The NewS"Joumal
If it happenoil, it'> news to am *
No. 31 Vol. 92
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This week
Think you know
our town? You
could win
page 1B
Man sentenced
for 1988 murder
page 3A
Nexl week
West Hoke Middle
claims two
conference
championships
L.E. McLaughlin
awarded for civic
contributions
Index
Births 3B
Business/Farm 9A
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 8-9B
Deaths 6-7A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 7B
Public Record 3,4,6A
Religion 6B
School 10B
Socials 3B
Sports 8A
TV Listings 4-5B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The weather has been nice
for the past week. There has
not been any rain and this is
nice for the people that are in
the flooded areas of the state.
The rai n has caused many parts
of the county to be infected
with mosquitoes. It hasn’t been
as bad in the city because of
the spraying. Maybe the
county will be sprayed in the
near future.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
high Wednesday to be in the
50s and the lows in the 30s.
Thursday the high will be in
the 50s and the lows in the
20s. Friday and Saturday the
high will be in the 60s and the
lows in the 40s.
It; 4c * * *
Every year Mary Alice and
1 look forward to the “Trick or
Treaf’childrenon Halloween.
This year we didn’t know for
sure when they would come
by the house. Many places had
informed citizens that it would
be on Saturday night and oth
ers staged the event on Sun
day. We were prepared Satur
day night'and the children in
our part of town did not disap
point us. We had over 25 to
come by the house, so we
didn’t turn on the lights Sun
day night.
1 believe that the children
this year were the best be
haved than any other year.
They were all dressed in cos-
(See AROUND, page 7A)
lit
V
Thomas out,
Mills elected
Raeford Police Detective Greg Thomas with marijuana plants seized in a multi-million dollar drug bust that
occurred Monday on Rockfish Road. Two suspects were arrested during the raid. (Photo by Victoriana
Summers)
Raid on growroom nets
$2.3 million in marijuana
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Candidates were hoping no
one would rain on their parade.
However, as election day opened
in the City of Raeford’s munici
pal race, voter turnout was some
what impeded early morning by
pouring showers.
As the weather improved
during the day. Director Caro
lina Shook of the Board of Elec-
tions said people seemed to
think the voting at the polls
picked up, too.
Despite extensive publicity
generated for the City Council
race, election results showed only
29.7 percent of the voters par
ticipated in the election. It repre
sented a total of 762 voters, elic
iting 30.8 percent of the voters in
Raeford Precinct #1; 29.5 per
cent in Raeford Precinct #2 and
#4 turned out to cast their choices
for candidates.
Comparison count
In acomfortable landslide vic
tory, incumbents John O. Jor
dan, who garnered 543 votes,
and Earl McDuffie, Jr., who net
ted 394 votes, returned to office
for another four year term to pass
into the new millenium.
Clyde A. Thomas Jr., the third
City Councilman who was seek
ing re-election, missed a bid to
keep his seat by a fairly narrow
margin. He earned 271 votes.
However, newcomer Wayne
Mills, capturing 335 votes, slid
into the third seat on the council.
Mills unseated Thomas by only
64 votes.
The other two candidates vy
ing for seats unsuccessfully in
cluded: Jim White, who received
a sizeable 247 votes, and Brent
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
“Monday was a good day for
us,” quipped a Hoke County
Sheriff’s official.
However, deputies said it was
probably a very bad day for two
men who were apprehended dur
ing an all day search and seizure
operation for marijuana.
Chief Deputy Hubert Peterkin
of the Hoke Sheriff’s Depart
ment said the magnitude of what
he termed as a “huge” seizure of
marijuana plants in Hoke County
is still sinking into his mind.
Peterkin said a mid-morning
raid on November 1 conducted
in the Rockfish area revealed an
elaborate, large scale growing
detectives, along with the SBl,
and the Raeford Police Depart
ment coordinated the massive
search and seizure.
“We seized approximately
$2.3 million of street value in
marijuana plants and marijuana
seedlings that were growing in
doors,” Peterkin said. “That’s
even a low estimate of its value.
It was absolutely amazing. The
operation inside this home was
so sophisticated and extremely
professional. We have never seen
anything like this before.”
Steven Snow, 32, and James
Phillips, 30, of 290 Rockfish
Road, were arrested at their home,
where the marijuana was grow
ing indoors. Law officials said
there was a family living there
at the time of the raid.
Both suspects are charged with
two counts of drug trafficking,
possession with intent to sell
marijuana, maintaining a drug
dwelling and possession of drug
paraphernalia.
Peterkin said Snow and
Phillips were each placed on a
$35,000 secured bond.
During the “extensive” search
that occurred at 10:45 a.m. on
Monday morning. Sheriff’s de
tectives said 475 plants of mari
juana, ranging from seedlings to
large three-foot-plus high plants,
were confiscated growing in pots,
as well as large quantities of
marijuana buds that had been
harvested.
“There were so many plants
(See DRUGS, page IIA)
19.5 percent in Raeford Precinct (See ELECTION, page lOA)
Hunters shoot dog
ordinance down
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
The proposed Hoke County
Dog Ordinance got shot down
primarily by hunters, who at
tended the County Commission
ers meeting, where a publ ic hear
ing elicited varied opinions from
the citizenry.
“I’m a new dog owner my
self,” County Commissioner
Cleo Bratcher Jr. said after the
commissionerdidn’t approve the
ordinance. “One man came up to
my barber shop and was going to
drag me outside of the barber
shop!
“He thought he was being bull-
dogged and that we were going
to charge too much.”
Bratcher referred to the sug
gested fees in the proposed ordi
nance that included an annual
charge of $10 for un-neutered or
un-spayed dogs, or $5 for ani
mals that were neutered or
spayed.
Over a hundred people ap
peared for the public hearing,
with some of the crowd over
flowing into the hallways at the
County Office Building in
Raeford.
The common cry appeared to
(See DOGS, page 11 A)
operation. Sheriff’s undercover with children present in the home
Turkey Festival’s rescheduled events coming up
Most of the events fof the 1999
NC Turkey Festival went as
scheduled despite an untimely
visit by Hurricane Floyd. A
couple of events, however, were
postponed because of the weather
and have been rescheduled, just
in time to celebrate the upcom
ing holiday season.
The North Carolina Turkey
Festival Christmas Parade is
scheduled for Saturday, Novem
ber 13, at 10: a.m. in downtown
Raeford.
This is the first time in 16
years that Raeford has held a
Christmas parade. The parade
route will begin at Turlington
School on West Prospect Av
enue, and approximately 100
entries will travel down Main
Street and back to Turlington,
led by Grand Marshal Jean
Powell.
Santa Claus will also be
there— along with floats, march
ing bands, local celebrities, and
more. The traditional Stuffin’ and
Stompin’ dinner, co-sponsored
by the North Carolina Turkey
Festival and the Raeford
Woman’s Club, will be held on
Friday, November 12 at West
Hoke Middle School from 4:30 -
8 p.m. Tickets for the turkey din
ner with all the trimmings are $5
McNeill honored
for 50-year career
i:"
W;
Laeford civic leader and socialite Betsy Ann McNeill was recently
recognized by the American Dieticians Association. (Photo by
Victoriana Summers)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A woman of substance...
What challenges are left un
charted for Betsy Ann McNeill?
Could she become the next
mayor at the young age of 73?
After all, it would be following
in the family tradition of her fa
ther, the late Alford F. Cole. He
was formerly a may or of Raeford
and first civil defense director of
Hoke County.
However, for McNeill, widow
of the late Ken McNeill, and
daughter of the late Retha Jenkins
Cole of Fairmont, she’s thrilled
to be recently recognized by her
peers on a national level.
McNeill was honored at the
82nd annual meeting and exhibi
tion of the American Dietetic
Association, which was held in
Atlanta, Georgia on Oct. 16. Pre
sented with an embossed plaque.
McNeill was one of only 136
certified dieticians across the
nation that were bestowed the
meritorious honor for “50 years
of service.”
“Betsy Cole McNeill, this is
given in recognition of valued
support of or organization initia
tives and activities,” said Presi
dent Ann Gallagher of the ADA.
Still a registered and license
dietician, McNeill serves as a
guest speaker at the Hoke County
Public Library and visits homes
upon request to assist with nutri
tion planning. Friends still call
her for special recipes even
though she professes she’s not a
gourmet cook.
A native of Raeford, McNeill
was bora in the “Dixie Smith”
historic home and descended
from prominent lineage, receiv
ing a refined upbringing. Some
might have considered McNeill
(See MCNEILL, page I2A)
each and are available at the
Depot and from any Raeford
Woman’s Club member; or they
can be purchased at the door.
You may plan to eat in or take
out. If you eat in, you will re
ceive an additional treat - musi
cal performances by the Modem
Knights and the Wild Mustangs.
City considers
crackdown
on junked cars
In a discussion that ended
rather quickly. City Council
members briefly talked about
amending the City Code for
Motor Vehicles before tabling
the motion until further informa
tion could be gathered.
Council members, after hear
ing complaints from several
Raeford citizens, decided the City
code should perhaps be amended
to better deal with current motor
vehicle problems. City Manager
Mike McNeill said that accord
ing to all the complaints City
Councilmen have received, citi
zens want something done about
the abandoned and junked motor
vehicles that are being left unat
tended in nearby neighbors’
yards.
As the Code stands now, some
one from the Hoke County Health
Department would have to de
clare a vehicle a health or safety
hazard before a City official
would have permission to remove
the abandoned or junked car from
(See CRACKDOWN, page IIA)
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