Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / April 30, 1981, edition 1 / Page 1
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25 eu??5 - journal rtlintw Klnuir CrioLII.L 1 1 r\r\n 25 The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 VOLUME LXXIII NUMBER 1 RAEFORD. HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1981 By Hoke Commissioners $49,138 Okayed To Pay School Energy Bills A A A A A A AAAi***4*'* Around Town , BY SAM C.MORRIS When you write a column every week you think about what you will write about for a couple of days before your time comes for the deadline. This week I had firmly decided not to mention the weather in this column. Then late Monday afternoon Robert Gatlin, the weatherman, came by the office and we started talking about the } weather. Gatlin said that at two thirty o'clock Monday afternoon that the temperature in Raeford was % degrees. Of course we all knew that the weather was hot, but when it gets that high the last week in April, then I decided that the weather must be mentioned. After arriving home Monday, the forecast is for the temperature to be . higher tomorrow than it was for ? Monday. Of course the forecaster stated that maybe we would receive scattered showers around Wednes day or Thursday. If we don't soon get some showers, the crops and gardens will be in serious trouble, if they aren't already. Next week maybe I will skip the weather and then we will have some rain. ) ? ? ? Mary Alice and I had made a trip to the mountains last Thursday and Friday and we were in rain from Monroe to Spindale on Thursday. Late Thursday afternoon they had a real gully washer for about 30 minutes. We went over to Chimney Rock for an afternoon and the folks there said that they had been getting ) some rain about every week. The only thing 1 could think of is what did the mountain people have that we didn't have in the Sand hills. * # ? Devoe Austin was bv the office Monday and was telling me that numerous people wanted to know about the repairs to his home that was almost destroyed by fire last F year. He said that he had invited these folks to come by Sunday afternoon and look it over, if it wasn't raining. He also stated that anyone who would like to see the repaired house would be welcome at that time. Now 1 would like to see the refurbished home but 1 believe that we need the rain more than viewing Devoe's home. I believe he would ^ like to see the rain also. Jimmy Jamec was by the office Monday and brought in an article about the band concert that ap pears elsewhere in the paper. The concert will begin at eight o'clock on Tuesday night. May 5th. He stated that the change in time had him all messed up and that he was so tired he could hardly move ^ around. If one hour causes James to become tired, I would like to work him for a week. All joking aside, be sure to attend the concert. * * * What a difference a week makes? A song that comes to mind was. "What a difference a day makes!" I am thinking about * church services last weekend and "the past weekend. On Easter Sunday the Raeford l*resbyterian Church was packed and it was hard to find a seat. Last Sunday the pews were semi-filled and the deacons had to work with the collection plates. All in all it is good to have people in the church at any time. Like honey, something that is said, might stick. I Chief Leonard Wiggins was by the office this week and asked that I remind folks about the Bar-B-Q feed the Law Enforcement officers Association of Hoke Counfy is having Saturday, May 2 at the Gibson cafeteria between the hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. So make plans now to attend this feed, you can get take-home plates k and all law enforcement officers " have ticket*. Harold Gillis New Chairman Democrats Elect Officers The Hoke Democratic Party held its annual convention, Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m. in the Hoke County Courthouse with approxi mately 50 party faithful present. Ken W. McNeill, chairman, presided. The meeting opened with a prayer by Duncan McFadyen. The chairman recognized elected officials present. Tney included County Commissioners John Bal four and Mabel Riley, Clerk of Court Juanita Edmund, and Reg ister of Deeds, Delia Maynor. The main purpose of the meeting was to elect new officers for two-year terms. The present officers were not eligible for reelection. Harold L. Gillis, 54, was elected chairman on the first ballot. Gillis, a native of Hoke County, has been active in the party and in local politics for a number of years. He has served as precinct chairman and on the District Senatorial Committee, managed the Hoke County cam paign of Jimmy Carter in 1976 and 1980 and has served as an elected official. Gillis in his comments to the convention stated that 'he has been a loyal Democrat, all of his life. He thanked the delegates, pledged to them to work hard for the party and urged all present to continue to keep Hoke County in the Demo cratic column. On behalf of the convention, Gillis expressed to McNeill, the outgoing Chairman, appreciation for his leadership for the past four years. Other officers elected were Catherine McPhatter, First vice chairman; Gregory Burke, third vice chairman; Ellen McNeill, sec retary-treasurer; and Sam C. Morris, Hoke County member of the State Democratic Executive Committee. Harold Gil/is Legislators Say Hoke May Be Moved To Eighth District Hoke County may be moved to the Eighth Congressional District from the Seventh when the General Assembly approves the new state wide redisricting necessitated by population changes found by the 1980 U.S. Census. The possibility of Hoke's change to the Eighth, which includes neighboring Moore, was voiced last week by State Rep. Glenn Jernigan of Cumberland County. State Sen. Robert Jordan III of Montgomery County said that putting Hoke in the Eighth Is part of two "accept able" redisricting plans he said he will likely propose. The Seventh District's increased 4.75 per cent to a total 559,395 between 1970 and 1980, the U.S. Census of last year shows. The Eighth, however, was one of the state's six districts which lost population in the last decade. Hoke's switch to the Eighth would give the Seventh a deviation of slightly over nine-tenths of one per cent higher than what is considered an ideal size population for a district - 534,039. Neither the Seventh nor the Eighth district's subcommittee was among the congressional districts' subcommittees which gave the joint State House and Senate Congres sional Redistricting Committee re commendations April 22. Hoke County, incidentally, was in the Eighth in the late 1940s. The Seventh District's counties besides Hoke are Cumberland, Robeson, Columbus, Brunswick, and New Hanover. The Eighth currently is com posed of Yadkin County on the Virginia border to Anson, Union. Richmond, and Scotland on the South Carolina line and also has Cabarrus, Montgomery, Stanly, Davie and Rowan, besides Moore. Its congressman is Bill Hefner of Kannapolis, a Democrat. Charlie Ross of Fayetteville also a Demo crat. is the Seventh's congressman. A 10-member subcommittee has been appointed to draft a redis tricting proposal to serve as a working plan for the full joint committee. The new subcommittee is to report within the next week. The chairmen of the joint com mittee. State Rep. Jay Huskins of Iredell and State Sen. Helen Marvin of Gaston, appointed the subcommittee. Jernigan said he hoped the Seventh would be able to keep Hoke but that "we have to look at how other congressional districts are affected." Jordan called the Eighth District as it is now constituted "perfect" but added that "the changes that will have to be made in other counties will throw us out of line." The people who attended the public hearing April 9 at Sandhills Community College said they were satisfied with the way their districts were set up now . The hearing was for residents of the Seventh, Eighth. Third. Fourth, and Sixth. Federal law, however; sets the requirements for the composition of a congressional district. The population of each congressional district in a state must be ap proximately equal to each of the others. Courts have approved deviations of up to five per cent in population from the ideal but no more than two per cent is con sidered as the maximum that should be allowed now. A native of Raeford - Miss Jane Pratt was one of the Eighth's representatives in the House and the first woman to serve in Con gress from North Carolina. Miss Pratt, secretary to Congressman W.O. Burgin, served in Burgin's place from May 26, 1946, to January 3, 1947, after Burein died in office before completing his term. She was succeeded by C.B. Deane of Rockingham when Deane was elected to a full term. Miss Pratt was living in Davidson County when she was named to serve the remainder of Burgin's term. Of Lung Association Witherspoon President-elect Ken L. Witherspoon of Raeford, director of Hoke County's Depart ment of Social Services, has been elected president - elect of the American Lung Association of North Carolina, Mid-State Region. The annual meeting and Board of Directors meeting were held April 14 in Southern Pines. Witherspoon will take office as president of the Mid-State Region Board of Directors in the spring of 1982. The Mid-State Region of ALANC is composed of 12 counties in the south-central part of North Carolina extending from Alamance County to the South Carolina line. Hoke, Harnett, Scotland and Moore counties are included in the regional district. Administrative office for the region is located in Southern Pines. The Lung Association is the oldest non - profit national health organization in existence, now in its 78th year of nation ? wide opera tion. Formerly known as the Tuberculosis Association, the name change took place about 15 years ago as the work of the Association began to encompass patient service work and health education re volving around all respiratory diseases including asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer as well as tuberculosis. Other local residents attending the Southern Pines meeting in cluded Mrs. Witherspoon, Mrs. Richard Neeley and D. Ralph Huff, HI. John C. Watson, administrator of McCain Hospital, spoke to the Brenda Tillman Struck On Track EMT Hurt Going To Aid Of 'Cyclist Brenda Tillman, an emergency medical technician for the Hoke County Ambulance Service, was injured about 1 1 a.m. Sunday when she was struck by a motorcycle at the Montrose Motocross during a race as she was going to help another 'cyclist who had fallen. Jim Henley, operator of the ambulance service, said her right ankle was fractured in three places and her lower left leg and right arm also were fractured. He said Tillman was on duty at the races when the accident happened. She was admitted to Moore Memorial Hospital at Pinehurst. Henley said Monday she was in good condition. The Hoke County Sheriff's De partment reported that after the rider fell, Denise Brewster went to him, then Tillman followed. As Tillman was crossing the dirt track, a motorcycle being driven by Danny Mathis, 20 of Rt. 3, Yadkinville, came over th? crest of a hill and struck her, knocking her 25 feet. A witness said Mathis's 'cycle, a Yamaha 250 racing model, was "airborne" when it came over the hill and Mathis could do nothing to avoid hitting Tillman. Deputy Sheriff J.W. Wood, who investigated reported the nature of the track at tnat point prevented the driver and the victim from seeing each other in time to avoid the accident. Henley said the EMT were going to the downed rider because he had hit the ground hard, so they thought he had been injured. The rider, who was not identified, was not hurt. Ironically, Tillman was injured on the opening day of Emergency Medical Services Week. The Ambulance Service and Hoke County Rescue Squad are holding programs^ in local observance, ending with demonstrations sche duled for Saturday at Edenbo rough Shopping Center. board and guests regarding the current status and immediate future of McCain Hospital, the only speciality tuberculosis hospital facility now operating in North Carolina. Controversy has reigned in the State Legislature recently over justification of expenses to continue to operate McCain as a TB and Respiratory Disease treat ment center. Watson's comments indicated that McCain will continue to provide hospital health care for tuberculosis patients for at least two more years. However, the present capacity of 150 beds will be reduced to 115 by October 1, contingent upon the General Assembly in Kaleigh passing the Appropriations Bill as is now proposed. 5 New Chamber Directors Elected The tabulation of votes cast by members of the Raeford ? Hoke County Chamber of Commerce for new members of the Board of Directors was announced by the chamber's Nomination Committee Tuesday. The people elected, to terms of three years each, the count shows, are: Ruth Parrish, Medicine Shoppe; Steve Parker, Southern National Bank; Clyde Upchurch, Hoke Concrete; Palmer WiHcox, attorney; and Jimmy Wood. Western Auto. The chamber's annual dinner will be held May 19, starting at 6:30 p.m., in Gibson Cafeteria of Hoke County High School. State Sen. Sam Noble will be the guest speaker. Members of the chamber arc advised to telephone the chamber office, 875-5929, to make reserva tions for the dinner. The members of the Nomination Committee are Bobby Gibson, chairman; and Ivery McNair and James Wood. Flashing Red Light Means 'Stop' Many people driving in Raeford don't know what a flashing red light means, local officers have found. A blinking, or flashing, red traffic light means the same as a stop sign does: the driver must bring the vehicle to a complete stop at the intersection, then resume traveling after being certain it is safe. The regular traffic light at city street intersections in Raeford. are changed to the flashing red and yellow late at night when the volume of traffic particularly down town is very light. The reason is it (See RED LIGHT, page 13) The Hoke County school system has been granted $49,138 extra to help pay energy bills for the schools through the end of the present school year. The Board of Hoke County Commissioners last week at its mid-month meeting provided the extra money for the purpose in adopting a motion to approve a request made to the board by Don Steed, the school system business manager. Steed appeared at the meeting with County Schools Supt. Raz Autry and the members of the County Board of Education. The board of education had met the night of April 21, in a special meeting on the matter, before going to the commissioners' meet ing later the same night to attend the presentation of the request. The request put the energy costs of the schools for the school year 1980-81 at about S150.000, with the county to pay 575,754 and the state 574,306. The board of educa tion had estimated the energy costs for the year would total 5100,912. Autry told the commissioners that the only alternative to appro priating the extra money was to close the schools. He said he doubted that the fuel companies would allow delaying payment till July, the start of the new fiscal year, but that even if they did. the school board would have to pay one percent per month interest on the balance due on the payment. Autry and Steed attributed the request for the extra money pri marily to the rapid increases in prices of fuel oil. In other business during the meeting, the commissioners let the county contract for collecting gar bage and other solid waste to Sanitation Service of Raeford who bid to do the job in the 1981-82 fiscal year for 563,996. Carolina Waste Systems. Inc., of Hamlet, which holds the contract currently, bid $78,336.96. The other bidders and their bids were Liebers Sanitation Service of Fay etteville. 588,732; and Porter Sani tation Service of Pembroke, 576,400. The board appointed the follow ing to serve the unexpired portions of the terms of people who have resigned from the groups listed: -Carolyn McKoy, to the term of Grace Pierce, on the Region N, Council of Governments, Employ ment and Training Advisory Com mittee. expiring August 31. 1982. - Phyllis Tywanda White and Harold Livingston, to the Hoke County Youth Sen ices Task Force. Phyllis White was named to replace Mrs. Artie McPhatter, whose term will expire June 30, 1982; and Livingston to succeed Kenneth Jones, whose term w ill expire June 30. 1981. The commissioners also during the meeting cleared the way for filling a vacancy on Hoke Agricul tural Extension Chairman Wendell Young's staff. They rescinded their April 6 action and approved adding SI ,b50 to the county's $4. .150 share of the salary of an assistant agent. Young said at the earlier meeting that the extra pay was needed for the new agent, Alice Lancaster, serving in Wayne County. She would come to Hoke as 4-H agent it the salary were raised. Lancaster would fill the vacancy created hv the resignation last winter of Anna Peele. who left to join the Sampson County Extension staff. At their April 6 meeting, the commissioners turned down Young's request for the addition to the county's share of the prospec tive assistant agent's pay. The State Agricultural Extension Service pays the other portion of the salaries of county Extension chairmen, assis tant agents, and associate agents. Whether Specialty Engineering Co. can use the county-owned building on East Edinborough Avenue will depend on whether a change in the Raeford city zoning ordinance can be obtained. The commissioners during their mid month meeting adopted a motion leasing the building, now vacant, to Leonard Smith of Specialty En gineering, but it was learned later in the week that the regulation governing the zone in which the building is located docs not include light manufacturing among the zone's permitted uses. The building, formerly occupied by Raeford Motor Co. Body Shop, is across the street from the Courthouse and Courthouse An nex.
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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April 30, 1981, edition 1
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