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)