The
ews
J oumal
happened, it's news t
No. 5 Vol. 93
50 cents
Wednesday, May 10, 2000
Visit us at
our new web location
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
Woman sentenced
for letting dog starve
page 7 A
Columnist
Ray Owens recalls
'Big Mama'
page 3A
To our readers;
Because of a press breakdown
Wednesday morning, last
week’s edition of The News-
Journal was printed four hours
late. That meant the papers
weren’t available around town
until the next morning, and
also were delivered late to the
post office for mailing to sub
scribers. We appreciate your
understanding, and the help of
the Raeford Post Office and
The Pilot in Southern Pines,
which came to our aid and
printed the paper.
Index
Births 6B
Business/farm 6A
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 9-11B
Deaths 9A
Editorials 2-3A
Engagements 3B
Legals 7,8,1 IB
Public Record 9A
Religion 6B
Schools 11 -12A
Socials 2B
Sports 10A
TV Listings 4-5B
Weddings 3B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The weather for the past
week has felt more like sum
mer than spring. The tempera
tures have been in the 90s and
even with the breeze it is hot.
It is unusual for me to turn on
the air conditioner this early.
Sunday it was reported that
many areas of the county had
readings of over 100 degrees.
The lows have been in the 60s
here, but Washington, D.C.
had a low of 72 degrees Sun
day night. It is also dry and the
outlook for rain is slim.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs to be in the low 90s or
high 80s and the lows in the
60s. There is a chance of rain
on Wednesday.
« « * « «
I was happy at the outcome
of the primary voting in Hoke
County. But it was sad the
number of people that went to
the polls. When 25 percent of
the people can say who will
run our county and court sys
tem, then the majority of the
people don’t care what hap
pens. There must be a reason
for people not tocare. Could it
be times are too good? Times
can change, as history has
shown.
* « * « «
The 53rd annual meeting of
the Raeford Hoke Chamber of
Commerce will be held Tues
day, May 16, at 6:30 pm at
West Hoke Middle School. The
affair will be sponsored by
FirstHealth o^ the Carolinas
(See AROUND, page 5A)
Tyler named schools superintendent
By Kristin Guthrie
Staff writer
The Hoke County Board of
Education announced last night
that Mitchell Tyler will become
the new school superintendent
as of July 1. Tyler, currently the
assistant superintendent of the
Cumberland County School Sys
tem in charge of instructional
services, was the board’s unani
mous choice from a pool of 11
candidates.
“We had several applications.
Several who could have fit the
bill .... He (Tyler) was a unani
mous choice,” Hoke County
Board of Education Chairman
John McAllister said. “We just
narrowed the applicants and
picked the best choice.”
Tyler said he also thinks that
moving back to Hoke County is
a great move for him. “I’m re
turning home,” he said.
Tyler, actually a Robeson
County native, has spent much
of his educational career in Hoke
County already, and said he re
ally looks forward to returning to.
familiar “stomping groundsjl
where he can get back in touch
with “a great school system.”
(See SCHOOLS, page 8A)
I come from Rockfish — not the Ponderosa!
Enjoying a wagon ride on the Rockfish Road trail Tuesday are (left to right) Phil Massengill, Charles Casque, Asley Grissom
and Bobby Posey. Providing the pulling power are Dixie and Belle. (Photo by Victoriana Summers)
News-Journal
sues county
Alleges records were denied
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
The News-Journal filed acivil lawsuit against Hoke
County in Raeford on May 9 seeking disclosure of
public records available under the N.C. Public Records
Law.
The newspaper filed a complaint with the clerk of
superiour court yesterday alleging it had been repeat
edly denied salary informaton regarding County Man
ager Bernice MePhatter and Personnel Director Shirley
Rush.
Several hours after the complaint was filed, the
newspaper received a fax from the office of County
Attorney Neil Yarborough containing the informa
tion.
The legal proceeding is continuing, with the news
paper seeking an immediate hearing, an opportunity to
copy and inspect the public records, and payment of
fees for attorneys representing the paper.
County Manager Bernice MePhatter, also interim
finance director, and Personnel Director-Deputy Fi-
(See SALARIES, page 8A)
Southerland asks for recount, seeks new election
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Harry Southerland, who was
defeated last week in his bid for
district attorney, is requesting a
recount of votes. Willie
McCaskill, chairman of Hoke’s
board of elections, and Judy
Riggins, director of Scotland
County’s board of Elections, con
firmed the request. Southerland
sent his written request to the
boards on May 3.
In a separate complaint on May
5, Southerland requested a new
district attorney’s election be held
and a “full investigation” called
due to some alleged misconduct
by election officials at the polls.
This protest by Southerland
and three voters who complained
was unanimously denied by the
board at its May 9 meeting due to
failure to comply with legal pro
cedures. County Attorney Neil
Yarborough said state regulations
require notarization and verifi
cation of the “complainant,”
along with specification of the
name of the person whom the
complaint is about.
However, recount consider
ation is still pending by the state
board of elections. Kristy
McMillan Newton, senior assis
tant district attorney for Scot
land and Hoke counties, was
unofficially declared victor in the
DA race. Laurinburg attorney W.
Philip McCrae also lost out to
Newton.
Neither Newton nor
Southerland returned calls to
comment regarding a potential
recount.
According to both boards,
voting canvases were conducted
on Friday to verify accuracy of
the election results, which were
forwarded to the state board of
elections for final certification.
“There were no problems,”
Director Caroline Shook of
(See RECOUNT, page 7A)
Forest Creek residents stuck
in dispute over rutted roads
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A group of more than 30 citizens
from Forest Creek Acres, located off
Turnpike Road, packed the May 1
commissioners’ meeting to address
concerns about poor road conditions.
They thanked the board for supporting
a petition to request the N.C. Dept, of
Transportation pave Lemont Drive, a
primary road in their subdivision.
“It’sdisgraceful.” said Commission
Chairman James A. Leach of the infe
rior road conditions endured by Forest
Creek families.
Forest Creek residents also criti
cized the alleged lack of road upkeep
by developer-realtor Tommy Wright,
who inherited the property from his
County exceeds census goal,
begins phase of followups
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County is responding beyond expectations to
Census 2000 inquiries, says Elizabeth Jacobs, a partner
ship specialist from the Regional Census Center. Jacobs
and Census Supervisor Angela Phil ips toured the county
last Thursday, congratulating folks for contributing to
the census’ success.
“We were trying to get a 54 percent response rate in
Hoke County,” Jacobs said. “But, we’ve surpassed our
target rate and received 56 percent out of Hoke.
“Asa whole, Hoke has successfully reached its goal,”
she said.
Jacobs said the City of Raeford is nearing it’s target of
65 percent, with only one percent left to attain its goal.
Both Jacobs and Philips are overseeing operations in
(See CENSUS, page 8A)
father, the late Julian H. Wright.
Commissioner Cleo Bratcher Jr.
echoed Leach’s sentiments, saying,
“This is a problem with landowners
not keeping up their end of an agree
ment and it’s a crying shame.”
When contacted on Monday, Wright
said the commissioners weren’t accu
rately informed; he is no longer re
sponsible for road maintenance at
Forest Creek. Wright, who still sells
parcels of land at Forest Creek, said he
is trying to resolve any misunderstand
ing in order to be “fair and ethical.”
“I think there are some concerns,
but part of it is unfounded,” Wright
said. “I certainly feel for the people.
But, if they had bought on a paved
road, they would have paid a higher
(See ROADS, page 8A)
Vi'
Forest Creek landowner Leatrice McMillian points to ruts in the roads on Lemont Drive,
which she hopes the N.C. Department of Transportation will soon pave. (Photo by
Victoriana Summers)
Cnill announces for sheriff
Angela Philips, operations supervisor, and
Elizabeth Jacobs, partnership specialist, are
coordinating final efforts for the Regional
Census Center. (Photo by Victoriana Sum
mers)
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Robert Wayne Crull, 42, a patrol
sergeant at the Raeford Police Depart
ment and retired U.S. Army veteran of
22 years, has announced his candidacy
in the 2002 Hoke County Sheriff’s race.
He said his goals include bringing eth
ics and fairness to the Sheriff’s Depart
ment, helping the youth of Hoke and
preventing crime.
“The people in Hoke County deserve
more experienced law enforcement so
they can be better served,” Crull said.
“If I’m elected Sheriff, all deputies who work at the Sheriff’s
Department will have the option to be sworn in again under my
administration as deputies,” he said.
(See CANDIDATE, page lOA)