The
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It happened^ it's news to ul
Turkey Fest|
Ins?
No. 23 Vol. 94
50 cents
Wednesday, September 5, 2001
On vacation?
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
'A place where
friends can be
together'
page 1B
Tukey pizza to be
served at festival
page 3A
Kiwanis plan golf
tournament in Oct.
page 5A
Index ■
Births....
3B
Calendar....
2B
Classifieds....
8-9B
Deaths....
4A
Editorials....
2A
Legals....
6-7B
Public Record....
6-7A
Religion....
6B
Schools....
....4,10B
Social News....
3B
Sports....
5A
TV Listings....
4-5B
Weddings....
3B
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The weather continues not
to be too hot for this time of
year. It is hard to make plans,
as it seems to rain off and on
any time of the day. With wild
fires in the west and northwest
and if you go to the beaches
you must be aware that sharks
are coming closer and closer
to the shoreline. There are also
bears coming into cities in the
west, which hasn’t happened
before. What is causing these
change? Has the food supply
for the wild animals disap
peared? With all your modem
equipment we cannot change
nature. So what is happening?
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs to be in the 80s and the
lows in the 60s.
*****
Don’t forget to mark your
calendars for the upcoming
revival at The Raeford Pres
byterian Church September
16-19.The worship services
will be led by Dr. Cortez Coo
per, a former pastor of the
church.
Dr. Cooper was at the
church in the 1960s before
going to a church in Georgia.
He also came to deliver the
sermon at the Centennial Cel
ebration of the church in 1999.
There is an item elsewhere
in the paper that gives the
schedule and times for all the
activities during the revival;
an ad will appear next week..
I hope to see you at these ser-
(See AROUND, page 4A)
McPhatter holds job without contract
Commissioners waiting for audit
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
County employees and commissioners
expressed mixed emotions about the job
performance of County Manager Bernice
McPhatter — some sympathizing and
others critical. After an unsatisfactory
audit forced the county to return $93,000
to the federal government and another
inquiry revealed more than $40,000 was
misused in E-911 emergency funds,
McPhatter continues to hold on to her job
and her annual salary of $80,486. As the
county’s highest paid executive, her sal
ary has been hiked by more than $20,000
during the past three years since she first
became interim county manager in Au
gust 1998 and earned $60,000. She is also
working without an employment contract
to protect her from possible termination.
While McPhatter straightens out finan
cial records being scrutinized during the
routine annual audit, one observing em
ployee said she has made only two mis
takes. McPhatter offered jobs to some
“inexperienced” people, and has not del
egated duties, the employee said.
Some commissioners still think
McPhatter won’t be fired because of a
new employment contract that states they
(See MC PHATTER, page 8A)
Walking Miss Daisy
Daisy Duke (the short, four-legged one) took a walk Labor Day with, from left, Dalten Lawlor, Lauren
Thacker, Michelle i4olte and Colten Lawlor.
Davis announces reelection bid
Joins two others who have announced for sheriff
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
With a campaign slogan of “providing public
safety for Hoke County citizens through profes
sional law enforcement approaches,” Hoke Sheriff
Jim Davis announced last Friday he will seek-re-
election in 2002. As the first African American to
be elected as sheriff in Hoke, Davis has fulfilled
two years and eight months of his term since he
took office in December 1998.
Surrounded by family and more than 300 in
vited guests from the Hoke community, Davis
welcomed local and state officials on Saturday to
his home on Aggies Lane in the Bowmore commu
nity.
During an outdoor ceremony, Davis, the Demo
crat incumbent, officially announced his inten
tions to run for a second term. The campaign’s
opening celebration was held in connection with
the 42nd annual Stubbs Family Reunion, a branch
of Davis’ family.
“There were buckets of rain coming down, but
k
Robeson woman
says she knows
Brittany’s killer
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Mary Sue Trogdon
it did not keep people away,” Davis said on Mon
day. ‘The more it rained, the more people came.
There was a yard filled with kids and people from
across the state—even some local Republicans. It
was a great turnout.”
According to Davis, law enforcement in Hoke
is not about division; it is about unity. He thanked
the “multi-cultural” residents of Hoke who turned
out to support him in the upcoming campaign.
“We are focusing on the continuation of pros
perity in Hoke County,” Davis said. “We are
bringing people together for a common goal of
providing a wholesome environment.
“Good law enforcement is coupled with a good
economy of businesses and industry.”
Davis urged partnering with the U.S. Army,
emphasizing more involvement with military com
munities such as Hoke’s Heritage Village. One of
his goals is partnering with the U.S. Department of
Justice to improve human relations in the county.
Davis also seeks partnering with Hoke educators
in solving any problems associated with juvenile
(See DAVIS ANNOUNCES, page lOA)
On October 14, Brittany Lynn
Locklear, who was murdered almost
four years ago, would have celebrated
her ninth birthday. Now, a prominent
Robeson County grandmother with fam
ily ties in Hoke, has launched a one-
woman mission to prove a Robeson
County Jail inmate is the murderer of
Brittany. The State Bureau of Investiga
tion has previously interviewed the same
Robeson inmate, who is being detained
awaiting trial on a felony charge of
taking indecent liberties with a child.
“Under most circumstances, we can
not totally eliminate everybody, but this
inmate has been placed on our ‘inactive’ status,” said lead investi
gator Jay Tilley, agent with the SBl of the alleged sexual offender.
However, Mary Sue Trogdon, well-acquainted with the man, said
she is convinced he is the one who killed Brittany. Tilley said the SBI
compared physical evidence and the inmate’s version of where he
was, but they could not disclose if the inmate’s al ibi had checked out.
The inmate has been confined in Robeson’s detention center since
March 13, 2000 when he was first arrested. A secured bond of
$70,000 was set for the alleged molester’s release, but never paid. A
sheriffs officer said the court system is so backlogged that his trial
has been delayed for more than a year.
“I have told law enforcement from Robeson, Scotland, Cumberland
and Hoke about him, but nobody will listen to me,” Trogdon said. “I
had a friendship with this man, but he stole from me. He acted
strangely during the time Brittany disappeared, and I think he was
(See BRITTANY, page 8A)
Escapee caught
Sandy Grove kindergartners searched the entire school building before finding their escaped Gingerbread
Man under the desk of Principal George Marston.
Special county audit
may be cancelled
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
In a closed session on Monday night, commissioners
thrashed out the pros and cons of still having an independent,
outside audit completed to determine the financial condition
of the county. However, no action was taken on the matter.
In the executive session, a confidential memorandum was
distributed to commissioners by County Attorney Neil
Yarborough. The letter outlined whether a separate audit from
the regular yearly audit currently underway could be justified.
Yarborough advised the board that the Local Government
Commission told him they do not have the resources to
(See AUDIT, page 9A)
Tammy Grimshawm, who lives on Phillipi Church Road, dis
cusses speeding problems with Sheriff Jim Davis on Monday
night.
Woman taigets area speeders
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
One Rockfish woman is hopping mad about motorists who
are constantly speeding through her residential neighborhood
located on Phillipi Church Road, “screeching” their tires night
and day. However, Robin Garcia, a resident of Southern Oaks
(Sec SPEEDERS, page 9A)