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The ews I ournal If it happened, it’s news to us (_ No.42Vol.l06 Raeford & Hoke County n.c. Wednesday, December 28,2011 Lumbee Guaranty buys New Century branches New Century Bank branches in Raeford and Pembroke will transi tion to Lumbee Guaranty offices in the coming year. The banks jointly announced last week that Lumbee Guaranty is purchasing the real property, equipment and other assets of the two New Century Bank branches. New Century Bank’s office in Ra eford is located on U.S. Business 401 next to Burger King. Lumbee Guaranty Bank will assume all of the deposits associ ated with the two branches. New Century Bank will retain substan tially all loans associated with the branches. The two offices became part of New Century Bank when the company acquired Progressive State Bank in July 2006, New Century Bank President and Chief Executive Officer William L. Hedgepeth II said. “While selling them was a difficult decision, it was also a strategic one for New Century. We firmly believe these custom ers will be well served by their new financial partner, Lumbee Guaranty,” Hedgepeth said in a statement. Lumbee Guaranty President and CEO Larry R. Chavis said the bank offers 12 full-service branches and will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year. “We welcome the opportunity to serve these new customers, to expand our presence in Pembroke to two offices and to establish a presence in the Raeford/Hoke County market,” Chavis said in a (See BANKS, page 4A) Lt. Cathy LaBuz surprises Cheyenne Oxendine with a Justin Bieber game at the Sheriff’s Office.The office adopted the family this Christmas. (Catharin Shepard photo) Woman with cancer among those helped Sheriff’s office gives toys to children, visits nursing homes with Santa By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Her recent breast cancer diagnosis and treat ments left Deborah Hardin with heavier matters than Christmas presents on her mind but she still worried about giving her grandchildren a few special gifts. Hardin planned to bring her grandchildren to the toy giveaway at the Hoke County Sheriffs Office but she wasn’t physically able to stand in line. She called asking if someone could set a few toys aside for them. Her simple request brought a response she never expected when the officers decided to adopt Hardin and her three grandchildren. “I asked them would they put toys to the side, and then they called me and said I touched their lives,” she said. “It just meant the world to me. I said they were truly angels.” (See SHERIFF SANTA, page 3A) City gets award page 3 A Learn to cope with stress page IB Calendar 2B Classifieds 5B Deaths 3 A Editorials 2A Legals 4B Sports 5A Worship 2B We’re on the web at www.thenews-joumal.com Readby4,500 each week Ethanol, hospitals news of 2011 And then there’s Hoke’s centennial, tornadoes and health director The News-Journal takes a look back at some of the biggest happenings in Hoke County in the last year. County turns 100 April marked Hoke County’s 100th anniversary, and residents turned out to enjoy special events including a parade, carnival and family fun night. A beard-growing contest, carriage rides at the Raeford-Hoke Museum and more helped the county celebrate the special occasion. The county also buried a time capsule in front of the Hoke County Courthouse. Elected officials attended proceedings to mark the anniversary and performers donned costumes to per form in “The Music Man” musical, the official centen nial play. The festivities wrapped up with a centennial dinner hosted by the Raeford Presbyterian Church. Ethanol plant goes bust Board wraps up 2011 Commissioners meet By Catharin Shepard Staff writer The Hoke County Commissioners ap proved a consent agenda and addressed other county business last week during a brief final board meeting for 2011. The Scurlock convenience site on Rock- fish Road will be revamped next year, but at the moment the county is still working to get the paperwork in place to put the job out for bids. The county should be able to get the project underway and completed this fiscal year. County Manager Tim Johnson said. The board also heard from Tax Collector Daphne Dudley and Tax Assessor Jennie Gibson. Dudley reported that the county has collected 71.68 percent or $ 15.2 million of the $20.1 million tax levy for 2011, up about 2 percent in collections from this time last year. Taxes are due by January 5 to avoid accruing interest. Interest will ac crue on unpaid taxes beginning January 6. The commissioners discussed approv ing a new attorney contract for the county Department of Social Services. The DSS board recommended selecting an attorney that several of the commissioners thought was too inexperienced to take the job. The commissioners voted three to two in favor of hiring a firm instead of the DSS board’s selected attorney to serve as the department’s legal counsel. Commission ers Bobby Wright and Jean Powell voted againstthe motion. Chairman James Leach, Vice Chairman Tony Hunt and Commis sioner Ellen McNeill, who serves on the (See COMMISSIONERS, page 4A) Details released in child sex case The Clean Burn Fuels ethanol plant just before it opened. Marshall Newton clears debris at his home after tor nadoes struck nearby. After years of development and nine months of operation, the Clean Burn Euels ethanol plant shut down production in April when corn prices soared above $7 a bushel. The shutdown was supposed to be temporary and Clean Burn Euels officials hoped to reopen the ethanol plant later in the year. However, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May. In August, a judge ordered the plant sold in foreclo sure auction to the highest bidder. Lien holder Cape Eear Earm Credit, representing a conglomerate of 16 banks that invested more than $60 million into the plant, made the winning bid of $34.5 million. The plant went back to Cape Eear Farm Credit, which plans to market the plant and sell it to another company that would resume ethanol production. In terested buyers have toured the plant, which is under going some maintenance work before being offered (See YEAR IN REVIEW, page 5A) The Hoke County Sheriff’s Office re leased more details last week about a case involving a man from Shannon charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a child and two counts of sexual battery. Vinson Henderson, 43, of Les Norman Road in the Shannon community was arrest ed on the felony and misdemeanor charges December 19 and held under a $100,000 bond. The bond was paid and Henderson released from the Hoke County Deten tion Center last week, officials reported. (See INVESTIGATION, page 4A) Woman credits cat with 10 years By Catharin Shepard Staff writer It’s been 10 years since Caroline Hatchell and her unborn son nearly died on the floor of the family’s Raeford home, but it’s not a day that time could make her forget. She also won’t soon forget the day this November when Kitty, the small, white cat she credits with (See KITTY, page 4A)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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