Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / April 7, 1993, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews Journal Inside Annual Business and Industry Directory The 52nd issue of our 84th vear RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA 25 CENTS Wednesday, April 7,1993 Impasse pulls Hoke into lawsuit over jail conditions Prison Legal Services filed a class action suit this week in federal court against Hoke County for jail inadequacies. PLS attorney Michael Hamden said despite warn ings, Hoke’s snail’s pace in resolving jail overcrowd ing and staffing shortages led the organization to file a civil lawsuit on behalf of Hoke prisoners. Hamden declined to comment on which three pris oners’ names appear on the case, but said overcrowd ing and staff shortages led to PLS’ decision. Hoke Sheriff Wayne Byrd said the county could have avoided the lawsuit, but it’s too late. “1 regret it has gone this far, that the county has to be sued and made to do something it can’t afford to do,” he said. “It’s time for the county commissioners to do more than make a good faith effort at tax time.” Byrd asked the Hoke Commissioners for more staff and jail improvements in the past with no success, and Hamden earlier said his efforts delayed the suit. But now with what Hamden described as an im passe with the county, PLS felt compelled to file suit. “There’s a really good sheriff and an excellent jail administrator, and they just do not have the resources. It’s come to an impa.sse. Maybe this will help break the logjam.” Hamden said thejail conditions have violated former inmates’ rights, and will continue to violate rights until something is done. In an ominous address to the Commission at Monday’s meeting, Sheriff Byrd warned of the costs (See JAIL, page 4) 4^ \ \ TherG were no seats left in the room as a crowd appeared for Raeford City Council s hearing on the possible annexation of several outlying areas. Here, Avery Connell speaks to councilmen. Crowd teUs Council city has nothing to offer Seventy-five people crowded Raeford City Council’s cham bers Monday night, most to ob ject to Council’s plans to bring them into the City. “You really don’t have any thing to offer us,” was what one man said, and it seemed to be the refrain for the evening. Another objection was the assertion that Council didn’t seem to be listening to the citizens. Council is considering the an nexation of three general areas — Thomas field and College Drive on the west side, Shawtown and a small area off Prospect Ave. on the east side, and a small tract of Umd be hind Andy Anderson Mobile Homes. Monday’s public hearing was required by law before Council could proceed. The crowd first listened to a 30- minute explanation of the annex ation procedures and a list of ben efits they’d receive as residents of Raeford. Then, local real estate agent Avery Connell was first to speak: “Yourestimation of savings is hogwash,” he said. “It’ll cost me four hundred and ninety-six dol lars more a year, and I’ll get nothing in return. I’m against it one hundred percent,” he said. A Shawtown resident said people in his area already lob bied for and received from other sources such typical city ameni- (See CITY, page 6) Ross claims tower FCC to investigate station’s status Hoke Sheriff's deputies interrupted Ross Friday as he tried to make arrangements to take down the station's tower. The building housing Hoke’s only radio station and the surround ing property may have been auc tioned last Wednesday, but the former owner, the Rev. James Ross said the tower still belongs to him, and he began steps Friday to claim the tower. Meanwhile, the Federal Com munications Commission said it will send a team to Raeford to in vestigate the status of the station and how its period “since it went dark,” or off the air, is being handled. On Friday Hoke Sheriff’s Depu ties interrupted Ross and a crane company representative from Ra leigh in estimating removal prices (See STATION, page 10) Reed quits post County manager takes new job D uring an executive ses sion of the Hoke Board of Commissioners Mon day, County Manager Barry Reed submitted a letter of resignation effective April 30. Person County already hired Reed, who will fill their county manager posi tion May 3. Describing the move as a career advance ment, Reed leaves Hoke af ter nearly four years as Hoke’s top administrator. In a letter dated April 2, Reed states the decision was “extremely difficult and emotional.” Due to what he described as di vergent philosophies of county government, Reed said he and the Board differ on the format of a county manager form of govern ment. “1 think the direction the board wants to go is incompatible with what I as a person and I as a county manager believe in,” he told The News-Journal Monday. “1 think the Board wants to vio late what a county-manager form of government is about. It creates a professional problem for me—my choice is in response to that.” Reed said a year ago he would “never have dreamed of leaving,” but in light of changes in personnel policy and the budget process which occurred under the new Board, he’s looking forward to the move. During the Monday morning Commissioners’ meeting, the Board approved a new way of han dling the budget process, essen tially by-passing the old method of (See MANAGER, pageS) Barry Reed School Board shifts principals for next year Hoke School officials shifted three more principalships around for the upcoming school year last night. Jack Burgess of West Hoke Middle School requested a transfer to an elementary school position, Superintendent Bill Harrison said. Next fall Burgess will take over as McLauchlin Elementary’s prin cipal, with current principal Linda Steed switching roles to secondary insunctor and media coordinator. The West Hoke Middle School principalship will be filled by Glen Langdon, who is currently media supcrvi.sor, teacher center director and a key overseer of curriculum. Board member Charlotte Kelly opposed Langdon’s appointment with no offer of explanation. At last month’s board meeting, South Hoke Elementary’s Hank Richards won the coveted principalship of the newly-approved year-round school to be housed at Upchurch Elementary. Harrison said he’s received several applica tions to fill the vacated South Hoke position, but no decisions have yet been made. Harrison said the switch of principals were to make them more comfortable in their positions. The changes lake effect July 1. Western residents say phone plan leaves them ostracized Around Town Some western residents of Hoke County say once again, they feel like the unwanted stepchild. The Hoke County Commission ers, following the lead of Raeford City Council, recently supported the addition of the Red Springs phone exchange onto the Raeford- Fayetteville system. While south Hoke would no longer pay long distance rates to call the county seat, western Hoke residents would continue to be charged long-dis tance rates. And many say it’s not fair. “It doesn’t make sense to ostra cize part of your county,” McCain resident Sally Hopkinson said. We.stem residents often com plain the county ignores their needs until tax time. “I think they’ve forgotten west ern Hoke County even exists until its time to send out the tax notices, then they don’t have trouble find ing us,” Ruth Green said. Green, who lives in the McCain area, said her area does not receive Hoke area cable, water, or sewage and that local government brings basic ser vices at a painfully slow pace. County Manager Barry Reed said die county tried to add the Hoke Aberdeen customers onto the Raeford exchange, but to no avail. (See PHONES, page 16) By Sam C. Morris The weather was nice over the week end, but Monday was anoilicr story Tlie rain came in after 6 a.m. and with ttie wind the 4()-degrccwcaltier fell like die low 30s. The rain ended Tuesday and die tem peratures began to rise. We have had enough rain for this time of year. The fields are almost im possible to work. Let’s hope it doesn’t freeze. The forecast calls for the tempera tures Wednesday and Thursday to have highs in the 60s and lows in die 40s. On Friday and Saturday the readings will have h ighs in the 70s and the lows in die 50s. There is a chance of rain on Satur day. * ♦ ♦ ♦ The warm wcadier last week has most of the peach trees in bloom. If the freezing weather will hold off for a couple of weeks, we should have plenty of peaches this year. * * ♦ ♦ Two deaths over the past two weeks caught my attention. One was Mrs. Mable Tapp, who was 102 years of age. She had come to this county in the early 19(X)s when tobacco was first being grown here. Not many [icople live to be this old. The other was Bootsie Barrington who was in high school with me. She finished the year after me, but in a school where there were only about 50 to a class, and everyone knew all the people in the high school. She was a nurse for many years here in Raeford. A remark made at her funeral was that she and Dr. R. A. Matheson had at one time deliv ered about 50 percent of the babies in the county. That was when most babies were delivered in the home. (See AROUND, page 16)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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April 7, 1993, edition 1
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