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No. 10 Vol. 96
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Area dams fail
as eight inches
of rain falls
McLaughlin Lake drains
from storm, no injuries
By Vktokiana Si'mmers
Staff writer
Torrents of rain caused McLaughlin Lake to overflow its dam
Sunday evening. By early Tuesday morning, the dam failed.
Violent thunderstorms pummcled the Cape Fear Region begin
ning Sunday. Sporadic downpours through early Tuesday spilled
up to eight inches of rain in Hoke County. Because of the potential
danger from flooding of McLaughlin Lake and Rockfish Creek,
law enforcement and emergency personnel were on a 24-hour vigil
between Sunday and Monday, according to A1 Schwarcbher,
Hoke’s emergency management director.
“The 250-foot dam finally burst after m idnight y esterday, but no
one was injured,” Schwarcbher said. “About a 30-foot section of
(See FLOODING, page 9A)
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A TV crew interviews At Schwarcbher, Hoke’s emergency management director, as McLaughlin Lake drains in the background. The lake’s dam
failed between midnight and 2 a.m. Tuesday morning, Schwarcbher said, after heavy rains Sunday and Monday nights.
Hoke graduation marred by ticket fiasco
r
Graduate Lisa Yepez talks to a reporter
after her family was denied entrance.
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
More than 100 family members—some from as far
away as Illinois — were blocked from Hoke High
School’s commencement exercises Friday night be
cause of a suspected student prank.
Officials said the gymnasium became prematurely
packed with extra guests because of counterfeit tickets
distributed by some students who are still unidenti
fied. Some parents did not get in because of the mix-
up, according to Hoke School Superintendent Allen
Strickland.
When the capacity reached about 1,000 people in
the gym, Strickland said, a number of family members
were turned away and left standing outside the facility.
“We had to move our graduation inside because of
the rain,” Strickland said. “We did discover that some
one printed bogus tickets.
“It is a very unfortunate situation. We are disap
pointed and sorry that it happened. If we had still held
it on the football field, people would have been walk
ing through water. It would have also have damaged
the turf on the field.”
Strickland, Sheriff Hubert Peterkin, and Hoke High
principal Donna Kennedy were present during the
emotionally-charged incident that developed at the
entrance to the gym.
“There was security present, but law enforcement
(See GRADUATION, page 7A)
Hoke officers carry
Special Olympics
torch
page 3A
Disabled man
stabbed to death
page 3A
S.T.A.R.S. shine
at teen talent show
page 1B
Births 3B
Business/Farm 4A
Calendar 3B
Classifieds 7-8B
Deaths 8A
Editorials 2-3A
Legals 5-6B
Public Record 8A
Religion 5A
Schools 2,4,8B
Socials 3B
Sports 6-7 A
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N.C. State Bar gets restraining order against Raeford attorney
Harry Southerland
By Victorian y
Summers
Staff writer
A superior court
judge has issued an
order forbidding
Raeford attorney
Harry Southerland
from handling trust
acccount money.
Acivil, temporary restraining order was
served by Hoke Sheriff’s deputies on
Southerland last week after it was issued
by the Wake County Superior Court on
May 20. It was followed by a preliminary
injunction granted against Southerland
requested by the N.C. State Bar during a
court hearing yesterday, said Root
Edmonson, deputy counsel for the N.C.
State Bar.
It temporarily prohibits Southerland
from handling any trust monies of his
clients while the investigation continues.
according to Edmonson.
Wake Superior Court Judge James C.
Spencer Jr. presided over the civil pro
ceedings with Southerland and Edmonson
present.
“There has been no determination
whether Mr. Southerland’s conduct will
cause him to put his law license in jeop
ardy,” Edmonson said. “Our investigation
is continuing.”
In the petition fi led by the State Bar, the
court found “prompt action is necessary”
to protect funds belonging to clients or
third parties held by Southerland in a
fiduciary capacity.
Southerland, former part-time foreclo
sure attorney for Hoke, initially came un
der scrutiny last year when the N.C. State
Bar entered into an inquiry concerning his
handling of his trust accounts for Hoke
delinquent taxpayers and foreclosure cli
ents. Hoke Tax collector Judy Pittman
alleged some of Southerland’s financial
(See SOUTHERLAND, page 4A)
Sheriff seeks suspect in shootings
Rampage injures three, doctors amputated woman’s leg
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A Shannon woman’s leg was amputated
by doctors after she was struck by a stray
bullet during a shooting rampage last week.
The shooting happened outside her home at
418 Haire Road last Wednesday evening,
according to Sheriff Hubert Peterkin.
Victims in the triple-shooting included
50-year-old Cora Lee Locklear; her son.
Chancy Locklear, 27; and nephew, Alexander
Locklear, 21. The Locklear cousins were
injured by multiple gunshot wounds, he said.
Peterkin arrived on the scene shortly after
the incident occurred.
“It was a mess when we got there,” Peterkin
said. “Both of the men were on the ground. I
want to commend the medical technicians
(See SHOOTINGS, page 6A)
le INeWS
News
J Journal
other stuff
By Ken Macdonald
General Manager
The self-righteous Fayetteville Ob
server editors spoiled my plans to let a
week pass without mentioning the buffers
around Fort Bragg. They ran an editorial
Tuesday suggest ing Hoke’s grassroots and
official questioning of restricting land use
around the post is punishing ourselves.
The editorial concluded with the party
line: “But Hoke should not forget that its
own economic well-being, perhaps its
economic survival, is caught up with the
military’s ability to carry out its essential
missions.”
And how is that? Will someone please
answ'cr this question; Exactly which of
Fort Bragg’s economic benefits is Hoke
(See OTHER STUFF, page 8A)
Gator strolls along
South Hilltop Road
8-10 foot reptile dents patrol car
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
James Crouch couldn’t believe his eyes as
he neared the Robeson County line in his
pickup Wednesday afternoon; an alligator
appeared to be strolling out of a field along
side South Hilltop Road.
“I thought I was seeing stuff,” he said. “He
was walking up the road like he was going to
the store.”
The al 1 igator is thought to be 8-10 feet long
judging from the fact that its tail reached the
center line on the highway while its nose
touched the white line at the edge of the
roadway. Evidently it had strayed from a
nearby pond where residents there said they
(See GATOR, page 6A)
/ _
Honoring special heroes
Vietnam veteran Jim Knott joined others at the courthouse for Monday’s
Memorial Day ceremony which featured Dr. James McLauchlin, also a Vietnam
veteran, as the speaker. McLauchlin spoke of a special class of heroes who gave
the ultimate sacrifice and should not be forgotten.