The
ews
J oumal
. . If it happened, It's news to
No. 1 Vol. 95
50 cents
Wednesday, April 3, 2002
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web
www.thenew5-journal.com
This week
Painted ponies
push Stoneybrook
page 5A
Hoke sailor member
of Navy's elite
page 1OA
Hoke High students
headed for
Governor's School
page4B
Index 1
Births
3B
Calendar
2B
Classifieds
.7,8B
Deaths
... 3A
Editorials
. 2-4A
Legals
..5-6B
Religion
.... 8A
School
..4,5B
Socials
3B
Sports
.... 6A
Weddings
3B
Around Town
&
ByS AM C. Morris
Contributing Editor
Now that Easter has come,
maybe the weather will get
back to normal. The tempera
tures have been nice for the
past week. Over the weekend
there was one thunderstorm
after another. My rain gauge
registered almost two inches
of rain. Some other parts of
the state had three to four
inches of rain. In and around
Wake County water ran over
the roads and motorists were
warned to be careful driving
on these roads.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
high Wednesday to be in the
70s and the low in the 40s.
Thursday and Friday the highs
will be in the 60s and the lows
in the 40s. There is a chance of
rain Wednesday.
*****
Easter weekend was nice
even with the rain. Saturday
afternoon the rain held up and
most of the children enjoyed
an Easter egg hunt. There was
some rain at some of the sun
rise services, but it stopped
before the time for Sunday
school and the morning wor
ship services. As usual most
churches had large crowds for
their services. 1 don’t believe
that the ladies wear as many
fine dresses and hats as they
did some years ago.
We can be thankful that we
can attend church and not be
afraid of someone setting off a
bomb like in other parts of the
world. Wouldn’t it be nice to
(See AROUND, page 3A)
Million dollar budget shortfall looms
Board determined to avoid tax hike
By VirroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Hoke is staring a budget crisis in the
face. At issue as budget preparations
begin: whether to dip into the reserve
fund or to finance the $1 million U.S. 401
Interceptor Sewage project, an unavoid-
County buys
landfill bufe
By Vktoriana Summers
Staff writer
At Monday night’s meeting, Hoke
commissioners voted to acqu i re 48 acres
of land that will serve as a buffer for the
Hoke Landfill, filtering out any toxic
waste that may exist.
The N.C. Department of Environ
mental Resources had previously cited
Hoke for violations at the landfill that
needed to be remedied. More than one
year ago trace elements of mercury, a
highly toxic poison, and other pollution
were detected in tests conducted by the
state. Facing fines, Hoke provided the
state with a plan that included purchas
ing land bordering the landfill off Doc
Brown Road. It was unable to deter
mine how the pollution settled into the
landfill.
The buffer will protect surrounding
property from any seepage into the wa
ter table, and also protect nearby Rock-
fish Creek.
If the county had not complied with
state mandates, fines of $30,000 per day
could have been levied.
(See LANDFILL, page 6A)
able 8-10 percent increase in medical in
surance for county employees of $ 18,000,
whether to freeze some county positions
and whether to allocate an extra $1 mil
lion for Medicare claims. In spite of short
falls of $1.2 million this year, commis
sioners are asking Wood to keep the
present tax rate intact.
“If revenues are $ 1 million away from
expenditures, we will have to seriously
cut this year,” Wood said. “What might
have looked reasonable a year ago may
not be doable now.
“We are in the infancy of the budget
preparation, and 1 am still undecided of
what the deficit will be like this year.”
Wood’s preliminary plan calls for: re
organizing personnel and some depart
ments; requiring purchase orders for any
expenditures over $50; and refinancing
some payments on county debt to lower
the interest rates.
Commissioners have scheduled bud
get sessions with department heads be
ginning this Monday to analyze the sever
ity of the situation.
With the stale more than $1 billion “in
(See BUDGET CRISIS, page QA}
I
>
1*
Easter paradin’
Nellie McFadyn shows off her handmade Easter bonnet during
an Easter parade by residents of National Senior Living in
Raeford Wednesday. Also in downtown Raeford, about 50
brave souls marched for Jesus in the rain Saturday.
Shook urges people to register
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
With the May 7 primary indefinitely post
poned, residents still have ample time to come in
and register to vote, said Carolina Shook, Board
of Elections director.
Until a lawsuit that was filed in the state court
is settled about the validity of re-drawn districts,
voters are still eligible to register. Shook said her
office will be notified 60 days prior to the date set
for a new primary.
“Voter registration will be open until the pri
mary date is set for candidates,” Shook said.
“Then we will keep the books open until 25 days
before the primary is scheduled.”
Shook said some local candidates recently
sponsored a registration drive at Hoke County
High School.
“We received 100 forms that were filled out by
students that were brought in by candidates,”
(See VOTER REGISTRATION, page 5A)
T
' 1
V
i
f
Hayes resigns from chamber of commerce after 15 years
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
Lawanna S. Hayes has resigned her
position as manager of the Raeford-Hoke
Chamber of Commerce. Her last day of
work at the Depot, where the chamber is
headquartered, was this past Friday.
Hayes was given 15 weeks severance
pay with her health insurance to remain
in effect during that time. Her annual
salary, after 15 years with the chamber,
was $20,000. She began her employment
with the chamber on a part-time basis,
first working 15 hours a week.
The severance package was extended
to Hayes due to “the good will of the
board because of her years of service,”
said a board member. “We wish her the
best,” he added.
When reached at home, Hayes declined
to comment on her leaving the chamber
other than to say, “I will be at home this
summer.”
Those chamber board members con
tacted either did not return phone calls or
chose not to speak on the record concern
ing Hayes’ resignation. Chamber presi
dent Wayne Simpson is on vacation until
tomorrow.
Previously, a board member had indi
cated Hayes would be terminated from
her position with the chamber. The deci
sion to accept her resignation was unani
mous.
Jackie Lynch, director of the N.C. Tur
key Festival, whose office is housed in
The Depot, is assisting with chamber af
fairs until a replacement for Hayes can be
found. The chamber sponsors the annual
turkey festival in September, an annual
legislative appreciation breakfast, monthly
Business After Hours social events, and
the annual Hoke Expo which showcases
local businesses and industries. It also
hosts the unique annual mullet roast - and
actually features mullet roasted over coals
- in which community, business and gov
ernment leaders give state-of-affairs ad
dresses, and sponsors: Leadership Hoke
for up and coming community leaders; a
(See CHAMBER, page 54)
Region saddles up for Stoneybrook Steeplechase
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County inherited from Southern Pines
two years ago.
It is going to be a great year, and atten-
Rain or shine, the gates at the 51st dance is expected to double this year, said
Stoneybrook Festival and Steeplechase RogerSecrist,presidentofthePark’sFoun-
open on Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Carolina dation.
Horse Park at Five Points in western With a purse for the winners totaling
Hoke. More than 10,000
tickets have been sold
with a crowd of over
25,000 expected to at
tend the world class race
and other festivities.
Post time for the races
begins at 1 p.m., with
60 thoroughbred steeds
saddled up to compete
in six races on the mani
cured rye. Some of the
finest jockeys on the
East Coast will be riding
in this famous race that
more than $72,000, racing enthusiasts will
be viewing the race under colorful medi
eval-style tents while tailgating, or from
guest bleachers. Surrounding the almost
mile-long oblong course are 250 acres of
meadows and rolling woodlands where
(See STONEYBROOK, page 5A)
The horse park as work continues in preparation for an expected crowd of 25,000 people this weekend.
Scholarship fund
for twins grows
More than $2,000 has been de
posited in the education scholarship
established for Holly and Megan
Stauffer, six-year-old twin daugh
ters of Raeford Police Sgt. Clifford
Stauffer Jr.
Stauffer died in a vehicle accident
February 4.
The News-Journal and Dickson
Press began the scholarship fund
with a contribution of $500.
Stauffer’s widow, Susan was a
former employee of Dickson Press,
working as an advertising represen
tative for The News-Journal.
In addition to his employment as
a police officer, Stauffer was a dedi-
(See SCHOLARSHIP, page 8A)