The
ews
IH
J ournal
Hoke County^s newspaper since 1905
No.35Vol.110
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, November 4,2015
Citizens seek to name road after McPhatter
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
McPhatter
Family and friends of the late Dr.
Neil McPhatter are seeking to honor
him by having a road named after
him in the community where he
served as a pastor and leader for over
40 years.
McPhatter, who died in April at
the age of 91, was the first African-
American ever elected to the Hoke
County Board of Commissioners. He
served on the board for 17 consecu
tive years. He was also well known
for building and leading St. Andrews
Holiness Church in Raeford.
Family members hope the Depart
ment of Transportation will allow
them to rename a section of Bridges
Road in memory of their loved one.
Resident Julius Blue said he knew
McPhatter well and grew up attend
ing his church, as did many other
people.
“1 was born and raised at that
church back in the early ‘60s. It was
the first church in Clay Hill. It was
started by him,” Blue said. “I live
within walking distance from that
church and there’s hardly anyone who
was born and raised on Clay Hill that
wasn’t touched by that church and by
this man.”
Many other residents spoke up to
support the road name change at a
public hearing Monday night at the
regularly scheduled commissioners’
meeting.
Billy Bronson said he knew
McPhatter and had a close family tie
to St. Andrews Holiness Church.
“My mama got saved at his
church, and she always talked about
how she had a good time at St.
Andrews,” Bronson said during the
hearing.
St. Andrews Assistant Pastor
Mildred Blue started attending the
church when she was a child. “Dr.
McPhatter did so much for this
{See MCPHATTER, page 4)
Gregory McCall (left) and candidate Jeremy Hollingsworth brave an Election Day drizzle at Raeford #2 voting
Some 27 percent of voters cast ballots in the city council election. (Ken MacDonald photo)
site.
Incumbents return
Jordan, King, Conoly lead council
race by 2-to-l margin over challengers
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
serve on the board for four more
years.
With all voting precincts ac-
Raeford City Council incum- counted for, Conoly, Jordan and
bents Robert “Bobby” Conoly, King each received over 22 percent
John Jordan and Mary Neil King of the vote over candidates Shirley
were reelected Tuesday and will (See ELECTION, page 9)
Conoly (left to right), King, and Jordan
Sheriff warns
of scam, break-ins
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
A phone scammer is
trying to steal money from
citizens by telling them
they could be arrested if
they don’t pay up, accord
ing to Hoke County Sheriff
Hubert Peterkin.
Multiple county residents
have reported receiving
scam phone calls from
someone claiming to be
from the county Clerk of
Court’s office, Peterkin said
last week.
The caller told the vic
tims that there were arrest
warrants against them and
offered them the option
of paying off the warrants
over the phone, authorities
said. But that’s not how ar
rest warrants work and the
calls are not coming from
the clerk’s office, even if
caller identification displays
the office name and num
ber as victims reported.
“Please be advised that
(See SCAM, page 9)
Former police chief
cited in Raeford wreck
Former Raeford Police
Chief Kevin Locklear was
cited in a car wreck this
weekend that left him on
medical leave from the Red
Springs Police Department,
according to authorities.
Locklear was driving
an unmarked police car on
Palmer Street in Raeford
around 7:30 a.m. Saturday
when he reportedly reached
across the seat of the ve
hicle to pick something up
and accidentally activated
his blue flashing lights. His
Dodge Charger crossed
the center line and hit an
oncoming car, according to
a report.
Locklear went to
FirstHealth Moore Region
al Hospital in Pinehurst for
treatment of injuries, and
was later released. He was
placed on medical leave
from his job as assistant
chief of the Red Springs
police pending a possible
(See LOCKLEAR, page 9)
This Week
Group’s effort a sign of respect for old cemetery
Two arrested
in drug bust
Page 4
Gang workshop
is Saturday
Page 4
Browsing the Files 2
Classifieds 8
Deaths 4
Editorials 3
Sports 5
A new sign is dedicated at the cemetery. (Catharin Shepard photo)
A committee of people who have
worked to restore the community cem
etery between Upchurch Elementary
School and Silver Grove Missionary
Baptist Church gathered Saturday to
dedicate a new sign marking the site.
The cemetery was once an eyesore
with overgrown weeds covering the
property. Volunteers in the community
worked to clean it up over the years, with
several groups and individuals donating
money and time to help restore it. The
Civic League was one of the organiza
tions that initially helped raise money
to remove the weeds and keep the area
clear. Today, the volunteer committee
oversees it. The group holds a memorial
balloon release and remembrance service
Memorial Day weekend every year.
Local public officials including Hoke
County commission Chairman James
Leach and Raeford City Council mem
bers John Jordan and Mary Neil King
attended the ceremony. Rev. Benita
Thomas, Pastor Francis Leggett and Pas
tor Jennell Morris-Powell took part in the
event, and Joyce Stewart presented the
welcome and remarks.
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So, we were eating Sunday dinner at my sister’s house,
all of us having attended church earlier and some of us
still in our Sunday-go-to-meetings. It’s the closest thing
to formal dinner in the MacDonald household and al
ways has been since I grew up in that house on Magnolia
Street. It’s probably the least appropriate setting for letting
loose with the s-word.
But I had decided that, yes, the spaghetti did need a
little parmesan cheese, and reached across the table and
fetched a small bowl of it. When I grasped the serving
spoon, I suddenly registered a searing pain in my finger
tips—the spoon I was trusting for cheese was attacking
me—and that’s when the word eame out, and it wasn’t
just a quick under-the-breath thing either. “Shhhhhhh##!”
I exclaimed, trying to soften the word but not quite suc
ceeding. Even as the word was coming out, it was
(See OTHER STUEE, page 9)
Mouth painter holds exhibit Sunday
The Raeford-Hoke Museum will host artist Barbara Kay Lively on Sunday, November 8 from
2 to 4 p.m. at the Parker-Ray House.The painter’s work will be on exhibit and will be for sale.
Born with cerebral palsy, she began mouth painting at age I I. She earned an associate degree
in fine arts from Broward Community College in Florida and is a member of the Mouth and
Foot Painting Artists. She is currently a resident at Autumn Care’s Raeford facility.