PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAY ?' '??
HJTHE CAROLINA II sss = DICE
PEMBROKE, N.C h ATH-R?cUI Srttinf" ^ ROBESON COUNTY
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VOLUME 11, NUMBER 43 25c ret copy Ti.r?tay, Nov. 3, 1983
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MORE CHARGES DISMISSED IN
'ROBCOR' [SIC] PROBE TRIALS
by Bruce Barton
FAYETTEVILLE-Federal charges
against Robeson County Manager W.
Paul Graham have been'dismissed by a
judge, and prosecutors have dropped
charges against another defendant in an
investigatio ?f federal employment
funds.
U.S. District Judge James C. Fox
dismissed charges Monday that Graham
hired an ineligible applicant under the
Comprehensive Employment and Train
ing Act and aided and abetted the illegal
hiring.
Graham, 60, and other county officials
were arrested in June in an investigation
of the CETA program dubbed Robcor,
for Robeson County Corruption..
"I'm pleased, very pleased." Graham
said Tuesday. "I have not felt I was
guilty the whole time."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Swaim
dropped charges against Theresa Bou
dreaux, 30, a former employee of
Gencom Software Systems Inc. She was
^charged with two counts of misapplying
mote than $100 in CETA funds and theft
of government property, computer time
and a computer program.
Eleven people were charged in the
Robcor investigation following the anest
of Chris Antwi, the former director of the
Robeson County Department of Human
Resources.
Antwi, a native of Ghana, pleaded
guilty in June to misapplying about
$190,000 and embezzling $259 in federal
funds. As part of a plea bargain
arrangement, Antwi, who was present
Monday for the court proceedings,
agreed to testify for the government.
Of the nine people who have come to
trial so far, three have had charges
against them dismissed and one was
found not guilty.
Facing trial this week are Joe "Pete"
Ward, Robeson County's attorney; Her
man Dial, former chairman of the
Robeson County Board of Commission
ers; and Fayetteville resident Loonie
Caggins, former president of Gencom
Software Systems Inc., a Fayetteville
computer firm.
The charges have been generally
scoffed at by local politico*, and the press
as much ado about hardly anything. For
instance, in an editorial Wednesday
morning the Fayetteville Times said,
"The criminal aspect is so shadowy as to
be virtually nonexistent, however. Five
of nine people brought to trial have
either had charges dropped or have been
acquitted.
"On sober reflection, it may be that
others who pleaded guilty, including the
former head of the county social services
agency, should be given another oppor
tunity to assess the criminality of thfir
behavior.
"The CETA program was a large one
involving millions of dollars. It was put
together very quickly at the local level
and encompassed several thousand
people in Robeson County alone.
"Despite the scope of the program,
however, these criminal charges and
other charges of failing to meet
bureaucratic standards have involved
only one-tenth of one percent of the total
appropriated in the county during the life
of CETA.
"That is relatively peanuts, and in
view of the record so far, the criminal
charges were a mistake in nearly every
case."
Piggly Wiggly marks Ten Years in Pembroke
Three of the Droses ere shown hi a recent
photograph taken at the new Maxton
store. They are: (1-r] Perry, 33, manager
of the Maxton store; Patriarch John
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Drose, Sr.; and Jobs Droit, Jr., 37,
manager of the Pembroke store. [Bruce
Barton photo]
Pembroke Plnclv Wlggly. The Droee
family (peaks highly of Adolph Dial, the
landlord and builder of the 11,500 square
foot store, modem In every respect. Said
John Droee, Jr., "Mr. Dial has been as
good a landlord aa we conld ever want?
We have aever aaked Car addition*, or
any thing we need, that he haa not
provided..." [Brace Barton photo]
Pembroke-Pembroke's Piggly Wiggly
Food Store recently completed a decade
of service in the Pembroke area
Pembroke's spacious and modern stove,
including 11,500 square feet of floor
space, opened for business in August,
1973.
The Pembroke store is managed by
John Drose, Jr., one of a number of
family members involved in the opera
tion of Piggly Wiggly stores in Maxtoa,
St. Pauls and Pembroke, and the Brads
Lantern Restaurant in St. Pauls. L-v
The Patriarch of the family is John. ^
Drose, Sr., who heads the administrative
offices in Fayetteville and works "where
ever I am needed."
A son. Perry, 33, heads the new
Maxton store; oldest son, John, Jr., as
noted earlier, heads the Pembroke store.
Another son, David, 24, manages the St.
Pauls store. Daughters Marsha and
Arlene also work in the Fayetteville
based administrative offices.
The Droses are independent operators
in the Piggly Wiggly chain and they put
great emphasis on using local tradesmen
and contractors when they build a new
store like Maxton, or expand like they
did recently in the Pembroke store.
Drose said, "Whatever you write....
well give the people credit. We know that
our customers are what have made our
stores successful."
John Drose, Sr., said in a recent
interview, "I'm in this with my children.
That is the joy I get from all this. I enjoy
the association and sharing with my
children."
Drose has been in the business more
than 40 years. His idea is to "pass it (the
business) on..." and to give something
to the people in the area who have
patronized Piggly Wiggly.
Talking about the local tradesmen like
Ted's Electric, who worked on the ner
Maxton store, for instance, Drose saiu,
. "We wanted to put the money back in
the community. Our customers patronize
us; it's just good business to do business
with the people who do business with
us..."
It is easy to understand the success of
the Drose family. They epitomize an old
saying: The best way to have good
neighbors is to be a good neighbor. And
the Drose family, whether in Pembroke,
Maxton or St. Pauls, continue to be good
neighbors.
Tuesday, Nov. 8
is Election Day
' Pembroke-Pembroke is one
of a number of municipalities
who will be choosing elected
officials on Tuesday, Novem
ber 8.
There is a two-man race for
Mayor in the quietest election
in Pembroke in recent years.
Squaring off are Milton
Hunt and Sam Dial, both
presently serving as council
men.
Mayor "Pete" Jacobs is not
seeking re-election and has
endorsed Hunt,, who pre
sently serves as Mayor Pro
tern.
Vying for two council
seats up for grabs are former
councilmen J.C. Thomas, Lee
Neville, recently retired Po
lice Chief Vernon Oxendine
and newcomer Henry W.
Oxendine.
Kams tace
Pinecrest at home
Pembnke-Tbe West Robeson
Rams will play Pfnecrest at
home tomorrow night on their
temporary home field at Pem
broke Junior High.
The Runs fell before the
onslaught of Reid Ross of
Cumberland County 46-6 last
week.
Lewis Seafood Restaurant
Grandopening Friday
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Pembroke-Pembroke's Mayor
James A. "Pete" Jacobs and
Maxton Commissioner Wyvis
Oxendine are expected to lead
the list of notables who are
expected to join Mr. and Ms.
Franklin (Annie Rene) Lewis
as they "officially" hold the
grand opening for Lewis'
Seafood Restaurant Friday at
S p.m.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, and
their children-Penny, 18;
Franklin. Jr.. 16; and Worth
Lee, IS- all share the travails
and joy at running the restua
rant as wed as a seafood
market and sandwich shop in
downtown Pembroke.
The restaurant features
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"the best seafood around"
according to Franklin Lewis
who "does all the cooking," t
Capable of seating 220 cus
tomers, and private dining
facilities for 130, the modern
restaurant is located on Eure
ka Road, one mile from
Pembroke between New Hope
and St. Anna churches.
The Lewises invite all their
many friends to join them
Friday at S p.m. as they
celebrate their grand open
ing with music by Lambee
Pride, and registering for a
television and other items.
Lewis, too, reminded us
anew, that "all our seafood is
It
nttn.
PEOPLE
A ND PL A CES
AND THINGS
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HOMECOMING DINNER
The West Robeson Senior High
Athletic Booster Club will sponsor a
Homecoming Dinner Friday, Nov. 4,
from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. There will be a
choice of barbecue or chicken. Plates will
cost S3 each.
The school is located in the Red Banks
Community.
MT. OLIVE REVIVAL PLANNED
Mt. Olive Pentecostal Holiness
Church in Pembroke will be holding
revival Nov. 7th through Nov. 13th with
the Rev. Timothy Creel. Everyone is
invited to attend. The services will begin
at 7:30 p.m. nightly.
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PEMBROKE VFW TO HOLD
ANNUAL VETERANS DAY PARADE
The Pembroke VFW will bold its
annual Veterans Day Parade on Friday,
November 11, 1983. Parade participants
will begin their parade line up in front of
PSU at 9 a.m. The parade will begin at 10
a.m. Following the parade will be a flag
raising ceremony and an appropriate
address in the Pembroke Town Park at
approximately 11 a.m.
The speaker for the Veterans Day
ceremonies will be Major James H.
Allen, Major, Corps of Engineers
(Active Guard/ Reserve). Major Allen is
presently Assistant Professor of Military
Science at US Army First ROTC Region,
Campbell University at Buies Creek, NC.
His commissioned service has been for
14 years and 4 months.
PLATE SALE PLANNED FOR
JOSH BROOKS FUND
On Saturday, Nov. 19 Pembroke
Rescue Squad will host a fish fry in
behalf of the Josh Brooks Fund.
Fish plates will be on sale at the
Pembroke Rescue Squad Building in
Pembroke from 11 a.m. until. The price
of the plate is S3 each. Either eat in or
take out.
WEST ROBESON PARENT
TEACHER CONFERENCE NIGHT
Monday, November 7, 1983 West
Robeson Senior High School is inviting
all parents of West Robeson students to
come visit the school and talk with
teachers. This is an excellent opportunity
to meet teachers and discuss student
performance in classes.
There will be a short general meeting
with refreshments in the cafeteria
beginning at 6 p.m. Parents will then
visit classrooms and talk with teachers
from 6:30-8 p.m.
Parents are urged to show support and
concern for the school, its effort, and
student progress. The administration
needs and wants your participation.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF
KAPPA ALPHA PS1 FRATERNITY
Sunday, Nov. 20, members of the
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity will hold an
organizational meeting. The meeting will
be at Mr. Pete Cunningham's residence
beinning at 3:30 p.m. Interested
members of the Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity are encouraged to attend. For
additional information you may contact
Mr. Cunningham at 843-4083; Elliott
Leman at 739-7053 or Mr. Vernon E".
McHam at 738-9932.
A Ribbon
Cutting!
A ribbon catting ceremony woo heM at
OxewBne'a Jewelry and Gifts at the*''
new location on Friday, October 38, at 9
a.m. The ribbon catting woo part of the
grand opening. Shawn loft to right am
Hdwtt Oxeniilna, owner and ape rotor;
Mayor Jameo A. Jacobs; Mis. Mafate
OXendine, owner and oporston and
Doris Oxendlne, their tooeo. [Photo by
. Elmer W. Had]
RETIRING POLICE CHIEF
VERNON OXENDINE HONORED...
Retired Pembroke Police Chief amd
Mr*. Vernon Oxendine are shown above.
The family waa recently honored at a
Retirement Dinner held at the Pembroke
Junior High Cafeteria. Tributes were
paid to Mr. Oxendine by Robeson County
Sheriff, Hubert Stone; SBIDistrict Su
pervisor, Frank Johnson; N.C. Highway
Patrol Sgt. A.H. Campbell; and District
Attorney Joe Freeman feritt.
The welcome was by James F.
Mavnor who served as Master of
Ceremonies. Invocation was given by
Rev. Willie Scott, Jr. Dinner mask was
provided by Mr. and Mra. Ronald
Strickland. Pembroke Mayor James A.
Jacobs, Introdnced special gnosis.
Vernon Oxendine has announced kia
candidacy for the Pembroke Town
ConncH and commented that since his
retirement be woald have time to
continue to serve the people of Pembro
ke. (Elmer W. Hunt photo]
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WE'RE
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MOVING
AGAIN!
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The Carolina Indian Voice is re
locating once again. Effective November
1, 1983 the offices of the Carolina Indian
Voice will be located at CoBegt Plaza,
Pembroke- next door to the Pantry and
acton from Pembroke State University.
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Jewelry & Gifts