June 26, 2002
THE NEWS-JOURNAL
Raefnrd, N.C.
9A
Crime rate
(Coniinued from page I A)
drop in crime rates in North Caro
lina.”
Raeford Police Chief Mack High
echoed Cooper's reasons about prop
erty crime.
•‘The economy is off," High said.
"When people are scared and laid off
from work, these types of crime are
going to happen.We do not have a
Berlin Wall around the eity limits.
“When crime happens in the
county, it can spill over into the city
and vice versa. Most of the suspects
we arrest are county residents so cri me
bleeds over into Raeford."
Major Thomas Carlton of the
Sheriff’s Office agreed somewhtit with
Cooper.
"Any time the economy is affected
by business downsizing, it may cause
an increase in property crime," Carlton
said. "One ot the places county or
state leadership cannot afford to cut is
law enforcement.
“With limited resources, our
Sheriff’s Office is trying to maximize
services in spite of cutbaeks from the
county.”
Carlton pledged the Sheriff’s Of
fice will continue its"a.ssaulton crime"
and its efforts to eradicate it. 1 le urged
county leadership not to "save a dol
lar that will ultimately cost more
dollars in loss of property and less
protection to citizens.
Carlton said his department was
proud of the lower violent crime rate.
“1 attribute the decrease in violent
crime to the September 11 tragedy,
and the efforts exerted by our depart
ment,” Carlton said. "It galvanized
the country and brought people to
gether in a more caring posture.
“Victimsof rapes are repirting the
crimes as they occur — especially
because they know our department
is giving them the service they de
serve and the support from law en
forcement.”
Overall crime
Moore and Scotland also experi
enced an increase in overall crime
rales in 2001. Cumberland and
Robeson reported a decrease in over
all crime, according to the statistics
prepared by the SBl.
1 loke fared far better than neigh
boring Scotland, which experienced
;in estimated 20 percent leap tibove
the state average in overall crime.
Scotland averaged 6,0b I per 100,000
of population. In spite of a climb,
Moore ranked 18 percent below the
state average at 3,264 per 100,000 in
2001.
Even w ith adecline in violent and
property crime from 2000 to 2001,
Cumberhmd still rated 6.3.36 per
100,000 people — 14 percent above
the state average in overall crime.
Robeson, ranking worse than Cum
berland, was estimated at 7,278 per
100,000 people — tipproximalely
18 percent higher than the average
crime index for North Carolina.
Violent crime
Comparing violent crime only on
a loctd level, Hoke showed a decline
of approximately 2.3 percent in num
ber of cases from 2000 to 2001 and
a 30 percent reduction compared to
the state average. I loke dropped from
416 per 100.000 in 2000 to 330 per
100,000 in 2001.
Hoke’s violent crime rate fell pri
marily because of a decretise in ag
gravated assaults - 07 in 2000 and 77
in 2(K)1. Raeford only experienced
three reported assaults in 2000, drop
ping to only two in 2001.
Raeford reported no murders in
2000 or 2001. However, one murder
occurred in the county's jurisdiction
in 2001, but an arrest was made. Rapes
decreased in Hoke from 12 in 2000 to
eight in 2001 with only one of those
reported within the city limits. Rob
beries edged slightly lower to 27 cases
in 2001 — nine of them occurring in
Raeford; this compared to 28 in 2000
of which 12 were reported in Raeford.
Property crime
In 2000, Hoke property crime was
metisured as 4,660 per I (K).0( )l) people.
Those statistics rose to 4,062 in 2001
— higher than the state’s property
cri me average of4,404. Property crime
comprised burglary, larceny and mo
tor vehicle theft.
'I'he number of burghiries in Hoke
soared from 644 reported in 2000 to
7.36 in 2001, a ri.se of 112 ctises. In
2000, the county experienced 56.3
burglaries and the city reported 70. In
2001, the county burglaries rose to
610 and Raeford's incretised to 146.
Larcenies decreased by 28 in the
county to 606 in 2001. In Raeford,
larceny incidents increa.sed from 173
in 2000 to 214 in 2001.
Records showed ti slight reduction
in stolen motor vehicles with 120
vehicles stolen in 2000, and 110 sto
len in 2001.
The county's stolen car rate
dropped from l(W in 2000 to W in
2001, while Raeford's rtite stayed the
same. The city reported a lower rate
of 11 vehicles stolen per year.
County budget
(Co/iliniu’d from page I A)
Next year's budget leaves the prop
erty tax at the current 74 cents per
$1(K) valuation. According to the tax
department, this collection rate will
bring in an estimated $7.4 million in
tax revenue.
However, during the recessed
meeting on Monday morning, Leach
and Bratcher joined Hunt, agreeing
they weruld vote to raise taxes one or
two cents if necessary. If it meant
avoiding cuts to the school's educa
tion budget or laying off county per
sonnel, they said a tax increase was
“an option.”
However, Commissioners Bobby
Wright and Charles V. Daniels said
flatly they "would not vote" to raise
taxes because “poor people” could
not afford to pay more. In a compro
mise, the board transferred money
from the one-half cent sales tax capi
tal projects reserve fund for the school
system's expenses, averting a tax hike
next year.
“The bottom line is that we have
held the tax rate at 74 cents, and we
have not taken one penny from our
general fund to balance our budget,”
Leach said. “The school system w ill
also be fully funded."
“1 said before 1 was not going to cut
ourschoolsone dime, and 1 meant it.”
Commissioners unanimously
agreed to fund the current expense
for Hoke Schools of $3.4 million by
transferring an additional $.300,(100
from the school capital reserve fund
into the general fund. If the school
board requests the additional money
in a resolution tothecommi.ssioners,
it will be authorized. The money is
already in the budget, they added.
Commissioners agreed upon a
general fund appropriation of $20.7
million, utilizing estimated revenues
to balance the budget. This fund in
cluded a contingency of $459,42.3
for a potential senior center and ad
ditional expansion at Rockfish Park.
A state shortfall of withheld rev
enue was also included as revenue in
the budget, totaling $396,()()().
County Manager Mike Wood said
he was uncertain if this money would
be reimbursed to the county since it
is still frozen.
Water rates upped
Water rates were adjusted, bring
ing an increase to the county users. A
new rate schedule is intended to en
courage conservation of water be
cause of the current drought, a water
department official said.
A flat rate of $9 per month will be
assessed without providing for a
minimal amount of usage. Water
Scn\or Uvins
of RAcfot^
An independent Assisted Living Facility
L that as no affiliation with any
other facility in the area.
•Beauty Shop/Barber In House
• Personal Laundry Care
• Free Cable TV
• Facility Provided Transportation
• Personalized Diets
oomnif/ter/ to
'NAtioHAl ScHioi* Uyins
ofRA«foft>
110 Campus Avenue (Downtown)
Raeford, NC 28376
(910) 848-1562
list your business
IN THE SERVICE DIRECTORY
ONLY $8 PER WEEK!
\
) t*
Sandhills Community College Hoke Center’s Certified Nurses Assistants shown (not in order of
appearance) after a recent graduation, are: Amanda]. Bohlander; Samantha R. Bullard: Chase Collins;
Joseph S. Creed, Patricia T. Douglas. Lisa Ferrell, John E. Hardy. Viola j. Huskerson; John H. Kabosky;
Yolanda M. McLaughlin; Mickie N. Mullins; Wendy D. Ramchand; Rhonda j. Smith; not pictured are:
Shanitha L. Bullard and jamika j. Dunlap.
Schools hire
users will be charged $3.50 per 1 ,()(•()
gallons above the monthly fee.
Last year, the $12.50 minimum
included the first 2,()()() gallons, and
each additional 1,()(M) gallons cost $3.
Cou nty M anage r M i ke Wood COm -
mended the board for balancing the
budget in light of a state shortfall and
a Medicaid deficit from the current
year and 2()()2-20()3.
Wood estimated the undesignated
fund balance would total approxi
mately $2.5 million, or 13 percent, on
June 30. In the 2001-2002 fiscal year,
the fund balance was at 20 percent
prior to the state freezing assets from
the county and Medicaid costs rising.
Among other sources of revenue
estimated for next year, were: motor
vehicle taxes of $ 1.2 million; $97,0()()
in eourt facility fees; $419,600 in
building permits and inspection frees;
$245,000 in Register of Deed fees;
and $52,000 in jail fees.
Fire taxes levied for fire protection
services remained the same in every
district except Rockfish. A one-cent
tax increase, adjusting the total from
8 to 9 cents, was approved. The addi
tional tax will be used for fire protec
tion suits for firefighters and to pur
chase a new fire truck in the future.
Two trucks in Rockfish are 20 years
old.
(Coniiinied from page I A)
Community College as the dean of
general eductition and public service
progrtims. He will serve as the new
assisttint superintendent of auxiliary
ser\ ices — a title cretited to officially
expand the respotisibilities of the fi
nance officer.
"Hasictillv, Mrs. Olivarez was in
charge of these responsibilities in her
role with the selutol system, "
Strickland said. "We are just combin
ing the duties."
Strickland said Mcl'arlex will su
pervise transportiition services, child
nutrition, finance, technology and
plant facilities.
"I am looking forward to having
them hereonJulv I. " Strickland said.
"I feel xerv good about both of our
choices. 1 heir colleagues have had
great remarks to say about them.
"Both tire extrcmel) strong in edu
cation and development.”
Ftiiley htis served as assistant su
perintendent in Stokes for the past
nine months. Strickland said Farley's
salary is still under negotiation, but
will fall somewhere in the $78,()()()
range.
l-tirle) formerly served as a princi
pal at Pine Forest High School and
E.E. Smith High School in Cumber
land County. He has extensive expe
rience as an elementary and high
school teacher. Strickland said Farley
has focused on classroom education,
staffing, leadershipdevelopment, and
providing tools for teachers' needs.
"His philosophy coincides greatly
with mine," Strickland said. "He is
dedicated to building caring and or
derly schools to create a safe commu
nity and environment for learning.”
McFarley, whose salary is still
under negotiation, brings a wide back
ground in finance to Hoke schools,
ticcording to Strickland.
“He is accustomed to working with
at-risk students, and he is a great grant
writer," Strickland said. “He is eager
to work with the chtillenges we have
in our county.
"His background is also strong in
the administration area and will be a
tremendous asset to us.”
McFarley was recently promoted
to dean of education at Fayetteville
Technical Community College where
he has been employed for the past
several years. He will graduate from
Fayetteville State University in the
spring of this year with his doctorate
in low wealth studies.
McFarley will be paid $69,()()0 per
year.
He holds a master of science de
gree from San Diego University and a
bachelor's of science in biochemistry
from Florida Southern University.
He formerly served as the director
of student services at Fort Bragg for
I'TCC. He was also previously em
ployed at Nichols Research, integrat
ing the firm's computer systems.
Strickland said tieither McFarlev
nor Farley will be required to reside in
Hoke.
Strickhmd was promoted to superin
tendent in Mav after serv'itm in an interim
* Accounting • Bookkeeping
Amy Sheppard
Certified Public AecouiilanI
121 ’Viniii St.
875-3290
PEST-A-RESICO.
EXTERMINATING
OF ALL PESTS
since 1979
N.C. PEST CONTROL LIC. 807-PW
FREE ESTIMATES
Residential ■ Commercial • Institutional
Owned & Operated By
JIMMIE CONOLY &
JAMES STRICKLAND
122 W. Edlnborough
Raeford, NC
Home 87S-8268
aipacitv after fomiersuperintendent Mitch
I’ylerdied in March. Olivarez resigned to
work with the Wayne County Schrxrl
svstem ;ls llnancc director. Her last day
will lie Friday.
IDVERTISF-NIFAT
"Ever hove on
• .I II That's
Itch $0 bad c
#. pened to me.
you can t: rr
■ I to some medicine
^1 f I had tfi take
wlwWl» # follou'tng surgery.
■ The doctors said
there teas nothing they could give
me for the iti lung I tried that itch
(ream \(>'i see all our 7T' It didn't
hiipl^yhihrn^ sMlJ^^flken'tfhing.
"During a return trip to the
imergeruy nnirn following surgery,
I told the emergency room doctor /
itched so had I was about to go nuts.
He told me to go right to the drug
store and get a tube of ITCH X*
'I used it one time and the itch
li as gone I got the first night's sleep
I'd had in oi er two iveeks.
"I had to take my medicine for
another month and I don't think I
could have made
it that long with
out ITCH-X.
that IKH-IC
soved my Me!"
- Acklin H.
North Muskegon, Michigan
Stop an itch before it can spoil one
night's sleep. Get cooling, soothing
ITCH-X spray or gel at your
neighborhood pharmacy.
|fL__
Available at your
largest local discount
store pharmacy.
www.bfascher.com
SAVE NOW, SAVE LATER.
Take advantage of no money down & easy financing
on the most totally energy efficient heating and
cooling systems you can buy: Carrier
systems with ComfortHeat Technology™
and Puron®, the environmentally sound
f . refrigerant. Save when you buy it,
I save when you run it.
j Call today for details.
Payments As Low As $60 Per
Month.
Plum
Premium
gas logs
available.
We service
all brands.
MIMMON
HBATtNG a AIR CONDITIONING
875-9994
24/7 SERVICE. WE SERVICE ALL BRANDS.
•With Approved Creefit.