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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXXIII NUMBER 32 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Downtown Sales Topping Last Year's
- journal
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
$8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, >81
Christmas Business Here Termed Good
Around
? Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather has been on the cold
side for the past few days, so we can
say that winter is here. I played golf
this weekend and if the weather
continues this cold, the clubs may
get a rest.
From the looks of the bushes
with berries, we could be in for a
? hard winter. Most bushes are full
and the "old folks" say this is a sign
of cold weather.
? ? ?
The weatherman. Robert Gatlin
came by the office after the paper
hit the street last week and said he
read that I hadn't seen him to catch
up on the local weather. He stated
that he would bring in a full report
1 for November on Tuesday, De
cember 1.
One thing he did tell me was that
on November 22, the low for the
day was 22 degrees, and that on
November 23, the low was 23
degrees. Yes, this is rather strange.
I only hope that he doesn't start
on the 1st of December and come in
with 1 degree. This would be too
cold for yours truly.
?
* * *
A few weeks ago I published a
note from Mrs. Sarah Leach con
cerning the project of the Raeford
Woman's Club to handle requests
and money for the needy at
Christmastime.
This project would certainly be
helpful to other organizations that
want to aid people at Christmas. It
would mean that everyone would
' get something for Christmas and
not the way it has been . where some
received and others got not a thing.
Members of the Woman's Club
will be at the Hoke County Library
beginning December 1 on Tues
days, Thursdays and Saturdays to
take the requests and to take gifts.
Tuesday and Thursday, the hours
will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and on
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
So start out the Christmas season
early by going by the library and
giving a gift to make someone's
Christmas merry.
? * *
Back some years ago when I was
in school, you would remember
Thanksgiving because of pictures
of turkeys and the Pilgrims going to
church. Also there were Thanks
giving Day services at most of the
local churches.
Now Thanksgiving seems to be
football and parades for Christmas
that brings Santa Claus to the large
cities. Of course to some people it is
just another day off from work.
Maybe we should all think for a
moment what the day was placed
on the calendar for. It was to give
thanks for what we have had during
the year.
Maybe the new way is better, but
it has lost the spirit of what the day
was set aside for in the first place.
? * *
The paving of the streets of the
city is a big improvement. Now you
don't have to dodge pot holes when
you ride around.
? ? *
If you are doing your Christmas
shopping early, don't forget to lock
your packages in the trunk of your
car. If you must have them in the
front of the car. be sure to lock your
doors.
When you leave them in sight, it
is a temptation for someone to
enjoy your Christmas.
Hoke Sales Tax
Net 182,689.99
Hoke County netted S82.689.99
from its one percent sales tax in the
quarter ending September 30. Rae
ford received $12,509.57 of it.
The net in the same period of
1980 was S80, 673.60. The town
received SI 1,597.08.
The net for the quarter ending
June 30. 1981, was $83,969.31. The
town's share was $12,070.85.
Farm-City Week Dinner, Plant Tour Held
A tour of Raeford industries and
a dinner was held November 24 in
Hoke County's observance of
Farm-City Week.
At the dinner, held in Gibson
Cafeteria of Hoke County High
School, certificates of appreciation
were presented. Among the reci
pients were The News-Journal,
WSHB radio station, and Robert
Gatlin.
Mrs. Pam Frederick received the
award on behalf of The News
Journal, and Lesa Pegram, on
behalf of the radio station.
A tour of the Tex-Elastic Corp.
plant on North Bethel Road
preceded the dinner.
The dinner speakers included
Chuck Bullins, divisional person
nel manager of Tex-Elastic; and
August Zitzman, corporate vice
president, L.S. Brock, purchasing
slash buyer, Bob Gregory, director
of personnel, Diane Mercer of the
accounting department, and Tom
Zone, industrial engineer, all of
Faberge. They spoke on the sub
ject: "Contributions of Two In
dustries to the Economy of
Raeford and Hoke County."
Willie Featherstone, Jr., Hoke
Agricultural Extension chairman,
gave a county overview.
The speakers were introduced by
Charles A. Hostetler, county
Farm-City Week chairman.
Raeford Mayor John K. McNeill,
Jr., welcomed the visitors, and the
Rev. Billy C. Beaver, pastor of
First Baptist Church of Ratfford,
gave the invocation.
Hostetler gave recognition also
to the Farm-City Week's sponsors:
Production Credit Association,
Parker Equipment Co., Federal
Land Bank, Raeford Merchant's"
Association, Tar Heel Hatchery,
Raeford-Hoke County Chamber
of Commerce, Farm Bureau
Federation, Southern National
Bank, Hoke Auto Co., The Bank
of Raeford, Farm Chemicals, Inc.,
Hoke County Civic League, and
Raeford Oil Co.
Members of the planning com
mittee for the week's activities
were Hostetler, Featherstone, Ann
Hostetler, Edward Hayes, Lawan
na Hayes, Onnie Dudley, Ken
McNeill, and Betsy McNeill.
Featherstone was vice chairman.
Guard Unit
Yule Party
Dec. 19
The National Guard Head
quarters and Headquarters Com
pany. Second Battalion, 252nd
Armor, will hold its annual
Christmas party December 19, at
the National Guard Armory.
The admission charges are S5 per
couple and S3 per stag. A buffet
dinner at 8 p.m. and a dance are on
the program.
People planning to attend are
advised to contact SSG Brown or
SFG Wolf at the Armory , sending
payment for admission, bv Decem
ber 14.
Nov. Rainfall
Totaled .95 Inch
In Raeford Area
Rainfall all of last month in
Raeford totaled .95 inch.
Weather Observer Robert Gatlin
reported brought the total for this
year through November 18 to 20
inches short of normal. This year's
shortage is about eight inches less
than the shortage of 1980, the
figures show.
The rainfall for November 1980
totaled 2.7 inches. The highest for
the month during the past five
years was 6. 1 inches, which fell in
November 1978. In the November
of the other year the rainfall
measured 3 inches in 1979, 2.7 in
1977, and 5 inches in 1976.
Scene at the Farm-City Week dinner. (Staff photo by Pam Frederick.)
* iv :
/. W. Turlington School Chorus, with director Mrs. Jeff Davis at right. [ Staff photo. )
Turlington Students In Christmas Concert
The J.W. Turlington School
Chorus of 116 singers will give a
Christmas concert December 10 at
7 p.m. in the school auditorium.
Before the program starts, piano
students will play familiar Christ
mas carols.
The program will include two
numbers with handbell accompani
ment by nine students.
A couple of boys and girls will
sing solo and smali-ensemble parts,
and the Honors Chorus will sing
two selections. the chorus, and Mrs. Lewis Up
Mrs. Jetl Davis is the director of church is accompanist.
Yates, Ex-Hoke Court Clerk,
Dies At 71 In Orlando, Fla.
Marion McDonald Yates, 71,
formerly of Raeford and a former
clerk of Hoke County Superior
Court, died Thursday in Orlando,
Fla.
MMH RECEIVES SI 0.000 GIFT - Ashwell Harward. left, director of
community affairs for Burlington Industries Raeford plants, presented
Moore Memorial Hospital's Vice President Jack Morgan a SI 0.000 check
last week. The gift completed a S20.000 commitment by the Burlington
Industries Foundation for the hospital's Radiation Therapy. Radiology
Improvement, and Pediatric Renovation projects.
Or
The funeral was conducted
Monday afternoon in Laurel Hill
Baptist Church by the Rev. Don
Malpass. Burial was in Hillside
Cemetery in Laurinburg.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Lucille Yates; his sisters, Mrs.
Elizabeth Poole of Asheboro, and
Mrs. Ruth Gibson of Laurel Hill;
and his brother, Harvey Yates of
Cleveland. Oh.
Mr. Yates served as Hoke court
clerk from Dec. 22, 1956, till 1962.
He was appointed first to serve the
two years remaining in John B.
Cameron's four-year term after
Cameron resigned because of ill
health. Mr. Yates was elected to a
regular four-year term in 1958
after winning the Democratic
nomination of May 31 that year
over Ed M. Smith. In March 1962
Mr. Yates announced he would not
run for a new term.
He was a native of Richmond
County and moved to Hoke Coun
ty in 1932, living in Raeford till
some time after he left the clerk's
office. He had been in bookkeep
ing and other office work for 26
years when he was named court
clerk.
Raeford's 1981 Chris is
shopping season during it* st
few days showed sales tc g
last year's, downtown
chants contacted by a n
in a spot check said this
Jimmy Wood report e<
all sales up from last yt
the store he helps e
Bicycle sales are up, he 1 :
and the BMX dirt'Tjike. ? ! ?.
started getting sKoppe
tention late in the 1980 v ? ?. -
mas shopping season, is 'rea;>v
selling well this year."
Baby dolls also are "real
popular." Wood added. "We're
doing well with lay-aways," he
also said. Shoppers have been
having gifts laid away since
September, he added.
The store is expecting a lot
more Christmas shopping be
fore Christmas, also he said.
Wood, speaking of Raeford
stores in general, said he hoped
people will shop in Raeford
first, "give us a chance", and
then if they can't find what they
want here to go out of town.
Ed Hasty at a men's clothing
store said Monday the last few
days the store did a good
Christmas business. "Last week
was slow," he said, "but
business picked up."
The big sellers so far. he said,
have been sweaters, shirts, and
pants. Some sports coats have
been sold also. Compared with
last year's Christmas shopping,
he said, "we're a little bit
ahead."
Ann Santa Ana, manager of a
store selling men's women's and
children's casual clothes, said
the Christmas shopping has
been "going okay." Men's,
women's and children's jeans
have been popular with Christ
mas shoppers, she said, and
more people are buying clothing
for children for Christmas this
year. With the economy as it is,
she said, people are going into
clothing more than toys because
they last longer. "I think they
are spending a little more this
year," she also said.
President Reagan's statement
that "we are in a recession"
doesn't seem to have affected
people very much, she added.
She said she has heard a
customer say Christmas comes
just one a year. Christmas is
special, she pointed out: "It
brings everybody closer."
Selling well with jeans also,
she added, are chino pants, for
boys and girls.
Speaking of Raeford mer
chants generally as Wood did.
she said, "Our prices are a lot
better than they are in Fay
ctteville."
"If people shop where they
live." she added, "they'll come
out better." considering the cost
of gas used in going out of town
to shop and' the "inflated
prices" at the out - of - town
places.
Raeford prices are very good,
she added.
Christmas shopping starts
seriously downtown. Mrs. Santa
Ana said, on Friday after
Thanksgiving, and "really takes
off' after the first of December.
It's usually heaviest on Christ
mas Eve. because of the "last
minute" purchases.
Kathy Daniels, who manages
a women's clothing store, said
the Christmas shopping season
up to late Monday afternoon,
that her place was "doing fine".
"We can't complain a bit," she
added, and said, "It's much,
much better than last year."
The big sellers at her store so
tar are blouses,' dress slacks,
sweaters, and jeans.
"We anticipate a lot better
season." she said, anticipating
sales continuing well this week
and next week.
She said the Christmas shop
ping started the Wednesday
before Thanksgiving and the
time right after.