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The Hoke County News- Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVU NO. 38 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY, JANUARY 27. 1972
FAA Makes Award Of $61,695
I
For Improvements At Airport
811,004 In
Sales Tax
For December
Local one per cent sales tax collections
in the county were $11,004.52 during
December, the state Department of
Revenue reported last week.
That is the total amount collected, not
the amount that will be returned to the
county, T.B. Lester, county manager
emphasized.
The county is to get its first one per
cent sales tax payment in February, he
said.
December collections in Cumberland
and Moore Counties were $270,688.50
and $55,185.70,respectively.
Boys Found
In Store
Two youths were found at Robert
Harrell's grocery store early Monday
morning by city policeman Johnny
Young.
Young caught one of the boys inside
the store about 2:30 a.m. The other boy
was standing outside the store at the rear
arid ran when the patrol car drove up.
Young caught him after a chase on foot,
Raeford Police Chief James Lamont said.
The boys were returned to Samuel
Leonard School at McCain and juvenile
petitions for breaking and entering were
filed.
Sr. Citizens
M eet Tuesday
The Raeford Senior Citizens
Friendship Club will meet Tuesday at
2:30 p.m. at Raeford United Methodist
Church.
A musical program is planned.
Members are asked to bring plants to
exchange and to bring surplus
newspapers.
Jury Finds Willingham
Not Guilty Of Sex Charge
A jury ot ten men and two women
found Alfonsa L. Willingham not guilty
of carnal knowledge after deliberating the
case for only a half hour.
Willingham, a teacher at Hoke High
School last year, was accused of having
sexual relations with a tenth grade
student and he had been dismissed by the
school board last April 26 after a hearing.
The Willingham trial was the first case
heard during the two week session of
Superior Court that began Monday with
Judge Edward B. Clark of Elizabethtown
presiding. The case occupied all of
Monday's session and Tuesday morning.
Thtvjury received the case at 2 p.m. and
retufted at 2:30.
The testimony for the state was much
the same as that presented at the school
board meeting.
Delores Bratcher, who was then IS,
took the stand first and testified that she
was summoned from her home economics
class on Nov. 3, 1970 by a note from
Willingham asking her to come to his
room. He took her to a small office in the
Gibson gym where he had intercourse
with her, she testified. She said she
returned to her home economics class and
after class told her teacher, Mrs. Majone
Foster. When she got home from school,
she said she called her former pastor, the
Rev. Thomas Walker.
Mrs. Foster and the Rev. Walker both
testified that Miss Bratcher had told them
of the incident about the first,';'
of November. Neither was sure of the
date. Debra McMilHan testified that she
took a note to Mrs. Foster from
Willingham and walked back to the
Gibson gym with Miss Bratcher.
Sheriff D.M. Barrington completed the
evidence for the state, testifying to the
details of the arrest of Willingham on
April 26, some five months after the
offense was alleged to have occurred.
Willingham, taking the stand in his own
defense, said that he had left school that
day and had gone to Fayetteville to see
about his car insurance. Franklin R.
Fowler, an insurance agent in
Fayetteville, said he was out of the office
that afternoon, but that when he
returned about 3:30 or 4 p.m., he found
a letter from the State Department of
Motor Vehicles addressed to Willingham
and a note from Willingham about the
insurance.
T. Torrey, a Hoke High teacher,
testified that Willingham had asked him
to look in on his fifth and sixth period
classes and two students, Hester Love and
Virginia McKoy, testified that they had
kept his two afternoon classes that day.
Mrs. Willingham testified that she had
asked him to go to Fayetteville to get the
car insurance taken care of that day.
Character witnesses for Willingham
included Hoke High coaches Billy
Colston, Glenn Langdon, and Jerry
Osborne, his pastor, the Rev. David
Darnell and his coach at FSU, Page
Saunders. A tape recording taken at the
school board hearing of Miss Carol
Condos, a Hoke High teacher who was
sick, was also played. Miss Condos not
only testified to his good character, but
also related a confrontation with Miss
Bratcher in which the girl denied ever
having intercourse with Willingham.
In their closing arguments to the jury,
both defense attorney Charles Hostetler
and Solicitor Jack Thompson condemned
the action of Mrs. Foster and the Rev.
Walker in not reporting the girl's
accusation on the day she first made it.
Thompson explained that the state was
without the proper medical evidence it
should have had and said "lets lay the
blame right where it belongs ? on the
school."
"Everyone whom this girl contacted
about the events of that day, didn't tell
anyone else."
Hostetler said it was inconca ivable that
an educated school teacher would not
have reported the accusation, ' 'if she had
believed it."
Instead, he said, Mrs. Foster gossiped
to another teacher and the Rev. Walker
told several students and the ru mors grew
until Willingham was arrested.
Late Tuesday afternoon, a jury was
being selected to hear a murder charge
against Leon McPhaul, who in s.ccused of
stabbing Ernest Lewis Bratchtr last April.
The state also took a nol pros on a
larceny charge against Harry Nelson
McNeill and on a charge against Seavy
Barefoot of driving on the wrong side of
the highway.
Allen W. Carter and Willianit Steele,
accused of highway robbery an>d Wellon
Tuddy Scott, accused of assault with a
deadly weapon with intent to lidll, were
called and failed to appear for triul.
Neil Senter was chosen forema n of the
grand jury. New jurors selected are Hester
Setliff Boyles, Edna Biggs Evertcigh, Carl
McKeneie, John Wayne Strickland, Lu
Ester Kelley, Thomas Rudolph Burgess,
Wesley Douglas and Jerry L. Adco x.
Remaining on the grand jury until
August are Josephine Hall, secretary;
Lena Blue Woodard, Doris S. HolU, John
J. Henderson, Sadie Blue Sinclair, Robert
Lewis Tyner, Mrs. James C. Stewnrt and
Calvin Henry McQueen.
A federal grant for $61,6^5 for
improvement! at the city airport wai
approved this weekend by the Federal
Avintion Authority. The grant wai
announced Monday by Senator Everette
Jord an through hit office.
Thie FAA grunt amount! to half of the
project coit of $12J,.WO. The remainder
of tl'ie fundi were lupplied through
privatt? donation!, city and couitty fundi
and a rtatc grant.
The improvement! will include
acquiring 31 acrei of additional land
around the airport, and adding paving and
lighting. A paved runway will be (
comtructed, a! well as paving of a
taxiway and apron. The runway will be
lighted and visual approach alope
indicators will be placed at each end of
the runway.
The project also includes an airport
beacon.
Financing for the project, in addition
to the federal' grant, includes a $20,000
state grant, $1 03)00 from the county and
$16,845 from t he city.
John Gada'y, city manager, has
conducted a solicitation for funds from
businesses in the* area, particulary those
who use the airport.
Donors include Knit - Away, $S,000;
Burlington Industries, $63)00; Laurinburg
and Southern Rail Road, $250; Heilig ?
Meyers Furniture Store, $100; Southern
National Bank, $1 ,000 and Bank of
Raeford $2,500. Oth er donations include
Raeford Turkey Farms, Inc. $500 and a
pledge from Tom Cameron, president of
the Raefrod Airport Authority.
Cameron saw the project as a big boost
for the area.
"This is going to help the area
tremendoulsy," he said. "Because 1 fly, 1
see tremendous ad vantages for
communities who have' nice airport
facilities.
He credits the city council and
especially Gaddy with getting the
financing needed for the project.
"I don't believe we woidd have been
able to have gotten it if it ha dn't been for
the efforts of the city oouncil who
underwrote the project and of Gaddy
who pushed it through all the steps,"
Cameron said.
He noted that most of the community
airports must be subsidized by the local
governments but that the Raef ord airport
was self ? supporting through the sale of
gas and the skydiver scivool and other
operations of Gene Thackisr, which even
pays the city rent.
Cameron also noted that in addition to
the businesses who contri butcd to this
improvement project, there have been
many other businesses and individuals in
the past who have contributed to ,get the
airport started.
According to Sen. Jordan's office, the
money will become available as soon as
the agreement between the FAA and' the
Raeford Airport Authority is signed.
Other members of the Authority are
James B. McLeod and Willis.m Moses.
Voters Can Register
At South Hoke Sat.
Voter registration will be held
Saturday at South Hoke School, Scott
Poole, chairman of the county board of
elections, announced.
The registration is being held at the
request of the Hoke County Jaycees.
The regular registering days of
Monday, Wednesday and Friday at
Poole's office make it difficult for some
of the voters in the county to register,
Poole said. Two other Saturday
registrations in other precincts are being
planned.
The voter books will be open a t South
Hoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. if .needed.
Poole said that they would close earlier,
however, if no one comes to register in
the late afternoon.
Around Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The N. C. Press Institute was held last
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Chapel
Hill. The News - Journal didn't receive
any awards this year but it is always good
to renew old acquaintances and pick up
ideas from other newsmen.
Gov. Bob Scott was on hand Thursday
night to pass out the awards to the
winners. On Friday afternoon all
announced candidates for governor,
except Skipper Bowles, who was ill, were
on hand for a panel discussion. All the
candidates handled themselves very ably.
On Friday night the group went to
Duke University and enjoyed the
hospitality of this institution. The food
was very good and the speaker was well
received.
The press always looks forward to the
meetings at both of these great
universities.
The announcement in the paper this
week of the government approving the
grant for the airport in Hoke County is
certainly a step forward for our city and
county. Sen. Sam Ervin and Sen. Everett
Jordan called this office and informed us
of the grant being approved. Many hours
of hard work was put on this progress by
local officials and they should be
commended. Also the firms and
individuals that contributed money to
this project should receive praise. When
this project is completed it could open up
avenues that many have never dreamed
about in this county.
The drive at Burlington Worsted for
the United Fund is underway and from
all reports is doing very well. We haven't
heard whether Knit ? Away has started
the drive or not. The drive at Raeford
Turkey Farms has been underway for a
week or so and final returns from the
drive should be in soon.
If you haven't contributed send your
check to United Fund, Box 550, Raeford,
N. C. If any firm has envelopes that need
picking up, call 375-2121 and someone
will be by in a day or so to pick them up.
The fund needs your contribution, so
dona'? today.
Randall Ashburn and Clyde Teal are
not smiling these days as they were a
week ago. The weather once again has
turned to spring and high today
(Tuesday) is supposed to reach 70
degrees. As this is being written early
Tuesday morning the temperature, it
would seem, will reach the prediction.
The weather has caused many to come
down with the flu and if a change doesn't
occur before long many more will be sick.
Let's everyone keep their fingers crossed
and maybe the smile will return to
Randall and Clvde.
Landfill Opens Mondav
The city ? county landfill will open
Monday.
The first sanitary landfill for use by
county residents and the first step in a
solid waste disposal system for the
county, the landfill has taken almost nine
months to get into operation.
The county acquired the land last
spring from the M L. McKeithan estate
and the city agreed to supervise the
operation as a joint city - county facility.
A dispute with the State Highway
Commission over building an access road
was resolved in late summer when Charles
Dawkins, highway commissioner for the
district, got state approval to build the
road.
v?
Local officials then planned to get the
landfill into operation in October, but
meeting state board of health
requirements delayed the opening.
Now, however, according to John
Gaddy, city manager, everything is ready
for operation.
A sign on the road off 401 by-pass to
the airport directs users to the landfill.
Once there, an employe will direct users
to the proper area. Separate areas are
provided for household garbage, leaves
and limbs and old appliances and autos.
The appliances and cars will be stockpiled
and disposed of by a firm that has a
crusher. Gaddv said.
* I
The landfill is open to all county
residents, but wastes from industries will
have to be comparable to household
garbage, Gaddy said.
"The city ? county committee wants to
take care of everything," he said, "but
this is new to us and we have to get
started first. When we can dispose of
industrial wastes, we will do so."
Only material that can be compacted
and covered can be placed in the garbage
fill, he said.
The hours of operation are from 8-5 on
weekdays and 8-12 on Saturday.
Work is not quite finished at the site,
he said. A well still must be drilled and an
equipment shed built.
Leonard Frahm Is Named
Kiwanis Man Of The Y ear
Leonard Frahm was named Kiwanis
Citizen of the Year at the annual ladies
night banquet in Southern Pines last
Thursday.
He was cited as the man who "has had
a lot to do with making Raeford a
household word" by Harold Gillis, who
presented the award.
A man of the vear is selected annually
by the Raeford Kiwanis by a secret
committee appointed by the out - going
president.
Frahm was honored as an active civic
leader in the community for the past 14
years. He has supported tne American
Legion, United Fund, the Hoke Swim
Association, Hoke Civic Center, Woman's
Club Horse Show, the Booster Club, the
stadium, and the recreation program,
especially the Softball league.
He is a director and former chairman
of the board of Southern National Bank
in Raeford; a director of Raeford - Hoke
Chamber of Commerce, a member of the
county's first Human Relations Board.
A native of Manning, Iowa, Frahm
came here in 19S8 as plant manager of
Priebe and Sons poultry processing plant.
He was selected general manager after the
plant was sold to Raefofd Turkey Farms,
Inc., whose brandname "House of
Raeford" has become well known.
He is married to the former Shirley
Stahl and they have nine children.
The Kiwanis also presented attendance
awards and an award for the best program
of the year.
The best program of the year award
went to Jim Attawav for a talk on the
POWs in Indochina given by a former
prisoner of war,Tom Osborne.
Awards for perfect attendance went to
Marion Gatlin for 28 years; Or. Julius
(See FRAHM, Page 7, Sec. I)
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR - Leonard Frahm wot honored ltd week at the mtvi i of'*t
year by the RarfordKhvanls t?lub at their annual ladlet night banquet. Here, kn ? thnwt
off hit award to hit wife. Shir, 'ey.
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OPENING SOON - Mrs. Charlet A. Hoiletlrr and her daughter Dorcas art ready to give the new city ? county landfill a try when
It operuMonday. Actually. Mrs Hosteller doesn't hare to take her trash to the landfill since the city sanitation department does it
for her, but she and her daughter make an attractive pat to publicise the king ? awaited opening oj the landfill.