The
ews
I ournal
Hoke County’s newspaper since 1905
No.39Vol.l08
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, December 4,2013
Hoke commissioner Hunt arrested
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Hoke County Commissioner
and Lumbee Tribal Administrator
Tony Hunt was arrested last week
after allegedly holding a gun to
his wife’s head and threatening
to kill her, according to the Hoke
County Sheriffs Office.
Hunt, 51, of the 1100 block of
Stonegate Drive in Raeford was
Hunt
arrested No
vember 27 and
charged with
felony larceny,
assault on a fe
male, assault by
pointing a gun,
domestic crimi
nal trespassing,
resisting, delay
ing or obstructing a public officer.
carrying a concealed weapon and
communicating threats, authorities
said.
Deputies with the Sheriffs
Office received a complaint
about a domestic disturbance at
the home of Linda Hunt on the
3700 block of Old Maxton Road
in Red Springs. The couple had
been separated since July, Sheriff
Hubert Peterkin said. Deputies at
the scene reported that Hunt was
driving his 2012 Toyota Tundra
pickup truck in a “careless and
reckless” manner in the front yard
of the home.
When the deputies arrived.
Hunt allegedly attempted to drive
off When the deputies stopped
Hunt and asked him where the
gun was located. Hunt “replied it
was in the house,” according to
the Sheriffs Office. When the of
ficers frisked Hunt, “he attempted
to maneuver his jacket to conceal
the fact he had a concealed hand
gun in his jacket pocket,” authori
ties said.
The deputies arrested Hunt at
the scene. Detectives arrived at the
location and began an investiga
tion. The investigators questioned
{See HUNT, page 6A)
Charles Allen, second from left, begins his term on city council; taking the oath with him are Mayor John K. McNeill (left)
and Wayne Willis. (Hal Nunn photo)
New member starts work on city council
By Bill Lindau
Raeford City Council went back
to work Monday evening with a new
member beginning his term. Coun
cil also approved a new regional
transportation organization, which
includes Raeford and a part of Hoke
County, and received a clean audit.
Charles Allen was sworn in as a
newly elected city councilman. Eve
lyn McLeod, clerk of Superior Court,
administered the oath of office to
Allen and also to re-elected Mayor
John K. McNeill III and Wayne Wil
lis. Also, councilman Robert Conoly
was once again appointed mayor pro
tern. Council also presented a plaque
to outgoing council member Shelley
Wilburn, honoring her for her service
on the council.
During Council’s first monthly
meeting since October, they saw a
presentation from Michael Rutan of
Cumberland County as he discussed
the Metropolitan Planning Organiza
tion. This multicounty group, based
on the 2010 census, will now include
the Fayetteville Urbanized Area, the
City of Raeford and a part of Hoke
County. It also includes Eastover,
Parkton, part of Robeson County and
part of Harnett County.
When the regional transportation
planning organizations were created,
(See COUNCIL, page 4A)
Southerland
says he’ll run
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Southerland
Former Board of Education mem
ber and Hoke County attorney Harry
Southerland announced this week he
plans to seek a seat on the Hoke County
Board of Commissioners next year.
{See SOUTHERLAND, page 6A)
Hoke woman found dead
on Scotland County road
The Scotland County
Sheriff’s Office is search
ing for information in the
death of 21-year-old college
student Demosha Bratcher-
Clegg of the 400 block of
Stevens Street in Raeford.
Clegg was found dead
Sunday around 9 a.m.
on Plantation Road near
Laurinburg, according to
Scotland County authori
ties. Officials are treating
the case as a homicide.
Inves
tigators
are
report
edly
waiting
on the
results
of an
autop-
Clegg
sy to determine the cause
of death.
Clegg, a student at Eliza-
{See CLEGG, page 6A)
3 sought for home invasion
The Hoke County Sher
iff’s Office is seeking three
suspects wanted in connec
tion with a home invasion
and armed robbery that
took place early Monday
morning near Red Springs.
Deputies responding to
a 911 call to a home on the
300 block of Branch Road
learned that three armed
{See INVASION, page 4A)
New gun ordinance on the way following complaints of noise, safety
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
After some Hoke residents on
multiple occasions asked com
missioners to address what they
described as unsafe and nuisance
gunfire in the eastern part of the
county, a new gun ordinance is on
the way.
Another group of four
concerned residents ap
peared before the board
at the regularly scheduled
meeting Monday to ask
commissioners to ad
dress the issue. The group
showed a video document
al could not believe what I saw
out there. It’s absolutely dangerous,
I could not believe it.”
— Chief Deputy Gary Hammond
ing the sound and fre
quency of gunfire com
ing from a private firing
range located just a few
hundred feet from the
residents’ homes.
Resident John Jenson
of Edisto Court said the
range near his home
presents a safety hazard and is a
community nuisance.
“They practice unsafe range
procedures, they’re unaware of
certain range space requirements,
and it’s kind of a safety factor for
the community,” he said.
Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy
{See GUNS, page 5A)
This Week
County seeks
new veterans officer
Page 4A
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 5B
Deaths 3 A
Editorials 2A
Legals 2-4B
Sports 7A
Worship 2B
Father, son arrested for robbery, beating
Son
Father
A father
and his son
were arrested
last week for
allegedly rob
bing a woman
and assaulting
her boyfriend
with a hammer, according to the Hoke
County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies with the Sheriff’s Office arrest
ed Johnny Dean Locklear, 44, of the 300
block of Locust Lane in Raeford and Johna
than Dean Locklear, 22, of the 300 block of
Locust Lane in Raeford. They were charged
with robbery with a dangerous weapon, as
sault with a deadly weapon and
{See BEATING, page 4A)
Man allegedly shoots car with son inside
Buie
A man from Red Springs
was arrested last week for
allegedly shooting into a car
with five people, including
his own child, inside, ac
cording to the Hoke County
Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrested Joshua
Edward Buie, 22, of the 2500 block of
South Duffie Road in Red Springs on
charges including three counts of discharg
ing a weapon into an occupied moving
vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon and
child abuse.
Authorities responding to a call of shoot
ing into an occupied vehicle on the 3700
block of Blue Springs Road reported that
driver 21-year-old Samantha Hunt and Buie,
the father of Hunt’s child, had been arguing
prior to the incident. Hunt, three other adults
and Hunt and Buie’s child were in Hunt’s
vehicle when she stopped at a gas station.
Buie was waiting in his vehicle at the gas
station and followed Hunt after she left, au
thorities said. Hunt “attempted several times
{See SHOOTS CAR, page 4A)
House of Raeford may pay
evacuees from ammonia
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
People who were evacuated from their homes due
to an ammonia spill at the House of Raeford may be
entitled to a payment of up to $60 from a proposed
class action settlement, according to a legal notice
from the poultry company.
An ammonia spill on January 5, 2011 at the
House of Raeford slaughterhouse on East Central
Avenue in Raeford forced a number of residents in
the area to leave their homes and prevented others
from returning to their homes until responders dealt
with the incident. Now, all residents who were living
within a half-mile of the plant during the evacuation
may receive the one-time payment of up to $60 if
they choose to participate in the proposed settlement,
and if the settlement is finalized.
The settlement is in regards to a 2011 lawsuit
{See SETTEEMENT page 8A)