The ews Journal If It ha|)|K‘n(‘(l, il's ii(*ws to u| No. 43 Vol. 95 State challenges key points of Leandro case Denies it has responsibility to ensure basic education B> ViciokiAN \ Si mmi;rs . Staff writer rile N.C. Attorney General's Of fice has filed the first legal brief in the state's appeal of the verdict in the lawsuit Hoke and othercounties filed over unequal education funding. The state rebutted a 2002 trial court rul ing that students who perform at a lower lev el on achievement tests are not on target to receive a sound basic education. The State Attorney s office wants the N.C. Court of Appeals to over turn Superior Court Judge Howard Manning Jr.'s final 'Xpril 2002 rul ing. according to State Attorney Gen eral Roy Cooper. "Judge Manning ignored other measures of student performance, includinggrades from teachers and a high school diploma, as evidence that students were getting a sound basic education,” state attorneys said in the brief this week. After Hoke was victorious last April in its nine-year legal battle to ensure “at-risk” students receive a sound basic education, the state filed an intent of appeal in May 2002. This was followed by a formal appeal in July 2002. “If the appeals court reverses the legal victory won by Hoke, it would reverse nine years of litigation, testi mony and research devoted to help disadvantaged students receive an education equal to those students in wealthier counties,” Hoke School Superintendent Allen Strickland said. “It has cost our low wealth consor tium, paid by many counties, well over $2 million to fight the state for our children to receive the education they are entitled to. “When will this ever end?" Strickland said I loke students and other students from low wealth coun ties are the ones suffering through this ordeal. “We will not give up this fight until the state concedes they mu.st provide additional financial assis tance to count ies who are more socio- economically deprived." Strickland said. “Our students are not going to be the losers." In the 65-page rebuttal of Manning’s ruling, the state said it is not at fault if students do not receive a sound basic education. However, (See LEANDRO, /wge 7A) Board hesitant to give up land Plans tour to study impact of losing 400 acres to Robeson Mv \'|( lOkl \\ \ Sl'MMl'RS Staff wt iter Some 400 acres of land assessed at more than one-half million dol lars. and .S4.0()0 in annual tax rev enue could be permanently lost by Hoke. After a quest to determine the county s eastern perimeter, some commissioners are griping over the results. The survey, conducted by the N.C. Geodetic Survey, basically backfired on Hoke, said Commis sion Chairman Bobby Wright. According to Wright, the state’s survey concluded the boundary be tween Hoke and Robeson counties is not accurate, granting more land to Robeson. “We could end up on the shrink ing side of the adjoining county lines,” Wright said. “Until a tour is conducted of the proposed border on February 12, we will not approve the new line, or we may debate it. “What is our advantage forgiving this up? We are going to lose revenue and acreage.” Wright, who operates a large fam ily farm in the northwest region of Hoke, said the tax assessor’s li.sting on the land value does not even in clude an estimate on the potential retail market value. “If it were later sold or developed by property owners, it could be a tax revenue boost,” Wright said. “If Robeson gains the land, we v\ ill also lose the opportunity for additional economic growth for jobs in that area.” To establish the county line, state surveyor Roger Barnes utilized the global positioning .satellite system, state archives, old maps, and infor mation from local surveyors. I le said the updated border should have been (See L\ND I OSS, jwge SA) 1 We're cooking with Cheerwine n> >(: Bids on Unifi building continue 4A Information needed for business directory jA Anniversaries .3B Births .3B Business/Farm 5A Calendar .2B Classifieds .5B Deaths 3A Editorials 2A Legals .4B Public Record 3A Religion 5A Schools .6B Socials .3B Sports 6A Weddings .3B Hoke’s top stories are on the web www.thenews-journal.com Calvin House, Burlington’s plant manager in Raeford, displays an array of military uniforms the manufacturer produces. Burlington bouncing back from bankmptcy filing By Victoriana Summers Staff writer This is the final article in a series on economic development in Raeford and Hoke County. Burlington Industries in Raeford may not be bursting at the seams with extra business yet, but it is steadily emerging from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a positive outlook for the future. It con tinues to improve its operations, ac quiring new U.S. government contracts for its yarn and dye factory, according to Calvin House, plant manager. “In restructuring the international firm, 900 workers employed a year ago have been reduced to 650,” House said. “We are not planning any further lay offs at this time, and we are retaining our staff of 650. That is the staff we see required to fill our orders. “Our employees took a negative situ ation and made it positive. They really worked together as a team and made tremendous progress this past year. I am very proud of them.” As orders continue to pour in for wool and wool polyester tops and yarns, House envisioned Burlington could likely pull out of its bankruptcy by mid summer. House said substantial contracts with the U.S. military branches compri.se most of the orders for products manu factured at the IcKal plant, a division of (See BURLINGTON, page 8A) Wednesday, January 15, 2003 A • I . Ann Hostetler (center) accepts a $10,000 check from Linda and Ralph Huff at the McLauchlin-McFadyen House with Grace McDonald and Lockie MacDonald (back row), founders of the Raeford Hoke Museum. Couple gives $10,000 to Raeford museum Bv Victoriana St vimi rs Staff writer Linda and Ralph Huff presented the Raeford Hoke Museum Committee with a SlO.OOO check for the acquisition of the historic McLauchlin-McFadyen House. This is a pledge to use any resources avail able, said Ralph Huff, so the historic mu seum becomes a reality for future genera tions. The Huff contribution brings the total proceeds collected to $149,()()() of the $25().()()() needed to purchase the Raeford estate on Highland Avenue. They arc urg- i ng every cit izen of Hoke, and corporations to donate whatever they can to participate in the undertaking to preserve Hoke’s his tory. The couple, partners in Coldwel I Banker United Reality and Huff Pennick& Strother real estate . have their own stake in Hoke. The Huffs, natives of Raeford. have erected I It) upscale homes. 63 of them in Hoke. “Give until it hurts," said the Huffs, also owners of H & H Constructors in Fayetteville. “We feel like everything we are and enjoy has been achieved because we had a good, solid foundation w'hen we grew up in Hoke County. “We grew up in a time in Hoke when teachers taught you how to be good stu dents and good citizens. We were able to (See MUSEUM GIFT, page 7A) Sheriff tells South Hoke citizens drug situation is ‘bad,’ seeks help By P.vr At i.i n Wilson Editor * “It's bad.” Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said about illegal drugproblems in Hoke County as he asked citizens at a South Hoke com munity meet-the-sheriff event to “give us a chance to work; give us a chance to fix it.” “When (drug) roundups are made — you’re not going to believe some of the people involved,” the sheriff said. Listening to one resident speak of people repeatedly mistaking his home for the nearby house of a drug dealer, Peterkin promised to respond to calls and informa tion provided him. "You won’t know what we are going to do," he added. Speaking of the “10 drug busts” made since he took office Just over a month ago, Peterkin told residents of the importance of their involvement. “Every drug bust came from somebody calling my office, my house,” he said. Peterkin introduced key staff members to the gathering of about 35 people at South (See CRIME ISSUES, page 8A) Shotgunned dog rescued in Rockfish By Chris Siiupe Staff writer Skippy Hynes rescued another dog on Saturday, but this time, the dog was differ ent. It was a stray hanging around Hardin’s in Rockfish, and by all accounts was a beautiful, friendly labrador/golden retriever mix. It also had a gunshot wound in the chest. ’ Hynes spoke of her previous encounters with the dog. “It started last August. There were two dogs in that area that someone had dumped and 1 had been trying to catch them.” Hynes, owner of the Gots Spots Etc. animal rescue, hoped to find homes for both animals. “That Saturdav. I went to feed them and the black lab let me put a noose around him to take him somewhere safe. The blonde wouldn't come near me.” Hynes said that (See DOG SHOT, page 5A)

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