Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / May 15, 2002, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews Journal No. 7 Vol. 95 50 cents Wednesday, May 15, 2002 Hoke’s top stories are on the web 'vww.thenews-/ourna/.com This week Relay For Life surpasses goal page 4A Emma Mims is friend to community page 2A Chamber banquet plans finalized page 5A Index Births 3B Business/Farm 5A Calendar 5B Classifieds 8,9B Deaths 8A Editorials 2-3A Engagements 3B Legals 5-7B Public Record 8A Religion 7A School 1-2B Socials 3B Sports 6A Weddings 3B Around Town By Sam C. Morris Contributing Editor It is almost impossible to predict the weather these days. A couple of days the tempera ture will be in the 90s and then we go back to the 70s. Last week the weather reporters said we would get rain. My gauge registered three-hun dredths of an inch. In Fayetteville and Robeson County there was a downpour. What is causing the clouds to go around Raeford and Hoke County? It was hot over the weekend, but a cold front is coming through Monday night. The forecast for the remain der of the week, Wednesday through Saturday, calls forthe high Wednesday to be in the 70s and the low in the 50s. Thursday the high will be in the 80s and the low in the 50s. Friday and Saturday the highs will be in the 80s and the lows in the 60s. There is no rain in the forecast. * « « * * I don’t agree with Barbara Bush, former first lady, about Mother’s Day. 1 think it is wonderful to remember her. It has been many years since 1 wore a red floweron Mother’s Day, but it is good to see the smile on my wife's face when she opens her cards, presents or flowers. But last Friday the smile left her face after the florist delivered some baskets to the house. The story goes; a knock came on the den door and there was a man with two baskets. (See AROUND, page 7A) Schools cut to cope with state crisis Employees at risk in coming year By VlCTORlANA Sl'MMI-RS Staff writer Because of the “gravcncss" of $1.5 billion state shortfall, the N.C. Depart ment of Public Instruction notified con cerned Hoke School officials last Mon day night of a statewide freeze on educa tional funding until July 1. An executive order issued by Gov. Mike Easley autho rized State School Superintendent Mike Ward to restrict all "non-instructional” spending on supplies and personnel posi tions not directly related to classroom education, a May b memorandum stated. “As vou are aware. North Carolina’s revenue collections through April have been ver\ disap|)ointing,” said Brad Sneeden. representative from DPI. “It is apparent that additional e.xpenditure re strictions are necessary to increase Local Education Agency reversions. “Our challenge is great, and vve kno\A we can rely on you and your staff to help us through these most difficult times.” An emergency meeting was called by Hoke school administrators last Tuesday, which was attended by Phillip J. Kirk, chairman of the State Board of Education. Interim School Superintendent Allen Strickland said the crisis is serious, and massive cuts may be necessary in next year’s budget as the new school year approaches. “It would be a terrible thing if wc have (See SCHOOLS CUT HACK, page 6A) Rockfish mother, child drown in W. Viriginia Community, friends, family mourn loss By Pat Allen Wilson Editor “Only God knows,” said Carl Mounts, but he and other members of Angie Darnell’s family believe she may have lost her life because she refused to let go of her baby daughter as raging waters -wirled around them. Rockfish residents Angelia Dawn Walls Darnell, 28, and Logan Paige Darnell, 14 months, died in West Vir ginia when flood waters swept their car off a roadway. “She’d have got out — probably — if she hadn’t held on to the baby,” Mounts said. Angie left Rockfish at about 1 p.m. Thursday, May 2 with her daughter to drive to her mother’s home in West Vir ginia. However, she evidently changed her mind about her destination and took another route leading to husband Danny’s parents’ house. Those who know her said she was anxious to see her three-year-old son Hunter, who was with / his father at her in laws. The Darnells had been residents of Rockfish for several years. Danny had just taken a construction ^ C' vV job in their native West Virginia and had Hunter with him. Angie and Logan were to move back to West Virginia soon; in fact, she had already packed their belong ings for the move. This (See MOURNED, Holcomb page lOA) school that they Angie Darnell with daughter Logan iP , 7 i, with baby Logan’s crib at Rockfish Pre placed in the foyer as a memorial. Spearman prepares for long battle as state appeals mling in Hoke education lawsuit 7 IL VicioKiANA Gov. Mike Easley and Attorney Gen- Si MMi Rs eral Roy Cooper said the state would not Staff writer order a stay on Manning’s court rulings. The state will cooperate with Manning’s order that the state file written reports every 90 days to advise him of its progress in improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. Spearman said he will not give up the legal fight, remembering how former Hoke School Superintendent Mitch Tyler died just prior to the winning verdict being announced. “It was a great pleasure to work with Mitch Tyler,” 'file N.(’. Attorney (ieneral's Office has filed a notice of the state's intention to Robert Spearman appeal the verdict in the lawsuit Hoke and other counlies filed over uiiet|ual education funding. In the recent decision of Superior (’ourt Judge Howard Manning. Hoke was victorious in its arguments that “at-risk students” from disad\an- . Case goes next taged counties such as Hoke were noi receiv ing the same “sound, basic” education as those in wealthier counties. Balanced on the scales of justice is equality in education for North Carolina children, said Bob Spearman, lead attor ney for Hokeand fourothcrcounties who filed the low wealth lawsuit in 1994. “The state calculated at one point it would take $200 million to fully fund the low wealth formula for all the counties in North Carolina on an annual basis,” Spearman said. “When the suit first started, the state was only funding about $15 million per year. During the course of our litigation, that figu re i ncreased to about $90 m i 11 ion per year, but it is still far short of what it should be budgeted.” Manning ordered the state to take im mediate action to improve the education of at-risk students. He said the reform was necessary because the slate had failed to prove it provided all children with a “sound basic” education as required by the N.C. Constitution. Now the state seeks to reverse his rulings that called forsmaller classroom sizes, quality, pre-kindergar ten programs for low-income children who would otherwise be at risk of failure whey they start school, and hiring of more certified teachers for all children. to Court of Appeals Spearman said. “He was a won derful, wonderful man and an inte gral part of the success of this lawsuit. His death was terribly tragic. “If he had lived a little longer, he would have heard the good news.” Spearman also gave plaudits to Carolyn Olivarez, Hoke’s finance officer, retired school superinten dent Don Steed and former assistant school superinten dent Jeff Moss, now school superinten dent in Stanley County. “I do not think this appeal will be real fast,” Spearman Mitch Tyler said. “I think it will probably fake a long time. The state had talked about taking the case directly to the State Supreme Court. However, it is going through the Court of Appeals. “1 have no firm prediction on if it could take a year or more.” Spearman said he thinks that Hoke will prevail in its legal battle to help all chil dren in the state educationally. “1 am encouraged that Gov. Easley did not say the state would request a delay in following Mannings orders,” Spearman (See LAWSUIT, page 9A) At least in some ways, it pays to be a Hoke commissioner Compensation package totals 19k for each By VlCTORlANA Summers Staff writer Some think it pays to be a commis sioner in Hoke County. With an average compensation package of approximately $19,000 per part-time commissioner an nually, everything from medical insur ance to special fees for extra meetings is covered. It can also be an eyebrow-raiser for taxpayers, who foot the bill for an annual $54,500 travel budget for com missioners - a budget that has been de pleted this fiscal year. “They have already overspent their travel budget by almost $10,000 for this year,” said Scott Edwards, Hoke’s assis tant finance officer. “Scotland County officials were stunned with our compensation for com missioners’ travel because they only allo cate $18,000 for their board. “There is no documentation or written policies to support some of the expenses paid to the commissioners.” Many citizens are also not aware about another perk paid beyond commission ers’ salaries, which has resulted in the travel fund shortage. Commissioners are paid automatic $500 monthly travel sti pends whether they travel or not. With a month and half remaining in this fiscal year, Hoke’s finance office is in arrears for April and May in its payments of the boards’ travel allotments. According to Edwards, the county does not have enough money appropriated to pay the commis sioners’ June expenses either. The dis crepancy in funds could tally as high as $18,000, he added. “We are still trying to total up how much money is overspent,” Edwards, who inherited the problem after he took over (See COMMISSIONERS, page 6A) Twelve apply to replace Olivarez as schools finance officer By VlCTORlANA Summers Staff writer Interim Hoke School Superinten dent Allen Strickland says he regrets the decision of Carolyn Olivarez, Carolyn Olivarez Hoke Schools fi nance officer, to accept a job offer with the Wilkes County school system in the North Carolina mountains. The Board of Education has been seeking a replace ment for Olivarez, closing the job posi tion last Friday. “We had responsesfrom 12applicants,” Strickland said. “1 am very encouraged by the healthy response. Hopefully, we will be able to pick one of those candidates.” Strickland said interviews will be sched uled for May 17 by Hoke Schools Human Resources Director Sharmaine Butler. Salary for the position could range from $39,636 to $71,700. The new finance officer will be operating a $34 million budget and a construction budget of ap proximately $23.5 million. The person chosen will be required to hold a bach elors degree from an accredited four-year college with a concentration in a business related curriculum. A CPA license is not required. Olivarez, who is a certified public ac countant, interviewed for the job in Wilkes on March 20. The Wilkes school board accepted Olivarez with an unanimous vote shortly afterwards. She completed the budget that was submitted to Hoke com missioners for the next fiscal year as one of her final, major challenges for Hoke Schools. “She is a special individual,” Strickland said. “She is an outstanding finance of ficer, and she will really be missed by all of us.” Olivarez said her decision was diffi cult, citing her former close relationship with the late school superintendent Mitch Ty ler. She has enjoyed the mral aspects of Hoke, residing in the Arabia community. “You never really know what impact you have made until you are leaving,” Olivarez said. “Then people stop and take (See FINANCE OFFICER, page 6A)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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May 15, 2002, edition 1
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