The
ews
J ournal
If it happened it > news to us
ISr-
No. 32 Vol. 92
50 cents
Wednesday, November 10,1999
See us at
www.dicksonpress.com
This week
County weighs
construction
options
page 12 A
Winners of contest
announced
page 11A
Next w/eek
Chief Deputy
Peterkin gets
highest certification
Index
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 8-9B
Deaths 4A
Editorials 2-3A
Legals 7B
F^ublic Record 4-6A
School lOB
Socials 4B
Sports 7-8A
TV Listings 5-6B
Weddings 4B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The fall season is nice ex
cept for all the leaves that fall.
Even if you don’t have trees
the wind will bring them from
other places. We did have
some rain la.st week but since
that time it has remained dry.
The daytime temperatures
have been in the 70s and the
lows at night have been in the
40s and 30s. Of course the
clock changed on October 31
and I still can’t get my sleep
ing time to change. Now I am
awake at 4 am instead of 5
a.m.. Anyway, it is nice to
have light when you start to
get out for the day.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs to be in the 70s and the
lows in the 40s. There isn’t
any rain forecast for the pe
riod.
4: * « 9k
The election for City Coun
cil last week came off without
any incidents or complaints.
The worse part of the election
was the number of people that
showed up at the polls to vote.
Only 29 percent of the regis
tered voters took time to vote.
Of the three incumbents in the
race only one didn’t return to
the council. Clyde Thomas
was replaced by Wayne Mills.
IoImi I'udnn ;md i m>
McDullie were returned and
were one and two on the vote
count. We offer congratula
tions to the winners.
* (See AROUND, page 12A)
County buys
land to build
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
County Manager Bernice
MePhatter confirmed on Tues
day the county has finalized the
acquisition of the 22-acre site on
Palmer, just on the outskirts of
Raeford. This property is desig
nated by the County Commis
sioners as the campus, where the
Hoke County Administrative
Facility is planning to locate a
multitude of its departments for
the future.
Purchased for $220,570 from
the American Can corporation,
also listed as U.S. Can, the pur
chase of the property paves the
way to continue with the time
table slated to build the new $2.3
million county complex. It’s
• •
scheduled for completion in April
2001.
“Yes, it’s true,” MePhatter
said. “We have purchased the
land.”
However, when MePhatter
was asked if the land would still
be used for the future county
complex, or if any hope exists
for it to remain in the downtown
district, she said other options
are being explored
“We have looked at two lots
downtown across the street from
the existing county office build
ing,” MePhatter said. “We’ve
gotten quotes and they’re rea
sonable.”
Owner of the downtown lots
is Duncan McFadyen. The va
cant property is located next to
(See LAND, page 11 A)
si
Civic League members, in protective garb, view a graveyard wnetTcaskets have floated away.
Civic League tours damage
Nineteen members of the
Hoke County Civic League
visited the low-lying areas of
Greenville, Tarboro and
Princeville recently to get a
first-hand look at the damage
done by Hurricane Floyd and
to let the flood victims know
that Hoke Countians love and
support them.
The group discovered thou
sands of people are still are
not able to recover from losses
or rebuild their livelihood.
The tour was guided by one
of the past Civic League presi
dents, Dr. J. W. Gorham, pastor
of Shady Grove Baptist Church.
Gorham isanativeofGreenville,
which was heavily damaged.
The first stop on the tour was
Cornerstone Missionary Baptist
Church where Reverend Sidney
A. LocksJr.,aformermemberof
the House of Representatives for
Hoke, Robeson, Scotland, and
Cumberland counties, is the pas
tor. Cornerstone Baptist is an
Aide Center for the flood victims
where neighbors can go for a hot
meal if they like. Civic League
President Dr. Mary K. Tho
mas expressed to Reverend
Locks, love, regrets and con
cerns from all of Hoke County.
She also let him know that the
Civic League will revisit to
assist them and their commu
nity in tangible ways.
The second stop was a visit
to Dr. Gorham’s home where
hismotherandsisterstill lives.
There wasn’t any damage in
this part of the town.
(See TOUR, page 12A)
Commission wants
10 Commandments
in Hoke classrooms Christmas parade is Saturday
By Vktoriana Summers
Staff writer
Honor thy father and thy
mother...Thou shalt not
kill...Thou shalt not steal...
Hoke County Commissioners
are hoping to revive the familiar
refrain of The Ten Command
ments to help students hold onto
their values in these “turbulent”
times.
If you multiply the “golden
rule” of do unto others as you
would have them do unto you by
10, Hoke County Commission
Chairman James A. Leach said
Hoke County would have the
greatest teachings to move for
ward into the 21st Century.
“The greatest golden com
mandments are The Ten Com
mandments in the Bible,” Leach
asserted at the board of commis
sioners meeting last Monday
evening. “I think it will teach our
children good morals and the
right way to live.”
According to Leach, Hoke is
one of the first counties to ad
dress this topic and request a
resolution be approved.
Commissioners voted unani
mously to support the North
Carolina state legislature in a bill
under consideration which would
place The Ten Commandments
in every school classroom.
“It’s time these age-old com
mandments be restored to hold a
(See TEN, page 11 A)
Parade, StufiBn’ and Stompin’
are postponed festival events
New police weapn
is computers in cars
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Ready...aim....search.
The City of Raeford Police Depart
ment believes they’ve just installed the
greatest weapon that will serve as a tool
to help prevent crime, apprehend sus
pects and access information.
“We’re installing personal computers
(PCs) in our patrol cars,” Raeford’s Po
lice Chief Mack High said. “We’ve
bought laptop computers that will wind
(See COMPUTERS, page llA)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Two major events postponed
earlier due to Hurricane Floyd
are being revived to complete
the N.C. Turkey Festival itiner
ary for 1999.
There will be lots of gourmet
gobbling going on at the re-sched
uled N.C. Turkey Festival’s re
nowned, “Stuffin’ & Stompin’
Turkey Dinner,” scheduled for
Friday night, Nov. 12.
And on Saturday, Nov. 13, the
first everTurkey Festival “Christ
mas Parade” will take place along
Main Street.
“We’re going to kick-off
Thanksgiving with thedinneron
Friday night,” said Jackie Lynch,
executive director of the N.C.
Turkey Festival. “Last year we
had a turnout of about 1,500
people for the dinner. This year
we’re anticipating at least that
amount of guests and probably
more, because the dinner is .so
close to Thanksgiving.”
Locally har
vested Sandhill’s
vegetables and
some mouth-wa
tering turkeys
from the famous
House of Raeford
will be dressed up
for the fine
evening of family
hospitality and en
tertainment at the
Stuffin and
Stompin.
And Saturday,
although snow
This is the “Buck Mobile,” built by Hoke High
welding students Brian Johnson, Kevin Oldham,
Matt Brock, Stephanie Clark, Kenneth Oxendine,
Michael Parkins, Steve Inman and Justin Dew for
this week’s parade.
won’t be crunching, a proces
sional of holiday floats and a
bounteous number of marching
bands will showcase the yuletide
season rapidly approaching.
Eatin’ and feetin*
Hosted by West Hoke Middle
School, the annual “Stuffin’ &
Stompin’ is slated from 4:30 to 8
p.m. at West Hoke Middle
School.
Returning for another engage
ment this year, the musical
group,”Modem Knights,” will be
featured from 6:30 until 7:15 p.m.
and again from 7:45 until 8:30
p.m. Earlier in the evening, the
country-western dance team,
“Wild Mustang Dancers,” will
be struttin’ their stuff from 7:15
until 7:45 p.m. in between the
sets of music played by “Modem
Knights.”
Lynch said tickets cost $5 for
(See FESTIVAL, page 11 A)
\
McLaughlin awariJed for service
Chief Mack High
J>
\
g • 9
» * '
Raeford Police Sgt. R. Jenkins operates a new PC computer in his
patrol car
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A man of vision...
Hoke County Commission
Chairman L. E. McLaughlin, Jr.
earned battle stars during mili
tary campaigns in the Central
Pacific, Central Burma and India
Burma. However, McLaughlin,
a retired U.S. Army major, said
the only stars now in his eyes are
solely for the citizens of Hoke,
whom he’s represented as a com
missioner since 1990.
“The only praise 1 need will be
when I reach the ‘other side’,”
McLaughlin said. “Everything I
do now is for the citizens of this
county.”
McLaughlin, 77, said it came
as a total surprise when he was
named the 1999 recipient of the
Calvin Haggins “Board Member
of The Year” honor. The award
was bestowed upon him by the
Lumber River Council of Gov
ernments’ Board of Directors on
October 21.
Since 1993, McLaughlin has
served as a COG Board member
as Hoke’s representative. Cho
sen by his peers on the board that
includes Bladen, Scotland, Hoke
and Robeson counties.
McLaughlin was lauded by COG
as a “true advocate of regional
ism,” supporting endeavors for
(See A WARD, page 11 A)
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