The
ews
Journal
If it happened, it's news to
& £
No. 27 Vol. 93
50 cents
Wednesday, October 4, 2000
Visit us
on the web
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
Principal of Year
is South Hoke
School's Tona Jacobs
page 8A
Hoke High PTO
wants parents
involved
page 4A
Hoke Bucks power
past Pinecrest
page 12A
Index
Births 14B
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 12-14B
Deaths 7 A
Editorials 2-4A
Legals 10-1 IB
Public Record 7A
Religion 8B
Schools 8A
Socials 5B
Sports 12A
TV Listings 4-5B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The weather for the past
week has been perfect. It hasn’t
been hot and it isn’t cold
enough to keep you from do
ing what ever you want to do.
So far the rain has let up and
the hurricanes have stayed out
to sea or been in the Gulf of
Mexico. This type of weather
will not cause any of us to go
broke because of the price of
heating our homes.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs on Wednesday and
Thursday to be in the 80s and
the lows in the 60s. Friday and
Saturday the highs will be in
the 70s or 60s and the lows in
the 50s or 40s. There is a
chance of rain on Friday.
4c j)c « « 4^
Ruth Phillips was by the
office last week and she was
selling tickets for the annual
Hospice fish fry. It will be
held on Thursday, October 5
at the Edenborough Shopping
Center. It will start at 11 a.m.
and close at 3 p.m. By buying
tickets to the event you don’t
only get a good fish meal, but
you are helping a worthy or
ganization. Don’t take my
word, just ask a family mem
ber who lost someone to can
cer. Hope to see you there!
♦ * * # *
Don’t forget that the home
coming at Philippi Presbyte
rian Church will be held Sun
day, October 8 beginning with
Sunday school at 10 a.m. The
worship service will be at 11
(See AROUND, page I2A)
County: no to tower, protects airspace
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
P.K. Airpark owner Gene Paul Thacker
and Raeford’s Mayor Bob Gentry con
vinced Hoke’s board of commissioners to
reject plans for a cellular tower proposed
by Alitel Communications. In a unani
mous vote on Monday night, commis
sioners denied Alltcl’s request to con
struct the 200-foot structure on June
Johnson Road — only 1.3 miles from
Raeford’s airport.
A decision on the tower had been post
poned since August 7. Protests against the
tower from citizens and experts and
Alltel’s arguments in favor of it were
heard by the board.
Fred Funk, an aviation analyst at Fort
Bragg, spoke against it, saying the mili
tary was going forward “with a disap
proval” of the tower. According to Funk,
the tower was a surprise to many high-
ranking brass who had no idea it was being
considered.
Airport neighbor Carl Miller, an Alltel
customer, said he did not particularly care
to see an “airplane strung across” his
front yard.
“Moore County is dumping these tow
ers on Hoke County and so is
Cumberland,” Miller said. “They do not
want the towers on their horizon.”
P.K. Airpark is known as one of the
busiest civilian parachuting airports in
(See TOWER, page lOA)
r
Overdue Hawkeye
fees may delay
building project
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Young residents at Hawkeye Sands socialize outside their homes on a sunny afternoon.
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County is attempting to
collect delinquent fees not re
ceived for the past 10 years from
Hawkeye Sands, a Native Ameri
can and low-income housing de
velopment in southern Hoke.
County Attorney Neil
Yarborough estimated the back
fees owed by the community may
total almost $50,000. Commis
sioners are wondering why the
monies were never paid.
Officials at the Lumbee Hous
ing Department, administrative
agency at Hawkeye Sands, said
they hope the matter can be
cleared up to keep the problem
from affecting future plans. LHD
plans to build the first single
family homes in Hoke for Native
Americans.
“The homes will be offered on
a lease-purchase basis, allowing
recipientstoowntheirownhome
within eight to 10 years,” said
Dr. Donald Locklear, director of
LHD and the Lumbee Regional
Development Association.
“Once the homes are paid off,
Indian families would become
taxpaying homeowners.
“In the meantime, we are ad
ministering an $8 milljon grant
for Indian families in Hoke and
Robeson counties that will even
tually include the home build
ing.”
According to an agreement
(See HA WKEYE, page IIA)
Parents say East Hoke crossing is dangerous
/
/
/
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A flashing light on U.S. 401 South with a 45 mph
speed limit warns motorists to slow down at
East Hoke Middle School.
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
The absence of school crossings or a
35 mph speed zone at East Hoke Middle
School has raised safety issues by some
parents. East Hoke’s location is unique:
It is the only school in the county situ
ated on a four-lane, major highway,
parents say.
At least six students residing in North
Woods subdivision must cross U.S. 401
South in order to reach the campus.
According to state policy, these stu
dents are not eligible to ride the bus.
They live less than one and one-half
miles from campus.
School Superintendent Mitch Tyler
is trying to find solutions to prevent a
“potential” problem.
“We have to be fair to everybody and
not do one thing for one community
without showing equal concern for oth
ers,” Tyler said. “Establishing cross
ings and crossing guards are budgetary
items, it has to be addressed with the
county by the school board, or sheriff.”
North Woods parents Peggy Curtis,
Kimetha Thompson and Lucy Perrineau
said there have been at least three auto
mobile accidents in front of East Hoke
this year. Factors such as being in one-
car families, being working parents, or
having infants at home deter most
couples from driving their children to
East Hoke.
"Don't they want to avoid somebody's
child becoming a statistic? They could
have a lawsuit on their hands and a
tragedy." — Lucy Perrineau, parent
401. “The speed limit of 45 mph is
excessive,” Perrineau said. “It needs to
be lowered to 35.
“This is a very busy intersection, and
the kids only have 30 seconds to cross
when the light turns red. Also, the pe
destrian crossing is not directly in front
of North Woods.
“We are
paying
taxes, and
we need
this cross
ing for our
children,” Perrineau said. “Money
should not be an issue. We have talked
to legislators, the N.C. Department of
Transportation and the school board to
plead for a school crossing,” she said
“Don’t they want to avoid
somebody’s child becoming a statistic?
They could have a lawsuit on their hands
and a tragedy.”
Perrineau, who has a 13-year-old son,
said she “thanks God” every day their
kids get home safely across highway
“They put
up signs for the
lower 45 mph
speed with a
flashing
light.”
Thompson
said more still needs to be done.
“It is very hazardous for our kids to
cross there,” Thompson said. “Children
may not always see approaching traf
fic.”
Thompson, who hasone child attend
ing East Hoke, volunteered to serve as a
crossing guard. She told school officials
they did not have to pay her.
“1 said I would get certified by taking
the crossing guard course,” Thompson
(See CROSSING, page 9A)
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Using his gourd
“Fantasy in Flight,” a helicopter fashioned from a gourd, won Kermit "Sonny" Wood "best in show” and
another first place award at the 59th Annual N.C. Gourd Festival. The chopper's rotors actually rotate.
McCaskill spearheads
voter registration effort
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
With only 10 days left for voters to register, Hoke Election Board
Chairman Willie McCaskill is spearheading a mission to encourage
teens and other citizens to register. McCaskill addressed students at
Sandhills Community College on Monday.
Friday, October 13, at 5 p.m. is the deadline for vojer registration.
A total of 17,172 voters were registered in Hoke as of October 2.
“It is not too late to register,” McCaskill told students. “We want
to help folks understand the voting process, and exercise the privi-’'
lege of voting.
(See REGISTRA TION, page 11A)
Family looking for missing man
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
Jame Archie “Poodie” Sanders was last seen walking along Alex
Baker Road approaching New Freedom Chapel Road at about 8:30
or 9 Sunday night.
Now his family does not know where he is and they are worried.
“My father is a sick man; he has multiple seizures and gets
confused,” says Angela McNeill, his daughter.
In the past, the 51 -year-old man had a bkx)d clot and brain surgery
(See MISSING, page lOA)