The
ews
Journal
it happened; it's news to us'
No. 38 Vol. 91
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www.dicksonpre5s.com
Hoke Basketball
going strong
8A
Burlington marks
75 years
in business
Page 1B
Index
Business
7A
Calendar
2B
Classifieds
9B
Deaths
6A
Editorials
.... 2-4A
Engagements
3B
Legals
7-8B
Military News
9A
Public Record
6A
Religion
10A
Socials
3B
Sports
8A
rv listings
5-6B
Weddings
3B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morkis
Contributing Editor
As I write this column on
Monday, December 21, the
shortest day in the year, the
temperature is about 70 de
grees. We have seen many
warm days this winter. It has
been dry and it doesn’t seem
like only four days until Christ
mas. We had about .06 of an
inch of rain over the weekend.
Then we got some more rain
on Tuesday. According to the
weather report at noon Mon
day, Christmas Day will be
cold and feel more like the
season of the year.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
high Wednesday to be in the
40s and the low in the 30s.
Thursday through Saturday
the highs will be in the 40s and
the lows in the 20s. There is a
chance of rain or snow on
Thursday.
What about a white Christ
mas!
I was talking with Mike
McNeill, Citv Manager, la.st
week about the Christmas hoi i-
days. He .said that the last pick
up of garbage would be on
(See AROVND, pane 5A)
50 cents
Byrd’s son arrested
Qiarged in arson at Thompson’s home
By Pat Allen Wii^on
Staff writer
a North Main Street home bought paign manager and also serves as
but not yet occupied by Raeford attorney for Sheriff Jim Davis,
attorney Greg Thompson. Byrd who defeated the elder Byrd in
Charles Robin Byrd, 35, has isthesonofformersheriffWayne the May primary,
been charged with setting fire to Byrd. Thompson was the cam- (See BYRD, page 12A)
Santa and friends
Upchurch Elementary School Principal Hank Richards and Assistant Principal Kristi Posey visited with Santa
recently as part of a photo-taking fundraising project for the school PTO. Patti Lunsford look 165 photos
of children with Santa which raised $700. (Patti Lunsford photo)
2^
rti
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IQ'
DA finds Davis charges unfounded
By Pat Alli n Wiison
Staff writer
The Hoke County District
Attorney’s office will not file
criminal charges against those
whom Jim Davis complained
made death threats against him
during the summer’s campaign
for Hoke County sheriff.
Davis, now the sheriff, met
with an agent of the State Bureau
of Investigation on June 26 after
he was told that Wayne Byrd,
then sheriff, plotted to have him
killed and his body disptrsed of
in a “cherry picker.”
Oscar Lee Chavis, 50, who
has a I’ayetteville addre.ss, told
Davis he o\eiheard a consetsa
tion take place in the Hoke
County Sheriff’s Department a
week earlier.
('havis' implications involved
the presence of Chief of Depu
ties Wayne Gardner, Detective
Dav id Newton and Hoke County
Emergency Services Coordina
tor Eire Marshal A1
Schwarcbher.
During the conversation,
which Chavis said took place
June 10, plans w ere made to make
Davis’ death knrk like suicide
and it was to happen "before
November."
Byrd said the body should be
put in a cherry picker so that
there would be no evidence, ac
cording to a statement by Chavis.
Chavis’ statement did not in
clude particulars on why Davis’
body was to be ground up if his
death was to appear to be a sui
cide or who was to grind it up
after the “suicide.”
Wednesday, December 23,1998
A.
Robin Byrd was charged by Raeford police yesterday evening. (Pat
Allen Wilson photo)
Davis sworn in
Time for ‘healing,’ ‘unity’
By P\i Ai m n Wii SOS'
Staff writer
Judge Warren Pate had words
of w isdom for a county div ided
after he swore in James /Xrthur
"Jim" Davis as Hoke County's
first black sheriff on fTiday morn
ing.
Pate spoke ot "turmoil in re
cent weeks" and trouhlmg
times.■■ but. he added, "the pro
cess has run its course. (Davis)
has earned the right to be sheriff
of this countv and all of its citi
zens.”
The district judge of Hoke.ind
Scotland counties, noting that he
is a citizen of I loke. added. "As
citizens, I ihmk we siv.'uld put
recent troubles behind tind sup
port the sheriff as he undeifakes
thedutiesofthisoffice. We must
move forward."
The Rev. Neil McPhatter.
former longtime county comm is-
Happy Holidays!
The South Hoke Elementary School Fifth Grade Chorus, under the direction of Denise Wallace, came
a’caroling in Raeford last week to thank area businesses for their support of all Hoke County schools. The
youngsters braved the cold to help get everyone in the holiday spirit by singing such favorites as "Rudolph,
the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Away in a Manger,” “Jingle Bells,” “Up on the Housetop,” “Silent Night,” and
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Christmas cards, made by Ms. Goza’s fourth grade class, were also
presented. (Pat Allen Wilson photo)
Jim Davis, with wife Peggy beside
him, takes the oath of office to
become Hoke County’s first black
sheriff. (Pat Allen Wilson photo)
sioner. opened Davis’ swearing
in with prayer. He prayed for
guidance, wisdom and knowl
edge for Davis. He also said the
Lord had spoken with him three
weeks ago saying Davis would
be sheriff and that he would he
sworn in at the courthouse.
Davis’ swearing in at the court
house was 11 days later than
planned. His December 7 swear
ing in was called off because the
state Board of Elections ordered
his certification be denied until
the county Board of Elections
heard complaints from 18 voters
and one from Wayne Gardner,
the unaffiliated candidate he de
feated in the November 3 gen
eral election, alleging voting day
V iolations. After the county board
voted tocertify Davis, five of the
complainants filed appeals w ith
the state board.
The state board met through a
telephone conference on Decem
ber 15 and voted to order the
county board to certify Davis
because Gardner had not ap
pealed the county decision. The
state will address complaints that
Davis went into polling build
ings on election day and that he
carried a concealed weapon w ith
him at their regular meeting on
January 5.
The county board certified
Davison December 16.
Follow'ing Davis’swearing in,
deputies and jailers tixrk their
oaths of office. Of the 25 depu
ties, 16 w'ere from the former
admini.stration. Eight returning
jailers and a new one were sw orn
in.
(See DA VIS, page 12A}
In an affidavit filed in May,
Rosie LeeTylerofShannon said
she overheard a conversation in
a Red Springs store in w hich the
owner said Byrd vvas going to
have Davis killed.
SBl Agent Fred McKinney
said his office concluded their
investigation and turned findings
over to the Hoke County DA.
In a letter to McKinney . Davis
al.st) spoke of voters rights viola
tions and “other conspiracies ex
isting in Hoke County. ” Davis
added," I am verv concerned about
the level of threat that exist(s). as
well as the ongoing hara.vsment,
intimidation and racial divisive
ness which have tveurred since
the piimaiy clectiott of May 5.”
Davis also wrote of threats
from Byrd’s sons, Robin Byrd
and H. Wayne Byrd Jr.
Members appointed
to juvenile crime council
By P VI \i 11 s It MIN
Staff writer
Political Itnalticshelfx'd shape
Hoke Cttunty 's Juvenile Crime
Prev entioii Council (JCPC) Mon
day night.
County Manager Bernice
McPhatter recommended thiee
private sector appointments ftir
replacements for Kegi na (’arpen-
ter, Louise Hiomas and ,\le\
Norton.
Allison Newton, Bobby
Slrothei, Sandia Keliv. Jodi
Willis, limes Pope Peggv
Owens, Donald Shields and
Martha Beatty had ittdic.ited they
wanted to ctintinue to serve on
the board. McPhatter recom
mended they be re-appointed.
Four names were presented
by county commissioners: Cb n-
lotte Kelly, a former board of
education member; Lillie M.
Bratcher, teacher’s a.ssistant at
South Hoke Elementary School;
Jeff Sumner, businessman, attd
Gwen Dial Locklear, member of
the Hoke County Native Ameri
can As.sociation and Lumbee his
torian.
With no one willing to throw
out their nominees’ names, even
tlunigh Kelly. Bratcher and
Sumner had not been asked if
they wanted to serve, Tony Hunt
(See COUNCIL, page 12A)