The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LX1X iSUMUKR 16 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA
journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR Till USD W U (il ST IK. I <>77
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather is still hot in North
Carolina but for the first time it
seems that rain has fallen over the
entire state. It has rained some in
Hoke County since last Wednes
day.
The rain last Wednesday after
noon seemed to have been heavier
to the north of the city than to the
south. Robert Gatlin, rain chart
artist for the local paper, said it was
somewhat different than he had
seen since keeping up with the
weather.
In the northern part of the city, it
rained over 2" in the afternoon. In
the southern part it was about I",
, and outside to the southeast and
west it was just enough to wet the
ground, if that much.
It seems that Gatlin gets his
information from Brother Marion
i in the north, Brother H.L. in the
south and west and my friend. Dick
Neeley in the eastern part of the
county.
It was the woes of Neeley about
not getting any rain that brought
forth much of this information.
Gatlin did say something about the
"just and the unjust."
What Neeley had to say about
this no doubt will be forthcoming
and should be for an interesting
column later on.
* * *
Several people have mentioned to
me that they read my column last
week and wanted to say they felt the
same way about Moore Memorial
as I did, because they had either
been there, or had members of
their family there. I didn't mention
what hospital I was in, but to set
the records straight, it was Cape
Fear Valley in Fayetteville. I know
that Moore Memorial is great also,
because my wife had been there
and told me so after reading my
column.
* So it is good to know that we in
Hoke County have such fine
hospitals on either side of us. 1
assume that others are the same.
? * *
Joe and Hester Davis of Dunn,
former residents of Raeford, were
by the office last Friday afternoon
and looked fine. Joe worked for
Burlington here for many years and
Hester was a former employee of
The News-Journal. Their daughter,
Alice Faye Glisson, works at The
Bank of Raeford.
Thanks for the visit, and it was
good to see both of you.
* * ?
A team from Lumbcrton won the
Raeford Kiwanis club Softball
tournament that has been gioing on
for the past two weeks at Armory
Park.
From all reports, the tournament
was very successful from all angles.
The attendance was good most
nights and the play was well worth
watching.
Of course for a financial success
it depends on how long the local
teams stay in the race. This year
two Raeford teams went to the semi
- finals and this would help with the
? gate receipts.
Congratulations to the winners.
* * ?
The Hoke High Bucks are hard
at practice for their opening game
here Friday night. September 2
against the Seventy - First Falcons.
The Hoke High Booster club is now
getting the programs prepared and
doing other things to aid the team
in any way, but especially
financially.
Have you joined the Booster
Club? If not. see a Booster Club
member or call Homer Tuttle,
Booster president and he will give
you all the information you need to
join.
? ? *
A letter came last week and we
will make mention of it here.
Dear Mr. Morris:
I don't know if you saw the
* attached article in the Fort Bragg
Paraglide. but I think it might be of
interest to our school teachers.
Isn't it good that times have
?changed and that our teachers
don't have to sign such a contract.
I'm afraid we wouldn't have any
teachers.
Sincerely.
Eva Plummer Miller.
I will list a few of the don'ts and
(See AROUND TOWN. Page 1 5)
HONORED -- A silver tray engraved with 1950-1977 was presented to Mrs.
J.M. Andrews \left ] by Mrs. J.L. McNeill, new chairman of the Hoke
County Library Board of Trustees. Mrs. Andrews stepped down as
chairman to become vice-chairman on July I. | Photo by Rob Shook )
Library Trustees
Fete Mrs . Andrews
Mrs. J.M. Andrews, chairman of
the Hoke County Library Board of
Trustees for 27 years, was honored
Friday with a reception from 5 - 6
p.m. in the library.
Mrs. Andrews stepped down as
chairman of the board July 1,
relinquishing the post to vice -
chairman Mrs. J.L. McNeill. A
silver tray bearing the dates 1950 -
1977 was presented to the guest of
honor.
Mrs. Andrews said that she was
able to leave the chairman's job
now that she had seen her goal of a
new library building realized.
The library, a Bicentennial pro
jeot, was completed in 1976 after an
intensive fundraising campaign
began several years earlier.
Mrs. Andrews will continue to
serve as the vice - chairman of the
trustees.
Over 50 invited guests attended
the reception to thank the past
chairman for her hard work and
dedication.
Hostesses were the other women
board members who poured
refreshments.
Child Accidentally
Smothers Infant
A South Hoke infant was
accidentally suffocated Friday
morning at his home while he
and another child played with a
plastic garment bag.
Sheriff D.M. Barrington said
the victim, James Robert Stur
divant Jr., six months old, was
pronounced dead on arrival at
Scotland Memorial Hospital in
Laurinburg.
According to the sheriff, the
child, the son of Mr. and Mrs.
James R. Sturdivant Sr., Rt. 1,
Box 640-G, Red Springs, was
found by his mother shortly
ABC Store
Sales Up
The year-end financial report of
the Hoice County Board of Alcoho
lic Control (ABC) released last
week showed total sales from the
Raeford ABC store between July 1,
1976 and June 30, 1977 were
$538,000, up from S521 ,000 for the
previous year.
Gross sales after deducting the
cost of the liquor amounted to
$214,585.
Total operating expenses before
subtracting allocations for law
enforcement activities and educa
tion funds amounted to $151,000.
After contributions to those funds,
net income for the year totaled
$50,000. compared to $49,600 last
year.
For the three months ending
June 30, total sales amounted to
$128,000 with net income after
expenses of $10,500.
Effective last April 1, 15 per cent
of the store profits, up from 10 per
cent, goes to law enforcement.
after 9 a.m. The infant's sister,
Nekia, 17 months old. had
apparently crawled into an open
closet while the mother slept
and found a plastic garmeni bag
used by dry cleaners. The older
child began playing with the bag
and her brother was smothered
when it was placed over his
head.
Upon awakening. Mrs. Stur
divant and the baby's grand
mother, Mrs. Pearlie Locklear.
rushed the child to the hospital.
The sheriff said the mother was
hysterical.
Hoke authorities were noti
fied of the death by the Scotland
County medical examiner and
the infant's body was sent to
Rockingham County where an
autopsy was performed.
The sheriff said the death
apparently was accidental and
no signs of foul play are
suspected.
Lions Club
To Hear
Candidate
State Sen. McNeill Smith, one of
several Democratic candidates for
the U.S. Senate seat now held by
Sen. Jesse Helms, will speak to the
Raeford Lions Club Monday,
August 22. at 7:10 p.m. at the
Hoke County Civic Center. The
public is cordially invited to attend.
Among the topics Sen. Smith will
be discussing are utility reform, tax
reform and the rights of persons to
obtain information from credit and
other files containing data about
them.
County Commissioners
Ambulance Service
Certified After Lapse
County involvement with Buie Ambulance
Service became more tangled this week when
county commissioners learned that the firm's
permit expired Aug. 8 and the service was
operating in technical violation of the law since
that date.
Clair Hudspeth, emergency medical services
coordinator for the Department of Human
Resources, told the county board Monday night
that he issued a 60-day permit on June 8
certifying the firm's one ambulance.
On Tuesday, Hudspeth re-inspected and
issued a permanent certification valid for one
year on one ambulance, but reported he was
unable to certify Buie's second ambulance,
acquired June 24. because of new regulations
which went into effect July 1.
The inspector said that he had advised Buie on
what modifications to make to the vehicle, a 1974
model, and that he expected a body shop could
make the necessary changes.
The Buie firm was awarded a one-year
contract beginning July 1 to provide 24-hour
service throughout the county. It will receive
525,000 in county funds as a supplement. Under
the terms of the contract, the service is required
to have two ambulances available.
Monday night, Hudspeth told commissioners
that he had no enforcement authority over
ambulance providers and warned the board that
they could be legally responsible for any violation
of current regulations.
"At the time I inspected him, he had only two
emergency medical technicians. I have to be
satisfied he has adequate certifed personnel. But
you enter some legal problems. An emergency
medical technician takes on certain legal liability
as an extension of the county in this case. You
became a party to this when you entered into a
contract to provide service, and you are liable to
find yourselves in court," he said.
said.
Tuesday, Hudspeth said Buie had demonstrat
ed to his satisfaction that he had four full-time
EMT's and two ambulance attendants on call.
"1 consider that marginal, but 1 approved his
permit based on the fact that he seems to have
been managing to make the calls. He seems to
want to provide a good service, that's the
impression I have, and he has the equipment for
the ambulances." Hudspeth said.
Also Monday night, the board refused to
purchase a two-way radio to be loaned to Buie to
equip the second ambulance.
Earlier, the county agreed to purchase a base
station and one mobile unit and deduct the cost
from the 525,000 subsidy, but Commissioner
Danny DeVane and Chairman John Balfour
agreed a second radio was Buie's responsibility.
"I agree with Mr. DeVane. That's the way it
was understood, "that you would have two
radio-equipped ambulances, although it was not
put in the contract about the radios." Balfour
said.
The chairman suggested that Buie try to lease
the radio if he cannot afford to buy one.
None of the four board members present
Monday night (Ralph Barnhart was absent)
realized that the ambulance service's permit had
expired. Balfour said the exact date was never
made clear to him, and County Manager T.B.
Lester said he thought the permit was valid to
Sept. 8.
Health Center
In other business Monday, the board voted to
go ahead with plans to use S235.000 in federal
revenue sharing funds to expand and enlarge the
public health center on Central Ave.
Earlier in the evening, the Hoke County Board
of Health met and notified commissioners of its
decision by telephone to recommend the plans
drawn by Jordan. Snowdon and McVicker.
Laurinburg architects.
The proposal accepted by the board is
estimated to cost $229,000. A new addition to the
building estimated at $162,000 and complete
renovation of the existing 3.700 square feet are
contained in the plan. A parking area with room
for 40-50 cars is also planned.
Commissioners heard Bobby Conoly. com
mander of the Hoke County Rescue Squad,
outline a proposal to participate in the Gover
nor's Highway Safety Program and apply for two
ambulance vans.
The program will provide one-half of the cost,
leaving the county's share for the two vehicles at
about $18,000. Conoly said. Revenue sharing
funds may be used to pay the local cost.
The county would retain ownership of the
ambulances.
The board made no final decision to apply for
the vehicles but agreed to have a representative at
an Aug. 29 meeting in Fayetteville.
Electrical inspector Jack Ellis was appointed
energy and insulation inspector at no immediate
salary change pending further training bv action
of the board.
Under a new law. counties must appoint an
energy inspector by September to carry out
inspections of all new structures.
A contract with the state fixing the reimburse
ment for housing state prisoners in the local jail
at $8 per day was ordered sent to the county
attorney for study. Persons sentenced to less
than 180-day terms may now be sent to the local
jail for confinement.
Commissioners authorized the county mana
ger to advertise for bids for renovation of offices
in the courthouse. Work will be done for an
office for a new magistrate who is scheduled to
start work in September. Also, the probation and
parole office will receive work.
The board appointed DeVane to the Regional
Manpower Advisory Council, replacing Graham
Clark who refused re-appointment, and agreed
to ask Cleo Bratcher to serve. Bratcher. if
appointed, will replace Jimmy Morrisey. whose
term is also expiring.
Commissioners informally discussed the recent
report released by the Chamber of Commerce
analyzing the feasibility of consolidating the city
and county governments.
DeVane said he thought it would be a "close"
vote if the question went to the people. He also
said he believes the governing body under a
merger should be a seven-member board, not a
five-member board as recommended in the
study.
Commissioner Neill Mcl'hatter said he had
read the report but he had no comments to
make. Commissioner Hunt said that he had read
part of it and he found that most people out in
the county he had talked to were against the
plan.
Military Jets To Fly Over
City Under Air Force Plan
It" a proposal to establish a
military operating area encom
passing Raeford is approved by
the Federal Aviation Agency
FAA military jet aircraft may
soon be flying as low as 500 ft.
over the city, a FAA official said
Tuesday.
Gilbert Hofheinz, chief of air
traffic control for Grannis
Field, confirmed information
that the proposed operating
area south of the current re
stricted area could bring two or
more jet planes performing
close air support exercises for
up to 40 minutes at a time to the
area. Fie estimated the flying
altitude at between 500 to 6,000
ft. The corrider would be used
about seven times a week, under
the proposal.
According to Hofheinz, these
operating areas have been es
tablished as a result of some
mid-aid collisions during prac
tice missions involving civilian
craft. The operating areas are
not published so that civilian
pilots are aware of them, al
though they are not prohibited
from using them.
Tenative boundaries have
been drawn up. Hofheinz said.
His decision on the proposed
area will consider only the air
safety factors involved. He said
that the proposal had originated
with the 9th Air Force at Shaw
AFB in Sumter. S.C.. and that
the Air Force would probably be
sending a representative to talk
with city and airport officials
before a decision will be
Extra Road F
North Carolina' Department of
Transportation (NCDOT) officials
announced that SI. 903 of supple
mental secondary road construc
tion funds have been allocated for
Hoke Countv.
This allocation is part of a
SI, 146. 041 supplemental county
allocation approved by the Board of
Transportation at its last meeting.
These funds are in addition to the
reached .
Capt. Sam Martin, public
information officer of Pope
AFB. had no knowledge of the
proposal, and a spokesman
from Shaw AFB was unavail
able at press time
Hotheinzsaid that the earliest
the proposal could go into effect
would be December. Any result
ing environmental complaints
or objections to the noise levels
produced by the jets would have
to be handled through the Oit\
of Racford.
unds OK'd
$25.8 million statewide allocation
for secondary road construction
announced last month.
Hoke County's share of the $25.8
million allocation released in July
was $43.8(X). The supplemental
allocation brings the county's share
of secondary road construction
funds for this fiscal year to $45,703.
This year's allocation has been
(See HINDS. Page 15)