Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / July 30, 1987, edition 1 / Page 1
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The News-Journal Volume LXXIX Number 15 RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA 25 CENTS Thursday, July 30,1987 Heat wave Hot summer weather leaves residents gasping for breath The long, hot, dry days of summer are truly here and have everyone in Hoke County gasping. Even though the official temperature here has not exceeded the 100-degree reading that was recorded on July 9, temperatures have climbed steadily into the high 90s every day this month, except for one cool spell from July 14 to July 18 when temperatures dip ped into the 70s giving welcome relief. Hoke resident Virgil Murphy, who reports weather statistics daily to the National Meteorological Center in Suitland, Maryland, said on Tuesday that a mild cooling trend seems to be on the way at last. Although there has been no appreciable rainfall, other than isolated showers or thunderstorms, this summer, the county has had more rainfall this year than last, says Murphy. Most of the rain came early in the year in January, February and early March. Over five inches of rain fell in April. On Tuesday, Murphy said that, so far this year, 29.32 inches of rain fell in Hoke County. The problem is that no rain has fallen lately. Now that it has become dry, crops and livestock are suffering. Pilots involved in aerial pesticide spraying have observed the effects of the hot, dry weather on the crops they are treating. Local pilot Rick McMillan says cotton is wilting and tobacco is cooking in the field. Earl Hendrix, who farms in the Bowmore communi ty, says cotton and tobacco have reached their peak water needs as they are trying to mature and they are beginning to hurt. Hendrix irrigates a little in his fields but not to the extent that he’s not dependent on a good rainfall. Virgil Murphy, who raises cattle as well as being a weatherman, says cattle and other livestock are under stress during the hot, dry weather. They look for shady places in the fields and are in need of fresh water. Now that the Bermuda High, that high pressure cell which has dominated North Carolina’s weather pat tern for the last few weeks, has weakened, the chance of cooler weather is more likely. A cool front from Canada entered the state on Mon day and brought showers to counties south of Hoke and along the coast Monday night. That cooler weather makes the likelihood of showers or thunderstorms in Hoke County more likely. Brothers cross paths By June Lancaster News-Journal Staff fVriter Their paths crossed so many times it’s amazing they didn’t find each other long ago. Once they did find one another, though, they became firm friends as well as be ing half brothers. Three years ago this month, Raeford City Manager Tom Phillips received a telephone call from a man named Russ Phillips. Russ called Tom as the result of a telephone conversation which had taken place earlier that day be tween Carolyn Phillips (Tom’s wife) and Lillian Phillips (Russ’s wife) at Fort Bragg where both women worked. Tom and Russ talked for over an hour on the phone that night and when the conversation was over both men were convinced they had something in common - their father. Crop dusters take to skies over Hoke Co. By June Lancaster News-Journal Staff Writer Photo by Ron Anderson Keeping cool Justine Hawkes, 5, cools off with a chocolate ice cream cone. Justine is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tim Hawkes, 520 S. Main St., Raeford. If you have been hearing low- flying planes overhead lately it’s because the crop dusters are out in force. This is the busiest time of year for the two Hoke county firms which provide aerial pest control for local farmers. Rick McMillan and Roy Wood and their pilots are spraying tobac co and cotton now and McMillan says he will begin spraying soy beans around August 6 to 8. Wood says he also sprays vegetables, wheat and sunflowers. McMillan, who owns Custom Service in Shannon, has been in the pest control business for many years. He used to operate just a ground application business but learned aerial application in Arizona. He ran a spraying operation for several years and has been flying himself for the last six years. He pilots a Cessna Ag-Truck. McMillan emphasized that pest control in farming has changed a great deal in the last few years. Much safer chemicals are in use now and the state and federal governments make manufacturers adhere to strict standards in label ing. Roy Wood, a member of the state Pesticide Advisory Board for thirteen years, representing agricultural aviation, and owner of Roy W. Wood Airplane Crop Spraying, says this is a busy time for him. Wood’s operation is about the biggest in the state, he says. He has been in the business for 28 years and operates five 300 Cessna Ag-Wagons with three in use practically all the time. Wood is also a lifetime board member and past president of the National Agricultural Aviation Association. Last year he won the prestigious Agrinaut Award given by the association to the outstan ding agricultural aviator. Wood agrees with McMillan that aerial pest control is much safer now. One thing contributing to that increased safety is the use of computerized swath analysis, says Wood. Wood is one of the three people in this state able to operate the computer which analyzes the spraying pattern as the pesticide comes out of the plane. The analysis. Wood says, adds “a real ly big increased safety factor to aerial crop spraying.” The analysis shows just how much pesticide is going on the crop and makes it possible for the operator to change the spraying pattern so that the pesticide will go on the crop and not into the at mosphere. Wood says the com puterized analysis is “A real piece of technology for our industry.” Both McMillan and Wood cover a wider area than just Hoke county with their aerial application business. Wood estimates he operates in a 100- mile radius going as far west as near Charlotte. McMillian operates in about a 50 mile radius with clients in Robeson and Scotland counties as well as Hoke County. (See CROP, page 3) N-J interview: TURKEY MASCOT A candid conversation with Hoke County*s favorite bird Russ and Tom Phillips For Tom it was at last the discovery of a second family he had known existed since 1975 when he started tracing his father’s fami ly tree. For Russ, it was “a great big surprise all round” but he realized Tom knew too much to be a practical joker. When Tom’s father, Joseph Westley Phillips (Joe) died in June 1975, Tom took care of the finan cial aspect of settling his father’s estate. He dealt with retirement papers, insurance and so on. He came across a copy of a 1910 will which named his father as a beneficiary. As Tom attempted to prove the (See BROTHERS, page 8) Around Town By Sam Morris Hoke deputy is victim of attempted assault The weather for the past week has been hot and dry. The temperature reached 100 some days, but most of the time it was in the high 90s. During the night, it only cooled down to the high 70s and it didn’t take long for the mer cury to climb back into the 90s. Most of us could sleep because of our central heating and cooling systems. The air conditioners ran most of the time and 1 believe it only stopped to let the machine cool off. The lack of rain has put the crops in bad shape. Tobacco is be ing harvested, but if the dry weather continues, it may become ripe too fast for folks to harvest it bn time. It is almost impossible to buy corn because of the dry weather. The forecast is for thunder showers Tuesday and Wednesday and we hope they come by Hoke County. In the forecast is also (See AROUND, page 3) Hoke County Sheriff’s Deputy Danny Ray Hardin was the victim of an attempted assault on July 18. Hardin had to jump on the rear of his patrol car to avoid being hit by a 1986 Camaro driven by Michael Wayne Lemons, 22, according to sheriff’s department records. Hardin had stopped the Lemons car when the driver suddenly ac celerated toward him. At the time, Hardin was responding to a re quest for assistance from a Scotland County deputy. Three patrol cars were pursuing the Lemons car when the driver jumped out of the car and ran into woods at Robbins Heights playground, records show. Lemons was apprehended the next day and served with a warrant in the assault attempt. In an unrelated incident. West Hoke Elementary School was broken into sometime between 4:30 p.m. on July 15 and 7 a.m. on July 16. A typewriter, an air condi tioner, an adding machine and a weather scanner with a total estimated value of $2,425 were stolen. Three Raeford men were ar rested for second degree burglary in connection with a robbery at the home of Randy Foster of Raeford on July 14. Arrested were Bruce Harris, 18, and Ted Johnson, 20, both of Rt.3 Raeford and William McNatt, 17, of Rt. 1 Raeford. Taken in the robbery were a cassette stereo tape recorder, an AM-FM clock radio, a TV-VCR combination and 11 cassette tapes with a total value of $666. All the stolen items were recovered by sheriff’s deputies. The mobile home of Mary McLeod, Rt. 1 Raeford was broken into on July 17 and a televi sion valued at $399 was stolen. Sheriff’s department records show there is a suspect in the case. On July 21, the flag and rope (See CRIME, page 3) N-J: I’ve noticed you don’t look the same as you have the last two years. What happened to last year’s turkey? Turkey: It’s still me. I just decid ed these new feathers made me look more like a Hoke County turkey. N-J: Where have you been hiding since last year’s festival? Turkey: I’ve been to the Dogwood Festival in Fayetteville, the Bicentennial Celebration in Red Springs and the July 4th parade in Spring Lake. I was in Raeford for July 4th, too. I only show up for parties! N-J: How old are you? Turkey: 29 and holding. N-J: I notice you have quite big feet. What size are they, anyway? Turkey: They’re so big each one of them should have a driver’s license! N-J: Is it hot inside your feathers? Turkey: It’s so hot in here you can just get the stuffing out of the pot because I’m done already! N-J: What has been your most embarrassing moment? Turkey: When I about burned my head feathers off with the Olympic torch. N-J: What has been your biggest thrill? Turkey: Carrying the Olympic torch. Also, seeing the expression on the faces of children. N-J: Nowadays, calling some one a turkey has negative connota tions. How do you feel about that? Turkey: I feel that’s changing. The turkey is coming into its own. They should make it the national bird. Besides, I’d rather be called a turkey than a chicken any day. N-J: What do you expect to be doing between now and the Turkey Festival? Turkey: Well, I’ll be getting my hair and nails done to be ready for the festival, of course. I have ac cepted some invitations. I’ll be visiting Moore County Regional Hospital and United Carolina Bank has invited me in to open my own checking account. I welcome the chance to take the turkey on the road and promote the festival. N-J: Which came first, the turkey or the festival? Turkey: The turkey. It’s just that she is now getting the respect she deserves with an annual festival in her honor. N-J: I notice you’re wearing pearls. Who gave them to you? Turkey: My secret admirer. N-J: Does that mean you’ll have an escort for the street dance to help you strut your stuffin’? Turkey: No. I can’t disappoint all the others by choosing just one. N-J; What part do you play in the Turkey Olympics? Turkey: Why don’t you come down and see me some time? N-J: Patriotism is in this year what with Ollie North and the bicentennial of the Constitution. Where do you stand on patriotism? Turkey: The turkey is 100 per cent American, made in the U.S.A. N-J: Are you ever afraid you might end up on someone’s dining room table on Thanksgiving Day? Turkey: No. The children expect me to be here for next year’s festival and I will be. N-J: Have you toured the turkey processing plant? Turkey: Yes. I toured it and thought I saw one of my first cousins but it was really Marvin Johnson. \ The turkey is coming into its own. They should make it the national I'd rather be called a turkey than a chicken any day. Patriotism is in this year what with Ollie North and the bicentennial of the Constitution.
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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July 30, 1987, edition 1
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