The
ews
J ournal
Hoke County’s newspaper since 1905
No.9Vol.l09
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, May 7,2014
Thomas, Southerland, Hunt win primary
Powell trails by fewer than 100 votes, but victors avoid runoff
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Hoke County’s Democratic voters cast
enough ballots Tuesday in the county com
mission race to put one incumbent, a former
county attorney and a former state Senate
candidate through the primary and into the
November General Election, where they
will vie with two Republican candidates for
three seats on the board.
Incumbent Tony Hunt, former county
attorney Harry Southerland and candidate
Allen Thomas received enough votes in
the Democratic primary election to avoid a
runoff, according to elections officials.
Thomas led the field, receiving 2,188 or
22.57 percent of the vote in the commission
race, the most of any of the 10 commission
candidates on the primary ballot. Souther
land received the second-most votes, 1,731
or 17.86 percent, while incumbent Tony
Hunt came in third with 1,374 or 14.17 per
cent of the vote.
Incumbent Jean Powell received 1,278
votes, the fourth-most in the race, repre
senting 13.18 percent of the primary vote.
However, the three top vote-getters received
enough votes that there will not be a runoff,
officials reported.
The rest of the field included Cliff Over
by with 160 votes, William Brown with
281 votes, Richard Byrd with 546 votes,
Michael Lindsay with 677 votes, Freddie
McPhaul with 728 votes and Charles Dan
iels with 731 votes.
Roughly 15 percent of eligible Hoke vot
ers turned out at the polls.
The race for the three commission seats
(See PRIMARY, page 5)
Thornton D. Peterson Locklear J. Peterson
Joyride allegedly
follows murder
Details emerge in court
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Studying the numbers
Larry Long looks at primary results projected on the glass of The News-Journal office Tuesday night. Turnout for the election
was about 15 percent, and results were all in by about 9:15. (Catharin Shepard photo)
Cape Fear in lead for ambulance service
A Hoke County man found dead on Fort Bragg last
month was shot twice as he ran from suspects who alleg
edly lured him to a vacant home and beat him in order
to steal his car, according to Assistant District Attorney
Mike Hardin.
Hardin gave more details last week about the death
of Tayvon Joseph McMillan, 18, of St. Pauls. McMillan
went missing last month and passersby found his body
near Plank Road on the military reservation. Hardin
spoke about the case April 30 during a bond reduetion
hearing for two of the suspects.
Investigators with the Hoke County Sheriffs Office ar
rested Jaquan C. Peterson, 19, Dejour Peterson, 17, Joel
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
Hoke County Manager Tim John
son recommended Monday that the
county commissioners ehoose Cape
Fear Valley Health System to pro
vide emergency transport services
for Hoke residents, and although the
board tabled the matter, board mem
bers spoke in favor of approving the
contraet pending certain revisions.
The county’s three-year eontraet
with ambulance provider Medl is
up this month and the county com
mission chose to issue a request for
proposals, allowing other companies a
chance to make their case for earn
ing the contract. Medl, Cape Fear
Valley, FirstHealth of the Carolinas
and American Medical Response all
submitted proposals outlining how
much subsidy money they would
request from the county if awarded
the contract, along with other details
such as the baseline cost for individu
als and insurance companies for each
transport.
Cape Fear Valley’s proposal was
the best, although all four proposals
met the eounty’s qualifications, John
son wrote in a letter to commissioners.
(See AMBULANCES, page 7A)
(See JOYRIDE, page 5A)
Commission denies
permit for cell tower
By Catharin Shepard
Staff writer
This Week
Calendar 2B
Classifieds 5B
Deaths 3 A
Editorials 2A
Legals 2-4-6B
Social IB
Sports 6A
Worship 2B
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Three arrested in armed robbery
robbery, accord
ing to reports.
Authorities
arrested An
thony McLaugh
lin of the 6300
Anthony M. Antwon M.
Deputies with the Hoke
County Sheriff’s Office ar
rested three people last week
in connection with an armed
Copeland
^ block of Arabia
Road, Antwon
McLaughlin of the 6300
block of Arabia Road and
Lamonte Copeland of the
200 block of Roanoke Drive.
All were charged with rob
bery with a dangerous weap
on, conspiracy to commit
robbery with a dangerous
weapon, three eounts of pos
session of a stolen firearm,
possession with intent to
sell or deliver a Schedule VI
controlled substance, main
taining a dwelling to deliver
controlled substances and
(See ROBBERY, page 4A)
The Hoke County Board of Commissioners at its regu
larly scheduled meeting Monday night did not approve a
conditional use permit for a proposed 300-foot-tall lattice
framework cell phone tower that drew criticism from
neighboring property owners.
A conditional use permit request by Nexsen Pruett,
which has constructed many cell towers in Hoke County,
asked permission to put a tower on a parcel of property lo
cated at 875 Horace Walters Road. A public hearing held
in February about the matter was tabled to allow the op
posing parties a chance to meet and discuss the situation,
but conflicting schedules kept them from ever meeting.
County Planner Robert Farrell said.
The matter again came before the board Monday and
was the subject of discussion from both property owners.
Ultimately, Commissioner Bobby Wright made a motion
to approve the permit, allowing the tower, because oth
erwise it would be telling a property owner he eould not
develop his own property. Commission Vice Chairwoman
(See CEEE TOWER, page 4A)
CKmMUff City residents may see water rate hike
By Bill Lindau
By Ken MacDonald
As a member of Partners in Edueation, once each year
I get to eat in the high school culinary arts classroom,
where students put forth their best efforts and whip up
dishes so good it makes up for our organization’s $^&*
golf tournament.
It’s the Teacher of the Month and Mini-Grant Award
Luncheon during whieh we honor some of Hoke’s best
teachers.
I sat with three of them—Joan Conner from Hoke
High, Jennifer Kaylor from West Hoke Elementary, and
Aimie Hoover from Don Steed Elementary—and listened
to their stories from the classroom.
I will share two of them, first from Jennifer Kaylor:
(See OTHER STUEE, page 4A)
If Raeford doesn’t change
its tax rate, the eity will have
$168,500 more to spend,
thanks to the revaluation
of property. Meanwhile,
city residents may see an
increase in their water and
sewer rates. Raeford City
Council heard a proposal for
the upcoming city bud
get Monday evening at its
regular monthly meeting.
According to City Manager
Michael Wood, the recom
mended annual budget
includes an increase in the
city’s water/sewer rate and
an increase in the commer
cial tipping fee.
Council took no action
on the proposed budget in
this work session. A public
hearing on the budget for
the 2014-2015 fiscal year has
been seheduled for Monday,
May 12 at 7 p.m. at City
Hall, followed by a work
session on the budget.
Wood said with revalua
tion in place for the upcom
ing fiscal year, “maintaining
(the property tax rate) results
in a tax increase.” The
statement for the proposed
budget has the property tax
rate remaining at $0.48 per
$100 value.
“The revenue neutral tax
rate caleulated using the
N.C. Department of Treasur
er formula is $0.4567/$ 100
of value,” the memo for the
proposed budget further
stated, “and the tax rate
needed to produce a levy
equivalent to the FY2014 tax
levy is $0,439/$ 100 of value.
The tax inerease is
(See CITY, page 5A)