Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Jan. 12, 1978, edition 1 / Page 1
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? 25 The Hoke County News - Established 1928 VOLUME LXIX NUMRER 37 RAEFO^ID, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA ^7 I 25c - journal The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, JANUARY i2, I97fi Around Town BY SAM C. MORRIS The weather for the past week has been for everyone. It was a little windy Saturday and Sunday with some rain mixed in, but it was warm enough to get on the golf course both days. Monday, the temperature began to drop and snow was falling as most of us started for work. According to reports the ther mometer stood at 63 degrees about midnight Sunday and then dropped ^ to about 30 degrees by eight JP" o'clock. As this is being written early Tuesday morning I haven't heard how low it got Monday night but there was plenty of ice around as this writer came to work. The forecast is for more bad weather and this might include snow before the week is over. It looks as if golf is off for another week. ? ? ? Last week in this column was an item about the Rockfish News being missed for the past three or four weeks. Before the paper had reached our readers we found out that Mrs. A. A. Mclnnis was at Cape Fear Valley Hospital in Fay etteville. At this time she is improving and was walking around in the halls Sunday afternoon. Hurry up and get complete recovery. Mrs. A. A. as we miss your news but we also hate to think ~^0f you getting so much rest during this cold weather. ? * * Richard Taylor, who retired from work several months ago at Burlington, and has now become one of the county's leading golfers, had the golfer's dream come true k with a hole - in - one while playing r at Arabia Golf Course on Saturday, December 31. He aced the Par 3 No. 2 hole over the Atlantic ocean while playing in a foursome with Jim Dunnigan. Lester Gage and Don Freecrome. The hole from the top tee is approximately 185 yards across water and Richard said he hit a four wood. He said the ball hit the green and bounced in the cup. I am not sure what the temperature was that day but it could have hit ice and slid into the cup. Congratulations Richard! ? * * Now for some advice to all you car drivers. The license office at the Raeford - Hoke Chamber of Com merce is now open. The price is the same now as it will be in February. There is one thing that is missing now and that is a long line and a long wait to buy your 1978 plates. So take the advice of one w ho has already purchased his plates and get yours before the lines form. Thanks. ? ? 0 L Every once in awhile when W someone renews their subscription f to the paper they will enclose a short note written inside the en velope or will enclose a letter. This happened this week and Becky brought me the following letter which 1 think will be of interest to many of our readers. The letter follows: Mr. Morris: 1 am enclosing check for Sb.24 to enew my subscription to News 'ournul for one year. Even tho' there is little in it about the people 1 know. I came to Black Mtn. to live forty years ago last November and I hink 1 have taken your paper all :hose years so I guess I won't break my record. 1 worked in Raeford many years ind 1 knew about every one in Raeford and the county and 1 had a ot of friends. The town has grown to much, outside of my family and l few friends. 1 don't know the new people. Sincerely. Loyd T. Stinchcomb P.S. I think you were a teenager *hen 1 left Raeford. 1937. I worked or Nesbit Bros, fall of 1918. then Hoke Highland Co. 1919. later Baucom's. T.D. Hatcher's Jewelry ^ Store, last. Israel Mann. B Thanks. Mrs. Stinchcomb for he letter. Yes I was a teenager and lad been working at the paper for wo years when you left Raeford. 1 -emember the places you worked at ind also remember you working at Israel Mann's. Mrs. Stinchcomb is (See AROUND TOWN, Page 1 1) At Municipal Airport Vance Gets T emporary Lease Airport Complaint Brings FAA Officials To Raeford By Charles Blackburn Staff Writer If the City of Raeford does not give businessmen the op portunity to operate at the municipal airport, here, it could mean a loss of federal funds for development of the field, the Raeford City Council was told by representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in what Mayor J.K. McNeill described as an "unofficial meeting" here last Thursday morning. No official effort was made to notify the public or members of the press about the meeting, held in the firemen's recreation room above the police station due to renovations underway in the city offices where the board usually meets. All council mem bers were present, along with the city attorney and city manager. Robert E. Harris, assistant chief of the FAA's Airports District Office in College Park, Ga., told the board that he was in Raeford as the result of a written complaint filed with the FAA by Gene Vance, owner of Vance Aircraft Sales, Inc. Vance has tried unsuccess fully for 24 months to get a lease with the City of Raeford for operation of his business at the local airport. Vance complained to the FAA that the city won't deal with him. Harris said. At it now stands, the sole fixed base operator at the field. Gene Thacker, who runs a sport parachute school, holds the only lease with the city for airport facilities. That lease doesn't expire until 1980. A new lease with Thacker was negotiated and approved by the city council in Nov.. but the ensuing controversy over the lease, which, in the opinion of some, would have given Thack er a virtual monopoly on airport facilities for 12 years, caused the board to have second thoughts about it. As a result, the board rescinded the new lease agree ment and called for a state study of the airport. Vance's position at the airport was described by the FAA last Thursday as "tenuous." He is currently operating his business at Thacker's discretion, on Thacker's lease, and Thacker can evict him at any time. The FAA contended Thurs day that Vance has a legitimate right to operate at the field and recommended that the city negotiate a lease with him. Harris made other recommen dations at the meeting. He urged the city to beef up its regulations concerning the airport and to re - negotiate Thacker's lease to consolidate his operation in one area of the field. He also urged the city to purchase land around the airport instead of acquiring easements. Harris told the board that the FAA is interested in the operation of the local airport because of federal grant agree ments with the city for de velopment of the facility. Plans call for paving and lighting the parallel taxiways with a $20,000 FAA grant. About $80,000 in federal money has been spent on improvements at the airport in the past. "According to the grant agreement, the city will operate the airport on fair and reasona ble terms and without discrimi nation," Harris told the board. "The airport is a public facility for users and commercial inter ests. If space is available and a man is financially capable of constructing facilities, then the city should let him come on the (See AIRPORT, Page 11) Board Says Special Policies Not Needed A policy presented to the Board fof Education regarding the use of alcohol Failed to pass in Monday night's session. "I wonder if this is not a state law or if it is covered somewhere else," board member Mina Townsend questioned. Board members agreed that the policy was not necessary and that Carter Announces For Judicial Race Attorney Lester G. Carter, Jr.. a former Legislator. County Re corder's Court Judge, District Solicitor of Superior Court and presently attorney for The Cum berland County Board of Educad tion. announces his candidacy for the 3rd Resident Superior Court Judge of the Twelfth Judicial District embracing Cumberland and Hoke Counties, subject to the May 2nd Democratic Primary. Attorney Carter, in announcing his candidacy, pointed out that the Superior Court is the general trial court for all felonies, which include murder, rape, armed robbery, burglary, frauds, embezzlement and larcenies, and that he felt that his experience as District Solicitor and Prosecutor in the Superior Court for four years and Judge of Cumberland County Recorder's Court for six years would be invaluable, if elected, in presiding over criminal sessions of Superior Court. Letter Carter, Jr. Attorney Carter further stated that he is especially concerned over the safety of women and the elderly who live alone and the increase in robbery of places of business during the past decade. He further stated that, if elected, he would not only see that each defendant had a fair and impartial trial but that the rights of the victims and all citizens would be taken into due con sideration in carrying out the duties of the Judgeship. Attorney Carter further pointed out that in addition to being the trial Court for serious automobile accidents involving injury and damage to persons and property, the Superior Court has appellate jurisdiction in regard to appeals from the Clerk of Superior Court in estates of deceased persons, special proceedings and guardianships and that he has served as Attorney for many estates and guardianships. He further stated that the Superior Court has, appellate jurisdiction of appeali-^from actions of school principals and Boa^is of Educa tion. Carter has been Attorney for The Cumberland County Board of Education since 1%7 and involved in numerous trials and appeals in the State and Federal Courts concerning students. He plans to ftle with the N.C. Board of elections in Raleigh this week. Carter was born in Fayetteville. the son of the late L.G. and Eunice Allen Carter. He graduated from Fayetteville High School and Presbyterian College and went on to the University of North Carolina School of Law. He was admitted to practice law in 1949. He served during World War II in the United States Army of Occupation in Japan. alcohol problems could be dealt with when they arose without adopting a special ruling. "If we can't deal with it and we need a tool, that's different," board chairman Bob Gibson said. He went on to tell the board that they had dealt with the situation successfully in the past. The board did issue a statement concerning the behavior of educa tors at the end of the session. Another policy concerning school trips was discussed and also failed to pass. The board determined that restrictions on school trips should be placed by the principals and not by the board in a blanket policy. "I would hate for us to come out with a policy against it." Gibson said. In other business. School Super intendent Raz Autry recommended to the board that James Michael Sutton be hired to replace Eleanor Gentry. Mrs. Gentry will be work ing under a new program funded by CETA to work with children in the areas of math and language arts. The board approved the hiring of Sutton. A list. of new substitute teachers was recommended to the board by Autry. He explained that each person on the list has been inter viewed by the principals. The board approved the list. Included in the new substitute teachers are: Ronald Chestnut. Sandra Crawley. Earl Gibson. Melba Gibson. Francis Gordon. Hunter Sue Hagins. Priscilla Hardin, Genell Jackson. Deloris Knott. Jayne McDuffie. Angela McPhatter. Carolyn Pagan. Sylvia Peterson, Edith Ray, Mary Sap penfield. Janice Shaw, Venetia Walters. Major Lee Wells and Debbie Pounds. The statement issued by the board con<xjoining behavior of educators reads as follows: "The Board of Education adheres to the principle that educators are and should be responsible citizens and members of their community. "Due to the nature of their profession and the fact that they not only instruct the young people they teach but also provide them with leadership, a high standard of example setting behavior is ex pected of them. "Such behavior and personal actions either on or off campus that does not meet this standard and which can cause embarrasment to the school system is not to be tolerated." Vance Aircraft Sales, Inc. set up a mobile office Tuesday at the Raeford Municipal Airport on a temporary lease granted by the city council at its regular meeting"Monday night. The board gave Gene Vance, company owner, the right to conduct aircraft sales and flight training at the field on a temporary basis until a permanent agreement can be made. The lease came in the wake of a visit last week by officials of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who told the board that businessmen who meet city and FAA requirements have a right to do business at the local airport. (See related story.) The FAA also recommended that the city strengthen its regulations regarding the airport and re-negotiate its lease with Gene Thacker. who runs a parachute school, to consolidate his activities at the field in one general area. Several people spoke at the meeting Monday in favor of allowing Vance to have a temporary lease until the board can straighten out the airport situation. According to the motion, which passed without opposition. Vance will be allowed to use a hangar at the field formerly owned by Paul Rose. Since that building has neither heat nor office space, Vance told the board he would locate a mobile home near the hangar to use as an office. Vance has been operating on Thacker's lease for the last 24 months. He said he told Thacker he would vacate his building at the field by this Tuesday. "I've been through this for three months," Vance told the board, referring to his attempts to get a lease from the city. "Me and my business can't stand many more of these delays. At this time 1 need to offer more services than just sales." City Manager Robert Drumwright told the board that he had not yet talked with Thacker about the FAA recommendations. As far as a state study of the facility was concerned. Drumwright said the State Division of Aeronautics told him they would provide the city with the standard rules for operating an airport but felt that any further study of the airport should be left up to the consulting engineers. After mounting controversy over a new 12-year lease with Thacker. the board rescinded all action last month involving new airport leases and called for a state study. In other business, the board passed on the second reading a rate increase for the local cable television company, to be effective only after the company has added two additional stations to its service. Channel 18 and Channel 10. The council appropriated $5,000 in anti-recessionary funds to hire an additional policeman for the Raeford force so the officers' schedules can be cut from six to five days a week. The city manager said the officers are now working 48 hour weeks. The board changed several fees. For the pick up of stray animals by the city, an owner will be charged $10 per pick up and $2 a day for food. The board changed the utility penalty fee from $3 to $b - first offenders will be charged only $3, however. The cost of a re-zoning permit went up $10. according to a vote of the board. From now on a re- zoning permit will cost $35 instead of $25. The city manager said the money covers the cost of advertising the re-zoning request in the newspaper. An increase was voted for building permits, and it will cost $5 from now on to tear down a building in Raeford. The city will also begin charging $7 for a sign permit. According to an ordinance presented to the board by the city manager. Raeford will start building inspections in the 1 mile /.one outside the city limits that is under its jurisdiction as of Feb. 1. The charges will be the same as for inspections inside the city limits. Palmer Willcox was retained as city attorney by a vote of the board. His term expired in Dec. The board met in the courthouse annex, where the county commission usually meets, due to renovations now underway at the city offices. Young Enters Race F or Hoke Sheriff The first political race of the new year in Hoke County took shape this week as Raeford police detec tive Harvey Young filed Monday to have his name placed on the ballot for Hoke County Sheriff in the May 2 Democratic primary. Rose W. Sturgeon, registrar with the Hoke County Board of Elec tions. said that Young filed for the sheriffs position late Monday afternoon. She also said she talked last week with Sheriff Dave Bar rington. who told her he planned to file for re-election the first of Feb. Young tesigned as Barrington's chief deputjMwo years ago when he was faced with a demotion. He said Tuesday that he and Sheriff Bar rington parted on good terms. "I'm looking for a good clean race." Young said. "I've never criticized Sheriff Barringlon. and I can't imagine that I ever will criticize him." If elected. Young pledged to do the best he could to serve all of the people of Hoke County. Young. 53. has been a law enforcement officer for 17 years and lives on North Main Street in Raeford. An Oklahoma native, he has lived in Hoke Countv since 1951. Police Chief V.L. Wiggins has said that, in his opinion, Young should resign his position with the police force if he wants to campaign for sheriff. Young said Tuesday he has not made up his mind whether to resign, take a leave of absence. Harvey Young of to remain on the force during the political race. Young is the only local candidate so far to file with the board of elections for the primary, the registrar said. The deadline for filing is Feb. 6. Three seats on the county board of education and three on the board of commissioners will also be in question in the primary, according to the board of elections. The seats on the board of education are currently held by Robert Gibson, W.L. Howell, and Riley Jordan. On the board of (Sec YOUNCt. Page I I )
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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Jan. 12, 1978, edition 1
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