The News-Journal
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No. 44 Vol. 92
If It happened; it's new
50 cents
Wednesday, February 2, 2000
Townsend
hangs up
stethescx)pe
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Dr. Robert G. Townsend Jr.,
70, a well-known Raeford physi
cian, retired on February 1 after
36 years in private practice lo
cally.
Townsend said he is leaving
his practice in the capable hands
of Cape Fear Valley Health Sys
tems.
A modest man by nature,
Townsend expressed regrets in
retiring.
“My patients are my friends,”
Townsend said. “It’s hard to leave
them. I’ve always loved thissmall
town, because 1 got to know the
people better.”
“It’s been a fulfilling life to
know people well and be able to
treat them. I’ve studied a life
time to help my patients,” he
added.
From emergency house calls
to once delivering a baby inside
a Raeford taxi on the way to the
hospital and another infant born
in a snowstorm, Townsend said
his experiences have been en
riched by helpinghisfellow man.
He even saved the life of his own
mother, Lois Townsend, when
she went into congestive heart
This week
Ministers Shields
and Hinkle prepare
for reassignments
page 5A
Local people
honored during
African American
History Month
page 1B
Index
Births 3B
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 8-9B
Deaths 9A
Editorials 2-3A
Engagements 3B
Legals 6-7B
Religion 5A
Schools 6B
Socials 3B
Sports 10A
TV Listings 4-5B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
As 1 write thiscolumn Mon
day morning the sun is shin
ing and the snow is slowly
melting. The roads are in good
shape and the schools-of the
county opened on a two-hour
delay. We people in Hoke
County can be thankful that
the temperatures didn’t get any
colder Sunday, because then
the rain would have frozen on
the power lines and the roads.
Many people of the state were
without power for several
days, but 1 haven’t heard of
any longtime power failure in
the county.
For the people who wanted
to see it snow, I hope that you
are now satisfied and we can
all look forward to warmer
weather. Let’s hope that the
(See AROUND, page 6A)
County denies request
for meeting’s minutes
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
The County denied a request
for notesor minutes of a meeting
which did not occur, according
to Linda Revels, clerk to the
Board of Commissioners.
A private meeting was held
between Hoke County officials
on January 13 reportedly about
“malfeasance of office” allega
tions concerning Sheriff Jim
Davis, according to sources who
"This is a renegade situation and I believe a precedent set
in North Carolina county government. It's absurd for these
Hoke officials not to say who was at the meeting and go on
the record ... you usually fight over whether it was legal or
not, but not whether it happened! Was it legal? We think not.
Why not let the public be the judge?"
— Amanda Martin, attorney for NCPA
wish to remain unnamed.
This January 13 meeting was
referred to as “clandestine” by
The North Carolina Press Asso
ciation attorney Mike Tadych of
Everett, Gaskins, Hancock &
Stevens in Raleigh. It was ille
gal, in Tadych’s opinion, and in
violation of the N.C. Open Meet
ings Law.
The News-Journal delivered
(See MINUTES, page lOA)
Peterkin to run for sheriff
Former chief deputy eyes election bid in 2002
Dr. Robert Townsend
failure some years ago.
However, health reasons
prompted his ultimate decision
to step down from his family
practice in Raeford, which he
established in 1964. Townsend
had been semi-retired since Sep
tember.
How did his patients react?
“1 believe the Lord has saved
him so many times in order for
him to help other people,” said
hiswife,MinaTownsend.“Sonie
of his patients cried. He still has
patients calling him for advice,”
she said. “His retirement has re-
ceivedavery emotional response
(See TOWNSEND, page lOA)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hubert A. Peterkin, former
major and chief deputy at the
Hoke County Sheriff’s Depart
ment, declared today he wi 11 seek
office as the Sheriff of Hoke
County, running in the Novem
ber 2002 election. He’s the first
person to announce candidacy in
the next Sheriff’s race.
Peterkin, a life-long resident
of Hoke, is employed with the
City of Fayetteville Police De
partment in law enforcement. He
formerly served as major and
chief deputy at the Hoke County
Sheriff’s Department, a position
he held over one year before re
signing on January 19 to join
Fayetteville PD.
“I plan to seek election as Sher
iff of Hoke County because of
many people contacting me, voic
ing the i r concerns about the com-
munity,” Peterkin said. “This
wasn’t something 1 planned to
do but I’m committed to start
campaigning early.” he said.
“My reason for running is to
serve this community better. 1
need to be in the sheriff position
from a law enforcement stand
point to make the county safe
and secure,” he said.
Peterkin, a Democrat, said he
appreciated the support from
Fayetteville’s Police Chief Ron
Hansen, who encouraged him to
announce his candidacy, and
(See PETERKIN, page 8A)
Sheriff restructures
to cope with cutback
Long haul
It was a hard trip up but the exhilaration of the trip down was worth it. Nelson James, far left, helped
youngsters Lauren Clark, Caleb Jacobs, Candace Clark and Cory Locklear take turns sliding down a steep
bank at the U.S. Highway 401 Bill Herbin Overpass last week. (Photo by Pat Allen Wilson)
Candidates file as deadline nears
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
The election filing deadline is
approaching, eliciting an up
swing in candidates filing for
Hoke County Commissioners’
seats. Director Caroline Shook
of Hoke’s Board of Elections
reported eight contenders filed
in the commissioners’ race.
Those veteran incumbents in
the running include: Commis
sion Chairman James A. Leach
and Commissioner Cleo Bratcher
Jr., both Democrats. Challeng
ers include: Robert A. “Bobby”
Wright, Julius Vanner, Gene Paul
Thacker and Perika K.
Hardaway, all Democrats. Two
other contenders include Hoke
County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin
Epps and Jim Knott, who both
fi led as a Republ ican. According
to the Board of Elections, Epps is
the first Republican, Native
American to file for commis
sioner in Hoke County’s history.
Two seats, currently held by
Leach and Bratcher, are avail
able.
“This filing was significant
because Kevin Epps and Jim
Knott are the only Republicans
to file,” Shook said. “If no other
Republican opposes them, they
won’t be listed on the May bal
lots,” she said.
“They will automatically be
listed as nominees for the two
scats forthe Novemberelection.”
Shook said a lot of time was
lost due to snow and holidays.
She’sencouragingcandidates not
to forget Monday, February 7, at
noon is the deadline for election
filing.
“We’re very pleased with the
turnout from those citizens who
filed for public office,” Shook
said. “ This gives voters a choice
and a voice in our election pro
cess. This is the Presidential elec
tion year and that usually gener
ates a bigger voter turnout.”
Recent BOC filing
Epps, who filed Tuesday, has
recently taken on additional re
sponsibilities in the detective di
vision at Hoke Sheriff’s agency.
Wright, who filed on Friday, is a
large landholder and Hoke farmer
for 36 years. Vanner filed on
January 24; he serves as pub
lisher of “The Weekly Record,”
a weekly Hoke County publica
tion. Thacker, who filed last
week, is owner of Raeford Avia
tion at the Raeford Airport, which
he established in 1971.
Knott, retired from the mili
tary, is self-employed part-time
as a beaver control trapper. He
previously ran for a
commissioner’sseat in two other
elections— once as a Democrat
and another as a Republican. He
also sought to be appointed Sher
iff after Hoke’s former sheriff
(See FILING, page 7A)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County Sheriff’s De
partment is understaffed by eight
deputies, keeping Sheriff Jim
Davis busy replenishing the lo
cal law enforcement agency. This
restructuring occurred after four
deputy-supervisors resigned on
January 19; two other deputies
were fired plus two quit in De
cember.
Capt. Thomas E. Carlton, cur
rent chief detective, was named
acting chief deputy by Davis on
January 30. Carlton temporarily
replaced former major Hubert
Peterkin who recently resigned
to accept a position with The
City of Fayetteville Police De
partment.
In his interim capacity, Carlton
accepted additional responsibili
ties while he continues as pri
mary criminal investigator for
the sheriff, Davis said.
“The position of chief deputy
will remain vacant while I’m
conductingasearch,” Davis said.
“I’m seeking a replacement.”
Davis declined to comment if
Carlton might ultimately be ap
pointed as permanent chief
deputy. If promoted, Carlton
could achieve the rank of major.
Another supervisor at the
Sheriff’s Department said Davis
is also planningto re-hire a former
deputy, appointing him as a lieu
tenant to supervise road patrols.
Davis declined to confirm if this
is true.
“We’re moving forward to
make sure our operational needs
are met,” Davis said. “I’m also
actively recruiting personnel to
fill the four deputy’s positions
most recently vacated,” he said,
referring to the three supervisors
who resigned in January, as well
as Peterkin’s position.
“We have twocandidates wait
ing in the wings to fill two of the
positions.”
New, incoming law officers
will be sworn-in as deputies —
not necessarily supervisors,
Davis said. He selected manag
ers from within existing ranks,
promoting several deputies. His
staff was notified of these orga
nizational changes in a memo
randum circulated last week.
“I’ve promoted four deputies
to fill the sergeants’ positions
that were vacant,” Davis said.
“They (began) their new assign
ments on January 30.”
Davis declined to provide the
names of those promoted. How
(See RESTRUCTURES, page 8A)
Former deputy: give
sheriff more deputies
By ViaoRiANA Summers
Staff writer
“How quickly would you want
a deputy to get to your home if
someone was armed and break
ing in to threaten your family?”
said Richard “Rusty” Cockman,
former sergeant at the Hoke
County Sheriff’s Department.
“The answer would be: ‘As fast
as possible,”’ he said.
“Hoke citizens aren’t being
given that choice because not
enough deputies are hired on the
road patrols to protect property
or people.”
Cockman, a former road pa
trol supervisor, said one of the
reasons he resigned was due to
safety liabilities that existed. He
said a crisis is most likely if
county leaders don’t provide
more financial support to Hoke’s
Sheriff’s Department.
Even if the eight currently
vacant deputy positions are fi lied,
Cockman said the Sheriff’s
agency still needs fouradditional
(See COCKMAN, page 8A)