The
ews
Journal
If it happened, its news to us
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Raeford & Hoke County n.c,
Wednesday, March 2,2005
Land sought for state park on Lumber River
Group hopes to protect portion of Hoke’s side of river for future, recreation
By Victoriana Summers Lumber River runs through Hoke and been threatened bv some “clear cut” The Sandhills Area Land Trust and source, according to Richar
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke Cou nty may soon become home
to a tract of the 7,936-acre Lumber River
State Park. Framed in the spring by
wild azaleas and laurel on its banks, the
Lumber River runs through Hoke and
Scotland counties as a natural border,
but the state park land is only established
currently on the Scotland side, according
to state paric officials.
A winding waterway with dark pools
and swamp land, the Lumber River has
been threatened by some “clear cut’'
logging up to its banks in recent years,
causing runoff sedimentation and pol
lution. By expanding the natural buffers
along the river in Hoke, conservationists
hope to protect more rare aquatic life and
endangered species.
The Sandhills Area Land Trust and
the Lumber River Conservancy hope to
receive a $143,0(X) grant they requested
from the state’s Clean Water Manage
ment Trust Fund to help preserve the
riverside in Hoke for future generations
to enjoy recreational ly and as a water
source, according to Richard Perritt,
executive director of the Sandhills
Trust’s program. Approximately 500
acres is already located inland and on
the banks of Scotland in the 115-mile
long river park.
(See LUMBER RIVER, page 7A)
MMG partners
salvage jobs
Companies to operate separately,
new building to be put to use
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Former partners in the MMG
company have apparently settled
their differences and a lawsuit
resulting from the rift should
soon be settled.
When the partnership that
formed M ilitary Manufacturing
Group Inc. failed last month,
a million-dollar plant on Doc
Brown Road and several dozen
jobs hung in the balance. But
the former partners say the
plant will reopen and the jobs
are secure.
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Raeford residents Tim and
Colleen D’Annunzio filed the
lawsuit. They are seeking dam
ages of more than $200,000
against SunPath Products, ac
cording to Tim D’Annunzio.
After filing the complaint
in February against Derek and
Pat Thomas, owners of SunPath
Products, D’Annunzio, owner
of Paraclete Body Armor in St.
Pauls and a former partner of
MMG, announced on Monday
that a mutual agreement has
been signed. He indicated the
settlement would enable him to
recoup some of lus investment.
The Thomases had still not
filed an official response to the
complaint as of Friday.
D’Annunzio said he plans
(See MMG, page 4A)
■vl
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A kayaker paddles the water of the Lumber River, which begins in Hoke County and forms its western border, and flows through Robeson
County to meet the Little Pee Dee River in South Carolina.
Federal grant helps Tylertown FD to survive
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Tylertown Volunteer Fire Department
faces challenges ahead in a struggle to pay
its bills, keep up training for firefighters,
and remain financially sovereign while
offering fire protection to the poorest fire
district in Hoke County, according to Wil
liam Kershaw, lyiertown’s fire chief
Yet Kershaw said what they may lack in
financial resources is made up with pride as
the only traditionally black fire department
manned in the county. During this critical
time, Kershaw said, he was plea.sed that
Tylertown has tentatively been awarded
a $117,000 grant from the Federal Emer
gency Management Fire Protection Act.
The fire department in February received
notification of the grant, which requires a
five percent match in funds contributed by
county commissioners.
“It is real great to know we will receive
this grant as long as we have been strug
gling to gel equipment,” Kershaw said.
“Now we have a chance to get what we
really need.
“Each fireman will have his or her own
individual protective mask. We will not
have to .share anymore.
“Our bigge.st challenge out here
(See TYLERTOWN, page 5A)
Main Street merchants hear of redevelopment plans
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
With the beautification and revitaliza
tion of Main Street Raeford coming closer
to reality, the Downtown Redevelopment
Commission held an open house and in
vited downtown businesses in particular to
view preliminary drawings of downtown’s
new look and to have any of theirquestions
answered.
The redevelopment project includes
changes in p)avement, sidewalks, land
scaping, lighting, signs, traffic control.
and adding street furniture. The project
will cover Main Street from Prospect to
Campbell avenues.
Involvement in the redevelopment en
compasses more than just the city. The NC
Dept, of Transportation is a major player
and is currently looking over plans drawn
up by the Raleigh engineering firm. The
Wooten Company. Also involved are Time-
WamerCable, Sprint, Progress Energy and
Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad. The county
is also involved i n that the expansion of the
jail just off Main Street is apart of the plans.
(See MAIN STREET, page 8A)
Debate over dam road at Twelve Oaks North may end up in court
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
One way in and one way out. Homeown
ers in the Twelve Oaks North subdivision
must cross over Twelve Oaks Lake on which enables access to Camden Road, is
a paved dam road, the subject of a civil notuptopar.accordingtoCountyManager
lawsuit filed by Hoke County officials Mike Wood,
last Friday. Wood said the county is suing Averitte
The county is concerned that the road, Engineering’sdeveloper David Averitte for
the $110,000 bond that Averitte initially
put up more than seven years ago. Averitte
guaranteed the road would be brought
up to state Department of Transportation
standards. Wood said.
Since a letter of credit unofficially serv
ing as a bond hasexpired, Averitte said, the
county does not have a val id reason to force
him to bri iig the road up to DOT standards.
In fact, Averitte said, he does not think the
(See DAM ROAD, page 7A)
frhe News-Tjoumai 1
David Averitte on the road that enters Twelve Oaks North and is the subject of a
seven-year controversy.
News
By Ken MacDonald
Publisher
What have 1 done?
My father-in-law was down a few weeks
ago, and 1 was on entertai n ment detai 1. The
females had all jumped ship to take naps.
With a ballgame on in the background the
conversation turned to computers. “Hey,
watch this neat trick,” 1 said as 1 opened
my wireless laptop and looked to see if
Leighanne was online. She was. 1 clicked
Other stuff
C'
the little icon of a telephone by her name
and spoke into my screen. “You there?” 1
asked. “Yup,” she replied. We were audio
chatt ing - usi ng the laptop’s bu i It-in speak
ers and microphones to converse.
“Can my computer do that?” my father-
in-law asked.
"Uh oh. What have 1 done?” I
thought.
“Um...” 1 stuttered. “Well, it’s a
Macintosh, and um... 1 guess if 1 put
(See OTHER STUFF, page 4A)