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No. 25 V0LIO2
Raeford & Hoke County h.c.
75t
Wednesday, September 5,2007
County placed under water restrictions
By Jason Beck
Staff Writer
Citizens of Hoke County no
longer have a choice when it comes
to conserving water — it’s the law.
Last night the board of commis
sioners unanimously approved a
move to stage-two mandatory water
restrictions.
Violators will first receive a
citation, and later a $100 fine and
a disconnection of services on a
second offense.
Stage-two restrictions limit citi
zens from watering lawns, gardens
or shrubs to every other day. Even
number addresses can water on
even days of the month and odd
number addresses can water on the
odd days.
In addition, it will also be unlaw
ful to wash cars, trucks, trailers,
boats or airplanes; clean houses.
parking lots or sidewalks and to refill
empty swimming pools.
According to Utilities Director
Mike Dean, the restrictions are
necessary since Hoke has a limited
supply of water.
“With us being a ground water
system, the recovery is going to
be longer than the surface water
systems,” Dean said. “The thunder
storms we received, (other counties)
will see quicker results than we will
see. Our recommendation is we go
to a more stringent stage of our ordi
nance, which would allow us to en-
(See COMMISSIONERS, page 6A)
Jason Beck photo
On his way to Washington, D.C. to draw attention to the predicament of homeless people, Roy Gleiter pulls his trailer along US 401 Wednesday.
Homeless
guy makes
his point
Pulls trailer 1000 miles
on way to Washington
By Jason Beck
Staff Writer
Over the past two years Roy Gleiter
has walked more than 1,000 miles
pulling a wagon weighing as much as
a pickup truck. His weathered sweaty
skin, worn boots and blistered feet are
the only thing he has gained so far on
his journey.
As he struggled to pul 1 the wagon into
Raeford last week, Gleiter said he would
not lay down his burden until he has
raised awareness for the impoverished,
desperate and homeless.
“I’m going to do this until we get
something done,” he said, as he took a
break from pulling the hefty cart beside
US. 401 Wednesday. “I’m crazy, but
that works out for me because crazy is
what gets stuff done.
“My life is simple,” he said.
(See HOMELESS GUY. page 7A)
Tl
%
'It
G>unty Utilities
director awarded
pageSA
$171K grant
funds houses
page6A
Uteracy Sunday
this weekend
page2B
Museum sets tour
of church, battlefield
page IB
Index
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 5B
Court 3 A
Deaths 3 A
Editorials 2A
Engagements 4A
Legals 3-4B
Social News 4A
Sports 5 A
Weddings 4A
We’re on the wd> at
www.Aenews-jounud.com
Readby4,000 eaA week
FirstHealth protests lost bid for ambulances
By Jason Beck
StaffWriter
Hoke County’s decision to
change EMS providers again
caused a ripple last night, as
two people spoke out against
the switch during public
forum. Earlier in the meet
ing, commissioners voted
to approve a contract with
American Medical Response,
one of the largest providers in
the country.
However, not everyone is
in favor of the decision to
sever ties with FirstHealth, the
Southern Pines company that
has provided the county with
EMS service for 11 years. Last
month, 911-director Jimmy
Stewart spoke out against
AMR’s contract, which did
not meet the RFP require
ments set forth by the board
but was substantially cheaper
than runner-up FirstHealth.
Last night, David Carter,
systemdirectorforFirstHealth,
showed his displeasure with
the commissioners for reject
ing his company’s bid.
“FirstHealth was disap
pointed, and we are disap
pointed, because when the
proposal was submitted,
AMR did not follow the
RFP,” Carter said. “If we
were to have made the same
proposal that AMR made, our
proposal would have been at
least $40,000 less.
“Of the ones that respond
ed to the RFP to the letter,
FirstHealth was the lowest
bidder.”
Instead, FirstHealth fol
lowed the suggestions set forth
before bidding began. Carter
said. The result was an AMR
bid of just over $615,000
a year, nearly $305,000
cheaper than the one made
by First Health. Stewart was
concerned the new provider
would not be able to meet
the demands placed on it by
a growing Hoke County. Last
night Carter agreed.
“AMR only operates con
valescent non-emergency
transport services,” Carter
-said. “We have 300 staff
within 30-35 minutes of
(See CONTRACT, page 8A)
Sheriff’s office arrests two during video poker raids
By jason Beck
StaffWriter
Hoke County deputies hit the jack
pot last week when they busted illegal
gambling rings at two Raeford homes.
Tvo men were issued citations, and
six outlawed video poker machines
were seized.
Myron McGilvery 49, of 619
McGilvery Lane, and John McLaugh
lin of 3103 L McLaughlin Road were
both charged with possession of illegal
video poker machines. Each of the
men was allegedly operating three of
the machines out of their homes.
Video poker, which used to be
regulated by the state, was banned
completely on July 1. Sheriff Hubert
Peterkin said siiKe then, many op
erators have moved their gambling
underground and out of sight.
“What these people are doing is
they are resort ing to doi ng t hei r i 1 legal
poker in their houses,” Peteikin said.
‘The first offense is a misdemeanor;
the second is a felony.”
Last week’s Raeford bust was each
suspect’s first gambling offense. Pe
terkin said the operations were set up
like two small casino halls with three
machines and stools in a row.
‘These guys had three machines
each,” he said. “They had a little
bam where people would come and
gamble. At one location we seized
about $5,000cash and the other maybe
about $1,000.”
Peterkin said the machines often
are filled with even more money, but
are emptied often to avoid losing large
quantities in a raid. Surveillance cam
eras were also found and confiscated
during the raid.
Even when the machines were
legal to own they caused problems,
Peterkin said.
(See VIDEO POKER, page 8A)
Johnson Hall dedicated
\
- --
SandHoke Early College’s
new home, Johnson Hall, was
dedicated Thursday as the
latest addition to Sandhills
Community College’s Hoke
campus.
The building was named
for House of Raeford’s chair
man of the board, E. Marvin
Johason, a major contributoi
I ‘ ■ ii iC buiiuiii^.
Johnson was hailed as one
of North Carolina’s great
est entrepreneurs, having
developed House of Raeford
into the fifth largest privately
owned company in the state,
with sales approaching $1
billion.
Paincij Hollmn“Wth photo*
* —r
Marvin Johnson