The News-Journal
No. 9 Vol. 93
50 cents
Wednesday, May 31, 2000
Visit us at
our new web location
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
Freedom Chapel
looks back on
135 years
page 1B
Hoke Community
Foundation makes
first awards
page 6A
Index
Births 3B
Calendar 4B
Classifieds 8-1 OB
Deaths 8A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
1-1- Legals 6-7B
Public Record 4A
Religion 4A
Schools 2,6B
Socials 3B
TV Listings 4-5B
Around Town
I! it ti n
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
We people in Raeford and
Hoke County can be thankful
that the strong winds missed
us. All around us many people
are without power and many
have had trees blown over and
damaged their homes. We did
get a small amount of rain
Sunday, but we could use sev
eral more inches. Our county
was under a tornado watch
twice on Sunday. Anyway, the
storms have brought cooler
weather.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday,callsforthe
high Wednesday to be in the
80s and the lows in the 6()s.
Thursday, Friday and Satur
day the highs will be in the 90s
and the lows in the high 60s or
low 70s. It will be humid but
there isn’t any forecast of rain
in the period.
*****
I would still like to have
any information about the
house on 205 N. Stewart St. 1
would like to furnish the in
formation to the present
owner, Ms. Edna Reyes.
Thanks!
* * * * *
If you know of any POWs
of the Korean War, let Larry
Brown Sr. know. He can be
reached at telephone 875-
4243. He wants the names not
only in Hoke County but also
in Cumberland.
*** * *
There was a ceremony in
front of the Hoke County
Courthouse Memorial Day,
(See \ROUND, page 5A)
SBI probe of scam may net officers
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
By Victorian a Summers
Staff writer
SheriffJim Davis publicly warned resi
dents on May 23 against an illegal pyra
mid scheme sweeping across Hoke
County, saying he contacted the District
Attorney’s Office, SBI, FBI and Alcohol
Law Enforcement to conduct a criminal
investigation into the “gifting program.”
tr
However, Davis did not mention his con- believe it was
cerns over the alleged involvement of because of
local law officers. District Attorney Jean some pos-
Powell said Davis previously advised her sible involve-
of law officers possible participation in ment of law
the scam that primarily targets African enforcement
American citizens. personnel,”
“Sheriff Davis made she said,
me aware of having re- “He did
ceived information of a not indicate
pyramid scheme on Fri- who they
day evening. May 19, were, or what
and the sheriff said he agency they
was requesting an inves- were with,
tigation from an outside (See SCAM,
agency,” Powell said. “I page lOA)
District Attorney Jean
Powell is concerned the
scam is ‘far-reaching’
1^1
Citizens’ petition
seeks to keep
offices downtown
A Hoke County Sheriffs Department deputy talks with members of Michael Angelo Holmes’ family near
the site where a body, believed to be Holmes’, was found Friday evening. In the center, facing the camera,
is James Holmes, Michael’s father.
Body found in pond is believed
to be that of missing man
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
The family of 33-year-old
Michael Angelo Holmes is plan
ning his funeral yet they have
not been notified of his death,
and identification of a body they
believe was Michael is still pend
ing.
The nightmare for Michael’s
closely-knit family began when
his wrecked car was found on
June Johnson Road at about 7:30
Saturday night. May 20. His 1993
Mustang had run up an embank
ment into trees and bushes on a
secluded section of the road.
The keys were left in the igni
tion but no one was around. A
state trooper told the family he
stayed at the collision site about
an hour and half and no one
showed. He did not see any sus
picious activity, the family said
he told them.
Paper seeks court date
in suit against county
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
As a lawsuit filed by The
News-Journal remains pending
against Hoke County, the news
paper’s legal counsel is request
ing a hearing be set on the court
calendar in the June 26 session.
Amanda Martin has requested
the hearing in Scotland County.
The News-Journal filed acorn-
plaint in Hoke County Superior
Court on May 9, alleging infor
mation on salaries of County
Manager Bernice MePhatterand
Personnel Director Shirley Rush
was repeatedly denied. When the
newspaper sued for public infor-
(See SUIT, page 8A)
Ijocal WWn vet waits for
justice from government
T
Brown Hendrix Sr.
Taxpayers may reap from
Raeford’s safety award
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Raeford City Manager Mike
McNeill received a “pleasant sur
prise” when the North Carolina
league of Municipalities ranked
Raeford as having “the most well
managed safety and health ef-
The following afternoon
Michael’s family filed a missing
person’s report with the Hoke
County Sheriff’s Department,
according to Capt. Thomas
Carlton.
Family members begged the
sheriff to conduct a search for
Michael but he refused, they said.
The family looked for
Michael. “Every day from sunup
to sundown,” said his sister,
(See HOLMES, page 8A)
BY Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A petition is being circulated
in downtown Raeford by a group
dubbed “Concerned Residents of
Raeford and Hoke County,” en
couraging county leaders to re
think options available before
erecting the proposed Hoke
County Administrative Facility
on West Palmer Street. The group
has requested permission to dis
cuss the issue at the upcoming
county commissioners’ meeting
on Monday evening, asking the
county to stay put and keep down
taxes.
A signature drive started on
May 22, when some citizens
placed copies of the petition in
downtown busi nesses for patrons
and taxpayers to sign. This pro
test reportedly culminated after
commissioners voted on May 15
to seek a $2.5 million loan and to
consider raising taxes to con
struct the new county complex.
Plans call for moving out of the
Pratt Building on Main Street
onto a 20-acre campus on Palmer,
which was annexed into
Raeford’s city limits in March
2000
In the petition, it specifies:
“We the undersigned hereby pe
tition the Hoke County Manager
and the Hoke County Board of
Commissioners to re-consider
building a new county complex
on West Palmer.
“First of all, we do not feel this
new building is warranted and
(See OFFICES, page 6A)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Samuel Brown Hendrix Sr.,
former World War II veteran and
decorated hero, is searching for
someone to help him move a
mountain of paperwork in order
to receive service disability he
has been denied by the U.S. gov
ernment for over a half century.
“It would take a miracle,” said
Hendrix, who was injured while
in the U.S. Army. “I won’t give
up my fight until Justice is
served,” he said.
(See VET, page 9A)
fort.” The League compared
Raeford to more than 116 cities
and towns that are served by the
organization in the eastern Pied
mont region.
Ron Tilton, a risk manage
ment field consultant for NCLM,
said the city of Mount Airy is
(See A WARD, page 10)
Trar
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At Memorial Day services, Melissa Maxwell reads her winning essay on how to honor service men and
women while her parents, Will and Lise Maxwell, watch (top); above, Capt. Thomas Simons places a
wreath at the war monument; at right, the Hoke High JROTC Color Guard posts the colors.
More than 200 remember war dead
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
George “Raz” Autry, speaker at Memorial
Day services, said the gathering was to honor
those who paid the supreme price for a society
that has become complacent.
“Part of us died with them,” said Autry, a
veteran of World War II, as he spoke of those
who fought alongside the ones whodied in battle.
Autry said service men and women were called
to fight in nations they knew nothing about. “It
was our duty to protect and provide honor and
commitment to our country,” he said. “We bled
with them but charged on. Their fight was our
fight.”
“Those who fought did so with a determina
tion that this freedom would be like no other,”
said Autry. “As despicable as it is, even the right
(See REMEMBER, page 8A)