The
ews
No. 29 Vol. 91
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Approaching
the curve
of the earth
Page 2A
B
Looking for the
heart of Hoke
Page 1B
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 9B
Deaths 5A
Editorials 2-4A
Engagements 3B
Legals 7-8B
Public Record 5-6A
Religion 8A
Socials 3B
Sports 10-11A
TV Listings 5-6B
Weddings 3B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The weather was perfect
over the weekend. The sun
was shining and it didn’t rain.
Even though the temperatures
were in the 80s during the day,
we did have some cool nights.
The temperatures were in the
low 5()s and high 40s. This
should make the leaves start
turning into their fall colors.
You don’t have to go to the
mountains to see the beautiful
colors, they are also in the
Sandhills. I like this type of
weather.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday,calls forthe
highs to be in the low 60s or
high 50s and the lows to be in
the 40s. One forecaster said
that the lows could get into the
30s over the weekend. 'I’his is
getting near a time for frost.
There isn’t any rain in the fore
cast.
* * * **
Last Saturday morning
when I arrived at the ottice, 1
found sample ballots for the
upcoming election on my
desk. Since we now have vot
ing machines, 1 didn’t realize
how many different ballots are
(See AROUND, puf’e 7A)
Journal
^If it happened, it's news to us'
50 cents
Wednesday, October 21,1998
County takes major step to attract industry
By Pat Ai.len Wilson
Staff writer
Both Hoke County Commis-
sionersand membersof the Hoke
County Economic Development
Commission took more steps to
create an infrastructure to attract
industry to the county.
Monday night, Commission
ers approved three projects in
volving sewer service extension
as major capital projects. The
Economic Development Com
mission met the following morn
ing and agreed to contract with a
professional consultant, Ernie
Pearson & Associates, to refine
an economic development plan.
Pearson, a Sanford attorney,
is the former state deputy secre
tary of commerce. He and his
firm have worked with the county
for the past two years on eco
nomic development strategies.
The three projects include the
East Hoke Middle School
Project, Highway 20 Project, and
Wayside and Rockfish. The East
Hoke and Highway 20 projects
would involve the City of
Raeford as they would be served
by the City sewer system. The
other project would involve in
stallation of sewer lines in the
Rockfish and Wayside areas of
McLauchlin Township and
would be served by PubI ic Works
Commission of Cumberland
County.
Commissioners were briefed
on the final design plans of the
projects from the engineering
firm of Hobbs, Upchurch and
Associates. They were alsogiven
an update on the possible devel
opment of two industrial parks
near Raeford.
The estimated cost of the East
Hoke Middle School project is
$330,(KK), according to the engi
neers. The original plan was de
veloped to serve an 8()-acre site,
but now a larger land tract is
under consideration.
A 3-inch force main was ex
tended to East Hoke Middle from
the City when the school was
built, and the County would uti
lize that line, which carries up to
150,000 gallons daily. “That
w'ould carry us into the future,”
according to engineer Charles
McGougan, who said there is
“always the possibility” to re
place the 3-inch line with a 4- or
6-inch pipe.
Commissioners authorized
Interim County Manager Bernice
McPhatter to continue negotia
tions with PWC for a sewer con
nection to serve Rockfish and
Wayside. The estimated cost of
that project is “just over $1 mil
lion,” the engineers said.
The third sewer project in
volves an industrial park site in
the area of Oak Dale Gin Road,
Highway 401 Business and High
way 20. The cost of that project
is estimated to be $282,000.
Engineers also briefed Com
missioners on a mini-park site
which involves 126 acres on the
iSee COL NTY, page 9A)
S fiart
I I
Hicks trial set
to begin Monday
ift
Smart Start ribbon cutting
First Lady Carolyn Hunt was the guest of honor last Tuesday at the Hoke County Partnership for Children
and Families/Smart Start ribbon cutting ceremony. Some 100 business, government, civic and educational
leaders, teachers and children turned out for the event and helped with the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Helping the children with the scissors are, from left, Raeford Mayor Bob Gentry. James Leach, chairman
of the Hoke County Board of Commissioners, First Lady Carolyn Hunt, and jean Brewer, president of the
Hoke County Partnership for Children and Families. (Knight Chamberlain photo)
By KNKiin Ciiambhri.ain
Editor
The trial of Frank Hicks, the
Hoke County deputy charged
with voluntary manslaughter in
the death of an Ashley Heights
man last year, is scheduled to
begin Monday in Lee County.
Hicks shot and killled David
Michael Sivak w'hile on duty on
August 29. 1998. Hicks told in
vestigators he began firing when
Sivak first ignored warnings not
to get into a van, then tried to run
him down with the van.
The State Bureau of Investi
gation and the state Attorney
General’s office investigated the
shooting before turning their evi
dence over to a grand jury which
indicted Hicks in December.
Hicks' lawyers Randy Gregory
and Mike McGuinness asked that
the trial be moved, citing pre-trial
publicity about the case. Assistant
Attorney General Mary Winstead
agreed with the change and Supe
rior Court Judge Jack Thompson
approved it.
Hicks’ lawyers argued that the
32-year-old Sivak was not shot
in the back as was reported by
the media.
But a report from the Chief
Medical Examiner’s Office in
Chapel Hill listed the cause of
death as “gunshot wound of
back.” The report stated that a
bullet entered the right side of
Sivak's back and irreparably
damaged his heart. The report
al.so noted that Sivak had co
caine in his .system at the time of
his death.
I licks. 42, of Robeson County,
was initially placed on paid ad
ministratis e leave, but has been
back at w ork since January at the
sheriff s oft ice. He has not re
turned to patrol duty since the
shcxrting.
Justice Department agrees
to investigate complaint
By Knight Chamberlain
Editor
The U.S. Justice Depart
ment is investigating a com
plaint of racial disaimination
against the Hoke County
Sheriff’s Department by a
Native American whose night-
clubs were shut down in 1991
and again in 1997 for repeated
reports of illegal drug use and
violence.
Elisha Dial Filed the com
plaint despite the fact that he
signed consent orders admit
ting that he was aware of and
permitted the illegal activities,
including the illegal posses
sion, sale and consumption of
alcohol by minors; the pos
session sale and use of drugs;
and violent conduct.
Despite the admission. Dial
claims it was inaction by the
Sheriff’s Department that
caused his businesses — the
“Countryside Recreation
N ightclub” on John Road, and
“Cousins” off N.C. 211 — to
be characterized as nuisances
by state Alcohol Law Enforce
ment officials in the First place.
The inaction. Dial said, led
to his Filing the complaint
But Sheriff Wayne Byrd, in
a March 12, 1997 interview,
said his department was being
criticized for doing its job.
“Ourdeputies havecharged
people at (the Countryside
Reaeation Nightclub) with
possession of drugs and con
cealed weapons,” he said in
the interview. “This place has
just been a problem in the com
munity.”
In fact. Alcohol Law En
forcement agents investigated
more than 80 service calls re
ported on the club between
April 1993 and January 1997.
Dial defended his actions
and said he was being dis
criminated against by the
Sheriffs Department for try
ing to give kids a place to go
and have fun.
“How could I be consid
ered a public nuisance,” Dial
said in a June 18,1997 news
paper article about his Coun
tryside Recreation Nightclub
being shut down. “1 was out to
give the young people a place
to go and get them out of those
places, the drug places, the
booze places.”
A previous nuisance inves
tigation led to the closing of
Cousins in 1991.
Dial is a supporter of Jim
Davis, the Democrat nominee
for Hoke County Sheriff.
Davis ran for sheriff, in part,
because he claimed the
Sheriffs Department is soft
on drugs and allows drug ac
tivity to flourish in Hoke
County.
'•Hi
ltd'll
..3-jwm
iTn:
This picture postcard depicts the Hotel Raeford in its heyday.
Hotel Raeford in double trouble
By Pal All i n Wiison
Staff writer
It appears the Hotel Raeford is
in double jeopardv. Notices of
both foreclosure and condemna
tion proceedings are posted on
the deteriorated building IcK'ated
at the corner of Central Avenue
and Main Street.
Action on the condemnation
process is on hold, however.
Mary Robinson, code enforce
ment officer for the City of
Raeford, said the City is stop
ping its prtx'eedings until other
matters are worked out. "Ow n-
ership could change,” she said.
There are al.so tax liens against
the property, Robinson .said.
Fayetteville residents Earlise
and Mary E. Jones bought the
property on May 4. 1993 for
$ 120,()()(). United National Bank,
w hich holds the note, is foreclos
ing. Mrs. Jones is now deceased.
A picture post card, made in
1940 or shortly thereafter, said
the hotel was under new owner
ship, new management and com
pletely renovated. It offered “50
(fireproof) clean, comfortable
rooms with or without a bath." /\
coffee shop featured home cook
ing and was managed by "Miss
Minnie Worwick, dietitian, for
merly with Jeans Dining Ri'om
of Laurinburg."
W.E. Street Jr. was manager
and proprietor. He offered single
rooms at $1.25 up and double
rooms for $2 up.
Prior to that, the Hotel
Bluemont served as headquar
ters for the Williamsport Base
ball Club's spring training and
teachers resided there during the
schiH)l year. Business activity in
downtown Raeford was thriv
ing.
Today, the condemnation no
tice calls the hotel “un.safe, in
dangerous condition and a fire
hazard by structural defects and
general state of decay, deteriora
tion and disrepair.”
The hotel s lone tenant, a bar
ber shop, recently moved to a
new location across Central Av
enue.