The
ews
J oumal
If it happened, il's news to m i*
No. 27 Vol. 96
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Awed by Turkey Festival
McPhatter to be tried
in Cumberland County
Balloon power
Jawaan Harris, (0, makes sure DeMarial Harris, 3, and DeMorney Harris, 2, don’t
go up, up and away with their balloons. The youngsters visited the N.C. Turkey
Festival Saturday with their mother, LaKeisha McGeachy, and grandmother Linda
Harris. More photos may be found on 8A and IB.
ViCIORI \NA Sl'MMKKS
Staff writer
The upcoming trial of former county
manager Bernice McPhatter will not be
held in Hoke County. A superior court
judge this morning granted a motion by
District*Attorney Kristy M. Newton to
have the trial moved. Judge Jack A.
Thompson also denied a motion by the
defense to have Newton barred from
prosecuting the trial. Defense attorney
Gregory Thompson had maintained
Newton's prosecuting the case would
have been a conflict of interest.
MePhatter's trial will take place in
Cumberland County beginning cither
the week of October 27 or November 3.
Judge Thompson said a change of
\'enue request by the prosecution was
unusual, hut agreed that pretrial public
ity could affect the outcome of the case.
Inargumentsearlierthis week, New
ton told the judge she wanted the trial
mo\ed in "fairness" to all sides. She
said itshouldbe movedtoa place "within
reasonable proximity "tothe Hokecom-
miinity. because of public sentiment.
She said this would ensure each side is
neither "prejudiced nor harmed” in any
way during the trial.
"It is a bit unusual for the state to
request a change of \enue.” Newton
said. "I has e an obligation because there
are specific appellate issues involved.
" riic Sew's-Jounuil was the primary
source of news media coverage,” she
said.
"Mrs. McPhatter is very well known
in the community. This case is very
significant to the
community.”
Newton said
some of the Hoke
citizens who
could be called as
potential jurors
were actually al
leged victims of
McPhatter.
“The citizens
were directly im
pacted by the
embezzlement,”
Newton said.
“They were di
rectly victimized.
She is charged
with the theft of
public funds
(See TRIAL
page 7A)
* f
Bernice McPhatter, former county manager, appears at a court
hearing on Monday concerning her upcoming embezzlement
trial.
McPhatter breaks silence
Bv ViriORI \N,A Si MMtRS
Staff writer
A serene Bernice McPhatter, who
resigned as Hoke's county attorney in
October 2001 and is charged with em
bezzlement. broke her silence on Mon
day after almost two years.
"God is with me,” she said.
McPhatter was arrested in August
2002 after a State Bureau of Investiga
tion was completed. She is being tried
on four counts of embezzlement and 64
counts of forgery and uttering.
Since leaving the employment of
Hoke County. McPhatter operated a
children’s day care service and is also
reportedly serving as a minister. Until
Monday, she has never publicly spoken
to news media or addressed the allega
tions against her.
McPhatter. who was not required to
testify as a witness, appeared in Hoke
Superior Court on Monday.
Sitting calmly next to her attorney.
Gregory Thompson, she occasionally
conferred with him privatel v as he inter
face BREAKS SILENCEpage 7A)
Isabel was kind
to Hoke
page ;iA
Bucks gobbled up
in Turkey Bowl
page .SA
United Way
campaign kicks off
page 7A
Fayetteville can't
annex us
|wge 7A
Calendar 4B
Classifieds 6B
Deaths 6A
Editorials 2A
Legals 4-5B
Religion 6A
Schools 2B
Socials 3B
Sports 4-5B
Hoke’s top stories
are on the web;
send us stories,
subscribe
www.thenews~journal.com
Building inspector fired over repairs in South Hoke
By Victoriana Scmmrrs
Staff writer
Hoke’s building and permit inspector.
Mike Sands, was fired yesterday by
County Manager Mike Wood, apparently
over substandard housing in South Hoke.
Wood reportedly took the action after a
tour of Shirley Bullard’s home off Gainey
Road, and after consulting with County
Attorney Neil Yarborough.
Building and Zoning Administrator
Linda Revels and Wood determined that
a number of permits had not been submit
ted to the county’s inspection's depart
ment before work w as begun at the home.
Raw sewage oozing into a stream and
into the Bullard's pond, a septic tank
w ithin 10 feet of the pump used for the
drinking water, and an electrical box in
side the house with live wires mangled
and installed against building code were
among many hazards found in a home
where children reside.
The tour took place after substandard
housing w as reported by Lumbee Native
American Elisha Dial. He sought the help
of Commission Vice Chairman Charles
Daniels and Commissioner Bill Cameron.
Bullard said her home was rehabili
tated by the Lumbee Tribal government,
but was not completed safely nor satisfac
torily.
"I am calling for an audit from the
Inspector General’s Office at the federal
Housing and Urban Development agency
in Washington,” Dial said. "Native Ameri
cans cannot be treated this way by their
own people, and be taken advantage of
this way. This is a misuse of public funds.”
According to the county offices,
Bullard's home will likely be condemned
unless repairs are made in compliance
with Hoke County building codes.
“I would assume the personnel action
came as a result of our visit to Mrs.
Bullard,” Revels said today. "I did not
directly discuss this w'ith Mike Wood
because I was not here yesterday.”
Sands admitted he was aware of the
situation at Bullard’s home, but said he
w as not required to enforce regulations if
the repaircrews had never sought permits
to begin with.
Daniels disagreed with this assump
tion.
“It was Mike Sands’ responsibility,”
Daniels said. “He is supposed to uphold
the standards of this county so people can
(See INSPECTOR, page 6A)
West Nile Virus found in Hoke horses, is now ‘everywhere
By Pat ALLt-.N Wilson
Editor
The West Nile virus is so prevalent in
North Carolina it could be in any county,
says Debbie Crane of the state Dept, of
Health and Human Services.
In Hoke County, one blue jay has been
found to have the virus, and three horses
became infected and are being treated. As
yet, no Hoke human residents have been
diagnosed with West Nile.
The fi rst confi rmed case i n North Caro-
lina was a bird found in Chatham County
on October 20.2000. This year, 14 human
cases have been confirmed in the state —
one a fatality.
West Nile virus (WNV) originated in
Africa, west Asia and Europe. It is carried
by mosquitoes which feed on infected
birds. In addition to birds, horses and
people, mosquitoes may also infect sheep,
cattle, cats, dogs and other animals. WNV
was first detected in New York City dur
ing the summer of 1999.
N.C. Health Director Leah Devlin is
sued a public health w arning in early June
of this year. As WNV made its way down
the eastern seaboard and across the state,
the focus had been on dead birds. “Then
we were tracking the virus and seeing
where it was going.” Dr. Devlin said.
“But, now we know it is here and our
focus has changed to one of prevention.”
The first cases this year in North Caro
lina were detected in a chicken flock in
Brunswick County in January. Later WNV
turned up in a Macon County crow.
“It’s here,” said Hoke County Health
Dept. Director Don Womble. He said two
cases of WNV in horses were in western
Hoke, another in eastern Hoke.
Womble warned citizens to be cau
tious. He advised using the “common
sense we have heard over the past 100
years about mosquitoes.
“When yo go outside, wear long
sleeves and long pants legs whenever
outdoors, use DEET (no more than 30
percent DEET on children) insect repel
lent and stay inside at dawn and dusk
(See WEST NILE, page 4A)
rrhe News-! loumal
News
Other stuff
\ Mil/
By Ken MacDonald
General Manager
The wind speed indicator high
atop the News-Journal office
building has apparently been
needingsome attention for a few
weeks but I didn’t really pay it
any nevermind until Thursday
morning when Hurricane Isabel
approached. When I opened the
office door and was blown in
side by a gust from the north, I
glanced at the indicator and it
read, “0.”
It’s imperative for us weather
lovers to know exactly what is
happening second-by-second,
and a malfunctioning anemom
eter in a hurricane does not cut it,
so 1 immediately borrowed a 16-
foot PVC pipe, w'alked to the
back of the building, reached up
to the post on tlie roof, and gave
the w ind cups a few good w hacks
(See OTHER STUFE, page 8A)
Missing Raeford
woman found dead
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Raeford native Cheryl Baxley
Ashburn was found dead on Satur
day afternoon in south Hoke after
being reported missing by her hus
band, Odell Ashburn on Septem
ber 16.
“We were racing to save her,’'
Mr. Ashburn said. “1 am heartbro
ken that we could not get to her in
time. She had bogged me to find her w hen 1 called her on her
(See MISSING WOMAN, page 6A)
Cheryl Ashburn
SBI charges CruU
with assaulting
Hoke High student
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Robert Wayne Crull, a former
Hoke County High School safety of
ficer, has been charged by the State
Bureau of Investigation with assault
on Hoke High senior Lamar
Crawford.
CruH’s trial is scheduled for Sep
tember 30.
According to Special Agcui Jaiiie
(See OFFICER CHARGED, page 7A)