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The Hoke County News - Established 1 928
VOLUME LXXII NUMBER 48 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA
Commented At Raleigh Meeting Monday
journal
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
$8 PER YEAR
THURSDAY. MARCH 26, 1981
DHR Man F ound
McCain Data
Wrong
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather forecasters missed
the weather for Sunday and it kept
me off the golf course. It was
predicted that the temperature
would get up to 60 degrees for
Sunday, but according to my
thermometer it didn't even touch
50 degrees.
The rains came during the night
^ Sunday and rained up until about
? noon Monday. Hoke County's
weatherman hasn't been in the
office during the day (Monday) so I
can't say how much it has rained as
this is being written. Of course
every little bit helps, but we need
more rain.
Now if the temperature will get
up to normal, then we will have to
f, be satisfied.
? ? *
^ It was good to see Mary Archie
McNeill up and around again. She
was by the office on Monday
? morning and left me an article for
this column. We offered her some
fatherly advice about not getting
out too soon in the cold damp
weather. As always, she was very
gracious in her reply to me.
The article she left is as follows:
"Art work of students from all
A Hoke County Schools is displayed
in Fayetteville's Cross Creek Mall
this week through Saturday night
at 6 o'clock. Featured in the Cross
Creek Mall Student Art Show is art
from Fayetteville City and Cumber
land and Hoke County Schools.
"Everyone is invited and en
couraged to go over to the Mall this
week to view the creative work of
our Tine student artists. Hoke
County Schools art instructors are
^Miss Teresa Marian, Mrs. Eloise
Carter, Miss Beth Fox and Mrs.
Donna Bullock."
She called later in the day and
said that the Hoke County display
was in front of Howard and
Whitaker.
The NCAA basketball tourna
ment is winding down to the end of
^ the line. Saturday there will be two
? games and the final game will be
played Monday night. Two of the
remaining four teams are from the
ACC and this year they have upheld
the reputation of the conference.
It seems that everyone that
comes into the office these days
asks if I am as happy as I look. My
answer is nearly always "Heavenly
and the sky is blue." Even if the
Tar Heels get defeated in the finals,
ft it will still have been a wonderful
season for the team and for me.
I can't at this time get Jake
Austin to tell me if he is going to
Philadelphia. All he will say is, "I
don't have a ticket in my pocket."
Would anyone like to wager about
Jake going? I believe even Jimmy
the Greek would give you odds!
So get the TV sets ready for the
big weekend .
I
An occasion that is looked
forward to by many men in Hoke
County is the annual Rabbit Sup
per given by Clayton Buoyer at his
pond. The menu consists of rabbit.
(See AROUND TOWN. Page 1 1)
Historic marker tells of McCain Hospital's founding. It stands at the edge
of the front of the hospital's grounds. [ Staff photo.]
In Hoke County
A member of State Human
Resources Department secretary's
staff said at a meeting in Raleigh
Monday of Hoke County people
that he realized later that informa
tion he obtained about McCain
Hospital was erroneous but he did
not explain why he failed to correct
it.
The member of the secretary's
staff who made the statement is
James Woodall.
At the same meeting, Dr. Sarah
Morrow, DHR secretary, replying
to questions put by Raeford - Hoke
County Chamber of Commerce
Manager Earl Fowler, said she did
not accept a task force majority
report of several years ago recom
mending McCain be kept open,
because the majority had become
"too emotionally involved" to make
a rational decision.
Woodall's information was given
to a state base budget subcommit
tee. Closing of the hospital, which
specialized in the treatment of
tuberculosis and other lung di
seases, has been proposed on the
basis of information the subcom
mittee was given.
Fowler's questioning about the
task force report came after Mor
row said, "I m not hell bent and
determined to close McCain Hospi
tal." Fowler said Tuesday that
nobody had accused her of being
"hell bent" on closing McCain.
Fowler, representing the cham
ber of commerce, presented at the
meeting statistics he had gathered
for the chamber about the hospital
and which he told a reporter
Tuesday were true.
Attending the Raleigh meeting
with Fowler were John Balfour,
chairman of the Board of Hoke
County Commissioners; Hoke
County Manager James Martin;
and Mrs. Betsy Ann (Ken) Mc
Rain Aids Crops.
Cuts Fire Danger
The rain that fell Sunday night
through Monday morning cut the
danger of forest fires to the point
where State Forest H.J. (Bo) Green
at noon Monday lifted the state
wide burning ban.
The rain didn't fill the ponds
much but "is going to do some
good" to crops; has helped corn
and tobacco, County Agricultural
Extension Chairman Wendell
Young said Tuesday morning, and
would be "very helpful" for the
planting season.
Robert Gatlin, Hoke County
observer for the National Weather
Service, said Tuesday rainfall dur
ing the two days totaled eight
tenths of an inch but there was no
runoff, since it fell slowly, so "we
got it all." He said half an inch had
fallen by early Monday morning,
(shortly after daylight), and seven
tenths inch by 9 a.m. The other
tenth fell by 11, when the rain
stopped. The rain was accompan
ied by cold weather. The temper
atures in this area ranged from a
low of about 37 to a high of 45
Sunday and Monday.
Hoke County Ranger Robert
Jones of the State Forestry Service
said Tuesday also, replying to a
reporter's question, that "we're
wet," referring to the county's
woods and fields. He said fires
during the past two months of
drought before the rain fell early
this week burned several hundred
acres of brush and woods. Jones
reported the lifting of the burning
ban.
Some fires had been set accident
ally, others were runaways from
trash burnings, others had been set
illegally for other reasons, and
others resulted from undetermined
causes, according to reports ac
cumulated from Hoke fire depart
ments.
Only corn and tobacco, among
the commercial farm crops, and
spring gardens have been planted
Officer Suspended
In Assault Case
Raeford Policeman Earl Tindall.
4b, was suspended without pay for
two weeks March 13 after he
pleaded guilty in Hoke County
District Court that day of a charge
of simple assault on a man he had
arrested. Police Chief Leonard
Wiggins reported Thursday.
He said Tindall was charged in a
warrant issued March 12 on a
complaint made by Matthew Rod
ney McGregor, 2b, of 310 N.
Wright St.. Raeford.
The warrant charges simple as
sault and assault and battery on
McGregor on March b. Wiggins
said the incident occurred in the
Breathalyzer room of the Hoke
County Jail. The warrant says
Tindall shoved McGregor's head
several times against a locker.
Court records show McGregor
was arrested by Tindall at 1 1 :55
p.m. March b at Grant and
Saunders streets and charged with
driving under the influence. The
record shows McGregor was re
leased from jail March 7 after
posting $500 bond for his ap
pearance in District Court for trial.
set for April 3.
Wiggins said the district attor
ney's office investigated the com
plaint and he made an internal
investigation.
He said Tindall gave the DA
investigator no reason for his acting
against McGregor at the jail,
Wiggins, replying to the reporter's
question, said the details of an
internal investigation are confiden
tial, consequently he could not give
information gathered.
He said "This is the first time
we've ever had a complaint like this
on Tindall." He said Tindall has
been with the police department
since 1973, except for about two
months in the Hoke County She
riff s Department.
Wiggins said he took the action
that he took against Tindall "be
cause of the officer he's been and
the ability he had displayed. 1 feel
that the action was appropriate."
After Tindall submitted his plea.
Judge Joseph E. Dupree ordered
Tindall to pay the court costs (S27),
a fine of $50, and S50 restitution
for McGregor.
so far, Young said. He said the cold
weather had kept down corn but
the recent rain and subsequent
warm weather should help the
crops.
Young said tobacco plants look
ed pretty good the latter part of the
week to Assistant Extension Farm
Agent Bill Northern and him when
they inspected them.
Statewide Petition , Hoke Statement
'Concerned Citizens,'
NAACP Back McCain
A petition and statement calling
for continuing McCain Hospital for
treatment of tuberculosis and other
lung diseases in service were given
to The News-Journal last week.
The petition containing about
5,000 signatures was mailed to
State Sen. Sam Noble of the 12th
District, composed of Hoke and
Robeson counties.
The endorsement was issued by
the Hoke County Branch of the
NAACP, and is addressed to "To
Whom It May Concern". It reads:
"We the Hoke County Branch
NAACP support keeping McCain
Hospital open in Hoke County for
the employment and service of all
its citizens. We also support peti
tions that are being circled in Hoke
County." It is signed by Jimmy
Morrisey, president, and Charlotte
Kelly, secretary, of the Hoke
County NAACP Branch.
Corrections
The News-Journal of last week
contained two errors.
The story about the plane crash
(front page); said the craft went
down near Farmer's Air Strip. It
should have read Johnson's Air
Strip.
The strip was built by June
Johnson, who has since died, and is
now owned and used by members
of his family.
The report published on Page 4.
Section I. about Raeford dancers in
the annual Spring Ballet of the Ann
Clark School of Dance, given The
News-Journal, said the Ballet "is
now confined only to Fayetteville
students." The Ballet is not confin
ed only to Fayetteville students,
The News-Journal was informed
Thursday.
The statewide petition reads:
"We, the undersigned, do hereby
petition the North Carolina Gene
ral Assembly to recognize the
importance of continuing the im
portant work done by McCain
Hospital, McCain, North Carolina,
as the only State facility in opera
tion for the control and treatment
of tuberculosis in all forms, a
contagious disease.
"The petition is being circulated
around the State by Concerned
Citizens who feel that McCain
Hospital should be maintained as a
health care facility and request
your help when this matter comes
before the North Carolina General
Assembly."
It adds that the petition mailed
to Noble is accompanied by a note
asking that he circulate it and other
petitions in the General Assembly.
The Concerned Citizens' petition
also says, "Signed petitions are
being mailed to other North Caro
lina General Assembly members as
they are completed-- you will
probably receive petitions from
your home area.
"Also, please get accurate in
formation about the hospital's
operations and finances before you
(legislators) vote on this matter.
This correct information has been
given to Base Budget -- Senator
Robert B. Jordan, Senator Russell
Walker. Senator Sam Nobel" and
to area state representatives.
Attached to the copy of the
petition is a copy of a news report of
the Hoke County commissioners
unanimously voting March 16 "full
support for the continuing opera
tion of the hospital." The support
is stated in a resolution adopted by
(Sec NAACP. Page 1 1 )
Neill, a member of the McCain
Advisory Board set up several
months ago by Morrow (but which
has never met formally); who also is
a retired employee of the hospital
with 30 years' service.
State Sens. Sam Noble, whose
district includes Hoke; State Sen.
Robert Jordan of Mt. Gilead; and
Dr. Hugh Tilson, director of the
State Division of Health Services.
Fowler on Tuesday provided The
News-Journal the report of the
Monday meeting. Noble also in
formed the newspaper that he was
trying to have the pending action of
the Legislature on McCain confin
ed to reducing the number of the
hospital's beds to 100 from 150.
It was Noble who had arranged
the meeting of the Hoke County
people with Morrow.
Fowler said the purpose of the
group's going to Raleigh was "to
make the true facts (about the
hospital) known to those who
needed to know them."
The hospital, established in 1908
to treat tuberculosis and other lung
diseases, is the only one of the three
like it remaining open in the state.
The other, at Black Mountain and
Wilson, were closed by General
Assembly action following a study
by the task force, which Morrow
said in replying to one of Fowler's
questions, she had "hand-picked."
Regarding her ignoring the ma
jority report on McCain, Fowler
quoted her as sayinR the majority
had listened to former McCain
patients and public input.
Fowler said that she agreed to
furnish him a list of the task force
members' names but that when
they went to her office for it, it
could not be found. She advised
him, however, a copy would be
maded to him in the next few days.
When she made her statement
about not being "hell bent" on
closing the hospital. Fowler said he
told her that, "up to that point. I
though you were. '
Figures pubished this month
about the hospital in reference to
the proposed closing have been
termed erroneous also by McCain
Hospital Administrator John Wat
son.
Tilson indicated a lot of expertise
was used by Morrow and her office
in determining whether McCain
would stay open or be closed,
Fowler said. Then he asked Tilson,
"Are you referring to the task force
formed several years ago to evalu
ate McCain and others (like it),"
and, he said, Tilson replied,
"Yes." Fowler said he then asked
Morrow how the task force had
originated and that she answered,
"it has been done through the
secretary's (DHR) office.
After that, replying to another
Fowler question, she said she had
chosen the people for the task
force.
Fowler said Tuesday that the
people are entitled to know the
truth about McCain and that "we
intend to see that they get it." He
also said. "All elected officials in
the city and the county are con
cerned and are on top of this."
He also said he wanted to thank
Noble for making the arrangements
and for his interest in the matter,
and Jordan.
Following is the information
Fowler gathered about the hospital.
The erroneous report made to
the budget subcommittee says the
(See WRONG, Page 1 1 )
FmHA OKs Rent-subsidy Developer
Board Asked To Hear
The U.S. Farmers Home Ad
ministration has approved Brown
Loving Co. of High Point as
developer of a 30-unit family
residential project in the federal
| rent-subsiday program. A tentative
? site on North Fulton Street and
U.S. 401 North has been selected.
The Raeford City Council was
informed of this Friday afternoon
and adopted a motion asking the
City Planning Board to hear the
Raeford-Hoke County Housing Au
thority on architectural design,
management, and site before mak
ing a decision on recommending a
I. zoning variance for establishment
| of such a project. The council was
x asked by Buddy Blue, chairman of
the city-county Housing Authority
to request this of the Planning
Board. The Planning Board makes
a recommendation on a zoning
matter, but the City Council makes
the final decision and is not
obligated to approve a board
recommendation .
Blue told the council that the
units would be privately owned and
f>ay county taxes, if outside the city
imits. and both city county taxes
after the project area is annexed, as
expected. He said the tentative site
is property owned by Avery Con
Blue also said the developer is
"willing to shift the site farther out
on U.S. 401."
A federal rent subsidy pays the
difference between what a landlord
charges and what tenant can afford
to pay. Blue explained that a
rent-subsidy, privately owned and
operated project serves the same
clientele (low-income people) as the
federal housing and State Indian
Housing Authority projects consi
dered for the county.
Blue told the reporter the Brown -
Loving project would consist of 22
two-bedroom and eight three-bed
room residences. He said the
tentative site for the project covers
three to four acres.
The FmHA, which provides
low-interest federal loans, approv
ed Brown-Loving by technically
Housing Body Input
finding the company acceptable as
a developer.
Blue told the council that the
Raeford-Hoke Housing Authority
was asking that the Planning Board
get recommendations from the
Raeford-Hoke Authority before the
board acts on a zoning variance
request. "What we intend to do,"
he said, "is tell the Planning Board
what we do not recommend."
Mayor John K. McNeill, Jr., at
the opening of Friday's meeting, a
special, informed the council that
there were three sources of funds
for housing in the city and county:
the State Indian Housing Author
ity, The U.S. Deparmtent of
Housing and Urban Development,
and the rent-subsidy program.
The mayor said the Kaetord
Hoke Housing Authority would be
the vehicle for the application to be
made for the HUD funds.
Blue told the reporter later that
the deadline for Filing the applica
tion is April IS. He said the Indian
Housing Authority project would
contain 100 units and the HUD
project a smaller number. An
earlier report says the I HA project
also would be financed by federal
funds.
The Raeford-Hoke Housing Au
thority is to manage the 1HA and
HUD public housing projects and
will participate with 1HA and HUD
in approving sites and architectural
designs. '
Of the 100 IHA units, 25 would
be for elderly single people and
couples with no members of their
families living with them.
Blue told the council that the
FmHA came into the low-income
housing picture in Hoke as the
result of a request made to HUD by
the Region N Council of Govern
ments, but because two to three of
the top COG people have left the
organization no one in Hoke was
notified of this.
Blue also said shortly before the
council voted on the motion that
options on other possible cites
were being taken by other people,
whom he did not identify.