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The ews Journal Hoke County’s newspaper since 1905 No.45Vol.lll Raeford & Hoke County n.c. Wednesday, January 11,2017 Elections supervisor Shook resigns County surprised by sudden retirement of long-time director By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Caroline Shook, who served as Hoke County Board of Elections director for more than 30 years, retired from the position in December. Shook informed the Shook, in file photo elections board of her retire ment at the board meeting in December, which caught the county by surprise, manager Letitia Edens said. Shook started working with the county in October 1985, said Edens. Hoke County Board of Elections Chairman Robert Vaughn appeared before the commissioners last week to ask for support in managing the office until the board can hire a new director. The commissioners ap proved a plan allowing a part-time employee to work more hours temporarily until the position is filled. The county pays for the position of elections director, but the elections board mem bers will decide on who will fill the position. The county will assist in the hiring process, the county manager said. “We will post the job for them, take the applications for them, someone from HR will sit in on the interview,” Edens said. The commissioners only have to approve the salary request. The entry-level salary for the position is $43,158. Men escape burning house Several homeless men who used an otherwise vacant house on Rockfish Road for shelter narrowly escaped flames when the house burned early Tuesday morning. The house at the intersec tion of Rockfish Road and Club Pond Road apparently caught fire due to an ac cident with a space heater, Maj. Ereddy Johnson of the Hoke County Sheriffs Office Emergency Manage ment Division said. “It was a vacant home. A space heater was tipped over and caught the resi dence on fire,” he said. The fire happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday. Although no one was in jured in the fire, one person was reportedly treated for (See FIRE, page 10) These men said they woke up to flames as the house behind them burned early Tuesday morning in the Scurlock area.They said another man was hurt by the smoke. (Ken MacDonald photo) It’s dangerous but ‘fun’, volunteer firefighters needed By Catharin Shepard Staff writer When the sirens go off, they come running even if it’s 3 a.m., pouring rain or freezing cold, and most of them still have to be at work the next day even if they didn’t sleep a wink. This Week Busy roads addressed in transportation plan Page 6 Look for this symbol to find stores that sell The News-Journal An Antioch volunteer gets ready. (File photo) While some of the fire departments in Hoke County are now considered combination depart ments that have paid staff members on their ros ters, most of Hoke’s first responders are volunteer firefighters. It can be life-threatening, demanding, and takes hundreds of hours of training to be a firefighter, and most of the people who gear up to protect homes and lives in Hoke County also have full-time 9-5 jobs and families. Without the 250 volunteer fire fighters willing to put in the time and training, the county wouldn’t have enough fire protection. But it’s getting harder to find enough people will ing to take on the risk, the inconvenience and the time commitment to complete the required amount of training to become a volunteer firefighter. Of every 10 people who show up at a fire station meet ing to discuss becoming a firefighter, maybe one or two actually stay on. Puppy Creek Eire Department Chief John Joseph said. “You’re training two nights a week, so that takes away from their time at home...It does require a lot of time away from home to do that type of training, plus we have weekend training for special types of courses,” Joseph said. “Most volunteer firefighters, when they start out, they have absolutely no idea what they’re getting into,” Puppy Creek Fire Department Capt. Matt Williams said. “Firefighting is dangerous, and whether you’re a firefighter in New York City or in Raeford, you’re just as likely to die in a fire. So, there are minimum standards that have to be met.” The “live burn” standard requires about 260 hours of training before a firefighter can even set foot inside a burning house. There are also differ ent types of training, certified training and non- certified training, with certified programs typically offered at community colleges and fire departments offering the non-certified training at each station. And every year, firefighters still have to refresh their training or risk losing their certification. (See FIREFIGHTERS, page 10) Follow us on Facebook By Ken MacDonald www.thenews-joumal.com www.raefordnj.com I heard peanut butter is good for you - at least better than a fast food biscuit - so I’ve been eating a PBandJ for breakfast most mornings. It’s a simple meal, one you don’t have to think about; it’s tasty; and it’s, did I mention, simple? Since I’ve gone all-or-nothing with this stuff. I’ve learned to love organic (Food Eion brand) peanut butter, with its lack of sugar and waxy icky ingredients, and organic reduced-sugar cherry preserves—I’m all connoisseur in the PBandJ department. But the bread molds quickly on me, so Monday, on the way to work, I stopped at Food Eion to (See OTHER STUFF, page 4) Hoke High band offered Carnegie Hall By Catharin Shepard Staff writer Plenty cold No appreciable snow fell over the weekend but the cold—13 degrees—was sufficient to delay schools Monday. Edward Cummings and Martin Palomares brave the cold to wait for their bus. (Ken MacDonald photo) The young musicians of Hoke County High School’s symphonic band are getting the chance of a lifetime this spring, but they need support from the community to make it happen. The band has been invited to perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in (See BAND, page 10)
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