
year for every man, woman and
child. Nearly half of every health
care dollar is spent for hospital
costs.
Martin's road plan just updates Hunt's
RALEIGH -- No one runs for
governor without hearing about
roads. How a candidate feels
about a certain road will often
determine whether he'lf get the
backing of a community's leaders
and later its voters.
It should not be surprising, then,
to see a new governor's first Board
of Transportation quickly adopt
his roads agenda. But it was sur
prising to see the first long-range
roads plan adopted by Gov. Jim
Martin's board. Despite Martin's
partisan and geographical dif
ferences with his predecessor, Jim
Hunt, his roads plans reflected no
extraordinary amount of change.
The changes enacted by Martin's
board "are similar to what we've
been having all the time," said
Sen. Ollie Harris, D-Cleveland, a
former chairman of the
legislature's oversight committee
on transportation. "The (roads)
program has to be updated every
year. I don't think they've gone
beyond anything we've seen in past
years."
The state's 10- year roads pro
gram is updated every year. Last
month, Martin's board dropped 45
projects laid out in the plan ap
proved by Hunt's board last
December. Martin's board also
added 66 projects. In all, however,
Billy Rose, deputy secretary of
transportation and the real brains
behind state transportation policy
in both the Hunt and Martin ad
Watching
By Paul T.
O'Connor
ministrations, said more than 90%
of the 1984 plan went unchanged
in 1985.
This is not to say that the board
didn't take care of itself. About
two-thirds of the new projects are
located in the county of residence
of the 22 board members.
The biggest change adopted by
the board concerns federal fund
ing.
Every year, the Congress sets
funding levels for a number of dif
ferent highway programs run by
the states. Then Congress comes
back and sets an overall spending
limit for each state which is smaller
than the sum of all the individual
programs. This year, only 86% of
the promised dollars were
delivered in the form of hard cash.
In past years, the board planned
according to full funding for each
project, said Transportation
Secretary Jim Harrington. For the
next four years, the Martin board
will plan according to the
estimated number of dollars that
will be available for spending.
That change in policy led to a
freeze on spending for a short
while earlier this year while ad
justments were made.
Harrington says the new policy
will cut the number of projects that
are removed from the plan at the
last minute. ?
Another major shift will come in
bridge replacement and rehabilita
tion. The old board had a fast
schedule for using the federal and
state money available for bridges.
The new board decided to spread
those dollars out over a slower
schedule. By doing so, it allowed
the new board to shift $100 million
into other urban and rural roads
projects. Rose said. Both Rose and
Harrington assured the oversight
committee, however, that the total
amount of bridge work originally
envisioned by the old board will be
performed.
By making that bridge shift, the
new board also hopes to relieve
some of the upward pressure on
costs. There was so much bridge
work being contracted out that a
builder's market had been created,
Harrington said. That led to higher
prices.
There is no evidence that the
Department of Transportation and
its board have suddenly lost in
terest in politics. Nor that Martin
will not use his power over roads
for political advantage. So far,
they're simply using it selectively.
Hendrix keeps Hoke County out of rough
Some people by their actions in
still confidence in those with whom
they associate. Such an individual
is Brown Hendrix. His willingness
to help people is his trademark. I
often tell him if he has one fault, it
is being too kind to those who take
advantage of his good nature.
His church, community and
country is a source of pride with
him. Serving Sandy Grove Church
has been a life long commitment.
When the church has needed help
he has walked the extra mile. The
Arabia Community has a special
place in his heart. No county has a
greater booster.
Being at the right place at the
right time has given many in
dividuals opportunities they would
not have gotton otherwise. This
has not been true with Hendrix.
Through hard work and a deter
mination to succeed has been his
right place at the right time.
Brown buik Arabia Golf Course
from a family farm. It was a gam
ble very few people would have
been willing to take. It is now one
of the finest golf courses in the
Looking On
Raz Autry
state. Unfortunately, many of our
folks fail to appreciate it. The
value of the golf course to the
county can not be measured in
monetary terms. Those who enjoy
the game Jeave Arabia with a good
feeling because of his friendliness.
He never fails to make home folks
or strangers feel welcome.
For many years he and Mrs.
Hendrix worked with and for han
dicapped children. Time as H does
to all of us has slowed this effort in
recent years, the desire and com
passion for these children still ex
ist. He continues to help the cause
of those less fortunate in physical
and mental capacity by furnishing
golf carts of the special Olympics.
Boosters clubs. Lions dubs, wild
life organizations and many other
groups have used his facilities free
or at reduced fees to get funds for
their club's projects. The recently
held turkey festival was the
benefactory of his generosity. Golf
carts were used for the downtown
activities.
The golf fcourse and the cabin
were used for money making ac
tivities.*
Those of us who live on the
course know better than anyone
the character of Hendrix.
I had the pleasure of being
David and Martha's principal. At
no time in my tenure did their
parents fail to support me in my
role as the administrator of the
high school. Even when my score
was better than David's on the golf
round, when he was looking for
sympathy because he had been
beaten by an old man, his dad on'.y
smiled. In golf tournaments David
would wrap the clubs around atrae
when his temper whipped htm.
Martha was a little spitfire. After
she graduated from high school
she worked for the school system
as a secretary, without question
her efficiency and know how was a
result of a good solid home life. As
a superintendent I couldn't ask for
a better supporter. On many occa
sions I needed help with our grass
cutting equipment used in the
school system, he never refused me
or charged the system.
Mr. Hendrix has his oldest son
Brownie working for him. Brownie
is a tremendous asset to the coun
try. Being the chairman of the
planning board requires not only a
keen mind but a thick skin, he has
both. He inherited his dad's
genorosity and willingness to help
others.
His daughter Kathy works in the
pro-shop. Her community ac
tivities center around her church
and any good cause in which she is
asked to work.
Being a young 70 years old
hasn't slowed his desire to be
around people. He still reports to
the golf course on a regular basis. I
am grateful to be able to call him
friend. He is truely a server of Ms
fellow man.