ews
Journal
The 3‘Hh issue of our 84th ycjir
RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA
25 CENTS
Wednesday, January 6,1993
Violence at Civic Center leaves depnty injnred, neighbors npset
A Saturday night fracas at the Raeford Civic
Center left a deputy with abroken leg, several party-
goers frightened and a disgruntled neighborhood.
According to reports by Deputy J.P. Brock of the
Hoke Sheriff s Department, Deputy Arnold Wilson
was the first to arrive on the scene to investigate
reports of gunshots at a private birthday party at the
center. Wilson attempted to break-up a scuftle
between party-goers and a group of party-crash
ers, the report said, when he broke his leg trying to
detain a rioter.
Two city police cars and a patrolman also ar
rived at the party.
A shotgun was fired inside the building, but
only minor damage was done. And the officers at
one point found themselves surrounded, accord
ing to the report. Wilson was taken to Cape Fear
Valley Medical Center, treated for a broken leg,
and one guest reported minor injuries from gun
pellets.
One of the party’s hosts, Angela McKoy of
Raeford, said she was surprised the fights began.
Although McKoy said she heard of the shootings
and disturbances at the civic center in recent
months, she was “very shocked” fights occurred at
her party.
The 20-year-old host said she tried to prevent a
disruptive scene by keeping the birthday party for a
friend private.
But her plan didn’t work.
A group of uninvited guests tried to crash the
(See VIOLENCE, page 9)
I*.
'W-
» 1
\
Top: Will Scott and William Gibson inside the aging building; Scott is
removing light fixtures. Left: Mike Scott removes the building’s electrical
meter.
Hillcrest Fire building
to be razed for growth
Hoke County’s oldest rural fire
building is about to be history —
in more ways than one.
Hillcrest Fire Department’s
Highway 401 Business building
will be demolished beginning
today to make way for a new,
larger structure.
Fire Chief Mike McNeill says
growth in the eastern part of tlie
County makes it nceessary for the
department to have more space.
He says a dear-span metal
building covering 5,400 square
feet will be nearly triple the size of
the current concrete block struc
ture.
“We can’t buy another truck
without a building to put it in,” he
said.
The department eurreiuly has
three trucks (and 24 members), but
new construction in the Hillcrest
district is forcing expansion.
He lists the 801 housing
project, a planned 60-house
development, possible Air Force
housing, and the new East Hoke
Middle School.
McNeill says the new build
ing will be capable of housing
up to eight trucks if they’re ever
needed.
The new building should be
completed in a few moths, he
said. In the meantime, the
department has moved to
quarters on Central Avenue at
the intersection of Highway 20.
“Our response time will be
about the same,” he said,
“because we go down Highway
20 to the south end or 401 to the
eastern part of the district.”
Furnishings were moved over
the weekend and trucks were
moved last night.
(Sec HILLCREST, page 5)
Band prepares to march
in Hunt’s inaugural parade
Band members rehearsing last week
Most high school students have
never witnessed a gubernatorial in
auguration, much less asked to take
part in the festivities. But the “Pride
of Hoke County,” a.k.a. Hoke High
Schcxrl’s marching band, was invited
to perform at the inauguration of
Governor-elect Jim Hunt this week
end.
According to the band’s director,
Mark Mabc, he’s not quite sure how
they were picked to perform in the
inaugural parade, but he’s sure they
belong tlierc.
He said he was contacted about a
week before the Christmas holidays,
so the group hasn’t had much prac
tice time.
But that doesn’t botherthiseroup
The Pride of Hoke County took
32 trophies at five band competi
tions this school year.
“I’mcxcitcd myself,” juniorChris
McIntyre said. And his peers echoed
that excitement.
“1 think it’s a pretty good honor,”
senior Russchcllc Hendrix said.
“1 just feel privileged being in
vited to something that prestigious,”
Jan Hughs said.
Anxious Hoke Countians who
can’t make it to Raleigh or who pre
fer the comfort of home to possible
chilly temperatures can catch the
parade on Public Broadcasting and
possibly on NBC around 1 p.m.
The parade is scheduled to last 90
(See BAND, pape 12)
Public gets
hearing
on annexation
Raeford City Council is
about ready to hear from the
public concerning plans to an
nex several outlying areas into
the City.
Council scheduled a public
hearing for Feb. 1 to hear what
citizens have to say about an
nexing the College Drive-Old -
Farm Rd. and Shawtown areas.
Meanwhile, City staff con
tinue gathering information to
determine the pros and cons of
enlarging the City.
For example. City Manager
(See ANNEXATION, page 4)
Radio station
forced off air
Deputies take equipment
S heriff’s deputies cleaned house at Hoke’s only radio
station last week as the first step in foreclosure
proceedings.
Legal representatives of Service Media, Inc. of Dunn issued
a notice of hearing prior to foreclosure on gospel radio sta
tion, WHIL.
The hearing is scheduled for 11:30 a.m, January 27 in the
clerk of Superior Court’s office.
According to court records and county tax listing informa
tion, the station is owned by Gospel Tabernacle Enterprises,
Inc. of Raeford and lists Rev. James Ross as the president.
Sheriff’s deputies Chris Fee and David Smith began clear
ing out the station last week, with a station employee having
to leave the air so equipment could be removed. The station’s
equipment was valued at around $25,000 for 1991 taxes, but
deputies confiscated a large portion of it in 1991 to pay off an
$8,000 debt to 'Washington Coleman Jr.
Officials are trying to follow the mnrky traO left by Ross
after he defaulted in over $93,000 in business debts, which
precipitated the recent proceedings.
Officials said a shroud of confusion covers the dealings of
the station and the reverend, whose whereabouts are in ques
tion.
In a September 1992 interview with The News-Journal,
Ross said he was cleaning up his rather messy act by transfer
ring management and ownership of the scandal-plagued 1400
AM station.
Ross said the Delta Pioneers of Fayetteville would assume
the amassed debt of $85,000 while he prepared to move to
Atlanta to join the LoveJoy Outreach Ministry there.
Ross has been involved in numerous fiscal and legal en
tanglements since coming to Hoke County in 1988 to carry
out his ministry; and LoveJoy has popped up as the title listed
on bank accounts and churches repeatedly.
In 1988 a judge convicted Ross of writing three worthless
checks to Grady Hardin’s Grocery and Price-Rite Building
Supply. The court ordered him to pay $962.88 in restitution
after pleading guilty to the charges. Ross wrote the checks on
a Love-Joy Ministries account. He was also given a 60-day
suspended sentence.
In the September interview, Ross told The News-Journal he
would be leaving his clouded record in Raeford to become an
ordained minister and begin an apostleship in November 1992
at the LoveJoy Outreach Ministry in Atlanta, Ga.
Although a LoveJoy Outreach Church in Atlanta exists, The
News-Journal was unable to contact anyone with the church.
Ross was apparently driving an auto registered to LoveJoy
Outreach when he was involved in an August accident, but
the car was registered to LoveJoy Outreach Church, 1085 E.
Central Ave. in Raeford.
Mary Matherly with the Hoke County tax listing office
(See STATION, page 5)
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
On Monday it felt like summer
time with the 70-degree reading on
the thermometer. A cold front moved
in Tuesday, but all it brought was
some rain.
The forecast calls for the tem
peratures to be in the 50s Wednes
day through Saturday. The lows
Wednesday through Friday will be
in the 40s and on Saturday the low
will be in the 30s. There is a chance
of rain on Friday and Saturday.
♦ ♦ * * *
Jackie Kicklightcr, who is in
charge of the Children’s Develop
mental Center at 202 N. Jackson St.,
called me last week and she said that
she had been try i ng to get up with me
for two weeks. She wants to thank
the people of the county for the re
sponse given for the children’s
Christmas party.
Jackie said that enough money
was donated so that the Civic Center
could be rented, refreshments were
served and each child was given two
gifts.
So, thanks to all the good people
who donated and as can be expected,
the people of Hoke County will give
to a worthy cause.
ifi ifi ^ -iti if
I received the following letter last
week. It follows:
Dear Sam:
During the Christmas holidays I
saw a video of Raeford in 1937 and
then interesting items that happened
at later times.
One historical segment was on
(See AROUND, page 12)