Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / March 7, 2012, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews I ournal If it happened, it’s news to us No.52Vol.l06 Raeford & Hoke County n.c. Wednesday, March 7,2012 Timeline set for new middle school School system also asks for $4.3 million from county for annual budget By Catharin Shepard Staff writer A year after enacting a three-cent property tax increase to help pay for a new middle school, the Hoke County Commissioners heard an update about the project during the first budget retreat of 2012. The Board of Education met last week with developer Robbie Ferris of sfl+A, the company behind the physical plans for Sandy Grove Middle School. Attorneys for the school board, commissioners and developer have been working out the details of the project develop ment agreement for the last several months. Under the agreement, the school system will lease the new middle school for a period of 20 years from a shell company called FirstFloor Sandy Grove, FFC created just for the purpose of this project. When the lease ends and the debt is paid off, the school building will first be owned by Hoke County but the commission will then transfer the school to the school system’s ownership. During the lease period, the school system won’t have to pay any utility bill for the building as long as the energy use meets the guidelines for “normal use” set down in the devel opment agreement. This is because the school’s solar panels will likely generate more energy than the school can even use, and the excess will be sold to Lumbee River Electric Mem bership Corp. with the proceeds split between the school system and the developer. Although the corporation pays less for energy than it charges for it, the sale of renewable energy credits each year will also likely bring in some money, officials said. If there is an energy bill because the system doesn’t produce enough energy, or if something happens to the solar panels, the developer will be responsible for paying the utility bill for the duration of the 20- year period. However, if the school (See MIDDLE SCHOOL, page 5A) Filing closes. many races contested Filing for many races in the 2012 elections closed last Wednesday with some local races uncontested and other incumbents facing multiple challengers. Here are the candidates who have filed to run for offices representing Hoke County. Incumbents have an asterisk by their name. Local races •Board of Commission ers: James Feach* (D), Bobby Wright* (D), Fred die McPhaul (D), Fonnie Baldwin (D), John Harry (R),Elda Thacker (R) District Attorney: Kristy Newton* Register of Deeds: Onnie Dudley* N.C. House of Repre sentatives • District 48: Garland Pierce* (D) (See FILING, page 4A) McIntyre runs again By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Mike McIntyre, aDemocrat from Fumberton representing the Seventh Congressional District, announced last week he will run for another term in the United States House of Representatives. Following redistricting efforts, Hoke County is now part of the Sev enth and Second C o n - gres- Crumpler retires from Highway Patrol page4A Election board battles over voting site page 5 A Calendar 2B Classifieds 5B Deaths 4A Editorials 2-3A Legals 3-4B Sports 6 A Worship 2B We’re on the web at www.thenews-joumal.com Readby4,500 each week McIntyre sional Districts. Voters in voting pre cincts Allendale, Antioch, Blue Springs, and Raeford #s 1, 2, 4, 5 will be rep resented in the Seventh (See MCINTYRE, page 5A) Number 31 for Hoke, Darius Book,goes up for a layup in the semifinals. Book had six points in the loss. (Hal Nunn photo) Bucks’ exciting season comes to end By Hal Nunn Sports writer The Hoke High School Bucks boys’ basketball team fell to New Hanover in the semi-finals for state champion Saturday, but only days before they hung on to defeat number one-ranked Pine Forest in the regionals. The Bucks entered the Eastern Regional tourna ment Thursday night against a tough Pine Forest team that was 28-1 coming into the game. With more than 4,000 people in attendance for the local match-up, tournament organizers had to turn people away. The game started out as a low scoring battle with ahalftime score of21-21. By the end of the third period, Hoke led 38-34. In the fourth period, the Bucks started to feed Tarique Thompson in the low post and Pine For est couldn’t slow him down enough until the Bucks had a 10-point lead with about four minutes to go. Pine Forest went on a run to bring the game to within two points with about 13 seconds left. After a timeout, the Trojans got the ball in the hands of Alex Bradley, their number one scorer and three-point (See BUCKS, page 6A) Teacher connected to nugget scandal replaced with sub By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Hoke County Schools has replaced a West Hoke Elementary pre-kinder garten teacher with a substitute in connection with a school lunch issue that raised questions about state policy and federal guidelines. In a letter dated Feb. 28 sent home to parents in one pre-kindergarten classroom. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Bob Barnes said students in a pre-k class room would be taught by a substitute. “As I am sure you are aware, we recently experienced an unfortunate situation where a failure to follow district policy resulted in the substi tution of a Pre-K student’s lunch at West Hoke Elementary School. This letter is to inform you that Ms. Emma Thomas will be a substitute teacher” in the classroom. The substitute would serve as a teacher in the classroom “until we can bring resolution to this issue,” the letter said. It was not clear whether the teacher had anything to do with the lunchtime incident or what if any action had been taken against the teacher. At first the school system said a state worker was to blame, but after the state division reported it did not have a worker on-site the day of the incident, the school system clarified that a school employee was the person responsible. Superintendent Dr. Freddie Wil liamson said he cannot comment on personnel matters. Concern over the issue began earlier this month when news outlets across the country picked up on the (See NUGGETS, page 5A) Fire chief Lippard retires By Bill Lindau Robert Conoly, as mayor pro tern, presided over a Raeford City Council meeting that lasted 10 minutes, during which council announced the retirement of Dickie Fippard as the city’s fire chief and Johnny Smith from the StreetMaintenance Department. At council’s regular monthly meeting Monday evening, Fip pard and Smith both received plaques of recognition for their many years of service. Fippard (See COUNCIL, page 5A) Schools reaccredited By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Hoke County Schools earned renewal last week of its accreditation as a Quality School District from the Ad- vancED Southern Associa tion of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. The Quality Assurance Review team interviewed 361 “stakeholders”—local business owners, elected (See SCHOOLS, page 4A) News-Journal wins awards Retiring fire chief Dickie Lippard (right) accepts a fire hydrant trophy from city councilman Bobby Conoly (center), while Lippard’s wife Barbara holds his certificate. The News-Journal re ceived two awards last week from the North Carolina Press Association’s 2011 News, Editorial and Photo journalism Contest. The News-Journal won secondplaceinnewscoverage and second place in feature writing out of entries from newspapers across the state. The newspaper competed in circulation Division B, which (See AWARDS, page 4A)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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