te
ds are
rin be
ar and
r baby
;m you
iS over
en if he
, many
inds as
ling of
i man.”
ds with
orm of
help in
fant, he
want to
art now
irogram
rs, both
ig, who
I and to
I’s first,
icher. If
sTeach-
10) 875-
iperative
;st Pros-
beside
'inded by
ed by the
ms
the plan-
are HHS
;r 43107,
call 875-
Teresa at
ictor.com.
1 class of
s Deldrea
antacts for
utherland,
McLean
cell); 875-
I Daniels
e) or 229-
terested in
ee together
f ‘88’s re-
875-4150
y questions
.call Kevin
2or Angela
476-2373.
been estab-
ass of 2001
ep in touch
eas. Begun
veb address
.html.
5S
on
ews
Journal
If It hain ♦ened, it’s news to
75t
No.45VoL100
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, January 25,2006
DSS building fire was set, man arrested
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Sheriffs deputies s Tested
a south Hoke man and charged
him with setting the fire that
caused $400,000 damage to
the Social Services building
Jan. 14.
Raeford authorities had no
indication that the fire was
not accidental until a man
provided information to The
Sheriffs Office that the fire
was set, apparently during a
break-in.
Hoke Sheriff Hubert Peter-
kin said Carl Dean Goins, 48,
of Old Maxlon Road, has been
charged with one count of
burning a government build
ing and two counts of break
ing and entering. He has been
placed on a $ 120,000 secured
bond. However, Peterkin said,
additional charges are pend
ing that might cause Goins’s
initial bond to be increased.
“Based on our inquiry,
we were able to specifically
corroborate by information
given to the Hoke Sheriffs
Office that there were suf
ficient facts to make an ar
rest of Mr. Goins,” Peterkin
(See DSS FIRE, page 3A)
Schools get land
worth $1 million
Possible site for new school
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke farmer James “Jim”
Hendrix, a graduate of Hoke
County High and a former
student at Appalachian State
University, gifted land worth
close to $1 million to Hoke
County schools on Friday.
Included in Hendrix’s
“magnanimous” donation
is 50 acres of prime land,
according to Hoke Board of
Education chairman Russell
C. Smith. The land was used
for farming, but is suitable
for commercial, institutional
or residential development.
The cleared land is located on
Philipjpi Church Road just east
of its intersection with Rock-
fish Road near Scurlock.
Hoke schools need the land
because the regular growth
rate of the school system is
increasing by 500 students
per year - not counting the
This Week
Bucks beat
top-ranked
wolverines
page7A
G)mmunity
gathers to figjit
juvenile crime
page3A
Hoke picked
for practice census
pt^e5A
Drug bust nets 11
pageSA
Index
Births 3B
Business/Farm 5A
Calendar 4B
Classifieds 7B
Deaths 6A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 4-6B
Religion 2B
Schools IB
Socials 3B
Sports 7 A
IVeVe on the web at
www.thenews-joumaI.com
Read by 3,000 each week
'■ -
military student influx. The
system is coping in the short
term with 36 mobile class
room huts.
Smith indicated Hendrix
has provided the school
system a site for learning not
otherwise feasible because of
the limited resources of the
school board and county.
Smith accepted the deed
from Hendrix on behalf of
the school board on Friday,
and he helped arranged the
transfer of title. Brown Hen
drix Jr., nephew of Hendrix’s,
who was also instrumental in
finalizing details, accompa
nied Smith.
“We, with me representing
the school board, are thankful
to Brown Hendrix Jr., who
served as a liaison in the
process,” Smith said.
Commission Chairman
Bobby Wright also met with
Smith and Hendrix Jr. on
Thursday to expedite discus
sions about the land transfer.
“I am elated and pleasantly
surprised by Mr. Hendrix’s
generous donation to our
school system,” Smith said.
“Certainly, this gift has saved
the county, therefore the tax
payers, a lot of money.
“This could not have come
at a better time as our school
age population continues to
grow.”
Smith said Hendrix ap
proached the Hoke school
board about gifting some ofhis
(See LAND, page 5A)
A
Above; Johnson enjoys kindergartners at Sandy Grove Elemen
tary School. Left; a student tells Simeon about his pets.
Washington official
tours two schools
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Dr. Henry Johnson’s face
was bright with a smile when
he crouched next to children
at their miniature tables in
a kindergarten classroom at
Sandy Grove Elementary
School last week. Johnson,
the US. Assistant Secretary
of Elementary and Secondary
Education, listened intently
to replies from Sandy Grove
pupils during his tour of the
school.
“1 like to talk to the chil
dren,” Johnson, a North
Carolina native born near
Salisbury, said. “Now what
did you say begins with K?”
A tousled-haired pupil
promptly said, “Kangaroo.”
(See TOUR, page 4A)
County cements deal and acquires most of city block
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County has recently cornered
some major property in downtown
Raeford.
Hoke’s board of commissioners
unanimously approved purchasing
most of the city block adjacent to
the Hoke Courthouse last-week for
$490,900.28.
Framed by North Main Street,
East Edinborough, North Stewart
and East Elwood avenues, the block
will enhance future county expansion
projects. County officials take posses
sion of the property in February.
“The purpose of our acquiring
most of the block is to expand our
county facilities,” Wood said. “But,
county commissioners have no im
mediate plans to demolish any of the
buildings.
“Obviously, we are under a lot of
pressure. As the Hoke population con
tinues to rapidly grow, the demand for
services is increasing,” he said.
“We wanted to stay in the city, but
we needed more space.
Buying the block allows us to
remain and probably not have to
(See BUYS BLOCK, page 2A)
McNeill first to organize for office
Ellen McNeill, on Friday, was the
firstto file with the Hoke County Board
of Elections the Statement of Organi
zation requirement as a Democratic
candidate for one of three available
commissioner seats
Filing a Statement of Organization,
denoting campaign committee organi
zation, is required within 10 days after
acandidate has publicly announced he
or she is seeking an office.
McNeill made her announcement
on January 16 at the Martin Luther
(See MCNEILL, page 4A)
Trhe JMWSrJ Journal 1.
News Otiy:. stuff
By Ken MacDonald
Publisher
Out of the comer of my eye I saw
him coming-a blurry projectile plow
ing like a torpedo along the water line.
Only he was just above the water line
and the water was frozen. This kid
was maybe eight or nine, was dressed
as a hockey player, and was sliding
uncontrolled on his side across the ice
rink in my direction. 1 wanted to take
evasive action, but on ice skates that
would require skill.
“Goin’ down!” I said to my.self
as he nailed my feet with a perfect
bullseye.
Suddenly the muscles I haven’t u.sed
since my bike trip in September went
to full power as I tried to catch mysel f,
but it was too little too late. In a flash
I was on my rear sliding across a very
cold (and, as it turns out, wet) rink floor.
(See OTHER STUFF, page 5A)
A humveee found burning in the Davis Bridge area.
Three teens face felonies for burning
humvees as protest against Iraq war
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Three Cumberland County teens
attempted to burn three U.S. Army
Special Forces vehicles parked in
Hoke County over the Christmas hoi i-
days in what they said was a “protest
against the war in Iraq,” according to
Sheriff Hubert Peterkin.
“They indicated they were try
ing to retaliate,” Peterkin said of the
suspects’ alleged involvement in the
vandalism that occurred on Decem
ber 27.
An employee at the Short Stop
convenience store in Davis Bridge
(See PROTEST, page 4A)