Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Feb. 23, 2000, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews See us at www.dicksonpress.com Index Calendar 3B Classifieds 8-9B Deaths 4A Editorials 2-3A Legals 6-7B Public Record 4-5A Religion 8A Schools 10B Socials 3B Sports lOB TV Listings 4-5B Around Town By Sam C. Morris Contributing Editor The weather seems to hange from day to day. Sat- irday the thermometer rcgis- ered over 70 degrees and on donday the day started with he temperature near freezing. Ve can be thankful that we laven’t had the damaging veather like was in Georgia ast week. We did have a small imount ol rain and some wind, )ut not enough to cause any iamage. With the high fuel trices we don’t need any treez- ng days. The forecast for the remain- Icr of the week, Wednesday hrough Saturday, calls lor the lighs on Wednesday and Fhursday to be in the 60s and he lows in the 4()s. Friday and Saturday the highs will be m (See AROUND, page 4A) J ournal No. 47 Vol. 92 Settlement no cure for tobacco farmers Quota holders profit By VicroRiANA Summkrs Staff writer Hoke County, traditionally a tobacco-growi ng stronghold, yicldeda$7 million crop from its growers in 1998, despite sagging export demands, for eign import competition and more federal regulations im posed on American farmers. However, an early supplement paid to some North Carolina farmers didn’t equal what many quota holders, who lease out allotments instead of farm ing their land, were paid. Farmers’ fund During the last three years, said Keith Walters, Hoke’sas- sistant agricultural agent, rev enue generated from tobacco has been reduced almost 50 percent due to increased gov ernment controls on allotment quotas. To compensate for grow (See TOBACCO, page 11 A) This week Liberian missionaries recall life during war page 8A 'Don't buy the images' says Owens page 2A pened, it's news t 50 cents Wednesday, February 23, 2000 • of love... Hoke County farmer Louise Love won’t give up growing tobacco. Hoke’s only female tobacco farmer keeps plowing along despite woes “Even worse, the federal gov ernment has taken almost 50 percent of our tobacco quota in the last three years. When you take half of a farmer’s allotment, you have ruined him,” she said. Love has been farming since her husband, Julian Love, died eight years ago. (See LOVE, page 11 A) By VicroRiANA Summers Staff writer Louise Love, the only known female tobacco farmer in Hoke County, said times are terrible for tobacco growers but she won ’ t quit. “It used to be just the plow and mule and now everything is all high-tech equipment,” Love said. Antioch man shot to death in argument Unilever’s future? By Pa I Allen Wilson Editor Victoriana Summers Staff writer In announcing what it calls plans for faster growth, the cor porate headquarters of Unilever, based in The Netherlands and England, is looking into cutting 10 percent of its work force over the next five years. Unilever spokespersons said it is too early to tell how the Raeford plant will be affected. Unilever announced the cuts yesterday as part of a reorganiza tion that would leave 100 sites closed in this country and in Eu rope and eliminate 25,000 Jobs. No one at Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Raeford’s manufacturing plant that employs (See UNILEVER, page I2A) Rush to head finances Takes double duty from MePhatter By Victoriana Summers Staff writer It took 25 years of County service and 30 minutes in execu tive session for Shirley Rush, Hoke County personnel direc tor, to be appointed Hoke’s new finance director. A smiling Rush, already serv ing as assistant finance officer. accepted the post after County Commissioner Cleo Bratcher Jr. nominated her and Commission Chairman James A. Leach sec onded the motion. Rush is distin guished as one of several long est-employed staff in County government. “1 appreciate the board for approving me,” Rush said. “1 will (See FINANCE, page I2A) Shirley Rush Hoke High student attacked on campus in gang initiation By Victoriana Summers Staff writer A perfect record with no ho micides reported since Hoke Sheriff Jim Davis took office in December 1998 was marred by tragedy early Sunday morning after an Antioch man was shot, allegedly by his brother-in-law during an argument. The victim, Dannie Leach Lowry, 25, of 209 Windlock Drive, was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest from a 380- caliber automatic weapon. Ac cording to Sheriff’s records, Lowry was transported to Cape Fear Valley Hospital, succumb ing in the ambulance but suc cessfully revived by emergency medical technicians. However, he could not be revived at the hospital, a detective added. Suspect Joshua Neill Cooper, 17, also of 209 Windlock Drive, was arrested on February 20, still waiting at the scene of the crime when deputies responded to a 911 call. Cooper is charged with first-degree murder, which car ries a penalty up to life-in-prison, including the death sentence. Cooper wasn’t allowed bond due to the severity of the charge; he’s incarcerated at Hoke County Jail still awaiting an arraignment. According to Hoke’s chief detective and interim chief deputy, Captai n Thomas Carlton, two witnesses said an argument erupted between Lowry and Coo per, with the two men ending up outside their home in a field around 4:20 a.m on February 20. “It was dark and w itnesses said Mr. Lowry had been consuming alcohol,” Carlton said. “They continued to argue and as the suspect turned around to walk away from the victim, a witness (See SHOOTING, page 11 A) By Victoriana Summers Staff writer It was dark... it was quick... it was brutal when a fiftccn-ycar- old freshman boy at Hoke County High School, alone in the cam pus bathroom, was bashed in the back of his head and knocked to the floor almost unconscious, his head smashed into a pipe. The victim was struck in an unpro voked attack on February 9 by another 16-year-old student who was involved in agang-ritual ini tiation for “The Hot Boys.” “I was not singled out,” the young student told his mother later. “I heard from other kids I was just unlucky to be in the bathroom and turned out to be the one that was struck,” he said. According to the young vic tim, somebody suddenly turned off the bathroom lights around 7:45 a.m. and he was hit almost "What's next? Will this gang stab the next child? Will they kill a student just fot an initiation? Every time 1 hear the phone ring, I'm afraid something else terrible has happened to my son." — Mother of teenage assault victim immediately, never seeing his assailant. When he pulled him self off the floor, the lights were turned back on and the bathroom was empty. The victim, still re covering, was treated at Moore Regional Hospital and recently returned back to school. The at tacker, who reportedly confessed, wassuspended indefinitely from Hoke High by administrators. Followingclosely on the heels of the first incident, a dance at the school on Feb. 11 was can celled early when a known gang member showed up on campus. “This is the first time in the history of Hoke County High School that gangs have existed on the campus,”,said Don Steed, Hoke County School Superin tendent. “It’s also the first time I’ve heard of a gang initiation. One of this gang’s initiation re quirements is to hit another stu dent,” he said. A Hoke High gym teacher noticed the injured student after the attack and assisted him to the principal’s office. The student was driven by his mother '.o the hospital just 20 minutes after he was injured, receiving 10 stitches (See GANG, page 12a ) Sheriff’s office hiring freeze thaws By Victoriana Summers Staff writer Hoke Sheriff Jim Davis an nounced on a Fayetteville radio station over the weekend that a hiring freeze imposed on his de partment had been lifted. Hoke County Manager Bernice Narrow escape Rescue and fire personnel work to free Patrick Gaddy from his car Monday afternoon. Gaddy escaped with no apparent injuries after his car left the road and struck two trees after he attempted to avoid an oncoming car. See the story on page 5A. MePhatter confirmed Monday thehiringfreezeisover,enabling Davis to re-hire deputies for four vacant positions left empty since December. A total of nine deputy slots are currently open, including the position for resigning supervi sor, Sgt. Chris Sanderson. His last day is slated for February 29; he is accepting a post with the City of Raeford Police Depart ment. A freeze was levied on Davis’ department on January 6, which was lifted on February 10. According to County officials, after budget amendments re quested by Davis for Y2k com- puterequipment updates and sal ary overtime soared over $41,000 in January, it forced money to be withdrawn from the County’s general fund to cover the short falls. MePhatter curtailed more spending by imposing the hiring freeze. “I would say since the hiring freeze was placed that Sheriff Davis has saved several thou sand dollars that was gained back to make up for money used from the general fund,” County Per sonnel Director Shirley Rush said. “In his letter to us on Janu ary 13 to justify lifting the per sonnel freeze. Sheriff Davis said it was for the protection of the County,” she said. In the interim, three deputy supervisors and the/ormer chief deputy, Hubert Peterkin, resigned on January 19, complaining about the hiring freeze and mistreat ment by Davis. These positions were never frozen, allowing Davis to conduct interviews. In spite of Davis promoting per sonnel internally to sergeant’s status, it still left him in need of four more deputies, plus the former four posts left open since December. Sanderson’s depar ture on Feb. 29 is the most recent resignation added to the tally. Davis iscurrently seeking nine replacements for deputies who either resigned or were termi nated. He has no immediate plans to hire a major to replace Peterkin, appointing Captain Thomas Carlton to serve as interim chief deputy and still remain as chief detective. “1 have plenty of excellent candidates,” Davis said. “1 al ready have over 35 qualified ap plicants on file,” he said. “I’m conducting interviews.” Rush said Davis is trying to assess his department’s needs, makingeertain the candidates are well qualified before he hires them. “The hiring freeze was lifted because Mrs. MePhatter noticed an improvement and positive changes in the way the sheriff was handling his budget,” Rush said. "He’s taking his time now to go through the applications to pick and choose.”
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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Feb. 23, 2000, edition 1
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