ews
J ournal
If it happened, it’s news to us "
N0.31V0L101
Raeford & Hoke County n.c,
75t
Wednesday, October 18,2006
Hoke High’s ABCs scores drop 9 points
Educators remain confident staff changes in place will fix school in 3 years
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
When it comes to meeting chal
lenges in improving ABC^ test
scores, the state’s accountability
program that measures academic
progress in students, Hoke County
High is below the acceptable line
required for proficiency levels.
With the report recently released
for 2005-06 by Gov. Mike Easley,
results show a significant slump in
students’ performance scores on End
of Course tests at Hoke High. Scores
for grades kindergarten through 8
in reading and math End of Grade
tests will be delayed until November
because of a gl itch that occurred with
the firm that tabulates the test scores,
according to Dr. Lora Hodges, as
sistant Hoke school superintendent
of curriculum and instruction. A
newer form of testing for math has
also caused the delay in knowing the
results from students not yet entering
high school.
Only 44 percent of Hoke High
students scored at level three or four,
which is the benchmark targeted by
the state to show student proficiency.
Already on the watch list of high
schools in academic peril by Easley,
Hoke High may now be in danger of
sanctions because it has not passed
the hurdle of at least 59.9 percent
of students scoring above level two
on ABCs testing. The noticeable
decline compares to 53.2 percent
in 2004-05. In 2003-04, Hoke High
students increased scores slightly to
53.5 percent, but that trend reversed
during the past two years.
“This means a nine percent drop
in test scores this past year,” Hodges
(See ABCs, page 7A)
Sheriff mum
on accusations
Former employee says emails
prove Peterkin’s abuse of office
Just politics,
dreaders say
By Victoriana Summers
AND
Pat Allen Wilson
Hoke Sheriff Hubert Pe>.
terkin, running for reelectior^
in November, has offered n^
further comment this week
on allegations by a former
employee that he directed her
to work on his campaign on
county time.
Peterkin flatly denied tt\e
validity of a criminal cony-
plaint filed against him on
September 28 by ex-employee
Lissa Jones, formerly hjg
administrative assistant ftyr
two years.
Last week Jones produced
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an email she says she sent to
Peterkin regarding a phony
ballot — later used for cam
paign literature—she says he
directed her to create.
Jones, now working on
the campaign committee to
elect Red Springs police chief
Troy McDuffie as a write-in
candidate for sheriff, resigned
in July. Jones and Hoke com
missioner Bill Cameron, an
incumbent who was defeated
in the Democratic primary
race for a second term, indi
cated they are continuing to
pursue allegations of miscon
duct against Peterkin.
At a press conference held
by Jones and Cameron last
Thursday, they insisted their
reasons for exposing their
complaint are based on “eth
ics” and “what is right,” and
not politically motivated.
They claim Peterkin mis
used county employees,
equipment and supplies for
campaigning in the May
Democratic Primary. Jones
alleged she personally pro
duced a fake sample ballot at
home at Peterkin’s direction
in March and was paid by the
county while she did the work.
She alleges she later made at
least 3,500 copies at the Hoke
Sheriffs Office while also on
county time.
Jones and Cameron have
not dropped their grievance
despite Hoke district attorney
(See PETERKIN, page 4A)
Hillcrest volunteer firemen fold aflag covering McCormick’s casket before
lifting the casket to the top of a firetruck for the funeral procession.
500 mourn firefighter
McCormick honored for ‘unselfish’ service
By VicTORiANA Summers to the community.
Staff writer A 20-year veteran fireman.
More than 500 mourners and McCormick died at the Univer-
fellow firefighters from Hillcrest sity of North Carolina Hospitals
Volunteer Fire Department re- at Chapel Hill la.st Thursday. A
joiced at the “unselfish” service vehicle driven by a N.C. Proba-
Hillcrest Assistant Fire Chief tion and Parole officer struck him
James “Pete” McCormick Sr. gave (See FIREMAN, page 7A)
Laurie Smith (right), goddaughter of McCormick is
consoled by Bernette Watkins.
Annexation debate persists, community is split
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
sound urban planning and
offers services needed by
the residents there. They also
The city says its planned say some residents will save
annexation of the College money if they are annexed.
Drive/Palmer Street area Some residents of the area
complies with state laws, is targeted for annexation are
saying, however, they can’t
afford it, that the city is mis
leading them, and they don’t
want what the city has to of
fer. There are also complaints
the involuntary annexation is
unconstitutional.
Others are saying plans to
annex 131 residences on 133
acres has caused a rift in the
community.
The opposition to annexa
tion has been fueled by the
fact that the county just raised
taxes, and the city raised water
rates. Some say the recent
revaluation by the county has
their homes overvalued.
Some residents were crit
ical of annexation plans
(See DEBATE, page HA)
IS
‘Operation Safe Child’ seeks
location of Hoke sex offenders
Mums the word at Hedgpeth Farms and Greenhouses on Highway 211 west as customer
Mildred Revels admires chrysanthemums and pansies with owner Steve Hedgpeth.
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Do you know if your neigh
bor may be a sex offender or
if one may reside next to your
children’s school or park?
State law says people
have the right to know the
names, addresses and crimes
committed by sex offenders
- against adults or children
- in their county and across
the nation.
The Hoke Sheriff’s Office
is conducti ng a massive search
titled “Operation Child Safe.”
Hoke deputies and detectives
will be verifying if registered
sex offenders in Hoke County
are still at their designated
home addresses, according
to Hoke Sheriff Hubert Pe
terkin.
“We have an obligation to
our kids to not have them he
targeted in ourcommunity by
sex offenders," Petcikin said.
“Some people commit these
brutal cri mes of molestat ion or
taking indecent liberties, but
they live and work among us.
(See OFT'ENDTIRS, pageOA)