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The
ews
Journal
happened, it's news
No. 44 Vol. 96
lO.
50(t
Wednesday, january 21, 2004
Fueling the Future
I
P
Consultants say
build new jail
Overcrowding, inadequate conditions
will only worsen as population grows
.5-
■'t:-
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Richard Howard, program technician with the North Carolina Solar Center, helps East Hoke Middle students Patrick Flowers
(wearing goggles) and Lynwood Monroe attach wires to a model of a fuel cell car under the Students Fueling the Future program.
EHMS is one of 10 North Carolina schools receiving grants to participate in the program. An article on the program will be
included in an upcoming issue of The News-Journal.
Hy Vlt'IOKI \na Summi ks
Staff writer
A preliminary report on the Hoke
County Detention Center recently re
leased reveals deficiencies and over
crowded conditions. The study cited
conditions where inmates, who do not
have a bed assigned, must some times
temporarily sleep on tables or on the
floor.
The list details inadequate medical
conditions, problems in the kitchen, in
sufficient property and records storage,
a lack of a recreational and exercise area
for inmates, and a lack of security for
visitors who come to the facility.
By 2030, the inmate population in the
Hoke County Detention Center will
more than quadruple from 71 to an esti
mated 313 per month. In a further in
crease, the projected population of Hoke
residents will more than double from
33,646 to 75,179 in the next 26 years,
according to the jail study conducted by
Mosely, Wilkins & Wood architects.
The Hoke jail committee was pre
sented these statistics in a summary
report by the architectural consulting
firm last Tuesday. The next phase will
include a study of three potential sites
for building a new jail, or recommenda
tions for expanding the existing facility.
Committee members will decide on the
three locations at their February meet
ing.
Nelda Ixon and Dan Mace, consult
ants with the Charlotte-based firm, were
instrumental in designing a new jail in
Sampson County. They were contracted
two months ago by the Hoke board of
commissioners to prepare a feasibility
.study on whether to expand or build a
new facility. This, after the state regu
lating agency and an inmates’ rights
organization threatened to close down
the Hoke jail’s 40-bed annex, rrr file a
lawsuit.
Com m issione rs agreed to t he $2(),(M)(I
study because of overcrowding, prrs-
sible understaffing of jailers, and al
leged inferior security equipment cur
rently in the facility. Their approval of a
stud) preceded a jailbreak of four in
mates accused of kidnapping and break
ing and entering charges. The inmates
were later recaptured.
On learning of the stark statistics,
Hoke Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said it is
not a question of "if the county should
build a jail,” but “when.” County Man
ager Mike Wood sax s the county cannot
afford to build an $8.5 million jail that
would house 250beds, as recommended
by Mosely’s consulting firm, unless
supplemental funding is secured.
Peterkin and Wood commended Raz
Autry, chairman of the jail committee.
They expressed confidence also in Com-
missioners Jean Powell and Bill
Cameron, and all other volunteers on
(SeeJAIl , page 6A)
CPR gives man
a second chance
page 1B
Scaggs murder case
revived
page 3A
Arson suspected
in home fire
page 8A
Births 2B
Business/Farm 6A
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 6-7B
Deaths 3,8A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 4-5 B
Public Record 3A
Religion 7A
Schools 8B
Socials 3B
Sports 4-5A
Hoke’s top stories
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www.thenews~journal.com
School board eyes career academy at high school
Approach starts with 9th grade, combines educational, career paths in ‘school within a school’
By VirioRiANA Summers
Staff writer
The Hoke Board of Education is con
sidering a concept of career academies
within Hoke County High School, trans
forming it into a “talent development”
high schtx)l.
By combining the right balance of “nag
ging and nurturing,” students will excel,
according to Betsy Bailey, coordinator
for the new initiative.
“We have to decide which pathway we
want to put into the academics,” Bailey
told the Hoke Board ofEducation. “It will
be a sch(X)l within a school.”
The “super-restructuring” project is
being sponsored by Johns Hopkins
University’s Center for Research on the
Education of Students Placed At Risk,
under a Comprehensive School Reform
grant. A Ninth Grade Success Academy
will be established that is expected to
eventually reduce the high .school drop
out rate in Hoke, according to Hoke As
sistant ScIuh)! Superintendent Tim Farley.
“We have a high dropout rate,” Farley
reminded the board.
Bailey and Farley presented a brief
program to the Hoke Board of Education
Lf-f'
last week, encouraging its support for the
reform designed to improve Hoke High.
A twilight academy will also be proposed
to assist students who arc not successful
in day-to-day curriculums in the school
system as a positive intervention pro
gram.
“We are embarking on a path to re
structure the classrooms,” Bailey said. “I
(See ACAIWMY, page 4A)
SBI steps up
Southerland
I criminal probe
By Vk'ioriana Summi rs
Staff writer
lewS'
News
Oth
By Ken MacDonaed
General Manager
Everyone knowsone of the nicest things
about the holidays is the opportunity tosit
around as a family and recount stories.
Now that the holidays are over, and
I’ve had some lime to do some reflecting
on those moments and on a couple of
stories from others. I’d like to pass on for
younger families my suggested Family
Statute of Limitations - the time that
should pass before it’s safe for children to
confess to various misdeeds:
Using homemade (is there any other
kind?) potato guns to fire spuds - and
other debris-into the neighbors’ yards, i
years
Making homemade torches from
hairspray, WD40, perfume, gasoline (add
10 years), and thereby losing hair from
the head, eyebrows, arms, or for that mat
ter, anywhere. 2 years
(See OTHER STUFF, page 5A)
Above: Hoke dignitaries and guests gather at the 17th
annual Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet/Celebration on
Monday evening. The event was held at the Cape Fear
Conference "B" Headquarters with more than 200
people attending. Left: Lynette Barber of Raleigh per
forms an inspirational song.
Committee of 100
up and mnning
By Pat Ali.en Wieson
Editor
The Committee of KM) adopted by
laws and established a five-member
nominating committee to select a board
of directors at its first meeting last
Wednesday night.
T'he Committee ot 100 is being reac
tivated by the Raeford Hoke Economic
Development Commission as a county
wide, privately-funded, nonprofit cor
poration with the goal to expand eco-
(See COMMITTEE OF 100, page 6A)
The N.C. Stale Bureau of Investiga
tion has accelerated its criminal inquiry
in connection with irregularities alleg
edly committed by Raeford attorney
Harry Southerland.
“We have already started to proceed
with our investigation against Mr.
Southerland,” SBI Supervisor/ Agent
Jerry Weaver, said on Friday. “Now it is
on the horizon. I cannot comment on the
evidence we are basing our information
on, but our inquiry is very active right
now.”
A former part-time, foreclosure at
torney for Hoke County for more than
two years, Southerland has denied any
allegations of impropriety. He did not
comment about the SBI inquiry con
tinuing forward.
In December, Weaver announced that
his state law enforcement agency was
deferring its probe on Southerland until
after the N.C. State Bar completed its
separate investigation. The NCSB is
holding a civil trial against Southerland
on February 20, requesting that
Southerland be disbarred. The proceed
ing will be conducted by a disciplinary
(See PROBE, page dA)