Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / June 13, 2001, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews J oumal appened, it's news No. 11 Vol. 94 50 cents Wednesday, June 13, 2001 Visit us on the web www.thenews-journal.com This week K Summer reading program has 'safe start' page 1B Rev. Locklear dies at age 101 page 4A Youth find better way through sports page 6A Index Births 4B Calendar 2B Classifieds 8-9B Deaths 4A Editorials 2A Engagements 3B Legals 7,1 OB Public Record 3,7A Religion 5A Social News 3B Sports 6A TV Listings 4-5B Weddings 3B Around Town By Sam C. Morris Contributing Editor The warm weather is still with us and it should be as the summer season begins next week. On June 21 summer officially starts and that will be the longest day of the year. It has been cloudy, as if it would rain about every day. Since last week we have re ceived less than a quarter of an inch of rain. It is hard to imag ine getting 40 inches of rain like it was in Houston last week. I was amazed at the pictures that were on televi sion. A super highway looked like the Mississippi river. Maybe we are lucky in this part of the nation! The forecast for the remain der of the week, Wednesday through Saturday, calls for the highs during this period to be in the 90s and 80s. The lows will be around 70degrees. We could also see a shower any day. I am always amazed when a budget for the state, county or city appears for the upcom ing year. There is always an increase in the salaries of the elected officials. During a campaign for this position about every advertisement by a candidate states why they are capable to hold the job and the service they can do tor their fellowman. There is never a word about raising salaries. I can understand why the (See AROUND, page 9A) Auditors: money must be returned Grants given Hoke not handled properly By VicroRiANA Summers Staff writer “The citizens of Hoke County are the victims, and they should be concerned where it ends,” said Sheriff Jim Davis after learning a state audit verified his suspicions that federal grant monies tar geted for the Sheriff’s Office in 1999- 2000 were allegedly supplanted and mis used by county authorities. “It goes to show the kind of responsibility of mis management that is happening in Hoke County.” The Governor’s Crime Commission announced on Monday the audit they conducted at the request of the U.S. Jus tice Department’s Inspector General’s office in Washington D.C., and also initi ated by Davis, was completed after a six- give back the money, said Director Davis Jones of GCC. "It goes to show the kind of responsibility of mismanagement that is happening in Hoke County." — Sheriff Jim Davis month investigation. In the audit find ings, state and federal agencies concluded that federal grant monies were mishandled by Hoke and they want Hoke officials to According to Jones, GCC and the Jus tice Department are demanding Hoke re turn $93,467.69 plus dl accrued interest (See AUDIT, page 8A) r k jl.i Onnie Dudley j. Whiteford Jones Jan Dial Smith Democrats pick 3 for elections board Six-year-old blown from back of a traveling truck A six-year-old boy riding in the back of his father’s truck was blown into the road last Wednesday morn ing at about 11:30. The accident happened on Way- side Road in Eastern Hoke County. State Highway Patrol Trooper J.D. Hoover stated a 2001 Toyota was being driven northwest by George Allen Hartgrove Jr. of Cy press Drive, Raeford. The report says the vehicle was transporting an inflatable pool and a child in the open cargo area when the pool and the child were blown out. The truck’s traveling speed was estimated at 25 mph. The pool landed in the middle of the road with the child alongside it, according to Hoover’s report. The six-year-old chil^l was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Cen ter, where a spokesperson said yes terday there was no record that he had been admitted to the hospital. Hoover’s report indicates there were two passengers, Austin Hartgrove, 6, and Payton Hartgrove, 4, both of Cypress Drive. The elder Hartgrove was cited for a child restraint violation and failure to secure a load. By Victoriana Summers Suff Writer The Hoke County Democratic Party voted last Thursday to nominate a “balanced, expe rienced team” for the elections board, said A.K. “Dooie” Leach, recently elected Hoke chairman. The nominations for two officers and an alternate, which were submitted to the State Democratic Party, did not include former chairman Willie McCaskill or former secre tary Roman Jacobs. “We had a great representation from the county of Democrats,” Leach said. “Our ex ecutive committee affirmed the recommen dation of a group of people that are racially and in gender diverse in accordance with the Rules of Organization of our party to repre sent everyone. “We nominated an African American fe male, a white male, and a Native American female — all dedicated leaders and commu nity-minded people serving our county.” By unanimous approval, the 29 members of the executive committee present at the meeting selected Democrats Onnie Dudley, Hoke assistant register of deeds, and J. Whiteford Jones, board member on the Hoke Planning Commission. If appointed, Dudley would become the first female to ever serve on the Hoke elections board. Jan Dial Smith, a court counselor for the N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice, accepted her appointment as a substitute nominee. The state Democratic Party will announce if these nominees are approved by party lead ers by June 24. None of the candidates se lected were present at last week’s meeting. Every two years the Democrat Party is given the opportunity to select new board of elec tion representatives for two seats, Ixach added. “We deemed it appropriate to put these individuals up for consideration by the state party,” Leach said. “All these people are known to us and represent the best the party has to offer. “1 want to thank Mr. McCaskill and Mr. Jacobs for the job they did over the past two years. Thanks for volunteering their time for such a worthy cause for the election process that is so crucial to our democracy.” In making history, McCaskill, African American, and Jacobs, Native American, rep resented the first minorities ever to serve on Hoke’s elections board. McCaskill, who served one term, said he is proud of his board’s accomplishments and being at the helm for (See ELECTIONS, page 6A) Money’s tight, county, agencies debate budget Commissioners again discuss building offices By Victoriana Summers Staff writer While deciding whether to move Se nior Services into Sandhills Community College’s building on Elwood after it is vacated by the college staff, the old topic of building a new county government complex was abruptly discussed at the recessed county commissioners’ meet ing that resumed on Monday morning. The planned $2.6 million project to move county offices from downtown Raeford was shot down last year after local residents protested that relocating county employees from downtown would negatively impact Raeford’s future down town growth. Commissioners also changed their minds after hearing nega tive feedback from Hoke citizens who were worried about taxes being raised in order to fund the future complex. “Space is still an issue,” said County Manager Bernice MePhatter after com missioners were tallying upcounty leases paid for space at the Southerland and Locklear buildings, and the former Bank of Raeford. Commissioner James A. Leach, who was previously a supporter of construct ing a new county office building, still expressed support of planning to build a complex on West Palmer Street. The county purchased the 20-acre campus, which is still undeveloped, for approxi mately $200,000 in 2000 prior to discon tinuing plans for the Hoke County Ad ministrative Facility. “That building would have paid for itself,” Leach said. Commission Vice Chairman Bobby Wright demonstrated concern over di minishing space for expanding county facilities. “I do not think it is a matter of if, but when,” Wright said of constmeting a county complex. “We have to look for alternative sources.” A bewildered Commissioner Tony Hunt pondered why fellow board mem bers were still thinking of building a government complex faced recently with a state financial shortfall and reduced county revenue sources. “If you need my help for a new build- (See BUDGET, page lOA) Sheriff predicts budget cuts could impact public safety By Victoriana Summers Staff writer A concerned Sheriff Jim Davis told county commissioners on Monday he understood the necessity to balance the county’s new budget that begins July 1. However, Davis said every dime he had requested for the Sheriff’s Office to oper ate was justified and did not warrant any cutbacks. Davis cited a “dramatic in crease” has occurred in property crimes and money being spent by Hoke citizens to replace losses. County commissioners took no imme diate action to fully fund his requested budget for next year. Davis initially asked commissioners to fund a $1.94 million budget, but County Manager Bernice MePhatter has allocated $1.48 million. It also represents a reduction of $100,000 from last year’s budget. “1 am protesting cutting the budget from last year’s allocation to this year,” Davis said. “My responsibility is to pre serve and secure the resources to protect this county. “I am asking you to put the cuts back into the sheriff’s budget. Take a hard (See SHERIFF, page 8A) f V vV. 9=^ School Board offers resolution Help for Sammy coming in Ashley Vaughn, 21 months, holds a can her parents, James and Lora Vaughn, are hoping to fill with money to help buy prosthetic eyes for little Sammy Sosa, who lost his to malignant tumors. See related story, page 4A. Kristin Guthrie Staff writer In an effort to resolve some budget issues with the Hoke County Commis sioners, board of education members drafted a budget resolution spelling out the details of an acceptable agreement. “The budget resolution... is a request to move dollars from the half cent sales tax to the current expense fund as a mecha nism to help us both (the school board and county commissioners) resolve this budget challenge,” the board resolution stated. Further, the resolution spelled out the board’s understanding of the agreement as to avoid any confusion in the future. It stated, “We (the board) understand that the capital outlay budget will be fully funded at $362,500. We also understand that the current expense funds will be increased $101,000 from the 2000/2001 appropriation for a funding amount of $3,236,248. Additionally, we understand that the school maintenance dollars funded from the half cent sales tax will remain at $99,500.” In conclusion, the resolution said, “If the commissioners find that additional dollars are available from the half cent sales tax, we would appreciate your con siderations of funding an additional $127,000. This would bring the addi tional funding request from the half cent sales tax to $227,000 and the current expense funding amount after the trans- (See SCHOOL BOARD, page 8A)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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June 13, 2001, edition 1
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