The
ews
Journal
If It happened, it's mews to us
50^
No. 24 Vol. 95
Raeforo & Hr.
-
r.i'r¥ fix.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web
www.thenews-journal.com
This week
A day of
remembrance
for fallen heroes
Henry McKoy
inspires students
lh)yr I-
Inmate escapee
is captured
iKV'r ■■ ^
Index
Bull)--
IB
Cdlenclai. .
!B
Cldssitif'cls
... () "B
Deaths .
;a
Editorials. ..
... ! lA
Legals.
. .. 5-3B
Public Recoul....
....'■),I2A
Religion
()-7A
Schools....
8B
Socials ...
3B
S|)oits....
IGA
Peterkin wins
Demoaat spot
for Hoke sheriff
Davis out, Crull Republican nominee
IL
t
1.
Voters watched as precinct results were posted in the window of The News-Journal office,
f inal results were tallied at approximately 11:30 p.m.
Democrats return Daniels,
choose Powell, Cameron
Bv Pat Ai.i.i;n Wilson
Editor
Democrats voted to return Charles V.
i)aniels to the eommissioncr seat he holds
ntl chose newcomers Jean Powell and
B' 11 C'ameron as his running mates against
two Republican candidates, one Liber-
tai ian and at least one write-in candidate
in No\ember.
In unofficial results, retired district at
torney Powell led the votes with 2.619;
cattle rancher Cameron came in second
with 2,363; and Daniels, a service .station
owner and operator, received 2,235 votes.
They edged out attorney Harry
Southerland at 1,8.39, and minister and
property manager James Oscar
Cunningham at 1,765.
(See COMMISSION RACE, page 9/D
Hollingsworth wins clerk of court race
Bi Vktoriana Si'mmlrs
Staff writer
In a close primary race, incumbent
Clerk of Court Vera Hollingsworth won
her bid to return for another term of
office. A Democrat, Hollingsworth re
ceived intense competition from chal
lenger Tim Hawkes, also a Democrat.
Hollingsworth claimed 72.7 percent of
the votes, earning 2,858. Hawkes trailed
with 2,144 votes.
As Hoke’s clerk of Superior Court,
(See CLERK RACE, page 94 j
By VinoRiANA Summers
Staff writer
In a primary race marked by lower
than expected voter turnout. Sheriff Jim
Davis was defeated for reelcction yester
day.
Distinguished as the first African
American to be elected as Hoke sheriff,
Davis was knocked out by Democrat
Hubert Peterkin, an African American as
well, and a Fayetteville Police detective
and Hoke native.
Davis received 1,776 votes, but
Peterkin captured 2,857 votes.
High number in one-stop advance vot
ing promised a heavy turnout for the
primary, but in the end, only roughly a
third of registered voters cast votes.
Democrat challenger Joe Troxell, a
former probation officer with N.C. Pro
bation and Parole, earned 588 votes.
Robert Crull, a Hoke County Schools
resource safety officer, won the Republi
can nomination for,sheriff with 338 votes.
He was challenged by Robert Colson, a
communications specialist, who received
175 votes.
In November’s election, Peterkin and
Crull will square off to determine who
will become Hoke’s next sheriff. Davis
has served one term as sheriff since De
cember 1998. Peterkin formerly served
as Davis’ chief deputy and major for
more than one year. Crull and Colson
also previously served as Hoke deputies.
Peterkin said he was grateful for the
victory. Peterkin will resume his responsi
bilities at Fayetteville PD as he continues
to campaign for sheriff after being on
temporary leave.
“1 want to thank God first, my cam
paign committee and Raz Autry, the great
est campaign manager.” Peterkin said.
“Thanks to Raeford Mayor Bob Gentry,
Dr. M.H. Williams, the Rev. Ray Owens
and my church congregation, my wife
Della, my mother Onnie Peterkin. and the
Fayetteville Police Department for be
lieving in me.”
Peterkin said his dream has always been
to be the best law enforcement officer —
a goal he will continue to pursue as sheriff.
“1 want to commend Sheriff Davis for
all his efforts he has made for Hoke County
as its sheriff,” Peterkin said. “I appreciate
the opportunity that he gave me to be chief
deputy. 1 want to extend my hand to him,
hoping if there are any diffcrencc^ that we
can reconcile those for the gi' >d of our
community.”
Peterkin commended Tro.xell for the
professional race he ran and his cordial
manner during the campaign
Davis was unavailable for comment.
Troxell, a Hoke cattleman-farmer, ex
pressed disappointment at his loss be
cause, he said, he “ran to win.” He said
Peterkin was a strong candidate and ran an
(See SHERIFF RA CE, page 94)
‘ hONORI|C OUR
i
.vr
Honoring, remembering
The Hillcrest Baptist Church Choir joins the congregation in a pledge to the
American flag Sunday at a ceremony honoring those who serve in the
military, law enforcement, EMS, firefighting and as government leaders. Also
remembered were those who lost their lives September 11,2001. Posting
the Colors was the 18th Airborne Corps Artillery Color Guard. See related
article on page 7A.
ABCs report shows Hoke schools improving
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Statewide test results being released
by the Department of Public Instruction
through its ABC accountability program
show Hoke is making progress.
There were no low performing schools
in Hoke, nor any others that verged on a
low-performingclassification, according
to Hoke County School Superintendent
Allen Strickland.
“That is good news,” Strickland said.
“Our schools are continuing to improve
and doing much better that many other
schools in the state.
“We are continuing to reduce the num
ber of students who are scoring below
mastery,” he said. “We reduced that num
ber by 58 students this year.”
Strickland said the majority of Hoke
schools improved on the state's end-of-
grade and end-of-course test scores dur
ing 2001-2002, but a few fell a fraction
below the 2000-2001 scores. New crite
ria implemented by the state this year
measured levels of improvement with a
more stringent combination of test per
formance and school grow'th, he added.
(See ABCs, page 8A)
State team meets with Hoke school superintendent
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
State educators from the Department
of Public Instruction arc going “shoulder
to shoulder” with Hoke school adminis
trators to help improve educational op
portunities for at-risk students in Hoke,
said Deputy State Superintendent
Bradford Sneeden, leader of the assis
tance team. He heads a team that arrived
last week to help address the needs of at-
risk children.
Sneeden conferred with Hoke School
Superintendent Allen Strickland and his
staff last Thursday, “connecting” with
the need for new policies and plans to
help students succeed.
“Terrific!” Sneeden said of the visit.
“We had a terrific conversation with Mr.
Strickland. His staff did a great job talk
ing about the overall characteristics of
Hoke and what is going on in the school
system.”
Sneeden also commended Strickland
for their planning and strategy.
“It was not just a response to satisfy the
job,” Sneeden said. “It was a plan to tap
the potential of all students in Hoke.”
Strickland described the meeting with
state officials as “positive.” He said
Hoke’s educators would match up with
the state’s departments in mutual exper
tise.
“1 feel strongly that we can make this
(See STA TE TEAM, page 8A)
City audit reflects loss of revenue
from Burlington Industries bankmptcy
By Pat Alli.n WiiSi ^
Editor
Raeford’s tax collection rate dropped this
past fiscal year, according to auditor James F.
Baker, but there isan explanation; Burlington
Industries, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy
litigation, has not paid more than $ I OO.OOO in
inventory taxes.
The tax collection rale dropped from 96.27
percent for the previous fiscal year to 87.68
percent this FY, according to Baker.
In giving his annual audit report. Baker
had no criticism regarding the city’s book
keeping and said he received the “utmost
cooperation from staff.”
City Manager Mike McNeill said at some
point Burlington will pay whal is owed the
city. The taxes are attached to the property.
Meanwhile. Ihe loss means, McNeill says,
that the city will "probably trim services
down as much as wc can without cutting the
level of services.”
Raeford’s fund balance is more than $3.3
million, according to Baker.
Baker was paid $7,750 to audit the city’s
books. Councilmen renewed his contract—
at the same price — for another year.
One area where the city is working to
streamline expenses is the fleet maintenance
shop.
At the August meeting. Councilman Wayne
Mills had asked why outside services are
being utilized as opposed to work being done
in. the shop and also why some of those
services are being done outside the county
and the city.
McNeill had responded that more outside
services were being used than he realized and
that a change of supervisors should help the
situation. He also told councilmen .that re
pairs and maintenance of larger equipment
and vehicles require the work of outside
vendors and specialized services not always
found in Raeford and Hoke.
(See CITY AUDIT, page 9A)
V
Prayer at the high school flag pole
Approximately 50 Hoke High School students and faculty gathered at the school’s flag pole this morning to pray
before school as part of the national movement, “See You at the Flag Pole.” Begun by a small group of teenagers
in Texas in 1990, the first official event was held last Sept. 11 at 7 a.m. when more than one million students gathered
at schools around the world. Millions more are expected to take part this year in events held this week and next