The
ews
No. 13 Vol. 95
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
Raeford woman
Sandhills Business
Person of the Year
page 4A
Library extends
used book sale
page SA
Whitley earns
Eagle rank
page SA
Index
Births....
2B
Business/Farm....
4A
Calendar....
.. 3B, 7A
Classifieds....
5-6B
Deaths....
8A
Editorials....
2-.3A
Legals....
3-4B
Public Record...
8A
Religion...
6A
Schools...
6B
Socials...
2B
Sports....
10A
Around Town
By Sam C. Morris
Contributing Editor
The weather hasn’t been as
hot and we can’t get any rain
that will push up the water
level. Every day last week
there was rain in the forecast
but my gauge only registered
two-tenth of an inch. At least
we are not having the fires that
are in the west. Let’s hope that
it will rain in the coming week.
The forecast for the remain
der of the week, Wednesday
through Saturday, calls for the
highs to be in the 90s and the
lows in the 70s. The forecast
also calls for rain Thursday
and Friday.
Don’t forget there is still
plenty of time to sign up for
the Dr. Bob Townsend Schol
arship golf tournament. It will
be held Friday, July 26 at the
Bayonet Golf Course.
There are different spon
sorships or you can sign up as
an individual. For more infor
mation, write or call Mildred
Maxwell at 209 E. Elwood
Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376.
Help some worthy student go
to college.
* « * * *
How much longer will it be
before a date for the primary
election will be set? I noticed
that some advertisements for
candidates are now appearing
on television. It seems that
politicians this day and time
want districts that will be to
their advantage rather than
what is fair for the people of
our state.
Let’s hope that we will get
(See AROUND, page 3A)
J oumal
it happened^ it's news to
50^
Wednesday, )une 26, 2002
County passes budget, no tax inrease
By Vk-toriana Si mmi rs
Staff writer
Hoke commissioners thrashed out ev
ery expenditure line by line for several
weeksof budget sessions, finally passing
thecounty’s“lean” fiscal budget for 2002-
2003 yesterday morning in a 4-1 \ote.
The board worked “some kind of
magic” without cutting services or rais
ing taxes, said Commission Chairman
I'ony Hunt.
Some departments such as purchasing
were lestructured in order to avoid lay
offs. The purchasing manager was trans
ferred into offices in the finance depart
ment. and the assistant purchasing man
ager vias transferred to the Register of
Deedsoffice. In a cost-saving freeze, some
positions already \acant will not be re
opened for hiring.
"I am glad we have gone through this
budget and tightened up things,” Hunt
said. “Not nay, as the Indians say, not nary
a (me is willing to look at the option of
raising taxes.”
Commissioner Charles V. Daniels was
the only one opposed to passing the rec
ommended budget, saying some of the
board members were “wishy-washy” on
spending items. He criticized them for
rescinding an approval on a low bid for a
new' lawn cutting company. It would have
saved the county $I9.0()(), he added.
On Monday, while Daniels was not
present. Commission Vice Chairman
James A. Leach. Commissioners Cleo
Bratcher Jr. and Bobby Wright, express
ing reluctanee, voted to reconsider the
firms and reopen the bids. Hunt voted
against it, saying it was unfair Hunt said
later he thought reversing their decision
would make the board appetir "shakv ”
(See COUNIYBLIXil.T. page »\)
Summer colors
J
/
Cool and colorful
The green thumbs of Robert and Frances Tyner
(plus lots of watering) turned both the front and
back yards of their home on East Donaldson into
splashy displays of yellows and pinks.
.h
A
Budding Entrepreneurs
Shown at the Hoke Boot Camp for Budding Entrepreneurs last week, sponsored by the Center of
Entrepreneurship at Methodist College, are Dr. Sid Gautam, director, (front, center) Kenan Walker
of the Center (back row, far left), Wyatt Upchurch, president of Tarheel Hatcheries (back row, center)
and John Fux, a Hoke teacher, (back row, far right). Students are (left to right seated) jazmine Pierce,
Jessica Kellermann, Ritisha Blue; (standing) Catherine Willis, Jo Blank, Kelvin Harvey and Kara McCoy.
Students visited businesses and learned what it takes to eventually become entrepreneurs.
Former Southland manager indicted
for allegedly embezzling $1.1 million
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A Guilford County grand jury recently handed
down six criminal indictments of embezzlement
and one charge of corporate malfeasance against
a former general manager at Southland Pine
Needles in Ashley Heights. James Jordan Cobb
III of Pinehurst was fired in May from Southland
after the alleged $ 1.1 million embezzlement scam
was uncovered by Southland officials, according
to Dan Camia, chief operating officer of the
parent firm. Southern Importers, Inc. in Greens
boro.
“This loss of moneys has really hurt our com
pany,” Camia said. “We are uncertain at this
point if anyone else was involved. The only
name on the transactions appeared to be that of
the individual that was indicted.”
Cobb was arrested after he allegedly misap
propriated “massive” amounts of moneys from
(See EMBEZZLEMENT, page WA)
Raeford police charge sixth man
in Robbins Heights shooting death
John T. Peterson
Raeford Police have charged a
sixth man in the January 23 shoot
ing death of 26-year-old Timothy
Lavelle Stephens.
John Theron Peterson, 21, of
Vestal Avenue, Fayetteville, has
been charged with felony aid and
abet. Peterson was not present when
Stephens was murdered in the
middle of the afternoon in front of a
Robbins Heights grocery store,
Raeford Detective Richard Jenkins
said.
(See ARRESTED, page 5A )
Crime overall
is up in Holce
Number of violent crimes decreases
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke County experienced a significant rise in propertv crime last
year, and saw incidents of“overall” crime increase by appro.ximatcly
23 percent from 1999 to 2001. Hoke also ranked approximately six
percent higher in overall crime than the state’s average in 2001. but
dropped in incidents of violent crime, according to the Annual
Summary of Crime in North Carolina published last week.
Hoke experienced a decrease in overall crime in 1998. the year
with the lowest number of cases reported since 1992. Records
reflected there were 1,372 cases reported in the city and county
during 1998 under the administrations of Sheriff Wayne Byrd and
Raeford Police Chief Mack High. In 2001 under Sheriff Jim Davis
and Chief High, there was a Jump to 1,801 incidents of overal I crime.
These cases of violent and property crimes involved murder, rape,
robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motiK vehicle
theft, said the State Bureau of Investigation.
Based on information released by the N.C. Department of Justice
in a statewide crime index, Hoke’s overall crime rate of 5,301 per
100,000 people ranked higher than the state average of on ly 4,996 per
100,000 in 2001.
State Attorney General Roy Cooper indicated crime also rose
statewide by 1.5 percent in 2001.
“More North Carolinians were victims of theft and burglaries last
year than the year before (2000), and if more Jobs are lost the trend
could continue,” Cooper said. “As the economy begins to recover, we
hope to see these numbers decline again to continue our decade-long
(See CRIME RATE, page 9A)
School board hires finance
officer, assistant superintendent
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
An elated Hoke School Superintendent Allen Strickland said he
was enthusiastic about accepting two top notch educators — one
seeking his doctorate in low wealth studies — to Join Hoke County
Schools. In a special meeting on Monday morning, the Board of
Education voted unanimously to hire two key personnel. A new
assistant school superintendent for K-12, Timothy Farley, was ac
cepted for the post previously held by Strickland, and a new finance
officer, George McFarley, will assume the responsibilities of former
finance officer Carolyn Olivarez.
Farley, 46, is current assistant school superintendent in Stokes
County. He will begin as second-in-command to Strickland the first
of July as assistant superintendent, supervising curriculum and in
struction.
McFarley, 47, is currently employed at Fayetteville Technical
(See SCHOOLS HIRE, page 9A)