The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXXIV NUMBER 9 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
journal
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PKR YEAR
THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1982
Around
? Town
BY SAM C.MORRIS
Summer came in Monday and
the day was typical summer. The
temperature was in the high 80s
and the forecasters were calling for
afternoon thundershowers.
As this is being written no
showers have hit the county. We
expect before the paper comes out.
train will have made an appearance.
It won't be long before we will be
tired of the hot weather and will
want the fall days to appear on the
scene.
? * *
I found a note on my desk last
week and it was calling my at
tention to the appearance of Neill
? McNeill of Raeford on Channel 40
in Fayetteville. He is the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Neill A. McNeill of North
Main street.
Neill is working this summer at
the station and will return to
UNC-CH for a degree in TV
Communications next year.
If you were at the picnic at the
Raeford Presbyterian Church last
Sunday, you would have seen him
taking pictures.
* * *
A letter came to the office
Monday addressed to the editor
and was from Ben Bradin of
Camden. S.C. He is a retired
colonel and was in old Btry *F for
many years before World War II.
We thought his many friends in
Raeford would be interested in the
letter.
A It follows:
Dear Paul:
1 should have written this some
weeks ago. but I will not be able to
attend the reunion this year as I
have had a severe heart attack this
summer. Will you pass the word to
the committee.
This is a great disappointment as
I had every intention of attending.
In fact. 1 doubt if 1 can attend
another.
? Sincerely.
? Ben Brad in
In ease anyone would like to send
him a card, his address is:
Lt. Col. Benj. M. Bradin
Room 3. Wing 3. Tangleuood
Ridgeway. S.C. 29130
* * *
Don't forget thai Election Day is
~ Tuesday. June 29th. Be sure to
' vote.
* * #
The News-Journal this week has
its Election Section and it carries
all the ballots and ads from most of
the candidates on the ballots.
Take time to put the candidate
ads with their names on the ballots.
If you don't know anything about
some of them, you still have time to
^ inquire and find out. Be sure who
you are voting for in this primary.
Ask yourself a few questions? Is
he qualified? Is he a man or woman
I want to represent me in govern
ment? Is he or she honest? These
are just a few; you can think of
others.
The main thing is to VOTE!
? ? ?
I
The following article was written
recently by Laurie Telfair, a former
Associate Editor of this paper, who
now is editor of a paper in Texas. It
appeared under her column in the
(See AROl'ND TOWN, page
Hoke To Pick Sheriff, Commissioners Nominees
Party Primaries Slated For Tuesday
A A A A A ^ A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A
1982-83 McCain Money In State Budget
State Sen. Sam Noble told The
News-Journal Friday morning that
the money to keep McCain Hos
pital open through fiscal year
1982-83 is in the State budget.
McCain is the only State hospital
devoted exclusively to the treatment
of patients with respiratory illnesses
including tuberculosis.
He said he was conferring with
Dr. Sarah T. Morrow, secretary of
the State Department of Human
Resources, on alternative uses for
the hospital. One already pro
posed. by the Sandhills (mental
health ) Center administration is for
mental patients, a detoxification
unit tor drug and alcohol patients,
and for mental-health education
programs.
A proposal in early 1981 to close
the hospital brought opposition
from Hoke County and adjoining
areas and area legislators. The
hospital subsequently was kept
open but the number of beds was
reduced to 1 15 from 150.
Fire Destroys
Lide Home
The five- room cinderblock home
of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Lide of
315 Jones Ave. was destroyed about
11:15 a.m. June 16 by a fire of
undetermined cause.
The Lides lost all their belong
ings. the North Raeford Fire
Department reported. North Rae
ford firemen, helped by some
firemen from the Hillcrest and
Raeford Fire Departments, put out
th-.* bla/.c in a few minutes after
arriving about six minutes after
receiving the alarm, though they
were delayed 3 to 3 Vj minutes in
getting there because the dis
patcher received erroneous infor
mation about the location from two
different callers, who made the
mistake because of their excite
ment. Assistant Fire Chief George
Baker said.
He added, however, that it is
doubtful that the house could have
been saved even if the firemen and
equipment .were not delayed, be
cause the fire apparently had been
going for a while before it was
discovered and the alarm turned in.
He said the house was enveloped
in flames when the firemen arrived.
The firemen were directed by
mistake to a place near Buie's
Funeral Home, about two miles
from the Lidcs' home, which meant
they had to travel about four miles
extra before getting to the burning
house.
The Hoke County Ambulance
Service stood bv all the time. Baker
added, praising the service. He said
several of the firemen were treated
by ambulance Emergency Medical
Technicians for steam burns, but
added that the latter are common
in any fire fight. They result when
moisture from the fire hose water or
the firemen's own perspiration is
heated to steam by the heat of the
lire they are fighting. No one else
was hurt by the lire.
At the Lide home fire, someone
stole fireman's clothing recently
picked up from a cleaner's and a
pistol from the car of one of the
firemen while he was busy helping
put out the bla/e.
Baker said that all the firemen
are volunteers and are unpaid,
performing a service to property
owners. Some drive their personal
cars to fires directly on receiving
the report at home or at work,
rather than lose even a short time
by going to the lire station and
riding a truck.
Baker said the thefts and van
dalism have gotten to the point
where the volunteers are either
going to ride the fire trucks to fires
or take time out from fire lighting
to check their cars, and this would
hinder the tire-lighting.
Twelve North Raeford firemen
helped fight the fire. With the
house beyond saving, the firemen
concentrated on preventing the
flames from spreading to nearby
homes.
* * *
In connection with fighting fires
generally. Fire Chief Johnny Baker
said personal property of firemen
have been stolen from their private
cars and cars ransacked at the fire
scene by some people at the scenes
of the fires. He said the losses even
include the small red flashing lights
firemen put on the tops of their
dashboards when driving their
personal cars to fires.
Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Lide's home after the fire. [Staff photo hy Pam
hredenck. |
ByN.C . Court Of Appeals
Tot' Dismissals Reversed
The North Carolina Court of
Appeals has reversed dismissals of
marijuana charges against 1 1
Wilkes County people by a Hoke
County Superior Court judge.
The defendants will be tried in
Hoke County Superior Court in the
September term unless they appeal
to the North Carolina Supreme
Court and the court decided to
review the Court of Appeals deci
sion. Assistant District Attorney
Jean Powell said Tuesday.
The charges against the defen
dants were dismissed by Judge
Anthony Brannon of Durham on
the grounds, essentially, that they
were denied the right to examine
and test marijuana plants seized as
evidence, because officers burned
the confiscated plants after tak
ing measurements and getting
samples. The state prosecutor ap
pealed to the Court of Appeals
from the Superior Court orders,
which were issued May 2b.
The Court of Appeals ruling.
issued June 15. says, in part,
however, that the state does not
require the preservation of all
physical evidence: and that most of
the evidence originally sei/ed was
destroyed by law officers in good
laiih because of lack of storage
space.
The court found that Brannon's
orders dismissing the four charges
against the defendants "are not
supported bv the evidence and the
law."
The appeals court ruling says
elsewhere that the defendants'
claim of deprivation of rights is
based entirely on the destruction of
the marijuana, except for the
(Sec DISMISSALS, page 14)
5 Wounded In 2
Separate Shootings
Ihrec people were wounded bv
shotgun pellets early Sunday and
two others were wounded by pistol
bullets early Friday in separate
shootings, the Hoke County
Sheriffs Department reported.
One ot the shotgun vietims,
Jininiv McGirt ot Rt. 2. Raelord.
Stores To Give $1,400
In Gift Certificates
Raeford merchants will donate a
total of SI .400 in gift certificates at
the rate of SIOO worth per month
starting in July.
A S100 certificate will be given b\
a different merchant each month.
The first will be given by Howell
Drug.
Drawings will be held the last
Saturday of each month, at noon,
and a person need not be present to
win.
People are permitted to register
at all 14 stores participating, and a
person need not buy anything in
order to register.
Hie gift certificates will be good
on any merchandise in the store.
Boxes front all stores will be
collected and brought to the desig
nated store of the month.
1 he names of the winners will be
displayed in each merchant's store,
published in The Sfws^Jonmul,
and broadcast b\ radio station
WSHB.
was admitted to Cape Fear Valley
Hospital in Fayetteville and was
reported Monday in satisfactory
condition. The others were released
Sunday after being treated. They
are Dale Locklcar of Ht. 2. Box
92A. Raeford. and Kenneth Lock
lcar of Rt. 1. Box 300 Shannon.
Sheriff David Barrington re
ported Jerry Oxendine. 29. of Rt. 2.
Box 95. Raeford. was charged with
three counts of assault with a
deadly weapon with intent to kill,
inflicting serious injuries in the
shotgun case.
Barrington reported the people
wounded by pistol tire were Ramsey
Carter. 2-4. of Rt. 1. Box 254.
Raeford. and Carl Lee Ransom,
about 24. ot Rt. 2. Raeford. Carter
was released from Cape Fear
hospital after staying a day for
treatment, and Ransom was re
leased Friday after being treated.
In the latter shootings, no charge
was filed because no one wanted to
(See SHOOTINGS, page 20)
Hoke County voters next Tues
day will choose Democratic nomi
nees for three county commis
sioners and the sheriff and help
pick the Democratic and Republi
can nominees for Seventh District
congressmen, and for district and
State Court of Appeals judges.
The polls will open at 6:30 a.m.
and close at 7:30 p.m.. Rose
Sturgeon, supervisor of Hoke
County elections, advised last
week. She also said that Thursday
(June 24) is the last day she will
accept absentee ballots and also the
last day that people can vote
"One-Stop" at her office, in ad
vance of the June 29 primarv.
People can vote in advance only it
they can give a satisfactory reason.
The Hoke voters also will ballot
on five proposed amendments to
the State Constitution, including
one which would lengthen the
terms of members of the General
Assembly to four years from the
present two.
All voters regardless of party
affiliation and the non-affiliated,
are eligible to vote on the proposed
amendments. Mr*. Sturgeon said.
In regard to the coming pri
maries. Mrs. Sturgeon, who has
been with the county elections
board since 1974. said. "More
interest has been generated in this
election than any in my time with
the board."
She reported the county's regis
tration as of June 1 , at the close ot
the most recent period for people to
register, shows a total 8,733 voters.
Of these 8,260 are Democrats. 407
are Republicans, and 66 are un
affiliated. The total consists ot
4.336 whites. 3.528 blacks, and 869
Indians.
Registration in 1980 totaled
7,076. which included b.S8S
Democrats, 413 Republicans, 77
unaffiliated, and one Independent
for John Anderson.
The county offices up for vote in
the nominating primaries are three
seats on the Board of County
Commissioners and the job ot
sheriff. Only Democrats are in
volved in these primaries. One
Republican - Evelyn Manning --
will be on the ballot for a
commissioner's position in the
November 2 general election.
Tne Democrats including the
three present commissioners, are
running for the party nominations
to the board -- John Balfour. Mable
Ten Democrats including the
three present commissioners, are
running for the party nominations
to the board -- John Balfour. Mabel
Riley, and James B. Hunt, the
incumbents; and Cleo Bratcher.
Jr.. Thomas P. (Tom) Howell.
Edward G. Lumblev, Weslev G.
Miller. James (Jimmy) Plumnier.
Julius Vanner. and Wendell S.
Young.
In the Democratic primary for
sheriff. David Barrington. the in
cumbent. and former Hoke Deputy
Sheriff James Pcterkin are the
candidates.
Hoke will be back in the Seventh
Congressional District officially
next January, switched this year
from the Eighth by the General
Assembly's redisricting necessi
tated bv population changes found
by the 1980 U.S. Census. Con
sequently. the Hoke voters can cast
ballots for the Seventh's candi
dates.
In the primary for the Demo
cratic nomination. Congressman
Bill Hefner of Kannapolis is being
(See PRIMARIES. p.i>ie 17)
Arrests Follow Undercover Probe
18 Hoke People
Charged In Drug Cases
A total of 45 warrants charging
18 people with drug violations were
issued, and officers went out early
Friday morning to start making the
arrests. Hoke County Sheriff David
Barrington reported.
He said the arrests topped off an
investigation that had been con
ducted since the first of the year
with Hoke sheriff's officers. Rae
ford city police and Robeson
County sheriffs officers and the
Cumberland County SB1 cooperat
ing.
About a pound of marijuana and
several marijuana plants found
growing in yards allegedly at the
homes of two of the defendants
were confiscated. Also sei/ed were
some cocaine and various types ot
pills and capsules.
The sheriff said the investigation
uas independent of the one that
resulted in the arrests of Hoke
County High School students
though it was going on at about the
same time.
Undercover agents ?? Robeson
County officers ?? worked in the
investigation in which the arrests
were started Friday the sheriff
added.
The defendants, all with Kaeford
or rural Hoke County addresses.
were arrested at their homes or at
work, the sheriff said.
The defendants and charges:
Beverly Annette Bowman. 25.
Apt. 11. Raeford Hotel. Raeford,
possession of marijuana with intent
to sell, and sale.
David Roper. 26. Saunders
Street Extension, possession of
marijuana with intent to sell, and
sale.
Henry L. McNeill. 32. Rt. 3.
Raeford. possession of marijuana
with intent to sell and sale.
Bobbie Ann Campbell. 27. Rt. 2.
Raeford. possession with intent to
sell a counterfeit controlled sub
stance (caffeine represented as
amphetamine), and sale; sale of
marijuana, and possession of mari
juana.
Regina Bullard McMillan. 34.
Rt. I. Red Springs, manufacturing
marijuana with intent to sell, sale
of marijuana (two counts), and
possession with intent to sell (two
counts).
John Wayne Davis. 34. Rt. 4,
Box 104A. Raeford. possession
with intent to sell marijuana (two
counts) sale of marijuana, manu
facturing marijuana and possession
of drug paraphernalia.
Klwood McNair. 22. Rt. 1.
Raeford. possession with intent to
sell marijuana, and sale.
Bobby Peterkin. 30. of 603
Forrest St.. Raeford. possession
with intent to sell marijuana (two
counts) and sale (two counts).
Yancey Conrad McLaughlin. Rt.
3. Raeford. possession of mari
juana with intent to sell, and sale.
Gwendolyn Bullard. 32. Rt. 1.
Red Springs, possession of mari
juana with intent to sell, and sale.
Ervin Bennie Ross, 29. Oakwood
Avenue. Raeford, possession of
marijuana with intent to sell (two
counts) and sale (two counts).
Clarence Bratcher. 37, of 403
Robeson St.. Raeford. possession
of marijuana with intent to sell,
and sale.
James Thomas (Tony) White. 36.
Rt 4. Box 25. Raeford. possession
of marijuana with intent to sell,
and sale.
Julius Locklear. 22. Rt. I. Red
Springs, possession of marijuana
with intent to sell and sale.
The names and charges against
the other defendants were not
available before press time.