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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXV1II NO. 17 RAEFORD. HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
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25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
$8 PER YEAR THURSDAY. AUGUST 26. 1976
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The turnout for the primary last
Tuesday was approximately 47% of
the registered voters in the county.
This was somewhat better than the
state as a whole but still is not
good.
When over half of the registered
voters in the county don't care who
looks after the state and local
business, that is bad. We have
another primary coming up in
September so be sure to mark
September 14th on your calendar
and vote that day.
A letter from Ralph Huff, county
manager for Ed O'Herron, should
be self - explanatory:
Dear Sam:
Please take a look at the
paragraph below. I think the
Highway Department should get
some recognition for a job well
done. You can put this note in your
column, in the letters to the editor,
or leave it out entirely if you think
best.
On behalf of the O'Herron for
Governor Committee in Hoke
County, I would like to express my
appreciation to the State Highway
Department for removing the
obsolete campaign posters on
Wednesday. My committee was
prepared to do this promptly: but
the Highway Department's quick
response riddled Hoke County of
these eyesores more quickly and
efficiently than the various candi
dates could have done.
Again, many thanks for a job
well done!
Sincerely.
Ralph Huff
Thanks Ralph for the letter and I
will add that over the weekend my
wife and 1 were in three or four
other counties in the state and signs
were still on poles and trees along
highways. So once again, the
highway crew of Hoke County, as
when the snow and ice were
removed from the roads, is once
afain No. 1 in the state.
Thanks Bill Southern and all
your crew.
* * *
The Open House at the Open
Arms Rest Home several weeks ago
was well attended by the people of
Hoke County. Many favorable
comments were made about the
new facility by these people. We
also made the same kind of
comments after attending the
occasion.
Last week someone brought to
my attention how dedicated Mr.
and Mrs. John Leandro are to the
old folks that live at the home. In
talking to persons that have
relatives at the home or people that
visit there, they all mentioned how
fine the Leandros are and how they
take to heart each of the residents
there.
Of course this is a business just
like a garage, grocery store etc. but
instead of dealing with things you
are dealing with humans. These
two people are certainly an asset to
this community and the home
Boubly so with them running it. In
this day and time wheq money
seems to be the God of us all, it is
good to have someone looking after
the elderly who put loving kindness
Before material wealth.
So to Mr. and Mrs. John
Leandro we wish for you many
successful years in Raeford and
know that you will continue the fine
work you are doing in this field.
The kind of dedication that you
show to your clients is hard to find
this day and time. So keep up the
good work and your reward will
come.
? ? ?
Don't forget that Hoke High
School opens its football season
tonight at home against Southern
Durham. The team is under a new
coach. John Harris, and should
have a new look about it.
The Hoke High Booster Club
would also like to have you as a
member. So if you haven't joined
be sure to do so this week.
Be a Booster and attend the
game Friday night.
Rose's Office
9 The mobile office of Congress
man Charles G. Rose will be in
Raeford today (Thursday) from 10
A.M. to 3 P.M. in the parking lot
of the post office.
Administrative assistant Rip
Collins will be on hand.
Four From Hoke
Attend State Meet
The North Carolina Association
of County Commissioners held
their annual convention in Pine
hurst last week and additional
sources of tax revenue for local
government was the chief item of
discussion.
County Manager T. B. Lester,
who attended the convention with
Hoke County commissioners John
Balfour, James Hunt and Neil
McPhatter, said the meeting was
aimed at informing commissioners
on topics like the Title XX grant,
personnel taxation and health pro
grams on the county level.
Lester said, "the main purpose
was to discuss things that the
association needs to change in
legislation."
The commissioners voted unan
imously Saturday to ask the state
government to share part of its
income tax revenue with counties to
avoid further increases in ad valor
em property taxes.
The ad valorem property tax,
now the source of 80 percent of
local revenue, was not originally
meant to finance the growing list of
county services. And, the steadily
increasing ad valorem tax has
become a problem for poor, elderly
and the unemployed.
Meeting in the Pinehurst Hotel,
commissioners representing 90 of
the 100 state counties also adopted
a resolution supporting a bottle bill
w hich would require deposits on all
beverage containers. This resolu
tion is aimed at cleaning up the
state's highways.
The association also endorsed a
resolution to change the date of the
North Carolina primary election
from August back to May.
The North Carolina Sheriff's
Association submitted two resolu
tions to the commissioners which
were approved. The first called for
no reduction by probation parole or
suspended sentence in the sen
tences for armed robbery, and
persons convicted of breaking and
entering.
The second resolution callcd for
increased death benefits for law
enforcement officials and for in
crease in the immediate benefits.
The commissioners voted unan
imously for the state to assume 100
percent of the nonfederal cost of
the food stamp program.
Lester noted that Hoke County
commissioners were not appointed
to any of the committees in this
year's convention, but with the
election of Sam Nobles of Lumber
ton as president of the association
they hope to be more active next
year.
The four-day conference con
cluded with a ball Saturday night in
the hotel and a prayer breakfast
held Sunday.
Second Ambulance Firm
Receives Certification
Buie's ambulance Service, the
county's only black-owned ambu
lance service which has been seek
ing funds to subsidize its operation,
was inspected Tuesday by the state
and was granted a conditional
certification.
A1 Minor, of the office of
inspections for the emergency med
ical services (EMS) division, auth
orized the certification, which is a
temporary permit which must be
renewed every 60 days, after Buie's
firm acquired additional equip
ment.
Earlier this month. Minor ap
peared at the county commis
sioners' meeting and reported that
buie Ambulance Service was not
certified because it lacked certain
pieces of equipment which are
required under state standards.
The only other ambulance ser
vice in the county. Harris Ambu
No Definite
On Start Of
Local health officials do not vet
know when the swine influenza
vaccine will arrive for the mass
immunization program being
undertaken nationally in the hopes
of preventing an epidemic of the
killer tlu this winter.
Susan McKenzie. acting director
of the Hoke County public health
center, said last week the health
center is awating notification from
the regional office.
"Ii is still a matter of confusion.
When we did receive some infor
mation earlier, it made mention of
school - age children getting the
shots. Then I see in the national
news that they will not be given to
anyone under 23. So. at this point,
we don't know just what all of the
procedures will be until we get
something official from the re
gional office", she said.
Mrs. McKenzie said the plan
now is to have a mass im
munization day with flu shot
centers set up in four places around
the county. Special "jet injector
guns" designed for mass im
munization will be made available
for only one day.
Because the vaccine is expected
to be distributed sometime next
month, the health center is now
busy trying to line up the extra help
which will be needed.
"There is no way five public
health nurses can do it. We need to
recruit retired nurses", she said.
Despite the substantial support
the flu vaccine has gotten from
health experts, there mav not be as
lance, also operates under condi
tional certification. The Harris firm
is also re-inspected every 60 days
for renewal because it does not have
certain required items. Minor said.
At the last commissioners' meet
ing. the board refused to authorize
See AMBULANCE, page 15
Run-offs
Run-off elections on Sept. 14 for
the county commissioners and the
register of deeds Democratic races
are official, the Hoke board of
elections announced last week.
Candidate for county commis
sioner Danny DeVane. who ran
third in last Tuesday's Democratic
primary, officially requested a run
off election, as well as register of
deeds candidate Frances Ward
Date Given
Flu Shots
great a demand for shots. Mrs.
McKenzie said.
"We may not have that many
people coming in because there is
so much misinformation about the
vaccine. Our visiting nurses who go
out in the county have learned that
many people are fearful and don't
understand the shots because of
something they have heard. There's
no way we can correct all of this
misinformation in time. I'm
afraid", she said.
The flu vaccine is being made
available free of charge. If a person
visits his personal physician, the
shot is free and the only charge will
be the office call. No fee will be
charged at the county public health
center.
Housing Chief Resigns
BLIGHT" A thirteen acrc wooded tract north of Robbins Heights was turned
down as a location for a public housing development becausc it bordered
Stephen St., an area of dilapidated homes and abandoned buildings
Flat No Comment
On Rape Complaint
Local law enforcement officials
and the District Attorney's office
flatly refused any comment late
Tuesday on a rape complaint made
by a Hoke County woman last
Wednesday night to the sheriffs
department in which she named
two N.C". highway patrolmen.
Mrs. Roxanne McGee. 19. a
mother of two. confirmed that she
reported she was raped at her Old
Trail Mobile Home Park home last
Wednesday.
"Yes. 1 reported it. 1 was
assaulted by two highway patrol
men I would rather not say
anymore until 1 talk to my
husband'*, she said Tuesday.
Sheriff D.M. Barrington con
firmed that he requested the State
Bureau of Investigation to assist in
an investigation but refused to
Official
Lireene. who ran second in the
primary.
By law . a run-off election must
be held if no candidate receives a
simple majority (one more than
half the total votes cast) and the
next highest vote getter requests it.
Meil w. Mcrnatter, an incum
bent. won last Tuesday's primary
for county commissioner w ith 1 .43 1
votes unofficially, but because two
seats are up for grabs this year, a
run-off count is necessary between
DeVane and Charlie Pendergrass.
the second highest in the tally.
In the register of deeds battle.
Delia Maynor polled 1.292 unoffic
ially. short of the required major
ity. and Miss Greene finished
second, with 390 unofficially.
Meetings
Re-scheduled
The first regular meeting of
county commissioners in Septem
ber will be held a day later, on
Tuesday. Sept. 7. because of the
Labor Day holiday. Meeting time is
9 A.M. in the conference room of
the courthouse annex.
The regular monthly meeting of
the city council w ill be held a week
later, on Monday. Sept. 13.
because of the holiday. Meeting
time is 7:30 P.M. in the municipal
building.
Reminder To Drivers ,
School Days Next Week
The Cits of Raeford begins its
annual drive to alert motorists to
drive with extra care in school areas
and near school buses next week and
during the weeks to come.
Colorful "School's Open" posters
are being displayed throughout the
community as part of the national
effort by the American Automobile
Association and the Carolina Motor
Club to reduce the death and injury
of our children.
Citing national figures revealed in
a recent AAA nationwide survey.
Chief of Police V.L. Wiggins pointed
out that each year some 500 school
children aged 5-14 are killed and
nearly I 1 .000 are injured as they
travel to and from school.
Because the AAA study showed
the kindergarten and first grade
youngsters suiter the greatest
number of school-route pedestrian
injuries. Chief Wiggins urged parents
to walk with their children at least
on the opening day of school to
make certain that the youngsters
uke the safest route to school.
If at all feasible, the Chief said,
parents should avoid driving children
to school because this only adds to
the traffic confusion around school
aieas. thus creating extra hazards for
all youngsters going to school.
confirm it was related to the
reported rape complaint.
"I have been involved in an
investigation of an alleged criminal
offense for the past several days.
Until such time that this investi
gation is complete and any war
rants are issued. 1 have instructions
from the District Attorney not to
make any comment whatsoever.
Upon completion of the investi
gation. and if warrants are issued,
a complete disclosure will be
given". Barrington said.
Patrol spokesmen at both the
Raleigh headquarters and the troop
command office in Monroe also
refused any comment on Mrs.
McGee's accusation.
Dist. Atty. E.W. Grannis. Jr.
could not be reached for comment
on the matter.
Open House
This Sunday
Sunday Aug. 24 will be open
house day at all seven of the
public schools, the Hoke coun
ty Board of Education an
nounced.
All parents and interested
citi/ens arc invited to visit any
of the schools from .Vt? p.m.
First day of school tor pupils
will be Friday. Sept. .V
Now short one member, the city's
housing authority after several
months is at a standstill in plans to
construct low and moderate income
public housing here after another
possible site was ruled out as
"blighted" by the Farmers Home
Administration tFmHA). proposed
lenders.
The chairman of the authority.
Neill McFadyen. submitted his
resignation this month, citing
personal family reasons. No re
placement has yet been named and
Vice-chairman Gerald Wright is
temporarily chairing the commit
tee.
A thirteen acre wooded tract
north of the Robbins Heights
community had been tentatively
chosen by the panel as a site for a
40 unit housing complex, but the
FmHA specialists turned it down
because the section adjoined an
area of dilapitated and abandoned
buildings and would be considered
too close to a blighted neighbor
hood.
The FmHA. which earlier this
year announced the housing project
could qualify for a low interest loan
as high as one million dollars, must
approve any site first. Under
government requirements, the
agency cannot loan on public
housing if it is located in an
economically disadvantaged area.
It also cannot fund any public
housing outside of the central city,
developments have to be built on
the edge of the community.
The FmHA refusal was the latest
in a series of setbacks for the
authority. A few months before,
another tract near the Robbins
Heights area, closer to the play
ground between E. Seventh and F.
Sixth Ave., had initially been
picked, but one of the six ow ners of
the property refused to sell. Ken
McNeill, one of the five who agreed
to sell, resigned his scat on the
housing authority in order to avoid
any conflict of interest before
negotiations began. Duncan Mc
Fadyen. an attorney, was named to
replace McNeill.
This spring, the authority re
ceived a promise of an option on a
tract west of the Hollv Park
subdivision on the south end of the
city, but the members of the
authority decided not to go ahead
with plans after being told home
owners in Holly Park would have
strong opposition to any low
income housing development near
by.
Dayna Pate, secretary of the
housing authority, said last week
the group is now checking some
property on 401 - business near the
House of Racford Farms plant to
see if the owner is interested in
See RESIGNS, pace 15
SCHOOL'S OPF.N -- Rueford Police Chief V. L. Wiggins lucks up a
reminder thai summer is nearly over and school will he opening next week
Hoke County Youngsters will haw a half day session next Friday. Sept,