The
ews
it happened, it's news to us
J oumal
50^
No. 21 Vol. 96
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
League panel to address buffers
Local leaders attend first meeting in hopes concerns will be heard
From left, discussing land use are Col. Al Aycock, Fort
Bragg garrison commander, Raeford city attorney William
Fields, and Raeford Mayor Bob Gentry.
By Vktori \na Si'mmi rs
Staff writer
Hoke and City of Raeford officials
attended the first meeting in Clinton last
Wednesday of the League of the Local
Government Military Base Advisory
Committee.
The new committee, formed by the
League of Municipalities and the N.C.
Association of Countv Commissioners,
is comprised of city and county rep
resentatives across the state and w ill
form recommendations on military
land use. They will present a plan to
the N.C. General Assembly, intend
ing to look out for the best interests
of taxpayers while coexisting with
the military.
This, after Hoke, Cumberland
County, and the City of Raeford did
not endorse the controversial Fort-
Bragg Pope Air Force Base Joint
Land Use proposal that would limit
commercial and residential growth
in a one mile buffer around the bases.
Studies at other bases are also re
quiring buffers of land around mili
tary facilities to protect training ex
ercises. Since some county and city
officials do not agree with these plans
that have been endorsed by the
Governor's Advisory Commission
on Military Affairs, they hope
to reach a compromise with
counter-recommendations to
the state legislature.
“The work you are about to
undertake is vitally important
for the future relationship of
military bases and local com
munities in North Carolina,”
Ronald Aycock, executive di-
(See BUFFERS, page 7A)
Citizens polled by phone
about MePhatter case
By VicroRiANA Summers
Staff writer
Hoke residents are baffled by a telephone
survey currently underway about Bernice
MePhatter, Hoke’s former county manager,
in connection with her upcoming October 6
trial on embezzlement allegations.
No one will say who hired Focus Group
Inc., a Chapel Hill-based research firm, to
conduct the poll.
“Guilty, not guilty, probably guilty or no
opinion?” FGl-identifiedsurveyors inquired
of many surprised residents, concerning the
criminal charges against MePhatter.
MePhatter is charged in connection with
four counts of alleged embezzlement and 64
counts of alleged forgery and uttering, in
volving $269,347.90.
Neither Newton nor MePhatter’s defense
tawyer, Raeford attorney Gregory Thomp
son, will comment if they are involved in
contracting FGl to conduct a study on
MePhatter. Newton said last week there might
be a possibility of a request for a change of
venue to another county to hold the trial.
FGl representative Lenny Lind confirmed
its firm is performing a study on MePhatter.
“WeguaranteeconfidentialitN,” Lind said.
“I cannot tell you the name of our client, or
when the survey will end.”
Numerous questions were asked of local
people by FGl surveyors. Thus far. no one
seems to know the reason for the survey,
whether it is random, or if it is bei ng targeted
toward a specific group of the Hoke popula
tion.
Surveyors did not ask for names and an
nounced they were doing a sur\ey — that
they were not selling anything. Respondents
were asked if they had been notified to serve
on a jury in the near future in Hoke County.
The surveyor wanted to know if respon
dents had read the last four i.ssues of The
News-Journal, or if they listened to a local
radio station. The caller also inquired if re
spondents were related to, or Itad personal
(See PHONE POl L, page 4A)
-t
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.T-
i
March of the teddy bears
The Sandy Grove Elementary kindergartners’ beginning unit was on self-esteem and that brought a warm, fuzzy
connection from home. As a finale, a teddy bear march around the school introduced pupils to their new school
environment.
Fowler honored
for service to VFW
page 3A
Lt. McQueen
receives highest
accreditation
page 6A
Marijuana picked up
at Post Office
page 6A
Births 2B
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 6B
Deaths 6A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 5B
Public Record 6A
Religion 8A
Schools 7B
Socials 3B
Sports 5A
Weddings 3B
Hoke’s top stories
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www.thenews-journal.com
Burlington sale expected to have minimum impact here
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
It could be a win-win situation for
Burlington Industries after the textile gi
ant was recently sold to WL Ross & Co..
It could benefit 635 local employees, Hoke
County and the City of Raeford.
Local workers are among 1,700
Burlington employees whocontinue hold
ing manufacturing jobs at four plants in
North Carolina. Financier Wilbur Ross
plans a transition for Burlington from a
publicly-ovvncd corporation to a private,
profitable firm.
"Wc would expect minimum changes
tooccur at our plant as a result of WL Ross
acquiring Burlington,” Calvin House,
Raeford plant manager, said on Monday.
“That is what I am being told.
“As a whole, we feel better because
with this V enture we know the doorsshould
remain open.
Hoke Tax Collector Judy Pittman and
Raeford Assistant Manager Betty Smith
are optimistic that more than $300,000 in
delinquent taxes owed to the county and
the city by Burlington could also be paid
before the end of the year. These pay
ments would boost the treasuries of both
governments. The unpaid taxes were listed
as debts when Burlington officials filed
Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001.
“Burlington has been and remains a
very important part of Hoke County,”
County Manager Mike Wood said. “From
what 1 have heard, I am very optimistic
about their future here.”
The Bankruptcy Court approved the
acquisition proposal of WL Ross & Co.,
the highest bidder, for $614 million on
August 1. A plan of reorganization will be
reviewed by the court in late August,
(See BURLINGTON, page 3A)
New information in Kent Jacobs case prompts Hoke search
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
There is evidence that the body of Kent
Jacobs, a 42-year-old retarded man who
disappeared from his home in Hope Mills
17 months ago, may be in Hoke County.
Basedon information received through
the Cumberland County Sheriffs Depart
ment two months ago, authorities began
yesterday searching for Jacobs on private
property in Hoke using ground-penetrat
ing radar. Their work lasted until 8 p.m.
last night, according to Monica Caison,
founder of CUE (Community United Ef
fort in support of missing children).
Cai.son said this morning efforts so far
had “eliminated space,” but no body was
found.
Members of Jacobs’ family; Hoke
County law officers; Henry Davis of
Search and Rescue, based in South Caro
lina; Caison; and geophysicist Terence
M. Ilamil gathered yesterday for a brief
press conference at the Hoke County
Sheriff’s Office.
The wait has been hard, but Kent’s
family is prepared for whatever they find
relating to their missing relative, said sis-
terJackieJacobs. “We need to find Kent,”
she added.
For those who may have caused his
death, his sister promised, “Wc will not
give up until wc find you.”
Jacobs, who has the mental capacity of
a nine-year-old, left his home March 10,
2002 to visit the neighborhood he had
lived in as a child that was two miles
away. Wearing a Harley-Davidson
sweatshirt, blue jeans and Reebok sneak
ers, he was last spotted in the Colonial
(See JACOBS SEARCH, page 3A)
Jackie Jacobs, flanked by Hoke’s chief
deputy, Troy McDuffie, talks about her
missing brother.
[The News-1 Journal
News Other stuff
By Ken MacDonald
General Manager
“Compassion is sometimes
the fatal capacity foi feeling what
it is like to live inside somebody
else’s skin. It is the knowledge
that there can never really he
any peace and joy for me until
there is peace and joy finally for
you too. ”
— Frederick Buechner
Glenda Lester,“Grandma,” as
we call her, just returned from a
trip to Ecuador. She went to meet
Other stuff
the child she sponsors, and at
least partly, 1 imagine, to see if
she was being hoodooed by the
organization that accepts her
money each month.
It is natural to be skeptical in
this day and age. I remember
reading years ago, a confession
by an employee of a sponsorship
organization. She said it was her
job to write fake letters from
children totheir.sponsors to keep
the money flowing. Since that
time, at numerous conferences
and conventions 1 attended, 1
(See OTHER STUFF, page 7A)
Lumbees complain to feds about repairs
Allege home improvement program was mismanaged
By Victorkna Summers
Staff writer
Some Lumbee Indians from Scotland and Hoke
counties have complained about substandard home
repairs they received from the N.C. Indian Housing
agency in Fayetteville and other Lumbee tribal
agencies. They want to see corrective action taken,
according to the Rev. Elisha Dial, leader of the
group.
“Signatures are being gathered on a petition to
send to the Inspector General at the U.S. Housing
and Urban Development, requesting an audit and
investigation into allegations of inferior renova
tions on homes,” Dial said. “For the safety of our
senior citizens, these repairs need to be made
before people are injured.
“The Lumbee tribal agencies that administered
these funds are putting our older Lumbees in a
hardship position.”
Dial is urging HUD to investigate the Lumbee
tribal agencies — particularly N.C. Indian Hous
ing. He has gathered more than 50 signatures of
Lumbees dissatisfied with home rehabilitations,
and continues to collect signatures of disgruntled
tribal members.
“The Lumbee leaders in charge of the rehabili
tation of homes have been mistreating their own
people,” Dial said. “Some of the people that man
age these tribal agencies need to be removed from
office before we get tribal recognition from the
federal government.”
Barbara Melvin, director of the N.C. Indian
Housing, said her agency no longer supervises the
home repair program for low-income Lumbees. It
(See HOME REPAIRS, page 4A)