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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVIII NO. 10 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY 11 n v in io-?c
Around
Town
BY SAM C MORRIS
Last week I mentioned in this
column about a gift given to Supt.
Raz Autrv by High School Principal
Allan Edwards. I said that Raz could
tell you what he did with the gift (a
shirt). The article was written in the
best interest of all concerned and
trying to be nice to friends.
On Thursday when I returned
from lunch a gift was on my desk but
it didn't bear a card of any type to
tfenote who had left it. Now Becky
Jones and Marty Vega were both in
the office at the time but couldn't
see or didn't seem to know who left
the gift on my desk.
' Raz denied leaving it when
confronted on the golf course
Sunday afternoon and again in the
office Monday.
So about the only shirt dealer left
is a high school principal. Anyway I
want to thank him for the shirt but
can't guarantee when I will wear it.
The rain that fell Sunday and
Monday nights certainly was needed,
but might have come a bit late to
save the gardens for people of the
county. I don't know about the
other crops, but from what I read the
corn crop is in bad shape.
The picture about the corn
growing in the tassel of the plant is
just another of the many strange
things that have come into the office
this year. I heard one worker at the
office say, "That man shouldn't have
landed on the moon."
L.W. Stanton, supervisor at the
Land Fill, was by the office Monday
and was telling me of an incident
that happened there recently. It
seems that someone had put a hot
water heater in a dumpstcr and it had
been dumped into the land fill. When
tlie bulldozer went to cover up the
load of trash and garbage it hit the
heater and turned the bulldozer over.
The driver was not hurt but if it
hadn't been for the cab on the
machine the driver would have fallen
under the bulldozer.
According to Stanton objects like
this should not be placed in
dumpsters but should be brought to
die land fill so that they can be
placed at certain places before the
bulldozer covers them up.
So if you have something like a
water heater, etc. to be thrown away,
take it to the land fill and it might
save a life. Don't put them in the
dumpsters around the county.
I had a letter from Herbert
McKeithan, Jr. of Laurinburg last
week that is as follows:
Dear Sam:
Didn't know whether you had a
copy of this or not so I am sending
one to you. You might be interested
in page 15.
Herbert McKeithan. Jr.
On page 15 was a picture of Kathy
McMillan and a write-up about the
Junior Olympics. The article and
picture was in "Friends" the
monthly magazine published by
Chevrolet. It. was the July issue if
. you would like to see it.
Woman
Dies Here
A forty eight year old New York
woman who complained of feeling ill
while in a Harris Avenue office died a
short time later in a car Tuesday
afternoon.
Police Chief Leonard Wiggins said
the woman was identified as Mrs.
Alberta Byer of Flushing. N Y.
Wiggins said Mrs. Byer. along with
her sister and brother - in - law Mr.
and Mrs. John MacDonald of
Fayetteville, were in the office of
Thomas and Davis Corporation after
2 P.M. when Mrs. Byer said she felt
some shortness of breath and
returned to a car outside.
A doctor was called, but the
woman became worse and was
pronounced dead a short time later
by Dr. R.G. Townsend, Wiggins said.
Wiggins said there were no visible
signs of foul play, but the body was
ordered sent to Chapel Hill for an
autopsy to determine the cause of
death.
Kathv McMillan
City Council
Housing A uthority Sworn In
hour members of the Racford
Housing Authority were sworn in
during a brief ceremony at the city
council meeting Monday night.
Mayor John K. McNeill
administered the oath of office to
Neill McFadyen. Dayna Pate. Gerald
Wright and Ken McNeill. John D.
McAllister was absent and will be
sworn in later.
The council approved the first
reading of a new cablevision
franchise ordinance following a
public hearing attended only by the
cable television company president
and an employee. Councilman Sam
Morris made the motion to alter the
franchise.
The new ordinance will allow a
name change to Raeford Cable TV
Company and will permit the firm to
cut their office hours to two days a
week in Raeford. provided telephone
notification for service was available
at all times. A second reading is
required on the ordinance.
The council also adopted a
'Miss Aylor'
Sold In Fla.
The owner of the boat which was
carrying the name Miss Aylor.'
Raeford. N.C. when it was seized
unloading 12 tons of marijuana last
week in Dover, Del. is reportedly a
Gulfport. Fla. man.
Lewis Lipscomb, former Raeford
businessman now living in Largo.
Fla., sold the 65 - foot 'Miss Aylor'
last January to a man from Gulfport,
Lipscomb's daughter Mrs. Peggy
Thompson said.
The boat, built for Lipscomb at
Southport. N.C.. was named for
Lipscomb's wife. Aylor.
Mrs. Thompson said she did not
know the name of the buyer, but
that he paid S50.000 cash and the
balance by check to her father at the
time of the sale.
Mrs. Thompson said officials from
the Coast Guard had contacted her
father to leam the address of the
buyer, but Lipscomb did not have
the man's address, she said.
Lipscomb had used the Miss Aylor
as a shrimp boat since his move to
Florida. Mrs. Thompson said.
recommendation of the airport
committee to require all aircraft
based at the city airport to be
registered with the city. A second
recommendation to require all
complaints about airport operation
to be submitted in writing to the city
manager was also adopted. Crawford
ThonuiS presented the motion for
adoption.
The ordinance making Elwood
Avenue a one-way street was finally
adopted after a three month trial
period. With the passing of the
ordinance, police will now write
traffic citations to motorists traveling
die wrong way. Police Chief Leonard
Wiggins said. Morris, who lobbied for
die one-way street, presented the
motion.
A taxi permit was granted to
James Gay to operate an additional
cab within the city. Benny McLeod
made the motion to grant the permit
and to bring the list of permit
holders up to date after the council
and Mayor questioned several of the
names on the city's list.
City manager John Ciaddy
discussed with the council several
conditions to the acceptance of a
federal grant to set up a juvenile
crime program All bookkeeping will
Ambulance Charges
Maximum fees for Morrison's
Ambulanee Service remain the same
us lasl year, according to the 1175-76
contracl signed with the county.
Charges for trips from Racford to
the area hospitals are: Moore
Memorial in Ptnehurst $25: Cape
Pear Valley Hospital or
Highsmith-Rainey Hospital in
Fayettcvillc S25; Southeastern
General Hospital in Lumberton $55.
Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill
S75: and Duke Hospital in Durham
$90.
For trips not originating in
Raeford, a minimum of SI per mile
will be charged lot distances farther
than Raeford.
A charge of S8 per hour for
waiting time will be charged afier the
first hour of arrival.
have to be assumed by the city, lie
said, and additionally, the uniform
allowance must be used to purchase a
blazer and slacks or skirts, to be
worn during duty hours. The police
officer lured under the program must
devote a hundred per cent of his time
to juvenile cases. Caddy said.
Re ippointmcnts to the planning
board and zoning board of
adjustments were discussed and die
council agreed deferred the matter to
a later meeting so that overlapping
terms could be arranged.
Two members of the planning
board. Ken McNeill and J.D.
McAllister, were dropped because
they are both members of the
housing authority.
Caddy told the council that
problems were expected in granting a
building permit for the library. He
had learned that the plans had been
altered to take out a large amount of
curbing on Donaldson Avenue since a
zoning variance was granted. Caddy
said.
"This is not what they got the
zoning board of adjustments to look
at." Caddy told the councilmcn.
"Where they're going to have
trouble, is when they go to get a
building permit." Caddy said.
Rating Cost On Bonds Up
ine county commissioners met
briefly Thursday morning to learn it
will cost more money to get the
school bonds rated than anticipated.
County manager T.B. Lester
informed the board it is
recommended ratings be acquired
from both Standard and Poor and
the Moody Co. services.
Lester said the Standard and Poor
cost would be between S300-S600,
and the Moody Co. charges according
to population. The combined costs
may run over the $ 1,000 already
budgeted, he said.
The motion to authorized the
additional expense was carried
unanimously.
Also carried unanimoush was a
motion to approve transfer of funds
from the contingency balance to
cover a S48.72 shortage in the
budget for the Veterans Service
officer. The expense budget for trips
was exceeded, Lester said,
A letter detailing a new federal
program, Off-Systems Roads
Program, which is oriented to assist
rural communities in road
improvements, was read to the
board.
The state of North Carolina has
received a 55,319,659 allocation, and
Chairman Ralph Barnhart reported a
letter of intent has already been
submitted so Hoke County may be
eligible to participate.
Kathy Jumps 21-7 To
Capture Championship
City Clerk Claims
Gaddy Suspended Job
A city employee claimed this week
that she was suspended from her job
and that the city manager accused
her of copying invoices in an attempt
to incriminate him in an SB1
investigation now underway.
Mrs. Rhonda Cameron said
Monday that city manager John
Caddy told her on June 27 that site
would be suspended during the
investigation into operation of the
city garage. Caddy said Monday that
Mrs. Cameron, who works as a
purchasing, payroll and personnel
clerk, had never been suspended.
She returned to work at city hall
Tuesday, following a scheduled
vacation.
"Mr. Gaddv accused me a week
ago Friday of working with (Billy)
Barefoot to frame him," Mrs.
Cameron said. "He asked me when I
last saw Barefoot and (Jimmy)
Bullard and said he knew there were
invoices at The News-Journal and I
helped get them there."
Mrs. Cameron said she had not
copied any invoices.
"He called me in and said that he
and the mayor had decided I would
be suspended but he forgot about my
vacation so he said he hoped the
investigation would be over by the
time I got back and maybe it would
be a good idea if 1 was out of town."
she said.
Mayor John K. McNeill said he
had not discussed any suspension
with Caddy and did not know if she
had been suspended. However, he
indicated that he would have been
informed if she had been suspended.
"Caddy and I work fairly closely
and discuss things." he said.
Meanwhile, the investigation by
die SBI and district attorney's office
continues, according to assistant
district attorney Duncan McFadyen.
SBI agent Ray Davis, heading the
investigation, said Tuesday a detailed
report will be submitted to the
district attorney's office when the
investigation is completed.
City councilmen have refused to
comment until the investigation is
complete.
The DA and SBI were called in
two weeks ago. following an
investigation by The News-Journal
into allegations by former employees
of thefts at the city garage. Since
then, present city workers and
former employees have been
questioned.
Hoke High athleie kathy McMillan
jumped 21 feel and 7 inches Tuesday
10 capture first place honors for the
United States women's team at
Prague. Czechoslovakia in hack and
field championships.
Miss McMillan came within eight
inches of the world record set by
West Germany in the 1072 Olympics,
and surpassed her own previous
record of 21 feet, four inches, the
state record.
Miss McMillan equalled the second
best performance ever by an
American woman, and missed tying
Martha Watson's United States mark
of 21 feet, 7V4 inches.
Tuesday's performance makes the
17 year old star a strong contender
for a berth on the 1976 Olympics
team.
"1 never expected her to go so far
so soon", said an elated Billy
Colston. Miss McMillan's coach. "It's
unbelievable".
It was an extraordinary day for
Colston, as his wife delivered an eight
pound, two and one half ounce baby
girl Tuesday.
Miss McMillan called her mother
here after the meet and the family
was delighted to hear about her
performance.
"They're tickled to death about
die jump". Colston reported.
It was a triumphant day for all
adiletes on the U.S. mens and
womens teams after suffering a defeat
from the Soviet Union teams July
4 - 5 during competition in Kiev.
Russia.
The U.S. women dominated the
running events at Strahov Stadium,
defeating the Poles 76-70. ard
beating the Czechs S2-64. The
combined score for the mens and
womens teams was 189-172 for the
Americans over Poland and 2I5-I48
over Czechoslovakia.
Mrs. Mildred McMillan said her
daughter was able lo get a call
through to her home in Raelord after
a two hour wait, but she was unable
to talk long.
"She said she was doing fine, but
she said she was homesick". Mrs
McMillan said.
"I'll sure be glad to see her"
Miss McMillan is expected to he
See KATIIY. page I I
Rose's Office Here July 19
The mobile office of Congressman
Charles Rose will he in Raeford July
19.
Rip Collins. Rose's administrative
assistant, will staff the van at the
post office parking lot Irom 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m.
Hiring And Fire Budget
Occupy Commissioners
The hoard o I* county
commissioners approved the hiring ol'
an assistant farm agent, received
notification of a S4.800 grant but
were unable to come up with any
plans for the money, and discussed at
length the problem of the Tylcrtown
Fire Department with some strong
urging for Tylcrtown to combine
with Hillcrest Department during
their regular meeting Monday.
The hoard gave the nod to a Hyde
County native. Fred O'N'eil. after
farm agent Wendell Young outlined
his qualifications. O'Neill will start
his S8.800 a year post July 14.
Young said.
The award of a $4,800 federal
grant for planning and management
activities was announced in a letter,
but the commissioners were
reminded the county has to
contribute $3,200 in matching funds
before a plan can be submitted.
Housing or land use were
mentioned as possible uses for the
grant, but since no appropriation is
in the budget for the county's share
of S3.200, no action was taken by
the board for submitting a plan.
Wiley MacDougall, Tylertown Fire
Chief appeared and concurred with
the commissioners' view the
Tylertown district could not operate
on only S1.600 in tax revenues, but
MacDougall told the board there was
some opposition to a merge with
Hillcrest.
M a c Do u ga 11 c o n c c d cd more
cooperation was heeded from the
Tylertown fire department members,
and he told the board others were to
appear with him. but failed to show
up.
MacDougall stressed he was not
speaking on behalf of the
department, and said he would try to
arrange a meeting of the entire
department to settle the merger
issue.
Telling MacDougall "you've got to
get together and face facts".
C hairman Ralph Barnhart suggested
the Fireman's Association could
meet with Tylertown and make an
appraisal.
Fireman's Association liaison
HI wood Baker, present at the
meeting, said he would schedule the
meeting for Tuesday night.
Last Thursday, in a special session,
the commissioners reversed the status
of the Tylertown fire budget and
voted to approve it.
Approval was necessary, county
manager T.B. Lester explained,
because the tax forms had been
prepared and were scheduled for
mailing that morning.
A suggestion from commissioner
John Balfour to withhold any tax
collections from Tylertown was
discussed, but the board agreed the
problem could be resolved before
any tax collections the county
receives would be distributed.
anyway
M.K. Sessoms of Raefotd
Plumbing and Healing appeared and
warned the hoard a building and
electrical inspector should he hired
soon as "something needs to be
done, for my protection, and the
public's too," he said.
Scssoms told the board >1 l.tiCX) -
12.000 would be a more lealistic
annual salary, aftet Barnhart
reported the county got no serious
response from the advertisement for
the job at $8,500 * 0,500.
Balfour expressed concern some
residents may not be reporting
additions and improvements to
homes, and the tax listings would not
be accurate.
Barnhart assured Sessoms the
county would continue to search for
such an inspector.
Bill Niven. civil preparedness
coordinator, reported to the board
rescue squad commandei Karl
Conoly purchased six stretchers and
agreed to purchase 12 more to
complete a plan to have stretchers
available at the firehouses in the
county.
The rescue squad also acquired a
surplus jeep, Niven reported.
A meeting of the disaster
coordinating committee was held and
Niven reported he was elected
chairman. The need for an KOC
See COMMISSIONERS, page I I