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?The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LX1X NUMBER 20 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1977
Around
Town
BY SAM t MORRIS
The weather for all you late
sleepers seems like fall is here early
every morning. The cool morning
air would put more power in your
steps if you would get up about six
o'clock and join the coffee club for
the latest news.
The rain last week which
measured about five inches should
have been enough for everyone for
the time being. Last week the
county commissioners were dis
cussing leaky roofs and if they got
through the week maybe they aren't
so bad.
It seems most business on W.
?Elwood were hit with water running
under the doors rather than coming
through the roof. Maybe the water
didn't know which way to go since
the street was made two - way. Just
? a thought.
* ? ?
The political season will open
Friday as anyone can file for city
council or mayor for the upcoming
election November 8. Starting at
noon on that day you can file up
until noon on October 10. So if you
want all the things you have been
complaining about to get before the
public, just file for office and then
you can see both sides of the coin, if
you are elected.
1 think everyone needs to have a
turn or two on either the county or
city boards to find out just how
many problems you will be con
fronted with.
* * *
Buddy Blue was telling me this
week that most of us don't know
? how important the highway patrol,
Hoke Rescue Squad or the County
ambulance service are until you are
put in a position to need them. Blue
*aid that in the wreck which
involved his mother and nephew,
that these people were efficient and
most helpful, even "beyond the call
to duty" so to speak.
So if you want to hear it straight
from the horse's mouth, talk a few
minutes, if you can, to Blue.
? * *
in last week's paper an article
headed "Presbyterians Plan Lay
Festival of Faith" could not be
understood by all readers. This
would not be because you are being
mislead or your IQ is low. Being a
Presbyterian, myself, this revival is
something new to me.
Of course, I can remember back
to the days when the blind
preacher, his name was Williams 1
believe, used to Fill the Presbyterian
Church and cause the ushers to
open up what was called the
Sunday School room. Now most old
folks will remember the large
sliding doors that separated the two
rooms. Whenever the doors were
opened, it was known that the
preacher had a crowd to hear him.
We all know that Dr. Cortez
?Cooper can deliver an outstanding
sermon, because he was here a
number of years before going on to
Nashville. Tenn. but the other part
of this revival is something new to
'most of us here in Raeford. whether
you be Presbyterian or from
another church.
A team of approximately 24 lay
leaders from other churches will be
here to witness to us on their
experiences with Jesus Christ. They
come from all walks of life, both
young and old, so this should
certainly be something to look
forward to this week.
The revival starts Thursday night
and runs through Sunday morning
- September 15 - 18. Everyone is
invited to hear Dr. Cooper, and the
lay leaders will meet with people in
designated homes each night after
the services. Be sure to attend and
maybe the experience will bring
something new in your life.
For those unable to attend, the
night services for Thursday and
Saturday will be broadcast over
Station WSHB beginning at 7:30.
AH tickets for the Friday's men's
and ladies' luncheons have been
?sold
Hope to see some of my readers
at the revival.
Jay Strickland, personnel man
ager of Summerfield plant here in
Raeford. was the speaker at the
Raeford Kiwanis Club last Thurs
day .night. Eldon Allen was in
(See AROUND TOWN, Page 14)
City Council Orders $259,000
Cost Ceiling On New Building
STREET FLOOD ? The one catch basin along the south side of W. Elwood Ave. couldn t handle the rain from
last Wednesday 's all-night storm and water was washing over the curb at a furious rate. Two clothing stores, an
accountant's office and The News-Journal plant were flooded, causing caustic comments.
I _ ^
Groundbreaking
Ceremony Saturday
/ groundbreaking ceremony for the Antioch Volunteer Fire
Department will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, on the site of the
future home of the Department on N.C. 211 opposite McNeill's
Grccerj'.
The creation of a Fire protection district was approved by voters
in a special election last June 4. An application for a Farmers
Home Administration loan for the Fire station and equipment is
pending.
The board of directors of the new Department are President
Lonnie Locklear. Vice-president Sam Rowel!. Treasurer Clarence
Dial. Secretary Elisha Dial. Henry Dial. McKinley Maynor.
Lawrence Ferguson. William Gregory and James Pratt.
The Department grossed $2,373 from a plate sale and
television raffle the weekend of Sept. 3-4. making a net proFit of
SI. 097, Elisha Dial reported. Other fundraising activities are
planned later.
I J
Filing
Period
To Start
The filing period for candidates
for the Raeford City Council in the
Novemeber election opens at noon
Friday, Sept. 16. the Hoke County
Board of Elections announced.
The filing period will close at
noon on Oct. 10. Filing fees are S25
for mayoral candidates and S5 for
city council candidates, executive
secretary Rose Sturgeon said.
The registration books will close
at 5 p.m. on Oct. 7. Any city
resident who has moved must notify
the Board of Elections office of a
change of address by Oct. 7 in
order to cast a ballot on Nov. 8.
Besides the election of mayor and
city council members, voters will
also decide five separate constitu
tional amendments and the issu
ance of state highway bonds and
clean water bonds.
Absentee ballots are allowed for
registered voters who will be out of
the city on election day.
FATALITY ~ A Cameron man was killed on rain-slicked N.C. 211 Friday
when his pickup skidded into another vehicle in a head-on crash. One
woman was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Wreck Kills One
One man was killed and two
people injured last Friday in a head
- on crash on rain - slicked N.C.
211 about six miles west of
Raeford. marking the third road
fatality of 1977 in the county.
Trooper K.W. Weston of the
State Highway Patrol identified the
fatality as Clester Oxendine. 62. of
Rt. I. Box 60. Cameron.
Oxendine was killed instantly
when his 1972 Ford pickup skidded
over the center line while traveling
east and collided with a 1977
Buick.
The driver of the Buick. Brian C.
Whitaker. 25. of 117 Pender Lane.
Greensboro, and a passenger, his
grandmother. Catherine r. Blue.
72. of 214 W. Prospect Ave..
Raeford. were transported to
Moore Memorial Hospital in
Pinehurst.
Mrs. Blue was placed in the
intensive care unit and underwent
surgery for abdominal injuries.
Whitaker was treated and released
with facial cuts.
Medical examiner R.G. Town
send pronounced Oxendine dead at
the scene. Weston said Oxendine
suffered a broken neck and massive
head and chest injuries. No seat
belt was in use and Weston said
that may have been a factor in the
mortal injuries.
According to Weston, the rear
tires on the pickup were badly worn
and just at the legal limit. The
vehicle was estimated to be travel
ing about 25 ? 30 m.p.h. at the time
of the crash.
The 11:55 a.m. accident oc
curred on a curve near the Five
Points Rd. (RPR 1214).
The Raeford City Council Monday night approved revised plans
for the city hall facelifting project and agreed to hold the cost to
$259,000.
The new ceiling is still nearly 5100,000 more than was budgeted
last year but it is less than the $317,000 figure which the council
faced last month when the bids were totaled.
City Manager Robert Drumwright outlined to the council
members the changes which were worked out with the contractors.
All of the landscaping plans were scrapped, except for grass, which
cut $45,000 from the cost, he said. Also eliminated were some
carpeting, custom mill work doors, paneling, brick installation and
some concrete and asphalt work.
Architects for the project are E.J. Austin and Associates of
Southern Pines.
Included in the project is the demolition of the old fire station next
to the police department. A new fire station is being constructed on
E. Prospect Ave. which is being funded under a $200,000 bond
issue.
The new cost figure for the project, which changes the $250,000
ceiling the council voted on last month, was approved on a 4-0 vote.
Councilman Bob Gentry apparently abstained.
Cablevision
In other business, the council rejected a request from N.C. Cable
TV to move its collection office from the municipal building to
Wood's Furniture Store.
Harrison Daniels, general manager for Raeford Cablevision,
explained that the company would save the $75 monthly fee it pays to
the city, but the chief reason for the move is that many of the
customers do not like coming to the police department to pay bills.
The Raeford Cable TV office was closed by agreement with the
city earlier and the company maintains a toll-free number for local
customers to use.
Daniels estimated that only about one sixth of the 600 cable
customers in Raeford use the collection box located inside the police
station and that many more would pay their bills in person if the box
was elsewhere.
A motion made by Gentry, who said he didn't want the city to lose
the $900 annual revenue, died for lack of a second, and there was
some momentary confusion over the understanding of Gentry's
motion.
Police Chief V.L. Wiggins urged keeping the box where it was and
said people like the convenience of paying water bills and cablevision
bills in the same place.
Mayor J.K. McNeill Jr. suggested that the council take no formal
action on the matter. He asked Daniels to have the president of the
company make the request.
Petition
Three resident's of Central Ave. appeared and presented a petition
bearing 1 1 names. The petition asked that the council pass an
ordinance prohibiting chickens within the city limits.
Mrs. Sarah Branch. 313 W. Central Ave., Mrs. Bennie Kelly, 317
W. Central Ave., and Mrs. Margaret Niven, 321 W. Central Ave.,
said that chickens kept by Lawrence Stanton. 304 Harris Ave., were
(See COUNCIL, Page 14)
Miss Raeford Pageant
Planned By Jaycees
Raetord Jaycees President Bur
nett Coleman has announced that
the Jaycees will be sponsoring the
first annual Miss Raeford Pageant,
an official Miss America prelimi
nary pageant. Dec. 30 in the Hoke
County High School Gymtorium.
Chamber fr
James William McDonald was
appointed new president of the
Raeford - Hoke Chamber of
Commerce Tuesday morning
during the board of directors
meeting.
McDonald. 33. the internal vice -
president of the Chamber organi
zation. was elected to succeed Earl
Fowler, who was hired as manager
last month.
McDonald, a native of Raeford.
is a 1962 graduate of Hoke High
and attended business school and
Pembroke State university. He is
assistant controller at the House of
Raeford Farms Inc. and has been
with the firm for the past seven and
one-half years.
McDonald was elected a director
of the Chamber in 1976 and
became a vice ? president last year.
He has held several offices in the
Raeford Jaycees and is on the board
of directors of that body.
Robert Gatlin was appointed
internal vice ? president to take
McDonald's place. Neill McFadyen
was named to the board to fill out
Fowler's unexpired term as a
director.
Under the bylaws of the
Chamber, one of the two vice -
James William McDonald
presidents may assume the presi
dency but it is not a rule.
McDonald and his wife, the
former Grace Owens of St. Pauls,
reside on Wright St. They have two
sons. Jim. eight, and David, seven.
They are members of the Raeford
Presbyterian Church where Mc
Donald is on the board of directors.
"I am very gratified to be
selected. I will hold the office in
high regard and do everything I can
to help better Raeford and the
Chamber ot Commerce in its
endeavors." McDonald said.
The Jaycees previously sponsored
a similar event called the Miss
Hoke County Pageant which ended
during the 1%0's. In reviving the
tradition the Jaycees will conduct
the Miss Raeford Pageant accord
ing to rules set up by the local
pageant directors as well as the
executive directors of the Miss
North Carolina Pageant in Win
ston-Salem.
To enter the local pageant a girl
must be between the ages of 17 and
2b, be at least a high school senior,
be a resident of North Carolina or
be enrolled in a N.C. College and
she must be of good character and
beauty.
A contestant cannot be married
or ever have had a marriage
annulled.
She must have a certain amount
of talent, voice, dance, instrument,
gymnastics or dramatic reading.
"The Raeford Jaycees reserve the
right to audition and interview all
interested young ladies who meet
the eligibility requirements," said
Entries Committee Chairman Ric
ky English.
"We will have to hold the
number of contestants to no more
than ten, although we would like
for all interested young ladies to
contact the Raeford Jaycees and set
up an audition," English said.
General Chairman and Producer
of the pageant Ken Koonce said "I
am very excited about the possibili
ties of having the most prestigious
and exciting event Raeford has ever
seen. I have been planning and
talking with leading citizens of
Raeford for the past few months
and am dedicating all of my time to
making this project a success for
the Jaycees and the people of
Raeford and Hoke County.'
"The decision to enter our
(See PAGEANT. Page 14)