'? <0.e <ri &w6 - journal
The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
From the number of people that have
been asking about the Clerk of Court
job, 1 don't believe that anyone will
have to be drafted. The Democratic
Executive Committee will decide who
will replace E. E. Smith on the ticket.
This should be done in the next ten
days.
I did hear one member of the
committee say that her phone had been
Ajjigiiig often since the word got out on
now the position would be filled.
Something that 1 have noticed in the
past few weeks is that many people
haven't been using the new law of "Stop
and then turn right on a red light." The
city council voted that this could
be done in Racford, and the law said
that it could be done at any light not
marked "No right turn on red."
The stop lights at the banks, old hotel
corner, and at the shopping center all
come under this law. Traffic would not
jam up as much if everyone would start
using this new law.
I know it is hard to teach an old dog
new tricks, but I believe it would help if
all of you would try to remember.
Furman Clark was by the office
recently and was telling me about his
trip to Hawaii. He and his wife went
Recently and according to Furman, the
.world isn't as large as one would think,
?lie said that while there he and his wife
ran into a couple from Georgia, and
after several minutes of conversation,
the man asked him what part of North
Carolina he was from. When he said
Raeford, the man asked him if he knew
Bob Lewis, Younger Snead, Buck Blue,
Paul Dickson, etc. Furman told him he
knew all of them and also told him
of others who were dead.
The man from Georgia was Edward J.
Phibbs, Jr., who was a 2nd Lt. in the
High Point outfit during World War II.
He had gone to Trinidad at the same
time as some of the men mentioned
above.
Furman said they talked for a long
time and he told Phibbs about everyone
he asked about.
So, you see, it is a small world after
all.
In case anyone would like Phibbs'
address, it is:
2466 Dunkirree Lane, Deravillc, Ga.
$10,140.
The weather has been hot for the past
several days, and it has also been dry.
This should soon start the cotton
pickers in the fields. I don't know if any
cotton has been ginned in Hoke County
this week or not, but it certainly seems
time for it.
The Hoke High Bucks have started a
winning season by taking the margin of
Red Springs and Pinecrcst in the first
two games of the season played at the
Hoke High Stadium. They will be on the
road this week, but they still need your
support if you can find time to follow
them.
LOOKING A T ROADS - Cecil Budd, chairman of the secondary roads council and
Rex Harris, member of the state transportation board, toured the county Monday
with J.H. Blue examining requests for caution lights, traffic islands and similar
roadwork. Harris commented on the prospects for approval of four lanes for 401.
401 Project Needs
Public Support
The speed with which the
construction of four lanes on U.S. 401
gets underway will depend largely on
cooperation in the community, if the
project is approved by the state
transportation board in Asheboro, Oct.
4.
That was the view Monday of Rex
Harris, board member from Fayetteville
and one of four members on the
important planning and projects
committee.
Harris and Cecil Budd, chairman of
the secondary roads council, were in the
county with J. H. Blue. Republican
spokesman, to investigate such road
work as installing caution lights near
Upchurch Junior High and at the
intersection on 401 by-pass by Virgil's
Drive-in.
Harris emphasized that he couldn't
promise in advance of the board
meeting that the 401 four-laning project
would be approved. However, he said, it
had passed the key hurdle by being
approved by the planning and projects
committee.
Assuming that it is approved, then
community support becomes vital, he
said.
"The board is going to have to start
spending highway money on a year to
year basis to get the most from it," he
explained. "So if this project gets lied
up in litigation or in an environmental
study or delayed for some other reason,
then I would vote to spend the money
somewhere else."
Therefore, community support is
necessary to see that the project isn't
blocked, he said.
Harris listed eight steps that must be
taken in any project before construction
is begun:
-A planning study and environmental
impact study with location alternates
must be done.
-A draft of the environmental impact
statement must be submitted to state
and federal agencies.
--Public hearings must be held.
-The results of the public hearings
must be incorporated into the
environmental draft and distributed to
federal and state agencies.
-Surveys and right-of-way plans must
be made.
-Public hearings on the highway
design must be held.
-The right-of-way must be acquired.
-Then construction contracts must
be let.
Harris said he could find no record in
Raleigh that any of these steps had been
taken in the past, even though the
project was approved once before in
1970.
Harris said the emphasis of the
transportation board of spending the
money allocated to it each year will
mark a major change.
"With the rate of inflation, and who
knows where that will end, we can't
al lord to have money tied up in projects
that are held in litigation. We'll just have
to shift the money to another similar
project," he said.
Harris said that recent news stories
had made it seem like the 401 project
was his number one priority.
"Actually," he said, "I have no
priorities on roads. I am a board
member for all the state, not just
Cumberland or Hoke counties.
"Buy my main concern is with the
credibility of this board and this
administration on roads say ten years
from now," Harris said. "When I look
back on past highway commissions and
the past administrations on their
highway policies, I don't want to go
down in history the way they have."
Budd commented that the county has
a high percentage of secondary roads
paved - nearly 85 per cent, he said. The
money allocated for paving in Hoke this
year, some $19,000 was allotted on the
same percentage as for all the counties,
bach county was allotted 2.8 per cent
of its unpaved roads for this year, he
said.
Budd commented that while the state
as a whole had a good secondary road
system, North Carolina laggs far behind
in receiving federal highway funds.
"We get only 52 cents for every
highway dollar we send to Washington,"
he said. "North Carolina is dead last in
the amount of federal highway money
spent. 1
"That's the way some of our
Congressmen could help get better
roads, is in getting some of that federal
money back," he said.
Budd urged Hoke citizens to attend
the transportation board meeting. It is
to be held at 9:30 at the courthouse in
Asheboro. The secondary roads council
will meet at 1 p.m. and a "people's day"
will be held at 2.
Area Incidents
Two Hoke Brothers
Charged With Rape
Two Hoke County men were arrested
last week in South Carolina and were
charged with the rape of a Fort Bragg
woman.
Held in the county jail on bonds of
$50,000 each are Jerry Wayne Barton,
17 and Lloyd David Barton, Jr., 28,
both of Rt. I, Raeford.
According to Sheriff Dave
Barrington, the woman was picked up
Sept. 10 on Vass Road by school bus
driver Kenneth Dixon, who took her to
the county school bus garage. She
reported to deputies that she had been
picked up by two men outside a bar in
Fayetteville and had been thrust into a
van and driven to a wooded area off
Vass Road where she was beaten and
raped.
The sheriff said several people at
Goin's bar in Fayetteville furnished
Deputy James Lamont with a
description of two men driving a van
wsuch as she described. Lamont and
^gieputy James Riley also reported seeing
the van at a gas station in the county
several days earlier, the sheriff said.
Deputies learned that the two men
might be at a relative's business in South
Carolina, sheriff said, and Deputy
Harvey Young was Sent on Sept. 11 to
Greelcyville, S.C., where with officers
from the Willianjsburg County sheriffs
department, he found and arrested the
Barton brothers.
The men signed waivers of
extradition and were returned to Hoke
County jail by Young. A preliminary
hearing is set in District Court for Sept.
27. The investigation was carried out by
the sheriff and deputies Lamont, Young
and H.E. Bowen.
A high speed chase down Main Street
early Saturday morning ended in two
minor accidents. Charges of DUI,
speeding 100 in a 35 mph zone, driving
without a license, leaving the scene of
an accident and failure to stop for a
blue light and siren were placed against
William Dave McKeown of Philadelphia.
Pa.
According to the accident report, city
patrolman John McNeill attempted to
stop the McKeown auto, traveling south
on Main Street about I a.m. Saturday.
Instead of stopping, the driver
accelerated, topping 100 mph, city
police chief Leonard Wiggins sa d. As
the car crossed the railroad tracks, it
crossed the center line and side swiped a
See AREA INCIDENTS. Page 11
Fire Destroys
Rt. 1 Home
A fire destroyed a house on Rt. 1
Friday morning, George Baker, North
Raeford Fire Department chief
reported.
"The roof had caved in and the place
was completely engulfed in flames when
we got there", Baker said.
The wooden house, was being rented
by Willie Thomas McRae, who was not
at home at the time of the fire, the chief
stated. The owner is reported to be in
New York.
Eleven members of the fire
department and all three firetrucks
responded to the 7:45 a.m. blaze. Baker
said his men had the fire out in about
30 minutes. No injuries sere reported.
Cause of the fire is unknown.
Burlington Reduces Staff;
Other Firms Say No Cuts
Four Seek Clerk Job
The Democratic executive committee
will meet in the courthouse Saturday at
11 a.m. to name a successor on the
November ballot for Ed Smith, Hoke
County Clerk of Superior Court who
died last week.
The meeting was called by Sam C.
Morris, party chairman, who said the
name of the new candidate must be
submitted to the county board of
elections by Sept. 23.
Four area persons, including Mrs.
Juanita Edmund, arc seeking the
Superior Court Clerk post, county
Democratic chairman Sam C. Morris,
said Tuesday.
Mrs. Edmund was appointed acting
clerk of the court by Senior Resident
Judge Maurice Braswell.
Smith, who held the job since 1%2,
won in the May primary race and his
name would have been on the Nov. 5
ballot.
The other three who have asked to be
considered are Nan Haywood, secretary
to Fayetteville attorney Carl Barrington.
Charles Morrison, who is retiring as
Racford postmaster and Eric Allen, a
former mill supervisor with Burlington.
Several other persons expressed
interest but have not asked to have their
names submitted to the committee,
Morris said.
Word was teceived by the county
election board Tuesday from Alex
Brock, state board of elections
chairman, that the Republican Party
would not be permitted to propose a
candidate.
Earlier indications from Raleigh had
been that a GOP candidate might be
allowed under election laws and local
party spokesman J. H. Blue had said the
party would look into the possibility.
United Fund Meeting Set
The budget and admissions
committee ol die United Fund is
meeting tonight at 7:30 in the board of
education building.
United Fund agencies will present
budget requests and new organizations
seeking admission to the fund will
submit applications to the committee.
Members of the community fund
drive committee are Ash well liar ward,
UF president; Younger Snead, Jr.,
Wyatt Upchurch, W. T. McAllister,
vice-president; Mrs. O. B. Israel,
secretary and Sam C. Morris, treasurer.
The budget committee will then
submit a report to the United Fund
board of directors, who will set the date
lor die campaign.
School Board Approves
New Teacher Workshops
By Cheryl Walker
A new format for teachers workshops
headed die list of items approved by
board of education members at their
regular meeting Monday night.
The new plan, designed to be more
convenient and more beneficial to
teachers, requires all teachers to attend
four workshops during the school year.
Each session will run from 2 - 4 p.m.
and will consist of lour separate
workshops, each one dealing widi a
different topic. Teachers will choose the
particular workshop they wish to attend
from the program offered.
Scheduled workshop days are Oct. 4,
Dec. 6, Feb. 21, and April 25. Schools
will be dismissed at 1.30 on these days.
New personnel hired as a result of
board action included four teachers.
Gloria B. Strickland, Muriel S. Graves.
Nancy R. McNeill, and Carolyn V.
McGee. tour aides. Catherine B.
Henderson. Mamie Godwin, Sarah
Realty, and Willa NlcDutley; and one
secrctai ), Sharon Harris.
In another personnel move board
members approved the transfer of
Charles Wilson from South lloke to
Upchurch Jr. High School for personal
medical reasons, lite board look this
action as a result of a doctor's
recommendation.
The board voted to offer the
opportunity to attend kindergarten at
either Scurlock or West Hoke to five
kindergarten - aged children living in
Central District. These youngsters are
unable to attend kindergarten in their
own district because no space is
available there, however vacancies for
kindergarten students exist at Scurlock
and West Hoke Schools. Parents electing
to send children to kindergartens
located outside their district must
furnish the students transportation to
and from school.
Superintendent Ra/ Autry was
requested b> the board to check into
the possibility that some Hoke County
residents may be attending public
schools in Moore County. Autry
suggested that he meet with Moore
County Supt. ol Public Schools, Rob
See BOARD. Page 11
A stall cut at Burlington this week
rocket] the community hut other major
employers presented a brighter job
outlook.
Approximately 32 employees on the
Burlington staff in Raeford were caught
this week in a staff reduction in the
worsteds group of Burlington Apparel
Fabrics Division.
According to Joseph D. Beam, of
t'larksville, corporate group vice
president and manufacturing executive
for the division, about 75 employees in
North Carolina and Virginia will be
affected.
About 40 of these are from the
division and plain staffs in Clarksville,
he said. This represents about 10 per
cent of the total staff in Clarksville.
Beam said efforts are now under way
to place the employees at other
Burlington plants.
In addition to Raeford and
Clarksville, Bl has worsted plants in
Halifax, Va. and Hot Springs, N.C.
The cuts came as a means of cost
control and to improve the divisions
competitive position. Beam said.
"Inflation and generally unsettled
economic conditions have hurt some
areas of our business," he said.
"Continued uncertainties make it
necessary to cut costs wherever possible
to give ourselves a more competitive
position in the market place."
No layoffs have been made among
the hourly wage force at the worsted
plant here, according to Bob Gentry,
personnel manager.
Some layoffs have been going on at
lite dye plant off and on over the past
two months, according to personnel
manager Ashwell Harward.
This is normal, seasonal operations
and is completely unrelated to any
cutbacks in personnel at other divisions
he said.
Since the Burlington cuts became
known Monday rumors have swept the
community concerning the number of
jobs lost.
Other major employers in lite county
this week presented a brighter picture.
Both Raeford Turkey Farms and
Knit Away reported no cutbacks were
anticipated.
However Tex-Flastie reported a
recent layoff of about 30 employees.
Fail Budd. president of Raeford
Turkey Farms said Tuesday, "We are
not culling back on our employment.
We are entering our biggest season and
don't anticipate a cut back until after
the holiday s."
Budd said the turkey processing plant
employed 547 persons the week ending
Sept. i4.
"We have both shifts running six days
a week," he said.
Dick l.ovett. personnel manager of
Knit-Away, said the double-knit fabric
firm was "conservatively optimistic."
"Right now our situation is stable
and we are holding." he said. "We have
taken a very conservative approach in
hiring bin we do have some openings
and are filling those."
"Our efforts are along the lines of
running full time and keeping our
people." L.ovctl said.
Knit-Away is operating seven days a
week, he said.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed
See BURLINGTON. Page 11
Stories
Cancelled
There will be no story hours held
at the library Tuesday as librarian
Mrs. Lee Cameron must attend a
meeting that day.
BNGULFKD -Fire from or, undetermined cau* Friday destroyed the home of Wliie Thomas McRae in the North Roe ford fire