The
ews
Journal
'If it happened^ it's news to us'
No. 30 Vol. 91
50 cents
Wednesday, October 28,1998
See us at
www.dicksonpress.com
Hoke Bucks
win Homecoming
game 40-18
PagelOA
Costume contest
Page 1B
iJi-
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 11-12B
Deaths 5A
Editorials 2-3A
Engagements 3B
Legals 9-1 OB
Public Record 4-5A
Religion 8A
Socials 3B
« Sports 10-11A
Weddings 3B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The fall weather is still with
us. A couple of mornings last
week there was frost or a thin
layer of ice on my car win
dows. I like this kind of
weather, but 1 wish we could
get some rain. Maybe the farm
ers with cotton in the fields
like the dry weather.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs to be in the high 60s or
low 70s. The lows for the pe
riod will be in the low 50s or
high 40s. There isn’t any rain
in the forecast.
*****
Last week I received a let
ter from H.E.L.P. that was re-
'I questing a donation tor the
“Share Your Christmas” pro
gram. The organization has
been helping needy families
for the past several years. The
new program director of
H.E.L.P. is in charge of the
program. Her name is Bonnie
Johnson.
‘ I sent a check the day I
received the letter. This is a
pjugram that you should sup
port also. So take time today
and send a check to the fol-
(See AROUND, page 7A)
Editorial —
Let’s keep our perspective: the sun will rise over Hoke County next Wednesday
One week from today the November
election will be over and guess what —
the sun will rise over Hoke County on
Wednesday just as any other day. Re
gardless of who is sheriff.
The candidates in the race — Jim
Davis and Wayne Gardner — their sup
porters, this newspaper, indeed the whole
community have been in an uproar over
the race. But with the election essen
tially decided in each voter’s mind, it’s
time now to move on. This county must
accept the man who gets elected.
Regardness of who it is, we know
Hoke County will be the same place.
The same people will be living here. No,
this isn’t Mayberry. Yes, we have our
share of problems.
We would like to point out one sig
nificant and relevant fact — Hoke
County has been electing people of color
to office for years, a clear indication the
the people of Hoke County can base —
and have based — their votes on quali
fications, not color.
There are many good people, of all
races, who have tried to make improve
ments in all areas of Hoke County’s
quality of life.
Is there is room for improvement?
Absolutely. No one has ever tried to
claim that there isn’t.
Go out on the streets of Raeford or to
Dundarrach or Antioch or Rockfish or
anywhere in Hoke County. Go into the
stores and restaurants and businesses
and industries and churches and schools
and look around. You’ll see your neigh
bors of all races talking and laughing
and crying and working and learning
and prayingand breaking bread together.
Most of them are just trying to make
a living and pay the bills and provide
their families with a roof over their
heads and food on the table.
Most of them are just trying to make
sure their kids get a good education and
made it through another day happy and
healthy and alive.
That’s why some of you came to
Hoke County and made it your home in
the first place. That’s why most of you
have stayed here all these years.
Hoke County and her people are the
reality. No election, regardless of the
outcome, is going to change that. Only
the names and the facesof those who get
elected will change.
Let us accept the will of the voters
and move onward and upward.
Haddon requests
poll observers
- -t
Financial reports filed
By Pat Allen Wilson
Staff writer
Ben Haddon, chairman of
Hoke County Democrats, has
asked that observers be placed at
polling places during Tuesday s
general election.
Under North Carolina elec
tion laws, a candidate may make
the request through the chairman
of his or her party. The Republi
cans and Libertarians have not
requested observers and neither
has the campaign manager for
the lone unaffiliated candidate.
The request must be made five
days prior to an election.
The names of 26 potential
observers were submitted to the
Hoke County Boards of Elec
tions, wh ich is expected to act on
the request Thursday at an 11
a.m. meeting.
Two observers from each party
(See OBSERVERS, page I2A)
Too much ‘brew’
It just goes to show you what can happen if you drink a little too much “brew" and "drive” on Halloween
night, as this witch found out early after she flew into a tree in a yard on Main Street in Raeford at the home
of Don and Pam Foster. For more trick or treat fun and some tips for a safe Halloween, see today’s “B”
section. (Contributed photo)
Hoke volunteers honored for service
\bter registration
up by nearly 2,000
From staff reports
The Governor’s Office of Citi
zen and Community Services
recognized recipientsof the 1998
Governor’s Awards for Out
standing Volunteer Service for
the Southeast Region of the State.
Nominees for Hunt’s Out
standing Volunteer Service
Award included Hoke County’s
Mark Gaver; Rodney Lee;
Pedrito Mitchell; Roderick
Virgil; Chuck Wade; Unilever
HPC USA, represented by Phil
Huot; and West Hoke Middle
School FTO Executive Board,
represented by Jan Smith, presi
dent; and Tricia Booker, who
was unable to attend the ban
quet.
Gaver is a valuable asset to
Rockfish-Hoke Elementary
School, serving as president of
the PTA and as resident com
puter programming expert. He
has developed a computer pro
gram for parents as well as pro
grams which enhance learning
for students.
Hillcrest Fire Department
thanks Rodney Lee for his in
volvement with the department
for over six years, and specifi
cally his efforts to improve the
firefighting procedures of the
department as a whole. He is
always willing to risk his own
life tosave the lives and property
of others.
Pedrito Mitchell claims 15
years of service to Sandhills
Youth Center, focusing his ener
gies and volunteerism efforts
through the Yokefellow Prison
Ministry and Community Vol-
unteerSponsorshipPrograms. He
is highly respected by both staff
(See VOLUNTEERS,page t2A)
By Pat Allen Wii.son
Staff writer
Last week, the Hoke County
Board of Elections had regis
tered 15,533 voters. That num
ber is subject to change by three
or four, Caroline Shook, Board
of Elections director said. She
said last minutecancellations had
been received, election boards
from other counties canceled
some registrations because
former Hoke residents registered
there, and some registration
forms are awaiting signatures
because residents forgot to sign
them. “Things like that happen,"
she said.
Voter registration for the No
vember 3 primary ended Octo
ber 9.
Of the registered voters,
10,987 are Democrats, 2,488 are
Republicans, 2,038 are unaffili
ated, and 20 are Libertarians.
Registered voters by precinct
are: Puppy Creek, 2,365; Raeford
#1 1,726; Rockfish, 1,474;
Raeford #3, 1,428; Antioch,
1,342; Raeford #4, 1,320;
McCain, 1,022; Blue Springs,
966; Raeford #2, 959; Raeford
#5,955; Stonewall, 905; Buchan,
793, and Allendale, 278.
In late April, before the May 5
primary, there were 14,436 reg
istered voters with 10,383 Demo
crats; 2,339 Republicans, 1,693
(See VOTERS, page 12A)
L
Teddy Locklear
^15
L. Thomas Pilkington
Leo Salzer
Russell Smith
John Harry
School board candidates share their positions with pubHc
Five candidates, Teddy
Locklear, Thomas Pilkington,
Leo Salzer, Russell Smith and
John 1 iarry, are seeking the three
available seals on the Hoke
County BoardofEducation. Cur
rent board members Ann Hardin,
Robert Conoly and Charlotte
Kelly, whose seats are available,
chose not to seek re-election for
personal reasons.
Members serve four-year
terms on the five-member board.
To assist voters in making in
formed decisions in this non-par-
tisan race. The News-Journal
asked candidates four questions.
Their answers appear here
unedited.
Candidates
• Teddy Locklear, 35, 2817
North Duffie Road
Moke County High School
graduate. 1982; BSP. East (^ari)-
lina University, 1986
wile. lammy Bryant
Locklear, two children ages 8
and 2.
• Thomas Pilkington,55,3046
Fayetteville Road
retired as a game warden with
N.C. Wildlife Enforcement
wife. Gay Kirkley Pilkington,
2 sons ages 12 and 10
(See CANDIDATES, page 9A)