The
No. 52 Vol. 95
Leaders
to address
war issues
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
Since President Bush gave Saddam Hussein
48 hours to flee Iraq or face invasion by a
military force on Monday night, Hoke
Countians have joined others across the nation
in facing an inevitable war. There is also a
growing concern of retaliation on the home
front in the form of terrorist attacks.
Sheriff Hubert Peterkin and others in Hoke
are taking action in whatever ways they see fit
to prepare locals for war and possible terrorist
attacks.
Peterkin wants people to listen to the local
(See WAR PREPARATIONS, page 2A)
Food Lion plaza
gets sewer, water
' By Victoriana Summer.
Staff writer
Hoke commissioners approved preliminary
engineering fees to design a $318,000 sewer
system for Hoke Landing, a proposed multi
million Food Lion shopping plaza adjacent to
East Hoke Middle School. The addition of sewer
infrastructure at the intersection of Club Pond
Road and U.S. 401 will benefit the surrounding
area for a multitude of commercial enterprises
and cou Id create more jobs, accordi ng to County
Manager Mike Wood.
(See FOOD LION, page 7A)
ews
Journal
If it happened, it^s news to us
50^
P AEFOQP St Hoke Couinity n.c.
LANDMARK BURNS THIS MORNING
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
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Raeford fireman Glenn Thompkins takes a break from fighting a fire this morning at 813 N. Main Str^t. The home, beloh|ihgto James and Florence Weaver,
was completely destroyed, but firemen from Raeford and North Raeford fire departments, along with Raeford police, were able to rescue several people from
the house. See story, page 7A
Can you identify
these antiques?
page 4A
East Hoke wins
Battle of Books
page 1B
Vass/401 crossing
called dangerous
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 5B
Deaths 3A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 2B
Legals 3,4,6B
Public Record 8A
Religion 5A
Schools 1B
Socials 2B
Sports 6-7 A
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www.thenews-journal.com
Burlington sale falls through, other buyers sought
By Victoriana Si'mmers
Staff writer
A bid to acquire Burlington Industries
Inc. for $579 million in cash has fallen
through. Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a Ne
braska-based firm owned by billionaire
Warren Buffet, has been turned down by
the bankruptcy court, but Burlington is
seeking other buyers. Buffet’s multi-mil
lion offer for Burlington represented a
substantial opportunity for the Greens
boro-headquartered textile giant to pay
offitsdebts from Chapter 1 l,accordingto
6eorge W. Henderson III, Burlington’s
chairman and chief executive officer.
Henderson said the unsecured credi
tors would not agree to the terms even
though the bank lenders were in agree
ment on the sale. Burlington filed for
bankruptcy protection in November 2001
under Chapter 11. The Raeford plant has
remained opened in spite of some plant
closings in other regions.
“It is unfortunate that the Berkshire
Hathaway break-up fee was not accepted
by the court and the offer has been subse
quently withdrawn by Berkshire,”
Henderson said. “It was a firm cash offer
that would have been a good outcome for
the company, our employees and our
creditors.
“The fact that there is so much interest
in the company is a credit to our employ
ees that have worked so hard to get us to
this point. The bankruptcy process is com
plex and consists of many steps.”
Henderson said since the court’s rejec
tion of Buffet’s offer, Burlington offi-
(See BURLINGTON, page 5A)
Lumbee tribe approves territory change
Will help in bid for complete federal recognition, leaders say
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Lumbee Indians have declared Hoke,
Robeson, Scotland and Cumberland coun
ties theirofficial territory. The declaration
followed a referendum and is part of the
tribe’s efforts to gain full federal recogni
tion after more than a century of denial.
In a vote held on March 8, tribal mem
bers decreased their domain to include
only the four contiguous counties rather
than the entire state.
Otherwise, it would have placed them
in conflict with territories of the seven
Indian tribes in North Carolina, according
to Alex Baker, Lumbees’ public informa
tion officer in Pembroke.
“By restricting our territory, we are
respecting the territories claimed by other
Native American tribes in the state so they
do not overlap,” Baker said. “The major
ity of the Lumbees’ 52,000 members re
side in these fou r counties. We have 46,000
in Robeson County, 3,852 in Hoke, 1,200
in Cumberland and the remainder reside
in Scotland and other parts of the state or
out of state.
“Changing our territory was a major
(See LUMBEES, page 4A)
Police file cruelty to animals
charge against Raeford man
Michelle Queja, a volunteer with the Hoke Raeford
Humane Society, consoles Prince after he was alleg
edly abused.
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A Raeford man has been charged
with animal cruelty by the Raeford
Police Department after his nine-
year-old husky named Prince was
found in his backyard without food,
water or shelter. The emaciated-
looking Prince, renamed Trooper
by the Hoke Raeford Humane Soci
ety because of his spirit to survive,
was euthanized several days later.
The dog was rushed to Cross
Creek Animal Cliniesufferingfrom
shock on March 1, according to
Michelle Queja. Hoke cruelty in
vestigator.
“He was barely clinging to life,”
Queja said. “We tried to save him.
but he was too far gone. He was in
tremendous pain.”
Trooper was diagnosed Dr. Timo
thy Jordan as having cancer and
heart worms.
The suspect, Philas Ray Johnson,
allegedly failed to feed, water or
obtain medical attention for his dog,
according to arresting officer P.M.
Caughey of the Raeford PD.
Johnson, 52, of 203 East
Donaldson Avenue was charged
with misdemeanor cruelty to ani
mals. His trial is scheduled for Apri 1
8, said Kim Shelton, cruelty inves
tigator and director of the Hoke
Animal Shelter.
Caughey said a bucket of stag
nant, greenish water was found in
Johnson’s backyard. He said he
(See CRUELTY, page 5A)
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A young Lumbee tribal member partici
pates in an annual Native American pow
wow.
Chamber, businesses
prepare for Expo
Preparations are underway for
Hoke Expo 2003 which will be held
next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The National Guard Armory on
Teal Drive will again be bursting at
the seams after industries, busi
nesses and organizations set up
booths to showcase their products
(See CHAMBER, page 8A)