The News-Journal
The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
Volume LXXV Number 44 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA $10 PER YEAR 25 CENTS Thursday, February 23, 1984
Questions Shroud Fire Investigation
Conelia McDuffie
Around Town
By Sam Morris
There isn't much you can write
about the weather this week,
because it has been perfect. We
still have another month of winter,
so we can still look forward to
some cold days.
The forecast is for the
temperatures to be in the 50s for
the remainder of the week. Not
bad.
? * ?
The letter last week from Kay
Thomas about the keeping of
records for a Hoke County history
has brought forth some comments
from people who would like to get
something started on this project.
We think that it should get
underway immediately because we
are not getting any younger. This
hits home to me when something
comes up now about the past and
you can't find out because the peo
ple who would know, are now
gone on.
So this project would be helpful
for many years to come when you
need to check on past history of
the county.
? * *
The above comments were caus
ed when during the past two weeks
I have inquired about some of the
history of the Raeford Kiwanis
Club to be used in the section that
appears in this issue of the paper.
The club was formed in 1924
and when checking on the charter
members, it was noted that they
were all deceased. So it was hard to
gel dates and find someone who
could tell us about all the charter
members.
So this showed me that records
of the past should be kept.
Be sure to read the section. You
will more than apt be surprised at
some of the projects started and
financed by the club.
They do a good job for our com
munity.
? ? ?
The primary date is drawing
nearer and each day you can see
more politicians or their workers
on the streets of Raeford.
Of course each of them needs
your vote, but if you haven't
registered, you can't do them any
good. So if you haven't registered,
do so today.
? ? ?
It was good to read that the
sewer plant had been lifted from
restriction by the state. Now this
means that we can go after more
industrial plants.
If the community college can be
opened, this will also be added to
the things that can help the ones
going after the industries.
New plants mean more tax base
and this will help finance the needs
(See AROUND, page I2A)
By Sherry Matthews
Confusion over details surroun
ding a fire that swept through a
mobile home and claimed the life
of three-year old Conelia McDuf
fie still exists nearly two weeks
after the blaze was reported.
In addition, "410 investigation"
into the fire's origin can be com
pleted because "the trailer has
been moved from its original site,"
Puppy Creek Fire Chief David
Willis said.
The trailer, rented by Mr. and
Mrs. Bobby Peques of Raeford,
apparently caught on fire around
8:30 Friday morning.
"We received a call at 8:36
a.m.," Hoke Sheriff Dave Barr
ington said.
The "unidentified caller", who
"could barely be understood,"
told the sheriff's dispatcher that
there was a fire at the Carolina
Country Mobile Home Park.
"We dispatched the Puppy
Creek Fire Department and back
up units immediately," Barrington
said.
"We followed that up by
dispatching the rescue squad," he
added.
"All this was done within 30
seconds," Barrington said.
When the call first came in, no
one knew that there was a child
trapped inside, the sheriff added.
Firemen were also unaware that
a life was in danger until they ar
rived at the fire.
"We did not know until after
we were on the scene that there was
a child trapped in the trailer,"
Willis said.
Although the child's mother said
it "seemed like it took a long
time" for the fire department to
arrive on the scene, Willis noted
that "they were there within
minutes of the call."
"There were no dispatch prob
lems despite what has been said,"
Willis said.
Although Hoke Emergency Ser
vices (EMS) personnel were not
dispatched, Willis said "we were
about to call when they checked on
themselves."
"It is not our normal procedure
to dispatch an ambulance to a
fire," Barrington said.
"When the firemen radioed
back to say there was a child in the
trailer, the EMS heard it and
checked on themselves," Barr
ington said.
"We are not supposed to be
dispatched unless there is someone
in a fire," an EMS employee said.
In this incident, EMS employees
apparently "checked on" in route
to the fire after they heard radio
conversation indicating someone
was trapped in the blaze.
Another discrepancy surrounds
the origin of the fire.
Although firemen were not sure
what caused the blaze, Willis said
there were "two kerosene heaters"
and an "electric heater" in the
mobile home.
Interested spectators
Police Major J.C. Barrington (center), Detective
James Murdock (left) and Police officer Fred Mc
Queen (right) study the scene where a Tuesday
afternoon fight erupted and resulted in one Raeford
man being stabbed and a second being arrested for
the assault. McQueen confiscated a shotgun at the
scene that nas apparently taken from the victim
after he was stabbed. See complete story on page
II. 4.
College Querrying Residents
An effort to gauge opinions on
the feasibility of a satellite college
campus in Hoke County has been
launched by the Sandhills Com
munity College systems.
A questionnaire has been
prepared by the college and will be
distributed throughout Hoke
County to determine if there is
support for a campus within the
community.
The questionnaire will determine
Retail Sales
Retail sales in Hoke County
were up more than $1 million dur
ing the last four months of 1983
over the same period in 1982,
figures compiled during the
quarter show.
In the last four months, sales in
Hoke increased by T/o from $14.9
million to over $16 million.
November showed the largest
retail sales increase, up $724,452
over the 1982 figures.
September was the only slow
month during the quarter, coming
in $25S,220 short of the 1982 high.
Although September dragged, a
sales boost began in October with
gross retail sales climbing. to $3.9
million, $431,315 more than in
1982.
December sales fell off slightly
but were still above the 1982
figures by $222,031.
Hoke County's sales increased
over $1.12 million for the four
month period, and sales tax collec
tions were up $33,650.02 for the
same months, according to figures
released by the state Department
of Revenue.
the level of support and what
courses or programs county
residents would like to see offered
at a satellite college, a Sandhills
spokesman said.
A copy of the questionnaire ap
pears on page 12 of this week's
News-Journal.
If the questionnaire has not been
completed previously, please take
a minute to fill it out and mail it in.
Increase
In December Hoke County mer
chants recorded retail sales of
$3.98 million compared to last
year's figures of $3.76 million. It
was the smallest increase for the
four-month period.
For November, local merchants
accounted for sales of $4.11
million, up from $3.38 million dur
ing the same month in 1982.
October sales were $3.96 million
this year and $3.53 million in 1982.
Hoke Chamber of Commerce
Director Earl Fowler contributes
the increase to "progress."
"I think this is a step in the right
direction for our economy,"
Fowler said.
"We are making progress and
our retail sales figures reflect
that," he added.
Fowler also credits more
residents staying "within the coun
ty boundaries" to do their shop
ping for the upward boost.
"We may even be pulling -some
people from outside the county to
our shops," Fowler said.
"These increases are a good
sign," he added.
The level of community support
will play a major role in determin
ing the feasibility of a satellite col
lege, the spokesman said.
A decision, by the SandhilU
board, is expcctcd to be made in
early March on the satellite'1* fate.
Sandhills officials are now con
sidering plans to move the satellite
college into the old Bank of
Raeford building on Main Street.
hart howler
Although the chamber director
was hesitant to predict retail sales
here climbing, he did admit that it
was a "real possibility."
"I am an eternal optimist. 1 cer
tainly hope these sales figures will
continue an upward motion,"
Fowler said.
Willis agreed that one of the
heaters could have started the
blaze.
"I would speculate that it was
the electric heater, but we can't be
sure," Willis said.
Despite confirmation from
Willis that kerosene heaters were in
the trailer, Pegues denies the units
existed.
There were no kerosene heaters
on the premises, Pegues said.
Reports also indicated that EMS
personnel pulled the child from the
smoke-filled front bedroom.
Willis and Barrington said that
Puppy Creek Assistant Fire Chief
Paul Johnson was the one who
"actually got to the child."
"A man could not get in the
windows where the child was trap
ped," Willis said, noting that they
"were just too narrow."
A hose was placed in the front
bedrootp "to keep cool air cir
culating" while firemen fought
their way through the blaze to
reach the child, Willis added.
The child's mother, said McDuf
fie got lost in the smoke while "I
was attempting to get the children
out."
There were three other children
in the mobile home when it caught
on fire, according to Pegues.
An older child apparently
discovered the blaze and alerted
her mother.
Pegues and three of the children
survived the fire.
The three-year-old McDuffie,
who was transported to Cape Fear
Valley Hospital in Fayetteville,
was pronounced dead on arrival.
Forty-three minutes elapsed
from the time the call came in until
EMS personnel arrived at Cape
Fear Valley, Barrington said.
Pegues said that the trailer,
which was destroyed in the blaze,
had caught on fire twice before.
Faulty wiring had apparently
been the cause of the first two
blazes, Pegues said.
Animal Cruelty Law
Given Green Light
By Sherry Matthews
Raeford-Hokc Humane Society
Director Jack VlcGinnis and other
members were "extremely
pleased" following the Hoke
County Commissioner decision
Monday night to adopt an animal
cruelty ordinance.
"All we ever wanted was to see
this ordinance passed." McGinnis
said."
"We were glad to see it finally
happen," he added.
In addition to the new law, com
missioners appointed county dog
warden William Hales to enforce
the ordinance.
Hales will become the new
animal cruelty investigator and will
be required to enforce the or
dinance.
The new lav\ allows Hales to
confiscate animals who lack ade
quate water, food or shelter and
who have been ''cruelly
mistreated."
Those caught violating the new
ordinance will be subjected to a
misdemeanor charge and a S25
"Hat rate fine."
The violator will also be re
quired to pick up the tab for the
"actual expenses incurred by the
county while picking up and keep
ing an animal."
"This new ordinance will en
force what we have been trying to
do for a lonj: time," McGinnis
said.
According to McGinnis, there
have been "several reported cases"
of animal neglect within the coun
ty.
"Up until now. no one has had
the power or authority to do
anything about it," McGinnis
said.
McGinnis noted a "classic case"
Manager
On Hold
By Sherry Matthews
Although the application
deadline was January 31, Raeford
Mayor John K. McNeill said it
could be another two months
before the city hires a new city
manager.
"I can't speak for what the
council might do, but I don't think
they are going to be in any hurry,"
McNeill said.
The city manager's position has
been vacant since mid-December
when Manager Ron Matthews
resigned to take a position with the
Elizabeth City government.
Bill Sellars, who head the city's
zoning and public works division,
was named acting manager.
"He is doing a good job,"
McNeill said.
"We have a staff that knows
how to handle any situation," he
added.
"That gives us time to study the
(See MANAGER, page 12A)
involving people who had allegedly
mistreated some horses.
"These people kept those horses
confined to a small area and refus
ed to give them pasture," McGin
nis said.
"They were not receiving proper
feed and were becoming
diseased," he added.
"Everyone from the health
department to the sheriff attempt
ed to stop the cruel treatment, but
there was no enforceable action
that could be taken," McGinnis
said.
With the new law, which
becomes effective March 1, Hales
will have the power to go on
anyone's property and take
animals he believes have not been
properly cared for.
"This ordinance protects
everyone, including the animals,"
McGinnis said.
"1 am extremely glad a decision
was made. ..better late than
never," he added.
The county board also agreed to
let Humane Society members have
access to the new animal shelter
facility during landfill hours.
"We will agree to this subject to
the city council's approval," Com
missioner Wyatt Upchurch said.
"They have worked with us on
this. 1 think they should be in on
this decision," Upchurch added.
Humane Society members re
quested the access as part of a plan
to run adoptions from the pound.
"We will have staff volunteers
who w ill come out there for the
purpose of animal adoption,"
McGinnis said.
Although Upchurch and the
other board members agreed to the
(See C'RUF.l.TY, page 12A)
Inside Today
The Raeford hiwanis Club has
been nerving Hoke County for
60 years. We take a look at the
history of the club and Its con
tributions to the community
on page one of today fs
R-section.