The
ews
I ournal
Hoke County’s newspaper since 1905
ist
N0.21V0L109
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, July 30,2014
Trench collapse kills Raeford man
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Rescuers at work. (Fort Bragg photo)
Nettles, at graduation
The Department of Oceupation-
al Health and Safety (OSHA) is
investigating a treneh eollapse on
Fort Bragg that killed a man from
Raeford last week.
Although authorities did not of-
fieially release the vietim’s name,
Hoke County friends and family
reported that Hoke High graduate
Clyde Thomas Nettles Jr. died in
the aecident. They shared the news
on their Faeebook pages, posting
photos of “CJ” and outpourings of
sympathy.
Nettles was 22 years old and
engaged to be married. He played
football for the Hoke High Bueks
during his time in high school.
In messages posted online, loved
ones remembered him for his
contagious laugh, bright smile and
big heart.
The construction worker was
(See ACCIDENT, page 4A)
Adjusting for the future
Home Food,a Raeford fixture for 96 years, is changing its emphasis from grocer
ies to produce. Clockwise from above: RJ. McNeill drove from Moore County to
shop; Kim Hollingsworth helps customer Jodi Onachilaia rooster is free-range
or at least free to roam the feed and seed store; the oldest McNeill still has his
own seat to supervise. (Catharin Shepard photos)
After nearly a century,
Home Food charts changes
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Buying a farm-fresh watermelon
at Home Food was worth the drive
all the way from Moore County for
P.J. McNeill.
Shopping for locally grown fruits
and vegetables and fresh-caught fish
is something she and her husband
Lamont McNeill can’t do in Moore,
she said.
“Some of this stuff we have
(See HOME EOOD, page 6A)
Neighbor hit
with 2x4
Investigators with
the Hoke County
Sheriffs Office ar
rested a man Sunday
for allegedly hitting
his neighbor on the
head with a wooden
2x4, according to a
report.
Rowsey
Authorities called to the 4200 block
of Old Maxton Highway arrived to find
Garrett Locklear lying on the ground
with a laceration to the head. Suspect
Charles Junior Rowsey, 50, of the 4200
block of Old Maxton Highway was
reportedly waiting for authorities to
arrive. Rowsey confessed at the scene
that he hit Locklear on the head with
the wooden plank while the two were
arguing, officials said.
Deputies charged Rowsey with
assault with a deadly weapon inflict
ing serious injury. He was held under
a $15,000 unsecured bond. Locklear
was treated for his injuries at an area
hospital.
Woman assaulted
in home invasion
Investigators with
the Hoke County
Sheriffs Office ar
rested a woman last
week for allegedly
breaking into a home
and assaulting the
homeowner.
Officers arrested
Blackmon
Dejhi Blackmon, 26, of the 4700 block
of Star Rite Lane in Parkton on charges
of robbery with a dangerous weapon,
second-degree kidnapping, felony
breaking or entering, felony larceny
after breaking or entering and felony
possession of stolen goods.
(See ASSAULT, page 6A)
This Week 1
Calendar
2B
Classifieds
7B
Deaths
3A
Editorials,
2A
D
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No tax-free weekend this year in this state
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Shoppers used to buying school supplies tax-
free shortly before students return to class will
have to go out of state this year if they want to
find bargains.
From 2002 to 2013, the state held a special
weekend when consumers could buy computers,
clothing and other back-to-school supplies with
out paying sales tax. However, citing the need to
cut costs, the state stopped the tax-free weekend
program last year. Officials also ended a similar
weekend in November that offered shoppers a
chance to buy some appliances without paying
sales tax. The state lost millions in sales tax rev
enue every year because of the events, officials
said.
However, if shoppers are willing and able to
pay for gas to drive out of state this weekend,
they can still find tax-free deals. South Carolina,
Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia continue offer
ing tax-free weekends. The tax-free weekend for
South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia is set for
Friday, Saturday and Sunday while Georgia will
hold its sales tax holiday Friday and Saturday.
As of Tuesday, the average price of gasoline
in North Carolina stood at $3.44 a gallon for
regular, while the average price of gas in South
Carolina was $3.27, according to gasbuddy.com.
Gas prices in Virginia and Georgia stood at an
average of $3.34 and $3.42, respectively. The
(See TAX-EREE, page 6A)
Walker files for school board
By Ken MacDonald
We started a company on
our most recent youth group
outing—Rude Awakenings
LLC. You need that limited
liability part for the kind of
company we formed, which
is one that, for a fee, offers a
wake-up service for hard-to-
awaken teenagers.
The Methodists, whose
conference we crashed, wanted
each group in attendance to
find a way to raise a little
money for a hunger abatement
program, and our service was
an answer to those sissy ideas
other groups came up with
like selling cupcakes and glow
sticks. Pa-lease.
(See OTHER STUEE, page 4A)
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Walker
Military veteran and
longtime Hoke resident Gil
bert Walker announced this
week that he plans to run for
a seat on the Hoke County
Board of Education.
Walker said he decided to
run for a four-year term on
the board because he tries
to be active in the commu
nity and wants to help make
sure Hoke schools produce
graduates who are able to
compete in the workplace.
“I hear sometimes of
students graduating and not
being able to read, write in
cursive or be able to write
(See WALKER, page 6A)