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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVIi NO. 36 RAEFORD. HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. JANUARY 9. 1975
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
The leash law passed by the City
Council last year goes into effect this
month. All dogs must be registered with
the city and a tag put on the dog's
collar. The dog. under the law, must be
under control at all times.
So if you own a dog maybe you had
better check by city hall and read the
law. It may save you somc'trouble.
A friend of mine handed me the
following article taken from a
neighboring newspaper concerning the
leash law in that county.
0. Does the county leash law apply
to all the people in the county or just to
certain people in the county?
A. Wliile we agree that some people
probably should be leashed, we think
the law actually applies only to dogs in
the county.
The jury is in and four of the five
defendants in the Watergate trial have
been found guilty on all counts. In most
cases this would be the end and the
news could be taken up with other
things. But this will not happen in these
cases. 1 suspect that we will be hearing
about Watergate for many years to
come. ,,lt will be one appeal alter
another until most people will be glad
to throw oui the whole affair and let
the guilty off so that the country can
get on with other business.
The right to appeal is certainly right
but sometimes we all become too soft
and don'i see justice done.
Forty years ago this May the last class
to graduate al the old Raeford High
School building, that was destroyed by
fire, finished eleven years of school
work. There were 48 in the graduating
class and several of ihe ones graduating
started in the first grade at this building
and completed school at ihe same place.
This was the last class in the county to
do this as the class of 1936 moved to
the new high school building, now
Raeford F.lemcntary School.
Some of the people that finished in
the class of 1935 would like to hold a
reunion on the 40th anniversary this
May, of course m 40 years the 48
members have scattered all over the
country and many of the ladies have
now married and names have changed so
getting ihe group together will take time
and help from many sources.
Being a member of this class I will do
everything I can to assemble these
names but will need help in seeming
addresses of these people. So if you
were a member of the class, even if you
live in Hoke County, drop me a card or
write a letter giving your name and
address so that plans can gel started lot
this reunion. If you are a relative or a
friend of someone thai graduated in this
class please inform them of these plans
or gel in touch with me so thai they can
be informed of the reunion.
Any help anyone can give will be
appreciated because much water has
gone over the dam in 40 years.
Situation 'Temporary9
Turkey Plant Lays Off Entire Shift
Light Bill
In Schools
Is Soaring
A strong conservation effort is being
mounted in the schools to try to
combat soaring electricity costs.
Costs for electricity this year are
expected to more than double the
amount budgeted, according to school
superintendent Raz Autry.
For example, he said, the electric bill
for the Gibson building at Hoke High
during November amounted to S.3,033.
The Gibson building, which is
all-electric, contains 23 classrooms, a
cafeteria and a gymnasium.
For the same month last year, the bill
was less than a third as much, SI,039,
Autry said.
The November electric bill for the
Hoke High building across the street
amounted to S1,079.
The toial bill for electricity in the
county schools for that month
amounted to more than Sb.OOO, Autry
said.
He estimated that if the bills average
S5.000 a month, then Hoke taxpayers
will have lo pay $60,000 for electricity
for the schools this year.
However, only S28.000 was budgeted
for that purpose this year, and this was
$3,000 more than was in the budget last
year, Autry said. In addilion, the
county receives $800 a month from the
state for water and electricity bills.
"I'm sure you want to know how we
are going to make up the difference."
Autry said. "It's a simple matter of
using the old cliche of 'robbing Peter to
pay Paul', We will cut from some other
place in the budget."
Autry observed that in 1941. the
electric bill for the entire county school
system was less than $500.
Several steps have been taken in the
last few days, he said, to help conserve
electricity.
"The most important thing we are
doing is to educate our people to
conserve. I've asked all the principals to
meet with their faculties and have them
stress the seriousness of the problem to
their students."
Thermostats have been lowered in all
schools to 68 degrees and Autry said the
automatic vents in the heating systems
would be replaced so that the heal can
be regulated manually rather than
electrically.
Except for security lights operated by
See EIGHT BI1.LS. page 13
DFLt'GA TION - State Representatives exchanged views Tuesday at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Here David Parnell of
Parkton takes his turn at the speaker's stand. Also arc I from left J Harold (i ill is. C of C manager: Boh Gentry, president. Joy
Johnson. Representative from Fairmont and (far rightI Henry It 'ard O.xendine. Representative from Pembroke.
Leash Law
Discussed
Implementation of (lie city's leasli
law was discussed by the city council
Monday night.
The ordinance, which lofbids dogs to
run al large and requires them to he
licensed, became effective Jan. I. Dog
tags are on sale now through Feb. 15 at
city hall.
City attorney Palmei Willcos. who
wrote the ordinance. discussed
enforcement with the council and lees
were set. License fee was set at S2.50
for the tag. with SI replacement fee. A
pick-up charge lot animals impounded
was set at $2.50 with SI a day hoard
The council deleted the portion of the
ordinance that required a county tag
also.
John Caddy, city manager, reported
that he had arranged with T.B. Lestei.
county manager. to have the county dog
warden work several days in the city to
train" a city dog warden. However.
Caddy said there was no money in the
See LI ASH LAW page Id
Raeford Taxpayer Irked
Over Lack Of City Water
A Raelord resident, irked by lack o
watei service, asked the city counct
Monday night to either move the city
limits to place her property outside tin
line or to cut her taxes in hall'.
Mrs. John Campbell made the iccjuesi
at the city council meeting Monday
night in lound two 01 three ol i
long-standing disagreement * o\ei
extending a city watci line to her home
Mis. Campbell lives just within the city
limits on St. Pauls Drive.
While a city can annex piopeity.
there is no provision in the/law to
remove areas from the cits/. Palmer
Willcox told the council. Nor can the
council reduce taxes for a citi/en alter
the tax rate has been set. it was decided.
At a meeting earliei this tall. Mis.
Campbell had asked foi watei service
and liad cltaiged that once before, when
her husband had tlueatencd not to pay
taxes, the city had extended watei pipes
alone the road to hei driveway. When
the taxes were paid, she said, the city
picked up the water pipes.
Cost of extending the city water line
was estimated at mote than S7.00U. an
expense not instilled lor only one or
two houses, the council has countered.
Instead, the city ottered, in a letter to
Mis. Campbell, to install a two-inch pipe
to the property ot l-arry Upchurch.
located neai hei house. She could then
hook on to that line, the council says.
I he I pchuich piopei tv is presently
sei\ed by a stnallei city line. The
council contends that this would
significantly reduce the cost to the city
and that the cost loi the hook up would
he stnulai to the cost ot a lie-in with a
line iun beside the St. Pauls road.
Mrs. Campbell said site planned to
seek a i/medy from the legislature and
to investigate instituting a suit against
the city tor water. She said she did not
plan to pay moie than 50 pet cent of
he.' taxes
Jobs for more than 300 workers at
Raeford Turkey Farms ended this week
as the turkey processing plant reduced
its work force to one shift.
Larry Phillips, personnel manager,
said the layoff was due to a lack of live
turkeys to process. The cutback is
expected to be temporary, he said, and
the firm is going ahead with the
expansion program already underway.
The new facility is expected to be
ready by summer. Phillips said:
The total number of workers laid off
this week was estimated by Phillips as
338. Interviewers from the Employment
Security Commission are scheduled to
visit the plant, Phillips said, to take
applications for unemployment
compensation.
The economic impact on the area
caused by the loss of income to turkey
plant workers is estimated at more than
S31.000 each week.
Phillips said production is normally
less at this time of year and employees
who are paid hourly , have often worked
on short time.
"However, this year, because of the
unavailability of live product, Raeford
Turkey Farms is forced to go to a
one-shift operation." Phillips said.
Supply of live turkeys to the plant
has been cut by about SO per cent,
Phillips said. However, it is expected
that more turkeys will be available later
this year.
"As we get more birds, we'll continue
to hire." he said. "We are in the position
to be very competitive to get birds and
we anticipate that we'll be able to get
more."
However. Wyatt L'pchurch, who
produces yo'ung turkeys for growers,
estimated that supplies will be short
throughout 1075. Even though it
appears that farmers will be more eager
to ratse turkeys this year, the length of
time it takes to increase breeding stock,
hatch poults and grow turkeys to
market size indicates shortages for the
rest of this year, he said
Upchurch said the cost of raising
turkeys for market in the past year rose
sharply. "Turkeys aren't being raised
because you can't make money at it,"
he said.
In 1173, he said, the cost to produce
100,000 birds was about S435.000. In
I'174. it was S700.000.
Turkey production in the county is
down markedly according to farm agent
Wendell Young. In l')7l, there were an
Sec LAY OFFS. page 13
Classes Open
Registration is still open lor the
winter quarter of off-campus classes
offered by Sandhills Community
College. Division of Continuing
I:ducat ion.
Interested persons may register
during the week of Jan, 13-16 in class.
Commissioners Vote To Force Pay Reduction
Moke county commissioners sided
with commissioners from two other
counties Monday to force a seven and a
half per cent reduction in salaries at
Sandhills Mental Health Center.
The action stemmed from a
misunderstanding of several years in
which the Sandhills Mental Health
Board requested salaries in excess of the
stale standard without first obtaining
approval from the county
commissioners in the five counties area.
A ruling in October by the attorney
general's office established the
requirement to obtain approval for
salaries and left the mental health clinic
in the position of having operated for
two years without approval. The general
statute orders the salaries to conform to
the state standard salary plan if the
board and commissioners do not agree.
David Culbreth, area director for the
clinic, in a letter read to the
commissioners, Monday, asked that he
be allowed to return employees to the
standard scale during the next fiscal
year, beginning in July.
Otherwise, he wrote, "there is the
distinct possibility that we would have
to decrease professional salaries by T,i
per cent and require these people to pay
back the percentage above standard
since July I" (of last year).
The commissioners had not taken
action on the matter when word was
received by telephone that
commissioners in Moore County had
voted to allow the cutback to begin July
I, but that Montgomery and Richmond
commissioners had voted to require the
reduction Jan. I. Anson County
commissioners had agreed to side with
the majority, county manager T.B.
Lester reported to the Hoke board.
In a resolution, the board voted to
require the salaiies to conform with the
standard pay plan as of Jan. I. which
would require a 71 a per cent reduction.
School Buildings
County school superintendent Ra/
Autry met with the board to schedule
the sale of bonds and told the
commissioners that current building
cost estimates had been revised, to the
county's advantage
The most recent building cost
estimates were considerably reduced,
Autry said, and. if accurate, would
enable the county to build a library at
West Hoke with state, rather than local
funds.
The county will receive SI,21 5.000
in stale bond money. Projects scheduled
to be built with those funds include the
Hoke High library, planned for
S400.000 and now estimated at
$525,000; Scurlock classrooms and
library, planned for $615,000 and now
estimated at $525,000 and West Hoke
classrooms, planned for $200,000 and
now estimated at $160,000. Autry said
if these estimates prove correct, the
county can construct the library at West
Hoke with the $140,000 remaining in
state funds.
He proposed to the board that only
part of the $1.25 million in local school
bonds be sold now. Projects planned
would include renovation of the
Raeford F.lemcntary cafeteria, now
estimated at $125,000; new Hoke High
shops, estimated at $225,000 and the
auditorium addition at the high school
gym, still estimated at $200,000.
These art the most urgent needs,
Autry told the commissioners.
He agreed to delay the schedule for
selling tfty bonds until a meeting could
be arranged with the Institute of laical
Government to advise 01: the sale.
Library Plans
Members of the county library hoard
accompanied the director and business
manager of the Sandhills Regional
Library system to meet with the county
commissioneis.
Bill Bridgeman. director, explained to
the board the advantages of joining the
system, composed now of the public
libraries of Moore, Richmond, Anson
and Montgomery counties.
The chief advantage would be
financial and professional help.
Bridgeman explained. He said a
tentative budget to be presented for the
operation of the library next year will
amount (o S44.706. As a member of the
regional library system, the budget,
including increased expenditures for
hooks and materials, would amount to
only $27,600.
As a member, the local library would
_gontinuc to pay salaries of local
employees and maintenance of the
building and utilities. They would also
pay S2.050 to the regional library lor
office expenses.
The regional library would pay I he
salary of a professional librarian and
would pay costs of books and materials
and upkeep on the bookmobile, among
other expenses.
Mrs. J.M. Andrews said the library
board had endorsed joining the regional
system. She also announced that the
board had regretfully accepted the
resignation of Miss Frances Edwards,
librarian.
The library board is scheduled to
meet with the commissioners again in
I ebruary to decide on membership.
Recreation
Members ol the Hoke County Parks
and Recreation Commission also met
with the board of commissioners to
discuss immediate plans.
Mrs. Milo Postel. chainnan. C.l .
lovett and Benny McLeod first made
sure that ,S10.307 in unspent lecrealioii
funds was still available lei this yea'
I hey then asked the boaid tin some
guidance in spending the money Two
possibilities included an immediate stait
at recruiting a tuiltime recieation
director or the development of a new
ball paik.
The commissioners, citing uncertain
revenue this year, discouraged anv
recruiting and approved a resolution
directing the recreation commission to
"carry on as in the past".
They were more receptive to the idea
ol purchasing land to develop and
agreed that it would he a good idea for
the recreation commission to look into
the matter.
Lovett also asked lor office space and
storage for recreation equipment now
owned by the county. The board
suggested the old county office
building, which will not be vacated until
late summer.
Another Office
Another person who came lo the
meeting in search of office space was
Mrs. Juanila Kdnuind, clerk of superior
court.
She asked the board for an office for
the magistrates. It should be private and
should be located with an outside door
See COMMISSION! RS. page 1.5
More Blood Is Needed
It will take a whopping big collection
oi Mood j! the quarterly \isit of the
Wood mobile next week to keep Hoke
('mintys account with the Red Cross
balanced.
Right now. residents have used "*5
pints more than has been donated in the
counts .
I he Red Cross Bloodmobile has made
one visit this fiscal year, which began in
July. and only 50 pints were collected
then.
But. according to records kept by the
Red Cross. Hoke Counttans have used
I 25 pints since July first.
Clyde I pchurch Jr.. county chairman
of the blood program, said that in the
last three months, persons living in the
county have needed an average of 4 5
pints a month.
I he county has a yearly quota of 5*>8
pints.
Most of the blood is used by surgery
or burn patients, he said.
"And not a drop of blood that is
contributed is ever wasted." he
commented. "It it is not used
immediately. then it is matte into
plasma or fibrinogen ta clottingagent
made from blood.)"
I pchurch also stressed that all the
hospitals in the area participated in the
Red Cross blood program and urged
patients to make sure the hospitals
identified them as* Hoke County
residents. Sometimes patients did not
get credit for the participating program
because mailing addresses, with portions
of the county being on Fayetteville.
Aberdeen or Robeson County routes,
can be misleading. Upchurch explained.
Upchurch receives regular reports ot
blood usage by Hoke Countians from
area hospitals, including Cape Fear
Valley. Southeastern General. Scotland
Memorial. Moore Memorial, Duke,
Chapel Hill, Highsmith-Rainey and the
VA Hospital in Fayetteville.
I pchurch emphasized" that donors
could contribute blood for a specific
person, if they wanted to do so.
"We'll have a list ot people who have
used blood and they can certainly
donate to pay hack.
"Hut what hurts us is the fact that we
have so many indigent people who just
have no one to turn to. And someone
has to take care of them too."
The Bloodmohile will be in the
county Jan 1 7 at Burlington from noon
until 5 p.m. Upchurch urged delegations
from all the industries and businesses in
the county as well as individuals to
attend the drive at Burlington.
Youth Faces
Trial As Adult
One of two juveniles charged with the
Dec. 28 burglary at the home of county
?commissioner James A. Hunt wis
ordered to stand trial as an adult
following a hearing Friday by District
Court Judge Joseph E. Dupree.
Daniel R. Locklear, 15, will faoe
indictment by the grand jury on charges
of breaking and entering and larceny
connected with a breakin at Hunt's
home in which $950 in cash and checks
was stolen.
It was reported Locklear was on a
See YOUTHS, page 13