The
ews
Journal
it happened, it's nem
50^
No. 43 Vol. 96
Wednesday, lanuary 14, 2004
Parachute factory, shopping center planned
Hi Vu lOUlANA Sl'MMl KS
Staff writer
More industrial anti commcrciill busi
nesses will st)on be ca 11 i ng Hoke Cou nty
home.
A ma jor body armor equipment com
pany liK’atcd in St. Pauls is planning to
open the first parachute factory in lltrke
County next to P.K. Air Park on Doc
Brown Road.
In another busine.ss development, a
small business center is being designed
next to the multi-million dollar Hoke
Landing on Club Pond Road vt here the
new Ftrod Lion grocery store will be
opening.
Paraclete Armor and l-.quipment,
owned by Tim D’Annun/io. will manu
facture parachute ctrmponents and rig
ging to fill ctrntracts for private and
military trrders, according to (iene
Thacker, w ho w ith his w ife, Billie,owns
Raeford’s airport ;ind Raeford Avia
tion.
The new factory will be named
Paraclete Aero. D'Annun/io, a lormer
U.S. Army (iolden Knight parachutist.
uses the airport drop /one frequently to
skvilive. A Raeford resident,
1 )'Annun/ioalso employs hissons, John
andJoev, in the family-ow ned business.
Joev, a meniber of the R2nd \irborne
Division, iscurrentlv stationed in Iraq.
f.SVc l ACTOlh', piii^c 4A)
Everything’s all white
Left: Callow.!/ Road was picturesque at noontime on Friday. Below:
Twins Mandi (left) and Candi Garner huddle m ponchos waiting for a
ride home after classes end early at West Hoke Middle School. See
story and more photos on p.ige 7A,
•iif'
r.
■,i ./ s
Evelyn Price is
Volunteer of the Year
Hoke teen appointed
to state council
piigi* 3A
Snowfall causes
early school closing
TA
Births 2B
Calendar JB
Classifieds 5-()B
Deaths 9 A
Editorials 2A
Legals 3-4B
Public Record 3A
Religion 5A
Schools 3A
Socials 2B
Sports bA
Weddings 2B
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www.thenews-journal.com
Feud over rezoned lot in Rockfish going to court
Neighbor says commissioners ignored opposition and improperly spot-zoned land
By Vk'IORIANA SUMMI'RS
Staff writer
A dispute between Rockfish property
owners over the rezoning of a lot from
RA-20IOhighwaycommercial will likely
end up in a Hoke County courtroom.
An appeal of the recent Hoke board of
county commissioners’ rezoning action
was filed on January 2 in the Hoke Supe
rior Court division. Rockfish resident
William E. Kclchncr, Jr. lodged the com
plaint.
Kcichner, who owns a home near the
controversial lot, opposed the rezoning
application at acounty commission meet
ing last month. 1 lowevcr, the board unani
mously approved the request of Rockfish
property owner Clyde Shepley, who said
he wanted to place a neighborhood busi
ness on the one-acre tract he owns. In
spite of substantial opposition, the major
ity of the board indicated the rezoning
would help advance the economy of Hoke
without affecting property values. They
unanimously approved Shepley’s request
to change the lot’s use.
Kelchner named all the commission
ers, and also Shepley, in his petition to the
court. The board and Shepley will be
required to respond to tbe civil summons.
The cleared land is loctited at the corner
of Myra and Rockfish roads near Davis
Bridge. It is across the street from Stone
wall Subdivision,containinga numberof
homes that directly flank Rockfish Rotid.
In his complaint to the court, Kelchner
is seeking for the board to reverse its
decision. He alleged in hiscomplaint that
the rezoning consisted of "illegal spot
zoning.” There are no commercial prop
erties located within a half-mile radius of
Shepley’s property, he added.
“Respondents (commissioners) had
very little discussion of the i.ssues at the
hearing, therefore, making it appear the
rezoning was a ‘done deal,’ Kelcline
wrote in his petition to the court. “Re
spondents ignored substantial and over
whelming testimony from the surround
ing residential owners t hat the applicat ion
for rezoning be denied.
“The respondents (commissioners)
exceeded their powers as the rezoning
was not for the purpose of promoting,the
health, safety, morals or the general wel
fare (of citizems).”
(SeeLAWSUir, pageSAj
k
I -v
Rockfish resident Clyde Shepley examines a one-acre tract he owns that was rezoned
from RA-20 to highway commercial.
' County, city collaborate
on Century projects
lews
News
s-1 Journal
By KhN MacDonald
General Manager
I’ve often heard it’s hard tofindagtxid
Plummer. But I know of a few. Judging
from a newspaper clipping given to me,
one is Dr. William Plummer, a native of
Hoke County. A veterinarian for more
than 50 years in Wayne County, Plummer
was honored in December w'ith an en
dowed scholarship in his name at N.C.
State University. The company for whom
he worked for 12 years following his
retirement from private practice -
Goldsboro Milling - funded the scholar-
(N
\ I
ship with $ 17,000 toaid future vets, mainly
in eastern N.C.
Plummer is related to most of the other
mostly good Plummers in Hoke County.
He was a fighter pilot in World War li, is
a graduate of Auburn University and was
twice named Distinguished Veterinarian
of the Year. I le was also president of the
state association of veterinarians.*;*
Ellen Currie stopped by the office
Monday and delivered a photoof Ken and
Betsy Ann McNeill’s grandchildren, Sara
and Kenneth (— nice name) Cato of
(See OTHER STUFF, page 4A)
BV ViCIORIANA SUMMI RS
AND
Pvt At 1 I N Wilson
I'ollowing the City of Raeford’s lead,
the Hoke board of commissioners has
also voted to support four key develop
ment projects to enhance living and eco
nomic conditions in the county.
These objectives will serve as a blue
print for the Hoke County 21st Century
Community initiatives,accordingtoHoke
Economic Developer Don Porter.
E.ssenlial for transforming dreams into
designated improvements, these projects
may be altered during he process or
(See PROJECTS, page RA)
"Can you hear me now?" Hoke Economic
Developer Don Porter mimics the popular
Verizon commercial as he discusses posi
tive growth with Raz Autry, former Hoke
Schools superintendent.
Teachers assistants accused of sexual misconduct
By Vk'IORIANA Summi rs
Staff writer
Two male teacher assistants working
at Hoke County High arc no longer em
ployed by the I loke public school system
afterbeingaccusedof sexual misconduct.
A male student filed a complaint with a
School Resource Officer approximately
one month ago against the two faculty
mLmbv,i>, an-uidingtothe Hoke Sheriff's
Office.
SRO deputiesare certified and assigned
to Hoke High under the direct command
ofSherifI Hubert Peterkin. They also have
(.See MISCONDUCT, page 8A)