" *Ote ^Yl eu)i) - journal
The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
Around
Town
By Sam C. Morris
The Christmas Season is with us
once again and the big day is only
one week away. This year things
seem somewhat brighter than last
year. Energy shortage, inflation and
unemployment arc still with us, but
people are not as blue as this time
last year. The economy seems to be
getting somewhat better.
One reason the above is stated is
because of two meetings I attended
last week at local industrial plants.
The picture officials of these plants
fainted was not rosy, but on the
other hand they were so much
brighter than what they were saying
this time last year.
I will try to put across a point or
two gathered at these meetings.
? ? ?
The first was a meeting at the
Burlington Raeford and Dyeing
Plants held Tuesday night, December
9. The plant managers of both plants
stated that they were up to their
necks in deep water the first part of
the year and didn't think they would
be able to swim but that things had
become better as the year progressed.
At the present time over 1400 are
now employed at the two plants. The
market looks good and whatever
changeover the plants had to make
have been accomplished.
Management was of the highest
praise for the employees who had
fought out the fight during this
recession period. Much credit was
given to them in bringing the plants
through.
So things arc better at Burlington
this year.
* ? ?
On Thursday of last week House
of Raeford Processing plant had a
meeting and explained the progress
that had been made at that plant
since becoming a cooperative.
Management at this plant was also
looking toward a brighter side than a
year ago.
The plant is now employing
approximately 500 workers and the
payroll is over IK million dollars a
year. As most everyone in the county
knows, most of the workers are from
this county.
The plant is running one shift
(seven days at present) and
processing more turkeys than before
the installation of new machinery. I
believe they are processing about
25,000 turkeys a day. They can
process six million a year.
A tour of the plant was given to
those present at the meeting and if
you haven't ever been through a
modern processing plant you should
try to make plans to do so.
This is the most modern
processing plant in the United States
and the largest under one roof.
Earl Budd stated that the plant
would welcome groups to see the
new plant. So if you would contact
him maybe it could be arranged for a
tour.
? * ?
So you can see from the above
that the future for Hoke County
workers looks brighter than last
Christmas Season. Let's all hope for a
brighter year in l')76.
No Christmas Bonuses
For County Workers
Unlike city employees who will
find a three per cent Christmas
bonus in their paychecks this
month and also take home a $4
fruit basket, people who work for
the county get nothing special to
brighten the Yule, unless they
chose not to participate in group
insurance during the year.
County employees who do not
take the group hospitalization plan
offered by the county through Blue
Cross-Blue Shield will get a $40
check this month, county manager
T.B. Lester said, but it is not any
kind of a real Christmas bonus.
Lester said county workers have
never gotten any kind of a Christ
mas bonus, although the idea has
been brought up before.
"There's nothing set in the
budget at this time. When you're
going to give bonuses, you've got to
have the money appropriated", he
said.
Lester, also finance manager,
said it would be unwise to take
money not appropriated in this
year's budget and use it for bonuses
in the middle of the fiscal year, as
he does not know how the final
balance will come out until the end
of the fiscal year, next June 30.
"I'll get the blame for it. if the
money isn't there (at the end of
year). Frankly. I can't see taking it
now. If we're going to stay solvent,
we've got to know that we'll have
the money. You keep taking money
out. and you'll end up like New
York", he said.
Lester claimed the city's recent
action to grant across-the-board
pay increases effective Jan. I to
workers, in addition to their regu
lar Christmas bonuses, could not
be compared to the county's situa
tion.
"If they've got the money, that's
fine. The town has got water and
sewer that we don t have, that
brings in a lot of money. See. just
two per cent in the tax collections
could really hurt us. we're basing it
on 92 per cent. And we won't know
before January, as most of the taxes
are paid this month, and the big
ones they wait until the last day of
the month.", he said.
Total number of county workers
on the permanent payroll is about
65.
Giving each a S20 Christmas
bonus would come to about $1.300
an amount which Lester said
"could be managed, or even better
than that", but he again empha
sized it is an item that should
already be appropriated in the
budget, and not drawn from the
contingency fund.
"You can't begin deficit spend
ing. like New York", he said.
Besides bonuses for city employ
ees. school teachers get an "end-of
the-year" bonus which comes in
June.
The Hoke County Board of
Education authorizes a $100
bonus, paid out of federal discre
tionary funds, superintendent G.
Raz Autry confirmed.
The bonus used to be $200. but it
has been decreased in a budget
cutting action. Autry said.
County employees are not out of
Christmas spirit, though. An elab
orately decorated tree, and other
decorations have been put up in the
courthouse annex office building,
paid for by the employees them
selves.
Athletic Equipment
$18,600 To Replace New
SI8,600 is what it would take to
buv new equipment to replace the
athletic equipment destroyed in the
fire Dec. 1 at the Hoke High
stadium, school superintendent G.
Raz Autry said Monday.
County Board
Meets Friday
The board of county
commissioners will hold a
special meeting Friday. Dec. I<>
at 11 A.M. in the meeting
room of the courthouse annex
building, board clerk T.B.
Lester said Monday.
Purpose of the meeting is to
discuss a study of youth needs
in the county and decide if
participating in a state program
is desirable.
The fire, believed to be de
liberately set. has been under
investigation by police and State
Bureau of Investigation (SB1)
agents, but no arrests have been
made.
"The insurance adjusters haven't
finalized it vet. I've given them a
list, when everything was bought.
The room itself was built by the
vocational classes, and $8,000 in
materials went into it. Of course,
there is no labor figured in that."
Autry said.
Autry declined to speculate how
much of the loss will be borne by
the insurance, but indicated it will
not completely pay for the equip
ment.
"I don't have any idea what
they'll give us. I'd hate to say. but
they have been generous in the
past." he said.
Autry said preliminary inspec
tion indicated no structural dam
age to the steel beams, but is asking
for structural engineers from the
state to see it.
Toys, Food Needed
Families Still Waiting
To Be 'Adopted'
Response has been good to this
year's appeal from the Department
of Social Services for help to needy
families to enjoy a real Christmas,
but more families are still waiting
to be "adopted".
An elderly woman living alone
who has lost her eyesight and has
no relatives will not be having a
Christmas dinner this year. A food
basket, or a cash donation sent to
the Department to be used for
purchasing a Christmas dinner,
will help this oldster remember a
happy holiday this year.
A father deserted five small
children, leaving a mother who was
in an accident and unable to work
for the next few months, and there
is no money to buy even one small
toy for each child for Christmas.
Household items, cooking uten
sils, bedding, are especially needed
by a family whose belongings were
damaged in a fire. Three young
children and an older teenager who
has severe brain damage are cared
for by an ailing grandmother while
the mother earns a very meager
income, barely able to support the
family.
Toys for two little boys, ages
three and four, and a girl, seven,
whose mother is seriously ill and
has been away from the home for
months, will help make Christmas
a little brighter lor this family who
has had a series of misfortunes in
the past year. Fruit or canned
goods are particularly needed and
would be a big help.
"We're very pleased with the
results so far. but there are others
who are waiting to be helped",
caseworker Dayna Pate said. Toys,
food items, household goods, any
donations will be gratefully ' ac
cepted. Cash contributions will be
used to purchase what is most
desperatelv needed.
Anyone who would like to help a
family is asked to contact the social
services office at 875-3367. or
875-3772.
N-J Office
Closes
Early
The News-Journal office will be
closed Dec. 25 and Dec. 26 and
next week's edition will be pub
lished Tuesday morning Dec. 23.
All advertising must reach the
office by noon on Monday. Dec. 22
for publication in next week's
edition.
Deadline for church and com
munity news, social items, and
regular features will be noon on
Friday. Dec. 19 for publication in
next week's edition.
Landfill, Trash
Pickup Halts
The landfill will close from noon
on Wednesday, Dec. 24 until 8
A.M. Friday. Dec. 26. acting city
manager Bill Sellars announced.
Residential garbage pickups will
run on regular schedule until noon
on Dec. 24. Regular schedule will
resume Dec. 26.
Hospital 4Not Realistic',
More Doctors Instead
HEALTH CARE ? Jan Bernstein, chief of the rural health care section of the
Department of Human Resources, emphasizes a paint to the crowd in the
courtroom who gathered to discuss the shortage of doctors.
Suspect Wounded
No charges have been placed
against a Rt. 1 man who apparently
shot and wounded a would ? be
burglar about 2:30 A.M. Tuesday
morning.
Sheriffs deputies received a call
from Fred Dudly, of Rt. I, Box 829.
Raeford. who said he had shot
someone trying to break into his
house and the man fell out of the
window and ran. according to Sheriff
D.M. Barnnnton.
Commie Wall, Raeford, was
charged with first degree burglary
and is being held without bond
pending preliminary hearing.
Deputies J.K. Riley and George
McGuire searched near Airport Road
which is near the Dudly residence
and found Wall in a field and he had
been shot one tunc in the right arm.
Harrington said.
There was no address listed lor
Wall.
Area Incidents
Police Arrest Pair
A sixteen year - old Raeford man
and a juvenile were arrested last
Thursday following a chase and
charged in connection with the
reported shoplifting of S77.^0 in
goods from Auto Parts and
Equipment. Inc.. on H. Klwood Ave.
John L. Alford, 16. Rt. 3. Box
343, Raeford, was charged with
larceny and released on Ins own
recognizance and a juvenile petition
has been drawn on a 15 year - old
allegedly involved, police chief
Leonard Wiggins said.
Wiggins gave this account of the
incident:
Alford and the juvenile were
allegedly seen stealing one 12 - piece
socket set worth $27.4)5 and one 16 ?
piece socket set worth S4t).<)5 by
store employee Buddy Willis. Willis
chased the suspects, who lied on
loot, and several police officers
apprehended the pair in the vicinity
of F.. Donaldson Ave. and Crawford
St. The suspects offered no
resistance. Wiggins said.
In other incidents, two Raeford
youths were arrested by Maj. J.(\
Bairington last Wednesday night and
charged with larceny.
Nigel Baldwin. 17. 514 K. Sixth
Ave., and Laverne Freeman. 18, 804
Saunders St., were arrested about
11:50 P.M. while driving near the
vicinity of the Tex ? Flastic plant.
Wiggins said.
The iwo were charged with
larceny in connection with the theft
of a tape player, speaker, and battery
from t lie car of Roy Lee Murchison,
Rt. 3, Box 2^3. Raeford, a Tex ?
Elastic employee. Value of the stolen
items is $40. Wiggins said.
Off. J.J. McNeill reported his
home at 518 I:. Fifth Ave. which had
been vacated was found stripped
when he checked it Dec. 12.
Pending, closet doors, windows,
frames, and other items estimated in
total worth at $633 were taken. The
house had been unoccupied for
about two weeks since the family
moved, according to McNeill.
Douglas R. Muggins, 204> Patterson
St., complained to police his clothes
were stolen from Blanton's
Laundromat on Harris Ave. Monday.
Muggins told police he put the
clothes in a dryer and when he
returned, they wore gone. The loss is
listed at $M. police said.
Steve Thomas. I 1 I Patterson St.,
reported.to police a Remington .12
guage shotgun worth S224> was stolen
out of a jeep parked in his driveway
sometime Sunday night. Nothing else
was apparently taken, police said
Mrs. Shirley Wrench. 503 Forrest
St., notified police about 10:30 P.M.
Monda> night upon returning home
and discovering a break ? in. One
black and white 12 inch portable
television and one I1) inch color set
with a total value of $423.75 were
taken Kntry was apparently made b\
breaking a window . police said.
Home hood Market on Main St
See ARfcA INCIDENTS, naee 13
Merchants Say Sales Booming,
Predict Record Christmas
Local merchants indicated last
week that business was booming this
year in comparison to last year's
Christmas sales.
Most merchants said the increase
was due to an earlier start in the
Christmas promotion this year and
the tact that people started buying
earlier this year for the holidays.
"It's going great. We're having one
of the best Christmases in the history
of the company.'* said Dan Powers,
manager of B.C. Moore and Sons.
Powers said Moore's started their
Christmas promotion directly after
Thanksgiving and sales had been
going strong since that time.
"I'm really happy to see n going
iIns well." lie added.
"It's j whole lot belter than ii wis
lasl year. Christmas started tor us a
tew weeks ago. We actually stalled
right alter Halloween." said John
Blanchard. manager of the Family
Dollar Store here
"I've been out ol Christmas trees
tor over a week." he said.
"I thing the shoppers arc making
up tor the slow shopping lasl year."
he concluded.
"last week was the best week
we've had since I've been heie." said
I'd Hasty of De Vane's.
"Things arc rcallv locking up." he
added
"I'm hckled to death my sell." said
proprietor. Danny DeVanc
"Sales and layaways arc up We've
had a big increase over last year."
said James Wood, operator ol"
Western Auto.
"It's mud) heavier than lasi year
and we're really pleased with it." he
added.
"Our Christmas promotion started
right alter Thanksgiving and things
are going well," he concluded.
A hospital within the county is
just not economically feasible tor a
community this size, but a stepped
up campaign to attract more
physicians and increase the com
munity's primary health care ser
vices should be a top priority, a
citizens' meeting called to discuss
health services was told Sunday
afternoon.
"We know it's very difficult to
recruit physicians to small towns".
Jim Bernstein, chief of the rural
health servce section of the De
partment of Human Resources,
told the crowd of about 22 in the
courtroom.
Chamber of Commerce manager
J.H. Blue, Jr.. who has been
working jointly with the county
health department on a National
Health .Service application, which,
if approved, would assign another
physician to the county, told the
group the community needs to
think of a plan for the next 20
years.
"Most ot us here recognize that
we have a health care problem, the
question is. what is the solution?"
Blue said.
"Two practioners are not enough
for your population size". Bern
stein said. "The state became
aware in'73 we had a problem in
rural health care. We have four
resources: the student loan pro
gram for med students to return to
towns of 10,000 or less, the
physician recruitment program,
one of the largest in the country,
and we act as liaison wth the
National Health Servce", he said.
Bernstein added the Rural
Health Care Program, also a state
function, is really aimed at com
munities with no medical services
whatsoever, and this program has
been given the greatest thrust.
"We'll work with you in any way
we can. but first determine what
your problem is", he said.
"You have to decide realistically
how Raeford and Hoke County
should fit in with the larger picture.
The operating costs of a hospital
are phenomenal. The facts are. the
future doesn't look good for the
small hospitals. What I'm saying
is. the small hospital is a tre
mendous undertaking and a great
financial risk". Bernstein said.
He termed it "not a very realistic
option" and added the existence of
a hospital is not necessarily an aid
in attracting physicians.
"It took us six months to get one
for Clinton, and they have a very
nice hospital", he said.
Kalhy Leandro. co-owner of the
Open Arms rest home, said the
lack of emergency services, coupled
with the city's only two doctors, is a
serious concern for some people
"What about emergencies? This
concerns people, and young people
who are moving here with children
w ant to know . If Dr. Townsend and
Dr. Jordan are both gone, who do I
call? What if my husband has a
heart attack?" she said.
"I've got 2b patients now , and I
expect to have *"5 soon. What am 1
going to do in an emergency?
People have sometimes called us.
because they know we are nurses,
but what about getting emergencies
services?" she asked.
"In a city, thev have a true
emergency room. I don't think a
rural community can support such
an emergency facility 24 hours a
day. seven days a week, just for
emergencies, it would be verv
expensive. Ideally, it would be good
to have a group practice here. sa\
lour physicians, your ambulances.
Sec HOSPITAL, page I !