ews
Journal
* Of ?i
il happened, it's news to
No. 51 Vol. %
t:. - \J Ft
50^
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
SBI investigating DSS at request of DA
Red flags raised in Social Services audit, District Attorney requested probe
B'l ViCIORI \N \SUMMI RS
Staff writer
The State Bureau of Investigation is
on an apparent fact-finding mission,
determining if any criminal wrongdo
ing has occurred in the Hoke Depart
ment of Social Services.
SBI Special Agent Janie Pinkston
has been assigned to head the probe.
Pinkston previously investigated the
embezzlement case of former Hoke
county manager Bernice MePhatter,
who was convicted in November of
embezzlement and forgery and utter
ing.
“This is not a preliminary inquiry,”
Pinkston said on Tuesday of DSS. “We
arc conducting a criminal investigation
that may take some time.
“The investigation was requested by
the District Attorney. I just entered the
case yesterday.”
Pinkston said she has not begun to
review the DSS materials that arc caus
ing concerns.
“The financial records of S(x;ial Ser
vices have been impounded,” Pinkston
said. “They are secured.”
However, one source said Pinkston
has already interviewed some people
regarding the matter. She declined to
comment on that.
“1 will be in Hoke County tomor
row,” Pink.ston said Tuesday. “The DA
requested us to investigate because So
cial Services officials had received in
formation about the possibility of im
proprieties.
“Whether irregularities may or may
not exist has not been determined yet. 1
would be troubled to comment any fur
ther.”
Pinkston said the case could involve if evidence exists to support any ques- A source, who asked tr) remain un-
only current employeesor past employ- tionsof misconduct. named,said a number of checks drawn
ees, or it could focus on a “mixture” of “It istoosoon to tell at this point,” she on DSS accounts in amounts of $ 1,500
both. She said it was premature to know said. to $2,000 were questioned by DSS otfi-
’ll
Time out.... restless students from Richmond County peer out of a school activity bus window as N.C, Highway Patrol
trooper Stevip Joe examines the scene of an accident that resulted in a few minor injuries at the Hoke-Mobre counties
border. (See story on page 6A.)
cials. The checks were repoitedly writ
ten from a DSS trust account and idso
allegedly involved the food stamp div i
sion. The source also alleged the locks
on the doors of the DSS building had
been changed as a precaution, but no
verification of that could be obtained In
press time.
‘I want the public ter know that a
concerned employee tipped oil DSS ol
the |)ossible allegations of corruption."
the source said.
Hoke District Attorney Ktistv M.
Newton, who was in conleience. was
unable to return a phone inquiry con
cerning the matter Tuesday. However.
William l-ields. chairman of the Hoke
Board of Social Services, after ques
tions by ///(’ said he co
ordinated a formal response with
Millicent Diehl. DSS attorney, and is
sued a press release this morning.
“In November2()(H.the I lokeCounty
Department of Social Services requested
an audit of records in its Adult Services
and Children's Services Programs be
undertaken through the Hoke finance
department.” fields and Diehl said in
their statement. “As a result ol pielimi-
nary lindings.ihe Department (DSS), in
conjunction with the county finance
department, has requested further in
quiry through an independent account
ing (firm).
“The Depaitment of Soci.d Services
and 1 loke County contacted the District
Attorney who in turn requested assis
tance from the State Buieau of Investi
gation.”
Fields said the informtition caused
sufficient concern to warrant an audit.
He said a firm has not been .selected vet
(See nSS PROBK, puic 4A)
Asst, principal returns
to Hoke High
h\
Eighteen apply
for city manager
f)age 'lA
Committee of 100
board chosen
f)age .'1A
Storm winds
damage homes
pag-.- «A
Births 2B
Calendar 3B
Classifieds 7-8B
Class Reunions 3B
Deaths 10A
Editorials 2A
Legals 3-6B
Religion 5A
Schools 9A
Socials 2B
Sports 7 A
Hoke’s top stories
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www.thenews~Journal.com
Food lion opens ‘fabulous’ store to fanfare
l■mlO£
It’s a family affair at the Food Lion grand
opening for Ariel Aponte and wife Kalita,
who shop with their daughter, Lakiaya.
Bv VirroRiANA Summi.rs
Staff writer
Cotton fields on the William McNeill
farm once nourished around U.S. 401 and
Club Pond Road, where Food Lion Cor
poration opened its first major grocery
store chain last Wednesday in Hoke
County.
While distinguished as the first in the
county, Food Lion already operates a gro
cery store in Raeford’s city limits.
“This is a great start for Hoke County,”
Commissioner James Leach said. “I am
glad to see this shopping center open.
“We plan to continue supporting busi
ness in our county.
We are looking forward to more busi
nesses coming into Hoke.”
From the front porch of the historic
IH36 two-story McNeill family home,
hundreds of people could be seen shoj)-
ping across the highway at Hoke Landing
last week, home of F'ood Lion. With the
parking lot substantially filled :md a
searchlight beckoning people to the site
adjacent to l-ast Hoke Middle School,
business was brisk, according to Jackie
Robinson, store sales manager.
“The reaction from the I loke commu
nity has been simply fabulous,” Robinson
said. “It is an overwhelming response.
“We have exceeded our goals of sales
for the first week in terms of dollars and
the amount of products we have sold. "In
receiving a warm welcome from the com
munity, people have supported us totally."
Robinson credited local and corporate
staff for stocking and preparing for the
opening. Food Lion is employ ing 15 full
time employeesand45-.5(lpart-lime work
ers at the store. 1-eaturing ;i full-service
deli/bakery. Food Lion also provides a
florist. Western Union .service and a
C'oinstar machine. More than 2b,()0( I items
are being sold, including international
specialty items and prime meats, pork,
seafood, and cheeses.
“We luive only received positive com
ments from customers." Robinson said.
"They love the new ‘reinvented’ decor ol
the store, including diagonal aisles and
open beams.”
Present for the grand opening were
Hoke and Raeford dignitaries. Food Lion
executives and employees, and perfor-
(.Scc FOOD LION. pu^cM)
Clinton officials tell Raeford council streetscape good idea
By P vt At i.t N Wn.soN
Editor
Clinton officials thought $1 million
was way too much money to spend on the
revitalization of their downtown area.
“We stal led out and thought and thought
— for three and one-half years,” Clinton
Planning Director Jeff Vreugdenhil told
the Raeford city council last night.
Now that the renovation of the town
square is complete, he said, “I can say
unequivocally this is the greatest eco
nomic development tool to take place in
Clinton.”
Vreugdenhil and Clinton City Planner
Mary Rose spoke to councilmen at the
request of the Redevelopment Commis
sion of the City of Raeford at a called
meeting.
“We wanted to invite them here so you
could hear a success story,” said Steve
Connell, chairman of the Redevelopment
Commission.
1 he commission unveiled a streetscape
plan for Raeford last week and asked
councilmen to tear down the vacant and
dilapidated former Raeford Hotel, autho
rize a design plan and implement Phase I
of a three-plia.se project for downtown
Raeford. The cost ol the first phase is
estimated at $1.1 million although the
city’s expense would come to less than
half that. The total project is estimated at
$2 million.
(Sec STREELSCAPE. pniic lOA)
ne l>ews
News
^ Journal 1
Other stuff
Maynor-Bowen runs for school board
By Ki;n MacDonai.d
General Manager
PLEASANTGARDEN,NC-ln 1876,
Alexander Graham Bell spoke those fa
mous first words by telephone to his as
sistant nearby: “Watson - come here - I
want to see you.” On Saturday, at my
father-in-law’s house, we traded emails
via two laptop computers, connected
wirelessly to a router and cable modem,
and sent no doubt through countless miles
of cable and untold numbers of main-
- 1111/
frame servers in who knows how many
locations. Our emails said, “hi.”
When we last tuned in to The Grand
Experiment, we discovered learning to
use a computer was one of two things my
father-i n-law wanted to do before he died.
We did not learn what the other thing is
and we are not going to ask.
Somehow, I got nominated to prevure
the computer and do the training.
“I spent $1,100 to get an email from
you that says ‘hi’?” my father-in-law said
(See OTHER STUFF, page 8A)
Bv Pav Ai I I N
Wll SON
Editor
Della Maynor-
Bowen has an
nounced that she
willbeacandidate
for the Hoke
County Board of
Education this
year.
‘I w ish to be involved m the education,
care and nurturing of all Hoke County
students,” Maynor-Bowen said.
Maynor-Bowen said she believes the
has the time to “get involved” since rclir-
Maynor-Bowen
ingasthc Hoke County Register of deeds
in December 2002. She served in that
capacity for 30 years.
“1 believe 1 have a responsibility to the
citizens of I loke County for all their sup
port through the years, and 1 would like to
serve them again.” Maynor-Bowen said.
Maynor-Bowen made her announce
ment Monday. “My vision is to work with
the board of education, 1 loke ('ounty com
missioners and the state toobtain as much
lundmg tor the school system to benelit
all student.s, staff and teachers.”
Maynor-Bowen is a Lumbee-Cheraw
Indian who is serving her third year as
(Sec MAYNOR-BOWEN, page H\)