Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Dec. 6, 1984, edition 1 / Page 1
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The News-Journal The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 Volume LXXVI Number 33 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA $10 PER YEAR 25 CENTS Thursday, December 6, 1984 United Carolina Bank robbed, three arrested, one charged By Ed Miller The main offices of United Carolina Bank, on Main Street in Raeford, were robbed at 11 a.m. Tuesday, and three suspects were taken into custody. Tuesday's incident was the first time in at least 10 years that a Hoke County bank has been robbed. The last robbery occurred at the Sunset Branch of The Bank of Raeford. Three men were arrested Tuesday, and the case was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Raeford Police Chief Leonard Wiggins said Tuesday afternoon. In custody now is 20-year-old Grady Dominic Cunningham, FBI spokesman Tom Burleson said Tuesday evening. Cunningham was living at 225 Robeson Avenue in Raeford, Burleson said. The FBI intends to charge Cunningham with bank robbery and he will appear before a federal magistrate Wednesday morning in Greensboro, said Burleson. As of Tuesday evening, two other suspects arrested with Cunn ingham had not been charged, Burleson said. Cunningham entered the United Carolina and passed a note demanding money to one of the tellers in the bank. According to Burleson, the note was threatening enough that the teller gave him what he wanted. Cunningham then left the bank, got into a car and was off. He and the other two men were arrested shortly thereafter, Burleson said. After the capture, it was discovered that Cunningham had a toy weapon, said Burleson. There were no injuries in the holdup, said Wiggins. Cunningham was arrested by the Raeford Police, Chief Wiggins said. By the time Wiggins arrived at the bank, Sergeant Rodney Col lins, Major J.C. Barrington, Patrolman J.R. McNeill and Patrolman Junior Ward had Cunningham and the two other suspects on the ground under guard, he said. According to Burleson, the hearing Wednesday morning will be an identity and bond hearing. If the federal magistrate is convinced that Cunningham is the suspect's true name, he will have bond set. If he is held, he will be turned over to federal marshalls and plac ed in a federal holding cell. Heater flamed Fire destroyed this home on Jones Hill Thursday morning. North Raeford Fire Department fought the blaze with assistance from Hillcrest volunteers. Cause of the fire was a " faulty wood heater, " ac cording to North Raeford Fire Chief Johnny Baker. "The house was gutted out real good and no doubt a total loss " Baker said. Willie Edward Smith, (Photo by Pom Frederick I owner of the house, was not at home at the time the fire broke out. It was reported that Smith 's wife was in the dwelling but got out without injury. "The firemen did a fantastic job in getting this fire out, " Baker said. A collection has been started to aid the family who lost everything in the blaze. For more information contact The News-Journal. Daytime holdup Police Chief Leonard Wiggins and other members of the Hoke County law enforcement community survey the situation after a man held up Raeford's United Carolina Bank Tuesday. Grady Dominic Cunningham, of Raeford, was to be sent before a federal magistrate pending charges of bank robbery on Wednesday morning. It is not known how much money Cunningham got out of the bank with; however, he and two other suspects were arrested before they could leave the scene. A twist to the story is when the police dispatcher called the bank after the silent alarm went in, the operator of the bank 's switchboard put the police on hold. County hires health chief By Ed Miller After a lengthy executive ses sion, the Hoke County Commis sion hired a new health director, approved a $23,814 salary and OK'd moving expenses - during- a L-meeting . n hyson s fcae Health Director Bobby Rogers has been. hired for the new position, Commissioner Cleo Bratcher said. Rogers, 44, is married and has two children. According to Bratcher, the new director will have to be a resident of Hoke County within one year, as per regulation passed last year by the County Commission. As of now, the starting date of the new director is uncertain; however, it is hoped that Rogers will be assuming duties here by mid-December, said Bratcher. Rogers is retired military. He spent most of his time in the ser vice as a health administrator, the ? -Commissioner said. _ ... Bourd-aetivated v* In other action during the ? meeting, the commissioners voted to re-activate the Hoke County Planning Board within 30 days to prepare a county zoning or dinance. County Manager William Cowan recommended that the Lumber River Council of Govern ment (COG) be asked to help in the zoning venture. Upon Cowan's recommenda tion, the Commission voted to get COG assistance. In another motion passed while discussing zoning, it was added that there should be seven persons on the Planning Board. "I fully support jhe idea. It's got Upchurch said. According to Commission Chairman John Balfour, there was a list of things planned for the new County Manager when he arrived and county zoning was about third on the list. The appearance of Glyn and Marcia Snow at the morning meeting served to make commis (See PLANNING, page 12) Cable rate hike given ax Following a heated lobbying ef fort by an Alert Cablevision Com pany representative, Raeford City Council members held fast to a previously staked out position and voted unanimously to deny a pro posed rate increase for cable televi sion service. Prior to voting on the matter, the councilmen vowed not to grant the rate hike "until service improv ed." Although company Vice Presi dent Edwin Pettis attempted to pin the denial on a failure of Alert to provide the sports channel ESPN on the basic service, the coun cilmen dodged the assumption. "We just want a good level of service, like it is spelled out in the franchise agreement," City Manager Tom Phillips told Pettis, admitting that having ESPN back on basic service might be regarded favorably by the council.' Alert removed ESPN and the Cable News Network (CNN) from basic service in November and placed the channels on a premium programing level for which customers are charged as much as $5 per month extra. The two premium networks were replaced with Channel 18 from Charlotte and the Christian Broad casting Network (CBN), which Pettis said many customers wanted. The basic rate is now $8.60. Alert is seeking $10 per month. With the additional fees being charged for the premium channels, the increase would be 51?7o, Phillips said. ? Pettis would not commit to return ESPN to basic service if a customer survey showed the sports channel to be more popular than CBN. "We would try to take a survey into consideration," Pettis said. The Alert vice president charged the council with not treating his firm like other businesses in the ci ty "We have a right to choose what we offer. We are a free enterprize. We feel we have the same rights as any other taxpaying business. (See CITY, page 13) Hunt appealing two-year jail sentence given Friday By Ed Miller Hoke County Commissioner James Albert Hunt has appealed a two-year active sentence given him by District Court Judge Warren Pate last Friday. Hunt was given the active sentence when his probation was revoked. The commissioner was on pro Around Town By San Morris The weather is still not the old time winter that you would expect for December. The rain Sunday night was needed, and according to reports, it should turn cold for the remainder of the week. According to the long range forecast this section of the country should have above normal temperatures for the remainder of the winter. This is OK with me. ? ? ? The Christmas Greetings section of The News-Journal will appear in the issue of Thursday, (See AROUND, page 12) bation for writing worthless checks last year. " Added into Hunt's probation was a clause saying that he should break no laws during his proba tion, court records say. Recently, Hunt wrote two "bad" checks when a business deal fell through, the commissioner said, adding that was why his pro Swearing in Newly elected school board members Eddie McNeiU (left) and Shirley Gibson take the oath of of fice during Monday's meeting. bation was revoked. There was no appeal bond set in Hunt's case, records say. Hunt, who appeared unruffled by the sentence Monday said: "Home town judges are the only ones who give me sentences." When the commissioner was in trouble last year, District Court Judge Joseph DuPree told Hunt that if he would step down from the County Commission, he would suspend his sentence; if not, he would give him 90 days, according to the commissioner. Hunt would not step down, and he got 90 days, he said. According t6 Hunt, he will not step down now even if he goes to jail again. "No way," said Hunt when questioned on the matter. According to North Carolina law, there is no provision for im peachment or recall of a County commissioner unless he is con victed of a felony. Hunt has not been charged with a felony, although he has been ar rested on numerous charges stem ming from his financial dealings. The commissioner also recently plead guilty in Robeson County to a traffic violation. Hunt could continue to serve even in jail, a spokesman for the state Attorney General's office said. Board leaves IEA group waiting on answers By Ed Miller As a first order of business Mon day night, the newly formed Hoke County Board of Education, ad journed into executive session and kept a crowd of about 40 members of the Native American Council waiting 50 minutes for the public meeting to begin. The group attended the board meeting to try to determine why a new Indian Educational Affairs (IEA) Director has not been hired. Hiring an IEA director was discussed in the dosed session, one board member said. Members of the council's delegation expressed fears the IEA program would be lost to Hoke County if a director is not hired soon. According to Council Chairman Joel Dial Jr., there has not been an "active director" for about a year. Former Director Earl Oxendine resigned from the post in Augijst but went on sick leave last November, Dial said. Hoke County Superintendent Dr. Robert Nelson told the group that he is taking time needed to find a qut lifted person to recom mend to the School Board. The major hold up is finding a qualified person who lives in the county. Nelson said. Although there has been no policy adopted by the School Board saying the director has to live in the county, a part of the IEA Council by-laws say that preference will be given to county residents, Nelson said. One member of the delegation showed dismay at the fact that there are not more qualified In dians in the county. Ill the future, she hopes that Hoke County Schools can turn out more educated Indians for the sake of the others in the county. fetter education for Indians was odaajor concern to the group. "We owe our children that -inuch,*' she said, adding that she hoped the School Board and the Indian population can "work together." There have only been three ap plications received by the Board of Education for the job, Chairman Bill Cameron said. Dial called for the return of Ox endine to the position if no other alternatives could be found. Nelson will hopfully come to the Board with a recommendation for the position by the January meeting, he said. * In another matter, members of the board heard a proposal to make all the schook in Hoke County accredited by the Southern Accreditation Association. Presently, Hoke High and Up church Jr. High are the only (See SCHOOL, ptg< 12)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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