Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / July 8, 1992, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews J oumal The 13th issue of our 84th year RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA 25 CENTS Wednesday, July 8,1992 Hoke woman wishes UFO would come back, reporters wouldn’t She said she's been mocked by newscasters and neighbors alike. But Diane Messing is con vinced she saw an unidentified flying object on June 26. And she wouldn't mind seeing it again. "Actually, I wish it would come back," Mess ing said. The Hoke County woman said on that Friday she and her mother saw a UFO fly over their trailer and hover over a field across the street. She said since she reported it to the Sheriffs Department, every "weirdo" in the area contacted her for more information about her ethereal encounter. "I've had a bunch of weirdos calling wanting to hypnotize me and take soil samples," she said. Messing said she doesn't want hypnosis, she wants answers about her late-night visitors. "It would be worth it if someone could tell me what it was," she said. "I just wish the calls would stop unless someone could tell me what it was. I wish people would just let it go." So far, no one provided her with answers about the sighting and no one took her seriously. "Everyone seems to be stretching it out so ridiculously," she said. "If they had taken it seriously, it would be different, but they just made it a joke." ‘It’s not fun’ To the homemaker it's no laughing matter. "It's fun when you see something everybody (See UFO, page 9) 4-?. 'V JU nty Stupid pet trick Danielle Gilbert, a Hoke County horse trainer and student at UNC-Chapel Hill, found that her horse has some human preferences. Diet Sprite to be specific. You wouldn’t want a fat horse would you? Actually, the horse is not particular, and will drink any brand, diet or not, with or-without caffeine. Permanent Festival stage gets boost The Turkey Festival board made headway Tuesday as support builds for its proposed new, permanent stage downtown. Appearing before the Hoke County Commis sioners’ meeting, representatives of the Festival put proposals before the board regarding a per manent stage. The Hoke County Board of Education agreed to provide land to the Turkey Festival board for construction of a new stage, though exactly who would own the land remains in question. The land is located behind the library. According to festival representatives, the Board of Education wants the County Commissioners to take responsibility for the maintenance and insurance of the stage. Lynn Worley, president of the 1992 Turkey Festival, said the group needs approval before an architect can begin drawing the structure. If ac tion is not taken soon, she said, the stage may not be ready in time for this year’s festival. Dr. Bill Harrison, superintendent of Hoke County Schools, expressed concerns over the positioning of the stage on the land. Worley said the size of the stage would not exceed 20 x30 feet and would be positioned as the school board requested. But, the school board also questioned tJie wording of the proposal for the stage. As stated presently, the Board of Education would give the land to the County Commission ers, who would then own the land and would (See STAGE, page 9) Raeford man mixes colors by cross-breeding day lilies Wayne Ashbum’s yard shrinks each year as his hobby grows. What started for him as a curiosity flowered into fervent passion—a pas sion for growing day lilies. But Ashbum doesn’t just grow day lilies, he breeds them. The one-time farm boy said his odyssey with the blooms began about six years ago while reading Roger Mercer’s gardening column in the Fayetteville Observer-Times. "I was reading Roger Mercer’s column and he’s really into them," he said. "The more I'd read about it, the more interested I became." So with his imagination sparked, Ashburn approached Mercer for more information about cross-breeding the plants. He said Mercer showed him films to explain the cross-pollination process, and even pro vided him with experimental plants. Instantly, day lily breeding hooked Ashbum. "Before long you start digging up the yard," he said. "It’s just habit-forming. The thrill of it is seeing what you’ve made." So far, about 1,500 to 2,000 different day lilies provide that thrill. In living color "There’s just so many different sizes and colors," he said. Although he plants vegetables as well, he prefers flowers. "I try to have color in the yard. And if the season permits, 1 can have color with flowers." But he did not always like the diligence necessary to achieve the colors. "It takes two years of growing seeds before you see the first bloom," he said. "There’s a lot of hard work in this thing. You have to get on your hands and knees and transplant them to different spots." Beyond the physical rigors of meticulously nurturing agarden "from May til frost," Ashbum overcame a youthful dislike for planting. "I grew up on a farm and really didn’t think I’d be interested in growing again," he said. "1 don’t think 20 years ago if anybody told me I’d be growing anything or getting out and work- (See FLOWERS, page 8) Moore hospital asked into fray Hoke Medical board starts talks with Moore Regional T he Hoke Medical Complex board of directors stands cocked for battle while its newer counterpart still calls for compromise. One week after a heated public hearing, the original board remains firm against an alliance with Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, a key player in a proposal to set up a family practice clinic with three doctors in the building it controls and now houses only Dr. Robert Townsend. In fact, the board’s president has approached another hospital to develop a similar plan. "We haven't settled one thing in the world," said Younger Snead, president of Hoke County Medical Complex, Inc. (HCMC). "I'm talking with some people from Moore Regional Hospital. They're coming up with some ideas." The HCMC hosted only one meeting so far with Moore Re gional Hospital representatives. It was last Thursday. "It was just a feel out meeting," he said. "We're trying to listen to everything and everybody. We told them community needs." Dairy Walker of Moore Regional Hospital said the group con tacted him to brainstorm a proposal to bring in new doctors. "Snead and his boys invit^ us down to sit with the directors of Hoke Medical Complex," Walker said. "They asked would we be interested or could we help them explore locating primary care physi cians for Hoke County to use that facility they already have there." Third attempt to meet set In the meantime, a consortium of foundations and medical groups continues work on the plan that started the contro versy. It would bring in new doctors and tap the teaching resources of Cape Fear Valley and Fayetteville Area Health -' Education Center (FAHEC). Those groups want the building and still seek a compromise with the old board. "We're going to issue a formal invitation (to HCMC) and see if we can discuss joining the two boards together and move on," Dr. E. Harvey Estes, of the North Carolina Medical Society, said Tuesday night. It will be the third attempt by the new board to meet with the old. At two previous attempts, (See MEDICAL, page 4) Just how much does HCMC owe? While the two boards argue over which program will bring in new doctors, the public wants to know who plans to pay for the building, renovations and doctors. The new proposal backed by the County Commission ers would be funded prima rily by the Duke Endow ment and the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation grant. These two grants would dole out $624,500 in year one, $499,500 in year two (See FUNDING, page 4) Arounci Town Wayne Ashbum with his day lilies. By Sam C. Morris The thunderstorm that came last week was about as bad as I can remember. The lightning and thun der made you think of a World War II battle scene. The rainfall was heavier in some parts of the county than it was in Raeford. There was about one inch in the city, but I have heard that approximately 21/2 inches fell elsewhere. I didn’t hear of any damage to property or to crops. The heat has been below normal for this time of year. The forecast calls for the same type of weather for the remainder of the week. The highs Wednesday and Thursday will be in the 80s and the lows will be in the 60s. Friday and Saturday we will see highs in the 90s and the lows will be in the 70s. There is a chance of thunderstorms any day. Typical summer weather! * * The 4th of July observance ran from Thursday night until Tuesday morning. Some places were closed onl y on Friday and some were closed Friday and Saturday. Monday was observed by some businesses. Maybe things will get back to normal this week. There weren’t any parades or speeches in Hoke County, but the flags were displayed on the poles on Main Street and many side streets. Many homes also had flags flying. All in all it was a quiet day in Hoke County. * * I attended the meeting about the Medical Center sponsored by the Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Com merce. The doctors from out-of-town gave their reports and they stated exactly what had happened over the past several years leading up to the meeting. Others were called upon to ex press their views and then questions were asked by many in attendance. I can’t say what good the meeting accomplished because before it ad journed some in attendance started what you might call “name calling.” (See AROUND, page 12)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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July 8, 1992, edition 1
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