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THE NEWS-JOHKNAE
Karford, N.C.
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A Cumberland County Arson Task officer surveys the scene of a barn fire where a registered stallion died.
Rames take life of registered staUion
Fire believed to have been deliberately set
By Pap Allen Wii son
Editor
The person wlio .set fire to a barn
this weekend had to have known there
was a horse in one of the stalls, ac
cording to the animal’s owner. "Skip
probably thought he was going to be
fed. Whenever people come around,
he nickers and talks," Beth Goerz said
in the present tense — as if the regis
tered quarterhorsc was still alive.
Skip’s charred body was partiallv
hidden by a piece of tin as an investi
gator with the Cumberland Countv
Arson Task Force checked out the
scene.
Beth’s husband, Keith, drove by
the barn, which is about a quarter mile
from their home off Calloway Road,
near midnight Saturday. He saw a
familiar car at the barn but did not
stop. Later, he saw flames from his
house but thought a neighbor was
burning trash. Now he is sorry he did
,not check out the fire,, thinking he
might have saved Skip.
The following morning Mr. Goerz,
a soldier, leaving for a temporary as
signment in Florida, drove by the barn
shortly before 6 a.m. and saw that the
barn had been virtually destroyed w ith
flames licking upward from burning
timber. He did not know until full
daylight that Skip’s body was under a
piece of tin that was once the roof.
“As soon as I saw it, 1 knew he
burned it," Mr. Goerz said of the man
they suspect torched the barn. "We
knew something was going to h;ip-
pen."
The barn, valued at SKUHH), did
not belong to the Goerz couple, but
was owned by a man in Spring Lake
who owns an additional lb acres at
the site. He said he was approached
by a man who asked about bus ing the
barn. When the barn's owner refused,
the man threiitened to "gel even" and
^ lid he "would make life hard" for
liim.
The Goerz couple bel ieves the man
w ho made the threats got his revenge
b ’ setting fire to the barn.
Mrs. Goerz points out th;it there
' as no electrical power in the barn,
hich held two horse stalls ;md two
eds. She also said a "livable" apart-
'iit was in the building.
"It wasn't a junk horse," said the
lend who sold Skip to Beth Goerz in
change for the furrier services she
rovides. Skip, whose registered name
IS "Skip a Little Magic," was 20
irs old and was used for breeding.
■ He was dark red and big and beau-
.. It and he was bred for racing," said
die formerowner. Sheexplained that,
' I though Beth had owned the horse
lot just a short time, she had taken
care of him for years.
Skip was valued at $5,000. Said
Mrs. Goerz, "He was the calmest stal
lion 1 ever had."
A slight correction
The Rev. Rich Vaughan asked that we point out that Lenten Luncheons
will be held each Wednesday through Mar. 27 at the Fi'rst Baptist Church
at noon. The cost is $5.
3lapfif di vcMUuf ^
(£ Qon^mtulaUem on yxuix Sietixement
M^.. Cltmie Simtcfiex
Mxuf Qod SlicM^ ymi!
We Zone you Sn Vex^ Much!
Jathie, ‘June, Jlwia, tUxandan,
Jaamine S. iDefimond
Get Back To The Things You Enjoy
Back pain can stop you trom (Joing the things
you enioy about lite Pertorming your tegular
lob and tamity requirements can
sometimes be overwhelming
' Wilh regular ctiiiopiaclic
examinations and treatment, it is
possible to regain your lilestyle
and move on to new cfallenges. Chiropractic
care has irr^irovefl greatly in acceptance and
Rockfish Chiropractic
and
Acupuncture, P-A-
7619 Rockfish Road
Raeford, NC 28376
904-0716
^ww.docrQykfish^coni
popularity with people who are looking lor
an alternative tieatmern without the use ol
drugs or surgery. Ae can
answer any ol your questions
and concerns about
Chiropractic Ae can help
you with problems you may
have been living with lor years lei us
help you get back into the swing ol things.
Dr. Dennis A. Desjardins
Mrs. Goerz is an animal cruelty
iii\estigatoi in Hoke Conntv. "It is
ironic this happened to an animal cru
elty investigator." said her friend.
Pinehill Volunteer Fire Dept, ('hief
Billy Williams called the ('nmberland
County Ar.son Task Foice to look into
the fire since Hoke Conntv Fire Mar
shal Al Schwarcbher was out of town.
The lesponding inv'estigator took a re
port but explained he could not inves
tigate because it w as not in his jurisdic
tion unless he was called in. He indi
cated his willingness to help.
Once an investigation into the fire
by the 1 loke County Sheriff's Office
is completed, Skip will be buried in
the field where her mares run, Mrs.
Goerz said. The couple owns seven
horses and expressed concern about
the welfare of those animals. One is
valued at $25,000, she pointed out.
Mrs. Goerz thinks whoever set the
fire might brag about it. Anyone who
might have information is asked to
call the Hoke Countv Sheriff's Office
al 875-5 111.
Rekindled
Sunday afternoon shortly after
noon, sparks from the barn fire ig
nited nearby w(x,)ds, and firefighters
were called in toextinguish the flames
whipped by high winds. A plow from
N.C'. Forestry Service plowed a line
around the fire to contain it.
Hayes pays tribute on House floor to Tyler
WASHINGTON, DC - Congress
man Robin Hayes (Republican, 8tli
District)spokcon the lloorof the U.S.
House last Thursday to pay tribute to
the Hoke County Superintendent of
Schools M itch Ty Icr who passed away
February 2. Here is that tribute:
"I rise to today to join Hoke
County, North Carolina in mourning
the loss of one of our most respected
citizens, Superintendent of Schools
Mitch Tyler.
"At the age of 46, Mitch was taken
from us far too early, and we will feel
the losstoourcommnnity foryearsto
come. Mitch had been Superinten
dent for less than two years, but his
more than 20 years i[i education -
from the state and university levels to
Hoke and Cumberland counties-made
him a well-known, trusted figure and
;i respected role model.
"Mitch, a Robeson County ntitive,
started his career in I loke County. He
was a teacher or administrator at West
Hoke Llementary Scliool, .I.W.
Mcl.anclilin Elementary Scliool and
the Turlington Scliool. From lOSO to
I 'W2, he was principal of I loke County
High Scliool. He tilso worked as a
Mitch Tyler
coordinator of 1 loke County’s Indian
Education Program, a senior assistant
to state Superintendent Mike Ward
;uid a director at the University of
North Carolina at Pembroke, where
lie was a liai.son to region schools.
"He was a tireless and sellless ad
vocate tor citildren, and an enthusias
tic consensus-builder, encouraging
camaraderie and teamwork among
teacliers and staff. 'I'liey knew tliey
could trust liis word and lliat he would
do things right.
"Mitcii was also a man of faith
Congressman Robin Hayes
who served as assistant pastor and
Sunday school teacher at Shannon
Assembly of God.
'I’oday we moitm the loss of Mitch
I'y ler, a man of great character, and a
Iciider who always strived to do what
was iiest for citildren. Barbara and I
join the Hoke County community in
prayer for Mitch's wife ;md two teen
age citildren as they grieve the loss of
linsband and fatlier, yet we celebrate
tile life of one who lived so well. Our
thoughts and prayers are with
von."
Hoke TeC to survey community technology
'I'he Hoke County Technology
C'onsortium (Hoke TeC) lias an
nounced a pltin to survey and assess
community Inisinesses, agencies, or-
ganiztitions, and government as part
of tlie ongoing initiative to link Hoke
County residents and citizens to a
better future. 'I'he underlying goals
are to increase opportunities for life
long learning, enhance economic de
velopment, and improve the overall
quality of life for residents by em
ploying Internet acce.ss ;md digital
technologies to solve community
problems.
The local initiative is part of tlie
statewide e-NC Initiative of the Rural
Internet Access Antliority tliat lias
Rabies clinics
Nortli Carolina requires that all
dogs and cals more than four montlis
old be vaccinated against rabies.
Several low-cost rabies vaccina
tion clinics have been set in Hoke
County:
• Saturday, March 16.10 a.m, -12
p.m., Raeford Health Dept;
•March 18. Id,20and22,Raeford
Animal Clinic;
• Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m.-12
p.m., Rockfish Fire Dept.
rite cost is $6 per animal. Dr.
Russell J. Tate, veterinarian, will ad
minister the vaccine.
"Siinv"
Tanning
Emporium
Do You Have The Luck Of The Irish ?
Puixhase any lotion for $2(1 (or more) and get ,\|| |„
registeix-d Cor u FREE month of unlimited tanning*.
‘Drawing to be held 3/17/02
Hillcrest Shopping Center
2I88-Ilwv40l Business
Raeford • 875-9191
Spring lAike Plaza
316-1) Hwy 210N
Spring Lake • 436-7869
WOOD'S
TIRE & AUTO
114 RACKET ALLEY
(91(9875-2079
ECONOMY TIRE SPECIAL
4 FOR ^89
or $22.25 EACH
I55-80RI3
I65-80RI3
I75-80RI3
I85-80RI3
FOR
^109
FOR
^5
or $31.25 EACH
205-75RI5 225-75RI5
2I5-75RI5 235-75RI5
or $27.25 EACH
I85-75RI4 205-75RI4
I95-75RI4
ALSO AVAILABLE
Michelen • Bridgestone
Goodyear • Uniroyal
Grand Am
Truck Tires • Farm Tires
Mower Tires
NO CARRY OUTS - VALVE STEM TAXES, BALANCING EXTRA
SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR
Oil Change — Brakes — Drive Axles
Wheel Balancing — Rotation
2 & 4 Wheel Alignment
Starters —Alternator —Water Pumps
Struts — Shocks —Timing Belts
Me NOW kilijv Abates
MON.-FRI. 7:00 AM-5:30 PM • SAT. 8:00 AM-12:30 PM
CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED; 3B3 VI B
similar goals and olijcctivcs.
Carolyn Olivarez, local Technol
ogy Clianipion said, "This survey/
a.ssessment process project w ill help
us liave a clear sense of the current
level of electronic technology capac
ity we have in our community. We
should not rely only on information
assemiiled at the state level, but rather
on our own research and information
gathered here,"
Olivarez continued, "As we plan
for tlie future, we will have to know
wiiere we are and where the people
want to go so th;it we can prepare a
teclinology pl;m and vision represen
tative of onr community. W'c invite
and encourage the participation of
liusinesses, industry, agencies, and
government in these efforts.”
Hoke'l'eCwilil)ea.ssessingasample
number of the more than 400 busi
nesses and agencies in the county over
the next montli. Tlie initially identified
sample is representing roughly 10 per
cent of those entities. This process will
be carried out as partof a joint initiative
of the Hoke TeC Consortium,
Schoollink, and FayettevilleTechnical
Community College.
interested agencies and organiza
tions may contact Carolyn Olivarez at
910-875-4106; Donna Sullivan at 910-
904-6536 ext.3; or Christina Davis-
McCoy at 910-904-0312 for more
information.
Calloway Tract to be burned
Tlie Calloway Tract w ill be blaz
ing in the near future. A controlled
burn issclieduled sometime between
March 14 and April 26 — weather
permitting.
Tlie 2-500 acre Calloway Tract
was recently bought by the N.C.
Dept, of Transportation and donated
to The Nature Conservancy, head-
qutirtered in Southern Pines,
l.ongleaf pines cover the acreage,
which w'as bought to provide a habi
tat for the endangered red-cockaded
woodpecker.
Tlie tract is located about five
miles northwest of Raeford and
ranges from N.C. Highway 211
West to the IWrt Bragg reserva
tion.
Tlie burn is being done to "main
tain natural communities on the
property," according to a notice
issued by The Nature Conser
vancy.
If anyone has questions about
the prescribed burn, they may con
tact Ferry Severson at (910) 246-
()3()().
ns Things
Into Focus
If you*ve been putting off getting
a new pair of glasses or
contact lenses
now IS the t?me to
115 W.F.Iwuod.Avenue (7
iLoi'aU’d heliveen The liinyk\\ttnn The Vni s^Jounuiti
875 - 6280
POOR
nAN*S
Friday, March 15,2002
11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Raeford United Methodist Church
Fellowship Hall
/
Blackeye Peas • Beans
Cabbage • Ham
Cake
SPONSORED BY: • . |
Raefor^UnltedMethodlstWoniei^^^