Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / May 4, 1994, edition 1 / Page 1
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A ' t 1 ,ai The 4th issue of our 86th year RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA 25 CENTS Wednesday, May 4,1994 Board votes to accept Nash trash Hoke County commissioners voted to accept solid waste from Nash County to the BCH solid waste system and adopted a resolu tion regarding municipal solid waste to the state General Assem bly. BCH Energy is owned by VEDCO Energy Corporation of Houston. Hoke, Bladen and Cumberland will truck their waste to a plant that will be constructed in Fayetteville. The waste-to-energy plant, ex pected to begin operation in 1995, will separate recyclable materials, then Convert the remainder of the waste to steam and electricity. The additional waste contribu tion from Nash will increase rev enue to Hoke, Bladen and Cumberland counties, since those three counties will split 50% of money from the sale of recyclables. Also, it will ease Hoke’s burden from its minimum annual tonnage quota. County Manager Mike Wood said. Each county involved in the VEDCO project must approve ac ceptance of waste from more than 25 miles away. Cumberland has already approved acceptance of Nash’s waste. Commissioners also adopted a resolution to the N.C. General As sembly asking that local govern ments be given the authority to control solid waste flow. The resolution will allow coun ties to direct solid waste to desig nated facilities. “It’s making a point with state (See COUNTY, page 7A) Byrd returns; Hoke has new c ommissioner W inning by a comfortable margin, Wayne Byrd retained the position of Hoke County sheriff in Tuesday’s primary elec tion, and businesswoman Jean H. Hodges, 62, will become the second woman ever to serve HffUiSin No dampening her spirits Betty Cook smiles Tuesday night as incoming election results indicate she will retain her seat as Hoke clerk of court. The news, posted on a board at The News-Journal office, drew a crowd despite heavy rain. on the Hoke County Board of Commissioners. Byrd took 1,535 of 3,541 votes cast in the sheriff’s race, or 43 percent. “I’m ready to go back to being sheriff—it’s a whole lot easier than being a politician,’’ said a tired Byrd. Youngest candidate David M. Barrington Jr., 35, followed Byrd with 1,062 votes. Raeford streets supervisor James R. “Bobby” Strother came in third with 656 votes; former Chief Deputy James R. “Jimmy” Riley trailed with 288 votes. “Folks got what they wanted,” said Riley. He is not sure whether he will run for sheriff again in the future. In the county commissioners’ contest, Hodges grabbed 1,671 of8,845 votes cast, second only to Commissioner Thomas P. “Tom” Howell. He came in first in the commissioners’ race to keep his seat, one of three up for grabs this election. Howell pulled down 61 percent of the votes cast for that race, or 1,799 votes. “1 felt 1 didn’t lose any of the support 1 had four years ago, and apparently that was the case,” said Howell, glad to be the top finisher. Hodges said her top goal as county commissioner will be “to help improve the economy of Hoke County.” Votes for Commissioners Cleo Bratcher Jr. and L. E. McLaughlin will be the object of a mandatory recount if a canvass of votes confirms Tuesday’s totals. McLaughlin’s 1,498 votes edged out Bratcher with 1,487. Scott Poole, chairman of the elections board, said according to North Carolina General Statute 163-179.1, “It’s a mandatory recount unless it changes at the canvass,” because Bratcher was behind McLaughlin within less than 1 percent of the votes which were cast for that office. Board of Elections Supervisor Caroline Shook said votes will be canvassed Thursday at 11 a.m. in the commissioners’ room. McLaughlin said, “I’d feel good if 1 won or lost, because I would continue to work for the good of Hoke County either way.” (See ELECTION, page 6A) * * From left: Mayor Bob Gentry, Commission Chairman L. E. McLaughlin, P & S Investments President Paul Singal, his son Nikhil, and Eco nomic Development Director Dottie Meacher. Days Inn breaks ground 50-room franchise to open al end of year Celebration was in the air as Hoke County citizens gathered last Wednesday to witness the turning of dirt on the site of a Days Inn motel to be constructed in Raeford. “I look forward to meeting all the new people and growing with you,” said Paul Singal, president of P&S I nvest ments, which owns the 50-room franchise. Hiscompany hopes tocom- ple;te the motel at the U.S. 401 By- paiss and Teal Drive by the end of 1994. He thanked city and county officials for working to provide in centive for his company to consider construction in Raeford. Dottie Meacher, executive direc tor of the Raeford-Hoke Economic Development Commission, told lis teners Singal helped to reassure her during negotiations to bring the mo tel to Raeford. “He said,‘Dottie^on’t worry - we are going to Raeford.’” Raeford-lloke County Plant Man agers A.ssociation President firick Wowra welcomed P&S Investments and touted the Raeford-Hoke com munity as “a great place to live and work.” Patty Webb, president of the Raeford-Hoke C'hamber of Com merce, said, “Now T|| i,,,ve some place to put my relatives when they visit " “We think it’s a blessing to have you,” added county commissioners’ Chairman I,. 1:. Mcl.aughiin Mayor Bob CJentry told Singal, “We welcome you — it's long awa ited and we’re pleased to have it. The City of Raeford pledges tobc agood neigh bor to you.” Wanted men apprehended in BP parking lot Two men reportedly wanted on some 50 warrants in Cumberland County w ere caught in Hoke County Sunday morn ing. Leighton Morley Austin, 17. of Fayetteville, and William Leon Hill, 17, of Newport were found standing near the pay phone in the BP parking lot at U.S. 401 North and Wayside Road about 2-3() a.m. Sunday, a sheriff s depart ment report said. The two men face warrants on charges including armed robbery, conspiracy to commit felony robbery. Both Austinand Hill were turned over to Cumberland authorities. Home Food store robbed A robbery was reported at Home I 'ood Supermarket on Main Street last Friday, said Raeford Police Maj. J. R. McNeill. Apparently, a black male entered the store and was buying a drink when he snatched an undetermined amount ol money from the open cash register drawer and ran out of the store. McNei II said acustomer, a -took hoy, and the store’s owner chased the robber down C'entral Avenue and lost sight of him .somewhere behind Raeford Hotel. Police were unable to locate the sus pect anwshere in the area. McNeill said hisdepartment received word Tuesday the suspect may be in custody of Cumberland ('ounty authori ties. Youths accused of stealing gun Three youths doing community ser- \ice in the Raeford Police Department last week allegedly stole a 9 mm hand gun from Chief J. E. Murdock's desk drawer. KenJay A. Brown, 16, of 112.1 Clan Campbell Dri\e and two ju\ eniles were charged with larceny ol a firearm. Murdock said he put the gun in the drawer on April 25 and discovered it missing I'riday. He said the youths were supposed to be washing walls in the police depart ment as part of their community service through juvenile seivices last week. Drug dog Thor sniffs out stash A 4-ycar-old Belgian Malinois known as Thor used his good “scents” to lead Hoke County sheriff’s department K-9 officer Deputy Roland C. McLamb to a marijuana stash off Gainey Road last Thursday. A sheriff’s department report said Donald Dee Scott, 31, of Route 1, Box 190, was arrested after Thor stumbled onto the scent of marijuana that was hidden in an abandoned building owned by Scott. McLamb was in the area answering another call when the dog approached the building on a dirt road about one- fourth mile from U.S. 401 South. The dog reportedly went into the building, sniffed at the ceiling, then in dicated the presence of a controlled sub stance by his behavior, scratching at a large hole in the wall. McLamb found one bag of marijuana and one bag of marijuana .seeds in a hollowed out portion of the sheet rock wall. Police report break-in at Kay Thomas Properties The 310 Harris Ave. building that hou.ses Kay Thomas Properties and two other businesses were hit in a break-in sometime Sunday night, Murdixrk said. \ dot matrix printer, a money box Drug dog Thor shows off his discov ery — marijuana and marijuana seeds. and some stamps were stolen from .MBG Management Inc. A television, a sewing machine and a lamp were taken from Jean’s Hair De sign. Property damage to Kay Thomas Properties was reported at $150. Council denies free taps, levies fee on fruit stands Around Town Fruit standsand water/sewer taps split RaelordCity Council’s votes Monday night as the board created a tee for some fruit retailers and denied granting tap fees to an in coming motel. Councilman Steve Phillips sug gested that council grant the re quest of P&S lnve.stmciits, who recentlv broke ground for a Days Inn motel, to have water and sewer lines exteiicied to the site and lo tap on to the lines without charge- “It’s such a welcome, needed facility to our area,” Phillips told the board. “This has much more economic impact lo the area, he .said, than a medical clinic built in the la.st tew years to which the city extended water and .sewer, but re- {|uired lo pay tap fees. Extending water and sewer to the site will cost the city $5,500; ('ity Manager Tom Phillips esti mated the cost of the proposed laps at S1,000 each. Council discussed other indus tries which have and have not re ceived city services gratis. When Advance Auto Parts located on U.S. 401, Hie company did not receive water and .sewer services free, Phillips said, because the store is not in an industry the city is ac tively recruiting. The city is re - (Sec COUNCIL, page 7A) By Sam C. Morris It didn’t take long for the summer weather to leave. The winds out ot the north Monday made it teel colder than the temperature showed. We all were expecting some much needed rain on Sunday, but it went to the south and east ot I loke ('ounty. We did have a few drops Sunday morning, but you could almost count them on your fingers. The cold weather was to remain with us through Wednesday. 1 here was also a chance ot rain on luesday night and Wednesday. The forecast calls tor the high on Wednesday to be in the low 60s and the low in the low 50s. Thursday through Saturday we will see the thermometer rise. The temperatures for these days will see the highs in the 70s and the lows in the 50s and 60s. Ut’s hope the winter weather is gone for the year. « * * • * I am w riting this column on Monday night before the primary on Tuesday. In talking with Scott Poole, chairman of the Board of Elections on Monday, he said that there was an increase in the demand for absentee ballots in this pri mary. If this runs true to form, he says we should have a large turnout tor the voting. Others coming by the otfice to give me the newsol the city and county seem to think that between 3,500 to 4,(K)0 Demui.iats will \i>te in die piinuiv. It this holds true, then 50‘’?' or more will vote. 'I here are 7,740 registered Demo crats in the county Also, as of Monday. I haven’t heard of any mudslingiiig in the Hoke County races like what is being reported in neigh- boringcounties. Remember, if you can’t (See AROUND, page 7A)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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May 4, 1994, edition 1
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