? The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXVHI NUMBER 47 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA
i i r
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY. MARCH 24. 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C.MORRIS
The weather has followed the
season and the spring rains are with
us. It has been nice weather each
Saturday but the rains have been
with us on Sunday. This has
stopped many weekend trips to the
lakes and beaches. According to
the forcast both Saturday and
Sunday will be nice this coming
weekend.
Most of us around the newspaper
office hope the forecast is true for
more than one reason!
? * *
Several years ago this writer
itated that if asked to do a couple
of things he would be compelled to
.turn them down after the experi
j ences that these things had brought
? forth to the writer. (Does this make
j sense!) Anyway the writer broke
down and went out to lunch with an
ad salesperson and a local reporter.
(? This is number one. The other was
that he also signed up for the golf
tournament. Tnis was number two.
NEVER AGAIN.
Now to get on with the story. Last
Thursday a couple on the staff here
? at the office asked me to go to
lunch with them. They said we
could walk to this restaurant since
the weather was so nice. Now I was
t too smart for this gimmick so we
rode to the restaurant in my
automobile.
Now several years ago when 1
went to lunch with this salesperson
and a reporter, the service was so
bad that we never received a menu
and after waiting for an hour, left
and returned to a local drug store
for lunch. (This is when I said,
never again.)
? But after reading the letter from
a classmate, and thinking about
age and experience, I went again.
S This time I didn't have to wait for
an hour before going to another
? place for lunch. The wait was only
from the time it took me to walk
from my car to the front door of the
restaurant. That's right, you
guessed it. It was locked. Couldn't
even get in.
Now I said to start with, that 1
was too smart to walk. Anyway we
went to another place to get lunch.
This should be the end to the
restaurant story, but it isn't.
1 had just about forgotten the
whole experience, for I knew it
would never happen again, when
two ladies opened the door to the
office and asked me how I enjoyed
my lunch through the locked door?
Enough said about Number One.
Now Number Two -- the golf
tournament can be ended in one
sentence. I played so bad for so
long 'my tournament days are over.
Thanks for bearing with me and
my sad experiences, but if you want
to go to lunch with these staff
members. I will be glad to intro
duce you to them.
? ? *
The Trip's On!
The Lundy Fund went over $2,000 this week! Counting
the money sent directly to the Lundys, the total now stands
at $2,410, the Chamber of Commerce reported.
Besides the cash donations, people are helping to get
Wimzy and Allen ready for their dream vacation in other
ways. Luggage, clothing and traveling items have been
given to tnem so they'll have everything they need for the
big trip.
The Lundys, who will celebrate their 50th wedding
anniversary on April 7, are being sent on their first vacation
by a community who wants to show its appreciation.
The Lundys are extending a personal invitation to
everyone to join them at the open house on Sunday, April 3
from 2 - 5 p.m. at the Raeford Civic Center. At that time,
the organizers of the fund drive will present them with the
plane tickets for their dream vacation.
Although the original goal has been met, the Chamber of
Commerce is still encouraging contributions. If enough
money comes in between now and the time of the trip, there
will be an "extra" surprise for the Lundys to enjoy when
they return home.
Contributions may be sent to Lundy Fund, P.O. Box 96,
Raeford .
Carolinas Award
Goes To McMillan
Raeford's Kathy McMillan was
named Carolinas High School
Athlete of the Year by the Charlotte
Athletic Club, becoming the first
woman to receive the honor.
The Olympic silver medal winner
of the long jump, now a freshman
at Tennessee State University,
received the award Monday night
during ceremonies which featured
Dean Smith, UNC head basketball
coach as guest speaker.
McMillan was chosen over four
other finalists, Steve Lee, Dillon,
S.C. linebacker and most valuable
defensive player in the Shrine Bowl,
Jonathan Moore, All-State eager at
Last week after the trip to
Columbia, S.C. by the Leonard
, Millers and the A.J. Lundys, it was
my pleasure to talk with both of
them. 1 do mean pleasure, for I
can't recall seeing two people more
excited and happy than Mr. Miller
and Mrs. Lundy.
Mrs. Lundy showed me a picture
of her and the bandleader. Law
rence Welk in a fond embrace, and
the look on Mrs. Lundy's face
would have been honored in hea
ven.
Then later, Mr. Miller was by the
office and he was telling me of the
trip and the look on his face was the
same.
Yes, this was a true picture of
what the preachers tell us every
Sunday, what life is all about and
the way it should be lived. If you
haven't talked to them, please do
so. It will certainly enrich your day.
Mr. Miller's name is Leonard
and not Lawrence as printed in this
paper and other newspapers last
week.
* * *
Jean Gibson, composing room
worker, gave me the words to the
poem that Mrs. Annie M. Hendrix
wrote part of in her letter last week .
Jean was not sure if this was all of
the poem, so if you have more to
add, please send it to this writer.
The poem follows:
I am fully aware that my youth has
been spent;
That my get up and go has got up
and went.
But I really don't mind, when I
think with a grin.
Of all the nice places my get up has
been!
Carolina Trophy
West Charleston, Tim Wilkison,
top rated tennis player and Newton
Williams of North Mecklenburg,
standout in Shrine Bowl.
The Carolinas Athlete of the
Year award went to Phil Ford,
UNC All-American and Olympic
basketball star.
The Charlotte Athletic Club
established the yearly awards in
1972.
Bloodmobile
Visits 28th
The Raeford Burlington Indus
tries plant will sponsor the Red
Cross Bloodmobile next Monday,
March 28 from noon to 5:30 p.m.
Clyde Upchurch Jr., county Red
Cross chairman, emphasized that
although Burlington is the official
host, all area residents who are
qualified donors are asked to come
and give blood.
A large turnout is especially
needed this time as Hoke County
patients used more blood in
January alone than was collected
during the December visit of the
Bloodmobile, Upchurch said.
Blood is collected through the
Red Cross drive only once every
three months. At least 100 pints are
required at each visit in order to
meet present needs and insure an
available supply for county resi
dents during the year.
Persons wishing to donate blood
(See BLOODMOBILE, Page 15)
Apartment Development
Looks Certain In City
Wreck Injures 4
Four persons were injured Friday
night following a head-on collision
on U.S. 401 about three-quarters of
a mile south of the Big Star Truck
Stop.
Trooper L.B. Rector of the
Highway Patrol identified the driv
ers of the vehicles as William J.
Morrison. 49. of Rt. 4, Fayetteville.
Short Stop
Held Up
2nd Time
The Davis Bridge Short Stop was
robbed of over $200 by a masked,
armed robber for the second time
in five weeks.
Henry Blue called sheriff" s depu
tuies March 10 to report that a lone
armed robber had entered the Rt.
1, Parkton, store around 4:45
p.m.. pushed Blue toward the cash
register and took all of the bills.
The bandit then took the change
drawer in his hand before ordering
Blue to lie down on the floor. He
warned a girl using the phone, "not
to say a damn thing." About S205
was taken, authorities said.
The robber was seen by witness
Lisa Smith as he exited pulling off a
toboggan mask that completely
covered his face. Miss Smith
described him as having dirty
blonde, straight hair, about 5'8"
tall, weighing around 150 pounds,
wearing a red and black plaid shirt
with small stripes and bell bot
tomed blue jeans.
Another man. Gene . Smith,
indicated that he had noticed a
silver car with a red top leave the
woods close to the store and a man
identified only as Mr. Ratley in the
deputies' report told officers that
he had seen a silver and red
Granada parked in the woods
before he arrived at the store.
The weapon carried by the
robber was believed to be a .25
caliber automatic. Details of the
robbery were not made available by
the Sheriffs Department last week.
The Short Stop was robbed Feb.
2 of $250 in cash and food stamps
by a man wearing a lady's stocking
over his head.
and Fletcher R. Collins, 53. of Rt.
1. Red Springs.
Rector said Morrison's vehicle, a
Chevrolet pickup, was traveling
north on the highway when it
crossed the center line on a curve
and struck the Collins vehicle head
on. The Collins car swerved off
onto the right shoulder attempting
to avoid the collision, but the
pickup also traveled onto a portion
of the shoulder.
Morrison, Collins and two pas
sengers in the Collins car, Floyd
McNeill and W.E. McNeill, suffer
ed injuries. All but W.E. McNeill
were taken to Cape Fear Valley
Hospital in Fayetteville for treat
ment.
Morrison was charged with
drunken driving and driving left of
center, according to Rector.
t The Highway Patrol is also
seeking the driver of a car which
was reported stolen about 8:30
p.m. Friday and was found
wrecked about an hour later.
Rector said the 1%4 Comet
station wagon apparently went out
of control on RPR 1134 between
Antioch and South Hoke and
overturned. The vehicle had been
straight wired. It was termed a total
loss.
Man Hit
By Train
A twenty six year-old farm
laborer was critically injured Tues
day afternoon when he was struck
by a freight train in Dundarrach.
Burnice Locklear, whose address
had not been determined, was hit
by an Aberdeen & Rockfish freight
train shortly before 2 p.m. behind
the resident of Tom Jones near the
center of Dundarrach.
Sheriffs detective A.S. Norton
said Locklear apparently was laying
across the tracks and the train
engineer did not see him until the
last minute. The engineer applied
the brakes but the man was struck
and dragged approximately 13 feet.
There were no other witnesses.
Locklear was taken to Cape Fear
Valley Hospital in Fayetteville by
Harris Ambulance Service.
The Greensboro-based firm
which plans to develop a forty-unit
apartment complex on U.S. 401
bypass said the purchase of the
land should be completed within
two weeks and construction could
begin within 30 days after that.
W.H. Weaver Realty and Con
struction Co. has already received
approval from the city to rezone to
residential a portion of a 7.7 acre
tract on the west side of the bypass
north of Cole Ave. Ray Campbell,
project developer, said the firm
expects to invest about $500,000 in
the duplex-type apartments. Target
date for completion of the 40 units
is in December.
Current plans call for construc
tion of eight one-bedroom units, 24
two-bedroom units and eight three
bedroom units. All will be un
furnished, except for refrigerator
and range, and monthly rent will
average S150-S170, Campbell said.
Weaver Construction has de
veloped moderate income housing
complexes in Aberdeen, Laurin
burg, Asheboro and Roanoke
Rapids. Campbell said the archi
tectural design of the Raeford
apartments will be patterned after
those built in Aberdeen.
If the plans go through as
expected, the city will consider
annexation, city manager Robert
Drumwright said. City sewer con
nections could be put in and water
is already available to the area.
The proposed apartments are the
latest project for the rapidly
developing bypass section which
parallels the city's western limits.
Last year, the city and county
governments voted to build a new
National Guard Armory on the
by-pass. A Hardee's restaurant has
been built and two local automobile
dealerships reportedly plan to move
out to the by-pass later. A national
motel chain, Family Inns, has also
recently expressed interest in build
ing near the intersection of the
bypass and the main highway.
Contracts
Approved
The Hoke County Board of
Education met last week in a
special meeting and approved two -
year contracts for assistant superin
tendents J.D. McAllister and
Ernest Sutton, Supt. G. Raz Autry
reported.
The board also discussed the
1977 - 78 school budget and tabled
further action until the next regular
meeting April 4.
The Rain F alls
Mainly
On Bowmore
By Marty Vega
Weldon Carthen doesn't like
to see rain. Rain makes him
unhappy, and Monday he be
came very unhappy as he stood
in his front yard which was
nearly covered with water.
Carthen and several other
families living along U.S. 401 in
the Bowmore community on low
lying land have drainage prob
lems most of the year. In the
winter and spring months it gets
to be pretty bad.
Getting from the highway to
Carthen's home is a feat in
itself, as a portion of the dirt
driveway is swallowed up by a
lake which swirls up to a car's
wheel wells. Water about a foot
deep stands in his front yard,
resembling a rice paddy, and
another lake has formed to the
north of his small frame home.
Carthen appears to live on an
island.
"When I first moved here,
about 14 years ago. it didn't
seem like it was that much water
standing here. But is just kept
getting worse and worse. Some
years ain't as bad as others," he
said.
"The garden," he pointed to
the rice paddy, "got so wet the
last few years I can't tend it. Got
so wet all the time."
"The cars get stuck, especial
ly in the wintertime. I had to
haul sand in here. If I hadn't,
they'd never get through here."
he said.
Carthen, 70, is retired. He
drives a van once a day taking
handicapped people to a work
shop in Scotland County. Last
month, he and his wife Estella
came before the county com
missioners and appealed for
help to alleviate the poor
drainage.
"That was the first time I
went. About three years ago, a
bunch of my neighbors had a
meeting and then they went up
to see about it. They said they
would try to get a canal built,
but we never heard anything
about it," he said.
The Carthen house and sever
al other homes on the south side
of 401 just beyond the Hoke
Trading Company face a slope
on the highway right-of-way. A
shallow ditch, almost indiscer
nible, cannot carry the flow
from even a light rain and the
water spills out onto the yards of
the residents.
"If they could build a canal,
that would do it. Or even if they
could dig the ditch deeper, that
would help. Like it is now, the
rainwater washes down and it
ain't got no place to go."
Carthen said.
County manager T.B. Lester,
who is familiar with the prob
lem, said the Department of
Transportation has checked the
area in response to the com
plaints.
"They feel that the problem is
the ditch was stopped up that
went across the road. But the
problem is whether they could
build a ditch long enough to
carry it off. The elevation rises
down beyond the church, and
you would have to dig a ditch a
quarter of a mile. They've got to
see where it can be done or
not." Lester said.
Carthen's next door neigh
bor, Malachi Evans, has lived in
his home since I960. A good
part of his front yard is under
water.
"It's been bad ever since I
been here. They've come out
and cleaned out the ditch a time
or two. I think it's the responsi
bility of the county to do
something if the state isn't going
to." Evans said.
Lester said the county had no
responsibility over the highway
right-of-way.
"The water was there when
they built. If they dig a ditch
and the people want tile in it,
they'll have to pay for the tile.
But we're working on it. John
Balfour (chairman of the com
missioners) talked to the state
about it last week." Lester said.
WET" Residents along U.S. 401 in Bowmore are accustomed to living with lakes in their yards because of the
poor drainage. Officials say it may not be possible to relieve the problem because a deep ditch would run uphill
where the elevation rises.