The
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I ournal
Hoke County’s newspaper since 1905
No.24Vol.llO
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, August 19,2015
County hires Edens as manager
No contract, no salary set, board puts off details for later
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
The Hoke County Board of Commis
sioners voted four to one Monday night to
hire Interim County Manager Letitia Edens
to fill the manager’s position full-time.
The county board chose not to advertise
the job opening or interview other can
didates, and voted to hire Edens without
having a contract in place. The motion to
hire her included a requirement that Edens,
Chairman James Leach and County At
torney Grady Hunt meet later to negotiate
her contract, which will be brought before
the board for consideration at an upcoming
meeting.
Information about the new county
manager’s salary and other terms of em
ployment won’t be available until a contract
is finalized. Leach mentioned offering
$10,000 in moving expenses for Edens to
move into Hoke County, which is the same
amount offered to former County Manager
Tim Johnson when he first took the job,
officials said.
Commissioner Harry Southerland said
he believed in Edens’ competence and
capabilities and felt that she would be an
excellent county manager.
“I know there may be some concern
about going out and possibly doing some
interviewing and looking at other candi
dates, but she’s been doing the job for the
last seven months and, prior to that, she was
on the job six months prior to this in the
(assistant) county manager’s role, plus her
years of service in county government,” he
said. “I don’t necessarily see that there’s a
need to go out and maybe do some inter
views when I think that we’ve got someone
that’s in-house that’s doing an excellent
job, and I’d like to see her be promoted to
county manager, and I’m willing to put that
in the form of a motion if I have to tonight.”
Commissioner Bobby Wright suggested
having something in writing before hiring
(See MANAGER, page 6)
Left: Hoke sheriff’s deputies attend to victims (Ken MacDonald photo). Above, a truck
burns after its driver escapes. (Sherry Sanders photo)
Wreck on N.C. 211 kills 3 in Lumberton family
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
A former Robeson County commis
sioner and his wife and son were killed
Monday in a wreck with an allegedly
impaired driver on N.C. 211 near Shiloh
Presbyterian Church.
John “Tommy” Wellington, 84, his
wife Joyce Wellington, 69, and son James
Douglas Wellington, 55, all of Lumber-
ton, were killed in the head-on crash that
happened around noon about five miles
outside of Raeford, according to the North
Carolina State Highway Patrol. Joyce Wel
lington’s sister, 55-year-old Gail Prescott,
survived the crash and at last report was
in stable condition at EirstHealth Moore
Regional Hospital.
Authorities suspect that the driver
faulted with the wreck, 31-year-old Mat
thew Allen English of Pinehurst, was driv
ing under the influence. English survived
the wreck and was arrested on charges of
driving under the influence, careless and
reckless driving and driving left of center.
He will likely also face criminal charges
in the Wellingtons’ deaths, according to
officials.
“During the process of talking with the
assistant (district attorney), further charges
are pending,” North Carolina Highway
Patrol Troop H spokesperson Trooper
John Burgin said.
Sherry Sanders of Raeford was driving
(See FATALITIES, page 6)
This Week
Teen court funding denied over Facebook post
Olh SMp! Commissioner says next director can request needed money again
Grand Prize Winner
Page 2
Browsing the Files 4
Calendar 8
Classifieds 11
Deaths 4
Editorials 2-3
Sports 5
Worship 8
Look for
this symbol
to find stores
that sell The
News-Journal
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Eunding for a local program meant to help ju
venile offenders is in question after some county
leaders reportedly received complaints from
citizens upset over a friends-only Facebook post
an organizer made after she resigned from her
position for unrelated reasons.
Suzanne Maness, founder and executive direc
tor of Called Into Action, was working on secur
ing funding that would support the Teen Court
program. The nonprofit Called Into Action,
which Maness started three years ago, works
with at-risk youth and young people seeking
volunteer opportunities. The Teen Court program
offers alternatives for young offenders who have
committed a misdemeanor offense for the first
time.
Maness said she resigned from Called Into
Action last week because of the struggles of get
ting funding and due to a lack of support from
volunteers and the community.
“I felt there was a lack of support from the
board and the community,” she said.
The organization had been promised funding
from the state, but it was contingent on matching
funding from a local source. Maness tried to get
on the Hoke County Board of Commissioners’
agenda to seek the county’s help in getting the
matching funding to pay for the programs, after
the city of Raeford declined to provide the ap-
I am tired of black lives matter activists and the
NAACP and all the other black organizations trying to |
take over. Why does it have to be about race ALL the
time? What happen to compassion for all people and
to love your neighbor? These organizations Just want |
to cause division between the races instead of solve
racial issues.
Screen shot of Facebook post that Commis
sioner Allen Thomas says prompted citizen
complaints.
proximately $10,000 in matching funds. Howev
er, she was taken off the first meeting in August
after Commission Chairman James Leach said
he wanted to get some more information, Man
ess said. She was on the agenda for the meeting
(See FACEBOOK POST, page 7)
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www.raefordnj.com
Walking track light repair due
Back by popular demand—lighting at
the McLauchlin Park walking track.
The City of Raeford’s Duke Energy
account representative, David McNeill,
told city officials that repair to the un
derground power lines is scheduled for
Saturday, August 22.
Based on information from Public
Works Director Travis Sutherland, the
initial delay was caused by a discrepancy
in the light pole numbering scheme.
The track is located behind McLauchlin
Elementary School.
Office flood forces out
Hoke Farm Services
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Concern over water
damage from a plumbing
problem has forced the
local branch of the Farm
Services Agency to tempo
rarily move to Cumberland
County.
As of August 14, people
seeking services from the
ESA will have to go to the
(See ESA, page 7)
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