The News-Journal
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it happened^ it's news t
SOd:
No. 42 Vol. 95
Wednesday, january 8, 2003
International drug ring
leader gets 30 years
Hoke trucking company was headquarters of trafficking operation
Bv VicroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
The owner of an Ashley Heights
trucking company was sentenced to
more than 30 years in federal prison
following herconviction for runningan
international drug trafficking operation.
Along with the conviction of Audrey
Dean McGirt, o\v ner of Ashley Heights
Trucking near Aberdeen, almost 40
members of an international, multi-mil
lion dollar narcotics cartel were appre
hended during “Operation Knock
down." according to the U.S. Attorney’s
Office in Charlotte.
Raeford Detective J. Pierce testified
in the federal trial of McGirt. (Sec
sidebar.) He indicated the operation was
brazen. “In one of the smuggling inci
dents. a transportation driver was
Shown in an aerial view is the Ashley Heights Trucking firm’s compound located
between Raeford and Aberdeen.
stopped by authorities near Atlanta as
he was smoking a joint of marijuana,”
Pierce said. “He did not even try to hide
it. The truck contained a load of 3,00(1
pounds of marijuana."
(See TRAFFICKING, page 6A)
Commissioners keep travel pay
Cameron, Powell return checks
Bv VirroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Commissioners did not approve a recommendation from
Commissioner Bill Cameron, which was supported by Com
missioner Jean Powell, to eliminate their automatic monthly
S3(K) travel checks. During a confusing, but intense debate
Monday evening, a second proposal suggested by Commis
sioner James A. Leach as a compromise was also denied.
“1 am going to give my check back to the county tonight.”
Cameron said. “1 received a check in December before 1 had
even accumulated any mileage for county travel.
"I am giving my check to County Manager Mike Wood.”
Standing up vv ith a symbolic flourish, Cameron returned his
check to a finance technician.
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Cameron proposed the board comply with the county em- Commissioner Bill Cameron returns his two $300 monthly
ployees’reimbursement policy, receiving30cents per mile for travel checks back to Finance Director Scott Edwards in
(See TRA VEL PAY, page 4A) protest of the mileage policy.
i
L
Brian Landis, sales manager, (left) and Don Koonce, general manager, display 7 UP,
Cheerwine, and DN L soft drinks.
Cheerwine comers soft drink
market in Cape Fear, beyond
Bv VuioRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Editor’s note: This is the third in a
series of articles on economic develop
ment in Raeford and Hoke County.
Cheerwine soft drink, created in 1913
by a North Carolina grocery store owner,
may have its roots in Salisbury but the
Needham is lineman
for the county
paL(e 1B
Best and worst
of 2002
pai;e 4A
'Grinch' took family's
Christmas decorations
page .3A
Anniversaries 3B
Births 3B
Business/Farm 4A
Calendar 6B
Classifieds 5B
Deaths 6A
Editorials 2-3A
Legals 5B
Public Record 6A
Religion 7A
Socials 3B
Sports 8A
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web
www.thenews-joiJrnal.com
I r
Commissioners present a resolution of appreciation to retired register of deeds Della Maynor-Bowen.
Dudley accepts position as new register of deeds
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Onnie Dudley, retired assistant register
of deeds, was sworn in as Ho’ c’s new
register of deeds by
Clerk of Court Vera
Hollingsworth on Mon
day evening after com
missioners unanimously
approved her.
Dudley is distin
guished as the first Afri
can American register of
deeds in Hoke County
history. She will fulfill
the interim term of re
tired register of deeds
Della Maynor Bowen,
who served the county
for 30 years. Dudley re
turned from retirement
after a brief hiatus.
Dudley served as assis
tant register of deeds
under Bowen for 25 years.
Democratic Party chairman A.K.
“Dooie’ Leach presented Dudley to the
board as the party’s nominee-elect. He
said she was recommended for the key
position after the majority of party offi
cials voted to select her at the Democratic
Party Executive
Committee's meet
ing on Saturday.
Dudley, 63, re
ceived a standing
ovation at the
swearing-in cer
emony. The citi-
zenswhowitnessed
the event filled the
assembly room and
the lobby at the
county office build
ing on N. Main
Street.
“I would like to
thank the board of
commissioners, the
Onnie Dudley is sworn in as Hoke’s new Hoke Democratic
Register of Deeds. Party and Dooie
Leach for all of their support,” Dudley
said. “Without you. 1 would not be stand
ing here.
“1 promise to do a great job for you.”
Dudley was personally congratulated
by all of the commissioners after she took
the oath of office.
“We know you will do a good job for
us,” Commission Chairman Bobby Wright
said.
Party’s choice
On Saturday, Dudley was the only
nominee voted on by the Democratic Party.
She was recommended from the floor
during the meeting by Sheriff Hubert
Peterkin. Several moments passed with
out further nominations. Bobby Strother,
McCain precinct official, proposed Dudley
be nominated by acclamation, a recom
mendation that was subsequently ap
proved by the Democratic Party execu
tive committee.
“1 nominated Onnie based on her expe
rience,” said Peterkin, who also attended
the swearing-in ceremony. “She is held in
high esteem by our community.”
(See REGISTER OF DEEDS, page 5A)
profits from the cherry-flavored, bu r-
gundy-colored beverage are growing
in Hoke. The bottling firm recently
captured a contract to exclusively
distribute 7 Up from its Raeford site
to surrounding counties. It also intro
duced the new fruity-flavored, green-
colored soda DN L to its repertory
last week, according to Don Koonce,
(See CHEERWINE, page 7A)
City nixes radio
broadcasting tower
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
In a quasi-judicial hearing Monday
night, Raeford council members voted
unanimously to deny a conditional use
permit that would allow a 499-ft. radio
broadcast tower to be installed on 76
acres of wooes off Turnpike Road.
On November 19, the Raeford Plan
ning Board voted to recommend denial
of the conditional use request for the
property, owned by J.H. Wright Re
alty.
Wright appealed the planning
board’s recommendation to the city.
Both the planning board and the city
had approved Wright’s request to have
the property rezoned to Light Indus
trial.
In Monday night’s appeal, council-
(See TOWER, page 5A)
Man suspected
of robbing couple
in home arrested
BY Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A Fayetteville man sought for break
ing into an East Hoke home and robbing
a couple at gunpoint on December 12
has been arrested by the Hoke Sheriff’s
Office. Two other suspects will likely
be apprehended as the investigation
continues, according to Sheriff Hubert
Peterkin.
James Prentice Roberts, 22, of
Fayetteville, allegedly robbed 63-year-
old Stephen Matis and his wife Margie
Matis, 51, wielding a sawed-off shot
gun. He was charged with two counts of
(See ROBBERY, page 4A)