Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Oct. 23, 1975, edition 1 / Page 1
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4*~Yl&wa - journal " The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 VOLUME LXVII NO. 25 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA SS PER YEAR THURSDAY. OCTOBER 23. 1975 Around Town BY SAM t MORRIS This column will begin this week by clearing the letters from the file hook on my desk. The first letter is from Mrs. Peggy Gleason of Joliet, III. Peggy is the former Peggy Haire, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Haire of East Prospect Avenue. She writes: Dear Mr. Morris: Thought you might be interested it the picture and article about Kathy McMillan in the Chicago Sun Times. Sincerely, ? Peggy Haire Gleason. Thanks Peggy for the article and picture. The picture of Kathy is a two column picture and the article tells about her jumps in Mexico. As usual the city of Raeford, N.C. is mentioned. Kathy is making Raeford as famous as the House of Raeford turkeys and the Burlington Raeford 2/80s. Being only 17 years old she will continue to make headlines for Raeford. The next letter is self explanatory: Dear Sam: I would appreciate it, very much, if you would publish this in the Letter to the Editor or wherever. 1 have had so many comments about the letter in last week's paper, and so many people know me in Hoke County, I would like to clarify that I did not write it. I always sign my name. Margaret (Lytle) Davis. The United Fund drive is underway in the county and results should be coming in in the next week or so. Mrs. Eugene Carter, co-chairman, was by the office this week and said that the Raeford Junior Woman's Club was participating in the drive by going around and soliciting from the individuals. These are the people that cannot be contacted at a place of work. This group is known as the leg work division. Many thanks to the Junior Woman's Club for undertaking this project. ? ? ? This old country boy made another trip to Tidewater, Virginia last weekend to visit his daughter. I had said after ihe last trip a couple of years ago that I wouldn't get in that traffic again for anything. But I did. It rained on me going up but with my wife giving directions and reading the signs, the trip was completed without mishap. We went over to the Busch Gardens at Williamsburg and enjoyed the shows and rides very much. If you haven't been there, it will be a nice trip for you to think about. I don't know when they close down for the winter but do know they are only open on the weekends at the present time. So make plans to attend. ? ? ? * If you want to know something of the history of Hoke County, be sure to take the tour this Saturday sponsored by the Hoke County Historical Association. The write-up of the tour with all details is elsewhere in the paper. Look for it. Voters Roll Now Closed Eligible voters who have not registered will not be able to cast a ballot in the Nov. 4 city election. Deadline for registration was Oct. 3. Voter registration is closed by law 21 days prior to the next election, not counting Saturdays. Sundays, or holidays, the board of elections announced. Anyone who has not voted since ' 1968 should check with the elec tions office to make sure they are still properly registered, elections secretary Rose Sturgeon said. TOUR SPOT ? Historic Bethel Church, shown here, will be one of manv points visited Saturday. Tour To Unfold History The public is invited to join a tour of historical points of interest sponsored by the Hoke County Historical Society this Saturday beginning at 9:45 A.M. The bus from the Raeford Baptist Church and the Sandhills Regional Library van will transport the tour group. Adults are asked to make a contribution to help pay transportation expenses. Each person should bring a lunch along. The tour group will meet on the street between the Presbyterian Church and the savings and loan building, which is the approximate site of the Raeford Institute boarding school begun in 1895. The tour will proceed to the site of the Edinborough Medical College and the McLean oemetery, where Miss Caroline Parker will give a talk on the college founded by Dr. Hector McLean about 1850. Dr. McLean converted his ten-room brick home into a hospital which graduated several famous physicians. Going on to Bethel Church, the next stop, the tour will pass by the home of Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Gatlin, the former home of Dr. and Mrs. A.P. Dickson. Dr. Dickson was one of the founders of the Raeford Institute. At Bethel Church, founded in 1776, Mrs. Hallie Blythe, church historian, will outline some historical data. As the tour progresses toward Millprong the home of the late Hector McNeill can be seen. Rev. McNeill was pastor of Bethel Church during the time Gen. Sherman and his troops camped on the church grounds Mar. 9- 11, 1865. Millprong is one of the earliest homes built in the southern part of the county. The kitchen was erected away from the rear of the house. At one time a railroad stop was located near the area. The site of McPhaul's Mill is the See TOUR, page 11 Resignation Draws Reaction The investigation into suspected corruption in city government and city manager John Caddy's resig nation last week after pleading to charges drew varying reactions from the new candidates in the field for city council seats. Danny Morrison, one of the last of the hopefuls to file, said Tuesday that public opinion is strongly in favor of Gaddy in spite of his pleas of no contest to misappropriating pyblic funds. "The way it looks to me. he resigned, he paid a fine, they dropped the other charge. It looks to me like its over". Morrison said. "Eighty to ninety per cent of the people are in favor of John staying on. John has a lot of friends in the county and I'll say this, he has done a good job as city manager." Morrison confirmed he has heard "rumors" of a movement to re-hire Gaddy after the election. "It's a possibility, but I think the man has to be bonded for the job. But there are a lot of people for John. I've talked to a lot of people and a lot of people talk to me", he said. "I'll say this - the people want a change. There will be at least two new ones, or three, to go on (the council). Morrison said he hasn't given any thought yet to how the city will choose a new city manager, but indicated the newly elected council should take time to make a decision. "I've had two people ask me if I would go with John if I'm elected. I told them 'I don't know'. "One man can't do much. It'll be up to how the others feel about it", he said. Morrison said he is in favor of keeping all city council meetings open to the public and claimed the last meeting when Gaddy's resigna tion was voted on should not have been in closed session. "It should have been left open, this has left a lot of doubt in people's minds about what was said. Do you know what was said? I've heard a lot of people talk and they're saying there were more people involved than John. I'm quoting other people. Most people don't understand what all went on", he said. Morrison also announced he is in favor of limiting the terms a councilman can serve to two. "No man should hold office for more than four years. After that, he should step down and not be able to run again until another election", he said. Morrison emphasized that the public still has questions. "I've heard a lot of rumors about that the truck was left off the paper that was turned into The News Journal. The city told him to sell the truck. The girl put it on the paper and she was supposed to turn ?it into The News-Journal". Morri son said. Morrison denied he was suggest ing The N-J altered, or deleted anything from an advertisement. "No. I don't mean that at all. It's just that vou know how these rumors go around", he added. Candidate David Lovette said Tuesday, that he was in complete agreement with the city council's decision to accept Gaddy's resignation. "First of all. I think it is unfortunate for John and it is unfortunate for the city of Rae ford." he said. "Under the circumstances, the resignation was the best thiny he See RESIGNATION, page 11 Two Get Prison Terms In Plea To Break-in Two Fayetteville men received active prison terms and a third got a suspended sentence after entering guilty plea:, in connection with a break-in before Superior Court Judge Henry A. McKinnon Wednesday. Robert Lee Stebbins. 23. of 2628 Horner Drive. Fayetteville. was sentenced to a three year term after pleading guilty to felonious larceny in a July 22 break-in on Rockfish Road. A charge of receiving stolen property and a third charge of breaking and entering and larceny were dismissed by the state Eugene Stebbins. 17. also of 2628 Horner Dr., pleaded guilty to felonious larceny and was sen tenced to three years as a youthful offender. Two other counts, receiv ing stolen property and breaking and entering and larceny, were dropped. The pair, jailed for 86 days awaiting trial, was given credit for time served in the judgment. A co-defendant in the break-in. Stacy Lowery. 18. of 2642 Flamingo St.. Fayetteville. pleaded guilty to felonious larceny and drew a four year term suspended for five years. He was put on probation five years and ordered to make $1,800 in restitution. Breaking and entering and lar ceny and one count of receiving were dropped by the state against Lowery. A fourth charge of speed ing in excess of 80 MPH was also dismissed. The charges grew out of daylight break-ins reported at the Fred Harris home and the Kenneth Gardner home in which thousands of dollars worth of property was taken, some of it later recovered. Airport Word: 'Money Is Tied Up' Help Santa, City Asked Christmas may be merry but not so bright in Raeford this year unless the Raeford Merchant's Association gets some financial help from the city. Association president James Wood and store owner Theresa McBryde approached the city council at their last regular meeting to request funds to supplement their efforts to buy new Christmas decorations and equipment to fix the old ones. "We've bought some lights already," said Mrs. McBryde, "The people have responded really well, but we haven't reached our goal of $3,000 yet." "We feel like we are going to get some help," she said. "I'm sure they will do something," said Wood. He indicated that the new lights were ordered and they would be here in two or three weeks. "The city will probably help with the wiring and labor, and we are hoping that they can shuffle some of the funds where it was not completely used up in a project and help us with that," he said. "They are going to see about shifting some money over that was not used," said Chamber of Commerce manager J.H. (Buddy) Blue Jr. "We've bought 20 new decorations and material to rework 20 old ones," he said. "We're going to have a lol better this year," he said. "About 50 per cent of the decorations arc not fit to display. We are going to try to keep the new ones and the ones we are fixing in good shape. If we do this on an annual basis, we'll only have to ask for about $15 instead of SI00 each year," he continued. Blue siad he hoped to have the decorations up by the middle of November. "We'll try to have them up by the fifteenth of November. November is the goal we are shooting for," he concluded. Election Meet An instructional meeting for registrars and judges in the up coming municipal election is scheduled for 8 P.M. Oct 31 in the courthouse, elections secretary Rose Sturgeon announced. Three precincts will vote in the Nov. 4 election to choose a mayor and five city councilmen. The precincts and polling places are: Raeford number one, court house; Raeford number two. old county office building; and Raeford number four. Hoke civic center. The puJls will be open from 6:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. ine airport committee, with all members present at a special Tuesday meeting, were awestruck to learn that the money given by the city council for this fiscal year was tied up around a federal grant. Committeemen Gene Carter, William Poole, Ed Brown, Benny McLeod, William Moses, and chairman Joe Rack ley questioned how much money was available to the airport. Airport manager John Gaddy explained to the committee that $16,000 was set aside in the budget for tine airport, but this'money is an assurance that the airport has money to supplement a federal grant that has been applied for. "We're totally tied into a situation and there is no way of getting money until the federal government makes their move," said committee chairman Joe Rackley. Gaddy explained that the committee could make up a budget for next year and still be able to keep the $16,000 and the city council might pass it. The committee decided that all members would go before city council at their next regular meeting and answer questions from the council dealing with the committee's wishes to become a commission. Thomas W. Simmons, of the Program Office of the Atlanta Airport District Office of the FAA answered the committee's questions about airport regulations. Simmons said the FAA discouraged allowing access to the taxi-way from private property other than the ramp area. He said that if the land in question was in the approved layout plan as land to be acquired by the airport, he didn't think there would be any problem. Simmons said that there could be no reimbursement for construction, but a new bill has been passed to allow the FAA to reimburse money for land acquisition. The present bill to go before Congress would give the FAA approximately $50,000,000 to give out for projects that were already applied for, Simmons said. He explained that the funds were given in order of priority of need and if a whole project could not be funded, parts of the project with the greatest priority could be funded. Since the government's fiscal year is changing this year, the FAA will be able to give out most of the funds from January through July of Next year. "We might have a great deal of See AIRPORT, page 11 Bike Riders Safety Tips The Public Affairs Department of the Junior Woman's Club reminds bicycle riders to observe safety lips. Watch for doors opening suddenly on parked cars. . Leave room between you and the car ahead. Walk your bike across busy streets. Don't take passengers. At night ? use bike lights and wear light clothing or tape. The most dangerous time to ride is between 3 P.M. and 7 P.M. Lawsuit Hinted Fence Injures Youth A young motorcyclist narrowly escaped serious injury last week when he rammed the fence across Bethel Road at the high school and the youth's mother hinted Monday a lawsuit against the school system may be filed. Steven H. Wilburn. 317 W. Third Ave., was admitted to Moore Memorial Hospital with head injur ies and lacerations following the Oct. 13 accident. He was released two days later. Police chief Leonard Wiggins said Wilburn was traveling east on Bethel Road about 10:35 P.M. and did not see that the fence was across the roadway in time to stop. He swerved but the motorcycle rammed the fence and Wilburn was thrown over and knocked unconsci ous. Wiggins said. After regaining consciousness. Wilburn managed to walk home and was taken to the hospital by his mother. Wiggins said. Wilburn was not charged in the mishap. The fence, which is kept closed during school hours, should have been open. Allen Edwards. Hoke High principal, said new eyebolts were installed on the posts on either side of the gate to make it more difficult for any unauthorized per son to close the fence. Reflective tape was also placed on the fence after Wilburn's accident. Edwards said. The boy's mother, Mrs. Norma Wilburn, blamed the school authorities for the accident. "It was sheer negligence on Uieir part", she said. "The only explanation for it is what I saw with my own eyes when I went out and cheeked it the next morning. The chain holding it to the post to keep it open was locked, but there was enough slack left in that chain that a child could remove it and push the fence across the road". "I have called their attorney, Mr. Moses, and he said they do not have any kind of insurance coverage for this. I think that's very hard to believe'" Mrs. Wilburn said she is seeking "medical expenses, compensation for the bike, and damages for the mental and physical anguish" but stopped short of announcing a lawsuit will be filed. "I'm not commenting on that right now", she said. Damage to the bike, a 1973 Kawasaki, was put at $200 by police. Wiggins said anyone who is caught attempting to block the roadway by closing the fence would be subject to arrest. ACCIDENT - The fence used to keep traffic off Bethel Road at the high school during school hours was closed by someone after 10 P.M. Oct. 13 and a young motorcyclist was injured after he ran into it.
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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Oct. 23, 1975, edition 1
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