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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
Congratulations Kathy!
Words will not say how proud we
are of you and I know all the people
of Hoke County feel the same way.
A book has been placed at The
News-Journal office and it will be
given to Kathy on her return. If you
would like to say 'Thank you' come
by and sign this book. It will let her
know in the years ahead what the
(feople of Raeford and Hoke Coun
ty think of her.
So come by and sign one for
Kathv.
The picture that ran in the paper
last week of the students of 1916
brought forth more names. All
have not been identified but maybe
they will in the next week or so.
Someone asked why we just ran
the names and didn't put the
names with the faces. The way the
students were in the picture it was
almost impossible to do this.
The names that have been turned
in since last week are Martha or
Linda Hassell. Nivelina Pratt,
Mary Bell and Martha Macon
Moore.
If you know anyone else that
wasn't named get in touch with this
writer.
Thanks.
A couple of the local golfers that
go on tour approximately four
times a year put Raeford on the
map a couple of weeks ago. Bill
Lancaster and Harvey Warlick
were winners in a golf tournament
at Pinehurst and made the daily
papers. Congratulations!
By the way I heard that Joe
Upchurch had a hole-in-one last
Saturday at Arabia. Also Congrat
ulations!
The following letter was received
last week and was appreciated:
Dear Sam:
Not only are you read in Red
Springs and Raleigh, but The
News-Journal ranks no. I in Atlan
ta. Georgia, in our house, and my
sincere compliments to you and the
entire N'J staff for continuing the
fine job you do week after week.
Your Bicentennial edition was
read with much interest by me and
my family, and certainly brought
back many fond memories of my
younger years in Raeford. a fine job
of reporting.
Raeford does have that 'certain
something." and I feel the fine
people of several generations are
responsible for this.
Give the Dicksons my regards,
and keep up the good work.
Sincerely.
Pat Kellv
Another letter:
Dear Sam:
Since Kathy's part is over in the
Olympics. I would like to express
r?y deep personal appreciation, on
behalf of the entire school system,
to the people of Hoke County for
the wonderful support they gave
this young woman.
?She was a tremendous represen
tative for our tow n and county. One
of the proudest moments of my life
was when she stood on the awards
stand, tall and straight. The an
nouncer gave her hometown and
county. On the way home we tuned
in a New York station on the radio.
Kathy was being interviewed. She
said she was so happy that she
didn't let her family, her town, her
county, and her country down. We
4were proud citizens of Hoke Coun
ty
I must give a special thanks to
some people for making our trip to
Montreal more comfortable. To
Clyde and Lorenna Upchurch for
arranging with Mrs. Upchurch's
sister in upper New York for us to
use her home as a place of rest and
the other comforts of a home early
Friday morning. To Younger
Snead lor furnishing us a new car.
With support and friends like this.
yo)| can't lose.
Sincerely.
Raz Autrv
dose's Office
The mobile office of Congress
nan Charles G. Rose will be in
*aeford Friday July 30 from 10
.M. to 3 p.m.
The van will be parked in the
?st office lot.
Hometown Jubilant
Fans Await Kathy's Return
LONG-LEGGED LONG JUMPER?Eighteen -year-old Kuthy McMillan was awarded the
Olympic silver medal in the long jump event in Montreal Friday. Miss McMillan put in a
winning jump of 21' II)14
Bond Issue Decides Fate
Firehouse A 'Firetrao
By Suzanne H. Aplin
The forty to fifty-year-old fire
house on Main St.. termed a
"firetrap" by the North Carolina
League of Municipalities, may he
replaced soon if voters approve a
$200,000 bond issue Aug. 17.
Fire Chief Crawford Thomas Jr.
explained that the League ordered
the department to install a sprink
ler system in the old building.
Electrical sockets hanging from the
walls and electricity boxes without
covers were also cited as hazardous.
The whole building needs to be
rewired in accordance with the
Occupational Health and Safety
Act.
Rather than refurbish the exist
ing firehouse. the firemen have
requested a new one. listing a
number of problems inherent in the
present location.
"If we want to hook up the
battery charger on one of the
trucks." Thomas said, "and some
one is using any of the other
equipment, the air conditioner,
electric calculator, or the typewriter
in the office it throws the circuit
breaker."
"Fven if there was sufficient
Paper's Rates
Rise Aug. 1
Effective August 1, 1976, sub
scription price for The News
Journal will be S8 for one year,
$4.25 for six months and $2.25 for
three months. Single copy and
newsstand price wHI be 25 cents per
copy.
Reasons are known to ail and
include rising costs for paper,
postage, people, power, everything
else, and a desire to continue
producing a good quality paper.
Discount for mail subscriptions
to senior citizens w ill be 25 per cent
in the future, instead of 50 per cent
as In the put, due to increased cost
of mailing.
power for (he building." he contin
ued. "there are not enough plugs to
meet our needs."
The firemen are hard pressed lor
space. Four vehicles, three fire
trucks and an equipment truck are
squeezed into an area Thomas
estimates to be 18' by 70'. Only one
truck can exit the front door at a
time and the fire truck and
equipment truck are parked side by
side with only enough room
separating them to allow firemen to
ELECTRICAL HAZARD ? Elec
trical sockets /lunging from the
lirelnntse walls were one of the
lijzarih pointed out by the Sorth
(iinilmti League ol Municipalities
when it called the present tirehouse
a "tire trap. "
walk single Hie between them.
With two vehicles side by side at
the entrance and the other two
lined up one behind the other, a
n' tjor problem arises should one of
the front vehicles fail to crank.
Backing out of the rear of the
building is complicated by parked
cars and a tree. Fireman Robert
Jackson noted that this lack of
room really creates a "life and
death situation."
Space limitations also require
that the firemen park their antique
fire truck elsewhere. Firemen re
sponding to an alarm may find 13
to 25 men trying to dress in a space
about five feet wide between the
truck and a wall.
The location of the building
further hampers the action of
firemen. Once the fire alarm is
sounded the men arrive to find no
available parking and often wind
up leaving their cars in the street.
Should the alarm sound on a
payday Friday or during a funeral
at one of the two churches nearby
the trucks have a difficult time
getting underway because of the
traffic.
Other complaints of the firemen
include lack of space for small
repair work, poor lighting, no
storage for extra equipment, no
area adequate for washing and
drying hoses, no place to secure
potentially dangerous items like a
fire extinguisher which is now
simply set on the floor.
There are no dressing rooms or
lockers to leave personal items. The
restroom is a dark, closet-like
addition built into one corner.
Upon returning, the firemen have
no place to clean up. Shower stalls
have been built in the office area
upstairs, but have never been
hooked up to the hot water heater
because of the electrical problems.
Thomas further elaborated on
the problems by pointing out that
there was currently no way to
supervise the back of the station,
t he only full time fireman. Robert
Jackson, spends much of his time
in the office area located upstairs.
This leaves the trucks vulnerable to
pranksters or to a small child
simply attracted by the large red
trucks. "All a child would have to
do is climb up and start throwing
switches." he said. "Or. someone
could just pick up a S250 nozzle
replacement off of the open
shelves." he added.
The men worry about the safety
of the back door. "Some years ago
it just fell out of the overhead
tracks and hit one of the firemen.
We fixed it as best as we could, but
we still worry about it falling
again." Thomas said.
The men have largely financed
the decoration of a meeting
recreation room upstairs to encour
age participation in the.volunteer
fireman program. There is a pool
table and TV and easy chairs. But
the stove doesn't work. "It would
be nice to be able to come back
de ^
v*?s^ueAal
Kathy McMillan, who earned the silver medal for the United States Friday at the
Summer Olympics, will be congratulated by jubilant Hoke Countians on her return
from Montreal with a 'Kathy McMillan Day' being planned by the community.
Because of disappointing last minute changes in the television network's schedule
of Olympic coverage, many here missed her 21 feet. 10% inch leap in the women's
long jump. Taped coverage of the track and field events began at 8 P.M. and an
announcement was made the long jump would not be shown. The event was telecast
after 11 P.M.. however.
Miss McMillan became the first American to finish in the top six in the women's
long jump in 20 years. She is the first to capture a medal in that competition since
Willie White got the silver in 1956.
Miss McMillan, who will arrive at the Fayetteville airport at 7 P.M. Wednesday,
July 28. told the Associated Press Friday she was "disappointed" she didn't jump
farther, but was very pleased to get the silver medal.
"1 know the people of Raeford arc going to be proud of me." she told the AP.
About twenty persons representing various organizations in the county met
Monday in the county office to make plans for 'Kathy McMillan Day' and involve the
entire community in welcoming her back. A reception in the courtyard of the high
school to give everyone a chance to meet her is planned, along with a downtown
parade in her honor. A banner with her name will be unfurled across Main St.
Chamber of Commerce manager Dayna Pate announced a special fund has been
established to raise money for the welcome back celebration and to present Miss
McMillan with a token of the community's pride. Radio station WSHB will
broadcast a Kathy McMillan fund raiser from 4-9 P.M. Thursday to receive
contributions. Donations can also be made in the form of a check payable to 'Kathy
McMillan Dav' and mailed to P.O. Box 96. Raeford.
Mrs. Pate said many of Kathy's hometown fans plan to greet her on her arrival at
the airport Wednesday night. Kathy McMillan Day is tentatively set for this
Saturday.
Another meeting will be held Thursday at 4 P.M. in the courthouse annex building
to finalize plans for the program. Anyone who has not been contacted about
participating in the plans may attend the meeting.
Contributions to Kathy McMillan Day may be dropped off at McNeill's Grocery."
Dundarrach Trading Co.. McCallum's Grocery. Huffs Exxon. McMillan's Grocery.
Parks Grocery & Grill. Pete's Exxon. Parks Grocery & Exxon, Hunt's Grocery. Davis
Grocery. Rockfish Store Grocery, Big Star Truck Stop, Alpine Grocery and Wilson's
Grocery.
/?OUR VEHICLES?Three firetrucks and one equipment vehicle are
parked in an area approximately IX' hy 70' at the Raefnrd firehouse.
Should one of the front vehicles fail to start firemen are indeterminately
delayed as they either push the offending vehicle out into the street or
attempt to maneuver out the hack door past a tree and numerous parked
cars.
alter a lire and clean up and he
able lo fix a bile to eat." said
Thomas.
"If we had a new station we
could train there instead of pulling
out into the street like we do now
and block traffic. We could also
clean the vehicles inside the station
without having to pray that it
doesn't rain before we get fin
ished." he added.
"In the winter our heat here is
mil sufficient for the water in the
trucks." he said.
Robert Drumwright. city man
ager. reiterated the points of
inadequacy pointed out by Thomas
and then added. "The League of
Municipalities said that if a tire
should start in the upstairs portion
of the flrehouse we would be lucky
to get one truck out safely."
Drumwright also noted that the
See t-1 REHOUSE, page 15