ews
Journal
No. 25 Vol. 92
50 cents
Wednesday, September 22,1999
See us at
www.dicksonpress.com
This week
Driver leaves
scene after
pedestrian is struck
page 3A
15th Annual
N.C. Turkey Festival
photos
page 1,2B
Index
Births 6B
Calendar 3B
Classifieds 8-9B
Deaths 6A
Editorials 2A
Legals 7B
Sports 8A
TV Listings 4-5B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
Hurricane Floyd didn’t
bring the expected high winds
to North Carolina, but it did
bring heavy rains. As this is
being written Monday, most
power has been restored in
Hoke County. Many in
Raeford still do not have
cablevision. My part of the
city was lucky. We didn’t lose
power or cable service. Most
of the damage at my house
was broken tree limbs. Most
of the deaths in the state were
due to flooding. Many people
lost their homes and all their
belongings. Let’s hope that the
forecast of more rain will not
add to the problems. We in
Hoke County can be thankful
that we were spared heavy
damages.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs to be in the high 60s to
the 70s. The lows for this pe
riod will be in the 50s and
maybe in the high 40s. After
Wednesday there isn’t much
chance of rain.
4: ;ft :4e :tc
Sometimes when things like
the above happen, we can be
surprised. Last Wednesday a
knock came on my side door.
There stood Don Foster and
his daughter and he asked my
wife if there were any heavy
items that they could help us
move to prepare for (he storm.
Even though we try not to
consider ourselves as “old
folks,” we did appreciate Don
and his daughter thinking of
us. Yes, there are stilly lot of
good people in this country.
Thanks Don!
Even though the Turkey
Festival Parade was post
poned, most of the other events
went on as scheduled. The
main street attractions drew
many people to the city on
Saturday.
I would like to comment
that the City of Raeford crews
went beyond their call of duty
(See AROUND, page 6A)
b'!
# * *
^ V' r..' t-
By Victoriana Summrrs
Staff writer
Oh so fine... fair weather and
buckets of good will opened the
15th annual N.C. Turkey Festi
val on Friday. It was short notice
after some of the festival activi
ties wereeithercancelled orpost-
poned due to Hurrican Floyd.
But, no mind. Senior citizens
from Raeford and some as far
away as Savannah enjoyed the
concert series on the Library stage
on Friday.
Kids out of school from Floy d
shared bleachers with their el
ders.
“We skipped nursery school
to attend the Turkey Festival,”
Christy Burrow said on Friday.
Title search reflects
confusion on lease
By VicroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Will the real owner please
stand up?
It was on September 7 that
Hoke County Commissioners
voted to approve a lease between
One-hundred-eleven years of living
Nancy Ray celebrated her 11 Ith birthday party Saturday. See article,
page 7A.
Sheriff Davis cleared
By VinoRiANA Summers
Staff writer
It’s over.
The final word is in on the
official SBl report regarding the
Hoke County Sheriff’s probe.
According to the SBl investi
gation, allegations about Sheriff
Jim Davis, concerning possible
misuse of county funds, have
proven unfounded.
District Attorney Jean Eliza
beth Powell, Judicial District 16A
for Hoke and Scotland countic.s,
released her findings on Tues
day. She reached her decision
after reviewing facts garnered in
the final SBl inquiry submitted
to her office.
“There is no basis for criminal
charges or additional actions by
the District Attorney’s office,”
Powell declared.
The initial investigation
stemmed from al legations report
edly lodged against Davis by
former Hoke deputy Gary
Hammond. Powell confirmed
Hammond had originally filed
the complaint with the DA’s of
fice that led to the ensuing month
long investigation.
Earlier, Davis had described
Hammond as a former “dis
gruntled employee.” Last week,
Davis had expressed a positive
attitude, saying he believed there
would be a favorable outcome.
“It’s clear we’ve (Sheriff’s
Department) been exonerated of
any allegations of wrong-doing
or impropriety,” Davis said on
Tuesday. “We are satisfied with
the outcome of the investigation
and the actions by the District
Attorney’s office.”
(See SHERIFF, page 8A)
Do the funky turkey
She frugs, she funks... See the back page for the rest of two-year-old
Parker Crow’s story/dance.
Thousandsthrongtogab,
feast at Turkey Festival
Her niece and nephew Trey and
Jasmine Long accompanied her
in their strollers, along with
grandmother Katy Long and
great-grandmother Annie
Rogers, all of Raeford.
Saturday was the highlight of
the festival, as almost 120 ven
dors set up food and arts and
crafts booths. Visitors and locals
strolled, trotted, boogied and
shagged their way along where
the turkeys were the stars and
guests wore “Looking Fine”
shirts in honor of the Raeford
bird.
“These people are what it’sall
about,” President Judy Pittman
of the Turkey Festival commit
tee said. “People are really en-
(See FESTIVAL, page 7A)
the county and Robert Locklear
to rent a 2,400 foot building on
Fayetteville Road in Raeford.
According to the county, the
Probation Department would be
housed in the new suite of of
fices, enlarging their space by
(See LEASE, page 7A)
Hurricane! ^
At 2 a.m. Thursday, these windswept trees and shrubs were visible evidence of the strongest gusts
in western Hoke County just as Floyd was making landfall on the North Carolina coast.
Floyd’s victims
recoup, cleanup
By VicroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Firefighters
forged paths
By Vktokiana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County was in the All through the night, 200
bull’s eye target for the path of See hurricane aftermath storm troopers scoured Hoke
Hurricane Floyd la.st week, and n}^otOS OH paQCS 4A and County last Wednesday.
t!ountv Emeryenev Manaiu'- ^ ‘ Rut. this waN no milili
County Emergency Manage
ment Coordinator Al
Schwarcbher had the National
Hurricane Center map to prove it.
Just six days later, Hoke is recovering from
a milder encounter with Floyd, while other
parts of North Carolina, walloped by the 115
mile-per-hour tropical storm, are suffering as
the death toll rises from continued flooding.
(See HUlRRlCANE,page lOA)
But, this was no militia. It
was man versus nature as
volunteer firefighters gath
ered from around the county to fight the merci-
lesswindsof Hurricane Floyd. Local firefighters
said many risked their own limbs to clear the
way for emergency vehicles, enabling citizens
to drive safely to work the next day.
How did firefighters feel after the ordeal?
(See FIREFIGHTERS, page ‘JA)
Pan Am committee tours horse park
By Pai Ali en Wieson
Editor
The Five Points Horse Park
came closer to reality Saturday
as the 23()-acre site was toured
by a Pan American selection
committee as a potential loca
tion for competition in 2007.
In addition, a ground breaking
was held for the planned steeple
chase track— the future site of
the world-famous Stoncybrook
Steeplechase in April of 2001.
The non-profit Sandhills
Equestrian Conservancy was ere-
ated last year to fund and design
a world-class equestrian event
facility. La.st year, the Conser
vancy selected and financed acre
age in western Hoke of rolling
fields, sNoods, a small wetlands
area, two ponds and some to
bacco barns with the goal of con
serving as much of the natural
setting as possible.
More than a half million dol
lars has been raised for the facil
ity which will require another $2
million to become reality. Plans
are for the park to be developed
to include five major equestrian
events: three-day eventing, com
bined driving, steeplechase,
hunter/jumper and dressage.
Plans are for the park to have,
in addition to the steeplechase
track, 50 stall barns, a covered
arena, dressage areas, van and
trailer parking, and a recreation
vehicle park. The wetlands area
is to be preserved.
Planners, headed by Lafreda
Williams, vice president of the
Conservancy, don’t doubt that
their “field of dreams” will hap
pen. “Even if we don’t get the
Pan Am games, the horse park
will still be a reality.” Williams
said.
Raleigh Mayor Tom Fetzer
accompanied the Pan Am com
mittee as they flew by helicopter
to the park in the Five Points
community on Calloway Road.
He said the Five Points Horse
(See HORSE PARK, page 8A)
Consent agenda criticized,
downtown stay is urged
B> VICTORIANA Si MMI RS
Staff writer
One spectator took a look at
the lengthy consent agenda prior
to the County Commissioners
meeting on Monday night, not
ing (he absence of items on the
regular agenda.
“This meeting won’t last more
than two minutes because they
(SceCOMMlSS10NERS,page lOA)