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, The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVIII NO. 12 RAEFORD. HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. JULY 22. 1976
Around
Town
By Sam C. Morris
As 1 sit at this desk Tuesday
morning pondering how to begin
this column it occurs to me that
with the building air conditioned,
how did we write or work twenty
five years ago without it.
Summer is now in full swing and
you can tell it when you leave these
'air conditioned offices and build
ings; even most homes are air
conditioned these days.
Did it ever enter your mind what
#we would do if the energy shortage
cut out these modern conve
niences? Of course air conditioning
would be one of the first things to
conserve energy in an industry.
How long would it take us to adjust
to the way we worked years ago. Of
course some have never worked
without these luxuries.
Also buildings would have to be
renovated because most are built
without windows. This would take
time and be an added expense.
Anyway it is nice to live in this
time and we should all be thankful
for what we have and try to
conserve it.
Think about it!
The Bicentennial year is still with
us but most of us began feeling a let
down or started to forget after the
July 4th celebration. We are now in
the third century of our nation.
The following letter was received
last week and it tells the story of
how most of us feel.
Dear Sam:
During the Bicentennial the
people of Hoke County have re
flected on the past, celebrated the
present and built a landmark for
the future. Those who became
involved received far more than
they gave. The friendships that
(idsveloped. the unity of working
together, the pride one felt for his
community and country was a
wonderful experience. May we all
strive to strengthen these values for
the future.
There is always a little sadness
when a task enjoyed is completed
but the time is near for the Hoke
County Bicentennial Commission
to cease functioning. However, the
tiles, the five Hoke County scenes,
will continue to be on sale at the
library and the Chamber of Com
merce.
Sam, thank you and The News
Journal Staff for your cooperation
and support.
It has really been a thrill to see
the participation of churches, or
ganizations. institutions and busi
nesses; the creativeness of citizens;
the excitement of children and the
talents of individuals.
We would like to thank everyone
who gave so freely of themselves to
make all the celebrations held
throughout the county during the
past eighteen months a reality.
Most sincerely,
Carson and Iris Davis
Thanks Carson and Iris for a job
well done.
? The Democratic convention
ended with everyone still speaking
to each other. The players have
been chosen to represent them in
the big game that takes place the
'first Tuesday in November.
The Republicans will meet next
month and choose their players for
the big game.
After you have observed both
conventions and been taken down
the Campaign road, then you will
take the field and choose the
players to lead us for the next four
years.
Just remember when you come to
a decision it only counts if you
VOTE. Don't forget this!
Don't forget to give your support
in any way that you can to Kathy
McMillan who is jumping on
Friday night. In case you haven't
read or heard the event will be
televised Friday night beginning at
eight o'clock. Be sure to look!
When you hear of someone being
put out of business or closing their
business for one reason or another
you have a sad feeling for the
person or persons that are involved.
Listening to TV Monday night
an announcer stated that Amy
Carter had closed down her lemon
See AROUND TOWN, page 13
Ambulance Subsidy,Beer Sales
Spark Commis sioner s 'Session
Kathy's Day Friday
Kathy McMillan's bid for a gold
medal for the United States at the
Summer Olympics in Montreal will
come this Friday when the women's
track and field events are sche
duled.
Preliminaries begin Friday
morning and the long jump event is
scheduled for 4 P.M. that after
noon. Taped television coverage is
scheduled to begin at 8 P.M.
Friday.
Miss McMillan, the holder of the
American women's record in the
long jump at 22 feet, three inches,
has recovered from a leg injury she
suffered during the Olympic tty
outs in Eugene, Ore., last month.
Her biggest rival for the gold
medal is considered to be East
German Sigrun Siegel-Thon, who
set the world record of 22-11V4 in
May. It broke the record of 22-8'/i
set earlier the same month by
Angela Voight. another East
German, who will also be com
peting in Montreal.
Alex Ferenczy. coach of the
United States women's track team,
had confident words for Miss
McMillan.
"At the trials. 1 was asked if 1
thought Kathy McMillan had
reached her peak, and I answered
definitely not. 1 said I think she can
jump much further", Ferenczy
said.
Hoke High coach Billy Colston,
Kathy McMillan's coach for the
past four years, has been Invited to
speak at the prestigous N.C.
Athletic Association's high school
coaching conference, It was
announced this week.
The conference, scheduled the
last week of July in Greensboro,
features the most outstanding
coaches in the state In the high
school and college ranks.
Miss McMillan's parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Alexander McMillan,
expect to make the trip to Montreal
to see their daughter realize her
four year - long dream of being in
the Olympics.
Mrs. McMillan said Tuesday she
had spoken to her daughter by
telephone and that (Cathy was
sending tickets to the stadium. The
McMillans plan to leave Thursday
if the tickets arrive.
Track and Field Magazine has
picked Kathy McMillan as the
likely silver medal winner at the
Olympics with the East German
Siegel-Thon rated first.
A CCIDl-.NT- A head-on collision at 4:30 P.M. Monday resulted in one dead and three persons injured. A Southern
Pines youth was pinned inside a 1968 Volkswagen for 30 minutes before the Rescue Squad could free him. lie died at
Moore Memorial Hospital that evening.
Collision Kills Youth
A Southern Pines youth died
Monday evening of head and chest
injuries sustained in a head - on
collision that occurred 4:30 that
afternoon at NC 211 and Turnpike
Road.
According to a Highway Patrol
report, Everette Adair. 17, of 814
S. Mechanic St.. Southern Pines,
was a passenger in a '68 Volks
wagen driven by Jeff Edward
Jeffries. 18. of 330 N. Leek St.,
Southern Pines. The young men
were coming to Raeford to pur
chase license tags for Jeffries newly
purchased VW.
The VW attempted to pass
another vehicle traveling in the
same direction and sideswiped it,
and then hit head on a Ford Falcon
traveling away from Raeford, ac
cording to the patrol. The Falcon
was driven by Henry Jackson
Graham, 53, of Rt. 3, Raeford. His
son William Graham, 18, was a
passenger.
All four were transported by
Harris Ambulance to Moore
Memorial Hospital where they were
all treated for multiple fractures.
Adair was pinned in the VW for
about 30 minutes before the Hoke
County Rescue Squad and patrol
men could free him. He died about
7 p.m. that evening.
Charges against Jeffries are
pending further investigation.
With two members absent for the monthly meeting Monday night,
the other three county commissioners postponed any decisions on
changing the yearly subsidy paid to one of two ambulance services
and also delayed any action on a request to review the Sunday ban on
beer and wine sales.
Rev. M.H. Williams, president of the Hoke County Civic League,
a black ministerial association, and Tony Buie. owner of Buie's
Ambulance Service, appeared before the board to protest the
renewal of the contract with Harris Ambulance Service, which
carries with it a $27,000 subsidy, to provide ambulance service in the
county for the 1976-77 fiscal year.
Earlier this year, Buie had requested consideration by the board to
giving him a subsidy to operate his service, but the board adopted
the new budget without any funds appropriated for a second
ambulance service.
Williams requested the board authorize a subsidy to Buie without
specifying any amount and told the commissioners their refusal to
subsidize the black ambulance service "disturbed both the black
community and the whites".
Buie said since the sheriffs office is rotating ambulance calls
between his firm and Harris, he needs extra funds to make up for
trips for which he never collects his fee. but the board said he is
under no obligation and may refuse calls since he does not hold a
contract with the county.
A discussion of the controversy over Sunday beer and wine sales
was added to the regular agenda at the request of Donald Peterson,
operator of the Kash and Karry market in Raeford, who told the
commissioners it was "unfair" to have two establishments selling
beer for take - out under brown bagging permits on Sundays.
"My views are it is very unfair that two people can do it. For one
reason, we cannot get fair distribution of beer because these people
are selling in such quantities on Sundays. I have called St. Louis and
Milwaukee about it. It's a very ticklish situation". Peterson said
Tuesday.
"Every Sunday they're asking me to jeopardize my license. A
regular customer comes in and 1 can't sell it to them. 1 have to obey
the law. Well, they are going to go where they can buy it. 1 say, let's
open it up to everyone. You're hurting the county in revenue, I'd say
about $9,000 or so in Sunday sales, and the bootlegger is going to sell
it anyway, and that's no revenue", Peterson said.
The board's decision to table the matter until the Aug. 2 meeting
was the second time the issue has been before commissioners. At the
June meeting, a petition signed by nearly 40 grocery owners seeking
an end to the ban on Sunday beer sales was presented to the board by
Billy Parks, operator of Parks Grocery north of the city limits. The
petitioners requested permission to sell beer and wine between the
hours of 1 P.M. and midnight on Sundays.
In other business, the commissioners:
Approved payment of $725 in legal fees incurred by Charles
Hostetler, county attorney, during a civil proceeding filed by citizens
seeking Sheriff D.M. Barrington's removal from office earlier this
year;
Appointed James Harris and Bobby Conoly in the Emergency
Medical Service Advisory Council, replacing Ralph Barnhart and
Lawrence Caviness;
Extended the two per cent discount on payment of taxes through
Aug. 15, 1976, because of a delay in mailing of tax notices;
Appointed county planner Lester Simpson to the Regional
Manpower Advisory Committee, replacing Dick Lovett;
Authorized purchase of liability insurance on the surplus jeep at
the Civil Preparedness office which is used for emergencies;
Agreed to refuse issuing a key to the landfill to Pick-up Sanitation
Service after hearing a report from T.B. Lester, county manager,
regarding state regulations requiring the presence of a landfill
operator;
Approved the sign for the new county office building at a cost of
approximately $700;
Authorized inspector Jack Ellis to attend a four day training
school at a cost of $100;
Approved an amendment to the 1976-77 budget to cover a $4.(XX)
grant from the state for the senior citizens program;
Okayed resolutions to the Lumber Riber Council of Governments
for that agency to continue administering the manpower, older
adults and family planning programs for this fiscal year.
Commissioners tabled until the next meeting a bill from
commissioner James A. Hunt in the amount of $687 to cover
expenses for his trip to the National Association of County Officials
(NACO) convention in Salt Lake City. Utah, and also the matter of
appointing members to the Council of Women.
Inf lation Takes Bite
Travel To Cost Taxpayers $32,000 This Year
By Mart; Vega
Travel costs for local government
workers have risen sharply, like
everything else, and this year
county taxpayers will foot a bill of
$32,000 or more to send county
officials off to various conventions,
seminars and meetings, along with
business within the county, an
increase of nearly $10,000 over this
year's travel expenditures.
County commissioner James A.
Hunt last week submitted a bill of
$687.87 for plane fare, lodging,
meals and taxi fare to cover a trip
to Salt Lake City. Utah for the
National Association of County
Officials (NACO) annual conven
tion June 26-30. Hunt's trip was the
first time any county commissioner
traveled out of the state on county
business, according to T.B. Lester,
county manager and finance offi
cer. Hunt was not officially sent by
the board of commissioners as a
delegate.
Travel expenses for county com
missioners are budgeted at only
S2.000 for the entire year and that
amount is really intended to pay for
the annual state convention of
county commissioners. Lester said.
All five commissioners, along with
Lester, usually attend that meet.
This year it is in Pinehurst. Last
year it was in Asheville.
The $2,000 fund also covers any
incidental travel, as commissioners
may be reimbursed 12 cents a mile
for trips to the Council of Govern
ments (COG) regional office in
Lumberton. or state offices in
Fayetteville. along with meals.
Benjamin Nibfock, director of
the Hoke County Department of
Social Services, also made the trip
to Salt Lake City, going by car, but
has not yet turned in a bill to the
county manager's office. The total
travel allowance for the social
services department is set at
$11,475 in this year's budget. Last
year it was $6,884.
Niblock said that under the
formulas governing state and
federal matches for county social
services departments. 72 per cent of
his trip expenses are reimbursed by
state and federal aid. and only 28
per cent is borne by local taxpayers.
"It'snot uncommon for our statt
to go out of state, two years ago the
child services (conference) met in
New Orleans," Niblock said.
"I would like to say this. If Jim
(Hunt) and I are going to be singled
out and subjected to having to
submit a breakdown of expenses
like this then I think everyone
should get the same treatment.
What about when the board of
education went out to San Francis
co. was that ever in the paper?" he
said.
"1 don't see why newspapers
should even print this information
? public servants have to give up
so much of their privacy. If a
citizen wants to know how much
somebody's trip cost, it's a matter
of public record and they can go
down to the county office and look
it up." he said.
"1 read the Charlotte Observer
and the Raleigh paper every day
and I defy you to find any article
written about the cost of trips made
by officials there." he said.
"Anybody who wasn't aware of
the national convention being out
in Salt Lake City I would say is not
very well-educated and I doubt if
they would have any interest in the
cost." he said.
In the health department, this
year's travel budget has increased
to $8,250 from last year's $6,500.
Most of the money is used for the
12 cents per mile allowance for the
dog warden, sanitarians and nurses
who do a great deal of traveling
around the county.
Part of the money is also spent on
staff members traveling to ihe
district office in Fayetteville or
sometimes the state office in
Raleigh for meetings. One or more
representatives attend the yearly
state convention of the nurses'
association.
The finance department has a
SI.200 annual travel expense allot
ment. an increase of $300 over last
year. Lester, who is the only county
official who does not receive a
mileage allowance, uses the money
for trips to Chapel Hill for semi
nars. and also the yearly state
meeting for finance and budget
officers at Chapel Hill which
usually lasts a week, and various
other meetings and conferences
Sec TRAVHL. page 13