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The ews I ournal If it happened, it’s news to us No.5Vol.l07 Raeford & Hoke County n.c. Wednesday, April 11,2012 Both hospitals will build Cape Fear Valley, FirstHealth agree to drop appeals By Catharin Shepard Staff writer After years of preparations and months of negotiations, Cape Fear Valley Health Care and FirstHealth of the Caroli- nas announced last week they have reached an agreement and both will build hospitals in Hoke County. Cape Fear Valley plans to move forward with its 41-bed hospital and FirstHealth of the Carolinas with its 8-bed hospital, according to both healthcare systems. The sites of the future hospitals are located minutes away from each other on U.S. Highway 401 in eastern Hoke County. The state granted both hospitals permission to build the projects they proposed in 2010, but Cape Fear Valley appealed the decision and FirstHealth of the Carolinas soon followed with its own appeal. From there the issue be came even more complicated when the 2011 State Medical Facilities Plan allocated an ad ditional 65 beds to the region, which includes Cumberland and Hoke counties, and both hospital systems made a bid for the newly available 65 beds. FirstHealth proposed to build a 65-bed hospital in Hoke County, while Cape Fear Valley sought to build a new hospital in Cumberland County with the 65 beds. However, the state denied both systems’ Certificate of Need applications for those projects. {See HOSPITALS, page 4A) Cranes raise steel, and a sign shows what the buildings will look like at the Cape Fear Valley site on US401. Suspended, quits, rehired DSS gives job to former Senior Services director By Catharin Shepard Staff writer The Hoke County De partment of Social Services hired former county Senior Services director Don Woods earlier this month, two weeks after Woods resigned from the director’s job while serv ing a paid suspension. The Department of Social Services hired Woods to fill a full-time Social Worker II position working with the DSS food stamp office, ac cording to county personnel records. Woods was placed on suspension March 2 for un known reasons and resigned from his position as Senior Services Director March 20. He was hired with Social Ser vices April 2 with a salary of $35,482, according to human resources information. The recent suspension was the fourth time Woods was placed on leave during his time as Senior Services director. He also served three unpaid suspensions with start dates of June 5, 2008, July 7, 2010 and May 17, 2011. The 2011 suspension was reportedly for ‘ ‘personal conduct.” State open records laws require officials to reveal certain changes in job status, such as suspensions, promo tions and demotions, but do (See REHIRED, page 6A) Children rush off the starting line to pick up eggs at the Relay for Life and Parks and Recreation Easter egg hunt.The hunt was part of a day of fundraising activities Saturday at the park on Highway 211. (Catharin Shepard photo) Hoke eighth-fastest-growing county in U.S. By Catharin Shepard Staff writer his Week Masons feed 300 kids in Robbin Heights page IB Girl Scouts mark 100 years page IB Calendar 2B Classifieds 7B Deaths 3 A Editorials 2A Legals 3-6B Sports 5 A Worship 2B We’re on the web at www.thenews-joumal.com Readby4,500 each week The U.S. Census Bureau announced last week that Hoke County is the fastest- growing county in North Carolina and the eighth- fastest-growing county in the entire country. Between 2010-11 the Hoke County population grew by about 2,300 people, or 4.9 percent. That’s more than twice the state average, ac cording to Census Bureau numbers. The county is now home to nearly 50,000people, the data shows. This is familiar territory for Hoke, Economic Devel opment Director Don Porter said. The county has been featured on fists of the fastest- growing areas of the state and even the nation for the last decade, he said. “We’ve been there before and I just think that it’s good news for our county. When you think in terms of those kinds of figures, the hospital announcements could not have come at a better time,” (See GROWTH, page 6A) Hoke Vietnam vets board bus to Charlotte for healing By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Several Vietnam vet erans from Hoke County took the opportunity to travel to Charlotte Motor Speedway last month to take part in the state’s largest Vietnam veteran homecoming celebra tion. Veteran and Veter ans of Foreign Wars Post 7930 member Elle Graham was among the group that attended the event along with others from his post and Hoke Post 10, as well as other veterans from across the state. The trip was peaceful andrewarding, Graham said. “We just received what was there and that was really true fellowship. That was a powerful thing,’ ’ he said. Thousands of veter ans attended the event (See VETS, page 6A) WiUdns mns for Congress By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Running for: U.S. Congress in N.C. District 2 Experience: Not previously elected in N.C. Education: Master’s degree in management Position: Paid Take that! Conoly Jones (left) takes a water balloon to the head during an organized fight at Hoke High School last week. Seniors planned the fight, which attracted about 100 students. (Ken MacDonald photo) Whispering Pines resident Steve Wilkins, a Democrat, announced he will seek election to the United States House of Representatives in North Carolina’s Second District. Wilkins was born in Durham County and served more than 20 years in the United States Army. At one time during his service, he worked as a legis lative liai son officer where his job was to communi cate with the offices of Con gressional leaders and pre- Steve Wilkins pare and deliver testimony before Congress. “Tm very familiar with the pro cess. I’ve been politically active all my life,” he said. Wilkins, the son of a longtime schoolteacher, graduated from the (See WILKINS, page 6A)
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