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? The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LX1X NUMBER 29 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 17,1977
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather for the past few days
has made the oil men happy again.
The furnaces have run most of the
time with the temperature being
below freezing for several nights.
The forecast is for warmer
weather for this coining weekend.
j, A couple of letters have been
| received during the past week
| which I will pass along to the
I readers of this column.
The first is from Mabel Mc
Donald of St. Pauls, former
t director of the Hoke County
Department of Social Services. It
follows:
Dear Sam:
1 hope you will be able to use this
^ letter in your column, which is
widely read. It is the first thing 1
look at in The News-Journal.
It is about T.B. Lester, whom we
lost last week. It was my good
fortune to work the last eight years
before retirement in Hoke County
as Director of Social Services. Mr.
Lester was my boss, the authority
given to him by county com
missioners. He was the best boss I
ever had.
He was efficient, he was honest,
he was frank, and he was fair. He
understood that Social Services was
not a popular program, but he
stood by us, because he knew we
must carry out state and federal
rules, as well as meet county
requirements.
He helped me through many
rough spots with a few calm words.
I shall always be grateful for the
opportunity that was mine to work
with T.B. Lester. His successor will
have big shoes to fill.
^ Thank you, Sam. Hope things
are well with you and your family.
Sincerely,
Mabel McDonald
?
? ? *
The second letter is self -
explanatory.
Dear Sam,
There are exciting things in our
community that often go unmen
tioned. and I wish to express my
appreciation to the Hoke County
Parks & Recreation Commission
for providing their many fine
programs which benefit our young
people. The coaches and staff, who
give of their time and energy, need
to be reminded of how grateful are
the parents in our town. Actually,
the adults enjoy the activities
equally as much as the children. 1,
for one, have on numerous
occasions, been to the Recreation
Department as early as 8:00 a.m. to
make use of their facilities and
materials.
A hearty handshake to all
persons involved with this out
standing program!
Sincerely,
Donna Bernhardt
m m w
6 Someone brought an article in
last week about an alumni meeting
of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill and made the
comment to Becky Jones that
* maybe Sam would run it even if he
was from State College.
To set the record straight Sam
isn't from UNC or State, but as
Harry Greene once said. "I am a
Vanderbilt man."
? * *
Election day went by and only
about 25% of the registered voters
paid enough attention to it to even
vote. I guess this is the way most
folks want things run this day and
time. Let just a few make all the
decisions.
? * *
The Hoke High band traveled to
Mullins. S.C. Saturday. November
(See AROUND TOWN. Page 13)
N-J Deadline
. Comes Early
The News-Journal will publish
one day early next week because of
? the Thanksgiving holiday.
All news announcements, in
cluding society newt, must be
turned in by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov.
18. for publication in next week's
issue. The deadline for classified
?ds is 5 p.m. Monday.
The News-Journal office will be
closed Thanksgiving Day.
FATAL CRASH ?? The fifth highway fatality in Hoke County this year occurred Nov. 9 when a passenger car
collided with a Dept. of Transportation truck at an intersection just inside the Raeford city limits. The driver of
the car. Linda Louise Culbreth. of Dunn, was killed in the crash. A witness said she ran a stop sign at the
intersection, according to a report by the N.C. Highway Patrol. [ Photo by Charles Blackburn )
Collision F atal
To Dunn Woman
F arm-City
Week Set
A retired school teacher from
Dunn was killed about 8:45 a.m.
Nov. 9 when the car she was driving
collided with a Dept. of Trans
portation paint truck at the
intersection in front of the North
Raeford Fire Station, just inside
the city limits. It was the fifth
traffic fatality in Hoke County this
year.
Linda Louise Culbreth. b.l. 215
E. Burke St.. Dunn, was pro
nounced dead at the scene. A
witness to the crash said the woman
ran a stop sign and was struck by
the truck, according to a report by
Trooper T.K. Tolar of the N.C.
Highway Patrol.
No charges were filed in the
accident. Tolar said.
The driver of the truck was
identified as Bryce Newton Owen.
5b. Box 513. Robbins. He was not
believed to have been injured in the
crash.
The truck was doing about 40
m.p.h.. headed north on Rural
Paved Road 1 203. at the time of the
collision, according to the witness.
Miss Culbreth was going west on
Rural Paved Road 1311.
The force of the impact spun the
1975 Cadillac around in the road,
the trooper said. The damage was
estimated at $4,900 to the pas
senger car and S3. 000 to the truck.
According to reports. Miss
Culbreth had retired from the
Harnett County School System
three years ago and was in Raeford
to attend the annual meeting of the
central N.C. conference of the
AME Zion Church, of which she
was Christian education director.
Although the accident was in
vestigated by the Highway Patrol, it
was later determined that the wreck
occurred just within the city limits,
and Trooper Tolar turned his
report over to the Raeford Police
Department.
Hoke County Seeks
New County Manager
As a result of a special meeting
Friday morning. Hoke County is
seeking applicants for the positions
of county manager and accounting
clerk. The Hoke County Board of
Commissioners met in closed ses
sion for an hour Friday morning to
discuss personnel matters.
According to the minutes of the
meeting, the board voted to
advertise for a new county man
ager. a position held by the late T.B
Lester. Lester served for 17 years as
tax supervisor, accountant and
Hoke's first county manager.
Lester G. Simpson has been
serving as acting county manager in
Lester's absence.
The board rescinded action
taken at its regular monthly
meeting to create the position of
assistant county accountant. The
title of the position was changed to
accounting clerk and will carry
responsibility for all functions of
the accounting office, including:
preparation of payrolls, the writing
of all checks, the monitoring of the
county's cash flow . and preparation
of monthly and yearly reports. This
will be a new county position,
board members said.
The board will hold its next
regular meeting Nov. 21 at 7;J0
p.m.
Association Schedules
Thanksgiving Service
The Raeford Ministerial Associ
ation will sponsor a community -
wide Thanksgiving service at the
Raeford Presbyterian Church on
Wednesday. Nov. 23. at 7:30 p.m.
Special music will be rendered by
the Raeford Presbyterian choir,
under the direction of Director of
Music Chris C. Watkins. The adult
bell choir will also perform under
Watkins' direction.
The sermon will be given by the
Rev. Billy C. Beaver, pastor of the
First Baptist Church. The pastor of
the host church is Rev. John C.
Ropp.
Every believer in Almighty God
is invited to give thanks at this
special service. It will be broadcast
by station WSHB.
The Ministerial Association is of
service to the community, as far as
it is able, in the spiritual and
material needs of people. The
program director is Rev. H. Paul
Strassle. pastor of St. Elizabeth of
Hungary Catholic Church.
The association also provides
weekly services at the Open Arms
Rest Home and sponsors daily
devotionals on WSHB at 8:15 a.m..
beginning on Monday. Nov. 21.
Besides the special Thanksgiving
service on Wednesday, the associa
tion will sponsor an Easter Com
munity Service.
The following churches are
members of the association: The
Church of God. Evangelical
Methodist Church. First Baptist
Church. Second Baptist Church.
Raeford Presbyterian Church.
Sandy Grove and Parker United
Methodist Church. Raeford United
Methodist Church. Four Square
Gospel Church. Shiloh Bethel
Presbyterian Church. Ephesus
Baptist Church and St. Elizabeth
of Hungary Roman Catholic
Church.
Farm-City week activities in
Hoke County will be held on Wed.,
Nov. 23.
The Robert L. Gibson Farm,
located near Antioch Presbyterian
Church, will host the event. Local
activities. (4:45 - 7:00 p.m.). are
being co-ordinated by the Exten
sion Service, Production Credit
Association. The Federal Land
Bank, and the Chamber of Com
merce.
Mr. Earl Fowler. County Chair
man. said the program is designed
to inform the city dweller of an up -
to - date review of equipment, and
methods of farming that are
necessary for efficient production
in 1977. Capitol investment re
quired by a farmer today is
staggering and almost unbelievable
to anyone that might have been
away from a farm for five years, he
said.
Events will include a farm
equipment display showing actual
cost of various items and pesticides
for use on one acre ot cotton and
their costs. Efforts are now being
made to have Larry Upchurch
display aerial equipment used in
insect control.
Mr. Robert L. Gibson, one of
Hoke County's prominent farmers,
will welcome the group to his farm
and will be available to answer
questions that might be asked by
his guests.
"1 would like to thank Mr.
Wendell Young and his staff. Mr.
Julian Butler. Production Credit
Association. Mr. James Plummer,
Federal Land Bank and Mr.
Robert Gibson without whose
efforts, time, and financial sup
port. this event could not take
place." said County Chairman
Fowler.
Write-in
Votes
Counted
In last week's municipal election.
31 write - in votes were cast tor 22
candidates in the Raetord mayoral
and city council races, according to
the board of elections.
Former News-Journal reporter
Marty Vega led the write - in
candidates for mayor, with seven
votes. Ed Hasty received four votes,
and Sam Morris, who w as reelected
to the city council, got two votes tor
mayor.
In the mayor's race the following
candidates polled one write - in vote
each: John W. McPhaul. Gilbert
Bernhardt. Hugh Lowe. Frank
Baker. Charles Morrison. Mina
Townsend. Leonard Miller. Benny
McLeod. Robert Gatlin. Charles
Hostet|er. and Ben Niblock.
Harry Jones was the most
popular write - in candidate tor the
city council, with seven votes.
Franklin Teal. Robert Gatlin. and
Billy Norton each got two votes for
a scat on the board. Receiving one
write - in vote each were: Mina
Townsend. James Gaddv. Craw
ford Thomas. Jr.. and Anderson
Hostetler.
C of C Seeks
Airport
Lease Delay
Neighbors
Watch For
Each Other
"A good nosy neighbor is the
best security you can have," Lt.
J.W. Trivette, of the N.C. Dept.
of Crime Control and Public
Safety, told about 120 residents
of the Puppy Creek area at a
meeting Thursday night of the
newly formed Community
Watch.
As he spoke to the group,
other members of the Watch
were patrolling the area in an
effort to combat a rash of
break-ins that has plagued rural
Puppy Creek, netting four tele
visions from one man in as
many years. Others had stories
to tell.
One man said he surprised
two large intruders in his home
and felt threatened to the extent
that he would have helped them
load their truck had they asked.
Burglars dropped a pistol in
their haste at another residence.
Hoke County Sheriff D.M.
Barrington told the group that
many of the local break-ins are
committed by drug addicts who
are supporting daily habits.
"These people will kill you,"
Barrington said. "Don't be
vigilantes. If you see anything
suspicious, call us. Don't take
any chances. If you hear them
coming in the front door, run
out the back and notify us."
Barrington said he was proud
the people of the Puppy Creek
community are organizing a
Community Watch program.
He said he hoped the program
would spread throughout the
county.
With five patrol cars and a
small staff, the sheriff said it
was impossible for his depart
ment to cover Hoke County as it
should be done. He said depu
ties were doing the best they
could. Community involvement
in the tight against crime could
be of great assistance, he said.
The two law enforcement
officers urged residents to en
grave their N.C. driver's license
numbers on valuables and to
record all serial numbers. An
inventory of these items could
be invaluable in the event of a
burglary, they said.
Lt. Trivette told the group his
department would supply them
with Community Watch stickers
to display on their cars, mail
boxes. and doors. Local pro
gram president Charles Helb
ling said that signs would be
posted along roads in the Puppy
Creek area to let people know
that neighbors there are looking
out for each other.
The Raeford-Hoke Chamber
of Commerce requested in a
letter Tuesday that the City of
Raeford delay signing any lease
involving the Municipal Air
port.
The request comes in the
wake of a decision by the city
council last week to renew for 12
years a lease held by Gene
Thacker, the airport's only fixed
base operator.
A letter asking for the delay
was given to City Manager
Robert Drum wright on Tuesday
by Earl N. Fowler, acting
manager of the chamber of
commerce. It reads as follows:
"Acting as Manager of the
Raeford - Hoke Chamber of
Commerce, and in the interest
of all citizens, I hereby request a
delay in formal signing of any
lease agreements regarding the
Raeford-Municipal Airport.
"This request is made with
the full endorsement of the
Chamber Board of Directors,
and is in no way intended to
criticize any actions that you
and our City Council have
taken.
"We are asking for the
opportunity to present other
information that should be con
sidered by all concerned."
Drumwright had no comment
on the chamber letter Tuesday
afternoon. He said that, as of
Tuesday, no special meeting of
the council had been scheduled
to consider the request.
Fowler told The News-Jounial
that the chamber is making this
request on behalf of a group of
people in town who are con
cerned about the economic
growth of Raeford and Hoke
County.
"We have been presented
with information we feel is vital
in making a decision on this
issue." Fowler said.
He said one question sub
mitted to the chamber by an
interested citizen was: "Do you
endorse the council's decision to
hamper growth for the city ami
county?"
He declined to identify the
author of the question, nor
would he speculate on the
chamber's course of action
should the city deny its request.
CLOSE VOTE
In executive session Nov. 7,
the Raeford City Council ap
proved. by a vote of three to
two, a motion that included
renewing the present fixed base
operator's lease at the airport
for 12 years. The motion also
stipulated that the operator.
Gene Thacker. be granted a
10-year lease for a hangar
formerly owned by Rose Avia
tion, in exchange for turning
over to the city the deed for his
hangar.
According to the motion.
(See AIRPORT. Page 13)
Hearing Scheduled
At McCain Hospital
Interested citizens are urged to
attend a public hearing at McCain
Hospital on Nov. 22. from 2:30 to 4
p.m., to exrress their views con
cerning the future use of the State's
chest disease facilities and the
appropriate role of the State in
providing for victims of tubercu
losis and other chronic chest
diseases.
The meeting will be held by the
Dept. of Human Resources'
Specialty Hospitals Task Force.
Those who wish their recom
mendations to become a part of the
Task Forcc's official records should
submit comments in writing at the
time of the hearing or beforehand.
The written comments should be
sent to: Program Analysis Division.
The Dept. of Human Resources.
325 N. Salisbury St.. Raleigh,
N.C.. 27hl 1; or to the Administra
tor. McCaip> Hospital. McCain.
N.C.. 28361.
Oral presentations at the hearing
will be limited to 10 minutes each
and may be further limited as
necessary, depending on the num
ber of speakers, according to a
news release.