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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVU NO. 6 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1974
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
Mrs. James Hulon, who lives across
from the Arabia Golf Course, called last
week and said that the Sheriffs
Department of Hoke County should be
commended for the work they were
doing. She said that she and her
husband went away for two weeks and
asked the sheriffs department to check
their home occasionally. They returned
late one afternoon and parked their
truck behind the house and then retired
for the night. They were awakened
some time later and it was deputies
shaking down the truck and wanting to
find out who was around the house.
It was nice of Mrs. Hulon to
commend the lawmen, as so few of us
ever think of the fine good they are
doing.
Robert Gatlin stopped by the office
last week and asked had I heard that
Dick Neeley could not plow his fields.
Not being a member of the early coffee
drinkers, I had not heard this, so I asked
how much rain he had to keep him out
of the fields. Gatlin said it was not wet
fields, but that the air conditioner in the
cab of Neeley's tractor had broken
down.
Now farming has certainly changed
over the years. Alfred Leach and his
white shoes and Dick Neeley with an air
conditioned tractor. Before long they
will be sitting in the house looking at
the TV set and have radio controls to
guide the tractors.
The following letter is
self-explanatory.
Dear Sam:
On behalf of the administration and
our schools 1 would like to express my
deep appreciation personally for the
wonderful cooperation that The
News-Journal has given us not only this
year but for the many years I have been
in Hoke County. They have been real
kind to me personally. They have also
been real kind to our schools in giving
us the publicity and the cooperation or
anything else that we needed. This of
coursc is necessary to have the kind of
school system that we need for our
young people.
I don't think I've ever experienced or
1 been associated with a newspaper that
was so fully committed to the Public
Schools. My deep appreciation and at
the end of another school year I just
wanted to say in a small way "Many
Thanks". If we can ever help you
personally or collectively, please feel
free to call on us.
Sincerely,
Raz Autry
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LONG MA Y SHE WA VE - Post Office flag, in what may be rehearsal for Friday 's
Flag Day. snaps smartly in the breeze. Flag Day was designated as such in 1895 and
is observed each year on June 14. the anniversary of Congress' adoption of the
American Flag in 1777. Even though it is not a legal holiday, Flag Day is celebrated
by public display of the flag. (N-J Photo)
Plane Misses Homes
Crashes Into Trees
A single engine aircraft owned by
Rose Aviation and piloted by David
Hayne, Circle-H Mobile Home Park,
crashed into trees in the back yard of
the William Gill residence, 606 E.
Prospect Ave. at 3:50 p.m. Saturday.
Hayne, who reportedly holds a
student pilot license, was alone in the
plane. He was taken to Womack Army
Hospital, Ft. Bragg, where his wife
reported he was treated for a broken
jaw, three cracked ribs, and minor cuts
and bruises.
According to witnesses, the plane's
engine was not running at the time of
the crash and had cut on and off several
times as the plane flew at tree-top level
from the northeast over the Robbins
Heights area.
Ronnie Odotn, who watched the
crash from his mother's yard, 516 Grant
Street, said the plane's engine cut on
"long enough to allow him (Hayne) to
nose it up and then ... the propeller
even stopped turning."
Odom said the plane's left wing then
struck a tree, ripped off, and the plane
flipped upside down and landed in the
lower branches of another tree.
Police officer Kermit Griffin reported
Phillip Huffman, off duty Policeman
John McNeill, Willie Harrcll Jr., and
Ralph Huff helped Hayne from 'h?
TRh:t - TOP LANDING - David Hayne, student pilot, reportedly guided a single
engine plane owned by Rote Aviation, Inc. to a tree-top landing barely missing
houses In the Robbin Heights - East Prospect Avenue residential area. The plane
landed upside down in the backyard tree of the Bill GUI residence on East Prospect.
Witness Ronnie Odom said the plme's engine stopped before It hit the tree. Hayne
reportedly suffered a broken jaw, broken ribs, and minor injuries, fJesse Peoples
Photo)
plane. Morrison's ambulancc service
took Hayne to Womack Army Hospital.
Mrs. Paul Rose, said the plane was a
total loss and placed its value at $7,000
including radio equipment. She said
Kcderal Aviation Authority is
investigating the cause of the crash.
Police Chief Leonard Wiggins said
"although the crash was bad, it could
have been worse. Response from
citizens, the State Highway Patrol,
Sheriff's Department, ambulancc service
and Hoke Rcscue Squad was excellent.
The men who helped the pilot from the
plane didn't know if the engine would
explode, they just wanted to help him.
It is gratifying to see such cooperation
among agencies and people."
Council Reopens Road
The city council called a special
meeting following Monday's public
hearing on the city budget to receive a
petition signed by 216 Hoke County
residents requesting the entrance to the
Raeford Cemetery off U.S. 401 Business
be reopened. After hearing the
petition, and spokesmen for keeping the
road closed, the council voted 3 to 1 to
reopen the road. One council member
did not vote.
Spokesman for the petitioners, Neil
McFadycn, said, "It is my information a
traffic problem exists in the area. This
problem was not caused by the
cemetery or the entrance to the
cemetery." "The closing of the road
will neither solve the problem nor serve
any other purpose, therefore. ... I
respectfully request you reconsider your
action and open the old main entrance
to our cemetery."
The cemetery entrance off U.S. 401
business was closed last week by
unanimous vote of the city council
upon recommendation of the State
Highway Department and City Police
Chief Leonard Wiggins, and City
Manager John Gaddy because of the
dangerous intersection. liaddy
explained the heavy traffic from
workers at the House of Kaeford turkey
plant, the angle of the intersection, and
infrequent use of the cemetery entrance
combined to make it a dangerous spot.
Two other entrances to the cemetery
exist, one from F.dinboruugh Avenue,
and one off Htwood Avenue.
Hoke Historical Association
Organizational Meeting Set
A meeting to organize the Hoke
County Historical Association is
scheduled for 8 p.m. tonight (Thursday)
at the Racford Presbyterian Church in
Fellowship Hall. The meeting will be
open to Hoke County citizens.
Memberships will be accepted and
officers will be elected. Ciuest speaker
will be H. Clifton Blue, publisher of The
Sandhills Citizen and past president of
the Moore County Historical
Association.
Purpose of the Historical Association
will be to investigate preserve, and make
available knowledge of the history of
Hoke County, its environs, and
habitants. Plans call for the association
to establish Hoke County history by
discovering collecting and preserving
materials such as relics, pictures,
manuscripts or published works, and to
Hoke Sets Tax Rate,
Approves Budget
Two Charged In
Armed Robbery
Two Hamlet men. charged in
connection with the June 6 armed
robbery of the Hoke County ABC
Store, arc being held in the Hoke
County jail on S 50,000 bond.
William F. White, 28, and Letoy
Pinkney, 19, were arrested by Sheriff
D.M. Barrington shortly after the
robbery and all but S20 of $586
reported missing from the ABC store
was recovered.
White allegedly entered the store
about 4:40 p.m., waited until two
customers left, ordered and paid for a
pint of rum. He then ordered a bottle of
Scotch and paid cashier Krvin Wilkes for
the purchase.
Wiite reportedly started to leave but
turned back toward the counter
pointing a cocked pistol and ordered
Wilkes to open the cash register. The
gunman then took all bills except singles
from the register, reports Barrington.
The gunman ordered a second cashier.
Russell Wayne Ashburn. to give him
cash. Ashburn placed the money on the
counter and was ordered to get more
cash, said the sheriff.
During this time a customer
reportedly approached the store, pushed
front door open, saw what was
happening and ducked behind his car.
Another man drove into ABC Store
parking lot. realized something was
wrong and pulled into a nearby parking
lot hoping to get license and description
of getaway vehicle, reports indicate.
Wiggins was on hand to defend the
council s previous closing of the road as
did Gaddy and Mayor John K. McNeill
Jr.
Councilman Sam Morris made a
motion to table the discussion until the
council could hear further from the
State Highway Department and possibly
hold a public hearing on the petition.
That motion died for lack of a sccond.
Councilman J.B. McLeod then made
a motion to rescind the council's
previous order to close the road. The
motion was seconded by C.L. Thomas
Jr. Final vote was McLeod. Thomas and
Robert Weaver for, Morris against, and
Graham Clark abstaining.
During last week's meeting, the
council received a petition signed by
392 Raeford residents requesting a dog
leash law to regulate and control dogs.
In response to that petition, city fathers
instructed City Attorney Palmer Willcox
to draw up a leash law for future
consideration by the council.
In other action, Monday the council
approved a 34-name hire Department
roster to qualify firemen for
certification as required by North
Carolina law before July 30. The
certification will enable firemen to be
listed on Firemen's Pension I und rolls.
Gaddy termed the public hearing on
the budget "uneventful" He said Mayor
McNeill explained points of the budget
to those present and answered any
questions asked.
encourage preservation of historic sites,
buildings and records, and to mark such
placcs or things to aid the public's
appreciation of them.
Plans for the organization were made
by a committee composed of Mrs.
Charles Hosteller, Neil Mcladyen. Sam
Morris, and Misses Peggy Bethune and
Josephine Hall appointed by the
Racford Woman's Club (RWC).
The RWC public affairs department
became interested in the project when
they were working to preserve McLean
Cemetery.
Clara Pope, Ruria Warner and Miss
Hall served on a committee to write
articles of incorporation and a corporate
charter has been by the N.C. secretary
of state. By-laws for the association
have been written.
When the robber left, Ashburn called
the Sheriffs Department. Ashburn and
the sheriff rude in a patrol car along
College Avenue looking for gunman
who was walking. A woman who had
been working in her garden flagged the
patrol car, gave a description of getaway
car which had been parked nearby and
said the vehicle had headed toward
Fayettcville on U.S. 401, reports Sheriff
Barrington.
Barrington's patrol car caught up
with the suspect's vehicle just a mile
north of the Hoke - Cumberland line.
The suspect's car pulled over and was
riding part on the road and part on the
shoulder. Barrington says he stopped in
front of the other car. pulled his gun
and waived the vehicle to stop.
Barrington said he ordered the two
men out of the car but once out they
refused to obey his orders. At that time
a Highway Patrol car arrived from
direction of Fayetteville and the
troopers placed one suspect in the
sheriff's car. Deputies Alex Norton and
Jimmy Riley arrived, handcuffed the
other suspect and placed him in the
patrol car. A wad of five, ten and
twenty dollar bills totalling S530 was
found under seat in suspect's car.
reports Barrington.
Racford Policemen Kermit Griffin
and Charles Campbell found 36 one
dollar bills strewn in a field adjacent to
the ABC Store. Chief Deputy Sheriff
Harvey Young, found bag of liquor in
bushes about a half block front the store
and two area residents found a gun in a
clump of bushes half way between U.S.
401. College Drive and Cole Hxtension,
reports Barrington.
Lester Outlines
Bond Floating
At their regular monthly meeting
June 3 board of education members
voted to ask county commissioners to
approve including a S3 million dollar
school bond referendum on the
November general election ballot.
This week City Manager T.B. Lester
explained procedures for floating a
bond issue. If county commissioners
should approve the request when it is
received. the referendum would
probably be held in conjunction with
the November election.
If voters approve the bond issue,
county commissioners would work with
N.C. lx>cal Government Commission
which decides how much money may be
borrowed. Total bonding capacity is
eight percent of assessed value of all
taxable property in Hoke County.
Under re-evaluation bonding capacity is
See BOND. Page 15
Club Hears Tolson Speak
John J Tolson III. N.C. Military and
Veterans affairs secretary, will speak on
energy problems and civil preparedness
at the regular weekly Kiwanis Club
meeting 6:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at
the Civic Center.
Tolson, state veterans secretary since
March 1973. is a New Bern native who
retired from the I'.S. Army in February
1973 with the rank of lieutenant
general
In addition to serving in his cabinet
level post, Tolson chairs the Governor's
linergy Panel and was N.C. Hnergy Crisis
Study Commission chairman until the
group was dissolved in January.
The World War II and Vietnam
veteran is no stranger to the
llokeCumbcrland area since military
assignments returned him to his native
state at least three times during his
career. The 1937 West Point graduate
served at Ft. Bragg for several months in
1942. returned to the same post again
during 1949 and 1950. His final Ft.
Bragg assignment was as commanding
general XVIII Airborne Corps and Ft.
Bragg from August 1968 to March
1971.
During this period Tolson initiated a
At a June 6 public budget hearing
county commissioners set the 1974-75
tax rate at 80 cents per $100 assessed
valuation. This compares with $1.46
this year, but current taxes are based on
65 percent of assessed valuation and the
new tax rate is based on 100 percent of
assessed value.
Further complicating the comparison
is the recent re-evaluation of property.
In addition, the estimated 80 cent rate
does not include fire taxes which have
not yet been set by all fire districts.
Puppy Creek requested an eight cent
rate. Rockfish and Stonewall requested
10 cent rates and North Raeford
requested rate change from 10 cent to
15 cent.
Even though the 80 cent figure
reflects about a 1 5 percent drop in the
tax rate, individual taxpayers could be
facing a bigger tax bill this year because
of the re-evaluation.
Under current rate taxpayers could
estimate taxes by figuring S9.49 for
each $1,000 of assessed value. Under
the 1974-75 rate the amount is $8 for
each $ 1.000 of assessed value.
During 1974-75 fiscal year the
county lax base will be reduced by
$3,189,740 on exemptions, reports
County Manager T.B. Lester. These
include $300 exemptions on personal
property for each adult and $5,000 for
each person over 65 years old whose
income does not exceed $5,000.
Only seven people besides
commissioners attended the meeting to
hear the almost $1.4 million budget
approved.
Budgeted for governing body is
$6,090 which includes a 33 percent
increase for board chairman and a SO
percent increase for other county
commissioners. Chairman T. C. Jones'
salary will be $960 annually, up from
$720 and commissioners will draw
$720, up from $480. Lester's salary as a
board clerk remains unchanged at
$1,200
Elections board expenditures are
budgeted at $14,030 compared with
current $14,100 budget. Elections
chairman's salary remains unchanged at
$600 annually while executive
secretary's pay is increased to $4,020 as
compared with current $3,000. Election
officials combined salaries are reduced
from $9,000 to $5,000.
Finance department budget is
$29,417, up from $25,350. County
manager and accountant's salary is
$13,992, up from $13,200, a 6 percent
increase. This brings Lester's total salary
to $15,192. Accounting clerk receives a
10 percent raise to $7,700.
Tax listing budget is up $695 to
$31,895. Tax supervisor's salary goes
from $9,000 to $9,675 or just over
seven percent and assistant's from
$6,500 to $7,320 or just under 13
percent.
Tax collector's budget is $24,106, up
from S21.500. Tax collector's salary is
$9,000, up from $8,150 or jus* under
11 percent. Assistant's is $6,380, up
from $5,800, or 10 percent.
Register of deeds' budget is up
$2,101 to $18,266. Registei of deeds'
salary is $8,526, up from $8,000 or just
under seven percent. Clerk is up to
$4,800 from $4,200.
Public buildings budget is $39,730,
up from $35,932. rescue squad $5,000,
See TAX RATP P.... i <
community service program which was
the forerunner of the current U.S. Army
domestic action program which provides
furniture and clothing to needy families
including Hoke County residents.
David Brill, state civil preparedness
coordinator, and Victor Harris, area
coordinator, will accomnanv Tolson.
JOHN J. TOLSON 111