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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXIX NUMBER 44 RAEFORD, HOKE COUMY, NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY , MARCH I, l()7H
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather was perfect this past
weekend for folks who wanted to be
out - of - doors. The temperature
was in the sixties Saturday and
close to fifty on Sunday. It was
somewhat windy, but it didn't seem
to bother most people.
I got on the golf course both days
and this was only the second
weekend I have played this year. It
seems as if every golfer in eastern
North Carolina found their way to
. *jabia over the weekend. I would
\ lo venture a guess that some that
, were out on the course hadn't
played much golf before, as there
was right much waiting between
, shots.
My group finished both days
about some were not as patient as
the foursome I was playing with
and quit after several holes.
Anyway the weekend was the
first in a long time that people
could get outdoors.
? * *
The Hoke County Music Booster
Club has started to work again and
it was a pleasure to have a visit
from Joyce Jameson last Friday.
She filled me in on most of the
details for the Membership Drive
and I will try to pass them along to
you.
The drive will be during the
month of March and will be kicked
off with a free concert at the
MacDonald School Gymn at 8 p.m.
on March 9. It will be a joint
concert composed of the Upchurch
Chorus and Band and the Hoke
High Chorus, Chorale and Band.
Now who could ask for more, even
if it was not free.
Last year the club had 90
I . frmbers and they would like to
nave many more this year. If you
are a member you are entitled to
attend all concerts for one year
from March to March.
The membership fees are S5.00
for adults and $3.00 for students.
Also, memorial gifts can be given in
honor of or in memory of any
individual or group.
You can join this group the night
of the concert or if you will call
Nora Scull or Joyce Jameson and
leave your address, someone will
come bv to pick up your money.
So be a music booster and help
the music groups at the school.
? ? *
Jesse Gulledge brought an old
picture by the office last week and
left it on my desk. I was out of town
at the time and didn't get to talk to
him about the picture and about
what year it was taken.
It is a picture of the National
Guard outfit that was in Raeford
before World War II. It was the
outfit known as the Combat Train
or Headquarters 1st Battalion
}2nd Coast Artillery.
The soldiers seem to be lined up
for chow and I can recognize a few
of the men. but since I was in
battery "F" some of the faces and
names don't come to mv mind.
1 know Harris Parker, Clyde
Gillis, Jay Lunsford, a McDowell
an a Pittman are in the picture, but
that is about as far as my memory
will let me go.
So some of you old combat men
come by and help me identify the
faces and if we can't get them all.
maybe we can run the picture and
complete the list.
Thanks Jessie, for bringing the
picture by the office.
? * *
As this column is being written
and 1 look out the front of the
office, the work on the parking lot
is coming down to the final stages.
The curb and gutter has been
installed and the lot has been
leveled. Now sand clay is being put
on the lot and it will be spread over
the lot and then the asphalt will be
poured.
|Vhen the parking places are
marked and lights put up. this will
be a much needed lot for downtown
Raeford. To aid the local mer
chants. it would be nice if the
employees of businesses would use
the parking lot.
Think about this!
Citizens Voice Skepticism
Military Air Zone Proposed
1'iil.i iM\ i wrr,n/i i iuiva AKt.A - federal Aviation Administration representative I. eon Harrison explains the workings
of the Military Operations Area (MOA ) proposed for the Raeford area. Local citizens met with federal and military
officials at the airport here last week to disaiss the proposed military zone. Some voiced their opposition to it, saying
that it appeared uruiecessary.
Former Manager
Receives Pardon
Former Raeford city manager
John D. Gaddy, who resigned his
job in 1975 after being indicted on
three counts of misappropriating
city funds, received an executive
pardon of forgiveness from Gov.
Hunt Monday.
Gaddy was charged with the
felonies in August of 1975. He
entered a plea of nolo contendre
(no contest) to two of the indict
ments. and the third was dismiss
ed. a result of plea bargaining.
He was given a four-year sus
pended prison term in an October
session of superior court in 1975.
and was placed on probation for
three years. He was also ordered to
pay the city restitution of $500 and
was fined $1500.
According to an article in the
Fayetteville Times, an aide termed
the signing of the pardon a "rare
move."
John Hemming, a Fayetteville
attorney, filed the petition for
pardon. After the petition met with
delay in the governor's office.
Gaddy contacted Alfred K. Leach.
Leach said he called the governor,
whom he termed a "good friend,"
and requested that he review the
petition. An aide to the governor
located the petition and. Leach
said, the governor granted the
pardon as "a special favor to John
Gaddy based on information re
ceived from me."
Gaddy needed the pardon in
order to get a better job. Leach
said. He is currently working for a
water construction company based
in Sanford. "There was no
opposition to the pardon" Leach
said. He said he thought Gaddy
should be pardoned because "he
has paid for his mistakes and is
entitled to a new chance in life."
Following a seven-week-long in
vestigation by the State Bureau of
Investigation. Gaddy and Billy
Barefoot, ex-supervisor of the city
garage, were charged with the
mis-use of city funds. The S.B.I,
investigation was spurred by News
Journal inquiries into alleged
wrongdoings.
The Hoke County Grand Jury
indicted Gaddy on charges of
paying from the city treasury a bill
of S 333. 58 for repair work on a
truck owned by Gaddy's son. Chris,
and for authorizing city funds to be
paid to Red Springs Motors for
work done on his personal car in
Sept. of 1974. In March of 1974.
the city was billed for SI 37.50 for
car parts for Gaddy's personal car.
Two days after the Grand Jury
indicted Gaddy. the city council
voted to strip him of all duties
dealing with disbursement of city
funds.
Following the trial. Gaddy re
signed as city manager. A citizen's
group circulated a petition to try to
reinstate Gaddy. but the council
rejected the move and appointed
Bill Sellars acting city manager.
Robert Drumwright was hired as
the new city manager and assumed
his duties in Feb. of 197b.
Although Gaddy was placed on
probation tor three years in Oct. of
1975. he was released from his
probation May 6. 1977. According
to William Lester. Gaddy's proba
tion officer, it is not unusual for the
term of probation to be shortened
when the probationer has complied
with all the terms of probation.
Found
An amount of money was found
near the Bank of Raeford last
Saturday morning, according to
Margaret Lane of the Raeford Post
Office.
A check book cover was found
close to the money. The cover had
no checks or deposit tickets inside,
but did have a name imprinted on
the outside. Mail carriers from the
local office did not recognize the
name as a Raeford resident.
A bag of clothing with a sales
receipt from Dc Vane's is also being
held at the post office. To claim any
of the items, stop by the post office
during business hours and describe
the lost articles.
Lane Trial Begins
Here On Monday
A special session of superior
court will convene in Hoke County
Monday for the trial of a man
accused of slaying Cumberland
County special sheriff's deputy
R.G. Smith.
Late in November of 1977, Judge
Giles Clark ruled that news
coverage of Smith's death Sept. 14
was so extensive that it "could be
prejudicial" to the right to a fair
trial for Lloyd S. Lane. 25. accused
of murder.
Following the judge's ruling, the
trial was shifted from Cumberland
County to Hoke County. District
Attorney Ed Grannis opposed the
change of venue and said, in his
opinion, there had been "no effort
by the news media to inflame" the
citizens in Cumberland against
Lane.
Lane's lawyers. Ms. Karen
Galloway and Tom Lofiin tailed in
a request lor a publicly founded
scientific study to determine if
blacks, women, young adults and
working class persons are under -
represented on a 15,000 member
,prospective juror pool from which
the grand jury which indicted Lane
was drawn.
Smith had been a member of
that grand jury until his death, as a
result. Lane's attorneys attempted
i?> get the indictment overturned,
but they were unsuccessful.
The Honorable James M. Baley.
Jr.. will preside when the trial
calendar is called at 10 a.m.
Monday. Court will reconvene at
"?'i.fO each weekday thereafter.
Lane is charged with first degree
murder and two counts of armed
robbery and w ill be the only case on
the docket for this special superior
court session.
DrumwrightTo Attend Meet
Raeford City Manager Robert
Drumwright said Monday that he
will attend next week's meeting of
the city council, but he said he has
made no decision beyond that.
Drumwright tendered his re
signation to the board last month,
asking that it be made effective
March 1. He said at the time that,
as far as he knew, he would be
available after that date if the cit \
needed him.
His resignation was tabled by the
board.
The day after announcing his
resignation. Drumwright denied
reports that he was leaving because
of personality conflicts within city
government. He said he might
further his education.
On Mondav hp sairi that hp'rt
had several job offers and will make
a decision about his future in the
next 10 days or so.
The 30-year-old city manager
assumed his duties here in Feb. of
Il)"h after working four and a halt
years as finance officer and tax
collector for the City of Graham.
N.C. A native of Alamance
County, he received a degree in
business administration at the
I'niversity of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.
Congressman Charlie Rose an
nounced that the ^th Congressional
District Mobile Office will visit
' Raeford March 3 and March 31.
The mobile office will be in the
parking lot of the Raeford Post
Office from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on
those dates. Rip Collins, Con
gressman Rose's representative in
the District, will be in the mobile
office to talk with area citizens.
Office
Skeptcism about the need for charting a Military Operations Area
(MOA) in the skies over Raeford was expressed by a group of local
citizens who gathered at the airport here last Wednesday for a
meeting with military and federal officials.
City officials may try to block the proposal. Raeford City Manager
Robert Drumwright said Monday that the proposed military zone
will be on the agenda for discussion at the city council meeting next
week.
Drumwright said he is personally opposed to the idea because
there is no guarantee the MOA won't eventually become a restricted
zone.
Federal Aviation Administration representative Leon H. Harrison
said the MOA is primarily a safety measure and would not restrict
civilian flying. He said the zone would have no effect on Visual Flight
Rule (VFR) operations.
Military spokesmen at the meeting said there would be no
increase in activity in the area. Their airplanes will still avoid
Raeford, Col. Jay Hargrove said.
The planes fly ground support missions for troops at Ft. Bragg
and won't be doing aerobatics or air combat maneuvers in the area,
according to Hargrove.
The MOA will allow military planes to exceed speeds of 250 knots
at altitudes below 10,000 feet. Advance notice must be given to
private aircraft when the area is in use by the military.
The proposed zone extends from the southern boundary of the Ft.
Bragg reservation to about four miles south of Raeford. covering
several miles east and west of town.
"You'll never notice the difference," Harrison told the group.
"The MOA is to let pilots know that something unusual is going on
in the area."
He said there was no guarantee that a jet pilot wouldn't fly low
over the town.
"There's always someone who's going to do a low buzz job." he
said. "We can't say absolutely that it won't happen."
But he said complaints could be lodged with the military if it ever
happens. Military spokesmen said the appropriate disciplinary
action would be taken.
Gene Thacker, who operates a parachute school at the local
airport, said military aircraft in the area have never presented a
problem, and he questioned the need for the MOA. The city
manager agreed.
"Raeford is the only heavily populated area in the county, and
according to the proposed zone, military aircraft will be able to fly
right over it." said Drumwright. "It seems like you could move it
away from Raeford."
Thacker said he'd heard a rumor that officials didn't dare move
the zone toward Southern Pines "because there are too many big
wheels over there."
Maj. Dave Skilling pointed out that the flight lanes have been
charted in relation to impact zones on the Ft. Bragg reservation that
cannot be moved. Pilots practice dropping bombs in these impact
zones as part of the exercises in support of ground troops.
Earl Fowler, manager of the Raeford- Hoke Chamber of
Commerce, said Hoke County residents were a little suspicious of the
MOA because of past dealings with the military. He said the county
lost 92,000 acres to the reservation and later lost another 20.000
when the militry reneged on a promise.
Fowler said Little River Township was cut off from the rest of the
county when the Ft. Bragg reservation was formed. At that time, he
said the military promised to keep a road through the reservation
open so residents of Little River could get to the county seat, but the
road was later closed, and Little River was eventually annexed by
Moore County.
"People are often influenced by what they suspect rather than
what they know," Fowler said. "We're in an economic decline right
now. We fear anything that might have an adverse economic
impact."
Harrison said the MOA would be reviewed annually by the FAA.
"There's nothing permanent about air space." he said. "Citizens
can write the FAA at any time and complain if they don't like the
way things are going."
If objections are raised, Harrison said a public hearing would be
called before a final decision on the MOA is made. However, he said
they would have to be valid objections relating to aviation to
influence the FAA.
Representatives from Ft. Bragg. Pope Air Force Base andShaw
Air Force Base in Sumter. S.C. attended the meeting here last week.
Hoke School Superintendent Raz Autry was also among local
citizens who attended.
Buyer Being Sought
For Local Industry
Efforts continued here this week
to find a buyer for the financially
troubled Summerfield Industries.
Inc.. a local textile frim that ceased
operations last week, laying off h(K)
workers.
A spokesman said the company
found itself without a market for its
primary product, double knits, and
could no longer continue in busi
ness profitably. Efforts to re
organize or merge with another
company were in vain, he said.
Earl Fowler, manager of the
Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Com
merce, said Monday that officials
with the N.C. Department of
Commerce are working to help find
a buyer.
"Two state officials met last
Thursday with Mayor J.K. McNeill
and myself to conduct a complete
analysts of Summerfield's opera
tion." Fowler said. "A resume was
compiled to present to major
companies so they can see what the
operation has to offer.
"Contacts have been made."
Fowler continued. "And we are
receiving favorable reaction. We
hope that within the next two or
three weeks representatives will
conic here to look over the facility.
We are encouraged that someone
will buy and reopen the plant
Fowler said he has been instruct
ed bv chamber president William
McDonald to take whatever action
he can as quickly as possible to help
in this critical time.
About 250 of the jobless are
Hoke County residents, according
to the local Employment Security
Commission. Most ot the employe
es did not know the plant planned
to close until they went to work last
Monday morning. About 100 work
ers had been laid oft the week
before when the knitting and dye
departments closed. The lay-oil
was expected to be temporary,
according to one employee.
Summerfield has its head
quarters in Greensboro. It bought
the Raeford Plant less than two
years ago from Knit Away. Inc.
The firm made knits for apparel
and home furnishing markets.