The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXIX NUMBER 10 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
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- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, JULY 7, 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
Remember last January when we
were saying "I don't care how hot it
?ets next summer, it will suit me
ine." From the looks of the
thermostats most of us are getting
our wish about hot weather, but are
we enjoying it like we said last
winter?
Scattered showers have been
around for a few days but it is
becoming dry again and the fore
cast is for hot weather and little
chance of rain.
So when you get hot, just
remember the cold days last winter.
* ? *
' Ernest Sutton was in charge of
the program at the Raeford Kiwan
is Club meeting last Thursday night
and he had as his speaker, Billy
Colston, teacher and coach at Hoke
* High School. Colston talked about
his trip to Auburn, Ala. with some
of his track stars to compete in the
Junior Olympics.
The talk by the coach was very
interesting and informative and
Billy, like so many other coaches
who have had outstanding per
formers, was asked about his
former star, Kathy McMillan.
As will always happen, his face
lit up and he related his experience
with her at the Olympics in
Montreal last year.
He would not predict how far
Kathy would jump, or what records
she would set. but you could look at
him and see that he had high hopes
for his former pupil.
Thanks Billy, for a fine program.
? ? ?
While on the subject of Kathy
McMillan, she is now in Europe
* competing with other U.S. track
stars against the European stars.
So far, she has jumped in Italy,
Germany and Russia. She came in
t first in Itftly and Germany, and last
Saturday finished second in Russia
behind another U.S. jumper.
Kathy jumped 21 feet, 8l/? inches
last week.
She was written up in the state
papers last week when they were
telling about her getting a Victor
award in Los Vegas.
Yes, Kathy is still an ambassador
for Hoke County and Raeford, and
she still has many years to compete
in track events.
Best of luck Kathy!
? ? *
Most people are asking why the
street had to be changed on
Thursday afternoon. According to
City Manager Bob Drumwright, it
was when the state workers came to
change it. So that is the reason.
If you want complete details on
how the change-over went, just
contact any of the Raeford Police
Department. Of course, stand off
from them, or better still, call them
on the phone and ask them.
* * *
r From the looks of everything
around the city on July 4th,
everything was very orderly. Of
course, as this is being written, the
police and sheriff reports have not
* reached the office.
The golf course was crowded
early Monday morning and the July
4th tournament went off with a
bang. The course was in excellent
condition and if the management
could have controlled the hot
weather, everything would have
been perfect.
The winners will be announced
later.
* ? *
There was a fine write-up in The
Charlotte Observer on Sunday,
June 26, about the R&eford Airport
and the operation of Gene Th acker
and his parachute school.
The article was written by Jim
Dumbell of the Observer and was a
feature story with pictures. If you
haven't read the article, it would be
worth your time to do so.
, Gross Retail Sales
Climb During May
. Gross retail sales in Hoke County
' during May climbed to S3, 249, 692,
according to the N.C. Department
of Revenue. The total represented
an increase over the April tales of
$3.06 million.
One per cent sales and use tax
collections for May amounted to
$20,359.
State Plan To Utilize Jail
Not Practical, Sheriff Warns
Faced with the prospect of having to house state prisoners under a new law effective
this month, Sheriff D.M. Barrington warned county commissioners Tuesday morning
that the jail facilities will become overcrowded and the additional inmates will be
costly.
Barrington presented cost figures to the board based on the additional expenses of
clothing, shoes, medical examinations and other state requirements, and estimated
that the county would need at least $11.80 per diem reimbursement for each state
prisoner in order to break even. The sheriff called it a "conservative" figure and said
$15 per day would be more reasonable.
"Not knocking the governor, but it appears he's trying to take them out of the
overcrowded prison system and put them in overcrowded jails," the sheriff said. "We
had 30 (prisoners) the weekend before last. The bed capacity of the jail is only 30. We
get anymore and we'll be sleeping them on the floor.
"The state claims we have aft average population of nine a day. I don't know how
they arrived at that. My figures are 115 a day," Barrington said.
The sheriff said that under the plan, persons convicted of misdemeanors in Hoke
County court would be sent directly to the local jail. Only those who receive sentences
of six months or less would be involved. The sheriff added that if there is a
requirement to house convicted persons apart from those awaiting trial, it will cause
more overcrowding.
County manager T.B. Lester said he had checked with Scotland and Robeson
County and officials in both of those counties intended to ask for $15 per diem from
the state.
Barrington said the only way a jurisdiction could get out of accepting the prisoners
would be if the jail doesn't meet state standards, or if there was some "local
consideration." Since the Hoke County Jail meets both state and federal standards,
the sheriff urged commissioners to explore any other options to thwart the state plan.
In other business Tuesday, commissioners ordered a correction made in the
minutes of their June 13 meeting. At that meeting, the board adopted a motion made
by Danny DeVane to award the ambulance contract provided the company is state
certified and "has radios." Commissioners unanimously approved a change and
ordered the radio phrase deleted.
DeVane, who arrived one hour late for Tuesday's meeting, did not take part in the
discussion concerning the change.
The board rejected a request from Sanitary Container Service, a division of Brenner
Industries, for higher rates for private residential garbage service in the county after
commissioner James A. Hunt claimed that "the public is going to jump on our backs
about it."
Pickup Sanitation Service, which terminated private service in the county last
month, had charged $4.50 monthly for once a week service. Pickup had about 200
private customers, county sanitarian M.R. Mills said.
The Brenner firm, which was also awarded the contract for servicing the
countv-owned container sites for this year, requested a $6 monthly rate.
"I feel like we should leave it the way it is. First thing you know, they'll be wanting
an increase every year," Hunt said.
Mills also announced that the health department will be making regular checks on
the condition of the container sites and special forms for that purpose have been
printed. Mills said the new system should give the health department a more accurate
picture of the frequency and thoroughness of the garbage disposal.
Commissioners also formally adopted an ordinance regulating massage parlors and
similar businesses on a motion from Hunt. The new ordinance, the first of its kind for
Hoke County, is to take effect 20 days from the date of its passage.
The ordinance, patterned after the Durham city ordinance, sets forth strict
licensing requirements for masseuses and masseurs and prohibits a massage given by
a member of the opposite sex.
On a motion from commissioner Neil McPhatter, the board unanimously approved
L.E. McLaughlin Jr. for appointment to the Hoke County Board of Social Services.
McLaughlin is scheduled to replace Juanita McAllister, also a black, whose term has
expired.
DSS Director Benjamin Niblock discussed some legislative actions taken last week
concerning social services. Niblock said the foster care rate was cut which will bring
about $2,100 in savings to the county, and also the county will release an extra $9,000
a year in reimbursement because of a new rule allowing depreciation of the office
space.
The board also received notice from the Department of Transportation that the
state has classed service road 1468 as a subdivision road, and therefore, will not pave
it.
Next regular meeting of the board is Monday, July 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Judge's Special License Law
Shelved By Assembly For Year
Proposed legislation to allow law
enforcement officers to temporarily
seize licenses of traffic offenders
has been shelved by the state
legislature for at least one year.
A House judiciary committee
tentatively voted to kill the bill last
Thursday, the last day of the 1977
session, then decided to freeze
action instead on the measure until
the General Assembly convenes
again next year.
The proposal was the brainchild
of District Court Judge Joe Dupree,
who formulated the plan this spring
after becoming increasingly con
cerned over the number of "called
and failed" defendants cited to
court.
Dupree claimed that the number
of "no shows" in the state's courts
was costing taxpayers millions of
dollars annually in extra adminis
trative costs.
Dupree's proposal, which was
Hoke Man
Found Dead,
3 Charged
The bullet ? riddled, mutilated
body of a Hoke County man was
found Sunday in Robeson County
on railroad tracks near a rural road
crossing.
Lester Collins, 48, of Rt. 1,
Aberdeen, was killed either late
Saturday or early Sunday, . ac
cording to a Cumberland County
Sheriff s Office spokesman.
Monday night two men and a
woman were charged with the first -
degree murder of Collins. Charles
Goins, 36, of Fayetteville, his sister
Annie Louise Goins, 23, and Buck
Junior Goodman, 17, both of
Lumberton, were held without
bond.
Authorities reportedly traced the
movement of the man's body from
a rural road off N.C. S3 east of
Fayetteville to the Robeson County
railroad crossing. Blood stains and
spent bullet casings were reported
to be found at both locations.
The department spokesman also
indicated that a car believed to
have been used to transport the
body was impounded by deputies
Monday night.
Funeral services for Collins were
held Tuesday at the Mt. Elem
Baptist Church in the Antioch
Community, with burial following
in the church cemetery.
Collins is survived by his brother,
Willie Collins of St. Pauls, and a
sister, Mrs. Esther Pate, of
Aberdeen.
introduced by ISen. John L>. Henly
(D-Cumberland), would have
allowed police officers to take a
driver's license at the time of
writing a ticket. Officers would
issue an official receipt to the
offender which would allow him to
continue driving until his scheduled
court date. Then, if an offender
failed to come to court, the state
would keep the license until the
case was disposed of.
Under present law, defendants
who do not come to court are
assessed only points on their
driving record and may avoid fines
and other costs. Dupree main
tained that this encourages
defendants to skip court.
The bill would only have applied
to Hoke and Cumberland counties,
which make up the 12th Judicial
District.
Committee chairman Rep. John
Davenport (D-Nash) said there was
some question as to whether the
legislature could legally enact the
measure in only two counties.
Davenport said the committee had
tentatively voted to give the bill an
unfavorable report, but then
decided to stall the matter.
By agreeing to hold the bill for
one year, the committee keeps it
alive and it will not have to be
returned for a Senate vote. The
measure had passed the Senate
earlier.
'-mm
WRONG WAY- Police Chief V.L. Wiggins motions another driver out of
the center lane as the public attempted to learn that what used to be the
right way is now the wrong way on Elwood Ave. The street officially
changed back to two-way traffic last Thursday, catching many people by
surprise, and the change-over kept police busy all day Thursday and Friday
as they turned errant drivers around.
State Patrol Notes
Quiet Holiday Period
The Highway Patrol reported a
quiet weekend over the long Fourth
of July holiday period with no
fatalities or serious injuries on
Hoke County roads.
A woman pedestrain was
charged with public drunkenness
following a two - car mishap about
10:30 p.m. Friday, a Fatrol
spokeswoman reported.
According to the Patrol, a car
being operated by William H.
McArn, 38, of Rt. 2, Shannon, was
traveling east on RPR 1404 about
one tenth of a mile west of Raeford
when it crossed the center line to
avoid the pedestrian. The car
collided with a vehicle being driven
by Clarence Mcintosh, 20, of Rt. 1,
Raeford, which was traveling west.
No injuries were reported and
damage to the vehicles was esti
mated at S300. Mcintosh was
charged with no financial re
sponsibility, according to the
Patrol, and the pedestrian,
identified as Emmie M. Locklear,
49, of Rt. 2, Red Springs, was
(See PATROL. Page II)
VANDALS ?? Raeford Oil Company suffered a loss of 10.000 gallons of
gasoline after vandals entered a locked compound on U.S. 401 South and
loosened 32 bolts on two manhole covers on the tanks. The situation was
described as potentially dangerous by a company spokesman.
10,000 Gallons Of Gas
Unleashed By Vandals
Vandals nearly got their own just desserts without benefit of a trial
the weekend of June 25-26.
Intruders climbed a six-foot fence topped with barbed wire at the
Raeford Oil Company's propane storage location on U.S. 401 South
and nearly got themselves roasted for their efforts.
"It was a dangerous thing to do. It was a very dangerous
situation," said oil company manager Randall Ashburn. The
vandals entered the secured compound containing two propane
storage tanks and two 30,000 gallon gasoline tanks and loosened all
the bolts on the manhold plates on the gas tanks.
According to Ashburn, a lighted match would have created a
disaster. He even suggested that the spark from two stones knocked
together by the intruders' feet might have ignited the whole area.
The incident apparently happened over the weekend and by the
time of its discovery Monday, the Raeford Oil Co. had lost 10,000
gallons of gasoline valued at between $5,500 and $6,000.
Ashburn admits that they have no idea what the possible motive
for the incident could have been, other than simple vandalism. The
intruders apparently entered the scene armed with the tools to
unscrew the J2 bolts.
Clean-Up
State environment protection investigators inspected the gasoline
leak and advised Raeford Oil on clean-up procedures, which
Ashburn says may take two or three weeks to finish. A hole has been
prepared in the woods near the tanks for the gasoline to drain into.
The area has been roped off and workmen check several times daily.
Raeford Oil is pumping off the collected oil, but according to
Ashburn, they will not recover much of the lost fuel.
Sheriffs deputies are now patroling the area and Raeford Oil has
added another security light in the compound.
City Council Meeting Off
This week's scheduled meeting of
the Raeford City Council has been
postponed until next Monday, July
11, city manager Robert Drum
wright announced.
The council was scheduled to
meet Tuesday night at 7:30, one
day later due to the Independence
Day holiday, but Drumwright said
the mayor and some council men
were out of town.
The council will meet next
Monday at 7:30 p.m. at city hall.