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1 The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXXIV NUMBER 10 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
journal
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
$8 PER YEAH
THURSDAY, JULY 1,1982
R unoffs For 2 Board Seats Possible
Balfour, Sheriff Win Primaries
i Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
Have you ever seen a season that
was as perfect for the people who
plant gardens? It seems that it
rains just enough to keep every
thing growing and it hasn't been
t hard enough to drown out any of
the plants.
I can t remember when corn has
produced as it has this year. It
seems that everyone has plenty of
corn, squash, cucumbers, etc. to
eat from their garden.
The forecast for the remainder of
the week is for rain about every day
but just thundershowers. Also the
predicted temperature is for the 80s
and this isn't too hot.
? * ?
When you read this the election
'will be over and if a runoff is not
necessary, we can close down until
November.
My prediction is that we will have
approximately 6500 people to vote
in Hoke County. There are at the
present time 8733 registered voters
and this is saying that over 2000
? will not vote. I hope that this
Drediction is wrong and that over
J000 will turn out Tuesday.
I will not make any prediction on
the races, because someone would
take it that this was the way 1 cast
my votes.
The main thing is that everyone
should always vote and if you don't
vote, then don't go around and talk
about how things are being run.
*. * * *
While on the subject of elections
I would like to toss a bouquet to
Rose Sturgeon, Supervisor to the
Board of Elections on the fine job
she has done and is doing in Hoke
County. She has been asked many
questions during the past months
and had to give out registration
numbers to many people. So far I
* haven't heard any complaints on
the job that she is doing.
Of course this is being written
before Election Day and I know
that she will have many headaches
before the votes are counted Tues
day night.
Thanks Rose, for a job well
done!
* * ?
? Also on this election, we have
? had a large number of candidates
for county commissioner and the
state house, but we haven't heard
any dirty digs come from any
candidate against another. This is
to commend all candidates on the
ballot for their clean campaigns
and the way they have conducted
their races.
We hope that when the dust of
the battles have settled, that it will
' remain this way.
* * ?
The summer recreation program
must be running smoothly because
we haven't heard of any complaints
so far.
Living next to the ballfield I must
say that everything is quiet at night.
(See AROUND TOWN, page 1 5)
Prank Goes Wrong
Off-duty Officer Killed
One shot of a burst from an
automatic rifle fired reportedly as a
prank to scare some campers killed
George Ernest Baker, Jr., of Rt. 3,
Raeford, a Raeford policeman off
duty, early Saturday, Hoke County
Sheriff David M. Barrington re
ported. Baker would have been 29
next August 13.
The sheriff said Baker's cousin,
one of the campers, Charles Ronald
Wilson, Jr., 26, of Jackson Street,
Raeford, was charged with involun
tary manslaughter and freed under
$2,000 bond for appearance Thurs
day in Hoke County District Court
for a preliminary hearing of the
charge.
The sheriff said Wilson, a former
Hoke County deputy sheriff, and
Baker were cousins.
He said when Wilson learned
that Baker had been killed by one
of the bullets Wilson smashed the
rifle, an AR 15, against a tree,
breaking the stock. The sheriff said
Wilson, accompanied by his
parents, came to the sheriff s
Department almost immediately
after the shooting.
Raeford Police Chief Leonard
Wiggins said Baker had turned in
his resignation from the police
department June 21 effective July S.
He said Baker told him he was
leaving to become a Hoke County
deputy sheriff.
Baker was on his annual leave
from the police department when
he was killed. It started June 21
and was to have ended July 5.
The sheriff said that in view of
the fact that Wilson had been one
of his officers and that Baker was to
have become one. starting July 7,
he had turned the investigation of
the death over to the State Bureau
of Investigation. He said the rifle
had been sent to the SBI laboratory
in Raleigh for examination and
that the SBI investigation of the
shooting was continuing.
The sheriff gave these details
which he said were obtained by his
officers immediately after the
shooting.
Baker and Wilson were camping
out with several other relatives off
Vass Road about a mile north of
the Raeford city limits. The site was
in an open field bordered by woods
and was on property part of which
is owned by the Baker family and
the rest by the Wilson family, who
are related by marriage. A tent had
been pitched at the edge of the
woods.
The sheriff's department re
ceived a telephone call at about
1:30 a.m. Saturday. Officers were
told that Baker had been shot and
was dead.
Wilson had been at the camp site
earlier in the night w ith his younger
brother and the others. Wilson left
the area after telling one of the
campers he was going to scare the
campers. Wilson got his rifle and
rode to a clay pit. From there he
walked to the camp site, coming up
behind the tent. Wilson asked one
of the campers where George Baker
was. Then he threw a smoke bomb
on the ground, fired a burst from
his rifle, then another burst, both
at trees. It was a bullet from the
second burst that killed Baker. The
bullet went through Baker's right
arm and into his chest. Over 10 or
12 shots had been tired altogether
Government Offices
Closed July 5
Federal, state, city and county
offices will be closed Monday in
observance of the Independence
Day holiday.
the exception will be the Rae
ford-Hoke County landfill, which
will be open thai day for business as
usual.
The Raeford Post Office will be
on its regular holiday schedule - no
window service or deliveries except
special deliveries.
The Hoke County commissioners
will hold their regular meeting lor
July on T uesday. starting at 9 a.m. .
and the City Council will hold its
regular July meeting the night of
July 12. The standing dale for the
regular meetings of both groups is
the first Monday but arc changed
because of holidays as ihe occasions
arise.
in the two bursts 50 to 65 feet from
Baker.
Wilson said at the sheriff" s
department he had drank an
alcoholic beverage before the shoot
ing.
Wilson started serving as a
deputy August 2, 1976, and re
signed effective last April 15 to
enter business with Graham's Ser
vice Station.
Before joining the sheriff" s de
partment Wilson worked for Hoke
Texaco. He also was serving in the
National Guard when he became a
deputy and completed his military
obligation through the guard be
fore resigning from the sheriff s
department.
Baker joined the city staff May
22. 1977, as a heavy equipment
operator for the city-county landfill
and transferred to the police de
partment from this job April 23.
1981.
He completed the requirements
for his high school diploma the
following June 5 through the
Sandhills Community College adult
education courses at Hoke County
High School. Baker started the
studies after Wiggins told him that,
besides meeting the other require
ments. he had to be a high school
graduate before he could be ap
pointed a policeman.
The flags at Raeford City Hall
and the Courthouse were flown at
half mast Monday in mourning for
the death of the young policeman.
The funeral was conducted Mon
day morning in Pittman Grove
Baptist Church by the Rev. Mack
Musselwhite. Burial was in Raeford
Cemetery.
Members of the Raeford Police
Department served as active pall
bearers.
The other officers of the Police
Department, and the officers of the
Hoke County Sheriff s Department
and the State Highway Patrol force
in Hoke County, and members of
the North Raeford Volunteer Fire
Department were honorary pall
bearers. Many others - relatives
and other friends of the family --
Complete
Unofficial
Returns Page 14
George E. Baker. Jr.
came to the funeral. Baker was a
member of the North Raeford
Volunteer Fire Department. His
father is assistant fire chief.
Baker is survived by his wife,
Mrs. Rebecca Baker; his son.
Kenny Baker of the home: his
father. George Baker of Raeford;
his brothers. Jerry. James and
George Baker of Raeford. and
Roger Baker of Morehead City;
and his grandmothers. Mrs. Louise
Long and Mrs. Maggie Baker of
Raeford.
Crumpler Funeral Home was in
charge of the arrangements.
Annual
Sidewalk
Sale Slated
The 10th annual Fourth of July
Sidewalk Sale will be held Thurs
day. Friday and Saturday in down
town Raeford, including streets
branching off North and South
Main Street.
The Raeford Merchants Associa
tion. the sponsor of the annual sale,
said this week this sale will be the
"biggest ever." since lots of interest
has beer shown in the coming
event.
As the title says, the merchandise
offered will be displayed on the
sidewalks.
1979 Accident At Lake
Jimbo's Mother
Sues In Near Drowning
James D. "Jimbo" Hughes's
mother has filed suit in Cumber
land County Superior Court asking
SI 7 million from the owners of
Permastone Lake.
The boy, then 5, nearly drowned
in the lake July 1. 1979, after he
wandered away from the lake's
shallow part for children while his
family was picnicking nearby in the
park and went into deep water.
Some time later, he was found
floating face down about 30 I'cet
from shore. The child's life was
saved at Cape Fear Valley Hospital
but he remained in a coma. The
suit filed by his mother. Mrs.
Spring Hughes Spears of Rt. 2.
Raeford. says her son has suffered
permanent brain damage and al
leges the near-drowning was caused
by negligence on the part of the
owners of the lake. Cecil S. Dunn
and his wife Mollv J., are named
defendants. The suit was tiled June
23.
Mrs. Spears is asking $15 million
tor her son. $2 million for herself,
and payment of the court costs by
the defendants. The suit asks for a
jury trial.
Mrs. Spears alleges the operators
were negligent by allowing swim
ming in hazardous conditions,
maintaining an insufficient number
of life guards, and not providing
adequate safetv measures tor young
children in recreation areas.
She also says she has paid
525,000 in medical bills for Jimbo.
and expects to have paid over
5500.000 by the tinu* he is 18.
Churches and other groups,
ministers and private citizens
throughout Hoke Countv gave
money to help pay Ji mho's medical
expenses and helped his mother in
other waw
Hoke County Sheriff David M.
Barrington and County Commis
sioner John Balfour won renomi
nation in Tuesday's Democratic
primaries but no majorities were
obtained by any of the other
candidates for nomination for the
two other seats on the Board of
County Commissioners, according
to unofficial, complete returns
from the county's 13 precincts.
The Hoke Board of Elections will
make its official canvass of the
votes at 11 a.m. Thursday.
In the commissioner's races.
Commissioner Mabel Riley, who
ran fourth in the voting, has the
right to call for a runoff for one of
the seats. If she does, then Tom
Howell, who finished fifth, could
call for a runoff for the other.
A runoff primary would be held
Julv 27.
Mrs. Riley told The News
Journal Wednesday morning, in
replying to a question, that she
hadn't decided yet whether to call
for a runoff, that she wants to talk
to Howell before she decides.
A majority in the tallies in the
contests in which 10 candidates
participated amounted to 2.033
votes.
Cleo Bratcher. Jr., running for
the first time, missed by a single
vote of getting a majority in placing
second. Balfour received 2,215
votes. He is the current chairman of
the board.
Commissioner James A. Hunt
was third with 1,725.
The other candidates were Ed
ward G. Lumbley. Wesley G.
Miller. James (Jimmy) Plummer.
Julius Vanner and Wendell S.
Young. Of these only Plummer
received at least 1.000 votes. His
tallev was 1 .339.
The unofficial totals for the
candidates and for the proposed
amendments to the State Constitu
tion are listed at the end of this
article.
Balfour and the winners of the
nominations for the two other seats
will join Republican Evelyn Man
ning on the November 2 general
election ballot in the contests for
the three seats. Mrs. Manning was
unopposed for the Republican
nomination.
Barrington's victory assured the
sheriff of reelection to his sixth
four-year term. He has no opposi
tion in the general election.
Barrington received 2,601 votes
to opponent James Peterkin, Jr. s
1.717. Peterkin is a former deputy
sheriff of Barrington's staff.
In district contests involving
Hoke County people, District Court
Judge Joseph E. Dupree of Raeford
won reelection with his Democratic
primary victory in Hoke and
Cumberland counties over William
R. Davis, a Hope Mills lawyer, on
the basis of unofficial returns. In
Hoke. Dupree received 2,667 votes
to Davis's 1.542. The exact Cum
berland vote report could not be
obtained before press time. Sol G.
Cherrv and Beth Keever, both of
Favetteville, were reported the
winners of the two other District
judge positions.
County Commissioner Danny
DeVane of Raeford. finished pos
sibly eligible for a runoff in the
contests for one of the three State
House seats for Hoke. Scotland and
Robeson counties. Hoke gave him
3.084 votes, nearly twice as many as
his nearest competitor in the field
of nine candidates.
None of the candidates, ac
cording to reports, received a
(See PRIMARY RESULTS, page 15)
J Schools Get $38,815 Extra
70c Tax Rate, $3.7
Million Budget Set
Hoke County's real-property tax
rate for fiscal 1982-83 is 70 cents
, per $100 evaluation, and the county
_) school system is getting S38.815
more than the county budget
originally proposed, and the budget
for the new year is S3. 7 million.
The county commissioners set
the tax rate, adopted the budget,
adding to the school funds in two
consecutive night ifieetings held
last week.
The addition gives the school
system $874,227 in current op
crating expenses. The school board
Cf has asked the commissioners to
boost the recommended operating
budget by SIOO.OOO.
The commissioners provided the
extra money to the schools by
deciding against giving some
county employees 4 per cent pay
raises in the next fiscal year.
County Schools Supt. Raz Autry
at an emergency school board
meeting the night of June 23 called
for an appeal to the clerk of Hoke
County Superior Court to try to get
the full SIOO.OOO extra but the
school board voted to accept the
commissioners' appropriation of
S874.227 for the new flacal year.
This is 11.2 per cent greater than
the past year's appropriation.
However, the board will ask the
commissioners for $20.2.10 addi
tional in school fees. The school
budget will be adopted by the
school board after the board gets
the commissioners' decision on this
request.
A successful appeal to the clerk
of Superior Court could have gotten
an order to the commissioners to
provide extra funds. Last year,
such an appeal to the clerk of
Moore County Superior Court got
the Moore County Board of Edu
cation $600,000 extra, but a similar
appeal for extra funds by the
Moore board this year was turned
down by the court clerk.
The 1982-83 school operating
budget includes $92,000 from court
fines and forfeitures, and S4.000
for interest on deposits.
The vote to ask for $20,230 extra
was 3-2, with Bobby Wright. Ruth
McNair and Walter Coley voting in
favor, and Mina Townsend and Bill
Cameron, the board chairman,
voting against it. Autry had told the
board that he thought the request
would be turned down.
The operating expenses of
$69,858 tor energy was termed by
school board members insufficient
and said they'd have to go back to
the commissioners next winter and
ask for more money. The board's
proposed budget had sought
$90,000 for energy.
The school current expense
budget originally proposed
amounted to $1,058,242. and this
was reduced to $970,227.
The new' tax rate is 31 cents lower
than the current rate, but the
rtr-cvaiuaium made under state law
in the past year increased the
taxable value of most private real
estate, with the result that most
property owners will pay more or
the same amount they paid last
year. The new rate is 2 cents lower
than was proposed before the
public hearing held June 14 on the
proposed budget and rate.
The commissioners met in their
mid-month session June 21, then
recessed till the next night pri
marily to decide what the new tax
rate would be.