The News-Journal
If it happened, it's news to us
No. 45 Vol. 95
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Hope Mills businessman buys Unifi building
liv Pat Ali.en Wilson
Editor
A Hope Mills businessman will be
the new owner of the Unifi/Spanco build
ing that once served as a manufacturing
site for textile threads.
Raeford councilmen unanimously
voted Monday night toaccept a $ 157,550
bid from Charles T. Gardner for the’
9(),()()() square foot building and the six
acres on which it is located.
Gardner first proposed to buy the
building, located at 315 North Bethel
Road and owned by the city, in Novem
ber, saying he would pay $90,000
“straight out cash” for the property.
Following Gardner’s proposal, the city
— following legal guidelines — adver
tised the property and received upset
bids, pushing the value of the building
and its acreage higher.
Gardner said he intends to procure
some type of manufacturing, distribu
tion or related industry to occupy the
building. He said yesterday he has no
tenant at the present time. ‘The first
thing 1 have to do is clean it up,” he said.
Gardner has 30 days in which to close
on the purchase.
Gardner repeated statements he made
to councilmen in November, saying he
likes Raeford and “all aspects” of the
area. He said in November, however,
the worst thing going for the building is
where it is in Raeford — near a residen
tial area. “The best thing,” he stated, “is
it is in the town of Raeford.” '
Gardner said he will work as closely
as possible with the Raeford-Hoke Eco
nomic Deve lopment Commission to find
a suitable tenant. “They’re the key,” he
said about RHED, “to securing manu
facturing or even distribution” tenants
for the site.
Working with RHED, North Caro
lina Southeast, this area’s state-sup
ported economic development agency
could place the building on an industrial
development website and help market
the building.
Gardner told councilmen in Novem
ber, “I’m in the warehousing business,”
and said he has historically bought old
(See UNIFI BUILDING, page lOA)
Ill-timed snowstorm
causes 39 accidents
Four wrecks involved Hoke school buses
I3v VirroRixNA Summers
Staff writer
It was not a beautiful sight or a
winter wonderland for motorists in-
\ol\ed in 39 accidents during last
Thursday morning’s snow storm.
Four school buses with children
on board wrecked before they were
recalled by the Hoke school
superintendent’s office. “There were
no injuries on the buses and none of
the bus drivers were at fault in the
accidents,” saiii Hoke School Super
intendent Allen Strickland.
Hoke schools were closed on
Thursday and Friday, and an optional
work day for teachers was scheduled
on Friday.
"The other motorists who struck
our buses were charged,” Strickland
said. “We did not have any snow here
until 6:15 in the morning. Our plan
calls to make a decision whether to
close school by 6 a.m. Naturally, you
want to make a decision quickly.
“Most of our buses had phones on
them and did not go out, but we were
unable to turn around a few that had
already left.”
Strickland said there were 12 chil
dren riding on one bus, six students on
another, and very few on the remain
ing two buses. He said the school offi
cials based their decision to close
school because of reports from the
Sheriff’s Office, the N.C. Highway
Patrol, and the school’s maintenance
and transportation garages.
Details from the Highway Patrol
were still sketchy because of the mas-
(See SNOWSTORM, page 8A)
r
■«wf
%
District Attorney Kristy M. Newton and special investigator John
Joseph discover debris next to the Scurlock Elementary School
grounds that includes an empty liquor bottle.
D.A., state launch
nuisance probe
in Scurlock area
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
The state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division began a
public nuisance and abatement preliminary investigation
in the Scurlock community, home of Scurlock Elemen
tary School, two weeks ago. An SOS call for help was
sent by Heritage Village resident Dawn Ferguson to the
ALE office in Greensboro several months ago.
Since ALE began its inquiry of Scurlock activities,
loitering, drug deals, gang violence, bullets found on
school grounds, and litter from beer cans have decreased,
according to Ferguson, school volunteer and community
activist.
Ferguson said she is fondly called “target” by her
husband because she is on a one-woman crusade to make
a difference for Scurlock children. Barely one year ago,
Scurlock resident Davis Cherry Jr. was murdered there,
and the slaying remains unsolved. Cherry was blud
geoned to death.
In 2002, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 73 calls at
(See SCURLOCK PROBE, page 9A)
Students learn
about career choices
page 1B
Suspect letter
leads to arrest
page 4A
Bucks ranked
sixth in state
page 6A
Store robbed
at gunpoint
(jage 9A
Anniversaries 3B
Births 3B
Calendar 3B
Classifieds 5-6B
Deaths 4A
Editorials 2-3A
Engagements 3B
Legals 4,6B
Public Record 4A
Religion 5A
Schools 2B
Socials 3B
Sports 6-7 A
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web
www.tbenews-journal.com
Hoke couple arrested on felony child abuse charges
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
An investigation into allegations of
felony child abuse involving a four-
month-old infant culminated on Friday
with the arrests of a Hoke military couple
by the Sheriff’s Office, according to Sher
iff Hubert Peterkin.
“The bruises and other injuries on this
child appeared very severe,” Peterkin said,
“The abu,se allegedly committed by the
parents happened in the family’s home at
Heritage Village military subdivision. The
baby is about nine months old now.
“The incident occurred last August,
but the previous sheriff s administration
never acted on the case. We inherited this
situation. After we reviewed the file, we
realized it needed immediate attention.”
Kevin Dewayne Staggs, 22, a U.S.
Army specialist, and his wife, Rosie Ann
Staggs, 19, were each charged with one
count of felony child abuse with inten
tions to inflict serious bodily injury. Mr.
Staggs is a native of Benton, Arkansas.
He is assigned to the HHT 1/17 CAV at
Fort Bragg. Mrs. Staggs, also known as
Rosie Ann Langley, was born in Seoul,
Korea. She w-as employed as a clerk by
General Jackson’s Inc. on Yadkin Road
in Fayetteville prior to her arrest.
Residents of Soyang Court, he was
placed under a $75,000 secured bond and
she under a $25,000 secured bond. Kevin
Staggs remains in custody at Hoke County
Jail, but his wife was released after pay
ing her bail.
According to Peterkin, the infant was
(See ABUSE, page lOA)
Addicts share in Hoke’s only rehab program
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
“We are on this bus together, and there
is no one higher than the other in this long
journey back,” said one of the recovering
adult drug addicts and alcoholics who
meet for group substance prevention ses
sions at Freedom Chapel AME Zion
Church. Clustered in a small fellowship
room, these former addicts say the volun
teer therapy and “straight talk” is work
ing miracles.
Those struggling to kick their habits
are urged to join the only known rehabili-
talion group available in Hoke, said
Shirley Hart, the volunteer counselor-
supervisor for Freedom Community Re
covery Support.
“It started out with three of us, but then
two dropped out,” Hart said of the group’s
beginnings. “I was alone except for Rev.
Owens-w'hat a blessed man. 1 continued,
and it is the only place I know of in Hoke
where addicts are being helped. More
addicts joined because they saw there
ain't nothing changed outside. It is still
the same,” she said.
“Recovery docs work. We are helping
those suffering the pain and anguish of
being an addict to get back on track,” she
said.
In a plea to teens who maj be tempted
to try drugs or alcohol, the group sent an
impassioned message.
“Our advice to teenagers is just to say,
‘No,’” they said in unison. “Do not par
ticipate. Once you get hooked on drugs or
alcohol then it is all over.
“Listen to your parents. They love you
and do not want to see you suffer.”
Sponsored by the Rev. Ray P. Owens
Ministry, a non-profit organization, sub
stance abuse victims are welcomed with-
(See RECOVERING, page 4A)
Shirley Hart hosts a volunteer drug/alco
hol rehabilitation group in Hoke County.
Neighborhood bust takes in
12 pounds of marijuana
By Chris Smupe
Staff writer
Hoke County Sheriffs seized 12 pounds
of marijuana in a recent drug bust in the
McDougald Downs subdivision. This just
one of several such moves by the Sheriff’s
office in recent times.
Roy and Elizabeth Edwards were ar
rested on January 22 after receiving a pack
age through the U.S. mail, the package
containing 11 pounds of marijuana. Also
seized that day were more of the drug,
several guns, a scale, and an undisclosed
amount of cash.
Neighbors of the home at 1807
O’Bannon Drive had no clue what was
going on. Sheriff Peterkin said, after speak
ing to one set of neighbors, “ t hey were
shocked. They said that they could
never have believed it.”
The raid happened thanks to a tip
from a postal inspector. Undercover
agents followed the package and Roy
Edwards attempted to flee the scene.
Once apprehended, he was served with
a search warrant and the rest of the items
taken that day were found in his home.
Also found in the home where two pass
ports, with recent activity to Roy
Edward’s home of Jamaica.
“People are trying everything to get
dmgs into the area,” said Sheriff Peterkin.
“Just as soon as they realize we’ve fig
ured out their plans, they make new
(See DRUG BUST, page lOA)
Sgt. Scotti Luckie displays some of the items taken from the house in a raid Jan. 22.