The ews Journal If it happt iied, it’s news to us 50t No.44Vol.99 Raeford & Hoke County n.c, Wednesday, January 19,2005 School board asks state legislators for help Hoke leaders seek followup to Leandro ruling, hear pitch for lottery vote By Victoriana Summers Staff writer Inequities in qualifying for military and separate low wealth funding for Hoke — labeled as a disadvantaged county — were discussed at a recent breakfast hosted at the central office by the Hoke Board of Education for local state representatives. Hoke School Superintendent Allen Strickland and School board chairman Russell Smith hope to enlist State Rep resentatives Garland Pierce and Doug Yongue, guests for the event, to support more funding for Hoke and other low wealth counties in the coming legislative session in Raleigh. Yongue and Pierce pledged their support in helping Hoke obtain future funding for education, as well as other low wealth counties. Strickland told the group that Wake Superior Court Judge Howard Manning has basically approved a new formula proposed by the state to determine which counties are entitled to low wealth fund ing. Criteria to qualify includes having students who have at least one parent with only a high school diploma, de termining the number of students in at tendance with family incomes below the poverty level, and showing the number of students between five and 21 years ■ (See SCHOOL BOARD, page 3A) Woman shot to death at home by intmder Investigators suspect robbery is motive April Pate with her daughter, now four. By Victoriana Summers Staff write A west Hoke mother of afour-year-old girl was shot to death before daylight on Saturday morning in a home intiusion that turned deadly, according to a spokes man from the Hoke Sheriffs Office. April Michelle Pate, 23, of Hunter’s Run, a supervisor with Deb’s Cleaning Service, was pronounced dead at the University of North Carolina Hospital at Chapel Hill. She was transported there by helicopter from FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. “There was massive bleeding from a wound to the torso,’’ Major Freddy Johnson, supervisor of the Sheriffs Office major crimes division, said yesterday. “Unfor tunately, she died while they were operating.” Pate’s body was sent to the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office in Chapel Hill. However, Johnson said they are still awaiting the preliminary autopsy results. Johnson said Pate’s mother was caring for Pate’s daughter at the time of the robbery. However, Pate was not alone at the time of the shooting. A male friend, who was employed as a (See MURDER, page 8A) Shown from left are Hoke school board members William Hollingsworth and Russell Smith, Representatives Garland Pierce and Doug Yongue, school board members Tom Pilkington and Rosa McAllister McRae, and Hoke School Superintendent Allen Strickland. EC isWedc 1 ,.r Qiurches mourn pastor’s wife page3A King’s dream remembered page 8 A Warm weather’s impact on plants explained page4A Support group to fete returning troops page 5 A dex Calendar 3B Classifieds 7-8B Deaths 6A Editorials 2A Engagements 3B Legals 4-6B Religion 2B Socials 3B Sports 7 A We're on the web at www.thenews-journaI.cow Deputy shoots driver after ‘reckless rampage’ Officer placed on routine suspension, felony chaiges pending against hospitalized man By Victoriana Summers Staff writer An officer in the Hoke Sheriff s Office narrowly escaped harm from a motorist after die fleeing man collided with another driver on Arabia Road and allegedly tried to run over the deputy, ac cording to Hoke Sheriff Hubert Peterkin. Captain Gary Hammond has been placed on routine, admin istrative suspension with pay after shooting the suspect, John Dexter Murr. Peteiicin said Murr allegedly turned violent during his “reckless rampage” down Rockfish Road last Wednesday night. Hammond’s pursuit and subsequent shooting of Murr re sulted from a traffic stop al legedly resisted by Murr. “The suspect was wanted on outstanding warrants in Cumberland County,” Major Freddy Johnson, supervisor of the Sheriffs Office major crimes division, said. ‘The man was also driving in spite of his license be ing revoked. “When Captain Hammond fired at the suspect, he was in fear for his life.” With an array of new criminal felony charges pending, Murr is listed in stable condition in Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. He was wounded by Hammond at the end of a chase across east ern Hoke County, according to Johnson. Once released from the hos pital, Murr will be arrested on charges of felony assault of a police officer, felony assault of a female, and felony fleeing and eluding a police officer. The N.C. Highway Patrol will also be charging Murr with additional traffic violations, according to Johnson and Peterkin. “Mr. Murr collided head-on with another driver during the pursuit and attempted to run over Captain Gary Hammond in order to evade capture,” Peteiicin said. “I think that Captain Hammond acted within department guide lines, and I support the actions of my officer.” Peterkin said his suspension of Hammond was based on policy, and procedures in place at the (See RAMPAGE, page 8A) Lafayette Ford to close Raeford location next month By Victoriana Summers ■ Staff writer Lafayette Ford, the only new car dealership in Hoke County, will be closing its doors on U.S. 401 on the first of February after operating for almost 10 years. Once closed, the building may be purchased or leased by another company, but all is still undecided, according to Don Price, owner. “The business started with a lucrative beginning and now is ending on the decline in Raeford,” Price said. “I think it is somewhat a reflection of the economy, and since we expanded in Fayetteville, it has driven more customers that way.” The facility was owned by Hoke Auto Parts before Lafayette Ford purchased it. Price said. Gordon Ragsdale, Lafayette’s sales manager in Raeford, said he regrets the loss of the local dealership, but is optimistic for the future. “We have 16 employees at our location, but only two are local folks,” Ragsdale said. “All of us have been offered jobs at the Fayettevi 1 le dealership, and we are grateful for that.” Ragsdale said the county and city officials were loyal in pur chasing and leasing automobiles from the local dealership over the years. However, he said, Hoke citizens did not patronize the automobile firm enough to keep it open. “So many Hoke residents worked out of town, and they ap peared to be shopping elsewhere for automobiles,” Ragsdale said. Price echoed Ragsdale’s as surances that the Raeford staff would definitely be offered (See DEALERSHIP, page 6A) Opponents of traditional school calendar told they need to get their plans on table Though it appears from a distance that a Raeford business is on fire, it’s actually an old unused produce stand burning. See story, page 6A. By Victoriana Summers Staff writer Staff or parents at any Hoke schools opposed to the new tradi tional calendar scheduled to begin for all local schools in 2005-06 need to be preparing alternatives before it is too late, according to Hoke School Superintendent Al len Strickland. A draft presented yesterday proposes the new traditional school schedule for all schools to begin in 2(X)5 on August 25 and end on June 8, 2006. Requests for calendar choices will need to be submitted to the Hoke Board of Education by March and no later than April to potentially incorporate them in the coming year, according to a consensus of school board members. This followed adebate between veteran school board chairman Russell C. Smith and new board member Hank Richard,-, lasi week. They discussed whether principals, staff, and parents were kept informed. Smith said he thought that the school staffs knew the options available. While smiling and verbally sparring. Smith and Richards made their somewhat opposite positions clear to fellow board members. Smith thinks each school should exercise “reasonable” choices in their bids for alternate calendars such as a year-round :.clicdi.le, which was cancelled out by the school board for next year. (See CALENDAR, page 4A)

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