The ews Journal If it happened, it’s news to Na40VoL101 Raeford & Hoke County n.c. Wednesday, December20,2006 Commissioners tour Denver wind tunnel Hunt, Powell say they’re satisfied concerns about noise, tunnel use unfounded By VicTORiANA Summers Staff writer “Wow! Whal an experience.” These were SMne of the reactions of Hdce ctxnmission vice chairman Tony Hunt and comreksioner Jean Powell after they floated aloft in an indoor skydiving simulator in Lone Tree, Colorado on Saturday. Hunt, a former US Army paratrooper, and Powell, a private licensed pilot, suited up in jumpsuits, goggles, ear [dugs and hdmets provided by Sky Venture’s wind tunnel staff. The pair braced themselves fw approximately four minutes inside a wind tunnel capable cd' causing winds between 70 and 120 miles per hour. Children who were signed up for ^ydiving classes pressed their faces onto the thick Plexiglas of the 65-foot tower to watch them. “My pulse was racing a mile a minute,” an oithused Powell said. ‘Tt was a different feeling because I was not in control. “It is a handsome facility.” Hunt’sandPowdl’sexpmences came about after srane opposition from northea.st Hoke residrats to an indoor skydiving simulates tower proposed there. Hoke officials and a (See WIND TUNNEL, page 5A) Top: County nianager Mike Wood videos while Hoke planner Heather Brown and Mike Raible, consultant for Paradete XFs Sky Venture, measure sound levels; Right: Jean Powell rides like the wind; above.Tony Hunt. This Week 5t- of ibr lie K. »hn leil )by j * I ^ ’ I 1* -i'' C ; * W^gonWhed^s treefuD of memories page3A Bank robber suspect caugbt page4A Hawkeye Sands changes hands page7A Index Births... 3B Calendar... 8B Classifieds... 6-7B Deaths... ...6A,8A Editorials... JA L^als... 4-5B PuHic Record... 4A Religion... 2B Schools... IB Socials... 3B Sports... 7A Weddings... 3B School board sets turnaround plan for Hoke High to comply with judge By Victoriana Summers Staff writer The Hdce County board trf edu cation has unanimoasly approved a custom designed turnaround [^ for the county’s main high sebod. A ^Voyage” has been launched to attain adequate proliciency scores to meet a court onJer ksued by Wake Superior Court Judge Howard Man ning. Siq)erintendent Dr. Freddie Wil liamson and Dr. Lora Hodges, as sistant H(4ce school superintendent of curriculum and instruction say they are steering for “safe harbor,” and hope to see a 10 percent increase in studoits scoring at levels 3 or4 by June 2007. The state Department of Public Instruction will also provide a consulting team assigned to Hoke schools for special assistance next year in improving test scores. “Tliere are many components involved that we are focusing on now,” WillianEson said. “We want to improve our literacy standards and to help improve achievement few strug gling students even mewe.” Most ofHoke Hi^ students flunked (he standards set by Manning this pa.st year. Those standards required at least 60 percent or more of studoits who take End of Course tests to sc«e at level 3 or 4. Only 44 percent of Hoke High’s students attained level 3 or 4, putting the school on a watch list two years ago by Manning and DPI. The scores were down nine points frewn 2004-05 s parentage of 53.2, which were down from 54.5 percent in 2003-2004. ^‘We fell into it, and we are required to do a firamewwk for improvement,” Hodges said. “Essentially, it would be our own immediate action plan.” (See TURNAROUND, page 6A) Bus wreck sends 7 to hospital The driver of this car and six children were injured. By Pat Wilson Editor The rear tire of a Hoke County school bas rolled over the left front quarta of an automobile at the intersection of Old Wire and McCiougan roads Wednesday afterraxMi, terrifying the auto driver but not serioiLsly injuring her or any students. The front of the 2001 Dodge Stratus was crushed, and the bumper was tom off by the impact. Investigating State Trooper K. Crumpler said the bus driver, Lisa Irocklear, 42, Cope Road, wasdlstractcd by someofherpassengeis when she made a left turn onto McGougan. The Dodge was stopped when the bus struck it at approximately 20 miles pa hour. The driver, Audrey Koshaw Rogers, 41, Rock Springs Road, Fayetteville was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Six children on the schod bus, which was filled to capacity, were also taken to Cape Fear Valley for medical treatment Theie were no impact iiguries, Crumpler sakL The bouncing of the bus was what hurt the kids, he added. The accident was reported at 2:25 pjiL, just after the bus left Sandy Grove Elementary Schod. Locklear was charged with making an unsafe movement Finance head for school system takes job at Fayetteville State We're an thewAat unAw. thenews-joumaLcom Readby3,000 eadiwedc By Victoriana Summers Staff writer Afterguiding Hoke schools to an outstanding audit for 2004-05, finance officer An drew Calliban has resigned to accept a key position in higher education in Cumberland County. A Robeson County resi dent Callihan has accepted a finance position at Fay etteville State Uni versity, a constitu ent of the Callihan University of North Cantina. He will serve as 1 amtrolleroftheFSU’sbudget department, supervising a staff of almost 30 people. Callihan submitted his resignation letter to the Hoke Board of Education and Dr. Freddie Williamson, Hoke school superintendent, on Monday. He has been em ployed with Hoke sch(K)ls for I wo years, earning a salary of $78,000 annually. Callihan’s employment contract would have come up for renewal in June. His final day with Hoke schools will be January 16. “I am leaving on good terms with the school board,” Callihan said. “Every career move you make is always a building block for your next job. “Hoke County has helped me to do that” he said. ‘1 have been committed to Hoke sdiools, but 1 wanted the challenge of working in a university environment again.” Callihan formeiiy served as the bud^ technidan for the University of North Carolina (See CALLIHAN, page 3A)

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view