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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
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VOLUME LX1X NLMBKR 14 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH C AROLINA
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- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR Till RSDAY, ALC.L ST 4, 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C.MORRIS
Last Thursday night at the
Raeford Kiwanis Club Steve Acai
from the Office of Emergency
Medical Services spoke to the club.
He was introduced by James R.
Attaway who was in charge of the
program. The talk was interesting
and very informative.
? * ?
If you have been looking at
television much lately you have seen
programs and comments about
retirement. Some seem to think
that a person should be retired at
65 and others feel that many good
4 and productive years are left after
that age. Of course it means more
to me each time that it comes up
because my retirement is nearer
than it was a few years ago and it
, seems to be with you when vou see
or hear anything about the word,
retirement.
A couple of weeks ago a native ot
Hoke County was by the office and
was telling me about his retirement
and also the things that people said
about him and things they had
done for him upon his announcing
that he would retire. While talking
with him 1 asked him about
different parts of his life since
graduating from high school and
since leaving Raeford.
The man is Robert Currie, who
retired June 30 as Vocational
Agriculture teacher of the high
school at Broadway in Lee County.
He is a graduate of Raeford High
School and finished here in 1931
and was a guard on the high school
football team. Robert lived with his
brother and his wife, Mr. and Mrs.
David Scott Currie, just beyond
Oakdale Gin in the house now
, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Pope.
After his graduation he attended
and graduated from State College
(now N.C. State University) in
Raleigh in 1936. The time it took
for him to finish was that he
dropped out occasionally during his
time in college to work at Home
Grocery, owned and operated by
John K. McNeill, so as to make
money to complete his education.
In the fall of 1936 he began
teaching at Broadway and this was
his first and only job until his
retirement 41 years later. He was
the first agricultural teacher at this
school. Currie estimated that he
taught between 2500 and 3000
students during his years at the
school. At night he also taught
adults in classes that were
sponsored by the educational
system.
In 1944 he married a school
teacher by the name of Frances
Currin from Angier and she is also
retired due to her health. They have
1 no children and have made plans to
travel in the future.
On June 13 of this year Currie
was honored by the school upon the
announcement ot his retirement.
According to a write - up in a
Sanford paper the auditorium was
filled with students and former
students of this teacher.
* The Clerk of Court Sion Kelly
presented him with an award and
had many nice things to say about
him.
? The picture at the bottom ot this
page shows Currie with two plaques
presented at the occasion. The one
on the left is of solid walnut and has
36 carved at the top and 77 at the
bottom. The plaque on the right is
made from wood from an old home
and the wood is over 200 years old.
Both plaques were made by former
students of the teacher.
The wording on the plaques will
be at the end of this column, but a
comment is. that they were partly
(See AROUND TOWN. Page 13).
Costs Skyrocket
On City Hall Facelift
With the proposed costs of the city hall remodeling project almost double the
$160,000 estimated last year, the city council met Monday night for over an hour
with architects but reached no final decision on whether to go ahead or scrap the
plans.
Bids opened last month on the project totaled $288,000. Adding the
architect's fee of $29,000 would bring the total cost to $317,000, City Manager
Robert Drumwright said.
The $317,000 figure also does not include any new furniture and th^t item
could run $10,000, the council was told.
A two-week extension to the normal 30-day limit on the bids was obtained and
the city can postpone a final decision until Aug. 29, the city manager said.
Ed Fitchett of E.J. Austin and Associates, architects for the project, explained
to councilmen in detail the specifications for the renovations and new
construction. The old fire station will be torn down for parking area and a new
and larger council meeting room and lobby area will be constructed in the
building which houses the old post office. The areas which contain the police
department offices and water and sewer departments will also receive extensive
remodeling.
The exterior will have profile split stone veneer, with a brick wall around it.
giving the appearance of one building instead of several. Fitchett said.
Landscaping, which is $46,000, will create a "park like" atmosphere
conducive to picnicking and leisurely visiting by citizens during nice weather.
Fitchett told the council.
The new council chambers will feature a raised platform with railing for the
mayor and councilmen to conduct meetings and the seating capacity for the
audience will be approximately 75.
The city manager said the room would be suitable for holding District Court
sessions, also.
"When it's done, you're not going to know it's not a new building." Fitchett
told the council. "This building will be practically maintenance-free."
Asked about the balooning costs of the project. Fitchett said that the expense
of demolishing the old fire house was included in the bids.
"And. you have to keep in mind, this is planned in three stages so that the
offices can still be kept in operation while the work is being done. That was
reflected in the bids." he said.
None of the four council members present Monday night. (Councilman Sam
C. Morris was hospitalized), spoke out in favor of going ahead with the more
costly plan, however, none indicated scrapping it. either.
Drumwright said that the city has budgeted $350,000 for the planned sewer
outfall construction and that if the bids on that project come in low. the surplus
could be applied to the city hall construction.
Bids on the sewer work were scheduled to be opened at 3 p.m. Wednesday
(Aug. 3) and the council agreed to take up the matter of the city hall work later
this week.
Drumwright indicated another council meeting may be scheduled for
Thursday of this week.
In other business Monday night, the council approved $9,500 of a $11,369
allocation of federal anti-recession funds to be used for salary bonuses for city
employees.
GOODBYE ?? Dayna Pate, the Chamber of Commerce manager for the past year, receives a gold watch from
Chamber President Earl Fowler at the reception in her honor Friday. Mrs. Pate, who resigned the post to move to
Georgia, was recognized for her many accomplishments and was bid a sad farewell by her many friends in Hoke
County.
Man Held
In Murder
A Harnett County man has been
charged by Hoke County authori
ties with the fatal shooting of an
Ashley Heights man early last
Friday morning.
According to Sheriff D.M.
Barrington, Dewey Edsel Suggs,
45, was shot during a quarrel in the
living room of his home about 1:30
a.m. Friday. He was pronounced
dead on arrival at Moore Memorial
Hospital.
Taken into custody later Friday
was Newbern Tyler. 48. of Rt. 2,
Lillington, who was also wounded,
the sheriff said.
Barrington said that an argu
ment developed between the men
and that Suggs sustained three
gunshot wounds, in the leg. arm
and back, and that Tyler received a
superficial wound in the side.
Tyler's wife. Mary Alice Tyler,
who was also in the home was
accidentally shot in the hand,
according to the sheriff.
A .25 caliber automatic was
recovered by deputies and a .38
caliber pistol is also believed
involved in the shooting.
The sheriff said the results of the
autopsy indicated Suggs died from
(See MAN HELD. Page 13)
Robert Currie and Plagues
Hit
Run
Driver
Sought
The State Highway patrol is looking for
witnesses to a hit and run accident that sent a
15-year-old bicycle rider to the hospital with
head and shoulder injuries July 2b.
According to Trooper R.V. Lee. the victim.
Michael William Hamilton of Rt. 2. Box 2b3-C.
Raeford. was traveling north towards his home
along US 401 -business in front of the Moose
Lodge when he was struck from the rear.
Witnesses reported seeing a white vehicle just
before and after the 9:10 p.m. time established
for the accident.
Hamilton was found semi-concious shortly
after being hit and was transported to Cape Fear
Valley Hospital where he was treated and
released.
Lee indicated that Hamilton was apparently
riding well to the side of the road and was
burning his headlamp when struck. There was
no evidence that the vehicle that struck
Hamilton was speeding.
Lee said that the Highway patrol is still trying
to locate witnesses to the accident.
"The Hamilton boy cound have very easily
been killed." he said.
Investigation of the accident is continuing.
Fuel Crisis Program
To Help Pay Bills
Hoke County low-income fami
lies who are still trying to pay off
fuel bills incurred during the past
winter may be eligible for payments
of up to S250 to retire those bills.
The Special Crisis Intervention
Program established by the state
has allocated SI 1.131 to be dis
tributed to Hoke families unable to
pay bills received between Oct. 1.
1976 and April 30. 1977.
Eligible are those households
which have suffered a cutoff of
their fuel or energy supply, or
which are threatened with cutoff of
fuel or energy supply due to
inability to meet their obligations.
One requirement is that the energy
must have been used for heating
purposes.
An additional category of eligible
households are those headed by
persons 60 or over who can provide
proof of dire financial need re
sulting from the large fuel bills of
last winter. Such persons will
receive a credit not in excess of
SI 00 towards the purchase of fuel
or other forms of energy to be used
for heating during the coining
winter. Direct payments will be
made to fuel dealers and utility
companies for those who are eligi
ble.
Residents who think they are
eligible should contact the South
Hoke Neighborhood Center. 875
4711; Cameron Heights Neighbor
hood Center. 875-5536; or the Four
County Services. Inc., office. 875
2%9.
The program is of short duration
with applications being accepted
only through Aug. 31. Applicants
will need proof of income and
(See FUF.L CRISIS, Page 13)
County Board OK's
4 Road Projects
. An anticipated $43,800 in secondary road construction funds for
Hoke County was officially earmarked for three widening projects
and a paving project by county commissioners Monday morning
during their regular meeting.
Bill Rosser, district engineer for the Department of Transpor
tation, presented cost estimates for the proposals which were
tentatively agreed on last month.
The three widening projects are for SR 1116 (the road to South
Hoke) and SR 1305 and SR 1304. The latter two both lead onto the
Ft. Bragg reservation in the Wayside section in the northeastern
portion of the county.
Widening of SR 1116 was begun earlier out of 1976-77 secondary
road funds and the new allocation will allow for completion of the
work.
The fourth project approved was the paving of a .65 mile portion
of SR 1309 in Silver City, which runs north from the 211-cutoff to
Vass Rd.
Estimated construction costs on all four projects total $62,700. so
not all of the work will be completed under the funds for this fiscal
year. Rosser said.
In a related matter. Chairman John Balfour expressed concern
about poor drainage in some low-lying areas along U.S. 401.
"I'd like to see something done about this drainage. Citizens'
yards are flooded." Balfour said.
Rosser agreed it was a problem, but pointed out that the state is
not required to provide drainage and suggested that the legislature
needs to do something.
"We turn over any problem to our hydrographic department to get
an analysis of what should be done," he said.
In other business Monday, commissioners agreed to allow eight
more garbage dumpsters to be placed out at selected locations after
hearing a report from County Sanitarian M.R. Mills.
The eight containers, 6 cubic yard size, will be furnished at no cost
on loan from Sanitary Container Service, the firm which services the
public dumpsters.
Also, commissioners agreed to replace eight other containers,
badly rusted, with another eight six-yard containers on loan from
Sanitary Container Service. The containers scheduled to be replaced
with new ones are four 4-yard models and four 8-yard models.
The discarded containers will be left at the landfill so they can be
salvaged for scrap, Fred Snyder, Lumberton manager for Sanitary,
said.
County manager T.B. Lester said money had already been
budgeted this year for the purchase of extra containers. Mills
emphasized that the county has not purchased anv containers since
1975.
The board also agreed to contact Moore County officials regarding
(Sec COUNTY BOARD. Page 13)
Two Join Police
Melvin Mayer and Ron Nave
were sworn in last week as the
newest members of the Raeford
Police Department.
Mayer, 41, is a native of
Philadelphia, Pa. He served in the
Army for 22 years until his retire
ment last June. He has resided in
Raeford for the past eight years.
He and his wife, the former
Patricia Walker of Raeford, have
two daughters ages three and seven
and a son, five. They reside on
Maxwell St.
Nave, 26. is a native of
Elizabethtown. Tenn. He formerly
was employed by Raeford Motor
Co.
He served in the Army for six and
one half years and was discharged
18 months ago.
Nave is married to the former
Marina Gaiduk of West Germany
and they have two sons ages six and
three. They reside on Turnpike Rd.
Nave is replacing On. L.D.
Foster, who resigned the force to
join 'the Hoke County Sheriff's
Department. Mayer's position is a
new slot created by the Com
prehensive Employment and Train
ing Act (CETA) program.
The hirings boost the strength of
the police force to ten men.
Melvin Mayer
Ron Nave