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The
ews
Journal
4t happened, it's news to
No. 47 Vol. 96
50C
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
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New schools needed
to match growth pace
Two schools could cost $19 million or more
li'> Vl lOKIANA SUMMI KS
Staff writer
llukc School Superintendent Allen Slrickhind
told the Board of' Hduealion yesterday that Hoke
('ounty schools are grrrw ing h\' “leaps;ind bounds"
and tire in need of tit least one new elenientar\
school and another middle school. After a presen
tation. the school board approved a studv to
determine new schools needs and localiotis suit
able for construction.
Strickland estimated the two proposed schools
would cost $H) million or more. It would lake
students.
Anticipated class-si/e reductions and Moie At
I'our classroom programs taking up moie s|r.ice
aggravate the situation fuilhei. Stiickland loki the
board.
'fhere are cunentU sc\en elemental) schools,
three middle schools anil onl\ one high school in
Hoke.
"We ha\e to make sure we do not exceed 21
students per classroom." he said. "We h;i\e been
in discussion with some planneis to determine
\ihere the growth is coming.
“We need to know w h;ilelenientat\ and middle
“Our schools are already at capacity. We ha\'e
g[rovvn at a rate of about nine percent o\’er the
last five years.” - Superintendent Striekinnd
An exotic touch
Top; South Hoke third graders are confronted by a South American tarantula during a Tropical
Connnections presentation at the Hoke County Library by a visitor from the N.C. Museum of Natural
Science. Bottom: The youngsters experience a ball python from the rain forests of South America up close
and personal.
approximately three years to complete site pur
chasing, architectural drawings and final con
struction for one school, he added.
“The numbers (students) are shooting right up
there, ' Strickland said. “Our schools tire already
at capacity. We have grown at a rate of about nine
percent over the last five years.”
“That is about two percent per year.”
Strickland said there is now'here to redisirici
because West Hoke Middle School already ac
commodates 750 students, and Irasl Hoke Middle
School has 84.^ students with a potential of 000
next year.
“If we tried to move any children, it would be
movingchildren around the clock so that is not an
option,” Strickland said.
In the 11 schools in the county, the current
enrollment equals 6,5.50students. Current capac
ity allowed is 6,615. Projected enrollment next
year could exceed the capacity by more than .'^00
schools needs are and do something about the
high school. We could use a neii high school
down the road.
According to Strickland, huts \iill Iniw to be
used at Hoke High to accommodate the mcietis
ingstudent enrollment and the futuie Ninth (Ii.ide
Career Academy. CurrentK. 1.47() students .tie
enrolled at the high school \ihen the euiient
capacity should only be 1. ^75.1 le antieipat d the
high school enrollment could inciease to 1.51)5.
Other portable huts will ha\e to be opened at
Scurlock and Rockfish elementarx schools, he
said.
“In reality in Hoke County, we are giowingat
about 2.5 children per I'amiK." Strickland said
“We are looking at the real pictui. hen
“There could be I ,.588 additional children here
over the next three years.”
Strickland and Brown Hendrix Jr., school fa-
(S\r SCHOOL .ML LOS. .S 1}
%
S'
Love and Espionage
{jnge 1B
laycees honor
Hoke firefighters
page -lA
Dog abuser
gets jail term
page IOA
Births 3B
Business/Farm 9A
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 5-6B
Deaths 12A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 4B
Public Record 5A
Religion 1 lA
Sc hools 8A
Socials 3B
Sports 4A
Weddings 3B
Hoke’s top stories
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www.thenews-lournal.eom
State delays approval on Rockfish park work
Commissioners vote to complain to company, some residents say improvements are fine
By VtCTORIANA SlJMMl-KS
Staff writer
Even after renovations that include an
elaborate playground and baskctbal 1 court,
Rockfish Park remains the subject of con
troversy. Hoke Commissioners last week
said recent improvements are unsatisfac
tory and voted to notify the project super
visor. Some residents of the area, how
ever, said they are happy with the park.
No one seems to know who cut from
the park’s budget $28,000 in grant money
that could have been used for new bleach
ers or other projects. Hoke Parks and
Recreation Department s grant was also
allegedly “co-mingled” with other funds
by former Hoke county manager Bernice
MePhatter, Hoke finance director Scott
Edwards told the 1 loke board of commis
sioners at their annual retreat.
“I do not know why,” said ltdwards,
who was hired after MePhatter resigned
in 2001.
Funded by a $04,088 grant received
from the N.C. Department of Ihiviron-
ment and Natural Resources, the second
phase to enhance RiKkfish Park was be
gun in 2001 .The countycontributedabout
$67,000 in matching funds for the park
upgrades.
It was only four years ago when Rock
fish resident Carl Mounts said. “lA'en
Babe Ruth would not have been able to
play at Rockfish Park” unless the park
was improved. Today,children and adults
may play baseball, softball and basketball
at the facility located where more than 20
percent of Hoke’s population resides.
Yet after receiving two grants and al
most $200,000 since 10% for the eastern
Hoke park, 1 loke commissioners are still
displeased with the quality of some woik
at the facility.
“There are still .some needs out at the
park that need to be ;iddiessed.” ('ommis-
sion Chairman Bobby Wright said at the
retreat.
After a recommendation liom Com
mission Vice Chairman Charles V.
Daniels, the board voted unanimously to
let I lobbs-Upchurch engineering in South
ern Pines, supervisory firm foi the con
secutive projects, know they "aie not sat
isfied” with the most recent improve-
(.SiT ROCKLISH PARK. [Hif’c P\)
Jail committee meets today, possible expansion or new building likely topics
By Vktoriana Summi-.rs
Staff writer
As the Hoke County Jail Committee
was scheduled to meet this morning. Sher
iff Hubert Peterkin said he thought it
would discuss expansion alternatives or
propose sites for a future jail. He antici
pates the group will be making a presen
tation to the board of comm issione rs soon
to offer options.
“I expect we will know some of the
results from the Charlotte consulting firm
that was hired to study the jail needs,”
Peterkin said. “But, 1 am not certain what
will be addressed today specifically.
“I have tremendous confidence in the
volunteers on this committee. I believe
they will be very conscientious.”
In spite of concerns over the jail,
Peterkin said his agency accomplished
2,000arrests last year,conducted 18drug
raids, and arrested 100 drug suspects. Six
felony convictions were also attained at a
federal level by the Sheriff’s Office.
However, Peterkin flatly denied last
week calling the I loke detention facility a
danger to inmates, employees and the
community. In fact, he said, the minutes
of the county’s annual retreat last w'eek
would retlect that he never labeled the jail
as being a hazard or danger while discuss
ing it at the meeting.
“Obviously, the county commission
ers are well aware of the liability that
exists at the jail right now,” Peterkin said.
“I do not have to tell them the jail is
dangerous. They know the condition of
the facility and improvements that need to
be made,” he said.
“The jail's immediate needs? We are
still vulnerable right now. We aie looking
at installing bars at our fenced area.”
Peterkin said yesterday he thinks com
missioners are being attentive to the jiiil
situation. He preferred toconcentrate more
at the retreat on accomplishments of the
(See JAIL COMMIT LEE. /urge 5A)
By Kkn MacDonald
'General Manger
Speaking of eating dinner with some
one famous, I had that honor last week.
National Public Radio’s Carl Kascll and
his wife, Mary Ann, were in town visiting
friends - my aunt and uncle - and I got
invited on the coattails of my wife, who
actually has personality and can contrib
ute to a conversation.
I think the Kassells were taken with
Raeford after hearing the stories - some
of them true - of the characters around
here.
I know the people of Raeford have left
a good taste in the mouths of my aunt and
uncle. Uncertain whetherthe move would
be for a week or a year, they came here in
September from Washington to help care
formy uncle’s lOO-year-oldmotherwhom
they retrieved from Georgia. They sort of
moved to the middle so that she could live
out her last days in a community of fam
ily, and as it turned out, friends.
(See OTHER STUFF, page I2A)
1
4
Arson suspected
Hoke firefighters extinguished flames at a vacant mobile home yesterday off Doc
Brown Road. See the story on page lOA.